The Power of Female Solidarity in the Face of Exclusion in The Eights

Introduction: Solidarity as a Counter-Space to Exclusion

In The Eights, Joanna Miller traces the lives of four young women—Beatrice Sparks, Marianne Grey, Theodora “Dora” Greenwood, and Ottoline “Otto” Wallace-Kerr—as they enter Oxford University in October 1920, the first year women are admitted to degrees. The novel’s central thematic claim is that female solidarity creates a counter-space to institutional misogyny, enabling women not only to endure the restrictions placed upon them but also to challenge those restrictions collectively. The four protagonists, who become known as “the Eights,” form a private network of mutual support that buffers them against the hostility of a university that, while formally admitting women, remains deeply resistant to their presence. This solidarity is not merely emotional comfort; it becomes a practical and political resource, allowing the women to navigate a world that constantly reminds them they are outsiders. The theme is developed through the group’s formation, their participation in a historic degree ceremony, and their confrontation with public opposition at a Union debate, and it is complicated by the secrets and tensions that threaten the bond from within.

Solidarity in the Face of Institutional Exclusion: The First Weeks

The novel opens with a newspaper article, “Daughters of the University,” reporting that women will matriculate for the first time in Oxford’s thousand-year history. The article notes that “one unhappy don” plans to mark the occasion with a black armband, signaling the institutional resistance that the women will face. This exclusion is not abstract; it manifests in daily humiliations, from the ill-fitting academic gowns to the condescension of dons who have “not taught a woman in forty years,” as Ursula Singh later observes. In this environment, the four protagonists are initially isolated. Beatrice reflects on her lack of friends; Marianne plans to keep to herself; Dora is haunted by the loss of her brother and fiancé; Otto is estranged from her family. Yet within days, they are drawn together. In Chapter 5, they take a group photograph with Otto’s Brownie camera, an act that cements their identity as a unit. The photograph, inscribed with the date October 11, 1920, becomes a tangible symbol of their bond. By Chapter 6, Marianne notes that the others “keep knocking on her door,” inviting her to meals, talks, and walks, and that they have hung notes on each other’s doors to coordinate plans. They are “so often seen together” that they are “already known about college as the Eights.” This rapid formation of solidarity is a direct response to exclusion: the women recognize that they are safer and stronger together. The group provides a space where they can share anxieties, laugh at the absurdities of college rules, and offer practical help—such as teaching each other to cycle or sharing notes. This mutual reliance is, for Beatrice, a new and somewhat uncomfortable concept, as she reflects that “mutual reliance and constant company are new concepts to her.” Yet it is precisely this interdependence that allows them to withstand the daily microaggressions of a university that treats them as interlopers.

Intergenerational Solidarity: The Degree Ceremony and the Suffragette Penny

A second key moment in the theme’s development occurs in Chapter 5, when the women attend a ceremony awarding degrees to older women who had completed their studies but were denied degrees. Beatrice’s mother, Edith Sparks, a former suffragette, gives a speech in which she asks what the world would be like if women had always been allowed to contribute fully. The speech is met with applause, and the younger women—Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto—are visibly moved. This scene extends the theme of solidarity across generations: the older women’s struggle for the vote and for education is passed on to the younger generation. The most explicit symbol of this intergenerational bond is the suffragette penny. In Chapter 19, Elizabeth Rix, a veteran suffragette and friend of Edith, gives Beatrice a penny stamped with “Votes for Women.” Rix tells Beatrice to “let it inspire you to never give up. Persistence is the key to change.” The penny becomes a talisman for Beatrice, a reminder that she is part of a longer history of women’s resistance. The gift also represents the trust and mentorship that older activists extend to the new generation. Beatrice, who has long sought her mother’s approval, finds in Rix’s gesture a validation that her mother withholds. The penny thus embodies the theme of solidarity as a chain of support that transcends individual relationships. The degree ceremony itself is a collective act: the women of St. Hugh’s gather to celebrate the achievements of their predecessors, and the younger students feel a sense of shared triumph. This intergenerational solidarity strengthens the Eights’ resolve, reminding them that their presence at Oxford is part of a larger struggle.

Public Confrontation: The Union Debate

The theme reaches its most public expression in Chapter 33, when the Eights attend a debate at the Oxford Union on the motion that Cambridge is capitalizing on the admission of women at Oxford. The debate is hostile: the proposer, Geoffrey Holland, argues that women’s presence is a distraction and a mockery, and an MP claims that women are consuming resources owed to the war dead. The women in the gallery are subjected to a barrage of misogyny. Yet the Eights are present in force, and they support each other through the ordeal. Beatrice, who has been invited to the gallery, finds comfort in the presence of her friends and in the knowledge that “the Eights listen to her and the JCR trusts her judgment.” Henry, a sympathetic male ally, speaks in favor of women, and Beatrice’s mother delivers a powerful rebuttal, arguing that “the law says women may have a place at Oxford, but I ask, is Oxford worthy of its women?” The scene demonstrates that solidarity is not confined to private spaces; it enables women to face public opposition without being silenced. The Eights’ presence in the gallery is itself a form of protest, a visible assertion of their right to be there. The debate also shows that solidarity can extend beyond the immediate group: Ursula Singh, a third-year from Somerville, is also in the gallery, and the women exchange greetings, reinforcing a wider network of female support across colleges. The Union debate thus crystallizes the theme: in the face of institutional exclusion, women band together to bear witness and to challenge the rhetoric that seeks to delegitimize them.

