Between the Traditional and the Modern: A Critical Between the Traditional and the Modern: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Fatima Mernissi’s Dreams of Trespass: Tales of A Harem Girlhood (1995).

Between the Traditional and the Modern: A Critical
Discourse Analysis of Fatima Mernissi’s Dreams of
Trespass: Tales of A Harem Girlhood (1995)

RESEARCH PAPER
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Getting Bachelor
Degree of Education in English Department
by:
SITI RESTIWI
A 320 070 125
SCHOOL OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION
MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA
2011

APPROVAL

BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND THE MODERN: A CRITICAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FATIMA MERNISSI’S DREAMS OF
TRESSPASS: TALES OF A HAREM GIRLHOOD (1995)

RESEARCH PAPER


by

SITI RESTIWI
A 320 070 125

Approved to be Examined by Consultant

Consultant I

Consultant II

Drs. M. Thoyibi, M. S
NIK. 410

Titis Setyabudi S.S, M.Hum
NIK. 948

ii


ACCEPTANCE
BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND THE MODERN: A CRITICAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FATIMA MERNISSI’S DREAMS OF
TRESSPASS: TALES OF A HAREM GIRLHOOD (1995)

By

SITI RESTIWI
A 320 070 125
Accepted and Approved by the Board of Examiner
School of Teacher Training and Education
Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta
On July

, 2011

Team of Examiner:
1. Drs. M. Thoyibi, M.S
(Chair Person)


(

)

2. Titis Setyabudi S.S, M.Hum
(Member I)

(

)

3. Prof. Dr. Endang Fauziati, M.Hum.
(Member II)

(

)

Dean,


Drs. H. Sofyan Anif, M. Si
NIK. 547

iii

TESTIMONY

I herewith assert that there is no work had been submitted to obtain
bachelor degree in any University in this research paper and as far as I concern no
work, opinion or masterpieces had been written or published by someone else
except the written references which are referred in this paper and mentioned in the
bibliography. If only here will be any incorrectness proved in the future in my
statement above, I will be fully responsible.
Surakarta, July

2011

The writer

Siti Restiwi


iv

MOTTO
1. Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them
and enjoy their riches.
2. Consider things from every angle.
3. You are unique of all God’s creations, nothing can
replace you.

v

DEDICATION

This research paper is dedicated to:
My strongest father “Bapak Bibit Aryanto”
My beloved mother “ Ibu Sulami”
My prettiest young Sister “Garini Puspitasari”

vi


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb
All the praises and thanks to Allah SWT, who always gives kindness,
mercies and blessings to the writer therefore she gets her opportunity to conduct
and finish the research paper entitled BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND
THE MODERN: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FATIMA
MERNISSI’S THE DREAM OF TRESSPASS: TALES OF A HAREM GIRLHOOD
(1995). The writer honours the prophet Muhammad SAW, the last Messengers of
Allah, as a chosen one who leads human race to the better life. The success would
not be achieved without the helps, supports, advises and encouragements from
many people during conducting and finishing the research paper. Thus, the writer
would like to express her deepest gratitude and appreciation to:
1.

Drs. H. Sofyan Anif, M.Si., Dean of School of Teacher Training and
Education of Muhammmadiyah University of Surakarta, for approving this
research paper,


2.

Drs. M. Thoyibi, M.S., the first consultant who always gives guidance,
advices, supports, corrections, discussions, and also cares about the writer,

3.

Titis

Setyabudi,

S.S.,

M.Hum.,

Head

of


English

Department

Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta and the second consultant for the
willingness in supporting, and giving advices, guidance, and correction
about the weakness of this research paper,

vii

4.

Prof. Dr. Endang Fauziati, M. Hum. and Dra. Malikatul Laila, M.Hum.,
lecturers of English Department at Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,
she wants to say thank for transferring a lot of knowledge related to
Discourse Theory,

5.

Fitri Kurniawan S. Pd, one of lecturers of English Department at

Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, she wants to say thank for always
listening her difficulties in doing this research and also giving knowledge,
suggestions, motivations and supports,

6.

The lecturers of English Department at Muhammadiyah University of
Surakarta, for transferring a lot of thing that she never knows before,

7.

