Tambu`s rebellion against traditional roles of women in Tsitsi Dangarembga`s Nervous Conditions.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
L., A. A. Komang Saka (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles
of Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and
Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata
Dharma University.
This study discusses the rebellions of some female characters against the
traditional roles of women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. Based
on the novel, women get unequal treatment from the men as the heads of
households in the family. Tambu, as one of the female characters in the novel,
wants to be free from the traditional roles of women by the patriarchal system.
This study is aimed at identifying the traditional roles that women should
employ and at finding the reasons and the ways of the main character rebels
against those roles as depicted in the novel. There are three problems proposed
related to the topic of this study, i.e. (1) What are the Zimbabwean traditional
roles of women shown in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?, (2) What
are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of women portrayed
in the novel?, and (3) How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
This study uses library research to analyze the problems formulated. There
are two main sources, primary and secondary sources. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s
Nervous Conditions is the primary source while the secondary sources are taken
from relevant books and journals related to the literary theories. Some theories
examined in this study are the critical approach, the review on traditional roles of
women in Zimbabwe, the review on Shona’s women and patriarchal system, the
review on socialization and culture, and the review on western colonization. Due
to the theme of this study is related to the social condition, the writer uses the
sociocultural-historical approach to examine the novel.
Based on the analysis, this study finds the women roles were employed by
every woman in the Shona society. Those roles are as a good wife, a good mother,
and a breadwinner. Those roles are considered as burdensome for women. That is
why Tambu rebels against the traditional roles. She wants to get the freedom to
determine the best thing and way for her life.
This study also offers suggestions to the future researchers who are
interested in working with Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions as their
study object. This study also provides suggestions for English teachers for
teaching English reading skill using Nervous Conditions and provides a lesson
plan for teaching English of grade XI students by using some excerpts from the
last chapter of Nervous Conditions as the teaching material.
Keywords: rebellions, traditional roles of women, Shona
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
L., A. A. Komang Saka. (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles of
Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Bahasa dan Seni,
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas tentang perlawanan dari beberapa tokoh-tokoh wanita
terhadap peranan tradisional wanita dalam novel Nervous Conditions karya Tsitsi
Dangarembga. Wanita dalam novel ini mengalami perlakuan yang berbeda dari
para lelaki sebagai kepala rumah tangga di dalam keluarga. Tambu sebagai salah
satu wanita di novel ini ingin terbebas dari peranan tradisional wanita yang sangat
dipengaruhi oleh sistem patriarki.
Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi peranan tradisional wanita yang
harus dilakukan dan untuk mencari alasan beserta cara yang dilakukan oleh tokoh
utama dalam melawan peranan tersebut seperti yang dilukiskan dalam novel. Ada
tiga masalah yang diusulkan terkait dengan topik penelitian ini, yaitu (1) Apa saja
peranan tradisional wanita Zimbabwe yang diperlihatkan dalam novel Nervous
Conditions karya Tsitsi Dangarembga?, (2) Apa saja alasan dari Tambu melawan
peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?, (3) Bagaimana Tambu
melawan peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?
Studi ini menggunakan metode kajian kepustakaan untuk menganalisa
rumusan masalah. Ada dua macam sumber yang digunakan Nervous Conditions
adalah sumber utama skripsi ini, sedangkan sumber sekunder didapat dari buku
dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan teori-teori kesusastraan. Beberapa teori yang
digunakan adalah kritik sastra, tinjauan tentang peranan-peranan tradisional
wanita di Zimbabwe, tinjauan tentang wanita dan sistem patriarki Shona, tinjauan
tentang budaya dan sosialisasi, dan tinjauan tentang penjajahan barat. Pendekatan
sosiokultural dan sejarah digunakan dalam mengkaji novel ini karena tema dari
skripsi ini berhubungan dengan kondisi sosial..
Berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan, kajian ini menemukan peranan
wanita yang harus dilakukan oleh wanita di masyarakat Shona. Peranan-peranan
tersebut adalah menjadi istri yang baik, ibu yang baik, dan pencari nafkah.
Peranan tersebut dianggap memberatkan bagi wanita. Inilah alasan yang membuat
Tambu melawan peranan tradisional tersebut. Dia ingin mendapatkan kebebasan
dalam menentukan hal-hal dan jalan terbaik untuk hidupnya.
Skripsi ini juga menawarkan saran bagi para peneliti selanjutnya yang
tertarik menggunakan novel karya Tsitsi Dangarembga yang berjudul Nervous
Conditions sebagai objek kajian. Skripsi ini juga menyediakan saran bagi guru
bahasa Inggris untuk mengajar keahlian membaca bahasa Inggris menggunakan
Nervous Conditions dan menawarkan rencana pembelajaran untuk mengajar
bahasa Inggris kelas XI menggunakan cuplikan bab terakhir dari Nervous
Conditions sebagai materi pengajaran.
Kata kunci: perlawanan, peranan tradisional wanita, Shona
viii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST
TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN TSITSI
DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number: 081214136
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST
TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN TSITSI
DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number: 081214136
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
No Matter How Powerful You
Become,
Do Not Try to Shoulder
Everything Alone.
-Masashi Kishimoto-
iv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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, 2 April 2013
The Writer
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number : 081214136
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Nomor Mahasiswa : 081214136
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN
TSITSI DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). 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 : 2 April 2013
Yang menyatakan
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
L., A. A. Komang Saka (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles
of Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and
Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata
Dharma University.
This study discusses the rebellions of some female characters against the
traditional roles of women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. Based
on the novel, women get unequal treatment from the men as the heads of
households in the family. Tambu, as one of the female characters in the novel,
wants to be free from the traditional roles of women by the patriarchal system.
This study is aimed at identifying the traditional roles that women should
employ and at finding the reasons and the ways of the main character rebels
against those roles as depicted in the novel. There are three problems proposed
related to the topic of this study, i.e. (1) What are the Zimbabwean traditional
roles of women shown in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?, (2) What
are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of women portrayed
in the novel?, and (3) How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
This study uses library research to analyze the problems formulated. There
are two main sources, primary and secondary sources. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s
Nervous Conditions is the primary source while the secondary sources are taken
from relevant books and journals related to the literary theories. Some theories
examined in this study are the critical approach, the review on traditional roles of
women in Zimbabwe, the review on Shona’s women and patriarchal system, the
review on socialization and culture, and the review on western colonization. Due
to the theme of this study is related to the social condition, the writer uses the
sociocultural-historical approach to examine the novel.
Based on the analysis, this study finds the women roles were employed by
every woman in the Shona society. Those roles are as a good wife, a good mother,
and a breadwinner. Those roles are considered as burdensome for women. That is
why Tambu rebels against the traditional roles. She wants to get the freedom to
determine the best thing and way for her life.
This study also offers suggestions to the future researchers who are
interested in working with Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions as their
study object. This study also provides suggestions for English teachers for
teaching English reading skill using Nervous Conditions and provides a lesson
plan for teaching English of grade XI students by using some excerpts from the
last chapter of Nervous Conditions as the teaching material.
Keywords: rebellions, traditional roles of women, Shona
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
L., A. A. Komang Saka. (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles of
Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Bahasa dan Seni,
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas tentang perlawanan dari beberapa tokoh-tokoh wanita
terhadap peranan tradisional wanita dalam novel Nervous Conditions karya Tsitsi
Dangarembga. Wanita dalam novel ini mengalami perlakuan yang berbeda dari
para lelaki sebagai kepala rumah tangga di dalam keluarga. Tambu sebagai salah
satu wanita di novel ini ingin terbebas dari peranan tradisional wanita yang sangat
dipengaruhi oleh sistem patriarki.
Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi peranan tradisional wanita yang
harus dilakukan dan untuk mencari alasan beserta cara yang dilakukan oleh tokoh
utama dalam melawan peranan tersebut seperti yang dilukiskan dalam novel. Ada
tiga masalah yang diusulkan terkait dengan topik penelitian ini, yaitu (1) Apa saja
peranan tradisional wanita Zimbabwe yang diperlihatkan dalam novel Nervous
Conditions karya Tsitsi Dangarembga?, (2) Apa saja alasan dari Tambu melawan
peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?, (3) Bagaimana Tambu
melawan peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?
Studi ini menggunakan metode kajian kepustakaan untuk menganalisa
rumusan masalah. Ada dua macam sumber yang digunakan Nervous Conditions
adalah sumber utama skripsi ini, sedangkan sumber sekunder didapat dari buku
dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan teori-teori kesusastraan. Beberapa teori yang
digunakan adalah kritik sastra, tinjauan tentang peranan-peranan tradisional
wanita di Zimbabwe, tinjauan tentang wanita dan sistem patriarki Shona, tinjauan
tentang budaya dan sosialisasi, dan tinjauan tentang penjajahan barat. Pendekatan
sosiokultural dan sejarah digunakan dalam mengkaji novel ini karena tema dari
skripsi ini berhubungan dengan kondisi sosial..
Berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan, kajian ini menemukan peranan
wanita yang harus dilakukan oleh wanita di masyarakat Shona. Peranan-peranan
tersebut adalah menjadi istri yang baik, ibu yang baik, dan pencari nafkah.
Peranan tersebut dianggap memberatkan bagi wanita. Inilah alasan yang membuat
Tambu melawan peranan tradisional tersebut. Dia ingin mendapatkan kebebasan
dalam menentukan hal-hal dan jalan terbaik untuk hidupnya.
Skripsi ini juga menawarkan saran bagi para peneliti selanjutnya yang
tertarik menggunakan novel karya Tsitsi Dangarembga yang berjudul Nervous
Conditions sebagai objek kajian. Skripsi ini juga menyediakan saran bagi guru
bahasa Inggris untuk mengajar keahlian membaca bahasa Inggris menggunakan
Nervous Conditions dan menawarkan rencana pembelajaran untuk mengajar
bahasa Inggris kelas XI menggunakan cuplikan bab terakhir dari Nervous
Conditions sebagai materi pengajaran.
Kata kunci: perlawanan, peranan tradisional wanita, Shona
viii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to the God
Almighty for His blessings and mercy. His guidance so reinforces me that I can
finally finish this thesis.
My deepest gratitude goes to my thesis advisor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd.,
M. Hum., for her patience, willingness, criticisms, and contributions in assisting
my thesis writing. I would like to thank her for the valuable suggestions and ideas
to improve my thesis.
I express my enormous gratitude to my beloved family, especially Ajung
A.A. Ketut Mahendra and Ibu Suryati Mahendra for their love, support, prayer,
and understanding. I apologize for making them wait for this thesis so long. I also
would like to thank my brothers A.A. Bagus Surya P. and A.A. Made Hendra S.
for their support and motivation. I would also like to dedicate this thesis for my
little sister, A.A. Ayu Ktut Maheswari and my nephew, A.A. Bagus Satya Tama
for their cheerfulness that has comforted and encouraged me to finish this thesis.
I would like to express my gratitude to all of the lecturers of English
Language Study Programme who have taught, guided and enriched me with new
knowledge and experiences during my study in this study programme. I would
also like to thank all of the secretariat staffs, library staff and all of the employees
in Sanata Dharma University for their help during my study.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Drs. Barli Bram, M.Ed.,
Ph.D., Vincent Nugroho, S.Pd. and Jatmiko Yuwono, S.Pd. for their patience,
support, and motivation in finishing this thesis by becoming proofreaders. I would
like to thank my best friends Berlin Adi, Bella Stasia, Margareta Mia, Michael
Dani, Aji ‘Kojek’ for accompanying me in my sad and happy lives at PBI. My
thank goes for their times in listening, criticizing, and supporting me. It is a
valuable time for me and I hope that we will have a better time in the future. I
would also thank to Father Richie, Mas Yoko, Selvi, Yuanita, Gilang, and Brian
for sharing knowledge during the thesis consultations and also for their help and
ix
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
support that motivated me in finishing my thesis. I would like to thank Mas
“Kecap”, Selly, Adam, Dhita, Rean, Ivon, Astri, Yosua, Beny, Wakul, Riska,
Widi, Lia, Aldhy, Adit, Tunggul, Paskalis, and the others for sharing the
experiences.
I would also express my gratitude to Djendelo Koffie for becoming my
“Second Home” and giving chances to gain new experiences in my life. I would
like to thank Pak Kevin, Pak Ampu, Bimo, Mas Hendra, and Pak Imot for the
opportunity learning new experiences in Djendelo. I would also thank the Barista
Crew; Gala, Antok, Manda, Martha “Eek”, Mayang, Andin, Dedes, Firda, Uchil,
Adot and all of the Baristas that I have met during my work there.
My thanks also go to my best friends in this life that have accompanied me
since my childhood until this time, Benedictus Dani, Antonius Handoko, Fajar
Prasetya, Agung Kurniawan, Danang A.W., and Wahyu Riyandhika for the ups
and downs of life. I thank them for supporting and motivating me to live the ways
I take. I would also thank Mudika of Paroki Baciro; Neno, Ponge, Gebol, Yudha,
Mas Dani, Ahong, and the others, for giving me a place to get new experiences. I
would also like to show my proper appreciation to all of my friends that I cannot
mention here one by one. I thank them for being my friends and supporting my
study and life.
Last but not least, I am grateful to Sisilia Arini for standing beside me in
my hardest time. I thank her for the quality time when discussing everything and
also this thesis. I thank her so much for supporting me in my difficult time and
always reminding me that what I choose is the best way. I thank her for the love,
support, and understanding.
May God always bless them all.
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
x
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE .....................................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES ........................................................................................
ii
PAGE OF BOARD OF EXAMINERS ..............................................................
iii
MOTTO .............................................................................................................
iv
STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................
v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ...................................................
vi
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRAK ........................................................................................................... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... xi
LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION....................................................................
1
A. Background of the Study ..............................................................................
1
B. Problem Formulation ....................................................................................
3
C. Objective of the Study ..................................................................................
4
D. Benefits of the Study ....................................................................................
4
E. Definition of Terms ......................................................................................
5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .........................
7
A. Review of Related Theories .........................................................................
7
1. Sociocultural-Historical Approach ..........................................................
7
2. Traditional Women’s Roles in Zimbabwe...............................................
8
a. Pre-Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles.........................................
9
b.Colonial Zimbawean Women’s Roles ................................................... 10
3. Shona’s Patriarchy System and Women ................................................... 11
4. Socialization and Culture ......................................................................... 13
a. Socialization.........................................................................................
xi
13
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
b.Culture ............................................................................................... ... 13
5. Western Colonialism...............................................................................
14
B. Theoritical Framework ...............................................................................
15
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY .............................................................. 18
A. Object of the Study ....................................................................................... 18
B. Approach of the Study .................................................................................. 20
C. Method of the Study ..................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 22
A. The Traditional Women’s Roles as Portrayed in Nervous Conditions……. 22
1. A Good Wife............................................................................................
23
2. A Good Mother ......................................................................................... 24
3. A Breadwinner ........................................................................................ 25
B. The Causes of Tambu’s Rebellions against Traditional Roles of Women…. 27
1. Patriarchal System .................................................................................... 27
2. Western Colonialism ................................................................................. 30
C. The Ways of Tambu’s Rebellions against Traditional Roles of Women….. 33
1. Getting an Education ................................................................................ 34
2. Tambu’s Absence from Her Parents’ Second Wedding .......................... 36
3. Joining the Sacred Heart .......................................................................... 38
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS............................... 41
A. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 41
B. Suggestions ................................................................................................... 44
REFERENCES................................................................................................... 47
APPENDICES ................................................................................................... 49
xi i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix
Page
Appendix A. Plot Summary of Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions...... 50
Appendix B. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Biography ................................................. 55
Appendix C. The Cover of Nervous Conditions ................................................ 57
Appendix D. Brief History of Zimbabwe .......................................................... 58
Appendix E. Lesson Plan ................................................................................... 62
Appendix F. Material for Teachers.................................................................... 71
Appendix G. Material for Students...................................................................... 81
xi i i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts. The first part is the background of the
study. This part discusses the reasons for choosing the novel and the rationale of
the topic. The second part is the problem formulation. This part presents the
problems found in the novel. The third part is the objectives of the study, which
explains the aim of the study. The fourth part is the benefits of the study. In this
part, the writer provides the information on the benefits for the readers, English
teachers, and future researchers. The last part is the definition of terms. This part
explains the specific terms used in this study. Specific terms in this study need to
be defined to avoid misunderstanding.
A. Background of the Study
Literature is an oral and written art, which expresses someone’s idea or
mind. It is usually related to culture, philosophy, or religion. The genres or types
of literary works vary in the ways of expressing the writers’ ideas. Rohrberger and
Woods (1971, p.19) state that there are four modern literary genres. The genres
are short stories, novels, poems, and plays.
In this study, the genre chosen by the writer is novels. A novel usually
presents the reality of life, which comes from its author’s experiences. Thus, novel
readers can discover life lessons from the various conditions and situations
presented in the novel. In The American Novel and Its Tradition, Chase (1957)
defines the novel as follows:
1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
The novel renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail. It takes a
group of people and sets them going about the business of life. We come
to see these people in their real complexity of temperament and motive.
