Another thing that proves Inge’s demand for equality is when she left David and Lena, she has to make living for her own and her daughter, Rua. She
never gives up seeking for a job. She would do anything for her daughter Rua. Being a single mother does not make Inge dependent to others, therefore, she
seeks jobs. “Once Ive finished my training. Im left alone to check and double check
the accuracy of a variety of thermometers and pressures gauges. I am instructed to call the manager at any hour if the readings are abnormal.”
p.161
Her job as a labor in glass factory is a hard job. In general, usually only men can do that job. In spite of that matter, she takes it, in order to make living
for her own and her daughter. Being a woman does not make limitation to what she wants to do. She enjoys her new job. She has shown to everyone that although
she is a woman, but she can do men’s job. She is as strong as men, as tough as men. Through her actions here, we can see that feminism value revealed by Inge
that is her demand for equality in living her live in patriarchal society.
3. Woman’s Rights to be Herself.
Feminists state that the fundamental issue in feminism is the right to be herself without being discriminated, separated, classified from the gender
division. What Inge does in the novel reflects this value of feminism, woman’s rights to be herself. Through her actions, it could be seen that she desires her
rights to be appreciated by others. This could be seen when she decides to find who she is by experimenting different sexual partners. Although she is a married
woman, but she wants to be respected to what she chooses in her life. When she has an affair with Paul, actually she wants to find out who she is and what she
wants, it does not mean that she ignores her family. It is just how she has to make decision in living her life fully, not merely accept her life and do her duties as a
mother and a wife, dealing with the domestics things, nurturing the children, and serving the husband. She wants to discover who she is, therefore she is yearning
for her rights to be herself. “When he is inside me all of him touches me. When he’s inside me I know
myself differently. He turns me to water while he remains stone. In my absence I flow and there is peace.
David. I know I should return with him. He has my baby, my Lena. My arm involuntarily coil, remembering her plumb limbs. I feel her wet open-
mouthed kisses. But David holds a double-edged sword of love and hate. He turns hate’s sharpened blade towards me. p.82-83
Inge prefers to stay with Paul since she wants to discover who she is and in the other hand, Inge knows that David does not really love her, but in fact he
has hatred and wants to take revenge by regarding Inge as merely his appendage. Therefore Inge wants to strive for her rights to be herself, she prefers to stay with
Paul since when she is with Paul she finds herself differently. The sexual relationship that they have also described as more warm, involve and satisfied
both of them. It is a different case when Inge makes love with David, the sexual relationship that they have are cold, never warm, brutal and somehow only to
satisfy David’s lust. David only regards Inge as a sexual object to release his lust. Moreover, Inge’s demand for her rights as a woman triggers when she is
in Papua New Guinea with David, and becomes one of the teachers there. She PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
meets the native man, Tugl, her own student. The mysterious Tugl attracts Inge. As a woman who is curious about life and wants to discover who she is, Inge
makes decision to make love with Tugl. “Absorbed I watch the intertwining of our bodies colours. There is no
tenderness, there are no kisses. My clothes fall about me, the moon unveiled in pockets picks out my frame while Tugl stays invisible. He
touches my body, exploring its secrets. When he is certain I am not so different from the village girls he squats on his haunches, draws me
toward him. I feel as if I’m being spared. The spear is moved to and fro. I am a rabbit with salt on its tail.
Tugl cries out in his language. An ache pulls loose from inside and rises as a sound of liberating itself at the throat, a sound unlike any I have made
before.” p.152
It is clearly seen that Inge’s action to experiment different sexual partners is to discover who she is. By experimenting different sexual partners, Inge tries to
understand about life and its purpose. She tries to use her sex appeal to achieve her goals. She uses her body and sex appeal to have bargaining position, barter
position and as a means to achieve her goals, that is to discover who she is and finds the purpose of this life. As a woman who lives in patriarchal society, her
rights are less appreciated, but she always finds way to strive for her rights and somehow due to her actions, she has revealed the feminism values.
The other thing that can be said as Inge’s demand for her rights as a woman is seen when she decides to leave her husband and her daughter to begin
her journey. “For days on end I think about the note I’ll leave David and Lena. In the
end I write what many wives before me have written. Forgive me, but I can’t stand it anymore. I’m leaving with Rua. My
darling Lena, I’ll be back for you. Be good. p.153 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Inge finally makes decision to leave David and Lena, to begin the journey as a woman, to find and discover who she is. By leaving her family, it does not
mean that she does not have responsibility towards her daughter. It is just how life has made her to choose that way, and her way of thinking that could not stand
anymore towards the oppression that she got from her husband, David. The legal status that they have as husband and wife, somehow has imprisoned Inge, bound
her to the domestic sphere and not respected Inge’s rights as a woman at all. The next crucial thing that marks Inge’s journey as a real feminist is when
she decides to do hysterectomy, by removing her womb. As a woman she has the rights to do anything upon her body, including removing her womb. By removing
her womb, Inge has new paradigm that women are as strong as men, they could do what men could do. Liberal Feminists also believe that it is women’s rights to
do whatever they want to their bodies. “But Im new now. New person, body. A new start Im as good as any
man. No bleeding or mess, no time off work, no unreliability due to biological factors. Maybe Ill wear jeans and swagger, sitting open-legged
in mixed company. Maybe Ill wear a suit and carry a briefcase. Perhaps Ill change my name to ill out my new frame.” p.160
By doing so, she wants to prove to the society that she is as strong as man, no difference. Consciously she wants to break free from the oppression that she
gets from her surrounding; she wants to strive her rights as a woman, to be respected fully.
As we can see from Inge’s characteristics, actions and struggles in living PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
her life in patriarchal society, Inge has revealed the feminism values that are freedom of choice, equality and woman’s rights to be herself. As a real feminist,
Inge consciously takes the decision to break free from the oppression that she gets from the patriarchal society where she lives. She wants to be free from it and also
to discover who she is as a woman who lives in male-dominated world. She uses her sex appeal and body to have bargaining position, barter position and as a
means to achieve her goals. She wants to be respected fully and to get equality in all fields with men. In this novel she has broken the misconception of women
stereotyping that women are weak, dependent, passive, submissive and receptive toward men.
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS
After having a long discussion in analyzing the main character’s characteristics, the patriarchal society where she lives and the feminism values as
revealed by the main character, Inge, now the writer is going to draw the conclusion. The conclusion will be divided into three sections in order to specify
the answer of the formulated problems based on the analysis. First is the characteristics of Inge as the main character. By applying the
theory of character and characterization by Murphy and Forster, the writer could conclude that Inge is the main character of the novel. Her characteristics could be
seen from her speech, reactions and thought. By using Forster’s theory on character, Inge is characterized as a round character since according to Forster
round character is complex with subtle particularly. In the novel, Inge is described as a person who has complex characteristics, such as brave, independent, kind-
hearted, responsible, attractive and strong. Inge’s bravery is shown from her past. Her courage to run away from the
oppressions that she got not only from her step father, but also from her own mother has become a proof that she is a brave woman. She chose to be free from
the sexual abuse done by her step father, Karl and the oppression that she got from her surrounding, though she has to barter her body in order to get the
freedom. Moreover Inge’s bravery is shown when she makes decision to stay with 68