FIRDAUS’ SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM AS PORTRAYED IN NAWAL EL-SAADAWI’S WOMAN AT POINT ZERO A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

  FIRDAUS’ SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM AS PORTRAYED IN NAWAL EL-SAADAWI’S WOMAN AT POINT ZERO A Thesis

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements Sarjana Pendidikan Degree to Obtain the in English Language Education By RATNA JUWITA SHEINA PUTRI Student Number: 06 1214 140 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

  FIRDAUS’ SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM AS PORTRAYED IN NAWAL EL-SAADAWI’S WOMAN AT POINT ZERO A Thesis

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements Sarjana Pendidikan Degree to Obtain the in English Language Education By RATNA JUWITA SHEINA PUTRI Student Number: 06 1214 140 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

  

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

  I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.

  Yogyakarta, August 24, 2011 The Writer

  Ratna Juwita Sheina Putri 061214140

  

LEMBAR PERYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH

UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

  Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Ratna Juwita Sheina Putri Nomor Mahasiswa : 061214140 Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

  

FIRDAUS’ SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM AS PORTRAYED IN NAWAL

EL-SAADAWI’S WOMAN AT POINT ZERO

  Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikannya secara terbatas, memplubikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis. Demikian surat pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

  Dibuat di Yogyakarta, Pada tanggal: 24 Agustus 2011 Yang menyatakan, (Ratna Juwita Sheina Putri)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

  

DON’T  QUIT 

 

When  things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 

When  the road you’re trudging seems all up hill, 

  

When  the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And  you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 

When  care is pressing you down a bit, 

Rest,  if you must ‐‐‐ but don’t you quit 

  

 

Life  is queer with its twists and turns, 

As  every one of us sometimes learns, 

And  many a failure turns about 

  

When  he might have won had he stuck it out, 

Don’t  give up, though the pace seems slow ‐‐‐ 

You  might succeed with another blow. 

 

  

Often  goal is nearer than 

It  seems to a faint and faltering man, 

Often  the struggler has given up 

When  he might have captured the victor’s cup. 

  

And  he learned too late, 

When  the night slipped down, 

How  close he was to the golden crown. 

 

  

Success  is failure turned inside out ‐‐‐ 

The  silver tint of the clouds of doubt ‐‐‐ 

And  you never can tell how close you are, 

It  may be near when it seems afar, 

  

So  stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit ‐‐‐ 

It’s  when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit 

Author  Unknown 

  

 

 

 

 

 

I  dedicate this thesis to my beloved family, my best man and also my brothers 

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I praise Allah, the supreme being of all, for all of His Love and Blessing. I thank Allah for staying by my side, protecting me in any situation I have encountered in my life, listening to my prays, and guiding me in my study so that I was finally able to finish this thesis.

  I would like to express my deepest gratitute to Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y., M.Hum., who has guided me patiently in the process of writing this thesis. I thank him for his patience, advices, and time for consultation on this thesis until it was done. My gratitude also goes to Sanata Dharma University that has given me a place and facilities to study. It also goes to all my lecturers and secretary staffs of PBI study program who have devoted themselves to help me during my study in Sanata Dharma University.

  With greatest gratitude, I thank my beloved family. It is for my wonderful father and mother, Sumardi Seno, Sm.Hk. and Dra. Suciningrum. I thank them for their love, attentions, prayers, supports, and efforts to make me educated. It is also for my beloved brothers and sisters Surya, Burhan, Windu, and Ririn for their encouragements and helps in my study.

  My special thanks go to my best man Gilang Mahardhika for being the best man of everything. I also want to praise my friends in PBI study program; Yoana, Indi, Nana, Satrio, Wiwit, and Ichaq who have been so kind to me and provided me with supports and prayers. Last but not least, I would like to thank all people that I cannot mention one by one, who have given me supports and helps in finishing my thesis. May God bless them all.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ....................................................................................................... i

PAGE OF APPROVAL ....................................................................................... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .................................................. iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ................................ v

PAGE OF DEDICATION .................................................................................... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... viii

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xii

ABSTRAK .............................................................................................................. xiii

  

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1

  1.1 Background of the Study .......................................................................... 1

  1.2 Problem Formulation .............................................................................. 4

  1.3 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................ 5

  1.4 Benefits of the Study ................................................................................ 5

  1.5 Definition of Terms .................................................................................. 5

  1.5.1 Freedom ......................................................................................... 6

  1.5.2 Egypt .............................................................................................. 6

  1.5.3 Society ............................................................................................ 6

  1.5.4 Women’s Right .............................................................................. 6

  1.5.5 Koran .............................................................................................. 7

  1.5.6 Islamic Law .................................................................................... 7

  2.3.3.1 Egyptian Higher and Middle Classes .............................. 19

  2.3.4.1.4 Egyptian Women and Law ........................... 27

  2.3.4.1.3 Egyptian Women and Politics ...................... 27

  2.3.4.1.3 Egyptian Women and the Work Place .......... 26

  2.3.4.1.2 Egyptian Women and Education .................. 26

  2.3.4.1.1 Egyptian Women and Family ....................... 25

  2.3.4.1 Women’s Position in Egyptian Society ......................... 22

  2.3.4 Egyptian Women in the Twentieth Century .................................. 22

  2.3.3.3 Egyptian Children ........................................................... 21

  2.3.3.2 Egyptian Lower Classes .................................................. 20

  2.3.3 Egyptian Social Classes ................................................................ 18

  1.5.7 Motivation ...................................................................................... 7

  2.3.2 Egyptian Laws ................................................................................ 17

  2.3.1 The Twentieth Century Egyptian Society ..................................... 15

  2.3 Historical Background ............................................................................. 15

  2.2.3 Freedom ......................................................................................... 14

  2.2.2 Motivation ...................................................................................... 12

  2.2.1 Critical Approach .......................................................................... 11

  2.2 Theoretical Review .................................................................................. 11

  2.1 Review of Related Studies ....................................................................... 8

  

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ............................... 8

  2.3.4.1.5 Egyptian Women and Health ........................ 30

  

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................... 32

  3.1 Object of the Study .................................................................................. 32

  3.2 Approach of the Study ............................................................................. 33

  3.3 Method of the Study ................................................................................. 33

  

CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS ................................................................................. 35

  4.1 The Condition of Egyptian Society as Portrayed in the Novel ............... 35

  4.1.1 Patriarchal Society ...................................................................... 35

  4.1.2 Egyptian Social Strata ................................................................. 37

  4.2 Society’s Treatments toward Women as Portrayed by the Character Firdaus in the Novel .....................................................................................

  41

  4.2.1 As a Daughter .............................................................................. 41

  4.2.2 As a Wife .................................................................................... 46

  4.2.3 As a Female Employee ............................................................... 47

  4.2.4 As a Female Prostitute ................................................................ 50

  4.3 Firdaus’ Searching for Freedom ............................................................. 54

  4.3.1 The Causes of Firdaus’ Searching for Freedom .......................... 54

  4.3.1.1 The Men’s Domination in Firdaus’ Society ................... 55

  4.3.1.2 The Society’s Bad Treatments toward Women ............. 56

  4.3.1.3 Firdaus’ Apathy of Love ................................................ 58

  4.3.1.4 Firdaus’ Hatred toward Men ........................................... 60

  4.3.1.5 Firdaus’ Need of Freedom ............................................. 63

  4.3.2 Firdaus’ Ways in Searching for Freedom ................................... 63

  4.3.2.2 Killing Her Pimp ............................................................ 66

  4.3.2.3 Accepting the Death Sentence ....................................... 69

  

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ................................. 71

  5.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................ 71

  5.2 Suggestions ............................................................................................. 74

  5.2.1 Suggestions for Future Researchers ............................................ 74

  5.2.2 Suggestions for Teachers ............................................................ 74

  5.2.2.1 The Implementation of Teaching Basic Writing by Using

  Woman at Point Zero

  ................................................................. 74

  REFERENCES

  ................................................................................................... 77

  APPENDICES

  ...................................................................................................... -1- APPENDIX 1 Summary of the Novel .......................................................... -2- APPENDIX 2 Biography of Nawal El-Saadawi .......................................... -6- APPENDIX 3 Lesson Plan to Teach Basic Writing ..................................... -10- APPENDIX 4 Lesson Plan of Basic Writing ............................................... -13- APPENDIX 5 Teaching Material ................................................................. -16- APPENDIX 6 Pictures of Nawal El-Saadawi .............................................. -20-

  ABSTRACT Putri, Ratna Juwita Sheina (2011): Firdaus’ Searching for Freedom as Portrayed in Woman at Point Zero.

  

Nawal El-Saadawi’s Yogyakarta: Faculty of Teachers

  Training and Education, Department of Language and Arts Education, English Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

  The novel Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El-Saadawi tells about a woman named Firdaus. On her life, Firdaus is always put under men’s power around her. She has to be depended on men and has no freedom at all. Then, she struggles for freedom. At the end of the story, Firdaus is sentenced to death because she kills a pimp who tries to take over her life. She refuses to sign an appeal to the President that her sentence to death is commuted to imprisonment for life.

  This study aims to answer three problems. The first is to describe the society background in the novel. The second is to portray society’s treatments toward women in the novel. The third is to identify Firdaus’ motivations for struggling for her freedom.

  This thesis employed a library research where the information could be found from the books related to the topic. There were two kinds of sources. The primary source was the novel itself. The secondary sources were several books related to the theory of the literary term, the theory of motivation, the theory of freedom, and the historical background of the story.

  This thesis used the psychological and sociocultural-historical approaches to describe society background and society's treatments toward women in the novel, and to find out Firdaus' motivations for struggling for her freedom.

  The result of the study shows that Firdaus lives in a patriarchal society. In Firdaus’ society, there is a social classification that is very important for giving chance to power. Women are also always in men’s oppression. No matter her existence as a daughter, wife, female employee, or a female prostitute, as a woman Firdaus is controlled and put under men's domination. Her motivations for searching for freedom are caused by many reasons. The first reason is the strong domination of men on her society. The second reason is the society’s bad treatments toward women. The third reason is Firdaus' apathy of love. The fourth reason is Firdaus' hatred toward men. These reasons lead her into her need of freedom. For Firdaus, by having her freedom will fill her with a pride and make her superior over men. Firdaus' searching for freedom is shown in many ways. They are by becoming a prostitute, killing her pimp, and accepting the death sentence.

  

ABSTRAK

  Putri, Ratna Juwita Sheina (2011): Firdaus’ Searching for Freedom as Portrayed in Woman at Point Zero.

  

Nawal El-Saadawi’s Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan

  Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma. Novel Woman at Point Zero yang ditulis oleh Nawal El-Saadawi menceritakan tentang seorang perempuan bernama Firdaus. Sepanjang hidupnya, Firdaus selalu berada dibawah kekuasaan laki-laki di sekitarnya. Ia harus bergantung kepada laki- laki dan tidak memiliki kebebasan sama sekali. Oleh karena itu, ia berjuang untuk mendapatkan kebebasan. Di akhir cerita, Firdaus dihukum mati karena membunuh seorang mucikari yang mencoba mengambil alih hidupnya. Ia menolak menandatangani permohonan kepada Presiden agar hukumannya diringankan menjadi penjara seumur hidup.

  Skripsi ini bertujuan untuk menjawab tiga permasalahan. Pertama, untuk mengetahui latar belakang masyarakat di dalam novel. Kedua, untuk mengetahui perlakuan masyarakat terhadap perempuan di dalam novel. Dan ketiga, untuk mencari tahu apakah motivasi Firdaus dalam memperjuangkan kebebasannya.

  Skripsi ini menerapkan penelitian pustaka yang didapat dari buku-buku yang berhubungan dengan topik. Terdapat dua jenis sumber. Sumber utama adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber kedua adalah beberapa buku yang berhubungan dengan kesusastraan, motivasi, kebebasan dan sejarah budaya.

  Skripsi ini menerapkan pendekatan psikologis dan sosial-historis untuk mendeskripsikan latar belakang sosial dan perlakuan masyarakat terhadap perempuan di dalam novel, dan untuk mengetahui motivasi Firdaus dalam memperjuangkan kebebasannya.

  Hasil dari penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Firdaus hidup dalam masyarakat patriarki dimana perempuan tidak memiliki kebebasan karena mereka berada di posisi yang lebih rendah daripada laki-laki. Didalam masyarakat, terdapat kelas sosial yang menentukan kekuasaan seseorang. Perempuan juga selalu berada dalam tekanan laki- laki. Motivasi Firdaus dalam mencari kebebasan disebabkan oleh banyak alasan. Alasan pertama adalah dominasi laki-laki yang kuat di dalam masyarakat. Alasan kedua adalah perlakuan buruk masyarakat terhadap perempuan. Alasan ketiga adalah ketidakpercayaan Firdaus terhadap cinta. Alasan keempat adalah kebencian Firdaus terhadap lelaki. Alasan-alasan ini membuat kebutuhannya akan kebebasan muncul. Baginya, kebebasan akan membuatnya memiliki harga diri dan merasa lebih unggul dibandingkan lelaki. Pencarian kebebasan Firdaus ditunjukkan dalam berbagai cara. Cara-cara itu adalah dengan menjadi seorang pelacur, membunuh mucikarinya, dan menerima hukuman mati.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter presents background of the study. In brief, it is about women in Egypt as one of Islamic countries. It also covers problem formulation, objectives of

  the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The problem formulation is consisted of three questions to be analyzed in this thesis. The objectives of the study describe purposes of writing this thesis. Benefits of the study explain about what are the benefits of the study and who can get benefits from it. In the last part of this chapter, some explanations of some terms related to the study are presented to avoid misunderstanding.

1.1 Background of Study

  Egypt is one example of Islamic countries. The Arab invasion in Egypt in 639 introduced a new religion and a different language in Egypt, which were Islam and Arabic respectively. The impact of Islam and Arabic on the Egyptian society could not be underestimated. Within a period of five hundred years, Egypt became an Arabic speaking country. Further, by the ninth century Egypt became an Arab Muslim society. Egypt as a part of Islamic world used Islamic law to regulate the country. The Islamic law gave contributions to Egyptian thought, belief and tradition (Vatikiotis 25).

  Islam is a religion which speaks about equality. Azizah Y. Al-Hibri (51-52) in an Introduction to a Muslim Women's Rights states that equality in Islam comes Being and all human beings are creatures of God. Through the concept of Tawhid, it becomes clear that humans as God's creatures are all the same while the higher being upon all is God. Therefore, no man is superior by the nature of his gender alone. In fact, the most honored humans in the sight of God are those who are the most pious. Koran also states that male and female believers are each other's walis. The word walis refers to the protectors or guardians. It means that these two genders should protect or guard each other. Therefore, there is no reason for men to dominate women.

  Through these views of equality in Islam that are explained before, it is ironic that the discrimination of women in an Islamic country still exists. Although women in some countries have an equal position with men in society, in a certain Islamic country like Egypt, women are still considered to have a lower position than men. The patriarchal society in Egypt is very strong. Humm describes that patriarchal system is a system with male authority strongly dominates its social, political, and economic institution (408). Women are kept down in many aspects of their life. They have been shut at home, are not allowed to eat before their husbands are full and do not deserve to get a high level of education as what men can get. Qosim Amin, an Egyptian writer in describing Egyptian women says that from the time of her birth to the time of her death a woman is a slave because she does not live by or for herself. A woman lives through and for the man, and depends on him for all her needs (18).

  Yet, there is a woman named Firdaus, whose journey of life was written into a novel, entitled Woman at Point Zero written by Nawal El-Saadawi. Firdaus life is result, she has no power to have her freedom. So she searches for freedom to make her life better.

  Abraham Maslow (qtd in Petri 302-304) proposes a theory of human motivation called Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is portrayed as a pyramid consisting of five levels. They are physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, esteem needs, and self actualization. Human behaviours depend on their motivation. If a person fails to fulfil his or her needs, the needs will emerge and motivate him or her to fulfil his or her needs. As Firdaus fails to fulfill her needs of freedom, her motivation to get a freedom increases. To fulfill her freedom, she even ignores the power of a society toward its people. She refuses to conform society's expectation toward women and dares to break the society's rule regardless of what the consequences may be. Thus, these become the reasons for choosing Woman at

  Point Zero

  , a novel by an Egyptian writer, Nawal El-Saadawi and present the issue of her motivation in searching for freedom.

  A work of literature, like novel for example, can portray such issue described above. Literature is surely a device to learn about everything in our lives.

  Novel as a branch of literature invites people to read, to feel and then to be involved in it. Novel becomes something pleasant to be read because it represents the reality of life; or maybe not real but something in the author’s imagination in which the readers may have a wish to experience it. Sometimes when we read a novel we can feel some feeling which also appears in the story. Henkle says that in literature, we can find some aspects of life. They are values, emotions, the power of love, and so on. The work of literature is close to what people think, see, feel, and

  Nawal El-Saadawi’s famous novel, Woman at Point Zero reflects such realities. This book was published in 1983. In this novel, Saadawi portrays the main character as a female who struggles for her freedom and revolts against the society's rule. Woman at Point Zero tells about a woman named Firdaus. She is a woman who comes from a poor family who realizes that she is being differentiated from men. She struggles to get her freedom on many ways. She desires to get a high education and she becomes a prostitute to prove that she is independent and has a power over her own body. At the end of the story, Firdaus is sentenced to death because she kills a pimp who tries to take over her life. She refuses to sign an appeal to the President that her sentence to death is commuted to imprisonment for life.

  Woman at Point Zero

  , a novel by Nawal El-Saadawi, is one example of Egyptian novel which criticizes unfair treatments to women in Egypt. This novel tells about a women’s struggle in an Islamic country to get her freedom which she has never gotten. She fights against the society and the view that women’s position is lower than men. This is the voice of a woman in an Islamic country who asks for her right. This novel is ironic, very strong and gives an inspiration to the reader. The reader will feel sad, curious and proud at the same time. Because of the uniqueness of the novel, it is very interesting to discuss.

1.2 Problem Formulation

  The problem of the study of woman’s struggle for freedom in Egypt as portrayed by the character of Firdaus in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero will be formulated as follows:

  1. How is Egyptian society portrayed in the novel Woman at Point Zero?

  2. How does the society treat women as portrayed by the character of Firdaus in the novel?

  3. Why does Firdaus struggle to get her freedom?

  1.3 Objectives of the Study

  The purpose of the study is to know about women in Egypt as portrayed by Firdaus in the novel. By observing her life, we can know how the society treats women in Egypt and find out Firdaus’ motivation in getting her freedom.

  1.4 Benefits of the Study

  By analyzing the novel Woman at Point Zero, we will find out a woman searching for freedom in Egypt. The main character of the novel, Firdaus, revolts against the society to get her freedom that she has never had before. However, this study is not only important for women, but also for men. By reading this study, I hope the readers will see woman's freedom from a different angle and concern more to the issue of gender discrimination is such an Islamic country. Hopefully, this study will raise our awareness toward women's right and women's harrashment issues.

  1.5 Definition of Terms

  In this section, there are some definitions of terms provided in order to make the readers understand the content of the study better. Some of those terms are:

  1.5.1 Freedom According to Bay, freedom means self expressions. It refers to a person's capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express himself freely (15). In this study, freedom means Firdaus' capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express herself freely.

  In this study, freedom means a woman’s capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express herself freely from men’s power and domination.

  1.5.2 Egypt

  

Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language

  defines Egypt as a republic of North East Africa; 386,186 square miles, of which about 12,000 square miles are cultivated; capital, Cairo; divided into Lower Egypt, the Nile Delta, and Upper Egypt, the Nile Valley between a point of few miles south of Cairo and the Sudan (404). Egypt is the setting on where the story in the novel is located.

  1.5.3 Society Folliet defines society as a system, which are stable and organized of relations among people which share a common end view which are considered as good (6).

  1.5.4 Women's right Guenena and Wassef in their book Unfulfilled Promises: Women's Rights in

  

Egypt define women's right as the right of women that is equal toward men within

  (3).

  1.5.5 Koran

  Shorther Encyclopaedia of Islam defines Koran as the sacred book of the

  Muhammadans, contains the collected revelations of Muhammad in definite written form (273).

  1.5.6 Islamic Law

  The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World defines Islamic law

  (Shari'a) as a comprehensive law which combines a Muslim's duties to God and to society, incorporating regulations governing prayer and fasting as well as family, penal, and international law (245).

  1.5.7 Motivation Motivation drives human's behavior and action. According to Maslow, motivation is a concept that we use when we describe the forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and direct behavior (qtd in Petri 3). This means that motivation is a concept forces a person causing a goal directed behavior. Everyone has motivation inside their selves. This motivation enables a person to raise a power inside him. When he struggles to do or to get something, this motivation appears to help him and guide him to get the desired goal. Therefore, this study will reveal Firdaus' motivation in searching for freedom. The motivation upon her searching for freedom is going to be analyzed.

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter presents a review of related literature. The discussions are

  divided into four major parts, namely review of related studies, theoretical review, sociocultural and historical background, and theoretical framework. The previous study of Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero done by three researchers will be presented in the review of related studies. In the theoretical review, theory of critical approach, theory of motivation, and theory of freedom are reviewed. In the sociocultural and historical background, there is an explanation about Egypt which covers the twentieth century Egyptian society, Egyptian law and Egyptian social strata. The Egyptian women on the twentieth century will also be presented. The theoretical framework provides information about why and how those theories are applied.

2.1 Review of Related Studies

  There are some studies on Woman at Point Zero written by a famous Egyptian writer Nawal El-Saadawi. Some of them are Firdaus' Motivation in

  Becoming a Prostitute as Revealed in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero

  by Rigen Pratitisari (2001), Feminism as Reflected in Nawal El-Saadawi's Novel

  Woman at Point Zero

  by Yulia Ong (2004), and A Study of the Main Character's

  

Motivations for Accepting the Death Sentence in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at

Point Zero by Dewi Maharani Purba (2006).

  

Firdaus' Motivation in Becoming a Prostitute as Revealed in Nawal El-Saadawi's

Woman at Point Zero by Rigen Pratitisari (2001) analyzes a life of a female

  prostitute in a society dominated by men. It discusses two problems. They are how a society can give an enormous influence upon one's perspective and character and the reasons of a woman's decision to be a prostitute which actually against the society's norms. In this study, the psychological approach is used to analyze the reason upon Firdaus' decision in becoming a prostitute. It also employs sociocultural-historical approach to examine a society's contribution toward someone's life. The conclusion of the study is that a society can give a big contribution to its citizens because society can shape one's character. It also concludes that prostitution is viewed as the only way for women in patriarchal society to be free from men's domination. This study gives a contribution to the study. It gives a clear explanation about the men's domination toward women in Egypt as a patriarchal society. It also gives knowledge that society treatments toward women in Egypt drive the main character in the novel become a prostitute.

  A study entitles Feminism as Reflected in Nawal El-Saadawi's Novel

  Woman at Point Zero

  was done by Yulia Ong (2004) discusses two problems. The first problem is what Egyptian society's point of view toward women as reflected in the novel Woman at Point Zero. The second problem is what feminism reflected through Firdaus character in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero. This study applies sociocultural-historical approach and the theory of feminism to analyze these problems. This study shows that the feminism in the twentieth century of Egypt emerges through Firdaus in Nawal El-Saadawi's novel Woman at Point Zero. further, this concept of feminism can give knowledge about women's struggle against men's domination in Egypt at that time.

  The study by Dewi Maharani Purba entitles A study of the Main Character's

  

Motivations for Accepting the Death Sentence in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at

Point Zero (2006). This study embodies the emotional situation of Firdaus until she

  decides to refuse to live and accept the death sentence. It discusses three problems. The first problem is how Firdaus as the main character in the novel is described. The second problem is how the society is portrayed in the novel. The third problem is what motivates Firdaus to accept the death sentence. This study applies two approaches. They are psychological and socio-cultural approach. The psychological approach explains about human motivation, personality and behavior patterns written in a literary object. This approach is used to find the Firdaus' characters to answer the focus of the study which is Firdaus' motivation in accepting the death sentence. The second approach, socio-cultural approach, is used to represent the society condition at that time to support the writer in finding Firdaus' motivation of accepting the death sentence. The result of the study shows Firdaus' characters which are innocent, silent, though, brave, determined, smart, independent, and sensitive. The findings of the study help to know Firdaus' characters.

  Each study on the novel Woman at Point Zero takes a different aspect. The study conducted by Rigen Pratitisari entitled Firdaus' Motivation in Becoming a

  Prostitute as Revealed in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero

  mainly focuses on Firdaus’ motivations of becoming a prostitute. However, the study which is done by Yulia Ong entitled Feminism as Reflected in Nawal El-Saadawi's Novel character Firdaus. The study conducted by Dewi Maharani Purba entitled A Study

  

of the Main Character's Motivations for Accepting the Death Sentence in Nawal

El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero mainly discusses about Firdaus’ motivation of

  accepting the death sentence. Meanwhile, the title of this study is Firdaus'

Searching for Freedom as portrayed in Nawal El-Saadawi's Woman at Point Zero.

  Therefore, this study focuses on how Egyptian women search for freedom from men’s domination and power as portrayed by the character Firdaus in the novel. In this thesis, the social background and the society’s treatments toward women as shown by the character of Firdaus in the novel are also going to be analyzed. The analysis of Firdaus' searching for freedom is broken down into two parts. The first

  part is Firdaus’ motivations on searching for freedom. The second part focuses on the ways how Firdaus searches for freedom.

2.2 Theoretical Review

2.2.1 Critical Approach

  In giving their response to literary works, people apply an approach or approaches depending on what they focus on. Roughberger and Woods, Jr offer five approaches that can be implemented in the study of literature. They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach (3). In conducting this study, the psychological and the sociocultural-historical approaches are chosen and the explanation following would only explain about these two approaches.

  The first approach is the sociocultural-historical approach. The reference to the accuracy in the presentation of historical facts. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct the analysis of cultural and historical backgrounds as references to the further understanding of the story. The second approach, the psychological approach, is an approach that investigates behaviour of the characters as a human being (Roughberger and Woods, Jr 13-15). From the psychological point of view of human beings, the reasons and motivations behind the actions of the characters may be explained.

2.2.2 Motivation

  Human behaviours depend on their motivation. Maslow (qtd in Petri 302- 304) proposes a theory of human motivation called Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It is portrayed as a pyramid consisting of five levels. They are physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, esteem needs, and self actualization. If the needs of the lower level have not been satisfied yet, the needs above will not be considered as important. The individual is in an emergence situation when she is dominated by the needs, and when the needs are met, the next need of the hierarchy emerges.

  Maslow's theory of human motivation emphasizes the striving to reach one's full potential as basic to human motivation. He believes that a person should search for her ultimate goals of behaviour rather than the superficial goals. This is because her apparent goals might be different from the ultimate goals. Therefore, Maslow considers self actualization, which actually a form of a struggle of rightness as the ultimate purpose of behaviour.

  Physiological needs are the very basic needs. They are the primary When these needs cannot be fulfilled, human body may feel sickness, pain, and discomfort. In short, physiological needs are the needs to maintain the internal state of the body (qtd in Petri 302).

  Safety needs occur after physiological needs are fully satisfied. It is in this level that human search for stability and security. It includes personal security, financial security, health and well-being, and safety against accident or illness. Maslow also states that safety needs could also be fulfilled by having familiar surroundings, secure jobs, saving accounts, and insurance (qtd in Petri 303).

  After physical and safety needs are fulfilled, love needs are next on the third level of the pyramid. This aspect of hierarchy of needs deals with emotionally- based human relationship, namely friendship and intimacy. Humans need to feel loved by others, to be accepted by others, and to have a desire to belong to groups, such as family, gangs, clubs, and work groups. The love needs require both receiving and giving of love (qtd in Petri 303).

  Esteem needs presents human desire to be respected and valued by others. There are two distinctions of esteem needs, a lower one and a higher one. The lower one is the needs for gaining status, fame, prestige, and recognition by others, while the higher one is the needs for self-esteem, self-confidence, independence, and freedom (qtd in Petri 304).

  The needs for self-actualization are considered as the final needs. It takes place after the lower level needs have been fully satisfied. The self actualization refers to an individual's life that is no longer motivated by deficiencies. It is motivated to grow and become all that she is able to become (qtd in Petri 305). the world. This will enable the person to be a full person she wants to be.

2.2.3 Freedom

  Freedom means self expressions. It refers to a person's capacity, opportunity, and motivation to express himself freely (Bay 15). There are two basic types of freedom. According to Warbungton, they are negative and positive freedom. A negative freedom is a chance of someone to do something. However, a positive freedom is more than only having the chance to act; it is an action that a person can actually do (5-10).

  Bay mentions three aspects of freedom; psychological freedom, social freedom, and potential freedom (83). The first aspect of freedom is psychological freedom. There are two basic components of psychological freedom. They are knowing themselves and being themselves. Knowing themselves means that the person knows his motivation why he does a particular behavior. Being themselves means that the person has the ability to do a particular behavior as what he wants.

  In summary, psychological freedom is both of a person’s motivation to do a particular behavior and the ability to do it (Bay 88).

  The second aspect of freedom is social freedom. Bay defines social freedom as a person's awareness of external limitations on practicing his freedom. External limitations are everything that is external to the person; such as social institutions, social system, and other person's freedom. In other word, the person’s awareness of external limitations is the main idea of social freedom (88-89).

  The last aspect of freedom is potential freedom. Bay defines potential freedom as the unpredictable external limitations which may occur after a person’s

  To maintain a balance among one individual freedom and the other's, there are limitations of freedom. According to Bay there are three kinds of the limitations of freedom. They are defensiveness, rewards and punishments, and manipulation. Defensiveness may also means a person's carefulness. It refers to a person's ability to defense his freedom upon the other people. The use of rewards and punishments to limit one's freedom is when a person strongly wants to do something, or when he is still able to do something he wants but he has to be punished or losts a reward as the consequence for his behavior. Manipulation is when a person thinks about good things or bad things from his behavior. These good things or bad things may encourage or discourage his will to do a particular behavior (16-17).