They are in explicable relation to nature, to each other, to their social class,
to their own past (p. 12).
A society can be the background for novelists to write their story. The reflection
of human life and the society will give the illustration to the novelists to make
their own story. Every society has different distinctive features. Novel readers can
learn and acquire new knowledge from those special features or characteristics in
a society. They can learn the prevailing culture, norms, or religions that exist in a
certain society. In order to give a description about a society, a novelist can use an
individual as a model. Langland (1984) states, “the flexible details of individual
societies in novels help underscore the several paradigms for society” (p. 6).
In this study, the writer focuses on Nervous Conditions as the novel to be
discussed. This novel raises the issue of a Rhodesian woman and how she can live
her life in the society. Nervous Conditions is a novel written by a Zimbabwean
woman, Tsitsi Dangarembga. She wrote this novel in 1989. The setting of this
story is in Rhodesia, 1960. Rhodesia was one of the British’s colonies. When
Rhodesia obtained the independence in 1980, it changed its name into Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s colonial condition is the main background of this story. This novel
discusses not only the culture and the life society in the colonial country, but also
the efforts from a woman named Tambu who struggles to reach her dreams or
desires. Tambu lives in the Shona society where the patriarchal system is still
preserved. The existing traditional women’s roles hinder her to achieve her goals.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
It is interesting to see the efforts from a woman to reach her dreams. From
Tambu’s experiences, her unyielding spirit can be so much inspiring. The
willingness to be a better person encourages Tambu to survive in this condition.
Tambu thinks that education is the best way out from poverty. Actually, because
of the colonialism and patriarchal society, she cannot obtain the education easily.
Tambu has to face many obstacles in her life. Besides, if she violates the
traditional roles, her parents will surely disagree with her. Firstly, her father does
not want Tambu to obtain education in a school. He thinks that a woman does not
need education because, later, she will be a housewife. Secondly, her mother also
wants Tambu to stay at home and to help her in the fields. Tambu’s mother has
the same opinion with her husband and she does not want to lose any children
anymore. She has lost her son, Nhamo. However, Tambu still respects her
traditional culture although she wants to change her life for the better one by
obtaining equal opportunity in attaining education as men do.
Tambu is the protagonist character and the narrator of this story. She
narrates her experiences through the story. Therefore, this study focuses on the
traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe and how Tambu rebels against it. The
writer tries to explore the topic because Tambu’s efforts to set her free from
poverty will bring her to a situation in opposing the women’s roles in her society.
B. Problem Formulation
This study focuses on three problems in order to make a systematical
analysis, namely:
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
1. What are the Zimbabwean traditional roles of women shown in Tsitsi
Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?
2. What are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
3. How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of women portrayed in
the novel?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are drawn from the problem formulation
proposed. First, this study aims to identify the traditional roles of women in the
society that is shown in the novel. Then, this study aims to explore the reasons and
the ways of Tambu in rebelling against the traditional women’s roles.
D. Benefits of the Study
This study is expected to enrich the readers’ knowledge of the Zimbabwe’s
traditional roles of women. The writer hopes that this study can encourage the
readers to read other literary works related to roles of women. For the English
teachers, this study can be useful to develop teaching materials from this novel.
The English teachers can use this novel to help their students explore materials or
knowledge about the traditional women’s roles. In addition, the writer expects this
study can inspire the future researchers in studying Nervous Conditions. Future
researchers can analyze this novel from other aspects in Africa besides traditional
women’s roles, such as its education, culture, history, or society.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
E. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid the readers from misunderstanding, two terms need to be
explained. Those terms are rebellion and traditional women’s roles.
Based on The New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of
the English Language, rebel as a verb means to resist any authority or established
usage or to react with violence aversion. The word rebel as a noun means one who
rebel. Then, rebellion refers to the act of resisting any authority or established
usage or reacting with violence aversion (1996, p. 1051). In this study, rebellion
refers to Tambu’s action in resisting the traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe.
The second term is traditional women’s role. Based on The New
International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language,
tradition as a noun means to the transmission of knowledge, opinions, doctrines,
customs, practices, etc., from generation to generation, originally by word of
mouth and by example. Traditional as an adjective means something that related
to tradition (1996, p. 1330). Linton states, “role will be used to designate the sum
total of the culture patterns associated with a particular status. It thus includes the
attitudes, values, and behavior ascribed by the society to any and all persons
occupying the status” (as cited in Nye, 1976, p.4). Then, the roles of men and
women can be concluded as the patterns of values, attitudes, and behavior that are
designated to men and women, which are specified by the status in society. In this
study, traditional roles of women refer to patterns of values, attitudes, and
behavior designated for women in Zimbabwe, which related to the transmission of
knowledge, opinions, doctrines, customs, practices, etc., from generation to
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6
generation. It encourages Tambu to rebel against the behavior and attitudes in the
society for her better life.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of two parts. The first is review of related theories.
This part explains the theories used to answer the problem formulations. This part
consists of the explanations of the theories related to this study. They are theories
of critical approaches and the review of Zimbabwean women’s roles. The second
part is the theoretical framework. It gives a summary of the theories used in this
study.
A. Review of Related Theories
This part presents the theories, which are used to conduct this study. They
are the theories of critical approach and the review of Zimbabwean women’s
roles. The critical approach is used to reveal the traditional women’s roles in
Zimbabwe. Then, the review of Zimbabwean women’s roles is used to give
further information about traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe.
1. Sociocultural-Historical Approach
According to Rohrberger and Woods (1971), there are five critical
approaches to literary works. They are the formalist approach, the biographical
approach, the sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and
the psychological approach.
7
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8
This study focuses on the traditional women’s roles in the Shona or
Zimbabwean society. Thus, this study used sociocultural-historical as the
approach. Sociocultural-historical approach is an approach that focuses on the
society, culture and history of human being. Rohrberger and Woods (1971) state
sociocultural-historical approach as follows:
The only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that
produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a
specific group of people and point out that literature takes these attitudes
and actions as its subject matter (p. 9).
Sociocultural-historical approach can be used to reveal actions and
attitudes that are produced by the society. In addition, in this approach, there are
moral interests that express the authors’ ideas (p.10). Rohrberger and Woods
(1971) state some examples related to moral interest, “The humanists, for
example, take the view that literature is a criticism of life that affects men in
society, and that great literature should express the values of order, restraint, and
human dignity” (p.10). Therefore, this approach can explore the moral interest
and value of the society from the novel.
2. Traditional Women’s Roles in Zimbabwe
Generally, traditional roles of women can be defined as the attitudes,
values, and behaviors of women in society. Turner states “cooking,
housekeeping, and child care roles usually are associated with the position of
wife and/or mother” (as cited in Nye, 1976, p.5). Hudson-Weems (2004) states
that women can perform triple roles of mother, partner, and breadwinner (p. 67).
Those examples are some roles that usually done by women in society or family.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
Then, in order to explore the specific traditional roles of women in
Zimbabwe, Cheater (1986) writes the roles of women in Pre-Colonial and
Colonial time as follows:
a. Pre-Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles
According to Beach, “the relations of production in pre-colonial
Zimbabwe seems that women were excluded from access to land in their own
right, although they could and did invest in livestock (which of course required
land on which to graze), the proceeds of their own skilled labor in nonagricultural pursuits” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66). Beach and Mackenzie
state “although women were economically active in agricultural as well as craft
production, and had some control over grain stores, they did not control the
means of production in agriculture and metallurgy, but instead provided much of
the labor required for these occupations” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66).
However, Shona women did exercise from the authority in other roles: as
mothers, especially over their daughters; as producers or service-workers
possessing special skills (for example, in pottery or healing), over the proceeds
of their own work; as mothers of married daughters for whom room had been
paid, over property. But as property-owners, women experienced more difficulty
than men in increasing their authority through accumulating property. Holleman
indicates, with respect to the colonial period, “more often than not the essential
needs of her children and other blood-relatives will force her to dispose of her
stock before they have had time to increase” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66).
Men may indeed have conserved their own property holdings as their wives met
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
such needs from their livestock: certainly today mothers will go to extraordinary
lengths to keep their children in school, long after their husbands have given up
trying to find the necessary cash.
b. Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles
Many external factors from traditional society influence indigenous
women during the colonial period. According to Holleman, “education,
migration to the towns, urbanization, and religious conversion all affected
women's roles in their families, larger kin groupings, and the economy. Policy
(e.g. in the provision of predominantly bachelor housing on mines and in towns)
were combined with family attitudes (e.g. concerning the relative benefits to be
gained from educating boys as opposed to girls) to decrease female exposure
and female forces of change” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.71).Women also had
problems in land holding. Cheater (1986) states, “women’s landholdings were
one-third the size of the men…the holding itself was registered in the name of
the husband…the livestock holdings of subordinate members of the family were
(and still are) regarded as falling under the jurisdiction of the household head”
(pp. 71-72). Women’s rights to land in this society are still limited and the
applicable laws favor men.
