HISTORICAL THEMES IN WOMEN'S PROSE WITH A FOCUS ON PEARL S. BUCK
Keywords:
Pearl Buck, American literature, women’s resilience, Chinese women, feminist fiction, cross-cultural narrative, literary realism, social hierarchyAbstract
This article examines how historical themes are portrayed in women's prose, with a particular focus on Pearl S. Buck’s narrative strategies. Buck, an American Nobel laureate, is celebrated for her vivid depictions of Chinese peasant life and for embedding history within female-centered narratives. The study explores how Buck’s protagonists—often women negotiating societal change—serve as vehicles for broader historical commentary. By centering female voices, Buck challenges traditional male-dominated historical discourse and foregrounds the emotional and domestic dimensions of cultural transformation. The methodology combines literary analysis with historical contextualization to assess Buck’s unique contribution to both feminist and historical fiction. The article also reflects on how Buck’s bicultural identity influenced her ability to mediate Eastern and Western historical
perspectives. Ultimately, this paper argues that Buck’s prose exemplifies how women’s writing not only preserves historical memory but also redefines it through gendered experience.
