A Mother`s involvement in preserving patriarchal power in Anita Desai`s fasting feasting.

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ABSTRACT
Elizabeth Ratih Maharani.A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal
Power in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University,2016
The issue of women’s oppression is an actual issue which provokes
endless discussion. This issue isthe domain of feminist’s struggle until now. There
are many theories of feminism in literature. This thesis uses psychoanalytic
feminism approach which emphasizes on women’s role in perpetuating patriarchal
power. Through this approach, the relation between women’s oppression and
women's psyche, as the cause, is analyzed deeply. This study is conducted to
prove that Mama is involved in preserving the power of patriarchy in the family
through her typical treatments toward her daughters, Uma and Aruna.
The thesis has three problems to discuss. The first problem deals with the
description of Mama, Uma and Aruna. The second problem is about how far
patriarchal values are reflected in Mama’s treatment toward Uma and Aruna. The
last problem is about the factors underlying Mama's involvement in preserving
patriarchal power.
The method used in this research is library research. The primary source of
this research is a novel by Anita Desai, Fasting, Feasting. The secondarysource is

all studies about Feminism Psychoanalysis, primarily related to Nancy
Chodorow’s theory on mother-daughter relationship in patriarchal societies.
After analyzing this novel, three conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, Mama
is depicted as a narrow-minded, insecure, and status-oriented woman. Uma is an
alienated, inferior and curious daughter. Aruna is a superior, status-oriented, and
beauty-addicted daughter. Secondly, Mama’s treatment reflects patriarchal values.
She prioritizes her son to get nutritious food and qualified education. Mama
burdens her daughters with great responsibilities to take care of the house, gives
them less freedom for self-expression, and teaches them that women’s self-worth
is determined by their physical attractiveness. Thirdly, there are two factors
underlying Mama’s involvement in preserving the power of patriarchy. The first
factor is the influence of her mother who made distinctive treatments based on
gender toward her children.The second factor is the influence of tradition that
addresses child-rearing responsibilities to mothers. Fathers only set the rules, they
do not participate in this duty. Mama passes this role down to her daughters. As a
result, she is involved in preserving patriarchal power.

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ABSTRAK
Elizabeth Ratih Maharani.A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal
Power in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University,2016.

Masalah penindasan laki-laki terhadap perempuan adalah masalah aktual
yang tidak pernah habis dibahas. Masalah ini menjadi ranah perjuangan kaum
feminis hingga saat ini. Ada bermacam-macam teori feminism dalam karya sastra.
Skripsi ini menggunakan pendekatan feminism psikoanalis yang menekankan
pada peran perempuan dalam melanggengkan penindasan terhadap perempuan itu
sendiri. Melalui pendekatan ini, hubungan antara penindasan terhadap kaum
perempuan dan kondisi kejiwaan perempuan sebagai penyebabnya dianalisa lebih
mendalam. Studi ini dilakukan untuk membuktikan bahwa karakter Mama terlibat
dalam melestarikan kekuatan patriarki di keluarga melalui perlakuannya yang
khas pada anak perempuannya, Uma danAruna.
Terdapat tiga rumusan masalah dalam skripsi ini. Yang pertama tentang
penggambaran tokoh Mama, Uma dan Aruna. Kedua tentang sejauh mana nilai
patriarki tercermin dalam perlakuan Mama pada Uma dan Aruna. Ketiga tentang
faktor yang mendasari keterlibatan Mama dalam melestarikan kekuatan patriarki.

Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah studi kepustakaan.
Sumber utamanya adalah sebuah novel karya Anita Desai, Fasting, Feasting.
Sumber yang kedua adalah semua studi yang berkaitan dengan teori feminisme
psikoanalisis, terutama teori Nancy Chodorow tentang relasi ibu dan anak
perempuan dalam masyarakat patriarkal.
Setelah menganalisa novel ini, ada tiga kesimpulan yang bisa diambil.
Pertama, Mama digambarkan sebagai perempuan berwawasan sempit,
mempunyai rasa tidak aman, dan berorientasi pada status sosial. Uma adalah anak
perempuan yang tersisih, rendah diri, dan punya rasa ingin tahu yang tinggi.
Aruna adalah pribadi yang sombong, berorientasi pada status, dan terobsesi pada
kecantikan. Kedua, perlakuan Mama pada kedua putrinya mencerminkan nilai
patriarki. Dia memprioritaskan putranya untuk mendapatkan makanan bergizi dan
pendidikan bermutu. Dia membebani anak perempuannya tanggung jawab besar
untuk mengurus rumah, memberi sedikit kebebasan berekspresi dan mengajarkan
bahwa nilai diri perempuan ditentukan oleh daya tarik fisiknya. Ketiga, ada dua
hal yang mendorong keterlibatan Mama dalam mempertahankan kekuatan
patriarki. Yang pertama adalah pengaruh perlakuan ibunya yang membuat
pembedaan pada anak berdasarkan gender.Yang kedua adalah pengaruh tradisi
yang membebankan peran pengasuhan anak pada para ibu. Sedangkan para ayah
hanya menetapkan aturan tanpa partisipasi. Mama meneruskan peran ini pada

kedua putrinya. Dengan demikian Mama terlibat dalam melestarikan kekuatan
patriarki.

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A MOTHER’S INVOLVEMENT
IN PRESERVING PATRIARCHAL POWER
IN ANITA DESAI’S FASTING, FEASTING

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters

By
ELIZABETH RATIH MAHARANI
Student Number: 124214039
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2016

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

A MOTHER’S INVOLVEMENT
IN PRESERVING PATRIARCHAL POWER
IN ANITA DESAI’S FASTING, FEASTING

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of SarjanaSastra
in English Letters

By
ELIZABETH RATIH MAHARANI
Student Number: 124214039

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2016

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Each time

A woman stands up for herself,
Without knowing it possibly,
Without claiming it,
SHE STANDS UP
FOR ALL WOMEN

Maya Angelou

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Almighty
Jesus Christ for always holding my hands. Without His strength and blessing I
would not be able to finish this thesis.
My unbounded thanks go to Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of
Amersfoort for giving me a worthy opportunity and support to study in English
Letters Department.

I would like to give my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, Ni
LuhPutuRosiandani, S.S, M. Hum., for her precious time and guidance.“Without
your patience I would not be able to write a good thesis during my hard times.”I
also thank Drs. HirmawanWijanarka, M.Hum.for giving me useful advice to
improve my writing skill.
A bunch of thanksgo to TheresiaAnggarani for her special help and
support. For Dessen, Agatha, Angel, and all 2012 English Letters Department’s
students, I would like to say thanks for wonderful moments we experience
together during we study in this university.
Last but not least, I thank everyone whose name I cannot mention one by
one. Thank you for helping and supporting me during the completion of this
thesis.May God bless you all with love and peace.
Elizabeth Ratih Maharani

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE.............................................................................................. i

APPROVAL PAGE.................................................................................... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE............................................................................... iii
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY.......................................................... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
KARYA ILMIAH......................................................................................... v
MOTTO PAGE........................................................................................... vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................... viii
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................... x
ABSTRAK.................................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER I:INTRODUCTION..............................................................
A. Background of the Study............................................................
B. Problem Formulation..................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study..............................................................

1
1
5
6

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE..........................................
A. Review of Related Studies..........................................................
B. Review of Related Theories........................................................
1. Theory of Character and Characterization............................
2. Theory of Patriarchy.............................................................
3. Theory of Mother-Daughter Relationship............................
C. Theoretical Framework..............................................................

7
7
11
11
13
15
17

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY.........................................................
A. Object of the Study.....................................................................
B. Approach of the Study................................................................
C. Method of the Study...................................................................

19
19
21
22

CHAPTER IV:ANALYSIS……………………………………………. 25
A. The Description of Mama, Uma, and Aruna.............................. 25
1. Mama.................................................................................... 24
a. Mama as a Daughter....................................................... 25
b. Mama as a Wife.............................................................. 26
c. Mama as a Mother.......................................................... 29
2. Uma...................................................................................... 31
a. Uma as a Daughter......................................................... 32
b. Uma as a Wife................................................................ 35
3. Aruna.................................................................................... 36
a. Aruna as a Daughter........................................................ 38
b. Aruna as a Wife............................................................. 39
B. The Reflection of Patriarchal Values on Mama’s Treatment
towardHerDaughters…………………………………………. 41

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1. Son Preference....................................................................... 42
2. Food Discrimination.............................................................. 43
3. Burden of HouseholdWork................................................... 44
4. Education Opportunity........................................................... 45
5. Freedom................................................................................. 46
6. Control over Women Bodies................................................. 47
C. Underlying Factors of Mama’s Involvement in Preserving
Patriarchal Power………………………………………………. 48
1. The Object Relationship of Mama......................................... 49
a. Mama as a Daughter........................................................ 49
b. Mama as a Mother........................................................... 52
2. Cultural Construction of the Society......................................55
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION.................................................................. 59
BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................ 61
.

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ABSTRACT
Elizabeth Ratih Maharani.A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal
Power in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University,2016
The issue of women’s oppression is an actual issue which provokes
endless discussion. This issue isthe domain of feminist’s struggle until now. There
are many theories of feminism in literature. This thesis uses psychoanalytic
feminism approach which emphasizes onwomen’s role in perpetuating patriarchal
power. Through this approach,the relation between women’s oppression and
women's psyche, as the cause, is analyzed deeply. This study is conducted to
prove that Mama is involved in preserving the power of patriarchy in the family
through her typical treatmentstowardher daughters, Uma and Aruna.
The thesis hasthree problems to discuss. The first problem deals with the
description of Mama, Uma and Aruna. The second problem is about how
farpatriarchal values are reflected in Mama’s treatment toward Uma and Aruna.
The last problem is about the factors underlying Mama's involvement in
preserving patriarchal power.
The method used in this research is library research. The primary source of
this research is a novel by Anita Desai, Fasting, Feasting. The secondarysource is
all studiesabout Feminism Psychoanalysis, primarily related to Nancy
Chodorow’stheory on mother-daughter relationship in patriarchal societies.
After analyzing this novel, three conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, Mama
is depicted as a narrow-minded, insecure, and status-orientedwoman. Uma is an
alienated, inferior and curious daughter. Aruna is a superior, status-oriented, and
beauty-addicted daughter. Secondly, Mama’s treatment reflects patriarchal
values.She prioritizesher sonto get nutritious food and qualified education.Mama
burdens herdaughters with greatresponsibilities to take care of the house, gives
themless freedom for self-expression, and teachesthem that women’s self-worth is
determined by their physical attractiveness. Thirdly, there are two
factorsunderlyingMama’s involvement in preserving the power of patriarchy. The
first factor is the influence of her mother whomadedistinctivetreatmentsbased on
gender toward her children.The second factor is the influence of tradition that
addresses child-rearing responsibilities to mothers. Fathers only set the rules,they
do not participate in this duty. Mama passes this role down to her daughters. As a
result, she is involved in preserving patriarchal power.

x

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ABSTRAK
Elizabeth Ratih Maharani.A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal
Power in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University,2016.

Masalah penindasan laki-laki terhadap perempuan adalah masalah aktual
yang tidak pernah habis dibahas.Masalah ini menjadi ranah perjuangan kaum
feminis hingga saat ini. Ada bermacam-macam teori feminisme dalam karya
sastra. Skripsi ini menggunakan pendekatanfeminism epsikoanalis yang
menekankan pada peran perempuan dalam melanggengkan penindasan terhadap
perempuan itu sendiri. Melalui pendekatan ini, hubungan antara penindasan
terhadap kaum perempuandan kondisi kejiwaan perempuan sebagai penyebabnya
dianalisa lebih mendalam. Studi ini dilakukan untuk membuktikan bahwa karakter
Mama terlibat dalam melestarikan kekuatan patriarki di keluarga melalui
perlakuannya yang khas pada anak perempuannya, Uma dan Aruna.
Terdapat tiga rumusan masalah dalam skripsi ini. Yang pertama tentang
penggambaran tokoh Mama, Uma dan Aruna. Kedua tentang sejauh mana nilai
patriarki tercermin dalam perlakuan Mama pada Uma dan Aruna. Ketiga tentang
faktor yang mendasari keterlibatan Mama dalam melestarikan kekuatan patriarki.
Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah studi kepustakaan. Sumber
utamanya adalah sebuah novel karya Anita Desai, Fasting, Feasting. Sumber yang
kedua adalah semuastudi yang berkaitan dengan teori feminisme psikoanalisis,
terutama teor iNancy Chodorow tentang relasi ibu dan anak perempuan dalam
masyarakat patriarkal.
Setelah menganalisa novel ini, ada tiga kesimpulan yang bisa diambil.
Pertama, Mama digambarkan sebagai perempuan berwawasan sempit,
mempunyai rasa tidak aman, dan berorientasi pada status sosial. Uma adalah anak
perempuan yang tersisih, rendah diri, dan punya rasa ingin tahu yang tinggi.
Aruna adalah pribadi yang sombong, berorientasi pada status, dan terobsesi pada
kecantikan. Kedua, perlakuan Mama pada kedua putrinya mencerminkan nilai
patriarki. Dia memprioritaskan putranya untuk mendapatkan makanan bergizi dan
pendidikan bermutu. Dia membebani anak perempuannya tanggung jawab besar
untuk mengurus rumah, memberi sedikit kebebasan berekspresi dan mengajarkan
bahwa nilai diri perempuan ditentukan oleh daya tarik fisiknya. Ketiga, ada dua
hal yang mendorong keterlibatan Mama dalam mempertahankan kekuatan
patriarki. Yang pertama adalah pengaruh perlakuan ibunya yang membuat
pembedaan pada anak berdasarkan gender. Yang kedua adalah pengaruh tradisi
yang membebankan peran pengasuhan anak pada para ibu. Sedangkan para ayah
hanya menetapkan aturan tanpa partisipasi. Mama meneruskan peran ini pada
kedua putrinya. Dengan demikian Mama terlibat dalam melestarikan kekuatan
patriarki.

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Every human was born in a family. They grow up in a family, by nature
they want to build a family and spend their life with their loved ones in the family.
Throughout history, family holds a prominent role in shaping human life.
Lawrence Wilson, MD, an activist of children development, gives the reason as he
states,
The family unit – principally a man and a woman living together in
harmony and peace – is and always will be the basic social organization or
unit of any society. This relationship alone provides stability in a sexual,
emotional, intellectual and social way as no other can (drwilson.com,
2013).
The existence of all human beings starts without doubt in a family. Family is a
place where they can find love and establish their existence. Undoubtedly, family
is valued as the best place to get a great happiness in life.
However, family can also be felt as a hell for some people. Instead of
being a source of happiness, it can turn to be a source of terrors. This condition
may occur when its members no longer feel accepted, loved, and find their
existence as human beings. The loss of harmony in a family is marked by
conflicts among its members. This chaotic condition is illustrated in the Bible as
Jesus said, “They will be divided, father against son and son against father,
mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her
daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12:53). The
happiness turns into bitterness when there are many conflicts of interest within

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2

family members. Mismanaged conflicts create great harm on the relationship
among them and finally lead to a family breakdown.
Parents are considered as the key persons behind either harmony or
destruction of their family. Due to their position and authority, they are highly
demanded to resolve various conflicts in the family. Parents also have a major role
to form their children personality. As a famous proverb says, “Like father, like
son,” parents themselves are the role models for their children. Karen Stephen, an
instructor of children development argues, “Children in general do tend to grow
up to be a lot like their parents. Social scientists and genetic researchers have
identified many cycles that loop from one generation to next” (easternflorida.edu,
2015). Thus, parents’ behaviors are primary influences on developing good
characteristics of their children. If they want their children grow up to be good
persons who faithfully hold the principles of equality and justice, they should
make themselves the models of these values.
A question may appear, “Can equality and justice really exist in a family?”
Up to now, most families in the world still adopt principles of patriarchy. They do
not accept equal status of women and men in family life. In patriarchal societies,
the figures of father take control over women and children in the family. It is
difficult to eradicate the system since it has been deeply rooted in human culture.
Patriarchal societies put men on higher position while women on the lower
rank. Women become second-class citizen since they are considered as innately
inferior to men, less intelligent, less rational, less courageous and so forth.

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3

Patriarchal system frequently disadvantages women psychologically, socially and
economically.
This condition is portrayed in Anita Desai’s Novel, Fasting, Feasting. The
novel is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the life of Uma, the eldest
daughter of a middle class family living in a small town in India. She is neither
attractive nor bright. Her father takes all decisions about the family matters
including his children’s lives. Her parents, whom she perceived as an inseparable
entity, ‘MamaPapa’, treat her inhumanly. They see Uma failed in meeting their
high expectations about a perfect daughter. The second daughter of the family,
Aruna, is more beautiful, intelligent and confident. Even though the parents also
show little care on her, she seemingly has a better luck. Marriage proposals from
wealthy men pour in for her. Apparently, Mama is prouder of Aruna than of Uma.
The second highlights the life of Arun, Uma’s youngest brother. He is very
lucky for getting support from his parents to pursue a higher education in
America. When he lives in an American suburban family, he notices the only
daughter of the family, Melanie, suffers from bulimia. She lacks attention from
her parents.
Desai’s Fasting, Feasting actually reflects different side of a home in
male-dominated societies. As depicted in the story, in such societies family
becomes a source of terrors than a comfort shelter especially for daughters. Uma,
the main protagonist tries hard to get freedom in her own family, but her attempts
bring nothing than failures. The father only concerns about Arun, the only son of
the family. He frequently criticizes and neglects Uma, because of which Uma

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4

feels abandoned, lonely and depressed. Mama who is expected to run her role as
her children protector unexpectedly appears as a combatant strengthening Papa’s
dominance in the family.
It is quite interesting to know why a mother can position herself as the
extension of the oppressor and why she refuses to show solidarity and compassion
to her own daughter. Those questions may appear due to the fact that as a woman
living in a patriarchal family, she is indeed a victim of patriarchy. The concepts of
men’s power still exist in Indian families today. Up to now, Indian women
struggle for freedom and equal status. After marriage, Indian women must directly
face some difficulties. It is stated that
In certain parts of Indian society, women are conditioned from birth to be
subservient not only to their future husbands, but also to the females in
their husband's family especially, their mother-in-law. Accordingly, the
surrounding society mandates a woman's obedience to her husband and her
in-laws. Any disobedience would bring disgrace to both, the wife herself
and her originating family, and might lead to the woman being ostracized
and neglected by her very own family and in her own home
(saarthakindia.org, 2015).
It is also interesting to know what women feel while they are living under
men’s power regarding to their position as a wife. This condition may further
affect their attitude toward their children – daughters and sons of patriarchal
families. However, the relation between the figure of mother and son in Fasting,
Feasting is not discussed further since the focus of research deals with motherdaughter relationship. The relation between the female characters, Mama-UmaAruna, is more explored as it is closely related with the research focus.
In order to find the answer, a psychoanalytic feminism approach is
absolutely needed since it helps to comprehend relation between women

