Resisting social construction of womanhood a psychoanalytic reading of Portia`s gender construction in Elizabeth Bowen`s The Death of The Heart

Resisting Social Construction of Womanhood: A Psychoanalytic

Reading of Portia’s Gender Construction in Elizabeth Bowen’s

The

Death of the Heart

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement to Obtain

the Degree of Magister Humaniora

(M.Hum.) in English Language

Studies

Melania Priska Mendrofa

146332035

The Graduate Program of English Language Studies

Sanata Dharma University

Yogyakarta

2017

Resisting Social Construction of Womanhood: A Psychoanalytic

Reading of Portia’s Gender Construction in Elizabeth Bowen’s

The Death of the Heart

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement to Obtain

the Degree of Magister Humaniora

(M.Hum.) in English

Language Studies

Melania Priska Mendrofa

146332035

The Graduate Program of English Language Studies

Sanata Dharma University

Yogyakarta

2017

Resisting Social

Construction

of

Womanhood: A

Psychoanalytic

Reading of

Portia's

Gender

Construction in Elizaheth

Bowenns

The Death of the

Heart

Paulus Sarwoto. Ph.D

A

THESIS

Resisting Social Constructior of Womanhood: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Portia's Gender Construction in Elizabeth Bowen's The Desth of the Heart

Yogyakarta, July 3 I, 2Al7 Graduate School Director University

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STATEMENT OF

ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all the ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are the ideas, phrases, and sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands

the full consequences including degree cancellation

if

she took somebody else's

ideas, phrases, or sentences, without proper reference.

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSE TUJUAN

P U B L

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KA RYA

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U N T U K KE P E IV T I T'{ G A ]\{

AKADEMIS

Yang bertandatangandi bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : Melania Priska Mendrofa

NIM

:146332035

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul

Resisting Social Construction of Womunhood: A Psychoanalytic Reading

of

Portia's Gender construction in Elizabeth Bowen's The Death af tlte Heart

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan

kepada Perpusatakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau

media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta izin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pern;vataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakartapada tanggal 31 Juli 2017

Yang mpnyatakan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all I would like to thank God for all of His blessings in my life. My

thanks also go to my parents, Lodwiyk Mendrofa -deceased and Imek Aty, and to

my only sister, Stephanie Lodwiyk Mendrofa, for their financial and emotional

support to me. A sincere gratitude goes to Yayasan Prayoga Padang for its

financial support during my study in Sanata Dharma University. I also thank my

thesis advisor, Bapak Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D for his guidance during writing and

finishing this thesis. My sincerest acknowledgements also go to my thesis

examiners; Ibu Novita Dewi, Ph.D, Ibu Arti Wulandari, Ph.D, and Ibu Sri

Mulyani, Ph.D, and also for the rest of the lecturers of English Language Studies

at Sanata Dharma University.

I would like to thank my friends in Literature class (Kak Teti, Dian, Mbak

Anies, Kak Rini, Mas Adit, Mas Tama, Indra, Ruly, Anggie and Pras), A- class

and Zaitun class (especially for Indra and Mas Adit who help me revise and edit

my thesis). I also give my gratitude to all sisters (especially to Suster Mariati, CB,

Suster Christi, CB, and Suster Fernanda, CB), the employees, and friends in

Asrama Syantikara. Thank you for the togetherness and unforgettable experience

during my time in Syantikara. Last but not least, I want to thank Kak Teti, Kak

Lia, and Gregorius Ardi for their kindness and emotional support during my short

time in Yogyakarta.

Finally, big thanks to everyone who has been part of my life and study.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGE ... ii

DEFENCE APPROVAL PAGE ... iii

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS ... v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vi

ABSTRACT ... ix

ABSTRAK ... x

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ... 1

1.1 Background of the Study ... 1

1.2 Research Questions ... 10

1.3 Objectives of the Study ... 11

1.4 Urgency of the Study ... 12

1.5 Thesis Outline ... 12

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ... 14

2.1 Review of Related Studies ... 14

2.1.1 The Notion of Mother-Daughter’s Bond Relationship ... 15

2.1.2 A Shift to Symbolic Father and Its Negative Effect for Portia’s Self -Freedom ... 19

2.1.3 The Role of Substituted Mother ... 22

2.2 Review of Related Theories ... 24

2.2.1 Patriarchal Motherhood ... 26

2.2.1.1 Mother-daughter’s Symbiotic Relationship ... 27

2.2.2 Feminine Identification in Symbolic Law ... 33

2.2.2.1 The Construction of Ego ... 35

2.2.2.2 Symbolic Stage and the Development of Ego-Ideal... 36

2.2.3 Sisterhood ... 41

2.2.3.1 Female Domination in Nurturance ... 42

2.2.3.2 Inter-subjective Dialogue and Self-Autonomy in Sisterhood ... 45

CHAPTER III PROBLEMATIZING PORTIA’S SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF WOMANHOOD ... 51

3.1 Portia’s dependency toward mother’s figure during the process of patriarchal mothering ... 51

3.1.1 Irene’s Patriarchal Mothering ... 52

3.1.2 The Effect of Irene’s Oppressive Experience for the Mothering Process . 58

3.1.3 The Imposition of Irene’s Desire to Portia’s Life ... 63 3.2 Social Construction of Womanhood and the Forbidden Pleasure ... 69

3.2.1 Portia’s Need for Maternal Attachment and the Social Construction of

Womanhood... 70 3.2.2 The Forbidden Pleasure ... 76 CHAPTER IV SISTERHOOD AS RESISTANCE TOWARD THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF WOMANHOOD ... 82

4.1 Female Friendship as a Transitional Phase toward Portia’s Self-Independency 83

4.2 Sisterhood as the Reconstruction for Portia’s Identity ... 93 CHAPTER V CONCLUSION ... 101 BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 106

ABSTRACT

Mendrofa, Melania Priska. 2017. Resisting Social Construction of

Womanhood: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Portia’s Gender Construction in Elizabeth Bowen’s The Death of the Heart. Yogyakarta: The Graduate Program in English Language Studies, Sanata Dharma University.

This study aims to analyze Portia‟s resistance toward social construction of womanhood. To explain more about the social construction and the resistance, this study formulates two questions: (1) What is the influence(s) of Portia‟s self -identification with her mother and symbolic father toward her identity development?, and (2) How does sisterhood help Portia resist the social construction of womanhood? These two questions will reveal how the social construction of womanhood is formed and how sisterhood liberates Portia from the construction of identity.

This study answers the first question by using psychoanalytic theory to reveal the process of Portia's shift to the symbolic father. Portia's subjectivity is constructed by mother-daughter's unity that stimulates Portia's dependency on her mother's figure. Since she becomes a lacking subject of knowledge and experience toward social life, she is supposed to separate herself from maternal attachment and to shift her life to the symbolic father in order to be an autonomous figure. Meanwhile, during Portia's shift to the symbolic father, there is also restrained movement from the symbolic father to the development of her self-freedom. Symbolic father constructs feminine gender identity, forbids pleasure and maternal attachment. The prohibition finally affirms symbolic father as the lacking subject and stimulates Portia's return to maternal attachment.

To resist the social construction of womanhood, this study proposes the notion of psychoanalytic feminism which focuses on sisterhood that evokes inter-subjective dialogue between women. The notion of inter-inter-subjective dialogue, sheer disruption, and critiques, will help the emergence of Portia‟s self-awareness toward her self-ability and deficiency. As a conclusion, this study highlights that gender is not biological but it is the result of social construction. Portia‟s identity as a „woman‟ is determined by her possession of feminine gender attributes and gender performances.

Keywords: feminine identification, social construction of womanhood, resistance, sisterhood, inter-subjective dialogue

ABSTRAK

Mendrofa, Melania Priska. 2017. Resisting Social Construction of

Womanhood: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Portia’s Gender Construction in Elizabeth Bowen’s The Death of the Heart. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Studi ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa perlawanan Portia terhadap konstruksi sosial. Untuk menganalisa konstruksi sosial dan perlawanannya, studi ini merumuskan dua pertanyaan: (1) Apa pengaruh identifikasi maternal dan

symbolic father terhadap perkembangan diri Portia?, dan (2) Bagaimana

sisterhood membantu Portia melawan konstruksi sosial?

Studi ini menjawab pertanyaan pertama dengan menggunakan teori psikoanalisis. Subjektivitas Portia dibentuk oleh kesatuan maternal dengan ibu yang mendorong ketergantungan terhadap sosok ibu. Karena kurangnya pengetahuan dan pengalaman tentang kehidupan sosial sebagai akibat dari keasatuan dan ketergantungan dengan sosok ibu, Portia harus berpindah ke relasi dengan symbolic father yang akan menjadikannya subjek yang bebas dari pemaksaan hasrat ibu. Namun, selama proses perpindahan ke symbolic father, ada pengekangan terhadap kebebasan diri. Symbolic father melarang pleasure dan kedekatan maternal yang sesungguhnya dibutuhkan Portia pada saat absennya figur seorang ibu. Hal ini lalu membuat symbolic father menjadi subjek yang tidak lengkap. Karena ketidak lengkapan identitas symblic father dalam menyediakan

pleasure, maka hal ini mendorong kembalinya Portia kepada keterikatan maternal. Untuk menentang konstruksi sosial terhadap perempuan, studi ini mengajukan teori psikoanalitik feminisme yang berfokus pada sisterhood yang memunculkan dialog antar perempuan. Ide tentang dialog antar subjek, melalui celaan dan kritik, membantu munculnya kewaspadaan Portia terhadap kemampuan dan kelemahan dirinya sendiri. Sebagai kesimpulan, studi ini menggaris-bawahi bahwa gender tidak bersifat biologis tapi hasil dari konstruksi sosial. Identitas Portia sebagai seorang wanita ditentukan oleh kepemilikannya terhadap atribut dan penampilan feminine.

Keywords: identifikasi feminisme, konstruksi sosial terhadap perempuan, perlawanan, sisterhood, dialog antar subjek

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Man and woman are segregated by sexual differences. The segregation

influences the different treatment given to man and woman. According to Richard

A. Lippa, knowledge about the differences includes stereotypes about the two

sexes, the opinion on how man and woman differ, and the way to treat those

different sexes.1 He explains that the stereotype of two sexes will guide people's

actions and encourage gender-stereotypical behavior in other people. In gender-

stereotypical behavior, women are demanded to behave in a feminine way, being

passive and emotional, while men are usually categorized as a masculine,

dominant, competitive and autonomous being.

The differences between man and woman will encourage the emergence of

gender-stereotypical behavior in others.2A man will control woman‟s life in order to keep his gendered status or to show his power. However, gender-stereotypical

behavior in others may cause the negative perspective about others‟ ability. It can undermine individual‟s performance.3

In a patriarchal culture, for instance, social

structure has empowered man and devalued woman. In society, a woman is not

supposed to behave in an autonomous and independent way. She generally

becomes the obedient and silent subject.

1

Richard Lippa. A. Gender, Nature, and Nurture. (2nd Ed). (Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, Inc., Publishers, 2005), p. 157

2

Lippa, p. 157

3

Patriarchal culture constructs the notion of womanhood to objectify

women‟s position in life and to construct negative aspect of their identity.4

Within

the view of the social construction of womanhood, resistance to the imposition of

feminine gender identity should be evoked. Shapiro, Lewicki, and Devine explain

resistance as the act of willingness to deceive authorities.5 Since patriarchal

culture has set feminine gender identity for women and it limits women‟s self -freedom, there must be a challenge and subversion toward it. Resistance toward

social construction of womanhood in this study reveals woman‟s retreat from the authority of social order that demands her to be a mature and feminine figure.

Importantly, it is significant for this research to explain the problem of

social construction of womanhood itself before coming to the analysis of

resistance. There is the element of continuity between social construction of

womanhood and resistance toward it. The failure of self-identification to mother

and symbolic father evoke the daughter's return to maternal attachment through

female relationship or sisterhood.

In The Death of the Heart, the daughter's return toward the maternal

attachment is caused by her original desire toward maternal attachment that has

been constructed during the symbiotic relationship with the mother. The

construction of female's and male's gender behavior above is started since

childhood. Parents take an important role in constructing the gendered stereotype

4

Razif Bahari. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place? Interstitial Female Subjectivity in between

Colonialism and Patriarchy: Women in Pramoedya Ananta Toer's Buru Tetralogy”. Indonesia 83

(Apr., 2007): p. 58. JSTOR. Web. 17 Nov. 2015

5

Sandy Kristin Piderit,. “Rethinking Resistance And Recognizing Ambivalence: A

Multidimensional View Of Attitudes Toward An Organizational Change”. Academy of

for the children. In a patriarchal system, the expressive and warm stereotype of

woman has put her as the primary caregiver and nurturer for the children.

Woman's role becomes identical to mothering and private sphere. In mothering,

treatment to boy and girl will be different. Especially for a girl, mothering

becomes an intimate relationship between a mother and her daughter. The

Intimate relationship between them also stimulates the girl's unity and dependency

to the mother. Since mother verbally stimulates and verbally responds more to

girls than to boys6, the girl will be closer to her mother. The closeness with the

mother can facilitate her daughter to imitate and inherit mother's manner and

desire because the mother is first experienced as a presence not distinct from the

self.7

Since mother becomes a unity with the girl, a movement and support

toward the differences are limited.8 It is described by Joan Lidoff that when

daughters begin to speak, it will be about their mothers‟ stories; when mothers begin to speak, it will be about the stories of their daughters. This condition,

according to Lidoff, will show the characteristic of female-self‟s development where she develops her self-identity through mutual and reciprocal relationship.9

Thus, because of the bond relation and unity with the mother, women‟s identity is often threatened by the inability to differentiate self from the mother.10

In Bowen‟s The Death of the Heart, the main characters‟ inability to differentiate

6

Lippa, p. 160

7

Joan Lidoff. “Fluid Boundaries: The Mother-Daughter Story, the Story-Reader Matrix”. Texas

Studies in Literature and Language 35.4, Fluid Boundaries: Essays in Honor of the Life and Work

of Joan Lidoff (WINTER 1993), p. 398. JSTOR .Web. 7 Mar. 2016

8

Lidoff, p. 399

9

Lidoff, p. 400

10

and separate herself from the mother becomes the main problem for the

development of her personal and social relationship with other people. Incomplete

separation from the mother makes the daughter have fluid ego boundaries.

The daughter‟s fluid ego boundaries are caused by the fusion state of mother-daughter‟s symbiosis which makes them fail to state the identity of differences.11 There is a fantasy of oneness or unity in the early mother-daughter‟s relation. In The Death of the Heart, Bowen marks the oneness between the

mother and the daughter as the cause for the daughter's inability to develop her

self-identity. Fusion or bonding with the mother encourages the daughter to be

dependent on mother's figure and desire, and she becomes threatened to leave the

symbiosis.

