Goh, Vern Ann (2011) Mother-daughter relationships in the indentity formation of the daughters in the bonesetter's daughter. Final Year Project, UTAR.
Abstract
The novel The Bonesetter’s Daughter can be examined from the perspective of the motherdaughter relationship where it plays a crucial role in the identity formation of the daughters from childhood to adulthood. The qualitative methods that were used include close reading and thematic analysis whereas the theoretical framework encompasses the object relations theory and the personality development theory. For the object relations theory, the daughters undergo the stages of attachment, frustration and rejection before they can build stronger identities. Their self-structures are greatly influenced by their mothers’ upbringing. The mothers also play a big part in guiding their daughters towards a fuller life. For the personality development theory, only the Adolescence stage is highlighted. It is analysed in relation to how culture interferes with Ruth’s character development. It investigates how she struggles with her mixed heritage before coming to terms with it. This study is performed as there is comparatively little research done on the mother-daughter relationships in The Bonesetter’s Daughter from the perspectives of these theories. For further research, one can explore the many symbols in the novel. In a nutshell, the mothers participate actively when it comes to shaping the characters of their daughters.
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