Feminism values the novel of the sweetheart season written by karen joy fowler

FEMINISM VALUES IN THE NOVEL OF THE SWEETHEART SEASON WRITTEN BY KAREN JOY FOWLER

A Thesis

Submitted to the Faculty of Adab and Humanities in partial accomplishment of the requirements for the Degree of Strata I

By : Nur Setyo Pratiwi NIM : 206026004292

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH JAKARTA

ABSTRACT

Nur Setyo Pratiwi, Feminism Values in the novel of The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler. A Thesis: English Letters Department. Adab and Humanities Faculty. Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, 2011.

In this research, the writer analyzed a novel entitled The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler that is published in Great Britain by Penguin Books in 2006. This study concerns on the feminism values through women characters in the novel. The method used in this paper is a qualitative method. The theory that the writer uses to analyze the women characters is Feminism approach. As a conclusion, the writer finds out that the women in this novel show the ideal concept of feminism. They can explore their skill without get impulsion from other people, particularly men. They can be independent and be educated women. Finally they become successful women in their life and career. The writer also finds out that the only male character in this novel gives support for them to be independent. Finally the novel does not show a patriarchal system.

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my original work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Jakarta, May 2011

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, the most gracious and the most merciful

All praises to be Allah SWT. the real writer‟s guide who amazingly guides her in the process of making this paper and salutation be upon the most honorable prophet a messenger Muhammad SW, His family, companion and adherents.

The writer had been supported by a number of people whose contribution in assorted ways to the research and the making of the thesis. It is a pleasure to

convey the writer‟s gratitude to them all in her humble acknowledgment. The

writer would like to express her sincerest thanks to her advisor, Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum, who always guides and supports the writer to finish this paper. Without her guidance, this paper is never completed, may Allah SWT always bless her and her family.

The writer also would like to express the deepest appreciation to:

1. Dr. H. Abd. Wahid Hasyim, M.Ag the Dean of faculty of Adab and Humanities, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta.

2. Drs. A. Saefuddin, M.Pd as the head of English Letters Department. 3. Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum as the secretary of English Letters Department. 4. The examiners of this thesis Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum and Maria Ulfa, MA,

M.Hum.

5. All lecturers of English Letters Department who have taught and educated her during her study.

6. Her family, especially her parents. For her mother, Helmi Budiarti, her advices adores the writer, and for her father, Slamet Turmudi, his spirit and his patience makes the writer proud, thanks for remains the writer to recite Al Quran for always and never forget sholat. May Allah bless you, and bless us. I love you.

7. Her sisters, Ajeng Setyo Rini who always reminds her for a success. And for

Rizky Putri Ramadhani, her little sister, who always ask to her “kapan mbak wisuda?” Thanks a lot for all. May success follow them.

8. All her classmate, especially Devi for supporting her study to finish the thesis. To her best friend Novi Prianti thanks for sharing time about everything.

9. Rio Janu Purwanto who always reminds her to be patience in doing everything, and always give her motivation and spirit when her begin give up doing this thesis. Thanks for his love and support to her.

May Allah blesses you all gives His kindness. The writer realizes this thesis is not the perfect one and the writer will very open and receive any comments, suggestion or criticism.

Jakarta, May 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ……… i

APROVEMENT ………. ii

LEGILIZATION ……… iii

DECLARATION ……… iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………. v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… vii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ……… 1

A. Background of the Study ……… 1

B. Focus of the Research ………. 3

C. Research Questions ………. 4

D. The Objective ………... 4

E. The Significances of the Research ………. 4

F. Research Methodology ……… 4

a. The Method of Research ……….. 4

b. The Technique of Data Analysis ……….. 5

c. The instrument of the Research ……….. 5

d. The Unit Analysis ………. 5

e. The Time ………... 5

CHAPTER II. THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK ……….. 6

A. Character ……… 6

B. Characterization.………... 8

C. Feminism ………. 9

CHAPTER III. RESEARCH FINDINGS ……… 16

A. The Women Characters in The Sweetheart Season novel ……… 16

B. Feminism Values through the Women

Characters……….. 19

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS ……… 26

A. Conclusion ………. 26

B. Suggestion ……….. 26

BIBLIOGRAPHY ……… 28

APPENDICES ……….. 30

A. Cover of the novel ………. 30

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

A.The Background of the Research

In the society, men and women have their own position. Woman position is put in the lower position than man position. Men often think that women do not have the same freedom like men. For example, women have less freedom of educational right, political right, and economical right. Most of them think that

women‟s job is only to take care of their children and husbands at home.

Therefore women are put in the domestic areas and men put in the public areas. The different position between men and women is that men are more dominant, superior, and work in public than women who are subordinant, powerless, and work in domestic area. These positions make their position unequal.

Woman condition that is oppressed is described in patriarchal society. In

patriarchal society women can‟t work in public area. Their place is in domestic

area. Women are demanded to take care of their families and households. The tradition demands women to take care the household and family. Beside that, women do not have chance to get higher education. If they have chance to continue their education, it is only to support their role as wife, mother and housewife, such as skill to sew, cook, take care of baby, and so on.1

The condition above produces a movement that is called as feminism. According to the feminist political activists, these traditional values become the

1

Soenarjati Djajanegara, Kritik Sastra Feminis Sebuah Pengantar, (Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaska Utama, 2003), p.6.

