50 he asks them to buy something. With his entire terrible manner, but people still
respect him as a noble. This is because he carries one of the most respected names in England. Direct satire is also found when Thackeray comments on Sir Pitt.
Vanity Fair – Vanity Fair Here was a man, who could not spell and did not care to read – who had the habits and the cunning of a boor: …, and
yet he had a rank, and honours, and power, and somehow: and was a dignitary of the land, and a pillar of a state. He was high sheriff, and rode
in a golden coach. Great ministers and statesmen courted him; and in Vanity Fair he had a higher place than the most brilliant genius spotless
virtue 85.
He satirizes that ascribed status is more important than achieved status. People get respected if they belong to high social status, no matter how wicked
they are. Lord Steyne is another example of this. Whenever he helps people, he always thinks about the advantages for himself. Becky herself admits that he is
cunning and wicked, but he is still more respected that an honest man in Vanity Fair.
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CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This study is closed by the conclusion. This part is divided into two parts, conclusions and suggestions. The first part is the conclusion of the study. It sums
up the analysis on the two problems of this study. The second part is the suggestion. This part discusses the recommendations for future research on the
topic, as well as suggestions on how to apply Vanity Fair to teaching.
5.1. Conclusions
Having analyzed Vanity Fair in the previous chapter, it comes to the conclusion part. There are two problems that are discussed in this study, how
Thackeray describes Becky’s character and how Thackeray satirizes British Society using Becky’s character.
The first conclusion is dealing with the first problem. Becky is described as a beautiful, charming, independent, hypocritical, selfish and ambitious person
who comes from low class. As a cunning woman, she is able to deceive many people using her charms. She also cleverly uses her skills and beauty to attract the
people, especially men. Her wit combined with her skills in French and music, become her weapon in conquering the society. She is an independent woman.
Mostly, she does not need anybody’s help in getting her goal, though she asks Lord Steyne’s help to present her to the court. Her hypocrisy is another way to get
what she wants. She becomes an ambitious woman that is able to do and sacrifice
51 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
52 anything, even her family, to achieve her goal. Therefore, it can be concluded that
Becky is both materialistic and a social climber. She does everything it takes to get her ambition; to be rich and to elevate her social status.
From the discussion of Becky’s characteristics, Thackeray wants to show his satires toward the British Society. Through Rebecca Sharp characteristics, it
can be seen that the society at that time is a materialist and social climber. First, he satirizes British society as a materialistic society through Becky’s characters.
Her cunning, selfishness, and her ambition tell that she only finds her bliss in pursuing and getting wealth. The society also gives impact in influencing her
character. She has suffered discrimination because of poverty since she was a girl. She is not happy as a poor person, so she determines to be as wealthy as possible.
Another satire that Thackeray tries to reveal is that through money, people can get many friends. He uses Becky’s hypocrisy as well as the Crawleys’ to show his
satires. Those show that society at that time is materialistic. The second satire that Thackeray wants his readers know is his satire on the importance of social status
among the British society at that era. As a girl from low class society, Becky determines to elevate her social status whatever it takes. Thackeray satirizes
Becky’s marriage. She only marries Rawdon because of her goal to elevate her social status. By marrying Rawdon, who is a noble man from a respected family,
Becky’s social status automatically increases. Thackeray also uses direct satire by directly commenting the system of marriage in British society. He shows that both
parents and daughters are willing to do anything to get a fine respected husband. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
