Female Empowerment and Agency: An Analysis of Amy Tan’s Rules for Virgins

Abstract

This study focuses on Amy Tan’s short story entitled Rules for Virgins. Set in 1910s Shanghai, the narrative follows Violet, a young woman navigating the complex social and cultural landscape of a high-end brothel, where her virginity and sexuality are about to be commercialized. Drawing on intersectional analysis, the article examines how gender intersects with patriarchy and its cultural norms to shape the main character’s experiences, focusing on her ability to exercise control within a male-dominated context. By analyzing the mentorship dynamics between the courtesans, the exploitation of female bodies, the paper highlights the portrayal of female agency in a patriarchal social system designed to rule over. From there, it is possible to raise the following problem: How do the protagonists negotiate their sexual agency in a system that controls it? In other words, how do they not only actively exercise their choices, but also in ways that challenge power relations? Centered on this inquiry, the reflection focuses on studying how the narrative challenges traditional narratives of victimhood and control, exploring how meanings, roles and identities are constructed through social interactions based on the concept of symbolic interactionism.