Racism and gender discrimination issues in the depiction of African-American God as ideal mother.

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ABSTRACT

Kobis, Dewi Christa. 2015. Racism and Gender Discrimination Issues in the
Depiction of African-American God as Ideal Mother. Yogyakarta: English
Language Studies for Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
Racism and gender discrimination are social problems which have not
been vanished in every country until now. Those who have black or color skins
and female are mostly perceived unimportant and their positive contributions for
the society are rarely appreciated. A novel by William Paul Young entitled The
Shack is one of phenomenal literary product since it depicts the father God in
black woman figure. The Shack got much hatred from several Christian leaders.
While in another side, many people like novel The Shack since some people
perceive it as a media to resist racism and gender discrimination with unique way.
This study aims to find information about how does novel The Shack can

be interpreted as anti-racism and anti-gender discrimination. There are two
problem formulations in this study: (1) How does William P. Young depict God in
black woman figure as ideal mother in The Shack?, (2) How can the depiction of
God in black woman figure as ideal mother in The Shack be categorized as antiracism and anti-gender discrimination?
This study used black feminism as its main theory in solving the problem
formulations. Several important theories like black feminism in mothering and
several characteristics as ideal mother are also used to support the idea that the
depiction of ideal mother in The Shack can be used as well as a media to resist
racism and to support gender equality.
Analysis of the study showed that William Paul Young has depicted the
character of God in African-American woman as ideal mother since the AfricanAmerican woman who plays a role as God fulfills all the characteristics of ideal
mother. The analysis of this study comes to the borderline. The depiction of God
in African-American woman figure as ideal mother for some reasons such as the
stereotyped image of women as mother cannot be used to resist racism and gender
discrimination. On the other side the power of homeplace as the site of resisting
racism by creating a family and community who values their selves and appreciate
everyone and every race is also helpful in resisting racism. Proposing view which
states that Young as white man cannot appreciate and advocate African-American
women or the ones who have black skin is also an act of stereotyping because not
all white are racists and hate African-Americans or those who have black skin.

Keywords: The Shack, God, black feminism, African-American women, racism,
gender discrimination

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ABSTRAK
Kobis, Dewi Christa. 2015. Racism and Gender Discrimination Issues in the
Depiction of African-American God as Ideal Mother. Yogyakarta: English
Language Studies for Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
Rasisme dan ketidaksetaraan gender adalah masalah sosial yang belum
hilang dalam masyarakat di berbagai negara hingga saat ini. Mereka yang berasal
dari suku yang berkulit gelap dan berjenis kelamin wanita sering kali disepelekan
dan kontribusi positif mereka dalam masyarakat sering kali tidak dianggap. Novel

karya William Paul Young yang berjudul The Shack adalah karya sastra yang
cukup fenomenal karena menggambarkan sosok Allah dalam figur seorang wanita
berkulit hitam. Novel The Shack mendapat banyak kecaman dari beberapa
pemuka agama kristen. Namun disisi lain, banyak orang menyukai novel ini
karena dianggap sebagai sarana untuk menghapus rasisme dan ketidaksetaraan
gender dengan cara yang unik.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan informasi tentang bagaimana
novel The Shack bisa dianggap sebagai novel yang anti-rasisme dan mendukung
kesetaraan gender. Ada dua rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini: (1) Bagaimana
William P. Young menggambarkan Tuhan dalam figur wanita berkulit hitam
sebagai ibu yang ideal?, (2) Bagaimana penggambaran Tuhan dalam figur wanita
berkulit hitam sebagai ibu yang ideal dalam novel The Shack dapat dikategorikan
sebagai bentuk anti-rasisme dan dukungan untuk kesetaraan gender?
Penelitian ini menggunakan black feminism sebagai teori utama dalam
menjawab rumusan masalahnya. Beberapa teori penting seperti black feminism in
mothering, feminine mystique, dan beberapa kategori sebagai ibu yang ideal juga
digunakan untuk mendukung pandangan bahwa penggambaran seorang ibu yang
ideal dalam novel The Shack juga bisa digunakan sebagai sarana untuk melawan
rasisme dan dukungan untuk kesetaraan gender.
Analisa dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa William Paul Young

menggambarkan Allah dalam figur wanita Afrika-Amerika sebagai ibu yang ideal
karena wanita Afrika-Amerika yang memerankan peran sebagai Tuhan memenuhi
semua karakteristik untuk menjadi ibu yang ideal. Hasil analisis dari penelitian ini
merujuk kepada borderline (batas wilayah). Penggambaran Tuhan dalam figur
wanita Afrika-Amerika sebagai ibu yang ideal untuk beberapa alasan seperti
penggambaran yang distereotipekan pada wanita dimana mereka harus menjadi
ibu, tidak dapat digunakan untuk melawan rasisme dan diskriminasi gender. Disisi
lain, peran dari tempat tinggal (keluarga) sebagai sarana untuk melawan rasisme
dengan menciptakan sebuah keluarga dan komunitas yang menghargai diri
mereka dan juga menghargai setiap orang dan setiap ras adalah hal yang
menolong dalam mengatasi rasisme. Mengemukakan pandangan yang
mengemukakan bahwa Young sebagai pria kulit putih tidak bisa menghargai atau
membela wanita Afrika-Amerika juga merupakan bentuk stereotipe karena tidak
semua orang kulit putih adalah rasis dan membenci mereka yang bersuku AfrikaAmerika atau berkulit hitam.
Keywords: The Shack, Allah, black feminisme, wanita Afrika-Amerika, rasisme,
ketidaksetaraan gender.

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RACISM AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION ISSUES IN THE
DEPICTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOD AS IDEAL MOTHER

A T H E S IS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Magister Humaniora (M.Hum)
in English Language Studies

by
Dewi Christa Kobis
Student Number: 136332050

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2015

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“I am neither male nor female, even though both genders are
derived from my nature. If I choose to appear to you as a man or
a woman, it’s because I love you.”
- God (The Shack, p. 210)

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to

Delwan Kobis
an d

Nontje Kindangen

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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that all ideas, phrases, 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 references.

Yogyakarta,June 29, 2015

Dewi Christa Kobis

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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswi Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama

: Dewi Christa Kobis

Nomor Mahasiswa

: 136332050

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
RACISM AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION ISSUES IN THE
DEPICTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOD AS IDEAL MOTHER
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan. Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada
Perpustakaan 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 ijin dari saya maupun
memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai
penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 29 Juni 2015

Yang menyatakan

Dewi Christa Kobis

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This thesis has been accomplished in one year (August 2014 – August
2015) from the form of proposal into the complete thesis. The process of finishing
this thesis was not easy. It has taken a lot my time, money and energy for reading,
thinking, collecting data and writing. Since this thesis has been completed and is
available to be presented for the readers, I am willing to declare my gratitude to
those who are helping me in finishing this thesis.
First of all I am willing to declare my gratitude to my almighty God who
guides me, gives me health, strength, wisdom, ability, and time to finish this
thesis.
I also present my thanks to my beloved parents, Delwan Kobis and Nontje
Kindangen for their affection, advices, guidance, instructions, financial supports,
all helps, and especially unceasing prayers for me so that I can complete this
thesis and finish my study from Universitas Sanata Dharma. I also like to thank
my dearest man, Michel Farrel Tomatala for his supports during the process of
finishing this thesis.
My earnest gratitude goes to the lecturers in the English Language Studies
Department, Dr. Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A. (Hons.), Paulus Sarwoto, Ph.D., and
Henny Herawati, M.Hum for their professional support throughout my study,
especially for my advisor, Patrisius Mutiara Andalas, S.J., S.S., S.TD for his
valuable guidance, encouragement, patience, correlation, advice, and suggestion
which are very helpful in finishing this thesis.

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My sincere appreciation goes to Mrs. Maria Adelheid Lelyana for her kind
and generous help relates to administration matters for these four semesters.
I would also like to thank Universitas Klabat as my undergraduate alma
mater for helping me during my all four semesters in Universitas Sanata Dharma
by sponsoring my tuition.
Next, I would like to thank my beloved friends “Class A – 2013”,
especially my friends with the same struggle: Joan Sanita, Maxianus Nitsae,
Safriyanto, Rosmayasinta Makasau and Paskalina Widiastuti for supporting me
and accompanying me for researching and meeting the lecturers.
The last, this thesis is far from being perfect, but it is expected that this
thesis will be useful not only for the researcher, but also the readers. For this
reason, constructive thoughts, full suggestions, and critics are well come to make
this thesis better.
Yogyakarta, June 29, 2015

Dewi Christa Kobis

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................... i
APPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................... ii
DEFENSE APPROVAL PAGE......................................................................... iii
EPITAPH ........................................................................................................... iv
DEDICATION PAGE........................................................................................ v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ................................................................... vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI................................... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... x
LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................... xii
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... xiii
ABSTRAK ........................................................................................................... xiv
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION............................................. ......................
A. Background of the Study ........................................................ ......................
A. 1. Why The Shack? ............................................................ ......................
A. 2. Why the Depiction of God as African-American Woman? .................
A. 3. Why Ideal Mother? ........................................................ ......................
A. 4. Why Gender Discrimination? ........................................ ......................
A. 5. Why Racism?................................................................. ......................
B. Research Questions ................................................................ ......................
C. Scope of the Study.................................................................. ......................
D. Significance of the Study ....................................................... ......................
E. Research Method .................................................................... ......................
F. Chapter Outline ...................................................................... ......................

