identity, which began a hundred years ago and have to suffer it still today, simply to become fully human Friedan, p.79.
Francesca’s role as a wife and as a mother both of roles on her family are also tyranny for her. In her double positions in her family, she actually never gets
happiness but only to fulfill the society’s suggestion, that a woman becomes a complete woman when she has a family, a husband and children.
a. Francesca as a Wife
As Richard’s wife, Francesca is often being oppressed by Richard, both directly and indirectly. There are some points that exist in Francesca and make her
decide to hold on in her family as good wife for Richard. They are more like a demand that comes from society and should be fulfilled by women in their role as
wives.
i. Francesca’s Self-sacrifice for Richard.
In her marriage with Richard, Francesca is a faithful wife. It is told in the story that she is not happy to be Richard’s wife. There are so many things that she
does not like from Richard. After she meets Robert, she feels that he is the one whom she loves and with whom she wants to live with. Ignoring her dreams and
desire to pursue her own happiness, she prefers to stay with Richard rather than to
go with Robert.
For maybe twenty seconds they sat there. He was up ahead, only thirty feet from her. She could still do it. Get out and run to Harry’s right door, climb
in over the knapsacks and cooler and tripods Waller, p.123.
That is a time for Francesca that she has a chance to leave Richard for Robert, but she did not take that chance because she did not have any reason which she could
use it as a justification for her decision to leave Richard. She realized that Richard was her husband and she had to respect him whatever he was, as her consequences
to marry him. Francesca is not only faithful but also responsible wife. She realizes that
she has a family and she knows her duty as a wife and a mother. But she sat frozen by her responsibilities, staring at that back window
harder than she had ever looked at anything in her life. His left signal light came on. In a moment he’d be gone Waller, p.124.
That is the moment when Francesca has a chance to leave Richard for Robert. The change to get freedom is definitely in front her face. She just needs to do a little
step to make her dream come true, that is to be with Robert, the man she loves most. The thing that can restrain her is her responsibility toward Richard, her
husband. Behind her strength to hold on in her family, still, she is a woman who
thirsts of a man’s love, care and attention. In all her life, she never get it, but from Robert.
“Robert, I’m not quite finished. If you took me in to your arms and carried me to your truck and forced me to go with you, I wouldn’t murmur a
complaint. You could do the same thing just by talking to me. But I don’t think you will. You’re too sensitive, too aware of my feelings of my
responsibility here Waller, p.115.
Deep inside her heart, she really wanted to be owned by Robert. She even can not reject him if he forces her to go with him. Her hope to fulfill her obsession is so
strong that she almost fails to hold on, but her awareness of her responsibility toward her family is stronger that her desire.
