Nominating One Work That Is Listed in the Course Syllabus
The problem of underrepresentation of women has been quite noticeable in the East for quite some time, with traditional gender roles being used as the tool of oppression for women. As a result, women’s voices were rarely heard, which made those who managed to get through to the general audiences and tell their story of hardships and unfairness even more important. Therefore, “She’s Woman; I’m Woman,” the book by Wong Bik Wan, is an important piece that not only describes the problems of gender discrimination, but also provides Asian women with a voice.
The book deserves credit for raising the themes that are difficult yet necessary to discuss so that discrimination against women, specifically, in the East, could be brought to an end. The main reason behind choosing the specified novel as the main nominee for the award is rooted in the nature of the latter (Wong 5). Named after the plot point in a movie where the lead character has to resort to harming himself in order to leave a crucial message, the Quill Award echoes the message that Wan’s book conveys.
Thus, the book is undoubtedly worth being nominated for the Quills Award as one of the seminal works in the analysis of the nature of prejudices against women in the East, as well as the patriarchal traditions that foster the specified biased perception. The book sheds light on the problem of gender discrimination and examines the reasons for these stereotypes to remain so pervasive and consistent. Doing so in a creative way and weaving a narrative of the female self in Asia, in general, and China, in particular, “She’s Woman; I’m Woman” sends a crucial message to the readers.
Nominating Two Works That Are Not Listed in the Course Syllabus
Representing another essential work that provides an outlook on the problem of gender inequalities in Asia, namely, in Taiwan, “Ah Fei” (Liao, 1983), the book by Liao, Hui-Ying, urges to recognize women’s rights and view women as equals. The plight for the basic human rights, including the right to be treated with dignity, rings in every plot point of the novel. Remarkably, each woman portrayed in “Ah Fei” is not necessarily likeable, but indispensably believable. These female characters are molded by the environment in which they were brought up, yet they manage to rise above some of the stereotypes that have been foisted onto them since childhood, while falling prey to others. For instance, the mother of the titular character, while rising from the ashes of her failed marriage and becoming self-sufficient, still cannot allow her daughter to explore her individuality and reinforces gender stereotypes onto her (Liao, 1983). Therefore, the novel portrays the perpetuated cycle of misery terrifyingly well. Thus rendering the same idea of oppression crushing people as the movie on which the Quill Award was based, it deserves being treated as one of the key nominations for the prize.
Another work, “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” by Anyi Wang, delves even deeper into the problem of gender inequality in Asian culture. Following the life and the tragic death of Wang Qiyao, the novel portrays the dark underbelly of misogyny in Chinese society, voicing the need to make a rapid social change that will allow women to feel safe and provide them with the principal human rights, primarily, the right to be seen as a human being and be treated with decency. However, while the novel conveys a positive message, it does so by depicting the challenges and injustice that the lead character suffers throughout the novel (Wang 8). As a result, the plight for equality becomes a truly powerful yet tragic statement. Since the novel addresses the problem of gender inequality and the marginalization of vulnerable groups, namely, women, it renders the same social issues of prejudices and stereotypes as the one on which the Quills Award was founded. Therefore, the specified book is also worthy of the Quills Award, as well as the praise for how eloquently and straightforwardly it tackle complex sociocultural issues.
Explaining Clearly How the Works Meet the Selection Criteria
Although the novels listed above have very little in common in terms of their setting and plot, they share quite a number of characteristics when it comes to character development and themes. Specifically, each of the books renders the problem of misogyny and sex-based discrimination in Asian society. All three of the nominated books express deep concern and even disdain for the presence of social traditions that perpetuate the idea of female subjugation and the narrative of male superiority.
Delving into the intricate details of the works in question, one will realize that each of them incorporate the sense of despair that soars in the air even once a glimmer of hope is introduced. For instance, although “She’s Woman; I’m Woman” might be deemed as cautiously optimistic on the surface, it will reveal a deeply seated sense of trouble and the presence of an imminent threat. The described characteristic of the novel stems from the unique nature of oppression that the leading character experiences, namely, that one based on her sex and sexual orientation and defined by the gender stereotypes accepted in her community (Kulik, 2018). Thus, the same concept of a forbidden life as in “Quills” is rendered in the novel, even though through a different narrative means.
