Abstract:
The independent study titled Thainess Discourse in "When Grandparentswere young" had an objective to analyze the discourse of Thainess Discourse in "When Grandparents were young". This was qualitative research. Utilizing Discourse concept by Michel Foucault as an analysis approach.
The result found 2 main discourses were 1) Thainess related to family unit consisting of good children, good wife, and relative society. 2) Thainess related to society consisting of patriarchy and social class. The construction of each discourse used language through didactics from generation to generation. The awareness was made by a set of knowledge about society and culture, for example, Thai culture preservation, Thai manner, and frugality. The reproduction of values and customs of respect and gratitude to benefactor including the reproducing of patriarchal ideology through the main characters such as grandfather. Giving male characters more educational opportunities than female characters. For the female characters, they focused on inheriting the traditions of femininity learned from the royal court according to the good wife values of Thai society.
Influence of Thainess discourse affected on current Thai society especially male-dominated discourse that still played an important role in Thai society even there was an awareness of equality. In terms of the discourse of good children and the discourse of good wife. In Thai society, there were still expectations but influences in some aspects, for example, women had a greater role because
they had to work both within the home and outside including being educated and being feminine as expected by society. In terms of good-child discourse, there was still value in children who had good behavior, manners, and were grateful to their benefactors. A good child therefore had the meaning and qualities of a good perso having morals consistent with the discourse of Thainess.
In addition, techniques of presenting story, the author narrated through characters to present events and life pattern of people in the early Rattanakosin period and used the urban society of the middle class in a large family in relation to politics, government, and connections with people in various societies, which showed the experiences and lifestyles of people in Thai society changing according to the social context. In this regard, the discourse of Thainess appeared in "When Grandparents were young" still had an influence on Thai society nowadays.