The Racialized Female Body as a “Burning Candle” in Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters

Abstract

This article delves into the nuanced intricacies surrounding Lolita Luna, a Filipina movie star, featured in Hagedorn’s Dogeaters. Functioning as a liminal figure, she adeptly navigates the dichotomies of transparency and opacity, malleability and fixed materiality, as well as objectification and agency. The primary objective of this exploration is to unravel how Lolita Luna embodies the thematic essence of her inaugural film, “A Candle Is Burning.” As a symbol of objectified and racialized feminine embodiment, analogous to a sanctified and sensual candle, Lolita Luna disrupts societal norms and brings concealed realities to light. Through the metaphor of a burning candle, this study delves into the intricate relationship between Lolita Luna and her own body, uncovering profound implications for her identity. She emerges as a multi-faceted character proficient in manipulating notions of femininity and beauty, navigating a complex world where success intricately intertwines with considerations of gender and race. Beyond merely functioning as a narrative catalyst, Lolita Luna embodies the very essence of the act of writing. The narrative adopts hybrid, excessive, and intricate techniques, pulsating with burning eroticism and veiled in high-cliché exoticism. Framed within the perspectives of Feminist Studies and Postcolonialism, this paper endeavors to empower a reified femininity and endow agency to a pseudo-a-political character, fostering a deeper understanding of power, gender, and representation.