Fictional Representation of Female Youth in the 21st Century Philippine Short Stories

Abstract

This study analyzed the characteristics of female Filipino youths in selected 21st-century Philippine short stories.  This study used the constructivist research paradigm and the feminism theory of Simone de Beauvoir. It limits categorizing the female characters in the stories as narcissists, women in love, and mystics. It employs the descriptive Qualitative Research Method through Content Analysis.  The study results showed that female characters are narcissistic and women in love but differ in the major theme of each unique characteristic. Unfortunately, the researcher did not uncover a mystic character in the eight selected short stories. Based on the result, the researcher recommends incorporating the feminist perspective in teaching to improve students' understanding of gender issues and the role played by women in society. Furthermore, a focus on female characters and their experiences could be included in future research. These can help them assess other Filipino female characteristics.