Character and Symbol Connections

The theme is embodied in the characters’ relationships and in recurring symbols. The four protagonists each bring different strengths to the group: Beatrice’s intellectual ambition and her suffragette heritage, Marianne’s quiet resilience and hidden vulnerability, Dora’s warmth and practicality, and Otto’s irreverent confidence. Their differences are precisely what make the solidarity effective; they compensate for each other’s weaknesses. The group’s name, “the Eights,” connects to the number eight motif, which recurs throughout the novel—most notably in Corridor Eight, where the women’s rooms are located. The number eight, with its connotations of infinity and cycles, suggests the enduring and self-reinforcing nature of their bond. The suffragette penny, as noted, symbolizes the legacy of activism and the passing of the torch from one generation to the next. The photograph they take in Chapter 5 is another symbol: it freezes a moment of unity and becomes a keepsake that affirms their identity. These symbols reinforce the theme by giving tangible form to the abstract idea of solidarity.

Complexity and Contradiction

The novel does not present female solidarity as an uncomplicated ideal. The Eights’ bond is tested by secrets and tensions. Marianne conceals the fact that she is a widow with a daughter, a secret that she fears will alienate her friends. The group’s solidarity is partly built on what is not said; Marianne’s fear of exposure creates a distance that she must constantly manage. In Chapter 15, the episode with the Ouija board threatens to fracture the group, and Beatrice worries that it might “fracture the precious bond of the Eights.” The solidarity is thus fragile, requiring constant effort and forgiveness. Moreover, the group itself is exclusive: it is a small circle of friends, and not all women at St. Hugh’s are included. The novel acknowledges that solidarity can be selective, and that even within a supportive group, individual needs may be subordinated to the collective. Beatrice’s fraught relationship with her mother complicates the theme of intergenerational solidarity: while Edith is a powerful figure, she is also emotionally distant and critical of Beatrice’s choices. The solidarity that Beatrice finds with the Eights is partly a refuge from her mother’s judgment, but it also creates a tension between loyalty to her friends and loyalty to her family. Finally, the novel shows that solidarity does not always lead to overt resistance; sometimes it is simply a means of endurance. The women support each other through the mundane difficulties of college life—bad food, strict rules, and condescending dons—without necessarily challenging the system. This suggests that solidarity can be both a form of resistance and a coping mechanism, and that the line between the two is often blurred.

Study Questions

1. How does the novel use the formation of the Eights to illustrate the theme of solidarity as a response to exclusion?

Answer: The four protagonists are initially isolated and vulnerable, but within days they form a close-knit group. Their mutual support—sharing notes, coordinating plans, and offering emotional comfort—allows them to navigate the hostile environment of Oxford. The group’s name, “the Eights,” and their group photograph symbolize their unity, which is a direct counter to the institutional misogyny they face.

1. What role does the suffragette penny play in the theme of intergenerational solidarity?

Answer: The penny, given to Beatrice by Elizabeth Rix, represents the passing of the suffrage legacy to a new generation. It serves as a tangible reminder of persistence and the collective struggle for women’s rights. The gift also creates a bond between Beatrice and Rix, extending the theme of solidarity beyond the immediate group of friends.

1. In what ways does the Union debate scene demonstrate the power of solidarity in a public setting?

Answer: The debate is a hostile public forum where women are denigrated. The Eights attend together, and their presence in the gallery is a form of collective witness. They support each other emotionally, and the scene shows that solidarity enables women to face public opposition without being silenced. The debate also highlights the wider network of female support, as Ursula Singh is present as well.

1. How does the novel complicate the theme of solidarity through Marianne’s secret?

Answer: Marianne’s concealment of her widowhood and daughter creates a tension within the group. Her fear of exposure means that her solidarity with the Eights is partial, and she must constantly manage her secret. This complicates the idea that solidarity is based on complete openness, suggesting that it can also be built on what is left unsaid.

1. What is the significance of the number eight motif in relation to the theme?

Answer: The number eight recurs in the novel, most notably in Corridor Eight, where the women’s rooms are located, and in the group’s name, “the Eights.” The number’s shape suggests infinity and cycles, implying that the women’s solidarity is enduring and self-reinforcing. It also ties the group to a specific place, grounding their bond in the physical space of the college.