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5

oppression and human’s psyche. In this study, Mama’s characteristic to faithfully
stand for the oppressor is analyzed by revealing internal factors behind her acts.
As Michael Ryan says,
Our self are complex, and they are not what they appear to be. Our
conscious awareness is only part of what our “self” is. Our past, our
personal history, is crucial in determining what we are, yet it exists for our
consciousness only as fragments of memory. The practice of
psychoanalysis aims to recover the past events and relationships have
shaped us, it allow us to take control of things that might have control over
us because we are unaware of how much influence they exert on our
current behavior (2012: 44).
This approach is a good guidance to understand the complexity of mother
personality in patriarchal societies. Through the perspective of psychoanalytic
feminism, mother’s involvement in preserving patriarchal power can be
understood thoroughly and deeply.
B. Problem Formulation
Problem formulation is needed to make sure that the research walks on the
right track. The problem formulation of the research is listed as follows:
1. How are the female Indian characters, Uma-Mama-Aruna, described in
Desai’s Fasting, Feasting?
2. How does Mama’s treatment toward Uma and Aruna reflect patriarchal
values?
3. What underlies Mama’s involvement in preserving the patriarchal power?

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C. Objectives of the Study
This research aims to reveal a correlation between mother-daughter
relationship and patriarchal power. Specifically, this research has three main
purposes. The first is to see the characteristics of Mama and her daughters, Uma
and Aruna, as women living in a male-dominated society. The second is to see the
ways Mama treats her daughters differently and to identify how far Mama adopts
patriarchal concepts of mothering. The thirds is to identify the causes behind
Mama’s involvement in preserving the patriarchal power.

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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies
Anita Desai’s fictions have covered themes such as women’s oppression
and quest for fulfilling identity and family relationship. She often explores
tensions between family members and the alienation of middle-class women. Her
ability in telling the truth of any subject makes her fictions such as, Fire on the
Mountain (1977), Clear Light of Day (1980) and Cry, the Peacock (1980) are
regarded as great novels. She has written many novels with the background of
social reality she found in her country, India.
In Fasting, Feasting Anita Desai takes the condition of Indian women and
also the condition of women in general as the main concern. They are proven not
free from patriarchal power. She specifically focuses on the connections and gaps
between social reality in India and America in this novel. Through Fasting,
Feasting, Desai gives another point of view to see America. Although it is widely
known as the most super power country and symbol of modernity in the world,
America is not free from the problems of human inequality. Human inequality
problem actually is not related to the level of modernity of a country. In other
words, male-domination cannot be simply associated with the main characteristic
of societies in development countries, like India.
Despite the difference in culture, heritage, environment between India and
America, the treatment towards women remains the same. In his essay,

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Entrapment of the Psyche of Women in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting, Abirami
gives the reason by stating, “the external progress in terms of physical, social,
economic and political set up has made little or no impact on the internal psyche
and attitude of society toward women” (2014:17). It is the fact that women in
many parts of the world have been struggling for equality and freedom.
Abirami (2014:17) points out, “Anita Desai has portrayed complexities
involved in the female psyche and a search for identity in a patriarchal society”.
Women are considered as men’s property even since they were a child. They
have limited access to get higher education and employment opportunities. In
family life context, one of the unequal treatments can be recognized from how
societies consider a woman as a good wife from her submissiveness to her
husband. Female characters in this novel are trapped between hegemonic gender
ideology and their suppressed desire to realize their selfhood. On his research
essay, Abirami underlines the women entrapment and also self-realization as the
only way to liberate themselves from this condition.
The form of self-realization in this novel is manifested in various ways
through which the female characters attempt to act on their behalf. Uma prefers to
enjoy going to school than staying at home because she can escape from domestic
suffering. When her parents remove her from school, she dreams of having a job
outside the house. To maintain a feeling of security, Mama prefers to be the
extension of Papa’s will. She turns herself as “combatant who is actively trying to
attain autonomy” (2014: 17). The minor female character, Mira-masi chooses a
very different way. She liberates herself from any male-domination by becoming

