FEMINISM VALUES REFLECTION THROUGH
CHARACTERIZATION OF MERIDA AND QUEEN
ELINOR IN DISNEY MOVIE: BRAVE
A THESIS
Submitted as Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
By:
Shindy Egia Nina Br Tarigan Registration Number : 2121220010
ENGLISH LITERATURE DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
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ABSTRACT
Tarigan, Shindy Egia Nina. 2121220010. Feminism Reflection through Characterization of Merida and Queen Elinor in Disney movie: Brave. A Thesis. Faculty of Languages and Arts. State University of Medan. 2016. The title of this thesis is Feminism Values Reflection through Characterization of Merida and Queen Elinor in Disney movie: Brave. This study is aimed to analyze what are the characterizations of Merida and Queen Elinor and how are the feminism values reflected by Merida and Queen Elinor characters in Disney movie: Brave through their each domestic and public relationship. The source of the data of the analysis is Brave movie and the data are the linguistic features that are formed as sentences by the two women main characters. The writer applies the theories from Fiona (2007) about feminism values in society and Janet Burroway (1991) about characterization of characters in movie. Based on its form, Fiona was divided feminism values into 2 types, they are (1) public and (2)domestic, and Burroway divided indirect characterization into 2 types in spoken sentences, they are (1) speech and (2) thought. Feminism is a belief of woman movement to against all of the objections toward women. Characterization is the concept of creating characters for narrative. The writer focuses on the analysis of feminism values reflection and characterization based on Brave script, and finally the struggles in both of public and domestic values can be interpreted through Merida and Queen Elinor sentences of the movie and it is found that both of the characters reflect feminism values.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, the writer would like to thanks to Allah SWT and the Prophet Muhammad SAW for the blessings during her academic year at English and Literature Department Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS) State University of Medan in completing the thesis. The writer is also very grateful to the following people:
Prof. Dr. Syawal Gultom, M.Pd., Rector of State University of Medan. Dr. Isda Pramuniati, M.Hum., the Dean of Faculty of Languages and
Arts (FBS) State University of Medan.
Prof. Dr. Hj. Sumarsih, M.Pd., the Head of English and Literature Department as well as Dra. Meisuri, M.A, the Secretary of English and Literature Department for their encouragement and motivation during the writing of the thesis. Syamsul Bahri, S.S, M.Hum, the Head of English Literature Program and the writer’s Thesis Examiner and Nora Ronita, S.Pd, S.S, M.Hum, the Head of English Education Program for their encouragement to complete the thesis.
Dr. I Wy. Dirgayasa, M.Hum., and Citra Anggia Putri S.S., M.Hum., the writer’s Thesis Supervisors who had already motivated her to finish her thesis by giving advices, comments, and corrections that has made her learn many new things in academic.
Drs. Lidiman Sahat Martua Sinaga, M.Hum., the writer’s Thesis Examiners who had given valuable advices and suggestions to her for the thesis.
All the Lecturers of English and Literature Department during her academic year at State University of Medan, who have taught and given knowledges to her encouragement and invaluable advices to complete this thesis.
Eis Sri Wahyuni, M.Pd, the Administration Staff of English Department, who helped her to fulfill this thesis.
support. They are the top persons on list who have built the writer to be what she has to be in a good way.
Anandha Enda Lestary Tarigan, Silvia Aloyna Tarigan, and Agi Ragilta Tarigan, her more than amazing sisters and brother who have been there with her through her ups and downs and have supported her through her academic activities.
Budiman Bratayudha and Elfira Rosa, her tight cousins who had patiently given her good advices and helped her through the hard times phase of being a student.
Anggreyni Tampubolon, Gatot Tampubolon, Hendro Simamora, Hizkia Sinaga, and Wira Manalu her stunning friends that had accompanied her through years with their laughter, motivation, and every happy moment that she will always remember.
All friends in English Literature 2012 A for the worthy memories as the college years.
Accelerated English Centre Medan, the place for her to share her knowledge and motivation as an English tutor that have given her a great experience.
Everyone who can not be mentioned one by one for coloring her life each day.
Medan, August 2016 The writer
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D.Instrument for Collecting Data ... 28
E. The Technique of Analyzing Data ... 28
CHAPTER IV DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS ... 29
A.Data ... 29
B.Data Analysis ... 29
1. Characterization Analysis ... 29
a. Brave ... 29
b. Stubborn ... 31
c. Discipline ... 32
2.Feminism Values Reflection Analysis... 33
a. The struggle to have abilities as a man does ... 33
b. The struggle to take her own choice... 34
c. The struggle to take care of the children’s life ... 37
C.Research Findings ... 38
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ... 42
A. Conclusion ... 42
B. Suggestion ... 43
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LIST OF TABLE
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LIST OF APPENDICES
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.Background of Study
The situation of women being an under pressured gender is started in the
nineteenth-century. The perception that most of men had in that time was that women were powerless and weak. Men believe that the existence of women at that time did not make a great influence to the environment and even they did not
have a power to do huge things. Based on what has happened in the past, the gender problem seems to be a world’s problem. This issue becomes one of the
themes that usually being used by the people who created arts. They like to use women as the topic in their works such as movie, song, book, or the other literary works. Through the arts that have been said before, the issue of women nowadays
will be brought to the air and born to be an issue which people want to talk about. The problems related to women still can be found nowadays. In Indonesia,
the survey result of the harm that is done by men toward their wives has reached 51,1 percent as cited from the wordpress of Musni (2012). The case that can be
seen from this fact is that there are still a lot of women who have not had their freedom. Men who are physically stronger than women, occasionally do things that hurt women.
Michael (2009) states that feminist literary criticism, arising in conjunction with sociopolitical feminism, critiques patriarchal language and literature by
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works and traces the subtle construction of masculinity and femininity, and their relative status, positionings, and marginalizations within works. He says that
feminist criticism concern itself with stereotypical representations of genders. It also may trace the history of relatively unknown or undervalued women writers,
potentially earning them their rightful place within the literary canon, and helps create a climate in which women's creativity may be fully realized and appreciated.
There is a lot of numbers of movies that have brought feminism as their topics. The points are usually built by the strength of the characters to play and
deliver their acts and speeches along with their characters. Some title of feminism movies which already got the attention of the world’s audiences are: “Iris”,
“Sisters”, “Janis”, and “She Named Me Malala” where all of the movies were
launched in the year of 2015. “She Named Me Malala” itself is one of the best example of feminism true story that is brought to the air by an outstanding
documentary movie by Davis Guggenheim. The movie talks about the story of a young girl, Malala YousafzaiI who received a Nobel Peace Prize because of her
efforts to change the world.
“I speak not for myself but for those without voice… those who have fought for their rights… their right to live in peace, their right to be treated
with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated.”
“In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan,
terrorism, war, and conflict stop children to go to their schools. We are really
tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering.”
“I do not want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be
remembered as the girl who stood up.”
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are some of the famous feminism quotes that Malala said through her wide and brilliant way of thinking when giving a speech at the Youth Takeover of the
United Nations on July 12 2013.
Through the words, people can catch her idea about how strong does she
want to be a girl who will change the world especially to rid the women and children who are suffered from the world’s problem especially in Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
Similar like She Named Me Malala, Brave is a movie that tells about the characters of women. Through the characterization of Merida and Queen Elinor,
the feminism values can be revealed. As cited at http://wikipedia.com/Brave-movie, this film won a BAFTA Award as a Best Animated Movie because its
strong characters.
Brave, even though a kids movie, it has some good points of being a
woman who does not just follow, but also rule. It is interesting to be analyzed
from feminism perspective because of the strength of its women main characters. As a young princess of a kingdom, Merida should be free of doing anything but in
this story, the princess does not get the opportunity of doing what she wants at first. Elinor, as the queen has a tremendous opportunity to control the life in her family and the society. Both of Merida and Queen Elinor are women with strong
characters which makes this movie becomes more interesting to be analyzed. Thus, based on the reason above, this study is proposed to analyze the
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character styles that both of the character have and their feminism representation in the story from some aspects of their lives namely domestic and public
relationship.