principal that is caused of inferior or the lower position of women. The feminist political activists try to set women free from any kinds of suppression and restriction in the science world. One of their efforts is to become women as the object to study. Therefore, it appears gender studies or women studies in every program study.2 One of the first activities of the feminist political activist is to uncover, investigate, and give the rate of works of women writers from the past. Beside uncovering the works of women writers that are hidden, the first feminist political activist tried to prepare the context that can support the women writers now, so that they can give expression of experience, feel and mind that were hidden before. They want a position and admission to women writers, because usually only men writers who get the position and admission from the literary of critics.3

According to Kolodny in Soenarjati Djajanegara, men describe women

images in their writes or works as below “(biasanya karya sastra, yang pada umumnya hasil tulisan laki-laki, menampilkan stereotipe wanita sebagai istri dan ibu yang setia dan berbakti, wanita manja, pelacur dan wanita dominan)”.4

Literary works are the result of men writers who show stereotype of woman as wife, loyal mother, close in feeling, and dominant. Those images become the major issues analyzed by many feminist critics, one of them is Virginia Woolf in her book, A Room of One’s Own (1929) who analyzed literary works and showed

2

Ibid.,p. 16 3

Ibid.,p.18 4

that women were marginalized as a creature with no education, no money, work in domestic area, the self-doubt, and fear.5

Now the feminist political activists recognize that women writers have

focused on women‟s lives and issues as the central themes of their writings. There are some novels that put a woman as the central character. One of them is The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler. This novel adapts women lives in the World War II in 1947, in Magrit, a small town of America. The men are involved in the war, therefore the women must work in public area and become leaders of their families. Some single women work in the Scientific Kitchen of

Margaret Mill, a breakfast-cereal maker as cooks. Henry, the company founder of

Margaret Mill decides to form a baseball team named the “Sweetheats Sweethearts” which members are all women of his employees. They hope that by

joining the team they will find their future husbands.

In short, this novel explores “Women‟s Liberation” movement. Although women in this novel are workers but the field of their work still focuses on the

“kitchen” or in domestic area. Therefore this paper tries to analyze how the

feminism values are reflected in the novel through the women characters. B. The Focus of the Research

This study focuses on the novel of The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler, by analyzing the women characters through feminism approach. The women characters are Irini Doyle, Norma Baldish, Cindy May, and Claire Kinser.

5

Mary Eagleton, Feminist Literary Criticism, (London and New York: Longman, 1991), p.7

C. Statement of the Problem

Based on the background above, the writer proposes the statement of the problem as follow: How does the novel The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler reflect the feminism values through the women characters?

D. The Objective

The objective of the study is to know the feminism values from the dialogues, acts, and statements, in the novel of The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler by using feminism approach.

E. The Significance of the Researches

The writer hopes this research will gives many contributions to readers, especially to those who concern on literature. It is also hoped that readers will understand of the novel The Sweetheart season written by Karen Joy Fowler better after reading the result of the analysis of women as well as the feminism values in the novel. The writer hopes the analysis would motivate individuals interested in literature to do further analysis.

F. The Methodology of the Research a. The Method

The writer uses qualitative method in doing this research by analyzing words as the evidences/the data that are collected from the novel. Through this method the writer analyzes and identifies women characters that reflect the feminism values.

b. The Technique of Data Analysis

The data obtained in this study will be analyzed qualitatively based on feminism approach. The technique of data analysis of the research tries to find out images of women live in the novel, and then the writer uses the feminist literary criticism to get the feminism values. The writer reads the work deeply, understands it comprehensively and gives some marks in each line of the novel, then analyze them and write them in a paper.

c. The Instrument

The instrument of this research is the writer herself as a subject by reading deeply, giving some marks in each line of the novel, collecting the data and analyzing the evidence the data that find out in the novel.

d. The Unit of Analysis

The unit analysis of the research is the novel of The Sweetheart Season written by Karen Joy Fowler, published in Great Britain by Penguin Books in 2006.

e. The Time

This research is conducted in Jakarta and it start from August 2010 until May 2011.

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character

Character is an important element in building a story. Character is someone who acts, appears, or is referred to as playing a part in a literary work.6 Without the character there will be not plot and no story.

Terminologically, the main character of man is called by “hero” whereas the main character of woman is called by “heroine”. Heroes and heroines are

usually larger than life, stronger or better than most human beings, almost godlike. many of common human.7 In fiction, character divided into several types:

a. Major and Minor Character

Major character or central character or main character is a figure that has an important role, very dominant, and almost appears in every situation in the story. Whereas Minor character is a figure that just appears once and just have fewer roles in a story. Minor character is less dominant. Usually minor

character called by support roles.8 b. Protagonist and Antagonist Character

A figure or protagonist character has important role in a story. Protagonist character is a figure that always gets problems from antagonist character.

6

Jerome Beaty and Alison Booth, The Introduction to Literature Eight Edition, (New York: W.W.Norton & Company, 2002), p. 102

7

Ibid

8

James H. Pickering, Concise Companion to Literature, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc, 1981),p.24

Whereas antagonist character is a figure that always gives problems to protagonist character. The antagonist character not only concrete like human, but also like animals, world, destiny, situation or the other things that abstract that be mixed up in conflict by the protagonist character. The antagonist can be somewhat more difficult to identify, especially if he is not a human being.9

c. Flat and Round Character

Flat character is a figure that sees just from one side. Flat characters are those who embody or represent a single characteristic, trait, or idea, or at most a very limited number of such qualities.10 Whereas Round character is a figure that sees from various directions, described as detail. Round character is just the opposite. The embody a number of qualities and traits and are complex multidimensional characters of considerable intellectual and emotional depth who have capacity to grow and change.11

d. Static and Dynamic Character

Based on the development of characters, characters are divided into two kinds, static character and dynamic character. Static character is a character that has the stable of behavior and not going change into story. Whereas dynamic character going change to the personality development.12