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Shiva’s Worshipper. On the relation between religious expression and selfliberation, Ashley Nicole Batts argues, “for the Mira-masi in Fasting, Feasting,
religion becomes away to remain independent and autonomous but also contained
within a communal group where love and support can be given and received”
(Batts, 2011:44). Through their various ways to act on their behalf, the female
characters are motivated to get the feelings of being loved, accepted and respected
by other people.
Abirami highlights the relation of the condition of being entrapped and
female characters’ motivation to seek freedom through various ways. The
differences meet on the same desire, i.e. building personal identity in the structure
of patriarchy.
In her writing, Fire on the Mountain, Clear Light of Day and Fasting,
Feasting, Ashley Nicole Batts declares the same point:
Desai’s novels similarly search for an independent identity and place to
call their own, a place safe from patriarchal intervention and male
domination. Desai’s use of narrative voice and her investigation of the
psyches of her female characters allow for further insight into her
protagonists and also question what constitutes identity and what identity
means for different women (2011: 6).
The research focuses on the female characters’ efforts to constitute their identity.
The efforts are greatly governed by their psyche state as women struggling for
freedom. According to Batts, the efforts to constitute woman identity similarly are
a mirror to identify Indian motherhood which has particular characteristics due to
the influence of social context. On this matter, Batts (2011: 48) explains,
In order to understand Indian motherhood and have the ability to both
critique its failings and celebrate its successes, one cannot merely ascribe

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characteristics to all Indian women or even all Indian mothers, and must
explore the complex, often contradictory realm of Indian motherhood.
Batts sees the author has depicted how the female characters inherit the notion of
motherhood and try to implement this notion when they become a mother.
In order to define the notion of Indian motherhood in Desai’s Fictions,
especially in Fasting, Feasting, she makes a deep analysis of Indian female
characters compared to the American ones. The character of an Indian mother,
Mama, is compared with an American mother, Mrs. Patton. She carefully analyzes
how the figures of mother develop their own concepts of motherhood and how
they turn those concepts into real actions. The character of an Indian mistreated
daughter, Uma, is compared with an American mistreated daughter, Melanie.
Based on the comparison, then Batts concludes:
Despite the complete difference in circumstances, experiences, ideologies
and histories, Uma and Melanie and Mrs. Patton and Mama provide the
reader with an investigation of power structures and how certain women
under patriarchy allow the actual propagation of patriarchy (2011: 43).
Another scholar, Chung Chin Yi, attempts to see Fasting, Feasting from
the perspective of social critique. Chin Yi underlines women’s place in society
which remains “solely at home and domestic” (academia.edu, 2015). She analyzes
how society in the sake of maintaining tradition put women in subordinated,
lower, and ignored position. To support the greatly influence of tradition, she
says, “the burden of tradition is made clear – women are clearly of a lower status
in Indian society, measured solely by their ability to marry, not secure and
education or a job or to be financially independent ”(academia.edu,2015).

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Like other studies, this study is also related with complexity of the female
characters’ psyche. The difference from the previous studies is that it applies a
different approach, i.e. psychoanalytic feminism approach. Moreover, this study
primarily concerns on the relation among the mother figure’s psyche, motherdaughter relationship and the motivation to be loyal supporter for the oppressive
patriarchy. To sum up, what makes the study different from the previous ones is
that the writer focuses on the mother’s involvement to preserve the patriarchal
power within the family through mothering pattern.
B. Review of Related Theories
To answer the three problems stated previously, some theories are needed
to support the analysis. Those theories are theory of character and
characterization, theory of patriarchy, and theory of mother-daughter relationship.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Character is one of the important elements in fiction. In the book of
Glossary of Literary Term, characters are defined as
The persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted
by the readers as being endowed with moral, dispositional and emotional
qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they
do-the action (Abrams, 1985:23).
The definition implies that readers are actively involved in understanding
characters of the story by making interpretation of their dialogues and actions.
Then from both characters’ utterances and actions in the story readers can draw
conclusion about the characters’ moral, dispositional and emotional qualities.

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Characters and plot play the most substantial roles in constructing a story.
On the relation between plot and characters James Phelan states, “character should
not be considered in isolation from the plot. The literary character develops and
changes as the plot develops” (cf.hum.uva.nl, 2007). Characters and plot do not
remain the same, they progress. Phelan proposes three components composing
character; the mimetic, synthetic and thematic. On each component he gives
definition
The mimetic component refers to how a character can be the image of a
real and possible person. The synthetic component concern
concerns the artificiality of character, that is to say it stresses that character
is a literary construct. Finally, the thematic component refers to how a
character can be used to represent a certain idea, a group or a class within
the semantic structure of the literary work (cf.hum.uva.nl, 2007).
Hans P. Guth and Gabriell L. Rico point out other clues to understand
characters beside from their dialogues and actions. They argue
You come to know characters in fiction by reading a range of clues. You
may know them from what the author says about them-or more exactly,
from what the narrator says, the person telling the story. You learn about
them through what other characters in the story tell you. You watch
characters in action-reaching conclusions about their motives, their
problems, their ambitions, their desires. But above all, you know them
from listening to them (Guth, 1997:99).
From the definition of character above, it can be simply concluded that
characterization is the way the author presents characters to the readers. The
process of characterization may present through the physical description of the
characters, the way they act and react toward something, the way they think, but
above all the most important clue is the way they talk. By observing the way the
characters speak, readers can get great insight to determine their personality.

