Feminism values as reflected in Esperanza`s response to male domination in Sandra Cisneros` The House on Mango Street - USD Repository

  FEMINISM VALUES AS REFLECTED IN ESPERANZA’S RESPONSE TO MALE DOMINATION IN SANDRA CISNEROS’ THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

  By

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO

  Student Number: 064214050

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

  

FEMINISM VALUES AS REFLECTED IN ESPERANZA’S

RESPONSE TO MALE DOMINATION IN SANDRA

CISNEROS’ THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

  By

PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO

  Student Number: 064214050

  

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

  

Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a

gift. That's why it's called the present

~Bil Keane

Our greatest glory is in never failing, but in rising up every

time we fail

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

  

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance

for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you

choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling

down, but the staying down

  

~ Mary Pickford

Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others

think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical.

  

Expect more than others think is possible

~ Cadet Maxim I DEDICATE MY UNDERGRADUATE THESIS TO JESUS CHRIST, MY SAVIOR AND GUIDANCE

  MY BELOVED PARENTS MY DEAREST BROTHER AND SISTER,

ALL OF MY FRIENDS

  

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTIGAN AKADEMIS

  Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Paulus Gentur Utomo

  Nomor Mahasiswa : 064214050 Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

  

Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male Domination

in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street

  beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpusatakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelola 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 : 04 Oktober 2010 Yang menyatakan (Paulus Gentur Utomo)

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I would like to express my biggest gratitude to Jesus Christ for the blessings throughout my life and for guiding me in writing and completing my undergraduate thesis.

  My deep gratitude goes to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum who never stops encouraging me to finish my undergraduate thesis.

  Without your patience and kindness in advising me, I cannot finish my undergraduate thesis. My deep gratitude also goes to my co-advisor Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S., M.Hum who has given her precious time to read and check my undergraduate thesis.

  I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved parents, FX. Joko Pitoyo and CA. Rusliyatiningsih, for all their affection, trust, support, and prayer. For my younger brother Winengku Aji and my younger sister Leela Laksita who never end to support me. Also my grandmother Soekirmo, my aunt Retno and my cousin Seto and Mas Dibyo who always give motivation to me.

  My special thanks for my best friends Handoko, Wulan, Gaby, Tere, Sukma, Achied, Siska, Pipit, Asti, Ketut, Feby, Mbak Sasha and Mas Rilo.

  Thanks for your endless support to make me finish this undergraduate thesis.

  Finally, I want to say thank you for all my friends in English Letters Department especially for the students of 2006. Thanks for accompanying me as my friend and I would never forget our friendship.

  Paulus Gentur Utomo

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ………………..…………………………………………… i

APPROVAL PAGE ……………………..…………………………. …… ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………………………………………….............. iii

MOTTO PAGE …………...……………………………………………… iv

DEDICATION PAGE …………………………………… ……………… v

STATEMENT PAGE.................................................................................. vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ……………………………………………….. vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………… viii

ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………. ix

ABSTRAK ………………………………………………………………… x

  CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………….. 1 A. Background of the Study ……………………………………….. 1 B. Problem Formulation …………………………………………… 5 C. Objectives of the Study …………………………………………. 5 D. Definition of Terms …………………………………………….. 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW …………………………….. 7

A. Review of Related Studies ……………………………………… 7 B. Review of Related Theories …………………………………….. 11

  1. Theory of Character and Characterization ……………….. 11

  2. Theory of Patriarchy and Theory of Violence …………… 14

  3. Theory of Feminism ……..……......................................... 17

  C. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………….. 23

  

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………... 25

A. Object of the Study ……………………………………………… 25 B. Approach of the Study …………………………………………... 26 C. Method of the Study …………………………………………….. 27

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ……….……………………………………... 29

A. Esperanza’s Characterization……………………………………. 29 B. Presentation of Male Domination in The House on Mango Street 41 C. Feminism Values Reflected through Esperanza’s Response toward Male Domination…………………………………………………… 49

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …………………………………………... 59

BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………………… 63

APPENDIX ……………………………………………………………….. 65

Summary of The House on Mango Street …………………………. 65

  

ABSTRACT

  PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s

  

Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango

Street. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata

Dharma University, 2010.

  Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street tells about the main adolescence Chicana character Esperanza who lives in Mango Street. It is poor Chicano neighborhood. Living in the neighborhood, she learns many things and faces experiences from the surroundings. She finds fact that there are many women and girls who are trapped in male domination and they do not have courage to come out from the domination.

  The research focuses on finding feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response to male domination. There are three questions related to the topic. The first question is about Esperanza’s characterization, the second question is about the presentation of male domination in the novel, and the last question is about feminism values that are reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination.

  The writer uses library research method as the primary source. The writer also collects the data from the internet to support the thesis. The approach that is used in this thesis is feminism approach. The reason why the writer uses feminism approach is because the main goal of this thesis is to find feminism values, so feminism approach is suitable to use.

  From the analysis, the writer finds that the characterization of Esperanza is developed from the first half to the second half of the story. In the first half of the story, she is described as an innocent, shy, responsible, wise, and strong will girl. Her motivation is having a house of her own dream. In the second half of the story, she is more mature in her way of thinking and she is more responsible. She is brave and still has the strong will. Her motivation is not merely having a house, but she also thinks about other female characters like Marin, Rafaela, and Sally that do not have the courage to come out from male domination. The male domination portrayed in this novel happens both in the family life and in the neighborhood of Mango Street. Violence is the dominant form of male domination toward women and girls in the story. When it happens in the neighborhood, it is in the form of sexual violence while, when it happens within the family life, the head of the family practices patriarchal culture. Furthermore, they often use physical violence. Since it is related to Chicano social group, the male domination contains Mexican norms and heritage. The feminism value that is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination is girls or women have same dignity with men. They have to be willing to defend and struggle for their dignity and honor. The second value is about the consciousness of women or girls subordination.

  

ABSTRAK

  PAULUS GENTUR UTOMO. Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s

Response to Male Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street.

Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2010.

  Novel yang berjudul The House on Mango Street karangan Sandra Cisneros menceritakan tentang tokoh utama remaja Chicana bernama Esperanza yang tinggal di Mango Street. Tempat ini adalah lingkungan orang – orang Chicano yang miskin. Hidup di lingkungan ini, Esperanza belajar banyak hal dan mengalami banyak pengalaman. Dia menemukan realita bahwa banyak wanita dan gadis terjebak dalam dominasi pria dan mereka tidak punya kemauan untuk lepas dari dominasi tersebut.

  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria. Ada tiga pertanyaan yang berhubungan dengan topik. Pertanyaan pertama adalah tentang penokohan Esperanza, pertanyaan kedua adalah tentang pemaparan dominasi pria dalam novel ini, dan pertanyaan terakhir adalah tentang nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza pada dominasi pria.

  Penulis menggunakan metode studi pustaka sebagai bahan utama. Penulis juga mengumpulkan data dari internet untuk mendukung skripsi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan feminism. Alasan mengapa penulis menggunakan pendekatan tersebut adalah karena tujuan utama dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menemukan nilai feminism. Maka dari itu, pendekatan ini cocok untuk digunakan.

  Dari hasil analisa, penulis menemukan bahwa penokohan Esperanza berkembang dari tengah bagian pertama, sampai tengah bagian kedua cerita. Pada tengah bagian pertama, dia digambarkan sebagai tokoh yang polos, pemalu, bertanggung jawab, bijaksana, dan berkemauan keras. Motivasinya adalah memiliki rumah impiannya. Di tengah bagian kedua cerita, jalan pikiranya lebih dewasa dan dia lebih bertanggung jawab. Dia berani dan tetap berkemauan keras. Motivasinya tidak hanya sekedar memiliki rumah impian, tetapi dia juga berpikir tentang tokoh wanita lainya seperti Marin, Rafaela, dan Sally yang tidak mempunyai keinginan untuk lepas dari dominasi pria. Dominasi pria terjadi baik dalam kehidupan keluarga maupun di lingkungan Mango Street. Kekerasan adalah bentuk dominan dominasi pria terhadap para wanita dan gadis dalam cerita ini. Kekerasan yang terjadi di lingkungan Mango Street dalam bentuk kekerasan seksual, sedangkan ketika kekerasan terjadi di dalam kehidupan keluarga, kepala keluarga menerapkan budaya patriarki. Terlebih lagi, mereka sering menggunakan kekerasan fisik. Karena berhubungan dengan kelompok sosial Chicano, dominasi pria dalam novel ini mengandung norma and kebudayaan Mexico. Nilai feminism yang tercermin melalui respon Esperanza terhadap dominasi pria adalah para wanita dan gadis mempunyai martabat yang sama dengan pria. Mereka harus mau membela dan memperjuangkan martabat dan kehormatan mereka. Nilai feminism yang kedua adalah tentang kesadaran terhadap perlakuan yang lebih rendah terhadap para wanita atau gadis.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study There are many benefits of reading literary works. Moral value, social life,

