Exploring Feminist Existentialism In Park and Vollers's In Order to Live

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the representation of feminist existentialism through the main characters in the memoir novel In Order to Live by Park and Vollers in 2015. The study examines how women in the memoir novel strive for freedom from poverty under North Korean communist regime. This analysis is framed by feminist existentialism, which emphasizes the freedom of individual women to shape their own identities through choices and actions, seeking recognition of existence with equal rights (Beauvoir, 1949:90). A qualitative method is used to analyze data which are in the form of narratives and dialogues. This research finds that the main traits of feminist existentialism, as proposed by Beauvoir incorporate fighting against the political oppression, fighting the otherness; breaking free from human trafficking, women as subjects; making use of their intellectuality, and negotiating the submissiveness, and enocurage women's struggle for freedom. This research concludes that for women freedom is an ultimate goal to achieve, acknowledging women as equal subjects with the power to shape their own destinies. Additionally, this study contributes to a deeper understanding on women's struggles within feminist existentialism perspective.