Djuna’s Characteristics as Seen from Her Relationship with Men

and feels the equal power in between. Djuna’s attraction toward Lillian is not an attraction as a friend or sister, but as a lover who wants to embody herself in her lover. Djuna responded instantly to the quick rhythm, to the intensity. It was a meeting of equal speed, equal fervor, equal strength. It was as if they had been two champion skiers making simultaneous jumps and landing together at the same spot. It was like a meeting of two chemicals exactly balanced, fusing and foaming with the pleasure of achieved proportions 1995: 16. Djuna empathizes Lillian’s sufferings in the relationship with men, therefore Djuna comforts and showers Lillian with such affection. Djuna wants to guide Lillian and becomes a good companion for her. It is described in the novel: But each time she saw it in Lillian, flaring, uncontrolled, wild, blind, destroying itself and others, her compassion and love were aroused. “That will be my gift to her,” she thought with warmth, with pity, “I will guide her.” 1995: 23. Djuna and Lillian build a strong relationship between them. It is a relationship between two women whom both enjoy presenting devotion and affection. Both Djuna and Lillian feels an equal power with no one side domination. And then Djuna was there, to remove the arrows implanted in Lillian, to cleanse them of their poison, to open the prison door, to open the trap door, to protect, to give transfusion of blood, and peace to the wounded 1995: 41. Besides, Djuna also has feminine characteristic which attracts Lillian. Lillian sees Djuna’s feminine quality as something hidden and a pure treasure. As stated in the novel: Outwardly Djuna was the essence of femininity . . . a curled frilled flower which might have been a starched undulating petticoat or a ruffled ballet skirt molded into a sea shell 1955: 22. Djuna’s femininity has also fascinated Lillian’s powerful characteristic. In their relationship, they complete PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI each other by pursuing their own nature as shown in the following quotation: As Djuna enjoyed Lillian’s violence, Lillian enjoyed Djuna’s feminine capitulations 1995: 51. While Lillian falls in love with Djuna’s femininity, Djuna is amazed by Lillian’s beauty and admires it. As one of Djuna’s admiration of Lillian is described in the following quotation: She looked like a white negrees, a body made for rolling in natural undulations of pleasure and desire. Her vivid face, her avid mouth, her provocative, teasing glances proclaimed sensuality 1995: 44. Although Djuna builds relationship with Lillian, she still does not want to be bounded in a relationship. This shows that Djuna is a self-governed woman. In her relationship with Lillian, Djuna feels happy yet afraid. She feels trapped as a lover to give her whole self. Lillian often buys Djuna many gifts to gladden her, yet Djuna precisely feels unhappy. She recognizes that every gift is bounded with Lillian’s demand toward Djuna and it will destroy her freedom. Djuna is showered with gifts as in a fairy tale, but she could not find in them the fairytale pleasure. She felt that to each gift was tied a little invisible cord or demand, of exactingness, of debt, of domination. She felt she could not wear all these things and walk away, freely. She felt that with the gifts, a golden spider wove a golden web of possession 1995: 42. Since Lillian’s need toward Djuna grows larger, Djuna decides to leave Lillian. Djuna is trapped in her relationship because she is obligated to give her whole self whenever Lillian needs it. Therefore, she leaves Lillian and continues her life freely. Djuna gave herself in the most unexpected ways. She lived in the cities of inferior. She had no permanent abode. She was always arriving and leaving undetected, as through a series of trap doors 1995: 162-163. Djuna’s action of letting herself kept doing what she wants to do as a woman proves that she is a self-governed woman. She argues that those who can make their own lives are not only men but also women. B. The Reflection of Radical Libertarian Feminism Ideas on Lillian and Djuna’s Characteristics After analyzing the characterization of Lillian and Djuna in Ladders to Fire, this part aims to answer the second formulated question which is how their characteristics portray the ideas of radical libertarian feminism. Here, the writer mostly uses Tong’s radical libertarian feminism theories.

1. Avoiding Maternal Life

In patriarchal society, women are demanded to provide society with children and it can be done legally through marriage. After marriage, women are obligated to raise children and it is being regarded as natural calling for women. Yet the radical-libertarian feminists argue that women should have freedom to choose their own life without being limited by society demands and assumption. They believe that women should subsitute artificial for natural modes of reproduction because they perceive reproduction as women’s main weakness. As Tong states in her book, the radical libertarian feminists believe that femininity and reproduction limit women’s capacity to contribute to society. The radical libertarian feminists are convinced the less women are involved in reproduction, the more time and energy women will have to engage in society’s productive processes. They also believe that the root of oppression lies in women’s ability to bare children therefore they promote abortion, contraceptives and other forms of birth control 2009: 74. Djuna’s action of avoiding maternal life reflects one of the basic ideas of radical libertarian feminism. In the novel, Djuna is described as a self-governed woman who wants to pursue her dreams and desire freely with no obstacle from her surroundings. She avoids maternal and marriage life because she thinks that those things do not suit her personality. Djuna argues that the obligations in maternal and marriage life will limit her freedom. This characteristic is also shaped by her childhood memories when she has to take care of her siblings because of poverty in her family. In her childhood, Djuna is limited to do activities like a normal child because of this responsibility and it makes a trauma of being attached into something. Therefore as she grows up, she does not want to be bounded with solemn obligation of raising children which can limit her freedom. It is stated in her conversation with Lillian: I never liked real children, only the child in the grown-up, Lillian aswered: you should have had children.“But I lack the maternal feeling for children, Lillian, though I haven’t lacked the maternal exp erience.” 1995: 46. Djuna’s action of avoiding maternal life proves the fact that she was against the old- fashioned society’s assumption. She liberated herself from any obligation of maternal life. This idea is also supported through Lillian’s action of leaving her family to pursue her desire. Lillian is described as a passionate woman whose courage to pursue her passion. Once, she is married with a man named Larry and has two children. It is a harmonic marriage filled with joy and serenity. Yet that kind of PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI