4. Reactions By analyzing the way the character react toward certain situations, the
reader will have another clues about hisher characteristics. 5. Direct Comment
The author might also describe the character in the novel directly through hisher narration 1972: 161-170.
2. Gender Discrimination
Based on Bernard E. Whitley Jr. in The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination, discrimination in general is a behavior which deals with the way
people act toward members of other groups and it consists of behaving differently toward people based solely on their membership in a social group. The term
discrimination usually refers to acting in an unfair or demeaning manner or to giving someone an undeserved advantage 2010: 370.
One of the forms of discrimination is gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is a kind of discrimination which is based on the gender role. As
stated in Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination by Todd. D Nelson, gender discrimination usually puts women in disadvantages because
“individuals still perceive that women and men should occupy different social roles” 2009: 413. Such belief can be considered sexist because they reflect lack
of support for those who do not occupy traditional roles. The traditional roles itself tends to limit people to particular roles, it gives a greater power and
authority to men, and lead to women’s dependency on men 2009: 413.
Even in this modern era “gender inequalities remain stubbornly entrenched in all regions of the world” whether in the rich or poor countries, the phenomenon
of gender
inequality is
still happening
http:www.unicef.orgsowc07docssowc07_panel_1_2. pdf. Any acts that limit the rights of a person based on the sexual difference is
considered as gender discrimination that make a person cannot have the full freedom to do anything heshe likes in many aspects of life.
3. Feminism
In An Introduction to Literary Criticism, Bressler makes an assumption that in this masculine world, the feminists declare that it is men who defines what
it means to be human, not women 1999: 189. As women realize that the life is dominated by men while women are only seen as inferior human beings compared
to men, some critical thoughts arose and use the literature as one of the medium to transfer their ideas. Bressler also explained that in 1972 Judith Viorst recreates
Cinderella story which aim is, as Bressler said, to crystallizes the central issue of feminism which are:
1. Men, either unconsciously or consciously, have oppressed women, allowing them little or no voice in the political, social, or economic issues
of their society. 2. By not giving voice and value to women’s opinions, responses, writings,
men have therefore suppressed the female, defined what it means to be feminine, thereby devoiced, devalued, and trivialized what it means to be a
woman.
3. In effect, men have made woman the “insignificant other” Bressler, 1999: 180
Viorst recreates the characteristics of Cinderella as a woman who has her own opinions. As we know that the ending of the original Cinderella story is that
Cinderella ends up marries the prince, but in Viorst new creation of the story, she decides not to marry the prince because she finds the prince no more attractive
that she pretends that the glass shoe does not fit her foot. Bressler pointed out, This new Cinderella refuses to be defined as the nonsignificant other.
Unlike the old Cinderella, she will not allow herself to be shaped by her society. She realizes that her culture has all too often presented her with
stereotypes that she and many others like her have so blindly accepted” 1999: 179
The old Cinderella character tends to “accept the commandments of their patriarchal society” but Viorst see it differently 1999: 179.
The position of women that is seen as inferior, triggered the emergence of feminist movement, a movement in which women are fighting for gender equality
and to be seen as significant and valuable. Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader states,
“The emergence of feminist ideas and feminist politics depends on the understanding that, in all societies which divide the sexes into differing
cultural, economic or political spheres, women are less valued than men.” Humm, 1992: 1
Bressler also explains about main purpose of feminism that is to change the degrading view of women so that all women will realize that they are not a
“nonsignificant other”. In his opinion, Bressler thinks that each woman is a valuable person possessing the same privileges and rights as every man. Bressler
also adds that in order to create a society where the male and female voices are
equally valued, women have to define themselves and assert their own voices in the arenas of politics, society, education and the arts 1999: 180.
Another opinion about the important of fighting for equality for women is by Simone de Beauvoir a French writer. As stated by Bressler,
According to Beauvoir, a woman must break the bonds of her patriarchal society and define herself if she wishes to become a significant human
being in her own right and defy male classification as the Other 1999: 182.
In order to have the same rights as men have, women should break the notion in the society that women and men are not equal and women are lower than men.
A particular movement of feminism is radical feminism. Specifically, radical feminism occurs because it is believed that women form a ‘sex-class’.
Women are seen as the fundamentally oppressed class. Radical feminism recognizes that the foundation of social inequality is the domination of women by
men. The patriarchal system is the root of all oppression of women as what Madsen says that “the sexual oppression of women is seen to underlie the
economic, cultural and social subordination of women” Madsen, 2000:152-153. Radical feminist is against the standard gender role that put women as inferior.
Thus, radical feminism intends to “destroy” the sex-class system in order to make a change and stops the oppression in the society so that women can have freedom
in living their life without being restricted by any restriction under the domination of men in the patriarchal society.
4. Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia
