Irish Female Images In Roddy Doyle's The Woman Who Walked Into Doors And Paula Spencer

As the most successful contemporary novelist of his generation, Roddy Doyle is famed as the dean of letters who takes writingDublin as his mission after James Joyce. Doyle's novels are concerned about the working-class community in Dublin, and two of them,The Woman Who Walked into DoorsandPaula Spence , take Irish females as the subject. By studying the two novels, this thesis demonstrates that Irish female image has transformed from the traditional and subordinate image to the new and independent one. Meanwhile, this thesis argues that the position and experiences of women in Irish society have been determined by the context of the economic system, the state, the institutional church, the social and cultural construction of heterosexuality, and the women's movement. By employing Beauvoir's theory of the Other, this thesis points out that the women of the first half of the twentieth century in Ireland were defined as the Other and the object. With rapid economic and social development, as well as the influences of the women's movement of the late twentieth century, Irish women have grown to be new and independent. The transformation of Irish female images epitomizes the changing panorama of Irish society. Doyle makes contributions to the new images of Irish women, and the new image of independent Ireland.This thesis consists of five chapters:Chapter one, the introduction, gives a brief survey of Roddy Doyle and his works, with focus onThe Woman Who Walked into DoorsandPaula Spencer . Then the author introduces the perspective of this thesis: the Other.Chapter two analyzes the traditional female images represented by Paula's mother - a victim and a transmitter of patriarchy. First, this thesis summarizes the Irish female images in reality and in literature.It points out thatwomen at that time were defined as the Other by men and limited in familial sphere. The traditional concept of womanhood revolved around caring, family and reproduction. Women not only tolerated patriarchy, they also internalized it and transmitted it to the younger generation, daughters in particular.Chapter three is an analysis of the half-inheritance and half-denial to the traditional female image represented by Paula of the twentieth century. Paula's half-inheritance was generated by discipline power of patriarchal society: her family, her marriage, social norms and the heterosexual institutions, such as the tech school, hospital and church. Her half-denial was inspired by her rebellious spirit. Paula combated for power in her tech school and had failing faith in church. Paula's most striking difference from her mother was that she bravely challenged traditional motherhood and protected her daughter from Charlo's abusive destruction. Paula's writing was seen as figuring out the truth and rebelling against the male domination.Chapter four presents the new and independent female image typified by Paula in the twenty-first century - a new-old woman who is in quest for subjectivity and becomes the cohesion of family. The transformation of female images is closely associated with social and economic development, and undeniably, the influences of women's movement in Ireland.Chapter five is the conclusion. The transformation of female images illustrates the change of women's position in contemporary Ireland. Women are no longer limited in the sole identity of traditional motherhood, but exist as autonomous individuals.