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CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into three parts; namely subject matter, approach, and procedure. The first part, subject matter, is explaining the
focus of this study. The second part, approach, discusses the approaches being used in this study. The third part, procedure, contains the phases that
I used in analyzing the problem formulation.
3.1 Subject Matter
This study is focused on Lorna and Mas Nganten. Two women who suffer from cultures of their countries that oblige them not to make any
decision and treat them only as inferior. Since this study deals with the literature, the subject matter is a novel by LaVyrle Spencer entitled
November of the Heart , and a novel by Pramoedya Ananta Toer entitled The
Girl from the Coast . November of the Heart is published by the A Jove
Book, NY. in 1994. It contains of 418 pages. The story takes place in the late of nineteenth century. Most of the events are in Minnesota, a city where
Lorna spent most of the summer with her family that guides her to Jens Harken. While, The Girl f rom the Coast is published by Hyperion in New
York in 2002. It contains 280 pages which are translated from its’ original text in Indonesia. The story takes place in the late of nineteenth century in
one of costal region in the north of Central Java. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
The two novels tell us about old culture, which treats woman as inferior. The two main characters, Lorna and Mas Nganten, suffer from this
cultural attitude, and were facing bitter life. They are tired of this situation, and tried so hard to survive.
These novels teach us that life is full with unpredictable and unavoidable things. The only way out of those very bad conditions is face it
and try hard to survive. These two novels also provide us with the fact how human could be so cruel, considering woman as inferior, and treating them
as if they have no feeling and their own right to live.
3.2 The Approach
In order to get the answers of the problem formulation, certain approach is needed to analyze a literary works, and to give boundaries of the aspects to
discuss in the study. It gives background of knowledge on the study and helps me develop the analysis based on the work to discuss. The focus of this study is on
the treatment toward the main characters from the two novels as inferior that is influenced by the culture of their country.
This study applies the sociocultural – historical approach because it concerns in cultural attitudes toward Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority.
Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority deals with the situation in the society, the culture and also historical background during the time. Society has culture as one
of guidance for their life. These cultures influence the treatment toward women, in here Lorna and Mas Nganten. The author also include some historical events that
influence the life of the society. Using the sociocultural – historical approach, I can analyze the culture and attitude in the two novels, November of the Heart and
The Girl from the Coast.
3.3 Research Procedure