CHAPTER III Romance, Sensuality, and Sexuality
Childhood innocence is mobilized to regulate children’s access to certain knowledge, with sexual knowledge as the most controversial area according to
Robinson
86
. This observation leads this thesis to examine how sexuality and sensuality appear in the selected novels of Judy Blume as well as the kinds of
pleasures and the uses of her books for young readers as they deal with the most frequently absent topics among the other silenced areas. The reference is to the
sexual-related issues found in the novels includes romance, puberty, teenage pre- marital sex, and the birth-control. In voicing those silenced-issues, this research finds
that the novels offer some pleasures of reading: the pleasures of words and the pleasures of storytelling. More than that, this chapter also elaborates how voicing
sexuality in children’s books can be therapeutically beneficial to answer the mystery of taboo areas as well as to spark discussion on difficult matter like sex especially
when authors appear to be one of trusted adults for the disconnected kids.
1. Childhood’s Romance, Sensuality, and Sexuality: Against Childhood
Innocence
Coming as the author who wanted to write something she knew to be true in her pre-teen perspectives about growing-up characters, Blume has been at the center
of controversial battles to ban or censor for scaring parents with controversial issues perceived as corrupting children’s innocence and increasing children’s sexual
86
Robinson 18.
promiscuity when the knowledge of sexuality and sensuality is exposed. Despite the reasons to ban her books, through the data analyzed below, the outlook
of Blume’s novels towards childhood sexuality and sensuality is clarified in inviting readers to
begin thinking against those normative taken-for-granted clichés about children innocence and asexuality by presenting characters who are, instead of innocent and
asexual, constructing the knowledge of sexuality, who have desire for the knowledge, and who are sexually active subjects.
1.1. Romance Crushes
Boys and girls romance with the idea of love has been silenced in children’s books for their innocent state to fail defining love which leads to the sexual and
romantic attraction between two people. However, crushes, as a kind of relationship in which kids have strong but temporary feeling about liking someone, are pictured in
almost all of the analysed novels as part of children’s life that boys and girls are
getting interested to each other. The depiction appears in almost all novels include the sixth grader Margaret
who admires Phillip and Moose in Margaret, Tony to Lisa in Then Again, the seventh grader Deenie to Buddy in Deenie, the sixteenth years old Davey to Wolf in Tiger
Eyes, and the seventeenth years old Katherine to Michael in Forever as well as the fifth grader Sally to Peter in Staring Sally. Here is the example taken from Margaret.
I sat next to Moose. He smelled very nice. I wonder if he shaved because the nice smell reminded me of my father’s after-shaved lotion. I got to touch his
hand a couple of times because he was a lefty and I’m righty so now and then we’d bump. He said he always has that trouble at round tables. 91
Blume makes romance relevant to young character as Margaret has a rule to name one of boys in class to like in her secret club with three other girls. Yet, she also
narrates that the character actively constructs the knowledge about romance. In this case, Margaret
has to keep Moose’s name for herself “He was definitely number one in my Boy Book, even if nobody knew it but me.
” 91 because even though she ‘likes the way he sang as he worked and his clean and white teeth 38, Margaret is
not brave enough to list his name and share it to the other club secret for she know what the leading girl, Nancy,
would think for “she hated him”38. Later, Margaret comes to a complete understanding that liking somebody should not depend on
whether somebody else likes or dislikes our own choice. As a result, when Nancy objects who Margaret likes and asks how come she likes, Margaret is mad for Nancy
does not ask the other member then why Margaret has to tell the reason. Therefore, she ‘raised my Margaret eyebrow at Nancy, then looked away. She got the
message.” 44
1.2. Sensuality
The reference to sensuality which relates to giving or expressing pleasure through the physical senses is also another absent
issue in children’s books. Especially in Deenie
, it is mentioned about the female major character’s romance relationship to a boy. Deenie’s relationship with Buddy Brader is special one because
she falls in love when Buddy just touches her hair, “Listen,” Buddy said, “I’ve got to eat my lunch now. Don’t forget the
mixer... I’ve got a solo and all.” “I won’t forget”.
He finally took his hand off my hair. I may never shampoo it again. 122 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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