From Slave to Pirate Queen: Women's Empowerment in The Flower Boat Girl by Larry Feign

Abstract

This study examines the representation of women’s empowerment in a novel titled The Flower Boat Girl by Larry Feign that was published in 2021. It focuses on how the women’s empowerment represented in the novel through the protagonist named Shek Yang. Furthermore, this study also analyses Larry Feign’s critical position of the women’s empowerment in his novel. The study uses representation theory by Stuart Hall and Longwe’s five level of empowerment framework to classify the empowerment phases in the novel. Through the protagonist who is Shek Yang, it shows the gender issues that happen during 19th in China. Women were considered as weak, fragile, and dependent creatures. However, in the novel, it represents her profound journey in challenge the traditional norms. The novel also shows how Shek Yang gradually gains her power on the ship in the pirate world. This research found that Shek Yang reached all of the five levels of empowerment proposed by Longwe. It depicts the changed of Shek Yang from being an object to became a subject. Her life as a prostitute then eventually turned into the fiercest pirate queen in Chinese history. Her determination and courageousness to challenging stereotype about women at that time led her into her highest title, which is the leader of Colored Flags Confederation. Additionally, by the way Feign construct the story in the novel, it is noticeable that he supports the women’s empowerment issue. Through some interview, he bluntly admitted that he admires Shek Yang’s power and her intelligence. Moreover, Feign also tried to understand and delve into Shek Yang’s mind even though he is a man and it considered as one of a strategic steps to wrote this novel.