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does it as well to make Marigold understand that what she does can make people around her feel worry. Star hopes Marigold can take a lesson from it.
„I‟m not a little kid. How can you do this? You go off, you stay out all night, you don‟t even make it home for breakfast, you crucify Dol all
day long at school, and then you bob up again without even an apology, let alone a word
of explanation. And you act like you‟re Mega-Mother of the Year making lousy cookies.
Well, count me out. You can have my cookie. And I hope it chokes you Wilson, 1999: 37.
Marigold and Dolphin also thinks that Star keeps critical as she grows up.
It i
s proven by Dolphin‟s sentence saying that, “Star was so critical nowadays she made Marigold nervous and twitchy
Wilson, 1999: 59.” It shows that Star undergoes some changes from being uncritical to critical. She
knows some bad and good things as she grows up and becomes someone better. That is why she knows what needs to be criticized from her mother‟s
behaviors. Another datum showing that Star is critical is presented by Star‟s
sarcastic opinion about her mother‟s bad habit such as spending money and g
etting drunk. Star says, “„She‟s good at spending heaps of money that we haven‟t got. She‟s good at getting drunk. She‟s good at getting
completely nutty ideas into her head.
She‟s good at getting you think she‟s Ms. Perfect Mumsie-Wumsie Wilson, 1999: 76
.‟” It indicates that Star knows what is bad and what is good about her mother. She sarcastically
criticizes by saying that to her mother is good but good at something bad such as spending money, getting drunk, etc. Star understands that her family
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has little money, but Marigold often spends money to buy unnecessary things and getting drunk. She dares to criticizes her mother in order to make her
realized that she has done something wrong. It is clearly explained that Wilson wants to tell to the readers that children can be critical. They can
sometimes be better in making difference between what is needed and what is not, what is good and what is not, rather than adults.
f. Subverting MaleFemale Image
Girl characters in most of the conventional children stories are often depicted as weak, passive, and dependent. One characteristic that is clearly
seen from girl or female characters in most of the conventional children stories is that they are dependent to boy or male characters. In addition, the
hero of children stories is mostly boy or male character. For example, there must be a princess who is saved by a prince. There is society belief which
thinks that male is associated with strong, active and independent. Whereas, female is associated with weak, passive and dependent.
There must be antagonism between malefemale image that leads to two burdens that are bear by child female characters in the stories. The first is that
they are female, and they are children. Thus, besides giving privilege to children in her story, she also gives privilege to female by creating
independent child female characters. Wilson creates Dolphin and Star as independent children characters that are able to solve problems. They
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dominate the whole story. However, subverting malefemale image is not merely creating female character that behaves like male characters. Star and
Dolphin as female child characters have combination of strength, sensitivity, compassion, and intelligence. They can be the representative of humanity.
In the story, it is told that Micky is like a prince that comes to save Star
and brings her to his kingdom. “This handsome prince has come along and
he‟s turned the two little beggar girls into princesses, even the scraggy ugly one, and they can all live in a new fairy castle together
Wilson, 1999: 121.” Nevertheless, at last, Star does not feel happy living with Micky. She wants
to go back to her sister and mother as Micky cannot make her happy as she thought before. She chooses to live independently.
Wilson shows the independency from child female characters that can manage school activity, household activity and their need by themselves. For
example, Dolphin often goes without adult ‟s supervisions and it indicates that
the condition shapes her to be an independent child.
„I‟m often out without an adult.‟
„I‟m not. In fact, don‟t laugh, but this is the very first time.‟
„Now that is weird. Well. Don‟t worry. I‟ll look after you.‟ Wilson, 1999: 181
The datum above shows that Dolphin often goes without adult figure and she promises to look after Oliver when they are in travel. Dolphin does not only
show her independence by going around without adults, but also going to school without adult figure, especially mother figure.
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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
