Sustainable Development Goals
Abstract/Objectives
Postmodernism, in the spirit of opposing the indisputable authority brought by a single narrative voice, dismisses the traditional omniscient narrator who controls the overall content and in favor of stories that are presented through multiple subjective points of view and therefore heralds the return of storytellers. The various storytellers create layers of meanings, while the postmodern experiment with frameworks and reveal how those frames constrain one’s life in various ways. As they event these frames as artificial and malleable, not only do they allow different voices from various places and times to merge, but also those that were previously suppressed to be expressed. In chapter two of “The Stories Within,” “The Fisherman and the Ifrit” from The Arabian Nights exemplified how the hierarchy between the oppressor and the oppressed is reversed when different voices of narrative are given a chance to speak in stories. In The Nights, silenced voices are re-empowered when different characters are given the chance to become storytellers, for instance, the power relationship between Shahrazad and King Shahryar. As the main storyteller of The Nights, Shahrazad gains the power of speech to challenge the King’s stereotype of women with all different kinds of stories. This power of narrative voices is later demonstrated in Shahrazad’s tales when different storytellers are introduced. Each storyteller gains the power to change their target listeners’ ideology through their narrative process, which also wins them the chance to alter their disastrous situation. Through the changes of narrative voices, The Nights and “The Fisherman and the Ifrit” affect the re-empowerment process with their narrative process and redefine the boundary between life and fiction through their narrative settings. Through these narrative features, this chapter aims to find out how Nights inspires postmodern authors to experience their narrative style.
Results/Contributions (500 words)

The Graduate Thesis Presentation of the Institute of Foreign Languages and Literature successfully provided graduate students with a valuable opportunity to experience a formal defense setting before their actual oral examination. This event allowed students to familiarize themselves with the academic presentation process and refine their communication skills. By presenting their research, students received constructive feedback from both their advisors and the audience, helping them further improve their thesis content and delivery. The event was open to faculty and students, fostering academic exchange and exposing attendees to a wide range of research topics and methodologies. Faculty feedback not only provided specific suggestions but also encouraged deeper scholarly discussions, enhancing students’ critical thinking skills. Overall, this event effectively strengthened graduate students' confidence and academic presentation abilities, ensuring they are well-prepared for their final thesis defense.

Keywords
Postmodernism、Shahrazad、stereotype