Narrating Daughterhood: Family Dynamics in Joyce Carol Oates’s Fiction

This article aims to look at the different portrayals of daughters in the novels of Joyce Carol Oates, by examining various representations of their identities, the challenges that they come across, and the traces of their parents. Through analysis and interpretation, this study will shed light on the complexities of the daughter characters and their role as depicted in We Were The Mulvanyes (1996) and Missing Mom (2005). The role of the daughter in the context of American cultural norms within the familial frame is deeply rooted in traditional gender roles that frequently define their identities concerning the structure of the family. The typical image of a daughter is that of a reflector of family values, one that is expected to obey the rules of the family and thus the society. Through the characterization of the daughter, this paper will also look into the narrative structure that portrays the characters’ emotional experiences in the novel.