The Patriarchal Oppression And Female Resistance In Play It As It Lays

Joan Didion (1934-) is an outstanding woman writer who has secured a distinctive position in contemporary American literature. Her second novel Play It As It Lays is the best-seller right after its publication in1970and wins great reputation from the literary circle. In this novel, thematic, structural, psychoanalytical and cultural aspects have been discussed by scholars both at home and abroad in detail. However, up to now, about this novel, few people do the analysis on male’s oppression and female resistance of the patriarchal society systematically and deeply, and even fewer people point out the final way towards patriarchy to gender harmony. Thus, based on the framework of Helene Cixous’patriarchal binary theory, this thesis tries to explore the male oppression and female resistance of the patriarchal society. With a detailed analysis, the thesis would also explore the ways towards patriarchy to gender harmony.First of all, this thesis explores the patriarchal oppression upon the female which is conducted under two different systems-paternal and marital systems both directly and tangibly. Next, the indirect and intangible male oppression upon women is probed. As time passes, women have unconsciously internalized the patriarchal value. Once the patriarchal ideology deeply rooted in their minds, women begin to be the defenders of the patriarchy and oppress their female fellows. And through this way, men finish their indirect oppression of women. Chapter three unveils the female resistance to the patriarchal oppression. In this novel, the heroine Maria adopts various kinds of strategies, like having promiscuous sex, trying seeking a job, driving freely on the freeway and reflecting in the asylum to express the oppressed woman’s discontentment with and resistance to the patriarchal society. Through the analysis of male oppression and female resistance of the patriarchal society, the last chapter finally points out that to build a gender harmonious society means to build a partnership-based society. For women, they should make great efforts to regain selfhood; for men, they should abandon the traditional gender discrimination. Besides, both men and women should create a coexistence relationship with respect of gender differences. In conclusion, the detailed analysis of the patriarchal oppression and female resistance will help readers have a better understanding about this novel and its author. This thesis advocates that the harmonious world is the final pursuit of human civilization and finding a way towards harmonious life should be the goal of all the human beings. Since women are the important part of the world, the dilemma and the patriarchal oppression that women suffer should be noticed by all the people. Its significance also lies that the study of this novel from the patriarchal binary theory of poststructuralist feminism has been scarcely done, which will also undoubtedly enrich the women’s study from this novel.