Her great lovely parents, Father (Bapak Bibit Aryanto) and Mother (I bu
Sulami ),

the first and prior teachers for her. She is alive because of them

both. She wants to say thank for giving the best thing. She really loves them
forever and always,
8.


Her beloved sibling, Garini Puspitasari. She wants to say thank for her
sweetest and prettiest young sister,

9.

Her Grandparents, (M bah Kung and M bah uti’), her aunt (Lek N ing) and her
uncle (Om D adang) and all of Proyo Suhono big family who have given a true
love, cares, prayers, supports, and valuable lessons. She wants to thank a lot
for the warm and happy family life,

10.

Her best friends, “Cally” Saly Kurnia Oktaviani , “Sasya” Yunisa W idiarini and
“Jejung” D estian Afiana, who always shares knowledge and helps her to revise
this research,

viii

11.


Her beloved classmates in English Department ’07: Tini mbul, Tata Rita,
Pyut2, Funi, Diana, Aya, Pooh, Idut, Nisa Henk, Pryan, Berna, Ayuk Ayza,
Viona, Mun2, Septi, Anisa, Ika, Lila, Dayu, Mela, Adib, Dadang, Irsyat,
Lilik, Kuro, Bow, Oblo, Huda, tante Dwi, Tyas, Saty, Devia, wafda, Tina,
Mini, Dewi Fitri, Dewi Ratna, Vita, Indah, Nurul, who always be together
and make fun studying for almost four years in the beloved university.

12.

And others which cannot be mentioned one by one, who help the writer in
finishing the research paper and for all the big supports.
The writer realizes that probably this research paper is still imperfect and it

still needs many improvements. However, the writer happily accepts constructive
criticisms of it. Hopefully, this research paper will give significance benefit to
readers.
Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb
Surakarta, July

Siti Restiwi

ix

2011

ABSTRACT
Siti Restiwi, A 320 070 125. BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL AND THE
MODERN: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FATIMA MERNISSI’S
DREAMS OF TRESPASS: TALES OF A HAREM GIRLHOOD (1995). Research
Paper. Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta. 2011.
The aims of the research are for explaining, informing, telling, describing,
discussing and guiding to other people towards what the writer’s opinion and
dominant ideology. The research purposes to examine how the conflicts between
the traditional and the modern values reflected in Fatima Mernissi’s memoir The
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of A Harem Childhood published in 1995 by using
critical discourse analysis a theory composed by Teun A. van Dijk.
The type of this research is descriptive qualitative research. The method of
collecting data is observation and analyzing the memoir as the object by exploring
the structural components of it which can be revealed the dominant ideology
reflected in this memoir.
The result of the research shows the following conclusions. Firstly, based on the
structural elements of the memoir, it is evident that the memoir is ideologically
controlled and shows polarization between in-group and out-group positive selfrepresentation. Secondly, the dominant ideology of the memoir is liberal
feminism suggesting the individual freedom represents a personal right that needs
to be fulfilled for the goodness of social life.
Key words:

Memoir, Critical Discourse Analysis, Dominant
Macrostructure, Superstructure and Microstructure.

Consultant I

ideology,

Consultant II

Drs. M. Thoyibi, M. S

Titis Setyabudi S.S, M.Hum

NIK. 410

NIK. 948
Dean

Drs. H. Sofyan Anif, M. Si
NIK. 547

x

TABLE OF CONTENT

page
TITLE………………………………………………………………..………...

i

APPROVAL…………………………………………………………………… ii
ACCEPTANCE……………………………………………………………..… iii
TESTIMONY…………………………………………………………………. iv
MOTTO………………………………………………………………………..

v

DEDICATION……………………………………………………………….... vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENT……………………………………………………... vii
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………

x

TABLE OF CONTENT……………………………………………….……... xi
LIST OF APPENDIXES................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER I:

INTRODUCTION…………………………………........

