Subverting MaleFemale Image The Ways of Deconstruction are Used in Wilson‟s The Illustrated
136
I trudged on towards Holybrook Primary. Nearly everyone got taken by their mothers, even the kids in Year Six. Marigold hardly ever took me
to school. Mostly she stayed in bed in the morning. I didn‟t mind. It was easier that way
Wilson, 1999: 31. The above datum indicates that Dolphin often goes to school by her own. She
does not even mind about it and she believes that it is better that way. Children are usually got taken by their parents as they are afraid something
bad happen to them in the way to their schools. Society also believes that parents need to guide them to school as they need protection. Yet, Wilson
shows that children are not afraid to go to school without parents. Star also present an independent child character by showing that she can
shop school stuff such as uniform by herself. “She got money off Marigold
the minute she got it out the post office and went to the school‟s special
uniform sale and go herself a hideous grey skirt and blazer and white blouses and even a tie
Wilson, 1999: 28.” Society often perceives that children cannot go shopping for uniform as adults are responsible for buying
it or accompanying them to buy it. On the other hand, Star does not need to be accompanied by adult figure and she goes by herself.
Wilson does not only subvert malefemale image by creating independent children characters, but also creating smart or knowledgeable children
characters. The children female characters in this story know what to do when they are faced with a problem. It is shown by Dolphin‟s action when
Marigold is covered by paints. She knows that it will be worse if she only
137
waits someone to knock her flat‟s door or wait for Star to come and if she only stays doing nothing. Instead, she calls an emergency to order an
ambulance.
I knew what to do. I knew it was the only thing to do . But I felt I was
betraying Marigold as I stood in the phone box and dialed the three numbers.
„Emergency?‟ „Yes. Yes, it is an emergency,‟ I said. „I think I need an ambulance.‟
I was so confused to someone else who started asking me questions. „This person‟s covered in paint,‟ I said. „I won‟t come off. No, it‟s not my
little brother or sister. It‟s my mum. No, she can‟t come herself. She…she
can‟t move. She‟s sort of stuck. And she won‟t speak to me any more. I‟m scared she maybe can‟t hear because the paint‟s in her ears and
every where. We live at Flat B, 35 Beacon Road . Please. Will you
come?‟ Wilson, 1999: 161 From the datum above, it can be clearly seen that Dolphin is has an initiative
to call an emergency. She does not only asks an ambulance to come, but also explains in details her mother‟s condition, what damage that can be happen to
her mother, and where she lives. Another datum showing that Dolphin is smart and knowledgeable is that
she knows what to do when Marigold tries to hurt herself. She gets her antiseptic to make her wounded skin get better. She knows exactly what kind
of medicine she needs and quickly gives the aid to her mother. She rolled up her sleeve and started fingering her new cross tattoo,
scraping along its lines with her nails.
„Don‟t you‟ll get infected, picking at it like that.‟ I got her antiseptic cream and she rubbed it in slowly. It seemed to
soothe her. She got washed and properly dressed. I did her hair for her. I
combed it up into a chic pleat and anchored it with my green clasp.
„Close your eyes,‟ I said, and I sprayed her hair thoroughly to keep every single tendril in place
Wilson, 1999: 107-8.
138
Star is as smart and knowledgeable as Dolphin is. She knows that she
cannot reach her sister and mother because the phone has broken. Immediately she calls her neighbor, Mrs. Luft, and asks her to call her sister.
„Oh, Dol. Oh, Dol. Oh, Dol.‟ Star was crying. „What‟s happened? What‟s the matter with the mobile phone?
I was so worried when I couldn‟t get through
. And then I suddenly thought of Mrs. Luft.
What‟s Marigold done? Has she smashed the phone? She hasn‟t done anything to you, has
she? Wilson, 1999: 53 It is proven as well
by Marigold‟s comment towards Star‟s brilliant
action. She says that, “„Star? Oh, sweetie, how brilliant of you to phone Mrs. Luft,
‟ said Marigold, without so much as a slur to her voice Wilson, 1999: 53.” The data above show how smart and knowledgeable a child can
be when they have to face some problems and when they are given a chance to think to solve their problems by themselves.