9

Ibid., p. 25

10

Ibid

11

Ibid., p.26

12

B. Characterization

Characterization is different with the character. If character is every individual or a figure in a story, characterization itself is the way of the author show or describes figures through several images like dialogues, acts, behavior, etc. Characterization is the use of literary techniques to reveal the nature of a character.13

There are two ways or methods that used by author to provide and consider the character. The first, direct method is the method where the writer tells directly about character in according with explicit even the writer help the comprehension of reader about characterization through the commentaries. In the other hand this method is explanation by the author directly. The character is presented by the author to the reader directly, but simply and with a description of selfhood. This may be the attitude, character, behavior or even physical characteristic.14

The second method is indirect method. In this method the writer does not explicitly describe the attitude and the character. The author allowed the character to show their own selfhood through the various activities undertaken, either through verbal (words) or non verbal (actions or behavior), and also through the events that happened. In presenting and establishing character, an author has two basic methods or techniques at his disposal. One method is telling, which relies on exposition and direct commentary by the author. In

13

Jerome Beaty and Alison Booth, The Introduction to Literature Eight Edition, (New York: W.W.Norton & Company, 2002), p.106

14

telling a method preferred and practiced by many older fiction writers- the guiding hand of the author is very much in evidence. We learn and look only at what the author calls to our attention. The other method is the indirect, dramatic method of showing, which involves the author‟s stepping aside, as it were, to allow the characters to reveal themselves dfirectly through their dialogue and their actions.15

C. Feminism

Feminism is a movement for social, cultural, political, and economic equality of men and women.16 It is a campaign against gender inequalities and it strives for equal rights for women. Feminism can also be defined as the right to get enough information available to every single woman so that she can make a choice to live, a life which is not discriminatory and which works within the principles of social, cultural, political and economic equality and independence.

There are some opinions about the appearance of feminism in America. The first opinion is related with political aspect. When American people announced their independence in 1776, the declaration independence of America writes all men are created equal without women. Feminist political activists think that American government not considered the existence of women. Therefore, the feminists try to make clear that statement in Seneca Falls convention in 1848, and it becomes the beginning of the appearance of women movement called women’s great rebellion. Feminist political activists

15

Ibid.,p.27 16

Sanjay Kali. “Definition of Feminism.” http://EzineArticles.com. Accessed on November 17, 2008.

publish the other version of the independence of America‟s declaration that “all men and women are created equal”. The second opinion suggests that the

religion aspect underlying arise the feminism movement in America. Depend on this opinion; the church has the responsibility about the inferiority of women position, because the protestant and catholic put the women in the lower position than men position.17

The next opinion that influences the feminism ideology is socialism concept and Marxism concept. Depend on the feminist political activists from America; the woman is a class in society who always get the bad treatment from the man. The other side from the woman argument who have the same

time with Marx‟s opinion is that American woman, as class that have the bad

treatment in capitalism society, have not economic values, think of their works as manager of household that have not the values and can not compared with the man occupation that produced the money.18

The feminists try to change images of women who are subordinant, powerless, domestic, and so on. According to Ellmann, literature commonly describes women as formlessness, passivity, instability (hysteria), confinement (narrowness, practicality), piety, materiality, spirituality, irrationality, compliancy, and incorrigibility.19 So, feminists struggle to have equal right between men and women in every aspect and remove the domination of men. The feminists want to refuse the assumption of patriarchal system that put

17

Soenarjati Djajanegara, Kritik Sastra Feminis Sebuah Pengantar, (Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaska Utama, 2003), pp.1-2

18

Ibid., pp.2-3

19

Josephine Donovan, Feminist Literary Criticism Exploration in Theory, (Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1975), p.3

women lower than man.20Therefore, appear the equal right‟s movement called as feminism. The movement itself can be divided into three waves.

The first wave of feminist‟s movement begins in the 19th

century, precisely in 1848. The USA held a convention in Seneca Falls that tried to declare another version of declaration of independence, which is the declaration called that „all men are created equal‟ without represent the women aspiration. This movement brings the equality between men and women and

the convention declared another version, „all men and women are created equal‟.21

In the other hand the first wave feminism movement is about the equality of authority for women. Women want to get the same position with that of man in every aspect in their life. Especially in education, politic and economy.

The second wave of the feminist movement was born when the publishing of The Feminine Mystique, written by Betty Friedan. It is in the middle of 1960s in the USA. This book has given wide influences to the society that has reached artist, press media, academician, and so on. The second wave of the feminist movement tried to condemn the sexual discrimination, sexual insulting and get fairer house job-description.22 Although there are many different specific ideas about the feminism but the most important thing about

those ideas is that women must be free from men‟s domination. So they free

from ordered by men. This concept reveals through the scientific research, so

that in the scientific research, there is a motivation to view about women‟s role.

20

Djajanegara, op.cit.,p.5

21

Ibid., p.1

22

The feminist scholars tried to free women from the inferiority of knowledge against men. They did this by making what they called as women studies. This study tries to enrich the comprehension of women based on their experience, purposes and their own lives.23

Finally, the movement of feminism rises into the third wave. It was begun in the early 1990s. In this wave, the significant change is feminist thought. Unlike the second-wave feminism, which largely focused on the inclusion of women in traditionally male- dominated areas, the third-wave feminism seeks to challenge and expand common definitions of gender and sexuality.24

The feminists try to liberate women from all oppressions and science

restrictions. The feminist‟s effort is to make women as an object of study.

Women studies are appeared in many studies. These assessment enhanced

knowledge about experience, importance, and women‟s life. Women study

includes many topics that are related to women studies, such as women history, women labor, women psychological, lesbianism, and so on.25 Besides that the feminists also try to uncover, investigate, and give the rate of works of women writers. They try to prepare the context that can support women writers, so that the women can give expression of their experience, feel and mind that are hidden before. The women writers want the same position with the position of man writers who get the position and admission from literary critics.26

23

Ibid., pp.16-17 24

“Third-wave feminism- Definition.”http://www.wordiq.com/definition/third

wave_feminism. Accessed on May 20, 2011.

25

Soenardjati, Djajanegara, Kritik Sastra Feminis Sebuah Pengantar, (Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaska Utama, 2003), pp.16-17

26

Briefly, feminist criticism aims to interpret literature from a female point of view. This is accomplished in several ways. Some feminist critics seek to interpret the works of male authors, with particular attention to women characters, in order to explore the moral, political and social restrictions that women traditionally faced. Other feminist critics choose to analyze the works of women authors that have been previously overlooked by male critics. Nevertheless, feminist criticism challenges and opposes an opinion and

traditional view and men‟s superiority toward women‟s basic attitude and how

woman feel, think, act, and how women generally perceive a life. However, feminist criticism also makes a problem out of prejudice towards women which is formed by men, and did not let about men‟s dispose for dropping women on being trifling characters. This case has opened as much as a problem, as example there is an ecriture feminine,27 which is about woman‟s writing in style and language.28

Because of the condition above appears the feminist literary criticism. Feminist literary criticism is a relatively new form of examining literature and text. The women's movements that have swept and take parts of the world have opened up new perspectives and ideologies for literary critics. The feminist critics want to introduce the feminist literary criticism, develop the study about women writing, and built the feminist publishing, so that there is no complaint about less of the works of women.29

27_{Ecriture Feminine means a women‟s writing}

28

Ibid.,pp.21-26 29

Feminist literary criticism is the critical analysis of literary works based on the feminist perspective. In particular, feminist literary critics tend to reject the patriarchal norms of literature "that privileges masculine ways of thinking/points of view and marginalizes women politically, economically and psychologically," according to Paul Ady, associate professor of English at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.30

Feminist literary criticism is one of components in women studies, which was established in Western as a social movement for grass root31 society. Since women study is considered as a part and package of political feminist agenda, for feminist critics, all interpretations have political values. Feminist critics analyze women differentiation. From the feminist perspective, literary is always affected by the context or culture, because the literature is a part of culture itself. Feminist literary criticism tried to liberate women from their inferior knowledge. One of their struggles is making women as a field of study. The study aims to enrich the knowledge about the experiences, needs and life of women.32

Feminism literary criticism appears contextually in literary text especially in novel and rather rare in drama or poetry. In novel for example, it can be analyzed by using some approaches in feminism approach. By using feminist

criticism women‟s experience, feel, and their thought are identified. The Sweetheart Season is one example of literary works, which convey feminist

30

Jared Lewis. “What Is the Feminist Approach to Literary Criticism?.”

http://www.ehow.com. feminist-approach-literary-criticism. Accessed on January 1, 2010.

31

Grass root is a technical term in social studies which describes the underclass in society.

32

movement. The main character is a woman who struggles to be self-motivated. The movement of feminism focuses on removing the self-awareness of women about their under-developed position in society. It is very important because most women, who live in patriarchal society, do not aware that they are opposed by patriarchy. This concept assumes that living in a capital society is

not the only casual factor of women‟s under-development.

Based on the statement above it is clear enough that feminist literary criticism is an effort to interpret the text and to know more about image of women throughout the text. Without this approach, it must be hard to understand more about image of women in the novel.

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDING

A. The Women Characters in The Sweetheart Season _Novel

This chapter focuses on answering the research question. It analyzes the women and the feminism values that are reflected in the novel. This novel focuses

on women‟s live in the World War II in 1947 in Magrit, a small town in America

when all of men go to war and women must work in public area. Women must work to get money without men. All of young women work in a factory of breakfast cereal, Margaret Mill. Henry, the leader and founder of breakfast cereal factory, decides to make a baseball team. He wants all of his employees not only focus in the factory but also with the baseball team, so they can get chance to find the future husbands. By joining baseball team they will have chance to go from one town to other town to play baseball and meet new people.

There are many women characters in this novel but in this research the writer just analyze four women characters, because the feminism values are shown clearly from the four characters. They are Irini Doyle, Norma Baldish, Cindy May, and Claire Kinser. Irini Doyle is a young woman; she is nineteen years old. She decides to work at Margaret Mill in the Scientific Kitchen after she graduated from high school. Her father had worked there as well, as staff chemist.

Irini‟s father is an alcoholic. Irini‟s mother had died on the day when Irini was born and Irini‟s father began to drink the day after that. Irini is a young woman

who can be independent. She thinks that she will not live with her father forever. She also has a big affection feeling for her father. It is shown by this statement below:

“I just don‟t think I can let you do this. It‟s so awfully sweet of you, Dad, but I can‟t accept. The house is all we have. And you‟ll be lonely all by

yourself. What if you got sick and I had a job in some other town and I

couldn‟t come and take care of you?” (Fowler 2006, 327)

Because of Irini‟s affection to her father, she decides to stay with her

father until he married again. When her father is married with Norma Baldish, Irini decides to continue her study to college. Her staying with the father does not

show that Irini is dependent. She loves her father and afraid that he can‟t take care

of himself, so when there is someone who can take care of her father, Irini decides to leave the house and live independently.

