ARTISTIC SPACE IN VIETNAMESE NOVELS ON GAY THEMES

Abstract

Vietnamese novels on homosexuality theme in the early 21st century have made significant contributions to portraying the lives and inner worlds of gay characters. This article focuses on exploring the artistic space in four Vietnamese homosexual novels published between 2000 and 2020, including Mot the gioi khong co dan ba (A World Without Women), Song Song (Parallel), Lac gioi (Lost in Gender), and Doi callyboy (The Life of a Callboy). What do the private and public spaces in these works signify for the lived experiences of gay? In private settings, are these characters allowed to live authentically, or do they still conform to alternate identities as they do in public spaces? The title applied comparative, typological, and poetic approach to seek to answer the following above questions. Through the article aims to elucidate the characteristics and symbolic meanings of spatial representation in constructing the characters’ lived realities. Ultimately, the title reveals how spatial dynamics embody the aspiration for self-defined gender identity within a society that remains steeped in prejudice and rigidity, particularly toward homosexual individuals.