Namely, the portrayal of lesbian relationships in the cultural setting that harshly disapproves of the aid single-sex relationships, to put it mildly, is an act of bravery that is worth appreciating. By describing the unique experiences of a lesbian couple in the Chinese setting, Wan offers a glance at how desperate and suffocating the environment where single-sex relationships are deemed as abnormal and reprehensible can be (Kulik, 2018). Thus, since the danger under which the leading characters constantly find themselves, is imminent and quite tangible, the novel warrants the prize as an example of a vivid and visceral portrayal of the experiences of marginalized communities.
Similarly, Liao‘s “Ah Fei” provides an accurate yet somber portrayal of the challenges that an Asian woman faces in her marriage. At first glance, the story of a woman whose marriage has fallen apart, however tragic, still does not measure up to the terror of being imprisoned in a sanatorium and being perceived as insane, which the novel “Quills,” after which the prize was named, describes. However, on second consideration, the situation in which the leading character of “Ah Fei” is trapped does echo the insanity of “Quill,” with marriage being represented as the cage in which Ah-Fei’s mother lives (Fiske, 2017). Moreover, the prejudices that follow Ah Fei even after she escapes the suffocating setting of her home, still restrict her choices, serving as a restraining jacket and rendering the same turmoil as the on in “Quills” is portrayed. Arguably, since Liao chooses subtlety in the description of the challenges that the protagonist experiences as opposed to visceral portrayal of the harsh reality, the novel might not seem as comparable to the “Quill” and, therefore, not deserving the prize. However, the honest description of the path that the protagonist takes is also a valuable contribution to the discussion of discrimination against Asian women. Moreover, the realism of the story allows making it all the more important.
Elaborating the Achievement(s) of the Works and Why You Think They Should Win
The works listed above illustrate critical achievements in promoting the importance of gender equality and the significance of fighting for women’s rights. Namely, the key achievement of Wong’s (1994) work involves the honest and brave depiction of single-sex relationships between two women, which is an undeniable taboo in most Asian communities (Chen, 2021). Therefore, the fact that the novel addresses the issue directly and discusses it openly is worthy of high praise and acknowledgement of the author’s ambition.
In turn, the merits of “Ah Fei” might not be as easily noticeable by comparison. However, by creating an image of an Asian woman who takes charge of thee family and becomes its leader, as well as story of her daughter, who manages to gain independence, the author has created a unique narrative that has subverted some of the most unshakeable gender stereotypes. Remarkably, even though the mother cannot be described as a positive character since she also exerts a significant amount of pressure on her daughter and dominates the entire family, she is not portrayed as the villain. Instead, all women are depicted sympathetically, which makes the novel quite unusual and refreshing.
Finally, “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” explores the threats that women faced in the mid-20th century China, thus, pointing to the presence of inequality and creating a claustrophobic impression of being unable to escape one’s predicament. Addressing the situation of women on the specified time slot as one of vulnerable groups, the novel makes a resounding and powerful statement about the need for gender equality, which is a notable achievement that fully deserves the prize.
References
Chen, Y. (2021). Gender discrimination in societal and familial realms: Understanding agency among Chinese marriage migrant women in Switzerland. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 30(1), 18-38.
Fiske, S. T. (2017). Prejudices in cultural contexts: Shared stereotypes (gender, age) versus variable stereotypes (race, ethnicity, religion). Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(5), 791-799.
Kulik, L. (2018). Explaining egalitarianism in gender-role attitudes: The impact of sex, sexual orientation, and background variables. Asian Women, 34(2), 1-9.
Liao, H. Y. (1983). Ah Fei. Beijing, China: Huang Guan.
Wong, B. W. (1994). She’s woman; I’m woman. London, UK: Picador.
Wang, A. (1995). The song of everlasting sorrow. New York, MY: Columbia University Press.