Male Characters Research Articles

Model Revision of Female Identity and Mythical Images in Modern Woman Poets’ Fairy Tales: Anne Sexton and Carol Ann Duffy

This article explores the approaches that modern women poets use in their revised mythical notions to expose and implicate the inappropriate effects of patriarchal norms and conventions on women and gender inequality. This study addresses Anne Sexton and Carol Ann Duffy as modern woman poets who redefine archetypal myths and revise fairy tales to narrate the stories of those who have been left out of historical and cultural narratives within female characters. Sexton and Duffy shake up gender stereotypes with determined humorous plot complexities, allowing women to shed the secondary classic roles assigned to them. The female characters in the poems recapture their power through literary reconstruction, confronting male dominance and instilling guilt for feeling worthless. These modern women poets focus on what the female characters in their fairy tales think, feel, react, and decide what they look like in appearance, which is not employed in these writing norms in common fairy tales. Sexton and Duffy are the innovative versions of fairy tales, in which the poets not only satirize the patriarchal society in which they grew up but also reject the female stereotype that their upbringing assumed. This study examines the feminist messages that Sexton and Duffy's fairy tales intended to convey to reveal the poets' position on feminism and their relationship with the female role models and male characters they portray in their fairy tales. The findings confirm that these revising approaches and changing writing fairy tale norms can aid in creating a female identity and generate a critical return to the patriarchy’s despotic discourse.

Kobiety w cyfrowych strumieniach dziejów. Tematyka kobieca na polskich kanałach historycznych portalu YouTube

In this article, the authors confront the thesis found in historical discourse about the dominance of male figures in historical narratives present in the public sphere. In order to do so, they analyse the new research field that is the social networking site YouTube and the most popular channels on historical topics contained therein. The main research question is whether women are marginalised in the narratives contained in the sources discussed, in which contexts they appear and what is the reception of the films in which they appear. In addition, the authors look at the question of the form of historical narratives. The study combines quantitative methods (descriptive statistics, correspondence analysis) as well as qualitative methods (Northrop Frye’s typology of story motifs. For this purpose, 551 films were analysed, which were then annotated using seven groups of tags corresponding to the content of the sources ‑ concerning the func-tioning of female characters and the subject matter of the films. As a result of the analyses carried out, it was observed that the thesis of the absolute dominance of male characters in historical narratives does not fully hold true under the conditions of Web 2.0 sources in terms of quantity, while in terms of content it cannot be accepted unreservedly in the context of the very diverse use of female themes in social media resources.

Discussing Sexual Harassment in the Classroom (or Online): An Interactive Exercise

This article introduces an engaging pedagogical activity tailored for undergraduate (or graduate) Organizational Behavior or Human Resources courses to discuss the topic of sexual harassment. Traditional-aged students are often unaware of what is considered gender-based harassment. Rather than simply relying on legal definitions, this exercise employs an interactive framework that facilitates the recognition of sexual harassment within workplace contexts. Students are shown a concise yet realistic video portraying two young people interacting at work, where the male character makes inappropriate advances toward the female character. The video content balances authenticity and sensitivity to ensure a conducive learning environment without creating discomfort among participants. The follow-up questions and discussion encourage the exchange of diverse viewpoints concerning the portrayed behaviors of the characters. Upon the completion of this immersive exercise, students will be equipped with an increased ability to identify and address instances of sexual harassment within organizational settings.

Cell-type specific and differential expression of LINC-RSAS long noncoding RNA declines in the testes during ageing of the rat.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as major regulators of gene expression, chromatin structure, epigenetic changes, post-transcriptional processing of RNAs, translation of mRNAs into proteins as well as contributing to the process of ageing. Ageing is a universal, slow, progressive change in almost all physiological processes of organisms after attaining reproductive maturity and often associated with age-related diseases. Mammalian testes contain various cell-types, vast reservoir of transcriptome complexity, produce haploid male gametes for reproduction and testosterone for development and maintenance of male sexual characters as well as contribute genetic variation to the species. We report age-related decline in expression and cellular localization of Long intergenic noncoding repeat-rich sense-antisense (LINC-RSAS) RNA in the testes and its major cell-types such as primary spermatocytes, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells during ageing of the rat. LINC-RSAS expression in testes increased from immature (4-weeks) to adult (16- and 44-weeks) and declined from adult (44-weeks) to nearly-old (70-weeks) rats. Genomic DNA methylation in the testes showed a similar pattern. Cell-type specific higher expression of LINC-RSAS was observed in primary spermatocytes (pachytene cells), Leydig cells and Sertoli cells of testes of adult rats. Over-expression of LINC-RSAS in cultured human cell lines revealed its possible role in cell-cycle control and apoptosis. We propose that LINC-RSAS expression is involved in molecular physiology of primary spermatocytes, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells of adult testes and its decline is associated with diminishing function of testes during ageing of the rat.

