who teaches her how to behave well and how to make up softly but glamorous. She tells many things to Firdaus. This woman is actually the person who
motivates Firdaus to be a prostitute. She tells her that women are able to decide how much they are. She says that men outside will pay how much the woman
asks. Even, they are able to steal somebody else‟s money to pay it. They will do anything to get what they want, including a prostitute. After that, Firdaus knows
that she can ask how much a man must pay for her body. Based on her experiences with men, she finally thinks that being a
prostitute is better than being a wife. It is because a wife cannot do anything when their husband asks them to do this or that. On the other hand, a prostitute is able to
do anything to a man who wants to have fun with them, and man may not say „no‟. Besides, she thinks that nobody is able to make any decisions for a
prostitute‟s life moreover for the higher class of prostitute like herself.
3.2 Approach of the Study
There are some kinds of critical approaches which can be employed to analyze a novel, but in this study the use of the psychological approach to others
as one of the approaches to analyze the novel Woman at Point Zero. The psychological approach is one kind of approach that is usually used in analyzing a
novel. This kind of approach helps to analyze the characters in the novel by seeing the behavior, mind, speech, thought and many more of each character. The
psychological approach is the most appropriate approach to answer the second question stated in the problem formulation and also the title of this study. This
approach explores such concepts as perception, cognition, attention, emotion,
phenomenology motivation, brain functioning, personality, behavior, and
interpersonal relationships. By knowing every element in this approach, makes it easier to
analyze the
psychological aspect of
Firdaus‟ characteristics.
Additionally, it makes it easier to answer the questions stated in problem formulation
In analyzing the novel Woman at Point Zero written by Nawal El Saadawi, the researcher uses the psychological approach. The reason why this study uses
the psychological approach is because it is able to explain more about the value behind the story of the novel. It can also be used to answer the questions stated in
the problem formulation. Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. 2003 state
that “psychological approach involves efforts to locate and demonstrate certain
recurrent patterns, but from a different body of language” pp. 6-15. The psychological approach uses theory of psychology to explain human motivation,
personality and behavior patterns written in literary objects, as the focus of the study Firdaus‟ way in seeing men which is based on her experiences with men
which influence her way in seeing men then.
3.3 Method of the Study
In conducting these studies there were some steps undertaken. First, the researcher looked for the novel. It was not easy to find a good novel since there
were many interesting novels to be found. Nevertheless, a novel entitled Woman at Point Zero was chosen as the first source of this study. Second, the researcher
read the novel and tried to have a deeper understanding of the characters and characterization. That was why it was important to read the novel many times.
Third, the researcher made the title. Some problems appeared in making the title because some of the titles had already been used by the former researchers.
However, the researcher got a better title, “The Influence of Firdaus‟ Experiences with Men on Her Way She Sees Men as Reflected in Nawal El Saadawi‟s Woman
at Point Zero.” Fourth, the researcher looked for some studies which also discussed the novel Woman at Point Zero from the former researchers. It was
important to do it in order to have such a comparison among the studies and enrich the understanding about the story.
Fifth, the researcher started to do chapter one. The researcher looked for some books as the references and took some statements from the experts. In this
step, the researcher learned how to quote well. Sixth, the researcher moved on to chapter three. It was not really difficult to work on chapter three because this
chapter was an explanation about object of the study, approaches that were used, and method of the study which presented the steps in doing this study. Seventh,
the researcher did chapter two. This part was quite difficult because the researcher had to be careful in doing some parts. Besides, the theories which were explained
had to be reliable. Eight, the researcher did chapter four. In doing chapter four the researcher had to be careful because this chapter was like the composition of
chapter one until three. Nine, the researcher did chapter five. The researcher got a little problem on implication. It was revised four times. Finished with chapter one
up to five, the researcher started to make some elements to fulfill this study, such as table content, dedication page, approval page, appendices, references, and
abstract.