  and historical background can be learned through literary work. It will give more understanding to the reader throughout the content in literary works. The way the author views the world, the idea and the ideology are presented through literary works. So, literary works can be said as the representation of the way the author views the world.

  It is a fact that for centuries women are treated unequal. They are trapped in male domination where men gain more power than women. Women are limited in many aspects of life such as social aspects, political aspects, economic aspects, legal aspects, etc. It seems to be culturally conditioned. Ashley Montagu in The

  

Natural Superiority of Women stated that “In most of the cultures of which we

  have any knowledge, women are considered to be a sort of lower being, a creature human enough, but not as quite so human as male; certainly not as wise, nor as intelligent […] ” (1953:27).

  Those stigma for women, make them like a second class creature that have lower ability than men. This condition creates strict stratification between men and women. Their inferiority makes their roles in society are limited. Men are considered as bread winners whereas women are care givers. Ashley Montagu in the countinghouse and on the board of directors” (1953:23). Furthermore, she also stated that: Women bear children and nurse them, they are forced to be much sedentary than men. Woman is the cricket on the hearth; man is the eagle on the wing. Women stay at home to nurse and care for their children, to prepare food. Men leave the hearth for the hunt (1953:28).

  From the quotation above, the discrimination between men and women become clearer. Realizing this subordinate condition to men’s power, there is a term called feminism. Feminism is a weapon to fight men’s domination in society. It fights men’s domination in order to release women from inferiority. Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory stated that:

  A fundamental goal of feminist theory is to understand women’s oppression in terms of race, gender, class and sexual preference and how to change it. Feminist theory reveals the importance of women’s individual and shared experiences and our struggles. It analyses how sexual difference is constructed within any intellectual and social world and builds accounts of experiences from these differences (1990: x).

  The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a novel which consists of many parts. At the first glance, this novel is like a collection of short stories.

  But actually each part of the novel is connected each other. Ellen McCraken in

  

Breaking Boundaries Latina Writing and Critical Reading stated that “The book

  has been classified as a novel by some because, [….], there is character and plot development throughout the episodes” (1989:63).

  In this thesis, the writer will primarily focus on finding feminism value in this novel. In order to reach deep understanding, it is necessary for the writer to review at the social background.

  In this novel, Esperanza is a protagonist and also the narrator of the story. She is a Mexican-American girl (Chicana)

  Chicana refers to a woman who embraces her Mexican culture and heritage, but simultaneously, recognizes the fact that she is an American. It is a self- selected term that usually applies to those Mexican-American women who acknowledge a dominance of males in society, and a history of discrimination and neglect in both the household and the workplace. (www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/.../whatisit.html )

  From the quotation above, Mexican-American women or so called Chicana embrace the Mexican culture and heritage. They acknowledge the domination of men in society, whereas a Mexican-American man is called Chicano. Harry H. L Kitano in Race Relation stated that “At the present a great number of terms are used to refer to persons of Mexican descent. […] The most commonly used term currently is Chicano, which refers to a multiracial group with Spanish and Indian roots” (1985: 164-165).

  The pattern of Mexican-American family allows the men to have more authority than women. The father’s duty is to work and protect his wife and daughters, whereas wife’s duty is to manage everything related to the house hold matter such as cook, raising children, and serve the husband.

  The traditional family is arranged hierarchically: the father occupies the top, followed by the sons; together they shelter and protect the wife and daughters. The women are expected to cook, raise the children, and serve the needs for the men. Male and female roles tend to be clearly proscribed; masculinity (machismo) is a great of importance, even outside marriage (1985:172).

  The reflection of the social facts above can be seen in this novel. Esperanza is a young Chicana who observes women and girls in her society. She and domination toward women and girls. She discovers that many girls and women in the novel do not have intention to defy the male domination. In this thesis, the writer will show the attitude of Esperanza as a young Chicana who responds the male domination portrayed in her society that confronts her idea.

  The story begins when she and her family have moved in many places by renting a house before finally they decided to live in Mango Street. She lives with her mother, father, Carlos, Kiki, and her sister Nenny. Mango Street is a poor Chicano neighborhood. In this neighborhood, men are more superior to women.

  They have authority toward women because of practicing patriarchal culture in the neighborhood. Male domination is the manifestation of the patriarchal culture in this novel. The dominant form of male domination that is portrayed in the novel is violence. Women and girls are limited in the house hold sphere and often get violence from men. Furthermore, they often get the violence in the neighborhood either.

  From the beginning of the story until the end, Esperanza faces many experiences that show male domination to the women and girls. They are treated differently in Chicano society. She proves that as a young Chicana, Esperanza has attitude toward male domination. She is different from the other Chicana girls in this story that are unable to defy the male domination. She is aware and conscious that many women and girls in this novel are subordinated and treated unequal.

  Later, Esperanza has her own attitude to defy the domination. Her attitude toward male domination is shown with her response. Later in the analysis, the writer will

  B. Problems Formulation These are problems formulations which are the guidance to analyze this novel.

  1. How is Esperanza characterized?

  2. How is male domination presented in the story?

  3. How is feminism value reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination?

  C. Objectives of the Study

  Related to the problem formulation that the writer has been stated above, the study on Feminism Values as Reflected in Esperanza’s Response to Male

  

Domination in Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street aims primarily at

  finding the feminism values as reflected in Esperanza’s response to male domination in this novel.

  D. Definition of Terms

  In order to avoid ambiguity, the writer will list and explain some terms that will be used in this thesis.

  1. Feminism Value Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory stated her point her point of view about feminism as quoted below.

  The definition incorporates both a doctrine of equal rights for women (the organized movement to attain women’s right) and an ideology of social transformation aiming to create a world for women beyond simple social equality. […] In general, feminism is the women’s liberation […] (1995:94).

  So, Feminism is an ideology or belief that women and men should be treated equal in gaining their rights and opportunity.

  According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of The

  

English Language, value is “to consider with respect to worth, excellence,

  usefulness, or importance” (1989: 1578). So, feminism value is the idea that contains the equality between women and men in society.

  2. Response According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of The

  

English Language, response is “an answer or reply, as in words or in some action”

(1989: 1222).

  3. Patriarchal According to Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, patriarchy is “A system of male authority which oppresses women through its social, political, and economic institutions” (1995: 200). So, Patriarchal is related to or being patriarchy.

  4. Male Domination According to Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, Male dominance is “a part of a system of dual or multiple systems of dominance: capitalism, patriarchy, heterosexism, racism, imperialism” (1995: 69). In this thesis, the concept of Male Domination is on the patriarchy.

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies Janet Sarbanes in his essay stated that Sandra Cisneros, the author of The House on Mango Street , is a Chicago-born Chicana activist, poet, and fiction

  writer. She has published two collections of poems, Bad Boys (1980) and My

  Wicked Wicked Ways (1987), and a collection of short stories entitled Woman Hollering Creek (1991). Her novel, The House on Mango Street (1983), was

  awarded the Before Columbus American Book Award. (http://www.answers.com/topic/the-house-on-mango-street-novel-7). He also stated that:

  

The House on Mango Street is the fictional autobiography of Esperanza

Cordera, an adolescent Mexican American girl who wants to be a writer.

  Unlike the chapters in a conventional novel, the forty-four vignettes, or literary sketches, which make up the novel could each stand on its own as a short story. Read together, they paint a striking portrait of a young Chicana struggling to find a place in her community without relinquishing her sense of self. (http://www.answers.com/topic/the-house-on-mango-street-novel-7)

  The House on Mango Street is a fiction novel which tells about the life

  experiences of Esperanza Cordera. If we notice at the first glance of this novel, it is like a collection of short stories. But it is the style of the author Sandra Cisneros to create a novel made of interconnected vignettes. Christine C. Cepeda in her thesis entitled The Construction of Chicana Identity in The House on Mango

  Street by Sandra Cisneros, stated the definition of vignette quoted as follow: “A or incident,” but since this vignettes put together to tell a story, it is also very similar to a short novel” (2006:10).

  (http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/17868/1435715.PDF?sequence =1)

  Each part of the story can stand on its own but it also has connection with other parts. Esperanza, an adolescence Chicana, is the central character in this novel. She is the protagonist and also the narrator of the story.

  In this story, the characterization of Esperanza is evolved throughout the story. Cisneros shows us that Esperanza’s characterization is developed through each part of the story. The experiences that she faces in the neighborhood make the character developed.

  In his criticism on The House on Mango Street, James Errera states that there are two types of character in The House on Mango Street. The main character Esperanza changes throughout of course of the novel. Because of this fact, she can be said as a dynamic character. At the beginning of the story, she is described as a shy girl with low self-esteem. It can be seen when she asks permission to the nun to stay in school for lunch. The nun starts to question Esperanza, to avoid confrontation, she just agrees with what the nun says and she begins to cry. As the readers get closer to the end of the story, they start to notice a change in Esperanza’s character. She gets clear and aware of her identity. She knows that it was wrong for mimicking her sick aunt. She also understands the concept of heaven and hell. This is a big progression from the way she was earlier

  (http://www.iona.edu/faculty/dwilliams/130/charactersA.html) James Errera also states about the example of character that does not change. It is Sally. Because of the fact, she is considered as a static character.

  Sally’s father always uses physical abuse to her and he controls everything she does. Once, Sally married a man just like her father who always abuses her.

  Sally’s husband does not let her talking on the phone and look out the window. Sally leaves her home but ends up in the same situation. (http://www.iona.edu/faculty/dwilliams/130/charactersA.html)

  The quotations above show that there are two kinds of character in the

  

The House on Mango Street . They are static and dynamic character. James Errera

  shows that the character Esperanza is a dynamic character. Dynamic character means that the character undergoes changes throughout the story. Esperanza is an example of dynamic character because from the very beginning until the end of the story, her characterization changes. For example, in the first half of the novel she is still innocent, whereas in the second half of the novel she starts to grow her maturity. Another kind of character in this novel is static character. It is a character which is static throughout the novel. The example of static character in

  

The House on Mango Street is Sally. She often gets violence from her father and

when she leaves home, she married with a man but the situation still same for her.

  She often gets violence from her husband too. That is why she is considered as an example of static character.

  Another criticism stated by Christine C. Cepeda in her thesis is that two cultures Mexican-American culture and American culture. Those two cultures have different point of view toward the life of women. This condition causes problem to Esperanza in her introduction to womanhood.

  Esperanza is a Mexican American girl also hovering in that grey area between two cultures, the Mexican culture inherited through her parents and the American culture that she lives in. This constant juggling of two cultures poses problems for Esperanza in her introduction to womanhood because the Mexican ideals of women as wives and mothers compete with the American ideals of individuality and the ability for women to pursue a career (2006:11). (http://scholarship.rice.edu/bitstream/handle/1911/17868/1435715.PDF?seq uence=1)

  Esperanza as the protagonist of the story views many women and girls in her community as her role models. There are positive and negative female role models. Ellen McCraken in Breaking Boundaries Latina Writing and Critical

  Readings stated that

  The House on Mango Street presents clusters of women characters through the sometimes naive and sometimes wise vision of the adolescent protagonist. There are positive and negative female role models and, in addition, several key incidents that focus the reader’s attention on the contradictions of patriarchal social organization (1989:66).

  Furthermore, Ellen McCraken in the same book also stated that Sandra Cisneros does not only show women victimization in this story, but she also points several positive role models that help Esperanza to develop.

  Cisneros does not merely delineate women’s victimization in this collection, however. Several positive female role models help to guide Esperanza’s development. Minerva, for the example, although a victim of her husband’s violence, makes time to write poetry (1989: 69).

