44 caught sight of Rawdon’s white face. At the next instant she tried a smile,
a horrid smile, as if to welcome her husband: and Steyne rose up, grinding his teeth, pale, and with fury in his look 537-8.
Rawdon accidentally catches in the act of her infidelity. She has been a mistress of Lord Steyne, and she gets much money from him, a thousand pound sterling,
more than enough to pay Rawdon’s bill. All the rings and the bracelets and the jewelries that she wears to a party are the gifts from Lord Steyne.
From the discussion above, materialistic and social climber are the most prominent character of Becky. Her conducts are aimed to make her rich and
elevate her social status. Her ambition, hypocrisy, cleverness, cunning, independence, and selfishness prove it. Then, after finding out that Becky is a
materialist and a social climber, the question continues. What kind of society does Thackeray want his readers to know in Vanity Fair? What are the satires and how
does Thackeray deliver them in his novel? These questions lead to the next discussion of this chapter.
4.2. Satires on British Society
There are two major discussions in this part, materialism and social status. As mentioned in theory of character in Chapter 2, Wellek and Warren say that the
author expresses his idea and knowledge about his society in the world of literature by using language as a medium in his fictitious characters. The
characters in the novel may afford interesting indications of social attitude, which is similar to the characteristics of the people in his society. In other words,
character may be used to find out what kind of society at that time. In this case, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
45 Becky as a main character is chosen to give description about British society of
early Victorian era. Besides describing the society, Thackeray also satirizes the materialism and the importance of social status in British society at that time.
Dealing with the relationship between literature and society in Chapter 2, there is a connection between society and literature. Here, the society where
Thackeray lives influences him on expressing his ideas or opinions in Vanity Fair. Seymour Betsky says “Thackeray maintain, …, the conviction that his weapon is
satire” 145. Vanity Fair is his satire towards the British society. In delivering his satires, Thackeray uses two ways, which according to the
division of satire by Holman and Harmon called, direct and indirect satires. Thackeray often directly expresses his satires and also uses his characters to show
his satires. In this case, Thackeray uses direct satires by directly satirizing Becky, and uses indirect satires by using Becky or other character’s behaviors.
As what Rogers says that The point about Becky, for Thackeray’s purposes, is that she can be both a
target of his satire and its instrument. She embodies much of what is wrong with Vanity Fair, especially its greed and its self-seeking. But,
unlike most of the characters, she can always see what the world is like xxvii.
Thackeray uses Becky as a target of his satire to the society, but at another time, he uses Becky’s point of view to show his satire. The review of British society is
also used in this analysis to show the similarity between the society in the novel and the society in which Thackeray lives.
To find out what satires that Thackeray wants his readers know in Vanity Fair, the following discussion will be divided into two.
46
4.2.1. Thackeray Satirizes British Society is Materialistic
Thackeray satirizes British society through Becky’s ambition. It is stated in previous discussion that Becky is an ambitious woman. She persistently
pursues and does whatever it takes to be rich. While she is in Chiswick Mall, she suffers discrimination from people there. She is discriminated because she is not a
rich and noble girl like any girl who study in Chiswick Mall. While other girls sleep in their comfortable and warm bedroom, she sleeps in the garret. She is
jealous of them for being loved by everybody.
The happiness – the superior advantages of the young women round about her, gave Rebecca inexpressible pangs of envy. “What airs that girl gives
herself, because she is an Earl’s grand-daughter” she said one. How they cringe and bow to that Creole, because of her hundred thousand pounds I
am a thousand pounds cleverer and more charming than that creature, for all her wealth. I am as well-bred as the Earl’s grand-daughter, for all her
fine pedigree; and yet everyone passes me by here. And yet when I was in my father’s, did not the men give up their gayest balls and parties in order
to pass the evening with me?” She determined at any rate to get free from the prison in which she found herself, and now began to act for herself,
and for the first time to make connected plans for the future 18.
It is indirect satire when Becky describes her jealousy to the girls in Chiswick Mall. He uses Becky’s thought to satirize that society at that time discriminates
the haves and the have-nots. The discrimination shows that the society at that time is materialistic. They are money oriented. Furthermore, it influences Becky. She
becomes a materialist, too. Her selfishness shows that Becky cannot find happiness except in
possessing money and attending parties that she can wear her beautiful trinkets and dresses. She has already had a loving family. She has a handsome husband
