Hi again, Iceskater101.
TMWTGG is generally regarded as one of Fleming's weaker books, though I find quite a lot to like in it. Fleming offers us three different views of women: 1) Mary Goodnight (a character I like quite a bit), who's smart and brave, but tends a bit toward the ditzy side when she runs the danger "of overplaying her role" (chapter 11); (2) Tiffy (another appealing character), whom Bond treats protectively and even a bit affectionately (and note how cruelty to animals arouses Bond's antipathy); 3) the Jamaican dancers (who never are developed as characters and are present in the book just to give the gangsters, and perhaps the readers, with a bit of a thrill).
This rather reinforces my assessment of Fleming's treatment of women: he treats quite well those women with whom he interacts personally but stereotypes women more when they are present as abstractions. You may think this contrasts with some public figures today, who talk a good line about women's issues but whose actual treatment of the women in their lives is vile.
I could understand why it would be a weaker novel. I hated what they did with Goodnight and the whole dummy thing and the train. I actually thought it was true at first and I just hated Scaramanga.....
I agree, I mean James does respect women even though his last line he talks about he could never be with Goodnight because he was describing her as a room with a view or something like that.