1

A. Background of the Study ............................................

1

B. Previous Study ...........................................................

8

C. Problem Statement .....................................................

9

D. Limitation of the Study...............................................

9

E. Objective of the Study ................................................

10

F. The Benefits of the Study ...........................................

10

1. Practical Benefit ...................................................

10

2. Theoretical Benefit ...............................................

10

G. Theoretical Application ..............................................

10

H. Research Method........................................................

11

1. Type of the Study .................................................

11

2. Object of the Study ...............................................

12

3. Types of the Data and the Data Source .................

12

4. Technique of the Data Collection..........................

12

5. Technique of the Data Analysis ............................

12

I. Research Paper Organization ......................................

13

xi

CHAPTER II:

THEORETICAL APPROACH ………………………..

14

A. Notion of Critical Discourse Analysis.........................

14

B. Basic Assumptions of Critical Discourse Analysis......

17

C. Structural Elements of Critical Discourse Analysis .....

18

1. Macrostructure.......................................................

18

2. Superstructure.......................................................

20

3. Microstructure ......................................................

21

a. Semantic .........................................................

21

b. Syntactic .........................................................

22

c. Stylistic ..........................................................

24

d. Rhetoric ..........................................................

24

D. Historical Context ......................................................

26

CHAPTER III: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION ………………………

28

A. Structural Elements of The Memoir ............................

28

1. Macrostructure .....................................................

28

a. The Title .........................................................

29

b. Chaptering ......................................................

30

2. Superstructure ......................................................

35

a. General Topic .................................................

36

b. General Substance of The Memoir ..................

37

1) Those are Frontiers that indicate contrast
between halal (permitted) and haram (not
permitted) and the modern and the
traditional side ..........................................

37

2) Woman naturally has their own ability,
strength and freedom.................................

42

3) The modern thought and the traditional
one is contrast. ..........................................

45

4) History of Harem is formed closely related
to women slavery ......................................

xii

48

5) Poor and weak women can be strong.........

51

6) The way of man’s thought is different
from woman..............................................

53

7) Woman has chance and ability to do the
best in her life whoever they are ................

54

8) Goodness and badness influence should be
decided by the consideration of the impact
rather by the tradition allowed or not.........
9) There

has

system

of

hierarchy

57

in

Moroccan especially in harem ...................

59

10) Beauty is woman power ............................

64

11) The power one is a person who can do
what they want ..........................................

65

3. Microstructure ......................................................

67

a. Semantic (Intention of the content) .................

67

1) Concession................................................

67

2) Empathy ...................................................

69

3) Apology ....................................................

70

4) Effort ........................................................

70

5) Transfer ....................................................

73

6) Reversal, blaming the victim .....................

74

7) Hedging and Vagueness ............................

74

b. Syntactic .........................................................

75

1) Sentence Construction...............................

76

2) Coherence .................................................

80

3) Pronoun ....................................................

83

c. Stylistic ..........................................................

97

d. Rhetoric ..........................................................

99

1) Hyperbole .................................................

99

2) Metaphor .................................................. 103
3) Similes ...................................................... 107

xiii

4) Irony ......................................................... 109
5) Litotes....................................................... 110
6) Euphemism ............................................... 111
7) Imagery and Symbolization....................... 111
8) Repetition ................................................. 114
B. Discussion .................................................................. 115
CHAPTER IV: SOCIAL COGNITION ……............................................ 120
A. Key Issues .................................................................. 120
1. Human Freedom ................................................... 120
2. Modernization ...................................................... 120
3. Sexism.................................................................. 121
4. System of Hierarchy ............................................. 122
B. Historical Context ...................................................... 122
1. Social Background ............................................... 122
2. Cultural Background ............................................ 124
3. Knowledge and Education Background ................ 126
4. Religious Background .......................................... 127
5. Background of Values .......................................... 129
C. Discussion .................................................................. 130
CHAPTER V:

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion ................................................................. 132
B. Suggestion.................................................................. 133

REFERENCES
APPENDIX

xiv

LIST OF APENDIXES
Page
Appendix 1

Pengajuan Judul Skripsi ......................................... Apendix 1

Appendix 2

Persetujuan Judul Skripsi ....................................... Apendix 2

Appendix 3

Persetujuan Judul Skripsi ....................................... Apendix 3

Appendix 4

Berita Acara Bimbingan Skripsi ............................. Apendix 4

Appendix 5

Berita Acara Ujian Skripsi ..................................... Apendix 5

xv