  The writer agrees with all of the review and criticism above. It will help the writer to analyze the novel. Esperanza as the protagonist of the story faces experiences. She observes many girls and women as her role models. There are positives and negatives role models in this novel that contributes to Esperanza’s characterization and encourages her to respond the male domination in her community. This thesis is development of those review and criticism above. This thesis is different because the writer will analyze the feminism value that is reflected through Esperanza’s response toward male domination in her community. Since the writer raises the feminism value as the theme, this thesis will be viewed through feminism point of view. Hopefully, this thesis will help the reader to understand this novel better.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

  Character in literary works is one of intrinsic elements which are significant. It can be in form of human being, animal, etc. According to M. H.

  Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do” (1985: 23). He also stated another point of view about characters. There are two kinds of characters as quoted in the following.

  A flat character is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without much individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex in temperament and motivation and is represented with subtle particularly; such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life, and like real person, is capable of surprising us (1985:

  From the quotation above, a flat character is defined as a character which is presented generally without much individualizing detail. The emphasis is not in the individual depth and details but in the general characterization of the character. So, it is possible to be described in a one sentence even a phrase. On the contrary, round character is defined as a character which is more complex than flat character. The complexity is in term of motivation, and temperament. Round character is able to surprise the reader because its complexities. It is a character which is not stable.

  Murphy in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and

  

the English Novel for Overseas Student stated nine ways how the author presents

  the character in literary works as quoted below: (a) Personal description. The author can describe the character’s appearance and clothes (1972:161).

  (b) Characters as seen by another. The author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of other characters, so that the reader will get the reflected image (1972: 162). (c) Speech. The author can give us an insight into the characters in the book through what the character says. It can be seen wherever he speaks, having conversation or giving opinion (1972: 164). (d) Past life. The author gives clue that helps to shape a person’s character by letting the reader knowing the past life of the character. It can be done by direct comment from the author, through the person’s thoughts, through

  (e) Conversation of others. The author gives the reader clues to a person’s characters through the conversation of other people and the things they say about the character (1972: 167). (f) Reactions. The author gives the reader clue to a person’s character by knowing how the character reacts to various situations and events (1972:

  168). (g) Direct comment. The author can describe or comment on the character directly (1972: 170).

  (h) Thoughts. The author can give the reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect the character is able to do what we cannot do in real life. The character can tell us what different people are thinking. In the novel the readers accept this (1972: 171).

  (i) Mannerism. The author describes a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about the character (1972: 173). Holman & Harmon in their book A Handbook to Literature stated that characterization is the creation of the imagery persons who exist for the readers as lifelike. Both character and characterization are related each other. There are three basic method of characterization in fiction:

  1. The explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct explanation whether in a book’s introduction or throughout the work, illustrated by action.

  2. The presentation of the character in action; therefore the reader will be able to conclude the attributes of the character from its actions.

  3. The presentation from within a character – without comment on the character by the author – of the impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner self, with the expectation that the readers will come to the clear understanding of the attributes of the character (1986: 81).

2. Theory of Patriarchy and Theory of Violence

  In writing these theories, the writer refers to a book. It is entitled Fifty Key

  

Concepts in Gender Studies by Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan. These

  theories will explain two parts, which are theory about Patriarchy and the theory about Violence. It is needed to show the presentation of male domination in this novel. Male domination is the manifestation of patriarchal culture in this novel. That is why Theory of Patriarchy is necessary to give general overview about patriarchy. It will also explain that the practice of patriarchal culture is different among social groups.

  As mentioned in Chapter I that violence is the dominant form of male domination portrayed in the novel, it is necessary for the writer to review about Theory of Violence.

a. Theory of Patriarchy

  Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in their book stated that, patriarchy patriarch, typically a societal elder, has legitimate power over others in the social unit especially younger men, all women and children. However, since the early twentieth century, feminist writers have used the concept to refer to the social system of masculine domination over women (2004: 93).

