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Emmalee Smith sits at a bench in front of the Laie Hawaii Temple

The annual Undergraduate Research Conference on May 12 included numerous student presentations on work they’ve done during the semester. Three students were involved in the session discussing the symbolism of Henrik Ibsen’s drama “A Doll’s House” and hoped to help the audience understand more about feminism. Keith Peterson, Associate Professor of English, supervised the session. After their presentations he said he was impressed. “I really appreciated the papers. It was very well done. Especially from an English 101 class,” said Peterson. Peterson concluded that their presentations helped him realize “women are locked into social conventions as portrayed in this prominent feminism literature. But men are locked in the same way.” He hoped the audience would watch or read the play because it is an “aesthetic and emotional experience.”First time to be involved in the research conference, freshman accounting major Ephraim Insigne from the Philippines said it was a great opportunity for him to expose himself to other cultures. “I was able to expand my knowledge about this particular play and other’s viewpoints, which made me appreciate their culture,” said Insigne. Insigne explored the numerous interactions in the first act of the play and how main characters Nora and Torvald rely on superficial chatter to converse with each other, as well as show how the fake conversation leads to tragedy of relationships, as presented in the program. “I felt empowered as I was able to present my paper in front people. It showed that my opinions mattered,” said Insigne.Timothy Saylor, a freshman ICS and political science major from Michigan, said he researched a lot on feminism so he could effectively deliver his presentation and allow others a new perspective on the topic. “The feeling when you write about it and when you share it out lout and answer questions about it, is different,” said Saylor. “When you say it out loud, you actually understand what it means.”Saylor shared his opinions on how the topic of feminism has been a controversial topic throughout society in the world for generations. He stated reasons throughout the story that illustrate two women using morally unconventional methods in order to survive. Pauline Chan, a sophomore pre art major from Hong Kong, said she was nervous to present because English is not her native language. “I asked a lot of people for suggestions and tips. I also practiced many times,” said Chan. She said she was still grateful for the opportunity and thought it was a great topic for her. “As the only girl among the presenters, I was able to give a woman’s point of view which made it interesting.” Chan wrote her paper for a simple reading assignment in her English 101H class and shared how there were significant symbols that helped define the characters in the play. Chan said she learned a lot from this experience and hopes she can do better in the future. “I want to be more prepared in the future. Maybe try to be more familiar with the topic to present it better.”