Female Protagonist and Sense of Localism in Piyaporn Sakkasem’s Historical Novels

Abstract

Abstract

Piyaporn Sakkasem composed a collection of historical novels titled “Mae Wan” based on a 100-year period of history of Choburi province. This study aimed at examining the way the female Protagonist in this collection reflect localism. This collection was composed consisting of 3 stories namely Nai Warawan, Tawan Berk Fah, and Khob Fah Ratree. The center character of these stories is Mae Wan with other 2 main female characters namely Tawan Wad and Chata. All of these characters represent Chonburi conservators, and they are all genetically related. Mae Wan is Tawan Wad’s paternal grandmother and she is Chata’s maternal grandmother. Each character represents women from 3 different generations. With this method, evolution and changes in Chonburi within a 100-year period is illustrated. The life goal of all 3 characters is to sustain their families while their families have to encounter both internal and external changes. Their family attendance is a remarkable symbol appropriately communicating sense of localism to both readers who are both Chonburi locales and those readers in other parts of the country.