Cheater (1986) states that there is a wish to look at new forms of property,
including freehold land, which was in pre-colonial times foreign to Zimbabwe's
traditional culture; and at new laws. Cheater adds that those forms of property
and the laws governing were both introduced during the colonial period and
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11
might, therefore, have been expected to escape classification as “customary”, for
example, Christian marriages; but the native people still considered this as
“customary” (p.72). In addition, Hunter (1973) states, “but since the era of
colonialism, women have been placed on lower rungs of the proverbial ladder by
the dominant forces of capitalism, and now globalization, which emphasizes this
need for power,
superiority and compartmentalization
of
roles and
responsibilities with different values attached to them” (p.94).
For additional information, there is information that the writer obtains
from an interview between Tsitsi Dangarembga and BBC News about role of
women on March 26, 2005 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4370007.stm).
Dangarembga states that the role of African women has not changed much: only
the context that is changed. Women roles are still bear children, make and
manage homes, earn their living, contribute to the running of society. In the post
modern information age, women are coping with new problems of isolation,
disintegration of traditional networks and support systems and the increasing
pace of life. Dangarembga also states that women are not often given
recognition for outstanding work they do in their fields. This kind of recognition
is frequently caused by male domination in the fields, but also the jealousy from
other women and lack of unity among women.
3. Shona’s Patriarchal System and Women
Shona is a tribe in Zimbabwe. Bourdillon (1987) states that the Shona
kinship system is basically patrilineal, which means the kinship through males is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
stressed over kinship through females. When a Shona man or woman wishes to
show respect to each other, he or she uses traditional clan names inherited from
that person’s father (rather similar to English names). These names clearly
distinguish groups of patrilineal kin who are related through the male line and
consequently have the same clan name (pp. 21-22).
Walby (1990) mentions patriarchy as a system of social structures and
practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women (p. 20).
According to Tierney (1999), patriarchy is the creation and reflection of an
exclusively masculine view of the world. Patriarchy also intends to render
women’s experiences and women’s perspective intangible. Patriarchy then
favors one side of each pair over the other, establishing a hierarchy of
classifications in which what is associated with the male is given more priority
than what represents the female. Thus, patriarchy establishes male dominance in
its basic account of the world and its standard of knowledge and judgment, as
well as in its concrete institution and practice. Actually, women’s experiences as
marginalized within patriarchy can encourage more determined articulation of
their points of view. Women’s experiences are evoking a set of feminist
discourses that arise to challenge the dominant patriarchal view (p. 1049).
Montagu (1953) thinks that women in the patriarchal system face traits
that are attributed to the Negro at the present time. Those traits were burdened
women for many generations. Women are considered as the second-class
citizens of patriarchal society. Montagu also considers that women, who were
alleged, had smaller brains than men, and less intelligence. Women were more
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13
emotional and unstable. In a crisis, people could always rely upon women to
weaken or to become helpless. Women were weak and sickly creatures. Women
had little judgment and less sense. Women could not be entrusted with handling
of money. As for the world outside, there women could be employed only at the
most menial and routine of tasks (p. 21).
4. Socialization and Culture
Lindsey (1997) explains the term of culture and the way it passed on to the
next (pp. 53-54) as follows:
a. Socialization
Socialization can be defined as the lifelong process through which
individuals learn their culture, develop their human potential, and become
functioning members of the society. As a critical process in social life,
socialization requires social interaction. Socialization recognizes society’s
culture which molds the beliefs and behavior about male-female and masculinefeminine. Culture influences human’s development and character forming.
b. Culture
A culture involves total way of life of a given society. It includes both
material aspects and nonmaterial aspects. The examples of material aspects are
buildings and books. The examples of nonmaterial aspects are religion and roles.
Culture defines which behavior patterns are considered appropriate. Indeed,
culture encompasses all aspects that have developed and acquired as human
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14
beings, with each generation transmitting essential cultural elements to the next
generation through socialization. For example, the institution of the family is
responsible for childhood socialization which is continued with institution of
education. Other institutions that also have responsibility to continue the
socialization are religion, government, economy, and evolving leisure and
recreational institution with media focus.
5. Western Colonialism
According to Neill (1966), there are five categories to classify western
aggression (p.12):
a. Political aggression has resulted in the disappearance of ancient theories and
kingdoms – the Moguls of Delhi before the British, the many rajas of
Indonesia before the Dutch.
b. Economic aggression has destroyed old and carefully balanced systems or
organization, and has resulted in the wholesale disappearance of traditional
skills of arts and crafts, which adorned and beautiful ancient civilizations.
c. Social aggression has trespassed on the most intimate areas of persona and
family life, upsetting the ancient order of the relationship between sexes,
between parents and children.
d. Intellectual aggression has paralyzed the creature powers of great nations by
subjecting the rising generation to alien systems of education, and imposing
categories of thought in which eastern and African people cannot find
themselves at home.
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15
e. The missions are the direct threat to those religious institutions on which all
ancient cultures are founded, and by which they are held together—the most
dangerous of all forms of aggression, since this strikes at the very heart of
the nations and endangers their existence as people with a history and a
destiny.
Neill adds that the missions would not have been very dangerous if they had not
come in the closest alliance with the physical power of the conquering nations
(pp. 12-13). Colonialism most important area of domination is the mental
universe of the colonized. They control culture, the way of people perceive
themselves and their relationship with the world.
B. Theoretical Framework
This study focuses on the rebellion against the traditional roles of women.
First, in order to analyze the novel, the writer needs to use an appropriate
approach to literary criticism. There are five approaches proposed by
Rohrberger and Woods; in this case, the sociocultural-historical approach is the
appropriate one. This approach focuses on the society, culture, and history of
human being, such as the traditional roles of women in Zimbabwean society.
Second, reviews on Zimbabwean women’s roles in pre-colonial and
colonial are also used. These reviews help the writer to understand the
background of the traditional women’s roles in the novel. The writer uses these
reviews because the first problem in this study is about the traditional roles of
women as portrayed in the novel that has setting background in Zimbabwe.
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16
Then, in order to find the causes and the ways of Tambu rebels against the
traditional roles of women, some reviews related to Zimbabwean society are
also used. The first review is Shona’s patriarchal system and women. There are
some purposes of using that review. The first is to help the writer to understand
that Shona society employs the patriarchal systems. Shona people are the major
tribe in Nervous Conditions. The second is to understand the definition of
patriarchy from the experts. Walby’s explanation on patriarchal system helps the
writer to understand what patriarchy is. Here, patriarchy is one of the factors
that influence the traditional roles of women. The third is to know that the
patriarchal system influences on women’s lives. Montagu states that women
undergo treatment as second-class citizens from time to time in patriarchy
society. Tambu and other women experience it in the novel. They experience
gender oppression of patriarchy and racism of white people.
The second review is about the culture and its socialization. This review
explains what things included in culture value and how those things are taught
to next generations. Traditional roles of women in Shona society are part of
culture. Tambu, as portrayed the novel, should employ this part of culture. She
employs it in accordance with the example of her mother.
Third, review of the western colonialism explains the impacts of
colonization. In this novel, the British colonizes Rhodesia. There are tendencies
from Western, including British, to colonize a new area when they find that
place has good potentials. This review provides information to the writer in
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
17
analyzing this novel. This review helps to understand the forms of colonialism
and its effects that occur in the novel.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three sections. The first section is the object of the
study, which explains the physical description and the significance of work of the
novel. This section mentions briefly about the work in general. The second section
is the approach of the study, which contains the analysis of the study. This section
discusses the description of the approach and the reason of choosing the approach.
The third section is the method of the study. This section explains the primary and
secondary data and the steps in conducting the study.
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is the novel entitled Nervous Conditions by a
Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. This first publication of this novel was
in 1988 by The Women’s Press. The second edition of Nervous Conditions was
published by Ayebia Clarke in 2004. This novel consists of 208 pages and it is
divided into ten chapters with extra
ABSTRACT
L., A. A. Komang Saka (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles
of Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and
Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata
Dharma University.
This study discusses the rebellions of some female characters against the
traditional roles of women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. Based
on the novel, women get unequal treatment from the men as the heads of
households in the family. Tambu, as one of the female characters in the novel,
wants to be free from the traditional roles of women by the patriarchal system.
