A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS SULTANA FOUND ON “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE VEIL” BY JEAN SASSON

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A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS

SULTANA FOUND O

N “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE

VEIL”

BY JEAN SASSON

THESIS

IKA

YUNIASRINDA

PRIZAYANTI

08360226

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

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A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS

SULTANA FOUND O

N “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE

VEIL”

BY JEAN SASSON

THESIS

This thesis is submitted to meet one of the requirements to achieve

Sarjana Degree in English Department

By:

IKA YUNIASRINDA PRIZAYANTI

08360226

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

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MOTTO AND DEDICATION

“Belajarlah, sesungguhnya tak ada satu orang pun yang dilahirkan dalam keadaan pandai.” – Arabic verse

“Barangsiapa yang menginginkan hidup luhur dengan tanpa usaha, maka dia telah menyiakan umurnya untuk mencari kemustahilan.” – Arabic verse

This thesis is dedicated to:

My Beloved Parents

Mr. Suprianto and Mrs. Zaenah, I do love you Mom, Dad. You are the most precious

diamonds, the untarnished jewels.

For your sacrifice, nothing is enough.

For my comrades, the big family of PAB_GCK, I’m more than just happy to know you. We are one big family.

For my Ukhtiests: Ulfa Mutmainnah, Nafis Cahya Wahyuni, Ziana Walidah,

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillah, all praise be to Allah, the Merciful and the Beneficient.

Because of His guidance, blessing and affection, the writer can finish this thesis.

The writer of this thesis is delighted to present her deepest gratitude to Dra.

ThathitManonAndini, M.Hum as her first advisor, and Drs. EstuWidodo, M.Hum as

her second advisor, for their suggestions, valuable guidance, sincere advises,

comments, and corrections during the consultation period of the completion of this

thesis.

Finally, the writer presents her special thanks and appreciations to her beloved

parent, Abah Prie and Bu Zaenah, and her younger siblings who always give her

countless love, support, and pray so that she can finish this thesis.

In addition, the writer wants to say thanks to her best friends: Nafis, Ulfa,

Maya, Ziana, Zen, Tika, Iin, Ratih, Gagoek, Yoppy, Liza, Iis and PAB_GCK Family

for their best love, support, encouragement, and pray. She also wants to thanks Mr.

Jeck at BK for the psychological support, lifting and blowing away her doubts and

anxiety.

Malang, August 2013

The Writer

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abram, M.H. 1999. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Cornel University

Archer, John. Lloyd, Barbara. 2002. Sex and Gender 2nd ed. UK: Cambridge

Burr, Vivien. 1998. Gender and Social Psychology. London: Routledge

Crossman, Ashley. 2012. Sociology of Gender: Studying the Relationship between Gender and Society. (Online), (http://sociology.about.com)

Etaugh, Claire. Bridges, Judith. 2006. Women’s Lives: A Topical Approach. USA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Fakih, Mansour. 1996. Analisis Gender dan Transformasi Sosial. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar

Handayani, Trisakti. Sugiarti. 2006. Konsep dan Teknik Penelitian Gender. Malang: UMM Press

Julia, Maria. 2000. Constructing Gender: Multicultural Perspectives in Working with Women. USA: Thomson Learning

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Mangaraj, Subrat. 2011. Essay on Connection between Literature and Society. (Online), (http://www.preservearticles.com/201103284772/literature-and-society.html)

Mashuri. 2005. Violence against Women in Patriarchal Culture Described in Khaled Hosseini’s Novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns”. UIN Malang: Thesis

Meyer, Michael. 1990. The Bedford Introduction to Literature 2nd ed. New York: St. Martin’s Press

Postlethwaite, Neville T. 2005. In Kenneth Ross (Ed.), Educational Research: Some Basic Concept and Terminology. UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning

Prabhkar, Vani. 2001. Third World Sociology: Gender Violence, Women Victims in

Man’s World. Delhi: Dominant Publisher

Prentice, Deborah. Carranza, Erica. 2002. The Content of Prescriptive Gender Stereotype. USA: Princeton University

Sasson, Jean. 1993. Princess: A Secret behind the Veil. UK: Bantam Books

Sasson, Jean. Women Voice in Middle East. (Online), (www.jeansasson.com)

Steve.2001. What is Literature. (Online), (www.preservearticles.com)

Wharton, Amy S. 2005. The Sociology of Gender: An Introduction to Theory and Research. UK: Blackwell Publishing. Ltd

William, Brian K. et al. 2009. Marriages, Families, and Intimate Relationship: A Practical Introduction 2nd ed. USA: Pearson Education Inc.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents such topics as background of study, statement of

problems, purpose of study, significance of study, scope and limitation, and definition

of key terms. Each section is presented as follows.

1.1 Background of Study

“Literature is a performance in words,” says Frost (Steve, 2011). Literature

has its own artistic quality to string the words into a beautiful work. The power of

words which are engaged in the making of literary work has the ability to records the

thoughts and expresses the feeling. Mangaraj (2011) stated that literature may attract

in two ways; through its matter and through its manner. The matter must be those

who read it are interested in exploring it in some way. The manner must be that it will

be pleasing the reader and he can add it to his fund of knowledge. Literature is also

important, because it speaks to people through its universality and affection.