1
9
9
12
16
17
18
19
19
20
22
23

CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................... ......................
A. Review of Related Studies ..................................................... ......................
A. 1. Psychological Analysis towards the Main Character in The Shack .....
A. 2. The Shack as the Media of Literature not only Media of Theology .....
A. 3. Christianity’s Collusion with Whiteness in The Shack ........................
B. Review of Related Theories ................................................... ......................
B. 1. God as Parents (Metaphors)..................................................................
B. 2. God as Mother ......................................................................................
B. 3. Ideal Mother in African-Americans......................................................
B. 4. Characteristics of Ideal Mother ............................................................
B. 5. Stoddard’s Characteristics of Ideal Mother ..........................................
a. Loving Mother .......................................................... ......................
b. Caring Mother ........................................................... ......................
c. Forgiving Mother ...................................................... ......................
d. Wise Mother.............................................................. ......................
e. Patient Mother ........................................................... ......................
B. 6. Racism ..................................................................................................
B. 7. Racism in the Church and Other Religions ..........................................

24
24
24
25
26
28
28
31
33
38
41
41
42
43
44
45
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46

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B. 8. Black Feminism ....................................................................................
B. 9. Black Feminism and Mothering Issue .......................... ......................
a. Mothering as an Oppression or Romanticization of Women’s
Sufferings ................................................................. ......................
b. Mothering as an Empowerment and Liberation for Women ..........

49
50
50
56

CHAPTER III.
THE DEPICTION OF GOD IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN FIGURE
IN THE SHACK............................................................................................... 69
A. The African-American Woman God as the Mother ..................................... 69
B. The African-American Woman God as Ideal Mother ................................... 73
B. 1. Loving African-American Mother ........................................................ 73
B. 2.Caring African-American Mother ......................................................... 77
B. 3. Forgiving African-American Mother ................................................... 78
B. 4. Wise African-American Mother ........................................................... 83
B. 5. Patient African-American Mother ........................................................ 83
C. African-American Woman God as the Symbol of Good Parent ................... 83
CHAPTER IV.
RACISM AND GENDER ISSUES IN THE SHACK ................................... 92
A. Stereotype of White Male Father God ......................................................... 92
B. Anti-Racism and Gender Equality in The Shack ........................................... 98
C. Racism and Gender Discrimination Issues in depiction of God in AfricanAmerican as the symbol of Ideal Mother ..................................................... 104
C. 1. An Indiscriminate Mother God ............................................................ 104
C. 2. Ideal Mother as a Romanticization of African-American Women’s
Oppression ........................................................................................... 106
C. 3. Ideal Mother as a an Empowerment for African-American Women ... 119
D. The Position of Ideal Mother in Racism and Gender Issues in The Shack .. 128
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION ....................................................................... 135
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................... 141
APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 149

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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix

Page

Appendix 1. Summary of the Novel, The Shack ................................................ 149
Appendix 2. William Paul Young Biography .................................................... 163

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ABSTRACT
Kobis, Dewi Christa. 2015. Racism and Gender Discrimination Issues in the
Depiction of African-American God as Ideal Mother. Yogyakarta: English
Language Studies for Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
Racism and gender discrimination are social problems which have not
been vanished in every country until now. Those who have black or color skins
and female are mostly perceived unimportant and their positive contributions for
the society are rarely appreciated. A novel by William Paul Young entitled The
Shack is one of phenomenal literary product since it depicts the father God in
black woman figure. The Shack got much hatred from several Christian leaders.
While in another side, many people like novel The Shack since some people
perceive it as a media to resist racism and gender discrimination with unique way.
This study aims to find information about how does novel The Shack can
be interpreted as anti-racism and anti-gender discrimination. There are two
problem formulations in this study: (1) How does William P. Young depict God in
black woman figure as ideal mother in The Shack?, (2) How can the depiction of
God in black woman figure as ideal mother in The Shack be categorized as antiracism and anti-gender discrimination?
This study used black feminism as its main theory in solving the problem
formulations. Several important theories like black feminism in mothering and
several characteristics as ideal mother are also used to support the idea that the
depiction of ideal mother in The Shack can be used as well as a media to resist
racism and to support gender equality.
Analysis of the study showed that William Paul Young has depicted the
character of God in African-American woman as ideal mother since the AfricanAmerican woman who plays a role as God fulfills all the characteristics of ideal
mother. The analysis of this study comes to the borderline. The depiction of God
in African-American woman figure as ideal mother for some reasons such as the
stereotyped image of women as mother cannot be used to resist racism and gender
discrimination. On the other side the power of homeplace as the site of resisting
racism by creating a family and community who values their selves and appreciate
everyone and every race is also helpful in resisting racism. Proposing view which
states that Young as white man cannot appreciate and advocate African-American
women or the ones who have black skin is also an act of stereotyping because not
all white are racists and hate African-Americans or those who have black skin.
Keywords: The Shack, God, black feminism, African-American women, racism,
gender discrimination

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ABSTRAK
Kobis, Dewi Christa. 2015. Racism and Gender Discrimination Issues in the
Depiction of African-American God as Ideal Mother. Yogyakarta: English
Language Studies for Graduate Level, Sanata Dharma University.
Rasisme dan ketidaksetaraan gender adalah masalah sosial yang belum
hilang dalam masyarakat di berbagai negara hingga saat ini. Mereka yang berasal
dari suku yang berkulit gelap dan berjenis kelamin wanita sering kali disepelekan
dan kontribusi positif mereka dalam masyarakat sering kali tidak dianggap. Novel
karya William Paul Young yang berjudul The Shack adalah karya sastra yang
cukup fenomenal karena menggambarkan sosok Allah dalam figur seorang wanita
berkulit hitam. Novel The Shack mendapat banyak kecaman dari beberapa
pemuka agama kristen. Namun disisi lain, banyak orang menyukai novel ini
karena dianggap sebagai sarana untuk menghapus rasisme dan ketidaksetaraan
gender dengan cara yang unik.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan informasi tentang bagaimana
novel The Shack bisa dianggap sebagai novel yang anti-rasisme dan mendukung
kesetaraan gender. Ada dua rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini: (1) Bagaimana
William P. Young menggambarkan Tuhan dalam figur wanita berkulit hitam
sebagai ibu yang ideal?, (2) Bagaimana penggambaran Tuhan dalam figur wanita
berkulit hitam sebagai ibu yang ideal dalam novel The Shack dapat dikategorikan
sebagai bentuk anti-rasisme dan dukungan untuk kesetaraan gender?
Penelitian ini menggunakan black feminism sebagai teori utama dalam
menjawab rumusan masalahnya. Beberapa teori penting seperti black feminism in
mothering, feminine mystique, dan beberapa kategori sebagai ibu yang ideal juga
digunakan untuk mendukung pandangan bahwa penggambaran seorang ibu yang
ideal dalam novel The Shack juga bisa digunakan sebagai sarana untuk melawan
rasisme dan dukungan untuk kesetaraan gender.
Analisa dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa William Paul Young
menggambarkan Allah dalam figur wanita Afrika-Amerika sebagai ibu yang ideal
karena wanita Afrika-Amerika yang memerankan peran sebagai Tuhan memenuhi
semua karakteristik untuk menjadi ibu yang ideal. Hasil analisis dari penelitian ini
merujuk kepada borderline (batas wilayah). Penggambaran Tuhan dalam figur
wanita Afrika-Amerika sebagai ibu yang ideal untuk beberapa alasan seperti
penggambaran yang distereotipekan pada wanita dimana mereka harus menjadi
ibu, tidak dapat digunakan untuk melawan rasisme dan diskriminasi gender. Disisi
lain, peran dari tempat tinggal (keluarga) sebagai sarana untuk melawan rasisme
dengan menciptakan sebuah keluarga dan komunitas yang menghargai diri
mereka dan juga menghargai setiap orang dan setiap ras adalah hal yang
menolong dalam mengatasi rasisme. Mengemukakan pandangan yang
mengemukakan bahwa Young sebagai pria kulit putih tidak bisa menghargai atau
membela wanita Afrika-Amerika juga merupakan bentuk stereotipe karena tidak
semua orang kulit putih adalah rasis dan membenci mereka yang bersuku AfrikaAmerika atau berkulit hitam.
Keywords: The Shack, Allah, black feminisme, wanita Afrika-Amerika, rasisme,
ketidaksetaraan gender.
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1

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Racism and gender discrimination are social problems which still exist in the
community in many countries (whether they are in developed countries or
developing countries) until today. It is true that racism and gender discrimination
are not simple issues in the society that can be erased easily in the community
system because racism and gender discrimination are deeply rooted in every layer
of society over time.

