64 found in the novel.
4.3.2.1 Becoming a Prostitute
Freedom means self expressions. It refers to a persons capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express himself freely Bay 15. Firdaus searching
for freedom is found by becoming a prostitute. After becoming a prostitute, Firdaus finds her capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express herself freely. Firdaus
capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express herself freely is shown from Firdaus statement. Firdaus says that being a prostitute, she is free to do or not to do
what she wants. She has no ties with anyone and breaks up with every relation with the world around her. She is completely independent and lives her independence
completely. She is able to enjoy freedom from any subjection to a man, to marriage, or to love. She is divorced from all limitations whether rooted in rules
and laws in time or in the universe El-Saadawi 87. Maslow describes esteem needs as humans desire to be respected and
valued by others. Esteem needs are categorized into two. They are a lower one and a higher one qtd in Petri 304. By becoming a prostitute, Firdaus can fulfill both of
a lower and a higher level of her esteem needs. Maslow states that the lower level of esteem needs covers the needs for
gaining status, fame, prestige, and recognition by others qtd in Petri 304. Someone’s status, fame, prestige, and recognition by others are depended to her or
his ability to power and position in the society. However, a person’s access to power and position in the society depends on the social class Lane 130. In the
novel, it is found that Firdaus comes from a poor family. Therefore, she belongs to the lower class. As a lower class, Firdaus fails to power and get a better position in
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
65 a society. Thus, she has a non respectable status, is not famous, has less prestige
and is not recognized by others. Firdaus’ status as a non respectable woman is known from her friend’s saying. Firdaus friend namely Di’aa says that Firdaus is
not a respectable woman El-Saadawi 70. Thus, Firdaus declares that she needs to be respected by others. Firdaus says: “Come that may, I had to become a
respectable woman, even if the price were to be my life.” El-Saadawi 73. For Firdaus, by becoming a prostitute she can finally gain a better status. This is shown
from Firdaus’ statement. She says: “As a prostitute I had been looked upon with more respect, and been valued more highly...” El-Saadawi 75.
After becoming a sucessful prostitute, Firdaus becomes a very famous woman. Firdaus’ fame is shown by men’s willingness to meet her. Even a very
important personality from a foreign state hears about Firdaus and wants to meet her El-Saadawi 89. This proves Firdaus’ fame and others’ recognition of her
existence are found after Firdaus’ becoming a prostitute. As a prostitute, Firdaus can also have more prestige. For Firdaus, someone’s prestige depends on large
sums of money El-Saadawi 91. After being a sucessful prostitute, Firdaus is paid by the highest price El-Saadawi 91. Since as a prostitute she is paid by the highest
price, Firdaus owns a lot of money and becomes rich. Hence, she finally has more prestige rather than before.
Maslow says that the higher level of esteem needs is the needs for self- esteem, self-confidence, independence, and freedom qtd in Petri 304. According
to Firdaus, being a prostitute is better than being any other woman. Her decision of becoming of prostitute is based on her own will. Therefore, she believes that she is
finally able to control her own life and able to choose what she wants to do.
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66 Throughout her life, Firdaus has never able to decide or choose anything. Her own
decision of being a prostitute makes her believe that finally she has her own freedom, more freedom than any other women. Firdaus says:
A womans life is always miserable. A prostitute, however, is a little better off. I was able to convince myself that I had chosen this for life of my own
free will. The fact that I rejected their noble attempts to save me my insistence on remaining a prostitute, proved to me this was my choice and
that I had some freedom to live in a situation better than that of other women El-Saadawi 89.
Firdaus suffering of being slaved and treated cruelly by men makes her think that she must live independently. Hence, she proves that she can earn money
like what men do and that she can live by herself without mens help. Firdaus then becomes the most expensive wanted prostitute. By becoming an expensive
prostitute she can even employ servants to wash her clothes and clean my shoes, hire an expensive lawyer to defend her honor, pay a doctor for an abortion, buy a
journalist to publish my picture and write something about her in the newspapers El-Saadawi 91. This shows Firdaus can finally live independently.
4.3.2.2 Killing Her Pimp
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