Abstract:
This research is a study of a Thai novel series "Suea Bai - Suea Dum" by P. Indrapalit. It seeks to analyze a narrative structure of the novel series, the construction of Outlaw Gentlemen characters and the characteristics of Thai Outlaw narrative genre, in the context of the actual events from 1941 to 1947 and the influence of Western narrative genre on this Thai novel series. It found out that the narrative structure and the character construction of the novel series is heavily influenced by that of the Western and other narrative genres. This includes a gun-dual events Western genre; conflicts with the authorities and the community from Outlaw genre; a heros quest from Action-adventure genre; military strategy from War genre; and romantic love interests from Romance genre. Main characters and events from this novel series are based on real bandits and actual events during World War II. From 1941 to 1947, bandits or outlaw gentlemen became a fixture of Thai public imagination. The Outlaw Gentlemen character is defined by his bravery, versatility, morality, upkeep of honor and dignity, which is also the characteristic of male characters from classical Thai literature.