Francesca’s life is a hard life. She must be able to take over her husband role as a farmer when he leaves. And there is a contradiction between her wish and the
reality she should face. As a woman, she wants to look pretty and has a time to take care of her self, but as a farmer, she does not have a time to spoil herself.
Even it seems that it is only a little thing, but as a wife she might have a fear that she can not fulfill her husband’s need, that is for her to look pretty and like the
other women who are well-taken care, although she never sure that Richard care much about it.
3. Francesca and Her Opportunity of Career
In patriarchal society, women are being inferior, ruled by men, assumed as second class of society. A woman’s life is under the control of a man. A girl often
requires her father’s opinion or permission for her final decision, even in the most private matters like career or marriage.
In the story, Francesca is told as an educated woman. She is a woman who has an obsession and courage to make it real.
She had been twenty-five when they met-out of the university for three years, teaching at a private school for girls, wondering about her life
Waller, p.19.
In her hometown in Italy, she had her first career, that is as a private school for
girls. Her career as private school girls brings a speculation that she wants to show her personal reason, that she supports the education for girls women.
Francesca’s career is not over yet when Richard takes her to Iowa. She has her degree in comparative literature, and she uses it to apply for a job as a high
school teacher. She has a big attention toward the world of education. She is PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
happy by the fact that her position as local man’s wife makes her easier to be accepted in her new social community.
Francesca hadn’t expected him to ask. She stammered for a moment. “Oh, gosh, nothing like you do. I got my degree in comparative literature.
Winterset was having trouble finding teachers when I arrived here in 1946, and the fact that I was married to local man who was a veteran made me
acceptable… so I picked up a teaching certificate and taught high school English for a few years Waller, p.41.
The quotation above shows that Francesca is a woman who has a strong will to
dedicate her life in the area of education. She uses any little chance to get a job in the field that she concerns on, that is education. She also has a will to fulfill the
requirement even she must have extra-courage to complete it. It shows that she is a woman who is one-step forward comparing with the women around her in the
place she lives.
4. Francesca as Herself
Francesca is a daughter, a wife and a mother. Almost in every aspects of her life, she is ruled by the other. It was started by her parents, who decided
anything for Francesca in the past. Their choices for her even, have a big impact in Francesca’s present life and change her attitude to be a dependent woman.
Then her oppression is continued by the authority of Richard, her husband. Carrying out her duty as a wife, Francesca is totally under Richard’s
control. She even does not dare to complain about Richard’s failure to be an ideal husband for her. He forces her to be a dependent woman.
Francesca is also oppressed in her role as a mother. After her children grow up, they tend to loose their attention toward their mother and gradually make