B.The Problem of Study
Based on the background, the problems of this study are formulated as followed:
1. What are the characterizations of Merida and Queen Elinor in Disney
movie: Brave?
2. How are the feminism values reflected by Merida and Queen Elinor
characters in Disney movie: Brave through their each domestic and public relationship?
C.The Objective of Study
The study is aimed to know:
1. The characterizations of Merida and Queen Elinor in Disney movie:
Brave.
2. The feminism values reflection of Merida and Queen Elinor through their
public and domestic relationship in Disney movie: Brave. D.The Scope of Study
The study is focused on two characters, Merida and Queen Elinor as the
women main characters in Disney movie: Brave. It deals with their circumstances in public and domestic relationship related to the characterization and feminism
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E.The Significance of Study
The findings of this study are expectedly useful whether it is theoretically
or practically to the readers.
Theoretically, this study is expected to enhance the knowledge about the
literary criticism of feminism perspectives and give a deeper understanding about it.
Practically, this study is expected to be useful for:
1. The students of English Literature Department of State University of Medan who want to do a similar research about feminism
perspective, this study is expected as one of the references to do the analysis.
2. The readers who want to know more about how to analyze the characterization of the characters in a specific movie, this study is expected as one of the addition sources to get a deeper
comprehending.
3. All of the women who read this research, this research is expected as
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
After analyzing the data based on the theories, it is concluded that there
are three different characterizations of the two women main characters in the movie. Taking from their sentences based on the speech and thought, it is concluded that the characterization of Merida is brave and stubborn. The princess is not afraid of doing
some extreme things like men used to do. By another characterization, stubborn is can be seen when she wants something to be happened, she will run for it and she will not let anyone to disturb her. She has her own dreams and she wants to make it happen.
Even when Elinor, her mother, tries to lecture her with a lot of points and reason, she still thinks that her thoughts are what matter. She does not think about the others but
herself. Elinor, as the queen of the kingdom and the mother of Merida, is characterized as a stubborn and discipline woman. She also characterized as how stubborn Merida is even in a different point. She wants another people to do what
they want to do even without thinking about it twice. In discipline characterization, she believes that there are some values and principles that a woman in kingdom
should have. Elinor shares a discipline characterization by how she is following all of the rules of being a woman in the kingdom and how she is being respected because of her good attitude and there were three feminism values that are reflected by the two
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struggle to take her own choice, and the struggle to take care of her children’s life. In
the first value of feminism reflection in public which is the struggle to have ability as
a man does, Merida is still being pressed indirectly by the society. Her ability in archery makes her feeling not free to show all of the people about her talent. Archery
is generally for man because it is a kind of hard sport and needs a lot of energy while a princess is supposed to do many easy things. In this first point of feminism, Elinor does not accept the same pressure because she does not have that kind of ability that
needs to be a problematic issue in the society. In the struggle of taking her own choice, both of the characters feel that pressure even though Merida is the character
who gets it more. Her position as a young princess makes her can not be free in choosing what she actually wants. Unlike Merida, Elinor, her mother, is free in
choosing what she wants another people to because of her position as the queen even though actually she is being tied too tight by the rules that she used to follow and becomes a habit. In the last feminism values reflection in domestic relationship, Elinor is struggling a little bit while taking care of Merida’s life. She actually does
not want Merida to feel sad because of the marriage but she does not want to break
the rule as a woman who lives in a kingdom. B. Suggestion
Referring to the results of the analysis, there are some suggestions as follows;
1. The students who are interested in learning feminism perspective, should
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to enrich their knowledge when learn about it. As feminism is not only about women being pressed, the values of feminism are good to be
comprehended and from the literary work in a movie, the feminism values can be seen from the characterization of the women characters. In
analyzing the feminism by the characters, it is suggested for the students to learn about the characterization deeper and understanding the different aspects in it.
2. The readers should be more sensitive about the women problems around them. There is still a lot of gender problems toward women in society and
the readers should give an effort in making a better situation to make sure that the existence of women is real and they are not to be pressed but to be
respected.
3. The women who live in society to be not live in the silence anymore. Time to give a big aspiration and ideas toward the public and domestic
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