Animal Metaphors that Reflect the Concept of Hero and Heroine in Yaoi Novels

Abstract

        The aim of this research was to study the animal metaphor as illustrating upon the concept of the hero and heroine characters 10 Yaoi novels. The main actor refers to male who behaves like female published during the year 2013-2017 through the use of metaphor conceptual analysis. The results revealed that the animal metaphor showing the concept of the hero characteristics had positive meanings, which represent to the ruler, the predator, a man with tall, strong, good looking appearance who attracted the sexuality from both male and female. The characteristics of heroine showed the negative meanings including being under controlled person, victimized, and weaked and untrustworthy characteristics, Regarding the results presented, it revealed the thinking system of the Yaoi novel that Thai society was mostly rely on male-since hero, which was represented by male. Although the heroine referred to male, this character always represented the image of woman who the receiver in the end of the story. Characterizing the heroine as a man who was weak and lacked of authority to request anything from the hero. Such thinking system was considerably binary opposition that has been deeply rooted in Thai society. Although the Yaoi novel is generally recognized as the way to provoke gender equality, the patriarchal system in the society is generally observed in this kind of novel.