  According to Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in the same book, masculinity itself is the set of social practices and cultural representations associated with being a man. The plural ‘masculinities’ is also used in recognition that ways of being a man and cultural representations about men vary, both historically and culturally, between societies and between different groupings of men within any one society (2004: 82-83). Since Patriarchy is defined as a social system of masculine domination over women and since masculinities is different among social groups both culturally and historically, it can be said that each social group has their own way in practicing their patriarchal culture in their communities. It can also be said that the existence of male domination is the result of practicing patriarchal culture.

  According to Walby, patriarchy is a system of social structures and practices, in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women. Walby identifies six structures of patriarchy (household production, paid work, the state, male violence, sexuality, culture) that together are means to capture the depth, pervasiveness of women’s subordination. According to her, patriarchy is divided into two which are Private Patriarchy and Public Patriarchy. Private Patriarchy is based around the family and the household and involves individual men household sphere and have limited participation in public life. In Public patriarchy, women are not excluded from public life but face inequality and discrimination within it, for example, in paid work (Walby in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 95).

b. Theory of Violence

  Jane Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in the same book stated that violence may be narrowly defined, as in the legal sense of it being the unlawful use of physical force by an individual against others. A broader approach defines violence as behavior which harms others, either physically or emotionally.

  Whether a narrow or broader concept of violence prevails, however, it remains the case that violence is gendered. Meaning to say, it exhibits pattern of difference between men and women, being especially associated with the behavior of men (2004: 173).

  Connell identifies a range of ways in which men ‘predominate across the spectrum of violence’, whether as members of the armed forces, as violent criminals under the law, as abusers of family members, or as participants in and audiences of the various contact sports which centre around the use of physical force (Connell in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

  Official criminal statistics for Europe, Australia and the United States suggest that men are held to be responsible for around 85 per cent of all violent crimes. Such evidence is suggestive of the important role played by violent behavior in contemporary constructions of masculinities (Brenies in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

  It is men’s violence against women that has especially been the concern of feminist researchers. Conceptualized as a broad range of men’s harmful behavior toward women, including rape, domestic violence and sexual harassment, violence has been identified as a key mechanism in the subordination of women by men (Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

  One manifestation of the subordinating effect of violence against women is indicated by survey evidence which shows that women are more fearful about violent crime than men, and that this fear impact upon their freedom of movement when outside the home. (Simmons in Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 173).

3. Theory of Feminism

  This theory is divided into four parts that will explain about The First Wave of Feminism, The Second Wave of Feminism, The Third Wave of Feminism, and Feminism of Color. The theory about First Wave, Second Wave, and Third Wave of Feminism will explain about the development of feminism goals, whereas the Feminism of Color will explain about Chicana Feminism. Maggie Humm in her book entitled Feminism: A Reader stated that

  The first idea that is likely to occur in the course of any historical thinking about feminism is that feminism is a social force. The emergence of feminist ideas and feminist politics depends on the understanding that, in all societies which divide sexes into differing cultural, economic or political spheres, women are less valued than men. Feminism also depends on the premise that women can consciously and collectively change their social place (1992: 1).

a. First Wave Feminism

  The earlier period (dating from at least the mid to late nineteenth century up until about the 1920s), became First Wave Feminism. The concern of The First Wave Feminism is women’s attainment of equality with men. It struggles to gain the right of women in political aspects such as gaining political identity for women, legal advance, and public emancipation. Therefore feminist analyses and campaigning centered on securing legislational change (Philcher & Whelehan, 2004: 52).

  It is supported by Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader who stated that First Wave Feminism created a new political identity of women and won for women legal advances and public emancipation. The struggle for the vote, and the later battles for family allowance, contraception, abortion and welfare rights, twists around several axes: women’s domestic labor, the endowment of motherhood, protective legislation, and women’s legal status (1992: 14).

  James Philcher and Imelda Whelehan in Fifty Key Concepts of Gender

  

Studies also stated their point of view about First Wave of Feminism. According

  to them, the Fist Wave Feminist movement is also a means that brings change to against Public Patriarchy via the struggle for the vote, access to education and the profession, right to own property, and the legal rights for women in marriage and divorce (2004: 53).

  b. Second Wave Feminism

  Second wave feminism is a term used to describe a new period of feminist collective political activism and militancy which emerged in the late 1960s.