Two new species of Cameraria Chapman (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) associated with Salix or Cornus in Japan.

Two new species of the genus Cameraria Chapman, 1902, Cameraria riparia sp. nov. and Cameraria corni sp. nov., are described from Japan. Larval setal maps, illustrations and/or photographs of wing patterns, wing venations and genitalia are provided for both species, and the systematic positions of the two species are discussed based on their morphologies. The larvae of C. riparia feed on Salix spp. and make blotch mines, whereas C. corni larvae feed on Cornus kousa subsp. kousa and make linear blotch mines. C. riparia was collected on Hokkaido and Honshu Islands, and considerable differences in the male genital characters were detected between the two populations. However, a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the COI barcode region indicated that there was no clear genetic differentiation between the two populations (maximum divergence, 1.41%). C. corni was collected on Honshu and Kyushu Islands, and this is the first record of the trophic association of Lithocolletinae with Cornaceae.

GENDER STEREOTYPING IN SELF-LEARNING MODULES (SLMs) IN THE PHILIPPINES: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

This study aimed to determine the processes employed in embedding male and female characters in the Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) in the Philippines, how these processes reflect gender stereotype, and the underlying ideologies embedded in them. This study utilized a qualitative research method employing Critical Discourse Analysis. In the conduct of this study, 51 SLMs from the Department of Education Central Office which served as the corpora of the study were examined. The results showed six processes employed in embedding male and female characters which include material, mental, relational, behavioral, verbal, and existential. In addition, these processes reflect gender stereotypes as shown in: Males Doing, Females Behaving, Males Sensing, Females Saying, Males as Cognitive and Desiderative Characters, and Females as Perceptive and Emotive Characters. Lastly, the ideologies embedded in the SLMs are traditional and egalitarian. KEYWORDS: Education, Linguistics, Qualitative, Self-Learning Modules, processes, gender stereotyping, ideologies, critical discourse analysis, Philippines

To trust or not to trust? Face and voice modulation of virtual avatars

Introduction: This study explores the graduated perception of apparent social traits in virtual characters by experimental manipulation of perceived affiliation with the aim to validate an existing predictive model in animated whole-body avatars.Methods: We created a set of 210 animated virtual characters, for which facial features were generated according to a predictive statistical model originally developed for 2D faces. In a first online study, participants (N = 34) rated mute video clips of the characters on the dimensions of trustworthiness, valence, and arousal. In a second study (N = 49), vocal expressions were added to the avatars, with voice recordings manipulated on the dimension of trustworthiness by their speakers.Results: In study one, as predicted, we found a significant positive linear (p < 0.001) as well as quadratic (p < 0.001) trend in trustworthiness ratings. We found a significant negative correlation between mean trustworthiness and arousal (τ = −.37, p < 0.001), and a positive correlation with valence (τ = 0.88, p < 0.001). In study two, wefound a significant linear (p < 0.001), quadratic (p < 0.001), cubic (p < 0.001), quartic (p < 0.001) and quintic (p = 0.001) trend in trustworthiness ratings. Similarly, to study one, we found a significant negative correlation between mean trustworthiness and arousal (τ = −0.42, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation with valence (τ = 0.76, p < 0.001).Discussion: We successfully showed that a multisensory graduation of apparent social traits, originally developed for 2D stimuli, can be applied to virtually animated characters, to create a battery of animated virtual humanoid male characters. These virtual avatars have a higher ecological validity in comparison to their 2D counterparts and allow for a targeted experimental manipulation of perceived trustworthiness. The stimuli could be used for social cognition research in neurotypical and psychiatric populations.

Molecular insights versus morphological traits: rethinking identification of the closely related Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Angiostrongylus malaysiensis