Beside that, Irini and her father are not religious. Since Irini was a child, her father never brings Irini to Church on Sunday. They spent their Sunday at home do nothing except for sleeping, reading paper or walking. It can be seen in the quotation below:

“By the time Irini was a teenager she had come to appreciate the lazy

Sunday mornings. She would sleep until the sun had tracked across her room and all the way into her eyes. Bumps were closed for the whole day and her father would make her hot chocolate and pancakes or popovers. They read the Sunday paper all morning and went for a drive in the

afternoon if Norma had the Oldsmobile running, which mostly it wasn‟t

since even before the war. If the weather was nice Irini might go for a walk with Tweed, into the woods between Brief Street and Collin House,

or up to the falls.” (Fowler 2006, 197)

Based on the statement above, Irini and her father have close relationship. They have big affection to each other.

Another women character is Cindy May. She doesn‟t work in the Kitchen,

but served as Magrit‟s telephone operator, near her home. Cindy takes piano

are Fanny May, the older sister, and Tracy May, the middle sister. Cindy is a little

sister in May‟s family. May‟s family come from an Upper class family in Magrit.

It is showed by this quotation below:

“The point being that these arguments were transitory and niggling

compared to the hostility the Mays and Tarkens had for each other and all because the Mays were Upper Magrit and the Takens were Lower.” (Fowler 2006, 23)

Although May‟s family comes from Upper class family but May‟s family have

good relationship with the neighbor in surrounding, particularly with the Lower class family.

Cindy and two sisters are attractive women. They are exceptionally confident young women, especially for Tracy. It is shown by this statement in novel below:

“In fact, the three May sisters picked at each other constantly. They were

all attractive, and Tracy was no exception, neither was she exceptional.” (Fowler 2006, 29)

The next is Norma Baldish. She is the bartender. When a baseball team is formed, she gets position as catcher, and Henry pays Norma to drive an old school bus to pick the team up when they play baseball. Irini‟s father always comes to

her bar to drink alcohol. Because she often meets Irini‟s father, he falls in love with Norma. He adores Norma very much. Finally Norma married with Irini‟s

father. It can be seen in the quotation below:

“The woman can fix a car, snowplow a street, pump a septic tank, bring a deer down with a single shot, and make a martini so dry it‟ll suck your

heart right out through your throat. Of course I love her. Good golly, Irini.

Because of Norma‟s skill, Irini‟s father falls in love with her. Norma is a

practical woman. She can do work that rarely done by women such as pump a septic tank. Her skill is manly because she has skill that is usually done by man.

Claire Kinser is the last of women character. Claire works in the Scientific Kitchen. She is the best cook at the Mill. She has the skill from her mother, Rose.

Previously she has cooked all the Collin‟s family meals. The Kinsers are an old Upper Magrit Family. Claire is five years older than Irini. She is briefly engaged to a soldier that she meets in Detroit. It is shown by this statement below:

“One week she was showing everyone her ring –a modest affair with a diamond chip –and his picture –a blond man, about Claire‟s age, with an embarrassed smile –and the next week her hand was bare.” (Fowler 2006, 36)

Claire engagement only lasts for one week, the next week her hand is bare.

When she breaks her engagement she doesn‟t tell everyone. It is different when she is proposed, she shows her ring to everyone.

The relationship among all women is very good. They never fight; most of them work together all day. This is showed by this statement below:

“My mother said that the Sweethearts never fought. Nine girls, most of

whom worked together all day, and my mother couldn‟t remember that a

cross or gossipy or hurtful word was ever spoken, except for the tiniest of quarrels, the smallest of disagreements, only enough dissension to keep

things interesting,” (Fowler 2006, 125)

B. Feminism Values through the Women Characters

Feminism is women movement of demanding full equality between women and men, equality rights that covers all aspects of life, in political, economic, social and cultural. Women have been struggling for equal right over

the past 150 years and growing successfully. This struggle is to show their existence in public, in order to get their right and their identity, as independent

women. Therefore, feminists‟ critics struggle to destroy the patriarchal system33

that is believed as the root of women‟s oppression.

Based on the statement above, in The Sweethearts Season novel there are some feminism values, such as educated and independent. It is shown by female characters in this novel. In traditional society, women do not have opportunity to get higher education, to hold office, or to have a certain job. Traditional society assumes that it is enough for women to have the ability of writing, reading, and counting. Even though when a woman has given an opportunity for having higher education, it is usually for supporting women role as a wife and mother.

The feminist uses education to free themselves to achieve happiness and pleasure fulfillment. With education, women can get job they really like and can also show their ability and their capacity. Feminist is fully aware that the only way to enter social life or working life is by education. It is proved when Irini decides to continue her study to college and leave the baseball team. As the quotation below:

“Irini had gone downstate to college. There was no baseball team for her,

but there was a good program in education and she was studying to become a nursery school teacher.” (Fowler 2006, 337)

There is Cindy May who is difficult in chopping and mincing. Beside that she also can not plays baseball, although she has formed in a team. Therefore, she takes piano lesson and learns to play a baseline of a single note. Because of she

33

can not cooks, can not plays baseball well, she decides to take lessons of playing some of instrument of music so that she has skill that the other do not have. Such as in the quotation below:

“No one said Cindy shouldn‟t play baseball. No one even thought it. Cindy did everything her sister did. She‟d always taken her turn at the dishes, same as her sisters. She made her bed, she did the ironing. She‟d taken

piano lessons, learning to play a baseline of a single note. Chopping and mincing were difficult for her.”(Fowler 2006, 109)

