sisterhood. Sisterhood is a strong feeling of support among women who share the same feeling and experience in a patriarchal society. Sisterhood is very powerful to
perform by women to fight against gender discrimination because women who share the same experience can gather their power to fight back against oppression. The
struggles are performed in sisterhood will help women to gain their rights. It also can give courage, power, hope and help for every woman who has willingness to survive
from discrimination. Beauty’s struggles are not only important for herself, but also for her mother
who also experiences gender discrimination. Her father rules, restrictions and commands become the boundaries that make Beauty and her mother cannot do
anything they want freely. They become weak and powerless when they live in their cozy, but full of restriction house. Therefore, it is very important for both, Beauty and
her mother to gather their strength to fight against gender discrimination. In the novel, there are two forms of sisterhood struggle done by Beauty, they are encouraging her
mother and helping her mother.
a. Encouraging Her Mother
Sisterhood is very useful and powerful for encouraging women to fight against gender discrimination. Beauty, who suffers from gender discrimination, has
strong bonding in sisterhood with her mother. She encourages her mother, who is also suffering from discrimination to fight against it. Beauty encourages and supports her
mother when she feels hopeless and confused in making cookies. She encourages her mother to do the thing that her father thinks it is impossible for her to do it.
‘Oh dear,’ said Mum. She took the oven glove and pulverized her own cookie. ‘They’re horrible, aren’t they?’
‘Yep.’
‘Your dad’s right. I can’t cook for toffee,’ said Mum, drooping. ‘Yes, you can,’ I said. I hesitated. ‘Well, maybe you could learn.’
‘I’m useless at learning stuff. I was always bottom of the class at school,’ said Mum. ‘Thick as a brick, that’s me.’
‘No, you’re not. You’re . . . pretty and witty,’ I said. Wilson, 2016: 110
Beauty’s mother feels useless, because when she tries to change Beauty’s nickname that Beauty get from her friends, “Ugly” to “Cookie”, by making cookies she fails.
The cookie she makes is horrible in taste and look. She never gets support from her husband to learn cooking. He always says that she cannot cook anything, because he
thinks she does not have any skill including the skill in cooking. It makes her believe in what her husband says. Then, Beauty encourages her by saying that she can cook if
she learns. She comforts her mother by saying the good quality that she has Wilson, 2016: 110. As a result, Beauty successfully encourages her mother not to give up in
making cookies. Beauty and her mother experience many difficulties when they live with
Beauty’s father. Her father likes oppressing them and make them mentally suffer in their daily life. This condition makes Beauty and her mother decide to leave the house
because they cannot bear what her father has done to them anymore Wilson, 2016: 189. They leave the house in a sudden, it makes them not have any plan and
destination. Then, Beauty makes decision that they can go to Auntie Avril; her
father’s ex-wife. When they arrive at Auntie Avril’s house, her mother feels worried with her appearance and anxious if she ignores them. Beauty comforts her by saying
that she looks lovely and asks her to come out of the car. Their bond in sisterhood can be seen while they are waiting for Auntie Avril. They are holding hands to give
courage and strength to each other. ‘Right, ready, steady, go’ said Mum.
She opened up her handbag and peered at herself in her mirror.
‘God, I look such a mess’
‘No you don’t, Mum, you look lovely,’ I said. ‘Come on.’ We got out of the car and went up the drive together. I rang the bell. We
waited, holding hands. Then the door opened and Auntie Avril stared at us in
surprise. Wilson, 2016: 195 The quotation above shows that sisterhood has a strong effect for the struggle of
women against gender discrimination. Women become stronger and courageous to fight and face the condition that happens in their life. Even though they feel confused,
when they have each other, they can pass everything that was happened without any help from men.
After Beauty and her mother leave the house, they feel scared and confused about what they should do Wilson, 2016: 189. They do not have money, house and
job because they used to be dependent on Beauty’s father. Beauty’s mother feels scared and confused thinking about herself and Beauty. She has no skill and she is not
capable in doing jobs but she should be responsible over her daughter. It makes her feel stressed and terrified.
She was thinking again, frowning hard at her plate, twisting her knife and fork round and round like the hands of a clock. I leaned forward and rubbed her
frown lines with my fingers.
‘We’ll be OK, Mum,’ I whispered.
‘Yes. Of course we will,’ she said. Wilson, 2016: 203 The datum above explains sisterhood’s bonding that Beauty has made her able to feel
what her mother feels. She expresses it by rubbing her frown lines with her fingers. It shows that she really cares about her mother’s condition. She also gives support and
encouragement to her by saying that they will be fine. From her support, her mother feels encouraged and becomes optimistic that both of them will be fine.
When Beauty and her mother start to live in Rabbit Cove, her mother tries to contact Beauty’s father. When he knows where they are, he tries to find them in
Rabbit Cove. Arriving at their place, he is very angry. He gives the last chance for them to come back with him. However, Beauty’s mother rejects his offers and
decides to stay in Rabbit Cove Wilson, 2016: 265. His reactions towards the refusal
is very excessive. He does some harsh actions to express his emotion. “Dad spat on the doorstep and then stamped off. Mum and I stood watching, still holding
hands tightly. ” Wilson, 2016: 266. Before he leaves, he threatens them with bad
words. Both Beauty and her mother, encourage each other by holding hands. Holding hands signifies close connection and strong support that Beauty has by bonding in
sisterhood with her mother. They support one another to overcome their fear while they should deal with him. Even though Beauty feels afraid with her father, her
bonding with her mother successfully encourages her to fight against his threats and oppressions. Her bonds in sisterhood make her becomes a child who can influence
other women to be strong and brave in facing discrimination.
b. Helping Her Mother
