The portrayal of female character in chinese American literature from a psychoanalytical feminist perspective : An analysis of Jade snow wong in fifth chinese daughter

• Main Author: Bong, Victoria Chia Sing
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2008
• Subjects: BF Psychology
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/25245/1/The%20portrayal%20of%20female..ft.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/25245/

This study aims to investigate how the main temale chanlcter, Jade Snow is portrayed in the novel 'The Fifth Chinese Daughter' and the extent to which she exemplify/deviate &om stereotypes associated to Asian American Women. The three main objectives are to investigate the extent to which Jade exemplify / deviate from cultuml & gender stereotypes associated to Chinese American women, to identify the extent to which the female chanlcter struggles to gain recognition as both a woman and an individual and to identify the extent to which the female chanlcter struggles to reconcile the differences between the Chinese and American culture. A text analysis approach was used in analyzing the novel 'The Fifth Chinese Daughter" which is the main text for this study. This is based on the theoretical framework of the psychoanalytical feminist theory. Results reveal that Jade Snow is portrayed as embodying the model minority stereotype, relates slightly to lotus blossom stereotype, while deviating completely &om the poor English speaking and Dragon Lady stereotypes. She is also depicted as facing the dual struggles of gaining recognition as a woman and an individual and reconciling the disparities between the American and Chinese culture at a greater degree, mainly due to fumily relations, which is further reinforced through gender relations and her ethnicity. Thus, she is mainly depicted as a self conflicted woman whose awareness of the dual struggles faced results in her attempts to resolve these conflicts and eventually prompting her to adopt a unique ChineseAmerican identity.