Progressive Women’s Right Appearing in Thai Novels

Abstract

This research investigated the progressive women’s right appearing in Thai novels in five areas including civil rights, political rights, social rights, economic rights, and cultural rights. The samples were from 19 Thai novels written by Nara. The research applied the theories of character design by Philipda Feminism and the construction of crisis in order to analyze the design of main female characters affecting the behaviors and concepts which expressed Thai women’s advanced rights. The findings showed that the main female characters reflected the expressions of Thai women’s advanced rights in all 5 areas. The areas of civil rights and social rights were found most when the main female characters required and showed their behaviors and concepts in self-development to possess more potential, gain more social acceptance through their own knowledge, own the leadership, play an important role in society, and live their lives based on their own satisfaction, but consider the appropriateness regarding the culture in the society. These characters also symbolized the concept that all members of the community possessed equal rights in living, and self-development to be more potential, able to live on their own by minimizing others’ assistance.