A Thematic Analysis of Three Women Elect : Their Life Stories Via Autobiography

Graduation date: 2017Women being elected into public office, a recent occurrence, raises questions and concerns about what it means to have women in office. Concerns include: policy differences women in office might produce, changing the image of what it means to be a leader, and ultimately the fear of a shifting society. The purpose of this study is to examine some of the key characteristics and themes of women’s lives in politics who have not only been elected, but have written their life story in autobiographical form. This study is a thematic analysis of the autobiographical works of Benazir Bhutto, Mary Robinson, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Themes that are discussed include the role of the father, the prevalence of a northern education, the roles of motherhood and wifehood, the identity as feminist, and the selfless/martyrdom image created.\ud Findings suggest the process of autobiographical writing of women and the imagery that is created follows a unique pattern that often connects their identity with the oppressed. Future research suggests examining the literary production process of women writing their autobiographical works to provide a better understanding of the\ud unobserved aspects of literary creation providing better insight into the themes and messages provided in each woman’s published life story