Leiden University Student Repository

Schokker, Irene Annemarie (2019)

Family, Mother(hood), and Mothering: An in-depth Study of Gong Ji-young’s My Happy Home

Master thesis | Asian Studies (120 EC) (MA)

In this thesis, I have analyzed the meaning of family, mother(hood), and mothering as depicted in Gong Ji-young’s novel My Happy Home (chŭlgŏun naŭi chip). The analysis of this novel is based on various literature on the concepts of household, family, mother(hood), single motherhood, and types of mothering, in addition to a discussion of the situation of South Korean families and mothers. I discuss the various methods Gong uses to indicate how family, mother(hood), and mothering are conceptualized by society and how she herself defines these concepts. The analysis indicates a level of rejection, but also agreement with society’s view on these concepts and Gong’s own interpretation.

South Korea

family

mother(hood)

mothering

single mother

Gong Ji-young

Author

Schokker, Irene Annemarie

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Korean Studies (120 EC)

Supervisors

Breuker, Remco

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en