Gender is undoubtedly a crucial category, influencing both literary criticism and various aspects of social life. Theoretically, feminist critics have demonstrated that the relationship between gender and narrative has profoundly transformed both narratology and feminist theory (Lanser 1986, 1992, 2014) (Ruth 2006) (Gymnich 2013). However, in practice, the impact of gender on narrative varies depending on the specific context of each literary tradition. This article focuses on examining the dual-plot structure in Y Ban’s short story I am Đàn bà to explore the representation of unusual heterosexual pleasures in women's writing and to shed light on how we can understand and reimagine the mechanisms of this gendered intervention in narrative and reverse. Specifically, the article addresses the following main aspects: 1) The patriarchal plot model (causal narrative) concerning the fate of a migrant woman (in the first structural layer); 2) The plot model centered on women's unconventional sexual desires (fantasy/paradevo) as the driving force of the narrative (in the second structural layer). Here, the paradevo model and the obsession with sexual desire for individuals with disabilities among devotees serve as the framework for the storyline’s development. By investigating and analyzing this dual-plot model, the paper aims to answer questions about women's writing, how women overcome societal prejudices rooted in patriarchal systems to express themselves, and how they make their authoritative voices. It also highlights a form of Southeast Asian/Asian feminism within the specific context of Vietnam, where cultural, economic, and political factors strongly influence women's writing and thinking.

Authors:
Kim Lan Cao, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Kim Lan Cao is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Institute of Literature, Vietnam Academ of Social Sciences in Vietnam

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