This study is aimed at identifying the traditional roles that women should
employ and at finding the reasons and the ways of the main character rebels
against those roles as depicted in the novel. There are three problems proposed
related to the topic of this study, i.e. (1) What are the Zimbabwean traditional
roles of women shown in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?, (2) What
are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of women portrayed
in the novel?, and (3) How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
This study uses library research to analyze the problems formulated. There
are two main sources, primary and secondary sources. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s
Nervous Conditions is the primary source while the secondary sources are taken
from relevant books and journals related to the literary theories. Some theories
examined in this study are the critical approach, the review on traditional roles of
women in Zimbabwe, the review on Shona’s women and patriarchal system, the
review on socialization and culture, and the review on western colonization. Due
to the theme of this study is related to the social condition, the writer uses the
sociocultural-historical approach to examine the novel.
Based on the analysis, this study finds the women roles were employed by
every woman in the Shona society. Those roles are as a good wife, a good mother,
and a breadwinner. Those roles are considered as burdensome for women. That is
why Tambu rebels against the traditional roles. She wants to get the freedom to
determine the best thing and way for her life.
This study also offers suggestions to the future researchers who are
interested in working with Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions as their
study object. This study also provides suggestions for English teachers for
teaching English reading skill using Nervous Conditions and provides a lesson
plan for teaching English of grade XI students by using some excerpts from the
last chapter of Nervous Conditions as the teaching material.
Keywords: rebellions, traditional roles of women, Shona
vii
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ABSTRAK
L., A. A. Komang Saka. (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles of
Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Bahasa dan Seni,
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas tentang perlawanan dari beberapa tokoh-tokoh wanita
terhadap peranan tradisional wanita dalam novel Nervous Conditions karya Tsitsi
Dangarembga. Wanita dalam novel ini mengalami perlakuan yang berbeda dari
para lelaki sebagai kepala rumah tangga di dalam keluarga. Tambu sebagai salah
satu wanita di novel ini ingin terbebas dari peranan tradisional wanita yang sangat
dipengaruhi oleh sistem patriarki.
Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi peranan tradisional wanita yang
harus dilakukan dan untuk mencari alasan beserta cara yang dilakukan oleh tokoh
utama dalam melawan peranan tersebut seperti yang dilukiskan dalam novel. Ada
tiga masalah yang diusulkan terkait dengan topik penelitian ini, yaitu (1) Apa saja
peranan tradisional wanita Zimbabwe yang diperlihatkan dalam novel Nervous
Conditions karya Tsitsi Dangarembga?, (2) Apa saja alasan dari Tambu melawan
peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?, (3) Bagaimana Tambu
melawan peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?
Studi ini menggunakan metode kajian kepustakaan untuk menganalisa
rumusan masalah. Ada dua macam sumber yang digunakan Nervous Conditions
adalah sumber utama skripsi ini, sedangkan sumber sekunder didapat dari buku
dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan teori-teori kesusastraan. Beberapa teori yang
digunakan adalah kritik sastra, tinjauan tentang peranan-peranan tradisional
wanita di Zimbabwe, tinjauan tentang wanita dan sistem patriarki Shona, tinjauan
tentang budaya dan sosialisasi, dan tinjauan tentang penjajahan barat. Pendekatan
sosiokultural dan sejarah digunakan dalam mengkaji novel ini karena tema dari
skripsi ini berhubungan dengan kondisi sosial..
Berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan, kajian ini menemukan peranan
wanita yang harus dilakukan oleh wanita di masyarakat Shona. Peranan-peranan
tersebut adalah menjadi istri yang baik, ibu yang baik, dan pencari nafkah.
Peranan tersebut dianggap memberatkan bagi wanita. Inilah alasan yang membuat
Tambu melawan peranan tradisional tersebut. Dia ingin mendapatkan kebebasan
dalam menentukan hal-hal dan jalan terbaik untuk hidupnya.
Skripsi ini juga menawarkan saran bagi para peneliti selanjutnya yang
tertarik menggunakan novel karya Tsitsi Dangarembga yang berjudul Nervous
Conditions sebagai objek kajian. Skripsi ini juga menyediakan saran bagi guru
bahasa Inggris untuk mengajar keahlian membaca bahasa Inggris menggunakan
Nervous Conditions dan menawarkan rencana pembelajaran untuk mengajar
bahasa Inggris kelas XI menggunakan cuplikan bab terakhir dari Nervous
Conditions sebagai materi pengajaran.
Kata kunci: perlawanan, peranan tradisional wanita, Shona
viii
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TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST
TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN TSITSI
DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number: 081214136
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST
TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN TSITSI
DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number: 081214136
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
No Matter How Powerful You
Become,
Do Not Try to Shoulder
Everything Alone.
-Masashi Kishimoto-
iv
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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, 2 April 2013
The Writer
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Student Number : 081214136
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
Nomor Mahasiswa : 081214136
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
TAMBU’S REBELLION AGAINST TRADITIONAL ROLES OF WOMEN IN
TSITSI DANGAREMBGA’S NERVOUS CONDITIONS
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). 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 : 2 April 2013
Yang menyatakan
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
L., A. A. Komang Saka (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles
of Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and
Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata
Dharma University.
This study discusses the rebellions of some female characters against the
traditional roles of women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions. Based
on the novel, women get unequal treatment from the men as the heads of
households in the family. Tambu, as one of the female characters in the novel,
wants to be free from the traditional roles of women by the patriarchal system.
This study is aimed at identifying the traditional roles that women should
employ and at finding the reasons and the ways of the main character rebels
against those roles as depicted in the novel. There are three problems proposed
related to the topic of this study, i.e. (1) What are the Zimbabwean traditional
roles of women shown in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?, (2) What
are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of women portrayed
in the novel?, and (3) How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
This study uses library research to analyze the problems formulated. There
are two main sources, primary and secondary sources. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s
Nervous Conditions is the primary source while the secondary sources are taken
from relevant books and journals related to the literary theories. Some theories
examined in this study are the critical approach, the review on traditional roles of
women in Zimbabwe, the review on Shona’s women and patriarchal system, the
review on socialization and culture, and the review on western colonization. Due
to the theme of this study is related to the social condition, the writer uses the
sociocultural-historical approach to examine the novel.
Based on the analysis, this study finds the women roles were employed by
every woman in the Shona society. Those roles are as a good wife, a good mother,
and a breadwinner. Those roles are considered as burdensome for women. That is
why Tambu rebels against the traditional roles. She wants to get the freedom to
determine the best thing and way for her life.
This study also offers suggestions to the future researchers who are
interested in working with Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions as their
study object. This study also provides suggestions for English teachers for
teaching English reading skill using Nervous Conditions and provides a lesson
plan for teaching English of grade XI students by using some excerpts from the
last chapter of Nervous Conditions as the teaching material.
Keywords: rebellions, traditional roles of women, Shona
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ABSTRAK
L., A. A. Komang Saka. (2013). Tambu’s Rebellion against Traditional Roles of
Women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions Yogyakarta:
Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Bahasa dan Seni,
Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas tentang perlawanan dari beberapa tokoh-tokoh wanita
terhadap peranan tradisional wanita dalam novel Nervous Conditions karya Tsitsi
Dangarembga. Wanita dalam novel ini mengalami perlakuan yang berbeda dari
para lelaki sebagai kepala rumah tangga di dalam keluarga. Tambu sebagai salah
satu wanita di novel ini ingin terbebas dari peranan tradisional wanita yang sangat
dipengaruhi oleh sistem patriarki.
Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi peranan tradisional wanita yang
harus dilakukan dan untuk mencari alasan beserta cara yang dilakukan oleh tokoh
utama dalam melawan peranan tersebut seperti yang dilukiskan dalam novel. Ada
tiga masalah yang diusulkan terkait dengan topik penelitian ini, yaitu (1) Apa saja
peranan tradisional wanita Zimbabwe yang diperlihatkan dalam novel Nervous
Conditions karya Tsitsi Dangarembga?, (2) Apa saja alasan dari Tambu melawan
peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?, (3) Bagaimana Tambu
melawan peranan tradisional wanita yang dilukiskan dalam novel?
Studi ini menggunakan metode kajian kepustakaan untuk menganalisa
rumusan masalah. Ada dua macam sumber yang digunakan Nervous Conditions
adalah sumber utama skripsi ini, sedangkan sumber sekunder didapat dari buku
dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan teori-teori kesusastraan. Beberapa teori yang
digunakan adalah kritik sastra, tinjauan tentang peranan-peranan tradisional
wanita di Zimbabwe, tinjauan tentang wanita dan sistem patriarki Shona, tinjauan
tentang budaya dan sosialisasi, dan tinjauan tentang penjajahan barat. Pendekatan
sosiokultural dan sejarah digunakan dalam mengkaji novel ini karena tema dari
skripsi ini berhubungan dengan kondisi sosial..
Berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan, kajian ini menemukan peranan
wanita yang harus dilakukan oleh wanita di masyarakat Shona. Peranan-peranan
tersebut adalah menjadi istri yang baik, ibu yang baik, dan pencari nafkah.
Peranan tersebut dianggap memberatkan bagi wanita. Inilah alasan yang membuat
Tambu melawan peranan tradisional tersebut. Dia ingin mendapatkan kebebasan
dalam menentukan hal-hal dan jalan terbaik untuk hidupnya.
Skripsi ini juga menawarkan saran bagi para peneliti selanjutnya yang
tertarik menggunakan novel karya Tsitsi Dangarembga yang berjudul Nervous
Conditions sebagai objek kajian. Skripsi ini juga menyediakan saran bagi guru
bahasa Inggris untuk mengajar keahlian membaca bahasa Inggris menggunakan
Nervous Conditions dan menawarkan rencana pembelajaran untuk mengajar
bahasa Inggris kelas XI menggunakan cuplikan bab terakhir dari Nervous
Conditions sebagai materi pengajaran.
Kata kunci: perlawanan, peranan tradisional wanita, Shona
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to the God
Almighty for His blessings and mercy. His guidance so reinforces me that I can
finally finish this thesis.
My deepest gratitude goes to my thesis advisor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd.,
M. Hum., for her patience, willingness, criticisms, and contributions in assisting
my thesis writing. I would like to thank her for the valuable suggestions and ideas
to improve my thesis.
I express my enormous gratitude to my beloved family, especially Ajung
A.A. Ketut Mahendra and Ibu Suryati Mahendra for their love, support, prayer,
and understanding. I apologize for making them wait for this thesis so long. I also
would like to thank my brothers A.A. Bagus Surya P. and A.A. Made Hendra S.
for their support and motivation. I would also like to dedicate this thesis for my
little sister, A.A. Ayu Ktut Maheswari and my nephew, A.A. Bagus Satya Tama
for their cheerfulness that has comforted and encouraged me to finish this thesis.
I would like to express my gratitude to all of the lecturers of English
Language Study Programme who have taught, guided and enriched me with new
knowledge and experiences during my study in this study programme. I would
also like to thank all of the secretariat staffs, library staff and all of the employees
in Sanata Dharma University for their help during my study.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Drs. Barli Bram, M.Ed.,
Ph.D., Vincent Nugroho, S.Pd. and Jatmiko Yuwono, S.Pd. for their patience,
support, and motivation in finishing this thesis by becoming proofreaders. I would
like to thank my best friends Berlin Adi, Bella Stasia, Margareta Mia, Michael
Dani, Aji ‘Kojek’ for accompanying me in my sad and happy lives at PBI. My
thank goes for their times in listening, criticizing, and supporting me. It is a
valuable time for me and I hope that we will have a better time in the future. I
would also thank to Father Richie, Mas Yoko, Selvi, Yuanita, Gilang, and Brian
for sharing knowledge during the thesis consultations and also for their help and
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
support that motivated me in finishing my thesis. I would like to thank Mas
“Kecap”, Selly, Adam, Dhita, Rean, Ivon, Astri, Yosua, Beny, Wakul, Riska,
Widi, Lia, Aldhy, Adit, Tunggul, Paskalis, and the others for sharing the
experiences.
I would also express my gratitude to Djendelo Koffie for becoming my
“Second Home” and giving chances to gain new experiences in my life. I would
like to thank Pak Kevin, Pak Ampu, Bimo, Mas Hendra, and Pak Imot for the
opportunity learning new experiences in Djendelo. I would also thank the Barista
Crew; Gala, Antok, Manda, Martha “Eek”, Mayang, Andin, Dedes, Firda, Uchil,
Adot and all of the Baristas that I have met during my work there.
My thanks also go to my best friends in this life that have accompanied me
since my childhood until this time, Benedictus Dani, Antonius Handoko, Fajar
Prasetya, Agung Kurniawan, Danang A.W., and Wahyu Riyandhika for the ups
and downs of life. I thank them for supporting and motivating me to live the ways
I take. I would also thank Mudika of Paroki Baciro; Neno, Ponge, Gebol, Yudha,
Mas Dani, Ahong, and the others, for giving me a place to get new experiences. I
would also like to show my proper appreciation to all of my friends that I cannot
mention here one by one. I thank them for being my friends and supporting my
study and life.
Last but not least, I am grateful to Sisilia Arini for standing beside me in
my hardest time. I thank her for the quality time when discussing everything and
also this thesis. I thank her so much for supporting me in my difficult time and
always reminding me that what I choose is the best way. I thank her for the love,
support, and understanding.
May God always bless them all.
Anak Agung Komang Saka L.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE .....................................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES ........................................................................................
ii
PAGE OF BOARD OF EXAMINERS ..............................................................
iii
MOTTO .............................................................................................................
iv
STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................
v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ...................................................
vi
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... vii
ABSTRAK ........................................................................................................... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................... xi
LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION....................................................................
1
A. Background of the Study ..............................................................................
1
B. Problem Formulation ....................................................................................
3
C. Objective of the Study ..................................................................................
4
D. Benefits of the Study ....................................................................................
4
E. Definition of Terms ......................................................................................
5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .........................
7
A. Review of Related Theories .........................................................................
7
1. Sociocultural-Historical Approach ..........................................................
7
2. Traditional Women’s Roles in Zimbabwe...............................................
8
a. Pre-Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles.........................................
9
b.Colonial Zimbawean Women’s Roles ................................................... 10
3. Shona’s Patriarchy System and Women ................................................... 11
4. Socialization and Culture ......................................................................... 13
a. Socialization.........................................................................................
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13
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
b.Culture ............................................................................................... ... 13
5. Western Colonialism...............................................................................
14
B. Theoritical Framework ...............................................................................
15
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY .............................................................. 18
A. Object of the Study ....................................................................................... 18
B. Approach of the Study .................................................................................. 20
C. Method of the Study ..................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ............................................................................. 22
A. The Traditional Women’s Roles as Portrayed in Nervous Conditions……. 22
1. A Good Wife............................................................................................
23
2. A Good Mother ......................................................................................... 24
3. A Breadwinner ........................................................................................ 25
B. The Causes of Tambu’s Rebellions against Traditional Roles of Women…. 27
1. Patriarchal System .................................................................................... 27
2. Western Colonialism ................................................................................. 30
C. The Ways of Tambu’s Rebellions against Traditional Roles of Women….. 33
1. Getting an Education ................................................................................ 34
2. Tambu’s Absence from Her Parents’ Second Wedding .......................... 36
3. Joining the Sacred Heart .......................................................................... 38
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS............................... 41
A. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 41
B. Suggestions ................................................................................................... 44
REFERENCES................................................................................................... 47
APPENDICES ................................................................................................... 49
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix
Page
Appendix A. Plot Summary of Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions...... 50
Appendix B. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Biography ................................................. 55
Appendix C. The Cover of Nervous Conditions ................................................ 57
Appendix D. Brief History of Zimbabwe .......................................................... 58
Appendix E. Lesson Plan ................................................................................... 62
Appendix F. Material for Teachers.................................................................... 71
Appendix G. Material for Students...................................................................... 81
xi i i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts. The first part is the background of the
study. This part discusses the reasons for choosing the novel and the rationale of
the topic. The second part is the problem formulation. This part presents the
problems found in the novel. The third part is the objectives of the study, which
explains the aim of the study. The fourth part is the benefits of the study. In this
part, the writer provides the information on the benefits for the readers, English
teachers, and future researchers. The last part is the definition of terms. This part
explains the specific terms used in this study. Specific terms in this study need to
be defined to avoid misunderstanding.
A. Background of the Study
Literature is an oral and written art, which expresses someone’s idea or
mind. It is usually related to culture, philosophy, or religion. The genres or types
of literary works vary in the ways of expressing the writers’ ideas. Rohrberger and
Woods (1971, p.19) state that there are four modern literary genres. The genres
are short stories, novels, poems, and plays.
In this study, the genre chosen by the writer is novels. A novel usually
presents the reality of life, which comes from its author’s experiences. Thus, novel
readers can discover life lessons from the various conditions and situations
presented in the novel. In The American Novel and Its Tradition, Chase (1957)
defines the novel as follows:
1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
The novel renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail. It takes a
group of people and sets them going about the business of life. We come
to see these people in their real complexity of temperament and motive.