Although slavery was obliterated years ago and most of

African-American or color people and women can get good education, freely
working in any place that they like, or compete equally in every sector, racism and
gender discrimination are still hiding in several scopes in every layer of society.
For more details, Racism is “oppressive not because white folks haveprejudicial feelings about African-Americans1, (they could have such feelings and
leave us alone) but because it is a system that promotes domination and

1

The term African-Americans is used to be the term to address those who have black skin
(African descents who have American citizenship).
Smith, Candis Watts. Black Mosaic: The Politics of Black Pan-Ethnic Diversity. (NYU Press,
2014) 84.
Since it is considered to be impolite to address black people with the term “black”, this
research uses the term African-Americans to address those who have African descent and live
in America. Since this research also discusses about The Shack which depicts an AfricanAmerican woman. The term “white” is still used in this research to address those who have
white skin rather than “European-Americans” since the term “white” is considered to be a
polite term to address white people or those who have white skin who have American
citizenship or not (live in other countries).
Watts also claims that though accurate if used for an American person of African descent, the
term as used in the political sense, improperly excludes white African-Americans. The term is
not accurate when describing someone who is black but who is not an American citizen. That
is why when referring to those who are from Papua New Guinea who live in Indonesia, the
researcher just say “those who have black skin”.

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2

subjugation.”2 It means racism is dangerous since it maintains that a precise ethnic
group is higher or lower than the others. Whereas, gender discrimination is a
belief or condition that values an exact type of gender. Racism and gender
discrimination mindset can be found around our environment (especially in our
country, Indonesia) easily. For instance, when those who have white or brighter
skin say that those who are from Papua New Guinea who have black skin are
stinky, ugly, rough, or stupid and it is more appropriate for women to be in charge
in domestic activity rather than being engaged in political issue3. These simple
cases of racism and gender discrimination prove that some people still think that
their race is better than other races or women deserve lower position than men in
the society.
In the United States of America as a developed country which is
predominated by white people but has an African-American president since 2008,
racism still exists there. Barack Obama is the first African-American man who
became a president in the USA by direct election. Obama’s rivals for both
presidential elections in 2008 and 2013 are white people but Obama still gained
sympathy and trust from the USA community although he is an African-American
man. Although Obama has been elected twice to be a president in a country with
white people as the majority and his presidency has been assumed to be an action
which indicates that racism was disappeared in the USA, Obama himself still
thinks that racism is still not cured yet in the USA.

2
3

Hooks, Bell. African-American Looks: Race and Representation. (South End Press, 1992) 15.
Fauzia, Amelia. Tentang Perempuan Islam: Wacana dan Gerakan. (Gramedia Pustaka Utama,
2004) 170.

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Obama says in an interview for the podcast WTF with Marc Maron that
“racism; we are not cured of it”. Many white people in USA still use the term
“negro” to call African-American people, and it is actually not polite since
“negro” is closely related to the term slavery. It is not just a matter of not being
polite to say nigger in public. That is not the measure of whether racism still exists
or not. It is not just a matter of overt discrimination. Societies do not, overnight,
completely erase everything that happened 200 to 300 years prior4.

This

statement leads to the opinion that racism is difficult to be erased from society
system and it takes time for the process of annihilation. It is not an easy task that
can be solved in one night. Since Obama is an African-American man, it might be
possible for him to recognize racism around his environment.
Fairchild (2004) proposes that racism turns to be distinctive in the United
States mainly due to the exertions to stop slavery. These exertions strengthen the
exertions of slavery’s defenders to rationalize their irregular establishment.
Consequently, if we can say that modern racism is a product of American slavery,
then we must also accept the principle that American slavery reveals other effects
that are as alive and well today as is racism.5 It appears that the society in the
United States of America are still infected by the issue of slavery (which is
supposed to be eliminated since years ago) into the act of racism. It appears to be
like what Obama’s argument on the previous section which states that an absence
of racism is not simple task to do since it has been rooted deeply among the

4

5

Jones, Athena & Holmes, Kristen. “Obama Uses N-Word, says We are ‘not Cured’ of Racism.”
cnn.com. 2015. June 22, 2015.
Fairchild, Halford. “Racism Still Exists” Racism. Ed. Mary E. Williams. (Greenhaven Press, 2004)
19.