BackgroundThe closely related Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Angiostrongylus malaysiensis have been reported to coexist in Thailand and share similar hosts and life cycles. Recently, in an angiostrongyliasis outbreak in Thailand, both A. cantonensis and A. malaysiensis were found in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected patients. Morphological similarities, overlapping distribution, shared hosts and habitats, and the close genetics of the two Angiostrongylus species can complicate accurate species identification. Addressing these challenges, this study aims to evaluate whether a correlation between the morphological and genetic identities of A. cantonensis and A. malaysiensis can improve species identification accuracy.MethodsAngiostrongylus spp. specimens from five zoogeographical regions in Thailand were subjected to morphological and molecular identification using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2). The morphological characters for males and females were then validated using the species identity obtained from the nuclear ITS2 region.ResultsThe results revealed that morphological misidentifications between these two closely related species are common due to overlapping morphological characters. Although certain male traits such as body length and width aided species differentiation, female traits were found to be less reliable. Furthermore, hybrid forms (8.2%) were revealed through the ITS2 results, which can further complicate morphological identification. Mito-nuclear discordance was also present in 1.9% of the Angiostrongylus specimens from Thailand, suggesting a complex historical interbreeding between the species.ConclusionsBased on our findings, we suggest that nuclear ITS2 is a reliable marker for species identification of A. cantonensis and A. malaysiensis, especially in regions where both species coexist. Additionally, the scope and consequences of hybridization between the two closely related Angiostrongylus species should be further investigated in Thailand.Graphical

Association of urinary and seminal plasma vanadium concentrations with semen quality: A repeated-measures study of 1135 healthy men

Although animal studies have shown the reproductive toxicity of vanadium, less is known about its effects on semen quality in humans. Among 1135 healthy men who were screened as potential semen donors, we investigated the relationships of semen quality with urinary and seminal plasma vanadium levels via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Spearman rank correlation tests and linear regression models were used to assess the correlations between average urinary and within-individual pooled seminal plasma vanadium concentrations (n = 1135). We utilized linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the associations of urinary and seminal plasma vanadium levels (n = 1135) with repeated sperm quality parameters (n = 5576). Seminal plasma vanadium concentrations were not significantly correlated with urinary vanadium concentrations (r = 0.03). After adjusting for possible confounders, we observed inverse relationships of within-individual pooled seminal plasma vanadium levels with total count, semen volume, and sperm concentration (all P values for trend < 0.05). Specifically, subjects in the highest (vs. lowest) tertile of seminal plasma vanadium concentrations had − 11.3% (−16.4%, −5.9%), − 11.1% (−19.1%, −2.4%), and − 20.9% (−29.0%, −11.8%) lower sperm volume, concentration, and total count, respectively; moreover, urinary vanadium levels appeared to be negatively associated with sperm motility. These relationships showed monotonically decreasing dose-response patterns in the restricted cubic spline analyses. Our results demonstrated a poor correlation between urinary and seminal plasma levels of vanadium, and elevated vanadium concentrations in urine and seminal plasma may be adversely related to male semen quality.

Delineation of Male Characters: A Meninism Perspective in Kiran Nagarkar’s Jasoda

Gender norms have been examined as a women's issue in the 21st century. While the position of men is always problematic, they appear to be the cause of the protagonist's hardships in fiction. The intersection of patriarchy in fiction demeans mature male characters and asserts that males are the source of oppressive hegemonic masculinity. The modern society must recognise neglected masculine characters in literature. The primary objective of this paper is to highlight the neglected gender in society and literature. Meninism is underrepresented and functions in isolation, even in literature, and this must be acknowledged. The female characters in Jasoda by Kiran Nagarkar are powerful, independent, and supportive, but the male characters are hegemonic and dominant. In novels that focus on women, the male position of privilege is emphasised while the expectations he carries go unacknowledged. Despite increased freedom in society, gender equality is affected by societal misunderstandings about meninism. Gender equality focuses on the oppression of women, while society ignores the suffering of the other gender. This study is an attempt to express the unspoken grief of masculine identity in women-centric literature.

Association analysis between mixed exposure to phenols and semen quality

Phenols such as bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan are common environmental endocrine disruptors. Previous epidemiological studies have suggested that phenols may affect semen quality, but the results were inconsistent. In addition, most existing studies have been limited to the effects of a single chemical compound, ignoring the health effects of mixed exposure to multiple chemicals. Thus, we aimed to explore the associations between individual and mixed exposure to phenols and various semen quality parameters. In this study, a rapid and sensitive method was used to determine 18 phenolic compounds in urine samples of 799 volunteers who donated sperm samples to the Shanghai Human Sperm Bank. A spot urine sample was collected from each subject on the day of their clinic visit and stored at -20 ℃ until testing. Urine samples (200 μL) were extracted and added with 20 μL of an internal standard and 50 μL of β-glucuronidase solution. The mixtures were then incubated for 12 h at 37 ℃. After hydrolysis, the samples were extracted twice using ethyl acetate (500 μL). The concentrations of the 18 phenolic compounds were measured using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Semen quality parameters were analyzed using a computer-aided semen analyzer. Multiple linear regressions were used to detect the associations between individual phenol exposure and semen quality parameters. In addition, weighted quantile sum (WQS) models were used to explore the associations between mixed-phenol exposure and semen quality parameters. After adjusting for potential covariates, the results of multiple linear regressions showed that exposure to ethyl paraben (EtP) was significantly negatively associated with sperm concentration and total sperm count (P<0.05). In addition, exposure to mixed phenols was significantly associated with decreased sperm concentration; methyl paraben (MeP) and EtP were identified as the main contributors to this decrease. Thus, phenol exposure may be associated with decreased semen quality in young males, particularly with respect to sperm concentration and total sperm count.

The digital economy and job quality: Facilitator or inhibitor? --Evidence from micro-individuals

The improvement of workers' employment quality is an important manifestation of high-quality economic development. Based on 13,969 valid samples from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data, the paper examines the impact of urban digital economy development level on individual employment quality from a micro perspective using a multilevel regression model. The study finds that the level of urban digital economy development significantly promotes individual employment quality. For every 1 unit increase in the level of urban digital economy development, the quality of individual employment will increase by 1.033 units. And air quality positively moderates the relationship between urban digital economy development level and individual employment quality, i.e., in cities with good air quality, the urban digital economy development level has a more important role in promoting the quality of individual employment. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that the level of digital economy development in cities has a more pronounced effect on the employment quality of males, younger workers (40 years old and below), and party members. To be more specific, every increase of one unit in the development level of urban digital economy will increase the employment quality by 1.649, 0.787, and 0.897 units, respectively. The above findings are useful for the formulation of policies to achieve high quality of employment and the implementation of environmental management plans.

Exploring masculinities in Barbie (2023) directed by Greta Gerwig

"Barbie" (2023), directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written with Noah Baumbach, offers a satirical exploration of masculinity in the Barbie universe. This research paper employs Raewyn Connell's "Types of Masculinity" framework to analyze the male characters, particularly Ken, and their representation of different forms of masculinity within the fantastical world of Barbieland. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is used to uncover hidden beliefs and social commentary about masculinity expressed through language. The film presents a multifaceted exploration of masculinity, including hegemonic, complicit, subordinate, and marginalized types, challenging and reinforcing conventional gender expectations and contributing to a broader discourse on gender representation in contemporary cinema.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Barbie, contemporary cinema, critical discourse Analysis (CDA), gender representation, Greta Gerwig, masculinity, Raewyn Connell.

GENDER REPRESENTATION OF PERCY JACKSON &amp; THE LIGHTNING THIEF IN ENGLISH AND INDONESIAN

Abstract: Children’s literature plays an essential role in shaping readers’ characters through the influence of the ideology implied in it. Children will learn and implement these ideologies as the target readers for their future lives. This study aims to find out the gender representation in one of the children’s literatures, Percy Jackson the Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan. By applying corpus linguistics, the number of characters and their representations are examined and compared between the English version as the source text and its Indonesian translation. The results show that although male characters dominate the novel in terms of number, a deeper analysis of the collocation of body parts with verbs reveals that there was a shift in gender representation between the two versions of the novel that have different cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, it was found that the author depicted some characters with less fixation on their sex; male characters are less masculine, and female characters are more masculine than the prevailing gender stereotypes in society. In the translated version, the translator rectified the stereotypes by depicting the characters’ gender according to sex. These findings reflect broader cultural ideologies about gender for the millions of readers who enjoy this book. In addition, these findings imply the significance of parents' and educators' awareness and critical thinking regarding the selection of reading materials for children.Keywords: children literature; corpus linguistic; critical discourse analysis; gender representation; translation

Thelma &amp; Louise: Rape culture, mudflaps and vaginal horizons

This video essay isolates the rage of the protagonists of Ridley Scott’s 1991 film Thelma and Louise, against personal and systemic patriarchal violence. Using animation, multiscreen, and supercut editing, this video essay supposes what happens when supporting male characters are removed, erased, or diminished to focus our attention on Thelma and Louise’s response(s) to their violent acts. It also imagines mudflap girls –now women– talking and fighting back against their oppressor. Finally, this video essay transforms Thelma and Louise’s suicidal leap into a deep dive of the vagina, often essentialized, in heteropatriarchal discourses, as synonymous with the female body.

