Thesis Framework

1.
Introduction to the Analysis Section
• State my research aim: Explore how Woolf’s Orlando challenges gender

norms and binaries while examining the relationship between gender
transformation and identity.
• Outline the two focus points according to my research questions:
1. Orlando as a vehicle for subverting gender binaries in early 20th-
century literature.
2. The impact of Orlando’s gender transformation on their identity and
relationships.
• The discussion of why it’s groundbreaking to discuss gender and identity
in the earlier 20th century. (modernism period) (my own opinion about
why Orlando still make sense in nowadays society)
2. Subversion of Traditional Gender Norms and Binaries (RQ1)
2.1 Gender Fluidity and Androgyny

• Analyze Orlando’s dual experiences as both male and female and use
Judith Butler’s gender performativity theory to argue that gender roles are
socially constructed and reinforced through repeated actions.
• Example: Explore how Woolf presents gender as performative and fluid
rather than fixed (e.g., “She had become a woman—but in every other
respect, Orlando remained precisely as he had been”).
• discuss gender fluidity is the symbol of identity liberation
2.2 Literary and Historical Context

• Analyze Woolf’s critique of patriarchal values and rigid gender roles in
early 20th-century literature and connect them to feminist theories – one is
not born but becomes a woman.
• Example: Orlando’s privilege as a male in the Elizabethan era
compared to the limitations faced as a female(in later centuries).
2.3 Woolf’s Narrative Techniques

• Examine the use of humor, irony, and narrative shifts to destabilize the
reader’s understanding of gender.
• Explore how Woolf blends biography and fantasy to question the
traditional markers of identity.
3. Transformation, Identity, and Relationships (RQ2)
This section delves into how Orlando’s gender transformation impacts their
sense of self and interactions with others.
3.1 Personal Identity and Self-Discovery

• Analyze how Orlando’s transformation allows them to transcend
societal expectations tied to gender.
• Example: Orlando’s shift in perception of freedom and constraints as a
woman (e.g., “It is a strange thing, this being a woman…”).
• Discuss how Woolf critiques the notion of a stable, singular identity,
presenting identity as a continuum influenced by experiences and time.
• Use psychoanalytic theories (e.g., Freud, Jung) or queer theory to
interpret Orlando’s evolving identity.
3.2 Gender and Power in Relationships

• Explore how Orlando’s interactions with others change based on their
gender.
• Example: Compare Orlando’s relationships as a male (e.g., with Sasha)
to their relationships as a female (e.g., with Shelmerdine).
• Discuss how these dynamics reflect Woolf’s critique of gendered power
structures in personal and social interactions.
3.3 Social Perception and External Identity

• Analyze how society’s perception of Orlando shifts with their gender
transformation.
• Example: How Orlando’s authority, autonomy, and social privileges
fluctuate.
• Use sociological theories (e.g., Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in
Everyday Life) to argue how identity is shaped by external societal norms
and expectations.
4. Synthesis and Discussion
• Synthesize findings from both RQs to demonstrate Woolf’s overarching

critique of gender norms.
• Discuss how Orlando not only reflects but also anticipates 20th-century
feminist and queer discourses.
• Highlight how Woolf’s exploration of gender, identity, and relationships
continues to resonate with contemporary readers and scholars.
5. Conclusion
• Reiterate the significance of Orlando in challenging traditional gender

norms and exploring the fluidity of identity.
• Emphasize the novel’s enduring relevance to discussions of gender,
identity, and social roles.
This framework ensures a logical progression of ideas and ties your analysis
closely to your research questions. If you’d like, I can expand on specific
sections or provide example paragraphs for any part.

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1.

Introduction to the Analysis Section

• State my research aim: Explore how Woolf’s Orlando challenges gender

2. Subversion of Traditional Gender Norms and Binaries (RQ1)

2.1 Gender Fluidity and Androgyny

2.2 Literary and Historical Context

2.3 Woolf’s Narrative Techniques

3.1 Personal Identity and Self-Discovery

3.2 Gender and Power in Relationships

3.3 Social Perception and External Identity

4. Synthesis and Discussion

• Synthesize findings from both RQs to demonstrate Woolf’s overarching

• Reiterate the significance of Orlando in challenging traditional gender

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