They are in explicable relation to nature, to each other, to their social class,
to their own past (p. 12).
A society can be the background for novelists to write their story. The reflection
of human life and the society will give the illustration to the novelists to make
their own story. Every society has different distinctive features. Novel readers can
learn and acquire new knowledge from those special features or characteristics in
a society. They can learn the prevailing culture, norms, or religions that exist in a
certain society. In order to give a description about a society, a novelist can use an
individual as a model. Langland (1984) states, “the flexible details of individual
societies in novels help underscore the several paradigms for society” (p. 6).
In this study, the writer focuses on Nervous Conditions as the novel to be
discussed. This novel raises the issue of a Rhodesian woman and how she can live
her life in the society. Nervous Conditions is a novel written by a Zimbabwean
woman, Tsitsi Dangarembga. She wrote this novel in 1989. The setting of this
story is in Rhodesia, 1960. Rhodesia was one of the British’s colonies. When
Rhodesia obtained the independence in 1980, it changed its name into Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s colonial condition is the main background of this story. This novel
discusses not only the culture and the life society in the colonial country, but also
the efforts from a woman named Tambu who struggles to reach her dreams or
desires. Tambu lives in the Shona society where the patriarchal system is still
preserved. The existing traditional women’s roles hinder her to achieve her goals.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
It is interesting to see the efforts from a woman to reach her dreams. From
Tambu’s experiences, her unyielding spirit can be so much inspiring. The
willingness to be a better person encourages Tambu to survive in this condition.
Tambu thinks that education is the best way out from poverty. Actually, because
of the colonialism and patriarchal society, she cannot obtain the education easily.
Tambu has to face many obstacles in her life. Besides, if she violates the
traditional roles, her parents will surely disagree with her. Firstly, her father does
not want Tambu to obtain education in a school. He thinks that a woman does not
need education because, later, she will be a housewife. Secondly, her mother also
wants Tambu to stay at home and to help her in the fields. Tambu’s mother has
the same opinion with her husband and she does not want to lose any children
anymore. She has lost her son, Nhamo. However, Tambu still respects her
traditional culture although she wants to change her life for the better one by
obtaining equal opportunity in attaining education as men do.
Tambu is the protagonist character and the narrator of this story. She
narrates her experiences through the story. Therefore, this study focuses on the
traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe and how Tambu rebels against it. The
writer tries to explore the topic because Tambu’s efforts to set her free from
poverty will bring her to a situation in opposing the women’s roles in her society.
B. Problem Formulation
This study focuses on three problems in order to make a systematical
analysis, namely:
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
1. What are the Zimbabwean traditional roles of women shown in Tsitsi
Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions?
2. What are Tambu’s reasons in rebelling against the traditional roles of
women portrayed in the novel?
3. How does Tambu rebel against the traditional roles of women portrayed in
the novel?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are drawn from the problem formulation
proposed. First, this study aims to identify the traditional roles of women in the
society that is shown in the novel. Then, this study aims to explore the reasons and
the ways of Tambu in rebelling against the traditional women’s roles.
D. Benefits of the Study
This study is expected to enrich the readers’ knowledge of the Zimbabwe’s
traditional roles of women. The writer hopes that this study can encourage the
readers to read other literary works related to roles of women. For the English
teachers, this study can be useful to develop teaching materials from this novel.
The English teachers can use this novel to help their students explore materials or
knowledge about the traditional women’s roles. In addition, the writer expects this
study can inspire the future researchers in studying Nervous Conditions. Future
researchers can analyze this novel from other aspects in Africa besides traditional
women’s roles, such as its education, culture, history, or society.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
E. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid the readers from misunderstanding, two terms need to be
explained. Those terms are rebellion and traditional women’s roles.
Based on The New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of
the English Language, rebel as a verb means to resist any authority or established
usage or to react with violence aversion. The word rebel as a noun means one who
rebel. Then, rebellion refers to the act of resisting any authority or established
usage or reacting with violence aversion (1996, p. 1051). In this study, rebellion
refers to Tambu’s action in resisting the traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe.
The second term is traditional women’s role. Based on The New
International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language,
tradition as a noun means to the transmission of knowledge, opinions, doctrines,
customs, practices, etc., from generation to generation, originally by word of
mouth and by example. Traditional as an adjective means something that related
to tradition (1996, p. 1330). Linton states, “role will be used to designate the sum
total of the culture patterns associated with a particular status. It thus includes the
attitudes, values, and behavior ascribed by the society to any and all persons
occupying the status” (as cited in Nye, 1976, p.4). Then, the roles of men and
women can be concluded as the patterns of values, attitudes, and behavior that are
designated to men and women, which are specified by the status in society. In this
study, traditional roles of women refer to patterns of values, attitudes, and
behavior designated for women in Zimbabwe, which related to the transmission of
knowledge, opinions, doctrines, customs, practices, etc., from generation to
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6
generation. It encourages Tambu to rebel against the behavior and attitudes in the
society for her better life.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of two parts. The first is review of related theories.
This part explains the theories used to answer the problem formulations. This part
consists of the explanations of the theories related to this study. They are theories
of critical approaches and the review of Zimbabwean women’s roles. The second
part is the theoretical framework. It gives a summary of the theories used in this
study.
A. Review of Related Theories
This part presents the theories, which are used to conduct this study. They
are the theories of critical approach and the review of Zimbabwean women’s
roles. The critical approach is used to reveal the traditional women’s roles in
Zimbabwe. Then, the review of Zimbabwean women’s roles is used to give
further information about traditional women’s roles in Zimbabwe.
1. Sociocultural-Historical Approach
According to Rohrberger and Woods (1971), there are five critical
approaches to literary works. They are the formalist approach, the biographical
approach, the sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and
the psychological approach.
7
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
8
This study focuses on the traditional women’s roles in the Shona or
Zimbabwean society. Thus, this study used sociocultural-historical as the
approach. Sociocultural-historical approach is an approach that focuses on the
society, culture and history of human being. Rohrberger and Woods (1971) state
sociocultural-historical approach as follows:
The only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that
produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a
specific group of people and point out that literature takes these attitudes
and actions as its subject matter (p. 9).
Sociocultural-historical approach can be used to reveal actions and
attitudes that are produced by the society. In addition, in this approach, there are
moral interests that express the authors’ ideas (p.10). Rohrberger and Woods
(1971) state some examples related to moral interest, “The humanists, for
example, take the view that literature is a criticism of life that affects men in
society, and that great literature should express the values of order, restraint, and
human dignity” (p.10). Therefore, this approach can explore the moral interest
and value of the society from the novel.
2. Traditional Women’s Roles in Zimbabwe
Generally, traditional roles of women can be defined as the attitudes,
values, and behaviors of women in society. Turner states “cooking,
housekeeping, and child care roles usually are associated with the position of
wife and/or mother” (as cited in Nye, 1976, p.5). Hudson-Weems (2004) states
that women can perform triple roles of mother, partner, and breadwinner (p. 67).
Those examples are some roles that usually done by women in society or family.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
Then, in order to explore the specific traditional roles of women in
Zimbabwe, Cheater (1986) writes the roles of women in Pre-Colonial and
Colonial time as follows:
a. Pre-Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles
According to Beach, “the relations of production in pre-colonial
Zimbabwe seems that women were excluded from access to land in their own
right, although they could and did invest in livestock (which of course required
land on which to graze), the proceeds of their own skilled labor in nonagricultural pursuits” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66). Beach and Mackenzie
state “although women were economically active in agricultural as well as craft
production, and had some control over grain stores, they did not control the
means of production in agriculture and metallurgy, but instead provided much of
the labor required for these occupations” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66).
However, Shona women did exercise from the authority in other roles: as
mothers, especially over their daughters; as producers or service-workers
possessing special skills (for example, in pottery or healing), over the proceeds
of their own work; as mothers of married daughters for whom room had been
paid, over property. But as property-owners, women experienced more difficulty
than men in increasing their authority through accumulating property. Holleman
indicates, with respect to the colonial period, “more often than not the essential
needs of her children and other blood-relatives will force her to dispose of her
stock before they have had time to increase” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.66).
Men may indeed have conserved their own property holdings as their wives met
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
such needs from their livestock: certainly today mothers will go to extraordinary
lengths to keep their children in school, long after their husbands have given up
trying to find the necessary cash.
b. Colonial Zimbabwean Women’s Roles
Many external factors from traditional society influence indigenous
women during the colonial period. According to Holleman, “education,
migration to the towns, urbanization, and religious conversion all affected
women's roles in their families, larger kin groupings, and the economy. Policy
(e.g. in the provision of predominantly bachelor housing on mines and in towns)
were combined with family attitudes (e.g. concerning the relative benefits to be
gained from educating boys as opposed to girls) to decrease female exposure
and female forces of change” (as cited in Cheater, 1986, p.71).Women also had
problems in land holding. Cheater (1986) states, “women’s landholdings were
one-third the size of the men…the holding itself was registered in the name of
the husband…the livestock holdings of subordinate members of the family were
(and still are) regarded as falling under the jurisdiction of the household head”
(pp. 71-72). Women’s rights to land in this society are still limited and the
applicable laws favor men.
Cheater (1986) states that there is a wish to look at new forms of property,
including freehold land, which was in pre-colonial times foreign to Zimbabwe's
traditional culture; and at new laws. Cheater adds that those forms of property
and the laws governing were both introduced during the colonial period and
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
11
might, therefore, have been expected to escape classification as “customary”, for
example, Christian marriages; but the native people still considered this as
“customary” (p.72). In addition, Hunter (1973) states, “but since the era of
colonialism, women have been placed on lower rungs of the proverbial ladder by
the dominant forces of capitalism, and now globalization, which emphasizes this
need for power,
superiority and compartmentalization
of
roles and
responsibilities with different values attached to them” (p.94).
For additional information, there is information that the writer obtains
from an interview between Tsitsi Dangarembga and BBC News about role of
women on March 26, 2005 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4370007.stm).
Dangarembga states that the role of African women has not changed much: only
the context that is changed. Women roles are still bear children, make and
manage homes, earn their living, contribute to the running of society. In the post
modern information age, women are coping with new problems of isolation,
disintegration of traditional networks and support systems and the increasing
pace of life. Dangarembga also states that women are not often given
recognition for outstanding work they do in their fields. This kind of recognition
is frequently caused by male domination in the fields, but also the jealousy from
other women and lack of unity among women.
3. Shona’s Patriarchal System and Women
Shona is a tribe in Zimbabwe. Bourdillon (1987) states that the Shona
kinship system is basically patrilineal, which means the kinship through males is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
stressed over kinship through females. When a Shona man or woman wishes to
show respect to each other, he or she uses traditional clan names inherited from
that person’s father (rather similar to English names). These names clearly
distinguish groups of patrilineal kin who are related through the male line and
consequently have the same clan name (pp. 21-22).
Walby (1990) mentions patriarchy as a system of social structures and
practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women (p. 20).
According to Tierney (1999), patriarchy is the creation and reflection of an
exclusively masculine view of the world. Patriarchy also intends to render
women’s experiences and women’s perspective intangible. Patriarchy then
favors one side of each pair over the other, establishing a hierarchy of
classifications in which what is associated with the male is given more priority
than what represents the female. Thus, patriarchy establishes male dominance in
its basic account of the world and its standard of knowledge and judgment, as
well as in its concrete institution and practice. Actually, women’s experiences as
marginalized within patriarchy can encourage more determined articulation of
their points of view. Women’s experiences are evoking a set of feminist
discourses that arise to challenge the dominant patriarchal view (p. 1049).
Montagu (1953) thinks that women in the patriarchal system face traits
that are attributed to the Negro at the present time. Those traits were burdened
women for many generations. Women are considered as the second-class
citizens of patriarchal society. Montagu also considers that women, who were
alleged, had smaller brains than men, and less intelligence. Women were more
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emotional and unstable. In a crisis, people could always rely upon women to
weaken or to become helpless. Women were weak and sickly creatures. Women
had little judgment and less sense. Women could not be entrusted with handling
of money. As for the world outside, there women could be employed only at the
most menial and routine of tasks (p. 21).
4. Socialization and Culture
Lindsey (1997) explains the term of culture and the way it passed on to the
next (pp. 53-54) as follows:
a. Socialization
Socialization can be defined as the lifelong process through which
individuals learn their culture, develop their human potential, and become
functioning members of the society. As a critical process in social life,
socialization requires social interaction. Socialization recognizes society’s
culture which molds the beliefs and behavior about male-female and masculinefeminine. Culture influences human’s development and character forming.
b. Culture
A culture involves total way of life of a given society. It includes both
material aspects and nonmaterial aspects. The examples of material aspects are
buildings and books. The examples of nonmaterial aspects are religion and roles.
Culture defines which behavior patterns are considered appropriate. Indeed,
culture encompasses all aspects that have developed and acquired as human
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beings, with each generation transmitting essential cultural elements to the next
generation through socialization. For example, the institution of the family is
responsible for childhood socialization which is continued with institution of
education. Other institutions that also have responsibility to continue the
socialization are religion, government, economy, and evolving leisure and
recreational institution with media focus.
5. Western Colonialism
According to Neill (1966), there are five categories to classify western
aggression (p.12):
a. Political aggression has resulted in the disappearance of ancient theories and
kingdoms – the Moguls of Delhi before the British, the many rajas of
Indonesia before the Dutch.
b. Economic aggression has destroyed old and carefully balanced systems or
organization, and has resulted in the wholesale disappearance of traditional
skills of arts and crafts, which adorned and beautiful ancient civilizations.
c. Social aggression has trespassed on the most intimate areas of persona and
family life, upsetting the ancient order of the relationship between sexes,
between parents and children.
d. Intellectual aggression has paralyzed the creature powers of great nations by
subjecting the rising generation to alien systems of education, and imposing
categories of thought in which eastern and African people cannot find
themselves at home.
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e. The missions are the direct threat to those religious institutions on which all
ancient cultures are founded, and by which they are held together—the most
dangerous of all forms of aggression, since this strikes at the very heart of
the nations and endangers their existence as people with a history and a
destiny.
Neill adds that the missions would not have been very dangerous if they had not
come in the closest alliance with the physical power of the conquering nations
(pp. 12-13). Colonialism most important area of domination is the mental
universe of the colonized. They control culture, the way of people perceive
themselves and their relationship with the world.
B. Theoretical Framework
This study focuses on the rebellion against the traditional roles of women.
First, in order to analyze the novel, the writer needs to use an appropriate
approach to literary criticism. There are five approaches proposed by
Rohrberger and Woods; in this case, the sociocultural-historical approach is the
appropriate one. This approach focuses on the society, culture, and history of
human being, such as the traditional roles of women in Zimbabwean society.
Second, reviews on Zimbabwean women’s roles in pre-colonial and
colonial are also used. These reviews help the writer to understand the
background of the traditional women’s roles in the novel. The writer uses these
reviews because the first problem in this study is about the traditional roles of
women as portrayed in the novel that has setting background in Zimbabwe.
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Then, in order to find the causes and the ways of Tambu rebels against the
traditional roles of women, some reviews related to Zimbabwean society are
also used. The first review is Shona’s patriarchal system and women. There are
some purposes of using that review. The first is to help the writer to understand
that Shona society employs the patriarchal systems. Shona people are the major
tribe in Nervous Conditions. The second is to understand the definition of
patriarchy from the experts. Walby’s explanation on patriarchal system helps the
writer to understand what patriarchy is. Here, patriarchy is one of the factors
that influence the traditional roles of women. The third is to know that the
patriarchal system influences on women’s lives. Montagu states that women
undergo treatment as second-class citizens from time to time in patriarchy
society. Tambu and other women experience it in the novel. They experience
gender oppression of patriarchy and racism of white people.
The second review is about the culture and its socialization. This review
explains what things included in culture value and how those things are taught
to next generations. Traditional roles of women in Shona society are part of
culture. Tambu, as portrayed the novel, should employ this part of culture. She
employs it in accordance with the example of her mother.
Third, review of the western colonialism explains the impacts of
colonization. In this novel, the British colonizes Rhodesia. There are tendencies
from Western, including British, to colonize a new area when they find that
place has good potentials. This review provides information to the writer in
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analyzing this novel. This review helps to understand the forms of colonialism
and its effects that occur in the novel.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three sections. The first section is the object of the
study, which explains the physical description and the significance of work of the
novel. This section mentions briefly about the work in general. The second section
is the approach of the study, which contains the analysis of the study. This section
discusses the description of the approach and the reason of choosing the approach.
The third section is the method of the study. This section explains the primary and
secondary data and the steps in conducting the study.
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is the novel entitled Nervous Conditions by a
Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. This first publication of this novel was
in 1988 by The Women’s Press. The second edition of Nervous Conditions was
published by Ayebia Clarke in 2004. This novel consists of 208 pages and it is
divided into ten chapters with extra