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society since long time ago. White people were once the oppressors of AfricanAmerican people and this can be the reason why until now (although slavery has
been demolished), some white people still look down toward African-American
people or treat them wrongly and unfairly.
Joan Petersilia (1983) also proposes that racism in the United States of
America also happens in law institution. She explains that although the case
processing system (relates to criminal issues) generally treated offenders
similarly, at the end it is found that racial differences happen in the law institution.
The criminals who are claimed to be minority (the African-American people) are
more likely than whites to be discharged after arrest. However, after a crime
assurance, minority offenders (the African-American people) are more likely than
whites to be given longer sentences and to be put in prison rather than jail.6 It
means racism in a developed country like the United State of America is still
worrying since it also happens in law institution which is supposed to be a fair
institution that will not discriminate the civilians who have become the part of the
law institution and also need to be protected by the law itself in a fair way.
In Indonesia, racism issue is still in the midst of the society. People who
are from Papua New Guinea who have black skin are mostly discriminated
because of their skin color and appearance. Papua also is claimed to be the
poorest province in Indonesia and has a low quality of education.7 These factors
particularly make some people (who are not from Papua) think and claim that

6
7

Petersilia, Joan. Racial Disparities in The Criminal Justice System. (The Rand Cooperation,
1983) 6.
Latif, Yudi. Menuju Revolusi Demokratik: Mandat Untuk Perubahan Indonesia (Djambatan,
2004) 161.

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Papua’s tribes are more unintelligent than other tribes especially those who have
brighter skin. Rathgeber (2010) states that:
“For more than a decade, the natives of Papua have suffered under
militarization, human rights violations, exploitation and discrimination. In
1998, Indonesia entered the reform and democratization process of fixing
the rules of human rights and the development of institutions. However, in
most eastern provinces of the region of Indonesia, the native Papuans
remain to be the subjects of serious human rights violations from the
apparatuses and Indonesia itself.”8
The statement on previous page clarifies that the act of racism still exists in Papua
and it also proposes that the Papuans are not only discriminated by other society
(those who are not from Papua) but also from Indonesia as its country and from
the apparatus who are supposed to protect them. It means racism in Indonesia (in
this case, racism towards the Papuans) is alarming and needs to be discontinued.
As in the case of racism, gender discrimination still exists in the United
States as well. Mary Brinton, the Reischauer Institute Professor of Sociology at
Harvard University answered questions about how the United States comparing to
other countries on gender discrimination. In the book Lean In, she states that
“rather than telling women to be more confident and ambitious, I think that it is
more important to talk about how workplaces need to adapt to the “whole person,”
both women and men. This way everyone can strike a better balance between
working and spending time with family, friends, and their community. The gender
wage gap in the United States is lower than in many other countries. But what is

8

“Selama lebih dari satu dekade, masyarakat asli papua telah mengalami penderitaan di bawah
militerisasi, pelanggaran HAM, eksploitasi dan diskriminasi. pada tahun 1998, Indonesia
memasuki proses reformasi dan demokratisasi yang memperbaiki aturan-aturan HAM dan
perkembangan institusi. akan tetapi, di provinsi yang paling timur dari wilayah Indonesia,
masyarakat asli Papua tetap menjadi subyek pelanggaran HAM yang serius dari aparat dan
negara Indonesia.”
Rathgeber, Theodore. “Hak Asasi Manusia di Papua.” Fransiscans International: A Voice at the
United Nations. 1 (2010), 1.

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troubling is that the gap has barely narrowed since the mid-1990s. As a society,
we need to continue to encourage people to go beyond stereotypes and recognize
the contributions that each individual, male or female, can make to the workplace
and to relationships9”.

Based on Brinton’s statement, we know that gender

discrimination regarding the gap of the wages for men and women still exists in
the USA.
In Indonesia, gender discrimination is not only found in a case like wages
gap. Unfortunately, aggressions toward women are found on several regions
around Indonesia and in 2012, violence cases toward women in Indonesia reached
119.107 cases in a year and this number increased than 2010. It also reported that
96% from 119.107 cases are domestic abuse. It means abusers were people who
are close to the victims. Most of the abusers are the victims’ husbands10. This
fact is pathetic. It shows that women do not only get gender discrimination
regarding their careers or education but also get physically abused. This violence
report shows that gender discrimination still exists in Indonesia and it also proves
that gender discrimination in Indonesia is quite alarming since it relates to
physical abuse and the violence is done by victims’ closest people.
Based on several cases and examples above, we find that racism and
gender discrimination still exist in developed and developing country. Racism is
experienced by those who are discriminated by their race or skin color while
gender discrimination is particularly experienced by women. This reality leads to

9

10

Mary Brinton, “Harvard Summer School: Gender Discrimination and Women in the
Workplace.” harvard.edu. 2010. January 22, 2015.
Budi Yanto, “Kasus Kekerasan Perempuan di Indonesia Capai 119 Ribu.” tempo.com. 2012.
December 23, 2014.