As the consequence for mother-daughter„s bond relation, the daughter never permanently separates herself from her mother's figure. It is narrated by

Bowen that Portia, as the main character, always remembers every memory about

her mother. She also finds difficulty to socialize herself with her new relatives in

the beginning of her socialization process because of the symbiotic relationship

with the mother. Related to the issue of the symbiotic relationship with the

mother, Bowen also focuses her intention to mother's role as the primary nurturer

for her daughter. As the primary nurturer in a patriarchal society, it cannot be

avoided that mother‟s psychological condition will be influenced by the patriarchal culture itself. In a patriarchal society, male is positioned as the

11

breadwinner, while female is positioned in the domestic sphere including

nurturing the children

For the domestic sphere and mothering activity, Andrea O‟ Reilly argues that patriarchal motherhood is a kind of repressive act for mother‟s own selfhood because it gives no power for mothers to arrange their own mothering activity.12 It

restrains women‟s authority to determine their own mothering. Because of the restraining toward mothering activity, patriarchal motherhood can be seen as an

oppressive act for women because it pressures, regulates, and dominates women

and their mothering.

The restraining of mothering then affects the mothering practice in which

mother will spend most of the day to take care of her daughter without involving

the father and other family members. As a consequence, both mother and her

daughter are less involved in community or social practice. Portia is Bowen‟s character who becomes the victim of patriarchal motherhood because her mother

does not introduce or help her to socialize or recognize others‟ existence earlier in her life. It constructs Portia‟s identity as the dependent, submissive and passive subject.

Bowen seems to emphasize that patriarchal motherhood does not produce

a secure attachment between the mother and her daughter because the close

relationship between them has shaped symbiotic relation that binds Portia's ability

to leave mother's side. It is explained by Jasmine Lee Cori that secure individual

who gets a secure attachment from their mother will note themselves as strong,

12

Andrea O‟Reilly. Feminist Mothering, (ed). (NY: State University of New York Press, 2008), p.

competent, valuable, lovable, and special.13 However, Portia is described

differently where she sees nothing special about herself and her family.14 Bowen

challenges patriarchal motherhood that creates sexist childrearing where a girl is

unconsciously constructed by the mother to be a feminine figure that is commonly

characterized as the dependent and passive subject.

To help the daughter leave the dependent relationship with the mother,

more involvements from a father or other relatives in childrearing practice should

be made. It can help the mother to have more quality times for themselves outside

the house, and it will also help the daughter to recognize and know other people‟s existence through sharing the childrearing practice with other relatives. The Death

of the Heart is Bowen's evidence about the negativity of patriarchal motherhood

where restraining toward mothering practice will affect the development of the

daughter's identity. By being a „good mother' for Portia, Irene bears and protects Portia with all of her loves and instructions without being interfered by other

relatives. Bowen describes patriarchal motherhood as the cause of imposition of

the mother's desire to her daughter which later makes them as the imaginary unity

or oneness. The consequence for Irene's mothering practice is that Portia becomes

closed figure to mother and has clumsiness to build the relationship with other

people.

Moreover, the daughter who does not have enough experience to interact

with other people will face difficulty in her first interaction with others. The

13

Jasmine Lee Cori. The Emotionally Absent Mother: A Guide to Self- Healing and Getting The

Love You Missed. (NY: The Experiment, 2010), p. 41

14

Elizabeth Bowen. The Death of The Heart. (NY: Anchor Books A Division of Random House,

Inc, 2000), p. 52 All subsequent references to this novel, abbreviated The, will be used in this

inadequate experience in interacting with other people limits the daughter‟s knowledge toward other people‟s characters and needs. When Portia starts to recognize others‟ existence with their different needs and characters, she realizes her own lacking identity. Knowing herself as the lacking subject will stimulate the

daughter's need to complete her self-knowledge in order to be recognized and

accepted as the part of a community or society. The daughter's status as the

lacking subject and also the seeking for maternal forms are two related things that

influence her shift to the symbolic father. Since self-identification to the mother is

ineffective to preserve the daughter's knowledge of life, a shift to the symbolic

father is initially regarded as the solution for the mothering's problem.

Initially, symbolic father is seen as the solution for mother-daughter

attachment because it provides knowledge of identity for the daughter. Unity with

the same sex parent, that is the mother, is argued by Mikkel Borch- Jacobsen and

Douglas Brick as the „male identification' for the daughter.15

This argument

reflects that attachment to same- sex parent represents the metaphorical masculine

identity for the daughter. Thus to complete her feminine identity, a shift to

different sex parent, a symbolic father, must be made.

Therefore, knowledge of identity provided by the symbolic father is

dangerous for the daughter because it leads to the formation of feminine gender

identity. It is explained by Bowen in her novel that symbolic father, who is

represented by society, demands Portia to be a mature woman. Symbolic father

restraints Portia's self-freedom because she has to obey all of the feminine rules

15

Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen and Douglas Brick. “The Oedipus Problem in Freud and Lacan”.

from society. Symbolic father found in this novel represents social law and

patriarchal culture that constitute feminine gender identity for Portia. Symbolic

father also forbids re-attachment to maternal forms. It is narrated by Bowen that

Portia's relatives forbid her to be a childish figure. Portia's relatives reject childish

manner (being spoiled) and restrain Portia's pleasure. Society in this novel is

described as an image of a selfish and modern community which cannot fulfill

Portia's demand for familial bonding. The selfish character from Portia's relatives

cannot help Portia to feel maternal attachment or mother's love in life. The

forbidden pleasure from society triggers conflict in Portia's mind where she finally

questions other people's interest in her life.

The absence of nurturance and attention from society stimulates Portia's

retreat from all of the social orders. The forbidden pleasure and the inability of

society to provide familial bonding or the sense of love represent symbolic father

as the lacking subject. Instead of helping the daughter to complete her

self-identity, the symbolic father actually limits her self-freedom. Symbolic father

imposes feminine rules that must be obeyed by a girl in order to be accepted as the

mature woman in society.

The limitation to Portia's pleasure then triggers her desire to return to

maternal attachment. This desire is materialized through constructing female

friendship with Matchett and Mrs. Heccomb. Since these two figures are able to

preserve nurturance for Portia, then she becomes dependent on them. Moreover,

knowledge and experience of social oppression from those female friends make

controlling and deciding Portia's action; for what she can do and what she cannot

do. Even though female friends seem to help Portia resist the social oppression

through their prohibition toward Portia's relation with the male, it restrains Portia's

ability to develop her self-development to socialize with others. This study notes

that the return to maternal attachment through female friendship constructs female

domination to other women's identity. It may release the desire for pleasure and

maternal attachment, but in fact, it oppresses Portia's self-freedom.

Thus, to subvert the concept of the patriarchal system that sets Portia's

feminine gender identity, Bowen represents a power of sisterhood.

Acknowledgment of individual identity and self-freedom are actually important in

order to avoid the oppression of other people. To get the acknowledgment of

individual identity, differences of identity between individuality must be clearly

stated. The differences of identity can be achieved through inter-subjective

dialogue. Further, inter-subjective dialogue should evoke constructive critiques

and sheer disruption so that it can help Portia to be aware of her own ability and

deficiency. Through dialogue between women, they know each others' interests

and demands. Sisterhood helps the emergence of inter-subjective dialogue that

eliminates the imaginary desire for unity with other people.16 So, instead of being

adhered to other people's conviction and demands, sisterhood helps the women

involve in constructive dialogue, to share experience and burden, and allows the

women to be the speaking subject instead of the object of speaking. Sisterhood in

this novel shows how female friendship becomes the effective way to help Portia

16

Kirsten Campbell. Jacques Lacan and Feminist Epistemology. (London & NY: Routledge,

recognize her self-subjectivity, become speaking subject, resist the social

construction of womanhood.

