Content Warning: This guide section contains depictions of domestic abuse and violence against women.

In Mr. Fox, Helen Oyeyemi tackles the ethical responsibility of writers, particularly in their portrayal of violence against women. This theme is central to the novel’s critique of Mr. Fox’s writing, as Mary Foxe confronts him repeatedly about the harm he causes through his depictions of female characters. Mr. Fox, like many male authors, views his violence toward women as “just fiction,” believing that what happens in his stories has no real-world consequences. However, Mary’s presence forces him to reckon with the moral implications of normalizing violence against women in literature.

At the heart of this theme is the idea that writers have the power to shape cultural narratives and perceptions, and therefore, they bear responsibility for how they portray marginalized groups, especially women. Mary repeatedly points out that Mr. Fox’s casual depiction of the deaths of women creates a problematic dynamic where he normalizes or even justifies violence against women. She calls attention to how Mr. Fox often writes his characters to be “wicked,” which she suggests serves as a narrative excuse for their demise. As she explains, “This is worse than I thought.