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2. Theory of Patriarchy
Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick in Cultural Theory: The Key Concept
define patriarchy as
The way in which societies are structured through male domination over
and oppression of women. Patriarchy therefore refers to the ways in which
material and symbolic resources (including income, wealth, power) are
unequally distributed between men and women, through such social
institution as the family, sexuality, the state, the economy, culture and
language (1999:269).
Patriarchy portrays inequality status and rights of men and women and also in the
society where they live in. Patriarchy is commonly acknowledged as the cause of
women suffering as it refers to, “a system of social structures and practices in
which men dominate, oppress and exploit women” (Sultana, 2011:3).
In patriarchal societies, power is associated with men’s special property. In
a small scope, family structure, the power and authority to control all of the family
members remain entirely in the hands of men. On the contrary, women are kept
away from the power system. They are placed in condition of being oppressed in
which prompts “the feeling of powerlessness, discrimination and experience of
limited self esteem and self confidence” (Sultana, 2011:7). It is an indisputable
fact that men benefit in all things from patriarchy. Conversely, women are
suffered due to their unfavorable and inferior position in all fields.
Particularly in India, the country where the story takes place, women are
oppressed throughout their lives because the rules, social mores and values mostly
stand for men’s favor. On the their article about the real practice of patriarchy in
India, Pamela S. Johnson and Jennifer A. Johnson state,

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India is a society governed by a system where males hold the power
include feticide, the disproportionate gender ratio, the fact that most
women are not allowed to be employed, and the belief that from birth until
death a woman’s role is to serve men. It is recognized that patriarchy and
the control and dominance of women by men have significant roles to play
in the violence perpetrated against women (2001:1053).
In this country, daughters are often regarded as burdens. Conversely, sons
are regarded as investment. The poor judgment on women is deeply rooted in
Indian tradition, known as the dowry system. Dowry is one way flow of goods
from bride’s family to grooms’ family as compensation for the groom’s family for
taking on the economic burden, i.e. the bride (Johnson, 2001:1056). It is the
answer of why sons are highly valued by Indian family than daughters. Through
them, the family receives dowry which they themselves may determine the
amount. Johnson (2001:1056) adds, “… most often it is the groom’s family that
sets the dowry. It is believed that the larger the dowry offered, the better the
bride’s family appears to the community at large. Large dowries also assure that
more desirable husbands can be found”.
Boys and girls of Indian family mostly receive unequal treatment in term
of educational opportunity. Women are dependent economically on men. Girls are
prepared for marriage, not for becoming earning members of their family. Then,
education is not seen as women’s basic necessity. On this matter Ramandeep Kaur
proposes,
In most of the families, boys at home are given priority in terms of
education but girls are not treated in the same way. Right from the
beginning, parents do not consider girls as earning members of their
family, as after marriage they have to leave their parents’ home. So their
education is just considered as a wastage of money as well as time. For
this reason, parents prefer to send boys to schools but not girls
(mapsofindia.com, 2013).

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Women receive less opportunity to develop their minds and talents because
patriarchal societies want to keep them subordinated in a number of ways.
Historically, the principle of patriarchy has been fundamental to every
segment of human life. Patriarchal concepts exist in social, legal, political, and
economic organization of all nations and absolutely also in literary works. There
are many stories which take patriarchal society as the setting and women’s
oppression as the theme. Literature can be used as a means to construct the idea of
men-domination over women. Nevertheless, literature can also be used as a means
to reconstruct the idea about male-power and spread the idea of women’s
freedom.

3. Theory of Mother-Daughter Relationship
Adrienne Rich as cited by Marianne Hirsch states,
There can be no systematic and theoretical study of women in patriarchal
culture, there can be no theory of women’s oppression, that does not take
into account woman’s role as a mother of daughters and as a daughter of
mothers, that does not study female identity in relation to previous and
subsequent generations of women, and that does not study the relationship
in the wider context in which it takes place: the emotional, political,
economic and symbolic structures of family and society (1981:222).
Rich points out the relation between women’s oppression and motherhood
especially in patriarchal societies. According to Rich, women themselves
contribute in strengthening the male-dominance in society. This concept is
reflected in the way mothers treat their daughter and on the way they both behave
to each other.

