25
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter discusses the questions stated in the problem formulation in two parts. The first part discusses question number one on the depiction of Anastasia
Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James. The second part discusses question number two on how Feminine Oedipus complex causes masochism in Fifty Shades of
Grey.
A. The Depiction of Anastasia Steele
Anastasia Steele is the main character in Fifty Shades of Grey. Characters are “persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the
reader as being endowed with particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualiti es”
Abrams, 1999:34. Characterization is the way author depicts characters to “convey
to the reader what sort of people they are” Murphy, 1972:161. In part A, this thesis discusses the characteristics of Anastasia Steele by looking at her characterization in
the novel. The thesis uses nine methods of characterization introduced by Murphy to depict
Anastasia Steele. Those nine methods involve analyzing the physical appearance, direct speech from the author, description from the other characters, conversation that
describes t he characters by the other characters, the characters‟ speech, past life,
thought, mannerism or habits and reaction towards various events or situations
Murphy, 1972: 161-171. As this novel is written using Anastasia Steele‟s point of
view, it makes direct speech from the author, character‟s speech and character‟s
thought are categorized the same. The first depiction of Anastasia Steele is the depiction of her physical appearance.
Anastasia is depicted as “brown-haired girl with blue eyes that too big for her”
James, 2011:3. Anastasia depicts herself as “too pale, too skinny, too scruffy,
uncoordinated ” James, 2011:51 girl. Anastasia cares less about her own looks since
she is rather boyish. She is rather boyish since she prefers using jeans instead of feminine clothes. It can be seen from the following quotation:
“Do you always wear jeans?” he asks out of blue. “Mostly.”
He nods James, 2011:47.
She‟s all tiny camisole, tight jeans, and high heels, hair piled high with tendrils hanging down
softly around her face, her usual stunning self. Me, I‟m more of a Converse and T-
shirt kind of a girl, but I‟m wearing my most flattering jeans James, 2011:56.
The first quotation is Anastasia‟s and Christian‟s conversation. Christian asks her whether she always use jeans or not, Anastasia answers it by saying that most of the
time she uses jeans. The second quotation is Anastasia‟s depiction about herself. She compares herself with Kate. We can see that Anastasia depicts herself conversely
from Kate. Kate is depicted as a feminine girl since she uses high heels and tight meanwhile she depicts herself as a more boyish girl with her jeans.
From the way Anastasia depicts herself previously, we may see her low self- esteem. Anastasia
lives in “a lifetime of insecurity” James, 2011:51. For example, she feels her skin is too pale
although Christian depicts Anastasia‟s skin as “the most beautiful skin, pale, flawless
” James, 2011:113 skin. Her low self-esteem can also be seen from her thought. There are two quotations that clearly show her low self-
esteem. The first quotation tells us that she d
oesn‟t feel comfortable in a luxurious place, she even doe
sn‟t think that she suits there. At first, she depicts Christian‟s office as “a huge twenty-
story office building, all curved glass and steel, an architect‟s utilitarian fantasy, with Grey House written discreetly in steel over the glass front doo
rs” and “the enormous- and frankly intimidating-glass, steel, and white sandstone lobby”
James, 2011:4, but after that, we can see that she doesn‟t feel she suits to this
luxurious place. It is seen by her speech, “She hands me a security pass that has “visitor” very firmly stamped on the front. I can‟t help my smirk. Surely it‟s obvious
that I‟m just visiting. I don‟t fit here at all James, 2011:5”.
The second quotation explains that Anastasia has a problem in her relationship with others. She dislikes having a real conversation with a real man or showing
herself in a group discussion. She prefers to be alone and lives in anonymity. She even prefers to spend her time reading literature works rather than spending her time
with man. It is seen from her speech when she has to interview Christian: