Consequently, the e-narrator evokes the echoing and referential effects of her narrative, striking fear of semblance in women readers who apparently
assume that the e-narrator is exposing their stories, just like the proliferation of gossip in chat rooms or the blogosphere 2006: 298.
This undergraduate thesis tries to develop another studies that have been done by another researchers as mentioned above. The first study by Eka Dwi
Palupi focuses on the role of family and women in marriage life by using socio- cultural perspective while the study by Muneera Al-Gadheer focuses on the way
the text is narrated and the effect of using internet as the medium to reveal a phenomenon. Unlike the previous studies, this undergraduate thesis focuses on the
struggle of women against the gender discrimination by analyzing some of the major women characters as seen in Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Al-Sanea.
B. Review of Related Theories
The theories that are used here are the theory of character and characterization, the theory of gender discrimination, the theory of feminism,
theory of literature and society and some information about the women s rights in Saudi Arabia. These theories help the writer reveals the struggle of women toward
gender discrimination as seen in Rajaa Al-Sanea s Girls of Riyadh.
1. Character Characterization
One of the important elements in a literary work is character. According to A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H Abrams, it is stated
characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual,
and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it--the dialogue--and from what they do--the
action 2009: 42.
What is possessed by characters could be interpreted by the reader by identifying what the persons says and the way they say it, whether through the dialogue or
through their acts. Another thing that is also important to analyze characters is by understanding their motivation which is as also stated in A Glossary of Literary
Terms, are the grounds in the characters temperament, desire, and moral nature for their speech and actions 2009: 42.
In Understanding Unseens by Murphy, there are 9 ways to identify the characteristics of characters in literary works. Yet only 5 ways that are used by the
author to characterize the character in the novel. They are: 1. Personal Description
The author describes the character s physical appearance such as skin color, height, face, hair, etc. It s the reader mind s eye that work to figure
out the characteristics of the character. 2. Character as Seen by Another
The author does not describe the qualities of a character directly but heshe uses other characters opinion. The reader will see the characteristics of a
certain character through the eyes of another characters. 3. Speech
Readers are able to indentify a character by paying attention on the speech of the character. The characteristics can be revealed through what the
person says.
4. Reactions By analyzing the way the character react toward certain situations, the
reader will have another clues about hisher characteristics. 5. Direct Comment
The author might also describe the character in the novel directly through hisher narration 1972: 161-170.
2. Gender Discrimination