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the thought: What happen to African-American women then? African-American
women are female and their skin color is black, it means that they will get double
discrimination regarding their race and gender. The concern regarding this case is
fascinating and worthy to be examined deeper. More than that, the way to resist
racism and gender discrimination is still arguable.

Finding useful and right

method to against racism and gender discrimination is quite difficult, but it does
not mean that it is impossible.
This research is conducted to examine a controversial novel entitled The
Shack. The issue that will be examined through this research is the depiction of
God in African-American woman figure.

The author of The Shack bravely

created the character of Father God (based on Christians’ belief) into AfricanAmerican woman while most of the Christians believe that the Father God should
be a male. That is why this novel attracts many attentions from its readers around
the world.

The idea of the depiction of God in African-American woman

character is still questionable and needs to be examined more by using literary
criticism.
This research focuses on the depiction of God in African-American
woman figure as an ideal mother. This research also aims to check whether the
depiction of God in African-American woman figure as an ideal mother in The
Shack can be categorized as anti-racism and anti-gender discrimination or not.
The author’s life experience will also be examined through this research to know
deeper about its relationship with the idea of creating God’s character as AfricanAmerican woman.

Several statements or conversations in the novel will be

examined to strengthen the findings of this research. This research uses Hooks’

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and Collins’ theories of black feminism as the main theories to examine the
problem formulations of this research. Several theories from other black feminists
will also be used to clarify the findings of this research. Further explanations and
findings related to the issue of this research will be clarified through several
chapters below while the first chapter of this research as the introduction will
clarify first the background of the study of this research.

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A. Background of the Study
1. Why The Shack?
The Shack is a controversial novel which was published in 2008. The controversy
of this novel appeared because of the author of this novel depicted the figures of
God in different ways with what have been written in the Christian Scripture.11
Some people claim that The Shack is a Christian literature, but some people claim
that it is not. Those who claim that The Shack is a Christian literature say that The
Shack proposes the importance of love and forgiveness that the Christians need to
have but those who reject The Shack to be categorized as Christian literature claim
that The Shack is a heresy since The Shack proposes a story which states that God
is an African-American woman.
Those who reject The Shack to be categorized as Christian literature give
the clarifications like what had been said by J. R. Foster. Foster states that: “if
literature is to be made a study of human nature, you cannot have a Christian
literature. It is a contradiction in terms to attempt a sinless literature of sinful
man.”12 The depiction of God in the African-American woman figure might be
categorized as sinful act since it opposes what is written in the Christian Scripture
(that states God is a father). Kranz also proposes that Christian literature is here
used to “mean only books dealing directly with Christian doctrine, history or piety
and written in a Christian spirit.”13 According to those who reject The Shack to be

11
12
13

Belinda Elliott, “What’s So Bad about ‘The Shack’?” cbn.com. 2009. December 26, 2014.

Foster, J. R. Modern Christian Literature. (Burns & Oates, 1963) 154.
Kranz, Gisbert. Three Centuries of Christian Literature. (Burns & Oates, 1961) 7.

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called as Christian literature, The Shack is not based on Christian doctrine. That is
why it cannot be called Christian literature, but it is still controversial until now.
The Shack has been categorized as a controversial novel even before this
novel has been published. William Paul Young as the author of The Shack states
that at first, he never thought to publish The Shack for public since The Shack is a
book that he wanted to present for his six children. The intention of publishing
The Shack came after the novel was read by Young’s several friends and when
friends of friends began reading the book and showed their interest toward the
novel, Young started “contacting publishers. No luck. Faith-based publishers
rejected The Shack as too provocative and mainstream publishers said there was
too much Jesus.”14 The Shack once was appeared to be a novel that has no place
whether in virtuous publishers or secular publishers since if it is published by
virtuous publisher it will be categorized as a novel that insults religion and if it is
published in secular publishers, the idea of God and Jesus (religious matter) is
contained in this novel. Therefore, The Shack was once hardly accepted by the
publishers.
Although it was really hard at the first time to publish The Shack for the
public, William Paul Young and some of his friends who like his writings kept
trying to make a way to publish The Shack. At the end, their hard effort to try to
make The Shack published for the public generated good outcome. It is stated that:
“convinced the book deserved a larger audience, two of Young’s friends,
both former pastors, helped him rework the story and in 2007 began to
print and distribute it themselves through Windblown Media, a company
14

Galehouse, Maggie. “A Conversation with William Paul Young: Author of The Shack and Cross
Roads.” chron.com. 2012. March 11, 2015.