Besides Irini and Cindy, there is Claire Kinser who goes to France to learn Spanish cooking. She wants to learn more about cooking. It is shown by this quotation below:

“It was going to be Carmen, and they had sent Claire to France to learn

Spanish cooking.” (Fowler 2006, 338)

By getting education women become independent. Independent is one of the feminism values. Independent is the quality of someone, which is not dependent on other people or thing and it is not controlled by other people or other things. This is showed by Irini who decides to work at breakfast cereal factory after she graduates from high school. For Irini, taking a job after graduated from high school is a promotion for herself. It is showed by the following quotation:

“The beginning is in 1947, when the portrait still hung in the mill. This is

the year that Irini Doyle graduated from high school and took a job in the Scientific Kitchen. Of course, a lot of women all over the country were going back to the kitchen after the war, but for Irini it was a promotion.” (Fowler 2006, 8)

Irini not only decides to work after she graduates from high school but also she shows her independent side when she chooses her love for Walter Collin

than Thomas Holcrow, her father‟s drinking partner. It‟s shown by the following

quotation:

“Irini married Walter. This is no surprise. Haven‟t I been tipping it that

way all along? It happened while Irini was in college. She was working in a dinner and Walter walked in.” (Fowler 2006, 347)

Beside Irini, there is another women character who shows independency. She is Norma Baldish, the bartender. She can do many works that are usually done by men. She can fix a car and pump a septic tank. She doesn‟t depend on men, as the quotation below:

“The woman can fix a car, snowplow a street, pump a septic tank, bring a deer down with a single shot, and make a martini so dry it‟ll suck your

heart right out through your throat.” (Fowler 2006, 328)

The other female character in this novel is Cindy May who decides to become a mystery writer. Although she is married, she can get her success. Her husband does not forbid her to explore her skill to write and become a writer. Cindy gets freedom to become a writer. As the quotation below:

“Cindy May went on to become a mystery writer. Quite successful. Her

specialty is kitchen cozies, that line of books with murders and really great dinners and sometimes a recipe or two.” (Fowler 2006, 346)

Different with Cindy, Claire Kinser decides to become modestly famous

chef and own television show, “Claire in the Kitchen”, for a couple of years. She becomes a successful woman and her life is fulfilled with happiness until she dies in 1982. This can be seen in the quotation below:

“Claire became modestly famous and had her own television show for a

couple of years –Claire in the Kitchen. it ran in the Boston area, where she lived up until her death in 1982 with Fanny May. The exact nature of their relationship was never known.” (Fowler 2006, 347)

Claire decides to go to Boston to explore her skill. In Boston, Claire can be more independent. Although she is independent in Magrit but she can not explore her freedom more since Magrit is a little town.

The other feminism value that is shown in this novel is when women form a baseball team with Henry, the founder and owner of Margaret Mill, Breakfast Cereal factory. By forming a baseball team, the team can travel from one town to other towns to play baseball and to meet new people. It can be seen from the quotation in novel:

“If there was a team, then team could travel. This would give Margaret mill girl‟s a chance to meet prospective husbands. Marriage was less and

less likely for girls in Magrit and they were all painfully aware of it. Magrit was suffering from a drastically reduced male population.” (Fowler 2006, 47)

Baseball is sport that is usually played by men, in this novel baseball is played by women. At the beginning all women have difficulties in playing it. In

the first competition, they play with “Eleven- year-olds” team. The final score for

“Eleven-year-olds” is 16, and “Sweetheart” is 8. This result makes them disappoint and blame themselves. Norma Baldish says that they are not real baseball team but they are just a Mill team. It is shown by this quotation below:

“We‟re not a real team,” Norma told her. “We‟re not a team like that. We‟re a mill team. We all live in Magrit. It‟s a mill town.” (Fowler 2006,

175)

All women in this team have their own opinions about baseball. At first

they think the game doesn‟t suit for them because it is a male game. It is shown by

“Irini feeling about baseball were pretty simple. Once upon a time when she‟d been very little, baseball had been a fairy-tale place where pirates

fought with giants. It was too exciting for girls; only boys were allowed.” “Now, suddenly, when she was nineteen and hadn‟t played for years and

never expected to again, suddenly she had a team. She had never noticed how much she wanted one. It was her childhood coming back after the war, just the way she‟d hoped it would.” (Fowler 2006, 94)

“I am not,” said Fanny. “I don‟t like baseball. And I think this girls‟ team

idea is just a little undignified.” (Fowler 2006, 102)

“No one said Cindy shouldn‟t play baseball. No one even thought it. Cindy did everything her sister did. She‟d always taken her turn at the dishes,

same as her sisters.” (Fowler 2006, 109)

“Tracy May‟s pitching was also a major weakness. The Sweethearts were

to play against men, so they played baseball, not softball, and no one at the mill could do much with the over arm delivery.” (Fowler 2006, 111)

“Baseball was just a game, even when women played it. And because they

were women, no one would mind if they didn‟t win.” (Fowler 2006, 158) Although all of member of baseball team are pessimist about baseball, but Walter, the coach, always gives them support. So that, they have new spirit to playing baseball. It is seen in the statement below:

“Just be a baseball player,” said Walter.” A gifted, graceful, no nerves,

hitting all-out baseball player.” (Fowler 2006, 165)

Another feminism value that appear in this novel is different concept of

success. Traditionally, woman‟s successfulness is seen from how good she cooks, takes care the household, children and family. When a woman is good in the kitchen then she is considered successful in performing her role. There is an effort in this novel to make food and cooking not as standard. Margaret Mill is built to fulfill the need for women to serve food for their family. The factory produces cereal for breakfast. It has a kitchen, the Scientific Kitchen, to create new food.

