The Female Images In John Updike’s Rabbit Series

John Updike, creating numerous works which have been received enthusiasticallyby critics and the general reading public, is one of the most learned writers incontemporary American literature. A lot of research work has been done on Updike andhis works, and quite a number of profound literary monographs have been produced onhis famous Rabbit Series, regarded as one of the finest writings in contemporary literaryworld.The female characters occupies a significant part in Rabbit Series. They developwith the time to change. Therefore, this thesis will make a detailed study on the femaleimages related with the protagonist Harry Angstrom in Rabbit Series, namely Rabbit,Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit is Rich, Rabbit at Rest and Rabbit Remembered. Combiningtext analysis and background research, the thesis endeavors to prove that John Updiketakes women characters seriously and gives them affirmation.This paper will be divided into six parts. The first part briefly introduces the authorand his Rabbit Series, which provides historic backdrop and is helpful for research onhis Rabbit Series, and a literary review is made about the author and his works, pointingout the research significance of this thesis. The next four chapters are the focus of thethesis, dividing women images in Rabbit Series into four categories, according to theirrelationship with the protagonist Harry: the healing and protecting mothers, theawakening housewife, the daughter images which reconstruct the protagonist, and theindependent mistresses, of which will be discussed in corresponding chapters. At theend of this thesis, a final conclusion will be reached, that John Updike affirms thewomen characters, grants their voice to be heard and endows them with the status andsignificance which cannot be ignored.