The problem of social construction of womanhood represented in this

novel helps this study to learn and to reveal more about the effect of cultural

practice from patriarchal mothering and social law toward the construction of

feminine gender identity. Understanding Bowen‟s work about patriarchal mothering and social oppression can raise awareness toward the negativity of

patriarchal culture which has set feminine gender model for woman. The cultural

practice of feminine gender model limits the ability of Portia to develop her

competence and freedom to express her manner and opinion, or to be the speaking

subject.

Overall, the concept of female friendship proposed in this study is a

response toward the patriarchal concept that has restrained the development of

woman's self-identity and constructed „woman' definition. Sisterhood helps the woman to deconstruct the definition of being a „woman' by rejecting the feminine stereotype, such as being passive and subjugated one. Proposing the discussion of

sisterhood in this study is valuable to describe how female friends help Portia to

get her autonomy. The inter-subjective dialogue between women helps them to be

aware and critical toward their own competency and oppression.

1.2 Research Questions

The problem of the study can be formulated as follows:

1. What is the influence(s) of Portia‟s self-identification with her mother and symbolic father toward her identity development?

2. How does sisterhood help Portia resist the social construction of womanhood?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study aims to challenge the patriarchal culture that influences the

construction of Portia‟s immaturity and dictates her feminine gender identity. It is started from challenging mother's function in family, which limits women's

chance to develop her mothering technique, for instance by involving others in

childrearing practice. This study focuses the discussion on the negative effect of

patriarchal motherhood toward the development the daughter's identity.

Patriarchal motherhood interrupts earlier socialization process to other people

since maternal practice focuses on mother only. Symbiosis and dependency on

mother are found during the process of patriarchal motherhood. It causes the

daughter's inability to build socialization process with other people in society and

the daughter's needs to re- feel maternal attachment from others.

This study also reveals the weakness of symbolic father. In

psychoanalysis, symbolic father is seen as the solution for Portia‟s fragile identity because it helps her to recognize feminine identification and to be recognized as

the part of society, as the mature woman. Therefore, it is found in the novel that

symbolic father forbids attachment to maternal forms. This forbidden attachment

makes symbolic father as the lacking subject since the daughter still seeks

maternal attachment in her life. Hence, symbolic father fails to provide nurturance

and autonomy which are needed by Portia during her self-identification with

Finally, to subvert patriarchy and to stimulate Portia's awareness toward

her self-identity, the notion of sisterhood is proposed in this study. The concept of

sisterhood represents a challenge and subversion toward social construction of

womanhood through its function in evoking self-autonomy for Portia. Sisterhood

awakens the awareness toward self-ability and self-deficiency to resist the social

construction of womanhood.

1.4 Urgency of the Study

This study gives priority to the importance of sisterhood in helping the

awakening of woman's self-awareness toward the social construction of

womanhood. Relationship with other women allows them to construct

inter-subjective dialogue which supports the evocation of critiques toward

self-deficiency. By knowing self-competence and self-deficiency, the daughter can

change her direction of life, to resist the oppression from society and to construct

her self-freedom. The principal points in sisterhood; inter-subjective dialogue

(critiques and sheer disruption), will help women to develop her self-identity.

Sisterhood allows transformation and revolutionary change in women's

perspective about their self- freedom and identity. A woman is no longer defined

as the passive and subjugated figure, but as the speaking subject who has her own

self-freedom in expressing manner and thought.

1.5 Thesis Outline

This study divides the discussion into five chapters. The first chapter is a

part of introduction which discusses the background of the study, research

second chapter consists of review of related studies that includes previous studies

conducted toward Bowen‟s The Death of the Heart and review of related theories regarding several thoughts and theories relate to mother-daughter relationship, the

social construction of identity and sisterhood. The third chapter is problematizing

Portia‟s social construction of womanhood, while the fourth chapter discusses sisterhood as resistance toward the social construction of womanhood. The last

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Review of Related Studies

Based on the general issue of patriarchal mothering and social construction

of womanhood in Bowen's The Death of the Heart, some critics have evaluated

the novel‟s emphasis on the effect of mothering and symbolic law toward the construction of Portia‟s identity. Literary critics who see the issue of mother -daughter‟s bond as a negative effect on the development of Portia‟s identity are Victoria Warren, Neil Corcoran, Barbara Seward, and Alfred McDowell. Other

critics, such as David Daiches, Alfred McDowell, and Bettany Chaffin have

focused their analysis on the symbolic law which constructs gender identity for

women, and its negative effect to women‟s self-freedom. Mothering and symbolic law are analyzed by those critics using the psychoanalytic theory which

emphasizes the lack of phallus as the reason for Portia's shift to the symbolic

father.

Therefore, the evaluation based on psychoanalytic theory shows the failure

of the mother and the symbolic father in constructing Portia's subjectivity. The

primary (mother) and secondary (symbolic father) identification do not provide

autonomy and nurturance for Portia. Thus to liberate Portia from those two

identifications, another critic, Neil Corcoran, has analyzed the role of substituted

mother (Matchett) who helps Portia return to her repressed desire, to revisit the

childish memory and to re-feel maternal attachment. Therefore, Corcoran‟s study does not completely reveal Portia‟s self-freedom because of the dominant role of

the substituted mother. The following part is the analysis of some studies on The

Death of the Heart, related to the problem of mother-daughter‟s bond relation and social construction of womanhood. It helps this study encompass and develop

analysis about the negativity of self-identification to patriarchal motherhood and

symbolic father toward a woman‟s self-freedom.

2.1.1 The Notion of Mother-Daughter’s Bond Relationship

This first part of analysis discusses the related studies of four critics;

Victoria Warren, Neil Corcoran, Barbara Seward, and Alfred McDowell, who

analyze the negative impact of mother's nurturance for Portia. In Victoria

Warren's critique, she explains the negativity of mother-daughter's relationship.

Warren has examined the close relationship between mother and daughter in The

Death of the Heart and found the negative impact of mother's nurturance for

Portia. Warren observes Portia's character as the one who does not have enough

experience to live in the society which dishonors kindness and feeling. 17 Warren

criticizes the mother‟s character, who always acts from the heart, as the cause for Portia‟s kindness and innocence. She believes that the daughter will inherit and internalize caretaker's (mother) attributes, responses, and attitudes as the aspects

of self-identity.

From Warren‟s argument, the negative side of mother-daughter‟s bond relationship is clearly revealed. Close relation with the mother makes the daughter

fall into imaginary unity, inherits all of the sameness, pleasure, and refuses the

17

Victoria Warren. “Experience Means Nothing till It Repeats Itself": Elizabeth Bowen's "The

Death of the Heart" and Jane Austen‟s Emma”. Modern Language Studies 29.1 (Spring, 1999): p.

differences. 18 This study notes that their closeness makes them construct

emotional bond, and it allows the mother to impose her desire and emotional

feeling to her daughter.

As the same opinion with Warren, Neil Corcoran argues that Portia‟s childish manner, such as weeping, reflects the impact of mother‟s nurturance that forms Portia‟s immaturity.19

Corcoran affirms that Portia‟s age does not confirm her maturity. He suggests that nurturing has influenced the formation of Portia‟s immaturity in which in the age of 18 Portia still shows her inferiority and childish

manner instead of her maturity. Corcoran‟s analysis reveals an argument about the emotional ties between a mother and her daughter too. It is proposed by

Jasmine Lee Cori that a mother is a nurturer and provider on both physical and

emotional subsistence.20 From Cori‟s argument, this study underlines that Portia's sentimental feeling and immaturity represent the effect of mother-daughter's bond

relation which constructs the physical and psychological identity of the daughter.

Moreover, the negative effect of mother-daughter‟s bond relation is explained by Barbara Seward through Portia‟s desire toward others‟ love and attention. She sees the emergence of Portia‟s sensibility to others‟ demand as the consequence of her loneliness and innocent of love that makes her able to love

others unconditionally.21 Seward‟s argument helps this study to recognize Portia‟s sensitivity and love for others, especially for her lover (Eddie), as a

18

Campbell, p. 100

19

Neil Corcoran. Elizabeth Bowen: The Enforced Return. (NY: Oxford University Press, 2004), p.

106

20

Cori, p. 32

21

Barbara Seward. “Elizabeth Bowen's World of Impoverished Love”. College English 18.1 (Oct.,

materialization of her desire for maternal attachment. The absence of the mother

triggers the daughter‟s desire to seek for mother‟s love in others‟ figure. It helps this study to emphasize the strong influence of mother‟s desire to her daughter‟s life.

Besides that, this study argues that Warren‟s previous argument about society‟s rejection to Portia‟s kindness and feeling also indicates the failure of the mother to help her daughter build relation with the society. A study from Alfred

McDowell has analyzed Portia‟s character as the one who does not know social rules and norms, and she becomes unable to be accepted as the part of the

society.22 McDowell‟s argument renders an understanding to this study that to be a part of society, a girl is supposed to be accustomed to social life and condition,

and she must know the standard way of life or behavior regularized by society.

Further, McDowell also argues that it is the conflict between Portia, who

acts with complete honesty, with the society, who have experienced social

condition, especially traumatic or oppressive event.23 McDowell explains that

experience, especially the traumatic and oppressive one, can construct someone's

identity. He provides evidence that Eddie and Thomas, who have experienced the

traumatic event and oppression from others in their life, conceal their inner self.

They conduct themselves to behave in the different manner, such as stiff and

unsympathetic, so that nobody will hurt them anymore.

McDowell‟s evidence above shows the different characters between Portia and the social hypocrite. From McDowell‟s previous argument, this study argues

22

Alfred McDowell. “The Death of the Heart" and the Human Dilemma”. Modern Language

Studies 8.2 (Spring, 1978): p. 5. JSTOR. Web. 7 Apr. 2015

23

that the lack of experience and knowledge of social life shapes Portia‟s innocence, kindness, and self-freedom. From this condition, this study concludes that

mother-daughter‟s unity restrains the mother-daughter‟s chance to acknowledge her social world, to be acquainted with others, and to recognize people‟s cunning.

The previous related studies help this study underline the negative effect

of mother-daughter's bond relationship. It shows how the mother should be

blamed for the daughter's immaturity and innocence. Therefore, this study takes

slightly different analysis in discussing the problem of mother-daughter‟s relationship. Starting from the critiques of Warren, Corcoran, Seward, and

McDowell, this study will examine a motive or reason behind the mothering

process. This study sees Irene's protective character to Portia as the consequence

of her traumatic experience of being psychologically oppressed by her relatives

and husband; especially when she must take full responsibility for her daughter‟s nurturance and life. Living with the system of patriarchal mothering, where the

mother becomes primary nurturer from her daughter, will construct

mother-daughter‟s bond and unity.

Moreover, the experience of being oppressed by other people will tighten

the bond. There is the attempt from the mother to avoid and protect her daughter

from the repetition of the oppressive situation. From this explanation, this study

argues that women's oppression experienced by a mother is the significant reason

behind the imposition of her desire to the daughter. It is to underline that the

mother should not be completely blamed for the construction of her daughter‟s immaturity. It is the impact of patriarchal culture, especially the patriarchal

motherhood, which has set women‟s position as the obedient and subdued being toward men‟s demand and order. Thus for the reason, this study will analyze more about the effect of patriarchal motherhood toward the emergence of

mother-daughter‟s bond relationship which later affects the self-development of the daughter.

2.1.2 A Shift to Symbolic Father and Its Negative Effect for Portia’s Self -Freedom

In this second part of related studies, there are three critics, David Daiches,

Alfred McDowell, and Bettany Chaffin who represent argument about the

negativity of symbolic realm or social life. These studies focus on Portia‟s life after her mother‟s death. During the process of socialization with other, there are many problems encountered by the innocent Portia. David Daiches describes

Bowen's characters as the figure who are betrayed by their sensibilities, by their

personality as human beings.24 Daiches‟ opinion leads this study to analyze the notion of ego-ideal. It is explained by Anthony Easthope that ego-ideal is a

self-desire that leads a subject to believe in her own fantasies, own importance, and

her imagined control of the world around her.25 This ego-ideal reveals a view that

a daughter‟s fantasies about her self-ability to control all things make her have mercy and sensibilities toward others‟ weakness and mistake. She also considers others as the good-hearted one. This is dangerous for the daughter‟s self because it makes her become a submissive figure to others' demand in social life.

24

David Daiches. “The Novels of Elizabeth Bowen”. The English Journal 38.6 (Jun., 1949): p.

311. JSTOR. Web 15 Apr. 2015

25

Besides that, this novel also challenges the failure of the symbolic father in

preserving Portia's autonomy. McDowell's study represents symbolic father as the

lacking subject that cannot materialize Portia's needs for maternal attachment and

cannot provide self-autonomy for her. He argues that the failure in finding a

satisfying relationship with the other people is caused by the sense of emptiness

from the discontinuity to meaningful past. 26 McDowell examines social condition

which has lost its significant tradition and constructed competitiveness between

people. This study takes this argument to build more analysis to the negative side

of symbolic father that maintains Portia's retreat.

In addition, McDowell also criticizes the bad social condition found in the

novel. He states that modern society is a community that offers no accepted

moral, so it makes people difficult to recognize the structure of tradition in living

their life.27 Looking back to Bowen‟s depiction of Portia‟s selfish relatives, those people reflect the figure of modern society; cold and selfish persons. McDowell‟s argument helps this study to note the degeneration of morality from modern

society.

In detail, McDowell states the degeneration of modern society as follows:

"Society" in this novel, then, is London commercial society, composed of dull, exhausted, and insecure people who share only competitiveness and hold no other values in common, people who feel no connection with each other or with a significant past...28

The argument maintains the negativity of society that cannot build a connection or

familial bonding with Portia. Society is seen as a lacking subject that cannot

26

McDowell, p. 6

27

McDowell, p. 11

28

provide the model of nurturance and love needed by Portia. The dull condition of

a modern family is also analyzed by Bettany Chaffin. She argues that London

home, Portia's new place, becomes a cage to Portia where she has no privacy for

her life. 29 She directs her argument to explain that Portia finds an uncomfortable

situation in Thomas' house because she loses her chance to express her feeling and

manner. Luce Irigaray states that women remain "homeless" in the symbolic

order.30 It underlines the failure of the symbolic father to provide enough

nurturance and autonomy for the daughter.

The previous three critics help this study analyze more about the failure of

the symbolic father to provide self-freedom and nurturance for the daughter. It is

to argue that the daughter's desire for maternal attachment cannot be cut off.

Further, it gives space to this study to analyze more about the social construction

of womanhood done by the symbolic father. The three critics have not focused

their argument on the role of the symbolic father in imposing feminine gender

identity to Portia. It is found in this novel that society imposes feminine gender

model to Portia in order to make her being accepted in social life. This imposition

of feminine gender model will construct feminine gender identity and will put the

daughter into the second class or submissive position under the social order or

patriarchal culture.

29

Bethany Chafin. Created Spaces: Domestic Myth-Making In The Novels Of Elizabeth Bowen.Dissertation: Wake Forest University Graduate School Of Arts And Sciences (2011): p. 29.

wakespace.lib.wfu.edu. Web. 6 April. 2015

30

2.1.3 The Role of Substituted Mother

As the solution for Portia‟s problem, Neil Corcoran has proposed the notion of substituted mother which will help Portia to get back to the sense of

maternal attachment. Neil Corcoran analyzes the figure of Matchett, a servant,

who helps Portia to return to her repressed desire, which is the maternal

attachment. Corcoran mentions Matchett as the conceivable substituted mother for

Portia because of her relationship to the domestic sphere and her solid feeling.31

He explains that Matchett's experience and knowledge about the Quayne's family

and also her nurturance make her as the object of Portia's desire. Meanwhile,

instead of explaining Portia's freedom from the social construction of

womanhood, Corcoran's argument constitutes a notion about the emergence of

imaginary unity between Portia and Matchett. Corcoran's point of view recounts

the notion of imaginary unity where Portia will be trapped into unity and

dependence on maternal forms provided by Matchett. It reveals the reproduction

of primary identification with the mother which restrains Portia's ability to

construct her self-identity.

Starting from Corcoran's concept of a female bond between Portia and

Matchett, it gives new light in seeing deeply that the return to maternal attachment

is seen as means of female domination to other women's identity. Experience and

knowledge from other women become their power in controlling other women's

life. Thus, to help Portia's escape from the oppression of identity both from

symbolic father and dependency to other women, this study proposes the notion of

31

inter-subjective dialogue as a means for reconstructing Portia's identity.

Inter-subjective dialogue, which involves critiques and sheer disruption, differentiates

the concept of sisterhood with the old concept of feminism. The old feminism

emphasizes that women must love one another unconditionally, avoid conflict and

minimize the disagreement. This concept will not be effective to give

self-freedom for Portia because it can raise the new issue of Portia's dependency and

unity with other women. So, to make Portia aware of her own self-conviction and

freedom, constructive critiques and sheer disruption must be evoked.

To sum up, the previous studies have focused the analysis on Portia‟s immaturity and her inability to socialize herself with society. Warren, McDowell,

Seward, and Corcoran focus their argument on the portrayal of innocent Portia

and sentimental mother. Meanwhile, there is one issue that differentiates this

study from those studies. This study observes the reason for being the sentimental

mother itself. This study proposes the notion of patriarchal motherhood to give a

view about how mother-daughter‟s unity is formed and how it affects the formation of Portia‟s characters. Patriarchal motherhood is seen as the oppressive act for women or mothers since they are positioned in private sphere and as the

primary caregiver for their daughter. Oppression to mother‟s identity constructs mother-daughter‟s symbiotic relation. This issue of patriarchal motherhood will help the reader to understand more about the negativity of patriarchy that basically

constructs the formation of gender identity, both for the mother and her daughter.

Further, the impact of symbolic law toward the social construction of

McDowell, and Chaffin help this study to subvert the role of symbolic law as the

fulfillment for Portia's identity. This study challenges the role of the symbolic

father which is regarded as the complement figure for the daughter's identity.

Shifting her love to the symbolic father in order to get knowledge about social life

actually harms the development of Portia's self-identity. The imposition of

feminine gender identity constructs a figure of submissive and obedient women

under men's order. Moreover, the symbolic father that forbids pleasure or

re-attachment to maternal forms becomes the main reason for Portia's retreat.

Female's self which is defined based on mutual and reciprocal relation demands a

response from the other, whether it is through care, love, and attention. Since

those things are not preserved by the symbolic father or society, thus refusal or

rejection to social order comes to the surface.

Thus, to elaborate more about the notion of female subjectivity, this study

focuses the analysis on the notion of female bond or sisterhood. Through

constructive critique and sheer disruption, Portia can get her autonomy. She no

longer becomes the silent subject who is oppressed by society but she finally

appears as the one who resists the social construction of womanhood and

establishes her self-freedom.

2.2 Review of Related Theories

In The Death of the Heart, the significant issue represented by Bowen is

the social construction of womanhood. This novel highlights the failure of Portia's

self-identification to mother and symbolic father. This following sub-chapter will

construction of womanhood and resistance toward it. The first theory deliberates

the issue of patriarchal motherhood which is seen as an oppressive act for a

mother. Patriarchal motherhood exposes the notion of mother-daughter's unity as

the consequence for mother's primary role in childrearing practice. This theory

discusses the effect of mother-daughter's unity to the daughter's self-development.

The second theory represents the feminine identification in symbolic law.

This theory will elaborate the problem of mother-daughter's separation which

evokes the emergence of ego and encourages the daughter's movement to the

symbolic father. Ego makes the daughter aware of her lacking identity, and it

initiates her desire to complete her lacking self through establishing a relationship

with other people. In a relationship with other people, the daughter must join

father's language, the universal one, which represents the law of culture. As the

consequence of the daughter's shift or movement to the symbolic father, she

becomes the object of the social construction of womanhood. Symbolic father

imposes feminine identification to her so that she will be accepted in society as a

mature woman.

Meanwhile, symbolic father forbids re-attachment to maternal form so that

the daughter can repress her immature and childish character. Therefore, since the

original desire of the daughter is the mother‟s love, thus the forbidden re -attachment constructs symbolic father as the lacking subject for the daughter.

Thus to challenge patriarchal motherhood and symbolic father, this study

proposes the third theory about sisterhood. There are two main ideas represented

and sisterhood as the reconstruction of Portia's identity. Sisterhood evokes a

self-autonomy through inter-subjective dialogue between women. The inter-subjective

dialogue in sisterhood subverts the repetition of imaginary unity and dependency

between women and helps the daughter to construct her self-identity without

adhering to certain feminine rules or model.

2.2.1 Patriarchal Motherhood

According to Kate Millet, patriarchy refers to the male domination of

women, whether it is of sex or age.32 In other sides, motherhood is the patriarchal

institution of motherhood that is male-defined and controlled.33 From these two

definitions, patriarchal motherhood is seen as an oppressive institution from male

toward female's identity, especially as the mother. Under the notion of patriarchal

motherhood, the mothering process is centered on a mother. There is an

expectation from society toward the mother's role in childrearing practice, in

which the mother is responsible for the process of her children's

self-transformation or self-development.34 For the social demand of women's primary

nurturer, it can construct the symbiotic relationship between the mother and

daughter and make them fall into imaginary unity. The following part discusses

the construction of mother-daughter's symbiotic relationship and its effect toward

the daughter's self-development.

32

Mary Murray. The Law of the Father? Patriarchy in the transition from feudalism to capitalism.

(NY: Routledge, 1995), p. 7

33_{O‟ Reilly}

, p. 3

34_{O‟ Reilly}

2.2.1.1 Mother-daughter’s Symbiotic Relationship

In this part of the theory‟s analysis, it represents the oppressive act from patriarchy toward the women‟s identity as a mother. Mother- daughter‟s symbiotic relationship is constructed by the bond or intimate relation between the

mother and her daughter during childrearing practice. Patriarchal motherhood has

placed women in private sphere and made them as the primary caregiver for her

children. Patriarchal motherhood becomes the oppressive system that constrains

and dominates women, especially in their mothering. In patriarchal mothering,

society neglects the real isolation experienced by mothers.35 Mother has been

dictated to provide nurturance under cultural perspective, under all of the cultural

regulations that demand a mother to love her children in a special way and to

spend her times for nurturing them.

It is true that a child needs love and care, but patriarchal culture demands a

mother to be the main subject who will provide love and care alone, without other

people‟s help. A man is not supposed to be involved in childrearing practice since man functions as the breadwinner in a family. For this regulation of woman‟s task in a family, a mother remains subordinate to her husband. Mother is demanded to

be the one who has to take care of family life, especially for the children.36 For

this main task, mother abdicates her life not only for the children but also for her

husband. She must also be the executor for her husband's rule in a family. As the

consequence for this patriarchal motherhood, the daughter is raised in a sexist

35_{O‟ Reilly}

, p. 6

36 _{Danijela Majstorović}

and Inger Lassen. Living with Patriarchy: Discursive constructions of

gendered subjects across cultures. (ed.). (Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2011), p. 85

environment where men still hold the primary authority and responsibility for

making a decision, and women become a silent subject. It is to emphasize that the

limitation toward mother's role in family reveals the power of patriarchy that

subjugates women's identity in the private sphere of a family only.

When the mother is isolated from social life, she loses her chance to share

childrearing practice with other relatives and to socialize herself in a social world.

In this case, patriarchy subjugates mother's identity as the passive figure.

According to O' Reilly, the patriarchal ideology of motherhood requires the

repression or denial of the mother‟s own selfhood.37 She notes how patriarchy assigns mothers all the responsibility for mothering but denies the mother‟s authority to determine her own mothering. The limitation of the mother‟s freedom influences mother‟s psychological development, and it will affect her feeling as a mother and a woman.38 This argument affirms that patriarchal motherhood affects

the type of mothering provided by the mother. Close relation with the daughter

makes the mother build strong emotional tie

The strong emotional tie will construct mother's fear of leaving out

symbiotic relationship with her daughter. It is to argue that the mother keeps her

daughter by her sides and protects her daughter from social oppression. Moreover,

knowing the difficulties of being female in the patriarchal world makes mother

37

O‟ Reilly, p. 10

38

Jane Flax. “The Conflict between Nurturance and Autonomy in Mother-Daughter Relationships

and within Feminism”. Feminist Studies 4.2 Toward a Feminist Theory of Motherhood

have different hope for her daughter's identity, which is for being a „male'.39 This

argument clarifies mother's fear of letting her daughter out of her nurturance.

As the daughter is not a male, the mother attempts to protect her daughter

from the oppression of patriarchy by constructing a strong relationship with her

daughter. Jane Flax states that a mother will have difficulty in separating herself

with the daughter and keeping the daughter in the symbiotic relation with her

since she has experienced the difficulty of being an oppressive woman in the

patriarchal culture.40 This situation stimulates conflict in which the mother

becomes so protective of her daughter's life and limits the development of her

daughter's identity by not allowing her to experience socialization process with

other people.

Further, Jane Flax states that the unity with the mother makes the daughter

act out the conflicts that the mother experiences unconsciously. She analyzes that

the mother who has experienced the difficulty to live under man‟s authority may wish for independent life. 41 From Flax‟s argument, it can be inferred that the conflict experienced by the mother becomes the reason for the restraining of the

daughter‟s socialization process.

The limitation toward the development of the daughter‟s identity constructs symbiotic relation with mother's figure. Mother-daughter's symbiotic

relation is experienced by the daughter as a unity where she takes mother's

39

Flax, p. 6

40

Flax, p. 176

41

identity and desires as hers.42 The daughter sees herself belong to her mother and

her mother belongs to her. Unity with her daughter makes the mother become the

first responder to the daughter's needs. Jasmine Lee Cori explains mother's role as

the one who helps the daughter create comfortable territory by showing up the

positive emotion and cheerfulness to her.43 From Cori's explanation, it can be

concluded that unity with the mother produces pleasure. It helps the daughter to

be confident and proud of herself. A mother who always gives support to the

daughter will construct the daughter's self-respect.44 It is to note that the daughter

accepts herself as the free self that only desires pleasure and mother‟s love.

However, it is important to highlight that a mother and her daughter must

build a secure attachment between them. According to Cori, secure attachment is

needed by the daughter to construct herself as a competent, strong, valuable, and

lovable person.45 While the relationship becomes insecure, the daughter becomes

incompetence and dependent to the mother. It is argued by Cori that mother‟s absence can interrupt the self-development that makes the daughter unable to live

independently.46 It occurs because of the daughter's inability and inexperience to

live separately from the mother. Cori also notes that the insecure attachment

produces the emotional gap that constructs barrier for the daughter to socialize

herself with other people.47 Lost sense of mother's love and attention creates a

42

Ellie Ragland-Sullivan. “Jacques Lacan: Feminism and the Problem of Gender Identity”.

SubStance 11.3 Issue 36 (1982): p. 9. JSTOR. Web. 20 Nov. 2015

43

Cori, p. 31

44

Cori, p. 33

45

Cori, p. 41

46

Cori, p. 41

47

frustrating condition for the daughter which makes her unable to build a

relationship with others.

Earlier separation with a mother also makes the daughter lose the first

educator that should teach her knowledge of life and introduce her to the social

realm. Mother is a teacher who guides the daughter to get success in life. Mother‟s role as the educator for the daughter is explained by Cori as follows:

Here Mother is a teacher not simply of some isolated subject but of a much bigger curriculum. She orients the child to live and to successfully living in the world. She teaches her child how to get along with others, how to make good decisions, and how to manage time, meet responsibilities, and pursue goals. Mother is in this sense the first "life skills coach."…48

From the argument, it can be argued that mother should provide enough

knowledge about life's condition and situation. She is also supposed to support the

daughter to move forward, to socialize with other people and be involved in the

social world. In other words, mother‟s role is to help the daughter completing her lacking subjectivity, from being an innocent one into a knowledgeable and

experienced figure.

About the notion of the lacking subject, Mikkel Borch- Jacobsen and

Douglas Brick argue that a girl‟s first identification is virile or male. They submit that a girl should pass through the castration complex and penis envy to achieve

her femininity or to be the complete subjectivity.49 This metaphorical masculinity

reflects the daughter‟s inexperience and unawareness toward her feminine gender

48

Cori, p. 36

49

identity. Further, the construction of the daughter‟s identity through unity with the mother is explained by Julia Kristeva as follows:

By giving birth, the women enter into contact with her mother; she becomes, she is her own mother; they are the same continuity differentiating itself. She thus actualizes the homosexual facet of motherhood, through which a woman is simultaneously closer to her instinctual memory, more open to her psychosis, and consequently, more negatory of the social, symbolic bond.50

Unity with the mother creates the inheritance of mother's attributes. The daughter

also becomes the reflection of her mother's figure. The daughter is dependent on

her instinct because she has not been prepared yet to believe in her own ability.

Symbiotic relation with mother limits the daughter's chance to recognize her

self-reflection, to be aware of her self-identity and ability. It makes her unable to

negotiate or adapt herself to new surrounding and new people.

Metaphorical masculine identification represented by Jacobsen, Brick, and

Kristeva above indicates a formation of unfeminine identity for the daughter. It is

stated before by Jacobsen and Brick that in order to recognize her femininity, the

daughter is supposed to separate herself from relation to the same sex parent

(mother) and shift her relation to the father. Richard A. Lippa proposes that

femininity usually deals with emotional sensitivity; artistic sensibility; a focus on

manners; a tendency to timidity and non-aggressiveness; a nurturant, attached

orientation to others; and sexual attraction to men.51 This is an essentialist view of

femininity that should be possessed by a woman in society. A daughter is

supposed to learn those feminine gender models in order to be recognized as a

50

Judith Butler. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. (NY & London:

Routledge, 2010), p. 114

51

mature woman and be accepted as the part of society. For that reason, the

daughter should shift her love to the father who has a role as a representative of

the laws of culture.52

To conclude, mother-daughter's symbiotic relation is constructed by the

patriarchal culture that constitutes mother's role as the primary nurturer for her

daughter. Patriarchal mothering allows the construction of the emotional bond

between the mother and her daughter. Moreover, the mother's experience of being

an oppressed woman by others and society will also affect the patriarchal

mothering. The emotional bond with the daughter encourages the mother to

protect her from the repetition of the oppressive situation. As the consequence,

they fall into imaginary unity and symbiotic relation. Patriarchal mothering builds

dependency between the mother and her daughter and gives less chance for the

daughter to leave symbiotic orbit with the mother and join social life. Since the

daughter becomes the lacking subject for social life under the self-identification of

mother's figure, a shift to symbolic father must be made. Symbolic father is

regarded as the source for knowledge and experience of social life; the help for

the daughter to leave her innocence and immaturity.

2.2.2 Feminine Identification in Symbolic Law

This part of discussion explains the daughter‟s shift to the father‟s side and the effect of the shift toward the development of her identity. It has been

explained in the previous sub-chapter that self-identification to mother‟s figure cannot construct a complete self-identity for the daughter. The daughter is unable

52

Jane Flax. Thinking Fragments Psychoanalysis, Feminism, and Postmodernism in the

to separate herself from mother‟s love. As the impact of the patriarchal culture that oppresses mother‟s freedom, who restrains her daughter‟s socialization process with others, will interrupt her daughter‟s self-development. It constructs the daughter‟s identity as a passive, dependent and immature figure. Thus to help the daughter develop herself in the social relationship with others, the daughter is

supposed to leave maternal attachment and shift her desire to the symbolic father.

In symbolic realm, there is the symbolic order which is constructed by

paternal law, and it regulates social action in a community.53 The symbolic order

also has the elements which are regulated in language.54 Related to the function of

the symbolic order in regulating social action, Lacan states that subject is an effect

of a language and subject comes into being in the symbolic order of language.55

From Lacan‟s statement, this study notes that a shift to the symbolic realm can construct certain gender identity for the human being. It is to argue that the

daughter's shift to symbolic father leads her to the imposition of symbolic order or

social regulation to her self-identity. The daughter will be trapped into the

construction of gender subjectivity; especially to become a feminine subject.

In this following discussion, the process of feminine identification in

symbolic law will be discussed deeply. It will be divided into two processes; the

construction of ego, symbolic stage and the development of ego-ideal. These two

processes lead the daughter to the recognition of symbolic order and to the

imposition of feminine gender identity to her.

53

Campbell, p. 44

54

Campbell, p.44

55

2.2.2.1 The Construction of Ego

In the process of feminine identification, there are two phases that must be

passed by the daughter; mirror stage and symbolic stage. It is explained in the

previous sub-chapter that in the first identification with her mother, a daughter

sees herself as the equal subject with the mother (mirror stage). According to

Lacan, mirror stage is the phase in which individuals seek out smooth and

consistent reflections of themselves. Regarding the mother‟s reflection as hers, it gives her an imaginary unity with the mother. Nancy Welch states that mirror

stage gives a gratification, sense of shape and wholeness.56 Having the same

opinion with Welch, Mari Jo Buhle affirms mirror stage as strong construction for

mother-daughter unity. Using Lacan‟s view of mirror stage as the realm of imaginary, Buhle argues that the image of the self, as reflected in the mirror, is a

distortion and misrecognition that does not allow the complete separation between

the subjects.57 Distortion of the image produces no difference between the

daughter‟s image and her mother. They fall into imaginary unity. From Welch and Buhle‟s point of view, it can be concluded that equal reflection between the mother and her daughter makes no clear boundaries between the reflection of the

mother and her daughter. It is to claim that mother inhabits her daughter‟s life physically and emotionally, provides nurturance and pleasure for her daughter.

Meanwhile, separation from the mother cannot be avoided, for instance by

death. In the process of separation from mother‟s figure, the daughter will be

56

Nancy Welch.” Playing with Reality: Writing Centers after the Mirror Stage”. College

Composition and Communication 51.1 (Sep., 1999): p. 52. JSTOR. Web. 20 Nov. 2015

57

Mari Jo Buhle. Feminism and Its Discontents: A Century of Struggle with Psychoanalysis.

to trust the others and consider them as the one who can preserve love and attention for her. This study finds that ego-ideal is actually dangerous for the development of Portia's self-freedom because it allows others to impose the symbolic law to her identity.

It is found in this novel that symbolic father or society justifies gender differences and roles which lead to different treatments for male and female. In her life with society, Portia has to follow some feminine rules which are supposed to determine her maturity and acceptance as the part of society. Even though the shift to symbolic father helps Portia get knowledge and experience of social life, it actually limits her self-freedom and constructs feminine gender identity for her. It is also found that the reattachment to maternal forms is forbidden during the social life. The inability of others to create familial bonding and provide nurturance makes Portia lose desire toward her relation to them. The inability of the symbolic father to fulfill Portia‟s desire for maternal attachment evokes the retreat toward social construction of womanhood. This study clarifies that symbolic father is no longer effective to save Portia from her lacking identity because it cannot serve Portia‟s original desire; a desire for mother‟s love and attention.

As the liberation from imaginary unity with the mother and the social construction of womanhood from the symbolic father, this study has analyzed the notion of sisterhood. In the beginning, Bowen represents the role of female friends in her novel as the substituted mother for Portia. The female friends are able to serve Portia‟s desire for mother‟s love and attention. Meanwhile, Portia‟s return to

maternal attachment through female friendship is found as the transition toward her self-independency. Experience and knowledge from the substituted mother allow them to be the powerful subject that can control and decide Portia‟s action. This study finally maintains that the role of female friendship as the substituted mother fails to maintain Portia's self-freedom because it reconstructs imaginary unity among women.

Since female friendship gives advantage only to certain knowledgeable women, Portia needs another model of help from female friends in order to stimulate the awareness of the oppression of identity. To assist the emergence of Portia's awareness toward the oppression, there must be an inter-subjective dialogue between women. Inter-subjective dialogue, which focuses on sheer disruption and constructive critiques, represent a challenge toward the old feminism concept which emphasizes that women must love one another unconditionally, avoid conflict and minimize the disagreement.131 Subverting the old feminism concept, disruption and critiques may evoke conflict and disagreement. Therefore, the conflict and disagreement trigger the emergence of Portia's awareness of her lacking identity. Through critiques, the passivity which always relates to woman's identity can be subverted. It is finally proven by Portia that by being aware of her subjugated life, she starts resisting the oppressive order from others and she is able to speak of her mind and argument toward others.

Overall, this study concludes that gender identity is actually a result of social construction. Self-identification to mother and symbolic father leads the formation

of feminine gender identity that restrains the development of Portia's self-identity and freedom. However, by escaping from the symbolic father and returning to maternal attachment do not solve the problem of oppression. Although Portia's pleasure can be fulfilled by female friends (substituted mother), she cannot maintain her self-identity because of her dependency toward others' nurturance. Portia's journey toward liberation is best understood using psychoanalytic feminist theory, which mainly focuses on sisterhood. Psychoanalytic feminism which focuses the analysis toward the individual female consciousness helps to reveal separation from the symbolic father and imaginary unity with the mother as liberation for self-identity. Through sisterhood that evokes critiques and disruption, women can be aware of social oppression. It later helps them resist the formation of feminine gender identity and constructs their identity as the woman who has self-freedom to control and manage their life.

For a future research, this novel leaves a room to analyze other women's characters that show their resistance toward social construction of womanhood. Daphne and Matchett can be the object of analysis to represent woman's identity as the independent, brave, and autonomous figure. Especially for Matchett, a future study of woman's resistance toward class inequality can be conducted.

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