“The Scientific Kitchen was a sea of stainless-steel sinks and spotless white counters. It smelled of yeast and caramelized sugar and was kept always at the perfect temperature for growing bread -warm. Its purpose was to see that no woman, whatever her lack of talent, judgment, or experience, would ever again suffer the humiliation of a failed meal.” (Fowler 2006,10)

The cereal production has purpose to valuate women who can or can not cook. So, the ability to cook does not become the standard for evaluating the success of woman anymore because there is instant cereal for breakfast. So, the concept of success for the women in the novel is when a woman cooks and creates the good food for their family. But by the product cereal that created by Margaret Mill factory, for women who can not cooking in this novel serve the instant cereal for eat together with their family, especially for breakfast.

Finally the women get their purpose and happiness. They are married and have job, although some of them are not married but they live fully for themselves or for their families. They struggle to liberate themselves and become success women by go to the other town to get more education. By getting the good education they can explore their skill and become success women depend on their ability, such as become writer and chef. Irini goes to college and marries Walter Collin. Norma Baldish marries Irini‟s father. Cindy May marries Horace Redd and she decides to become a mystery writer, and becomes quite successful. Claire Kinser goes to France to learn Spanish cooking and she becomes famous modesty and has her own television show for a couple of years “Claire in the kitchen”.

The feminism values that in this novel are the ideal feminism values, where women can work without getting compulsion from others, particularly men. Women characters get chance to explore their skills. Their live reflect the ideal concept of feminism.

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion

From this research, the writer concludes that women in this novel, The Sweetheart Season, are educated and independent. In this story, women can prove that they can be as equal as other people, especially men. They are able to have good education, and also they can manage their life independently.

The war as the setting of the novel provides opportunity for the female characters to be independent and educated. Because the men are involved in the war, the women must work and become breadwinner of their families. This situation gives chance for women to explore their skills. They can live independently and getting good education. By getting education they become successful women in their career and live.

So, it can be concluded that women in this novel reflect feminism values such as equal in the work rights, and equal to get education. Henry is the only male character and he fully supports all women to be independent. The women charactersdo not face obstacle from the patriarchal society. As a result, they easily achieve equal rights and they live based on the ideal concept of feminism.

B. Suggestion

For other researchers who want to analyze a novel, the first thing they have to do, is to read the novel very carefully. They need to read the novel more than one time to know exactly what theories that can be used or what messages

that the writer tries to delivered. After they read and find out what they want to analyze, they have look for many sources that connected with they research.

The writer also suggests for those who are interested in the study of literature, especially in the novel of The Sweetheart Season, can use socialism concept and Marxism concept in comprehending and enhancing the images of women in the novel. This is because some of them work in different field of and the only male character as the owner of the factory. Anyone who is interested to do deeper study about female character that reflect feminism values, can also use feminist perspective as an approach in analyzing literary works. The writer hopes that this research will be useful to the reader who wants to analyze female character and feminism values in any type of the novel.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books:

Beaty, Jerome; Alison Booth; J. Paul Hunter; and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2002. Djajanegara, Soenarjati. Kritik Sastra Feminis. Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka

Utama, 2003.

Donovan, Josephine. Feminist Literary Criticism. Kentucky: The University Press, 1975.

Eagleton, Mary. Feminist Literary Criticism. London: Longman, 1991.

Fowler, Karen Joy. The Sweetheart Season. Great Britain: Penguin Books, 2006. Pickering, James H. and Jeffrey D. Hoeper. Concise Comparison to Literature.

New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc, 1981.

Thornham, Sue. Feminist Theory and Cultural Studies. United States of America: Oxford University Press Inc, 2000.

Tong, Rosemarie Putnam. Feminist Thought: a More Comprehensive Introduction, Second Edition. United States of America: Westview Press, 1998.

Websites:

Anwar, Nasrul. “Kritik Sastra dalam Perspektif Feminis.”

http://id.shvoong.com/social-sciences/1691472-kritik-sastra-. Accessed on

Oktober 19, 2007.

Kali, Sanjay. “Definition of Feminism.” http://EzineArticles.com. Accessed on November 17, 2008.

Lewis, Jared. “What Is the Feminist Approach to Literary Criticism?.”

http://www.ehow.com. feminist-approach-literary-criticism. Accessed

Sharon. “The American Woman's Home - Past and Present”.

http://theamericanwomanshome-pastandpresent.blogspot.com.

Accessed on May 6, 2009.

“Third-wave Feminism – Definition.”

APPENDICES 1. Cover The Sweetheart Season _novel

2. Synopsis The Sweetheart Season _novel

The novel‟s setting is in 1947, in this year, Irini Doyle graduates from high school and gets a job in the Scientific Kitchen, in Margaret Mill, a breakfast cereal factory. Many women from all over the country go back to the kitchen after the war, but for Irini it is a promotion. Before coming to Magrit, Irini‟s father teaches chemistry at Lewis High School in Indiana at the same school where her mother

teaches English. Irini‟s mother died on the day when Irini was born and Irini‟s

father begins to drinks the day after that. Irini‟s father always seats in the bar and talks to strangers. Her father is a poetic, sentimental man and a wonderful storyteller who often moves himself to tears.

In Magrit, their neighbors are The Mays and The Tarkens. Their relationships are not good enough because the class differences, The Doyles and The Tarkens are lower class and The Mays are upper class. This condition Doyles get when they become new comer in Magrit.