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Mothers and daughters have a complex relationship. Mothers are
daughters, and daughters have a potency to become mothers. Commonly mothers
want to change her daughters to be like them, even to be their role models. Nancy
Chodorow as quoted by Hirsch states,
Mothers identify more strongly with female infants, seeing them more as
extensions of themselves, whereas they encourage boys to become
separate and autonomous. Ego boundaries between mother and daughters
are more fluid (1981:206).
Through self-identifying to their daughters, mothers promote differentiation based
on gender toward their children. Mothers and daughters are connected strongly to
each other. The condition results in a problem of separation and individuation for
daughters (Chodorow, 1974:48). Therefore, it is difficult for daughters to express
their true self – their own personality, without their mother’s shadow.
The close relation between mother and daughter is expressed clearly in
mothering. According to the tradition in most societies, mothers are the ones who
should be responsible for child-rearing. Fathers, on the other hand, are free from
this duty. They only set the rules. The condition is described by Adrienne Rich
when she says that motherhood is actually an institution in patriarchy. It is unique
female experiences shaped by male expectations (Hirsch, 198:206). The task of
child-rearing is passed down from mothers to daughters. Judith Arcana, as quoted
by Hirsch, says, “[what] all our mothers teach us is what they have learned in the
crucible of sexism. They cannot give us a sense of self esteem which they do not
possess” (1981:213). A mother who adopts patriarchal mindset in raising her
daughter may produce a daughter who potentially adopts the same mindsets. The
mindset turns into real action when the daughter becomes a mother. In other

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words, a mother with low self-esteem presumably emphasizes women’s
powerlessness and limitation on her daughter.
Mothering can be seen as a device to spread the concept of women’s
secondary status. Commonly, mothers teach their daughters about women’s roles
which are mostly related to domestic sphere. Nancy Chodorow points out, “in
mothering, a woman acts also on her personal identification with a mother who
parents and her own training for women’s role” (2002:13). A woman who finally
becomes a mother undergoes dual identification process, with her own mother and
with her daughters. The treatments toward her daughter are largely formed by the
experience she had before with her mother. Therefore, women’s oppression is like
a cycle, always repeated again and again, from generation to generation – from
mothers to daughters.
Mother-daughter relationship has become a major theme in many literary
works. It might happen for the reason that all women writers are daughters, and
many of them are mothers. Their natural fascination with the emotional bonds
between daughters and mothers has led them to create stories about complex and
varied relationships of mother-daughter. Hirsch states that, “the story of motherdaughter relationships has been written even if it has not been read, that it
constitutes the hidden subtext of many text” (1981:214).
C. Theoretical Framework
In order to answer the research questions stated previously, several
theories are needed. Those theories are theory of characters and characterization,
theory of patriarchy, and the last, theory of mother-daughter relationship.

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The first, theory of character and characterization, is useful to answer the
first question dealing with the description of Indian female characters, MamaUma-Aruna. Theory of character and characterization provides guidance to
analyze their thoughts, words and behaviors through which their personality can
be comprehended thoroughly.
The second, theory of patriarchy, is needed to give a profound
comprehension about the social context where the female characters live and also
an understanding how the patriarchal norms, traditions and mores in the society
influence their characteristics. The theory is also helpful to answer the second
research question dealing with the reflection of patriarchal concepts of mothering.
The third, theory of mother-daughter relationship, is needed to understand
two important elements underlying her involvement in preserving patriarchal
power. The first element refers to Mama’s inner world. It deals with Mama’s
personality and also past experiences with her mother. The second element refers
to Mama’s outer world, the patriarchal society, with its norms, tradition, and
mores, all of which contribute in maintaining the same pattern of motherhood she
once experienced. Theory of mother daughter relationship is needed to answer the
third research question.

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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
Fasting, Feasting is a novel by Indian writer Anita Mazumdar Desai. She
was born on June 24, 1937, in Uttar Pradesh, India, to a Bengali engineer and a
German mother. Her novels frequently portray the struggle of urban middle –
class Indian women to harmonize the needs of the self with the demands of the
family, caste, and society. Her novels were praised by a literary critic, Dhawan,
for the serious concern with ‘the journey within’ her characters. Dhawan points
out that the chief protagonists in Desai’s novels are usually female characters
(2011:5). Since her novels mostly deal with emotional state of the female
characters, Anita Desai has been considered as the ‘mother of the Indian
psychological novel genre’.
Fasting, Feasting was first published in 1999 in Great Britain by Quality
Paperback Direct. In the same year, the novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize
for fiction. On Fasting, Feasting, Francine Prose, a writer of novel says,
What distinguishes Desai's novel from countless other depictions of airless
and repressive households is the subtle and original way in which she
makes us understand how much of our lives is encoded in – and
determined by – tiny, repetitive, deceptively trivial decisions about what
we will and won't eat (nytimes.com, 2000).
She highlights how the secret language of food expresses inner human life in this
novel.

19

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The novel is