그림자 투사와 부정적인 어머니-콤플렉스

This study aims to read the psyche of the male character Clegg in John Fowles' novel The Collector, focusing on the phenomena of 'collection' and 'desire' through Carl Gustav Jung's analytical psychology. Clegg's distorted love aligns with Jung's 'shadow,' the dark unconscious content. The butterfly, symbolizing the 'soul' in Greek, according to Jung, represents the ideal feminine 'anima' in Clegg's unconscious, directed at Miranda. Yet, Clegg's love hides behind the 'persona' mask. His compulsive collection and possessiveness fail to accept his dark side and project its shadow. Unveiling the mask of 'persona', love turns into repulsion, projecting the repressed negative mother archetype in Clegg's unconscious. The negative mother archetype connects to Erich Neumann's 'terrible mother archetype,' symbolizing the womb akin to a grave. Trapped in the negative mother-complex, Clegg regresses into selfrationalization and fails to integrate his shadow.

Reading Between the Lines: a Critical Analysis of Representation in English Textbooks for Telangana State Government Schools

This paper discusses the presence of gender bias in English textbooks used in government schools in Telangana, South India. The analysis covers various aspects, including the representation of male and female characters, social and domestic roles assigned to them, the order of appearance in phrases, and the visual representations in illustrations. The key findings include an uneven distribution of male and female characters, with males predominating. Males are assigned a wider range of social roles, while females are often portrayed in stereotypical domestic roles such as homemakers. The order of appearance in phrases tends to favor males. In visual representations, females are shown more frequently engaging in housework, while males are depicted more often in activities outside the home, suggesting a gender imbalance. The biased and stereotypical gender representation in the textbooks may influence young learners' perceptions and contribute to gender disparity in society. Hence it is recommended that instructional materials may be revised to provide quality education without biases.

Художественное осмысление мужских и женских образов в пьесе В. И. Мишаниной «Босиком по облакам»

The aim of the paper is to provide a scientific understanding of the specifics of recreating male and female images in V. I. Mishanina’s play “Barefoot through the Clouds”. The study is novel in that it is the first to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the author’s strategy of artistic modeling of male and female images in terms of their plot role, interference, symbolic connections and key themes. As a result of the study, it was found that male and female images in the play differ in an abundance of feelings and experiences, have complex motivation and internal conflicts that determine their behavior in line with the plot; the female characters such as Lyuba, Natasha, Tanya and Inessa play an important role in the narration and comprehension of the personal identity of the male characters, especially the protagonist Pavel; scenes and dialogues in the play provide insight into the essence of the difficult relationship between the characters, while the symbolism associated with the images enhances the semantic depth of the work.

The Epistemic and Material Violence Exerted Against Women in The Woman in White from a Posthuman Feminist Perspective

Wilkie Collins’s novel The Woman in White (1860) can be taken as an embodiment of patriarchal dominion over-sexualized others of the discourse. In line with women’s holding a “less than” status when compared to men in the text, they are reduced to disposable bodies in posthumanist critic Rosi Braidotti’s sense of the term. The male characters’ representation as the universal representative of the human falls short in embracing the female characters. Hence, Anne’s imprisonment and Laura’s forced marriage in the text demonstrate the working mechanism of epistemic and material violence exerted against the ones who are deprived of the politically representable status by stripping them off their agentic potentialities. In tune with these considerations, this paper aims to find an answer if male and female characters in the novel are human to the same degree against the backdrop of feminist dimensions of posthumanism by highlighting exceptionalist politics as a consolidation of patriarchal logic. By extension, this study proposes to demystify how hierarchical binary thinking excludes more than what it includes in relation to woman. The article also interrogates if a bond of solidarity among women based on nondialectical relations of the self to the other might offer a solution by instilling feminist orientations of posthumanism.

Female characters in the novels of R. K. Narayan

R.K. Narayan is considered one of the most eminent Indian authors in the English language. Narayan mostly focuses on portraying middle-class folks from Malgudi, a fictional location he created in South India. His writings feature a diverse array of male and female characters. Within each of his novels, there exists a female character that holds a significant role in the narrative. Rosie, in The Guide, is one such female character. She embodies a contemporary woman who is well-educated and driven, who aspires to achieve financial independence based on her own preferences and abilities, despite facing significant sacrifices. Raju's mother and Velan's sister are among the other female characters depicted in the story. Raju's mother embodies the conservative and orthodox ladies who adhere to tradition and culture. She is a conscientious spouse and an affectionate parent. She provides guidance to both Raju and Rosie regarding moral principles and ethical conduct. However, if her advice is ignored, she departs from her residence and accompanies her brother to reside with him. Velan's sister has a little yet significant part in the narrative, as her presence contributes to portraying Raju as a saintly figure. This research aims to investigate this particular component of R.K. in a modest manner. The characterisation of Narayan. Keywords: The role of women, fiction, family, stories, novels, general literature