The Male Perspective: A Study on Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides

Abstract

The various forms of written expression, of imaginative, artistic, or intellectual value to convey ideas, emotions and experiences are referred to as literature. One of which is the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides’ “The Virgin Suicides”. It features the five Lisbon sisters Cecilia, Lux, Bonnie, Mary, and Therese, all of whom committed suicide. The story is narrated through a plural-collective perspective, the tale unfolds through the use of plural pronouns: “we” and “us”. In light of Eugenides’ choice of writing the narration from a group, the readers are unaware what gender the narrators in the story are. Among the many papers with regards to “The Virgin Suicides”, there is a lack of comprehensive scrutiny regarding the female representation within the novel itself in comparison to the acclaimed film adaptation. This study investigates the presence of male point of view of the protagonists specifically, it delves into its narrative, characters, and symbolism. The theories that support this study are Mieke Bal’s Narrative Theory, Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory, and Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory. This study utilizes Quality Method, specifically Discourse Analysis. Based on the findings of the study, it reveals that the male point of view is indeed present in the Lisbon sisters, the female protagonists in Jeffrey Eugenides’ “The Virgin Suicides”. The researchers believe that this study is beneficial in tackling the controversial, yet salient issues women face under the male gaze to provide a new angle or viewpoint and make way for genuine connection, awareness, and empathy towards people in the same situation.