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created to publish and sell the book. By the time Hachette partnered with
Windblown for an even broader distribution in 2008, “The Shack” had hit
No. 1 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list,
where it remained for a year.”15
Young and his friends were able to publish The Shack for the public and The
Shack even brought a great achievement for William Paul Young as the best seller
novel. Since The Shack has become a best seller novel and that position lasted for
a year, it means people are really excited to read it.
This novel recounts a story about a white man named Mack who is
depressed because of the death of his youngest daughter.

Her daughter is

murdered by a serial killer in an old shack. During Mack’s depression, he comes
to hate God until one day he is invited through a letter that used the name “papa”
as the sender of the mysterious letter, to come to the shack where it is the place
that he hates the most. In the shack, he met “papa”. It is a name which usually
used by his wife and his children to call Father God.

Mack is surprised by

looking at the figure of Father God as a fat African-American woman. This novel
really grasps many readers’ attentions since its publication, and this novel has
many unique aspects which are worthy to be analyzed like what has been clarified
above, the depiction of God as African-American woman. Therefore, further
analysis about this novel is worth to be done.

15

Galehouse, Maggie. “A Conversation with William Paul Young: Author of The Shack and Cross
Roads.” chron.com. 2012. March 11, 2015.

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2. Why the Depiction of God as African-American Woman?
Patricia Hill Collins16 in her book entitled Black feminist Thought: Knowledge,
Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment which was published in 2000
states that “African-American women have been assaulted with a variety of
negative images”17. Collins affirms that one of many controlling images that have
been applied to African-American women is “mammy image – the faithful,
obedient domestic servant”18. This fact makes us realized that African-American
women really have negative images among people in the United States and even a
mammy image is said as a servant.
Due to many African-American women in the United States work as the
nannies for white families and their roles as the nannies sometimes are interpreted
wrongly by others, especially the white people. Collins adds that:
“Loving, nurturing, and caring for her White children and “family” better
than her own, the mammy symbolizes the dominant group’s perceptions of
the ideal African-American female relationship to elite White male power.
Even though she may be well loved and may wield considerable authority
16

17
18

Patricia Hill Collins is a college professor and a sociologist. She dedicated herself into
sociology problems, gender, and race matter. She studied sociology, Black feminism, and
American pragmatism. She was once a president of American Sociological Association (ASA)
and has been the first African-American woman who held this position. Now she works as a
distinguished professor at University of Maryland, College Park since 2006. Her first book
related to Black feminism entitled Black feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the
Politics of Empowerment got national attention since this book proposes three main problems
concerning African-American women. First, oppressions of race, class, gender, sexuality and
nation are intersecting, mutually constructing systems of power. Second, African-American
women have unique histories at the intersections of systems of power. Third, AfricanAmerican women's specific experiences with intersecting systems of oppression provide a
window into these same processes for other individuals and social groups. They have created
world views out of a need for self-definition and to work on behalf of social justice. This book
made Collins became a well known feminist who advocates gender and race equality.
Elizabeth Higginbotham. A New Perspective with Patricia Hill Collins. (University of Delaware,
2009) 1-6.
Collins, Patricia, H. Black feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of
Empowerment. (Routledge, 2000) 69.
Ibid, 72.

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in her White “family,” the mammy still knows her “place” as obedient
servant. She has accepted her subordination.”19
Based on the statement above, we figure out that when African-American women
work as the nannies for white family, they take care of the white children very
well but the African-American nannies are claimed as “obedient servant”. It gives
impression that racism and gender discrimination toward African-American
women are attached in the issue of motherhood or mothering.
This issue is pathetic since the actions of loving and caring the children are
claimed as a servant’s doing. Loving and caring children are the symbols of
goodness and it might bring the fact that the African-American women are the real
good women who love and care all the children well although the children are not
their own children. Whether the actions of loving and caring children can be used
as good or bad term for African-American women are still arguable and need to
be examined more. That is why this research aims to dig the aspects of God in
African-American woman figure as a mother through what had been described in
The Shack so that we can find more evidences to figure out whether the action of
being mother who love and care her children well can be used as a media to
advocate African-American women or not.
The controlling image for African-American women which has been
created by white people such as “mammy image” is categorized as bad term for
African-American women. This condition may lead to the speculation that: if
white people put African-American women into mother character, it means those
white people humiliate the African-American women. This condition is still

19

Ibid, 73.

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dubious and need more clarifications. At this stat