Literature introduces people to the new world of experience which makes

them grow and evolve through the journey of reading the literary works. Mangaraj

(2011) argued that the subject matter of literature is society. It means that people who

live in different societies also have differences in sharing their thoughts, feelings, and

so on. He also stated that the society reacts to literature in living way. It seems like

literature has the ability to express social sympathies which may give some influences

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Engaging with the above fact that literature is affected by society, the issues

which come up in literary world sometimes are adopted from the events happening in

the society. It can be seen from each story in literature which has different topics. One

of many topics that have been lifted from the reality in society is the issue about

gender. This issue focuses on the imbalance power between male and female, the

unequal treatment of boy and girl, the stratification of status, rights and values

between both sexes, and so on. Things that make differences are the author gives his

direct solution in the end of the story meanwhile the society which experiences the

gender issue itself tries to cope with it along the way.

As the proofs that the issue about gender not only appears in the factual life

but also becomes the raising point in the literary world, there are some researches

about this issue in literature. As one example, Mashuri (2011) analyzed violence as

one kind of gender inequality in Kholed Hosseini’s novel “A Thousand Splendid

Suns”. His study showed that violence was divided into four parts such as physical

violence, psychological violence, economical violence, and sexual violence. He also

found the fact that all forms of violence happened because of system of patriarchy

which assumed that women were always in second class, symbol of inferiority and

weakness. As the result of his analysis, he concluded that women existence in that

novel were always subordinated, discriminated, marginalized and alienated in the

society. Another research about gender in literature had been conducted by Kone

(2010) which concentrated her study in the issues of gender in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s

novel “Scarlet Letter”. The issues of gender that had been analyzed in her study were

gender stereotype, subordination, and violence. She found in the novel that women

had the bigger responsibility to the violation of social norms adopted by the Puritan

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The writer of this study expects to analyze all kinds of gender inequality

found in Jean Sasson’s novel “Princess: A Secret behind the Veil”. She believes that

the aspects of gender inequality are attached one another. She tries to investigate all

aspects of gender inequality encountered by Princess Sultana as the main character,

all at once the story teller.

The discussion of gender issues is challenging, because it does exist in both

literal and factual world. The writer is interested in analyzing this issue because of

concerning the fact that the gender issue, somehow, still happens in many parts of

countries. The credence that women are worthless is something unbelievable and

shocking. That is why she tries to open the way world views women as the minority

and wishes to fix it. She feels the deep need to uncover the problem which is faced by

many discriminated women across the nation, in this case in the form of literature.

The reason for choosing the novel “Princess: A Secret behind the Veil”

written by Jean Sasson (1993) is this novel claimed written based on the princess’

true story. The princess made a friendship with an American woman who worked at

the royal hospital and told her the story. Women of Saudi Arabia lived in cage. They

had no freedom, no control over their own life, no value but as a bearer of sons. They

were hidden behind the veil as prisoners, slaves and properties. Women were ignored

by their fathers, scorned by their brothers and abused by their husbands. In contrast,

men hadabsolute control over the women’s life. The authority of a Saudi male was

unlimited which his wives and children survive only if he desired. In this novel,

gender inequality in male and female relationship appeared as the major problem.

Many intrigues and incidents were involved in the story. The writer hopes that by

analyzing this novel, she can open the fallacy about men and women status, at least in

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1.2 Statement of Problems

Based on the background of study above, the problems of study are

formulated as follow:

1. What kinds of gender inequality faced by Princess Sultana found on the novel

“Princess: A Secret behind the Veil”?

2. What are the causes Princess Sultana gets gender inequality based on the novel

“Princess: A Secret behind the Veil”?

3. What are the effects of gender inequality on Princess Sultana’s life?

1.3 Purpose of Study

Concerning with the problems above, the purposes of this study are:

1. To find and know the kinds of gender inequality faced by Princess Sultana found

on the novel “Princess: A Secret behind the Veil.”

2. To know the causes Princess Sultana gets gender inequality.

3. To know the effects of gender inequality on Princess Sultana’s life.

1.4 Significance of Study

The result of this study is expected to give contribution for both theoretical

and practical benefits. Theoretically, this study will develop the body of knowledge,

particularly in literary studies concerning with gender issues. The readers will

understand the literary work and gender itself, which has become the current issues in

social and textual points in late of the 18th century. Then, the next researcher may

compare the result of this study as a consideration and reference when conducting

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understandings about gender inequality issues, this study is expected as the basic

knowledge to be considered that there will never be found unequal treatment,

stereotype or concept between man and women, both in literary and factual world.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

Despite of its elements, novel has many things to be discussed including the

issues which engage in it. The writer chooses to analyze gender inequality issue

found on “Princess: A Secret behind the Veil” written by Jean Sasson (1993) as the

scope of this study. The writer limits the study on the gender inequality faced by

Princess Sultana, the princess of Saudi Arabia.

1.6 Definition of Key Terms

To avoid misunderstanding and make the study clear to the reader, the writer

would like to present several definitions of key terms:

1. Study is process of learning or examining a subject in detail. (Oxford, 2003)

2. Gender inequality is an imbalance situation between male and female concerning

with their rights, opportunity, and status. (Fakih, 1996)

3. Jean Sasson is an American writer whose work mainly centers on women in the

Middle East.

4. Novel is a long printed story about imaginary characters and events. (Oxford,

2003)

5. Princess: A Secret behind the Veil (1993) is one of the novels written by Jean

A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS SULTANA FOUND ON “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE VEIL” BY JEAN SASSON

A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS

SULTANA FOUND O

N “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE

VEIL”

BY JEAN SASSON

THESIS

YUNIASRINDA

08360226

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

A STUDY ON GENDER INEQUALITY FACED BY PRINCESS

SULTANA FOUND O

N “PRINCESS: A SECRET BEHIND THE

VEIL”

BY JEAN SASSON

THESIS

This thesis is submitted to meet one of the requirements to achieve

Sarjana Degree in English Department

IKA YUNIASRINDA PRIZAYANTI

08360226

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH MALANG

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION