The more things change: a feminist comparative analysis of selected works by Paz Latorena and Lakambini Sitoy

Date

5-2004

Degree

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts

College

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Noel K. Torreta

Abstract

Paz Latoprena wrote her stories of betrayed love over eight decades ago. Lakambini Sitoy wrote her stories in the present, straddling the 20th and the 21st century. In between these two writers is over almost a century of cultural and social change. This thesis focused on the development of the Filipina consciousness through the years to its present state. This study sought to achieve this goal with comparative analysis of the underlying themes that permeated both Paz Latorena's and Lakambini Sitoy's works.

A background on the basic ideas behind feminist literary criticism is included in the study. Along with this is a short history of the development of Philippine literature in English. The analysis of the works follows in which the study compared of several themes from five stories by each respective author. The analysis determined an initial feminine culture of submissiveness and passivity in the early part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. It also highlighted the new female tactic of emasculation so as to derail male power in the modern society.

The development of the Filipina consciousness, as seen in the study, is measurable in that it has progressed to the second phase of feminine identity according to Elaine Showalter, that of being feminist. It protest the constraints that have been put on it and it decries the abuses of patriarchy. The Filipina consciousness seek equality and it has managed to do just that, though there are still parts of the feminist psyche where the patriarchy has a definitive advantage. Yet, for all this, it has not managed to become truly free, being held back by obsolete models of thought imposed by patriarchy. With these findings, this study hopes to help point out the flaws in the Filipiniana feminist consciousness and enable action to be taken to eliminate these flaws.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2004 M3 B53

Document Type

Thesis

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