One day, Henry, the founder and owner of Margaret Mill forms a women baseball team called the Sweetwheat Sweethearts. One of his purposes is to give a chance to women to meet their future husbands. This is because in that era especially In Magrit many men go to the war and not come back again, therefore not many men in Magrit.

By playing baseball they travel from one town to other towns and the women get chance to meet new people. Baseball is the sport that is usually played by men, so, the women have difficulties to play it. when playing it, they are not afraid to be lose. However when they lose the game against a men group they

blame their selves and feel pessimist, but the coach, Walter Collin, Henry‟s son, still gives motivation to them.

After the season is over, the baseball game is finish. All of the women continue their own lives in different fields. Irini goes to college and marries Walter Collin. Norma Baldish finally marries Irini‟s father because of almost everyday she meets Irini‟s father. After that Irini feels comfortable if she must leave her father. Fanny May decides to marry Mike Barr but then she jilts Mike Barr at the altar, then she marries Margo Torngren. Cindy May marries Horace Redd and she decides to become a mystery writer.

Besides that Claire Kinser goes to france to learn Spanish cooking and she becomes modesty and famous with her own television show for a couple of years

“Claire in the kitchen”. Tracy marries with the Reed family. Arlys, the prettiest and nicest of them all, has the last sweetheart wedding, she marries an exmarine.

that the writer tries to delivered. After they read and find out what they want to analyze, they have look for many sources that connected with they research.

The writer also suggests for those who are interested in the study of literature, especially in the novel of The Sweetheart Season, can use socialism concept and Marxism concept in comprehending and enhancing the images of women in the novel. This is because some of them work in different field of and the only male character as the owner of the factory. Anyone who is interested to do deeper study about female character that reflect feminism values, can also use feminist perspective as an approach in analyzing literary works. The writer hopes that this research will be useful to the reader who wants to analyze female character and feminism values in any type of the novel.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books:

Beaty, Jerome; Alison Booth; J. Paul Hunter; and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2002. Djajanegara, Soenarjati. Kritik Sastra Feminis. Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Pustaka

Utama, 2003.

Donovan, Josephine. Feminist Literary Criticism. Kentucky: The University Press, 1975.

Eagleton, Mary. Feminist Literary Criticism. London: Longman, 1991.

Fowler, Karen Joy. The Sweetheart Season. Great Britain: Penguin Books, 2006. Pickering, James H. and Jeffrey D. Hoeper. Concise Comparison to Literature.

New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc, 1981.

Thornham, Sue. Feminist Theory and Cultural Studies. United States of America: Oxford University Press Inc, 2000.

Tong, Rosemarie Putnam. Feminist Thought: a More Comprehensive Introduction, Second Edition. United States of America: Westview Press, 1998.

Websites:

Anwar, Nasrul. “Kritik Sastra dalam Perspektif Feminis.” http://id.shvoong.com/social-sciences/1691472-kritik-sastra-. Accessed on Oktober 19, 2007.

Kali, Sanjay. “Definition of Feminism.” http://EzineArticles.com. Accessed on November 17, 2008.

Lewis, Jared. “What Is the Feminist Approach to Literary Criticism?.”

http://www.ehow.com. feminist-approach-literary-criticism. Accessed on January 1, 2010.

Sharon. “The American Woman's Home - Past and Present”.

http://theamericanwomanshome-pastandpresent.blogspot.com. Accessed on May 6, 2009.

“Third-wave Feminism – Definition.” http://www.wordiq.com/definition/third-wave_feminism. Accessed on May 20, 2011.

APPENDICES

2. Synopsis The Sweetheart Season _novel

The novel‟s setting is in 1947, in this year, Irini Doyle graduates from high school and gets a job in the Scientific Kitchen, in Margaret Mill, a breakfast cereal factory. Many women from all over the country go back to the kitchen after the war, but for Irini it is a promotion. Before coming to Magrit, Irini‟s father teaches chemistry at Lewis High School in Indiana at the same school where her mother teaches English. Irini‟s mother died on the day when Irini was born and Irini‟s father begins to drinks the day after that. Irini‟s father always seats in the bar and talks to strangers. Her father is a poetic, sentimental man and a wonderful storyteller who often moves himself to tears.

In Magrit, their neighbors are The Mays and The Tarkens. Their relationships are not good enough because the class differences, The Doyles and The Tarkens are lower class and The Mays are upper class. This condition Doyles get when they become new comer in Magrit.

One day, Henry, the founder and owner of Margaret Mill forms a women baseball team called the Sweetwheat Sweethearts. One of his purposes is to give a chance to women to meet their future husbands. This is because in that era especially In Magrit many men go to the war and not come back again, therefore not many men in Magrit.

By playing baseball they travel from one town to other towns and the women get chance to meet new people. Baseball is the sport that is usually played by men, so, the women have difficulties to play it. when playing it, they are not afraid to be lose. However when they lose the game against a men group they

blame their selves and feel pessimist, but the coach, Walter Collin, Henry‟s son, still gives motivation to them.

After the season is over, the baseball game is finish. All of the women continue their own lives in different fields. Irini goes to college and marries Walter Collin. Norma Baldish finally marries Irini‟s father because of almost everyday she meets Irini‟s father. After that Irini feels comfortable if she must leave her father. Fanny May decides to marry Mike Barr but then she jilts Mike Barr at the altar, then she marries Margo Torngren. Cindy May marries Horace Redd and she decides to become a mystery writer.

Besides that Claire Kinser goes to france to learn Spanish cooking and she becomes modesty and famous with her own television show for a couple of years “Claire in the kitchen”. Tracy marries with the Reed family. Arlys, the prettiest and nicest of them all, has the last sweetheart wedding, she marries an exmarine.