THE CHARACTERISITCS OF ROSA FIORE AS MAIN FEMALE
CHARACTER IN
LA CUCINA
VIEWED FROM
FEMINST THEORY
SAEFI KHIRJUL YAMANI No. 102026024607
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA
THE CHARACTERISITCS OF ROSA FIORE AS MAIN FEMALE
CHARACTER INLA CUCINAVIEWED FROM
FEMINST THEORY
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
Strata 1 Degree
SAEFI KHIRJUL YAMANI No. 102026024607
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA
ABSTRACT
Saefi Khirjul Yamani. The Characteristics of Rosa Fiore as Main Female Character in La Cucina Viewed From Feminist Theory. Thesis. Jakarta: English Letters Department, Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, June 2007.
This analysis is to prove the characteristics of Rosa Fiore as main female character by analyzing the evidence from the dialogues on the novel, her acts, and her statement. The writer uses descriptive qualitative analysis as the method to analyze the relationship between the main character and the Feminist Theory.
In this analysis, the writer finds out that final result about the characteristics of Rosa Fiore as main female character, Rosa as independent woman, and brave to tries something new, struggled to get her freedom, struggles for her rights and proves that women can be equal to man in economy and able to survive through the violation. She dealt with her oppression act to Feminist Theory.
APPROVEMENT
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ROSA FIORE AS MAIN FEMALE
CHARACTER INLA CUCINAVIEWED FROM FEMINIST THEORY
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
Strata 1 Degree
Saefi Khirjul Yamani No. 102026024607
Approved by:
Danti Pudjianti, S.Pd, MM NIP. 132 233 516
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA
LEGALIZATION
The thesis entitled “The Characteristics of Rosa Fiore as Main Female Character in La Cucina Viewed from Feminist Theory” has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s Examination Committee on June, 25 2008. The
thesis has already been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for the
degree of Strata 1.
Jakarta, November 3rd 2008
Examination Committee
Chair Person, Secretary,
Dr. Muhammad Farkhan, M.Pd Drs. Asep Saefuddin, M.Pd
NIP. 150 299 480 NIP. 150 261 902
Members:
Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this submission is my original work and that, to the
best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or
written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted
for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of
higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.
Jakarta, June 20th2008
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praises be to Allah SWT. The real writer’s guide, who mysteriously
guides him in the process of making this thesis, Peace and salutation, be upon the
greatest prophet Muhammad SAW, his family, companions and adherents.
On this occasion, the writer wants to say many thanks to his beloved parents
and sisters, who always pray for my success in the night and the day. Their sacrifice
will never be equally paid. The writer also wants to give his gratitude to Danti Pudjianti, S.Pd, MM, as the writer advisor for her time, guidance, patient, kindness, and contribution in correcting and helping him in finishing this thesis.
The writer also would like to express the writer’s trustworthy gratitude to
the following noble persons:
1. Prof. Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat, MA, the rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State
Islamic University of Jakarta.
2. Dr. Abdul Chaer, MA, the dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif
Hidayatullah State Islamic University of Jakarta.
3. Dr. Muhammad Farkhan, M.Pd, the head of English Letters Department,
Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University
4. Drs. Asep Saefuddin, M.Pd, the secretary of English Letters Department,
Letters and Humanities Faculty, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University
of Jakarta.
5. All of the lectures in English Letters Department for having taught and
educated the writer during study at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic
University.
6. The writer’s soul mate, Jovovich, for her patient in encouraging the writer to
finish this thesis. May God give you thousands of happiness.
7. The writer’s senior friend for giving an inspiration and support: Desty
Maulaini Rahamah, Rezzalia Eliza, Nila “Djulunx”, Tien, Ucie, Hilda
Rosida, Mbak Elvira (thanks for become my sister) you are all the best.
8. The writer’s class friends for learning together in English Letters
Department.
May Allah, the all-Hearer and all-Knower, bless them all and gives them more
than what they have given to the writer. Hopefully, this thesis gives benefit for all
people who read it.
Jakarta, June 20th2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ... i
APPROVEMENT ... ii
LEGALIZATION ... iii
DECLARATION ... iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENT... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... vi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION…….... 1
A. The Background of the Research... 2
B. The Focus of the Research... 3
C. The Statement of the Problem ... 3
D. The Significance of the Study ... 3
E. The Methodology of the Research ... 3
1. The Background of the Research... 3
2. The Method... 4
3. The Technique of Data Analysis ... 4
4. The Instrument... 4
5. The Unit of Analysis ... 5
6. The Time and Place of the Research... 5
CHAPTER II THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK... 6
A. Characterization ... 6
B. Character... 7
C. Feminist Literary Criticism ... 10
2. The Definition of Feminism ... 15
3. Kinds of Feminism ... 17
CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDING ... 25
I. Data Description... 25
A. The Characteristics of Rosa as main Female Character... 25
1. Responsible... 26
2. Independent ... 27
3. Rebellious ... 27
4. Honest ... 27
5. Lover ... 28
6. Mature ... 28
7. Struggling ... 28
II. Analysis ... 29
A. Rosa Fiore as Main Female Character Viewed From Feminist Values... 29
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 37
A. Conclusions ... 37
B. Suggestions ... 38
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 39
APPENDICES ... 41
Appendix I ... 41
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of the Research
TheLa Cucinais a work of Lily Prior. The story takes places of the twentieth century, 1927, on the farm of Alcantara valley beneath the citadel of Castiglione, on
the far eastern side of the island of Sicily, near the slopes of the great volcano. Here,
Rosa Fiore narrates the story of her life in mid-century Sicily.
It story tells about Rosa Fiore which lives with her family in the village, she
has eight older brothers and younger Siamese twin brother. Rosa fiore is the only girl
in her family. Her mother threats her discriminately, not likes her brother Rosa should
stay at her room when the nights come. Mother does not believe even to her own sons
and her husband. In other word mother is overprotected to Rosa. She expresses her
dissatisfy and her feeling by cooking foods and makes some bottle of juice in the
kitchen. She does it when she feels lonely or upset. Besides her hobbies cooking can
help her to make another business, it can earn money. It lasts for a long time until the
Mafia harms her cease the production of foods and drinks. The Mafia is a secret
organization which has power to rule a market of foods and drinks. The Mafia does
not want if somebody compete their business. They warn Rosa to cease her home
production, but Rosa as a strong girl ignores it and carries on the production. She
Rosa’s life changes when she falls in love with Bartolomeo, she feels so
happy of having a boyfriend and find a place to share. But the father of Bartolomeo
Don Umberto “The man of honor” has matched Bartolomeo with his friend daughter,
his mafia relation. Bartolomeo refuses and disobey his father because he has Rosa the
woman he loves. Don Umberto feels insulted by his son behavior and Rosa should
lose her boyfriend because Bartolomeo is killed by his own father. Dissatisfy of her
society Rosa moves to Palermo to find a new life and job in Palermo. Once again
Rosa struggle it by her self.
Many things that make Rosa suffered, will Rosa survive in her environment
through the rule in her society and how she will face all of those? It would be very
interesting to know deeper about the characterization of Rosa Fiore and all intrigues
that happen in the novel.
Especially, what the researcher wants to study is the image of Rosa Fiore in
the novel La Cucina based on feminist values, which is values of an obstinate,
independent, and optimistic woman in undergoing her life without feeling tired or
even desperate.
B. The Focus of the Research
In this research, writer focuses the problem in analyzing the image of the main
C. The Statement of the Problems
In this research the writer tries to get the answer of the following question:
1.How are the characteristics of main character Rosa Fiore Described in
The novel La Cucina?
2. How does Rosa Fiore survive through male domination according to Feminist
Theory?
D. The Significance of the Research
The writer hopes that research would be beneficial to readers in terms of it is
information and knowledge. It is also hoped that readers would understand the novel
after having observed the result of the analysis of the woman character and
characterization, as well as their image through feminism approach of the novel La Cucina by Lily Prior. The writer also hopes the analysis would motivate individuals interested in literature to do further analysis.
E. The Methodology of the Research 1. The Objective
The objective of this research is to describe the characteristics of Rosa Fiore
her acts, and her statement, in the novel La Cucina by Lily Prior. This study
especially is to know:
a.The Characteristics of Rosa Fiore as Main Female Character
b.Rosa Fiore’s character seen from Feminist Theory.
2. The Method
In this research, the writer uses qualitative method, the writer also uses the
analytic descriptive to analyses the relationship between the main character in the
novelLa Cucinawith the feminism approaches.
3. The Data Analysis
The technique of data analysis of the research is to finding out the main
female character and also her characterization with the evidence. To get the feminist
values, the writer reads the work deeply, understands it comprehensively and then
gives some marks in each line of the novel, then put them in into the paper. The
feminist values that occurred in the main females’ characterization are analyzed
4. The Instrument
The instrument in this research is the writer himself by reading the whole
text,and underlining the sentence or statement in the novelLa Cucina.
5.The Unit of Analysis
The unit of analysis in this research is the novel “La Cucina” by Lily Prior. It is
published by Black Swan in Great Britain in 2001.
6.The Time and Place of the Research.
The research began in January 2007 in the American Corner’s library of UIN
Jakarta, American Studies’ library of UI, and Faculty of Culture Studies’ library of
CHAPTER II
THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Characterization
Characterization is the sum of all observable qualities of a human being,
everything knowable through careful scrutiny: age and IQ; sex and sexuality; style of
speech and gesture; choices of home, car, and dress; education and occupation;
personality and nervosity; values and attitudes.1
Characterization is the character means of differentiating one personage from
another. It means one character has different characterization to another character,
and characterization also means the method used by a writer to develop a character.
Characterization includes:
1. Physical, concerns such basic facts as sex, age, size, and color.
2. Social, concerns as character’s economic status, profession or trade, religion,
and family relationships–all the factors that place him in his environment.
3. Psychological, reveals a character’s habitual responses, desires, motivations,
likes and dislikes–the inner working of the mind.
1
Robert McKee,Structure and Character. Accessed on July, 12 2007
This is to say that the author describes the character, behavior, physical state,
social state, and the personality of the character. Characterization is the way in which
a character is created.2
1. Characteristic
Characteristic is a character feature which differentiate one character to
another, it means character's characteristics revealed and through circumstances,
words, thoughts, actions, or appearances.
B. Character
The character refers to a personage in a literary work, such as in the drama
and the novel. The term of character also denotes the essential of qualities and
personality, the traits of a fictional or real individual. The ability to create compelling
and believable characters is one of the hallmarks of the literary artist.
The character is an important in the work of fiction, because who is to do and
incurred something is done by the character. The term of character refers to the
person, the actor of the story. Among the character and his characterization is intact
union. It is often the call of certain character sign to his characterization.3
In English literature there are two definitions about character, that is:
1) Figure in a literary work
2
Richard Gill,Mastering English Literature(London: Macmillan Ltd, 1995), p. 129 3
2) Personality; the mental and moral qualities of a figure, as when we say that as
character is strong, weak, immoral, or whatever.4
Gift of name is form of simplest figure, it is a kind of way to giving
personality, animating.5 It means to reveal the character through the story is give
name to character and make it alive in building the story.
According to the book of Kritik Sastra Feminis by Sugihastuti Suharto, said that;
“Cerita rekaan pada dasarnya mengisahkan seseorang atau beberapa orang yang menjadi tokoh. Yang dimaksud tokoh cerita adalah individu rekaan yang mengalami peristiwa atau perbuatan di didalam berbagai peristiwa cerita yang berperan sebagai subjek yang menggerakkan peristiwa-peristiwa cerita”.6
(Fictions story basically tell about one or some people that become character. Characters are the important elements in building a story, for they are much involved in the events which united the story).
According to the book of Literature for composition by Scott Foresman, Character is things happen in most good fiction at least partly because the people
have certain personalities or character traits.
The writer observed the character intensity of involvement in building the
story to determine the main character and subordinate character. The main character
has the highest intensity of involvement in building the story, whereas the minor
character support the character in building a story, as stated by Sugihastuti Suharto in
the book of Kritik Sastra Feminis:
4
Barnet, Berman, and Burto.Opcitp.71 5
Rene Wellek and Austin Warren.Teori Kesusastraan.(Jakarta: Pt. Gramedia, 1995), p.287 6
Karakteristik yang digunakan untuk menentukan tokoh sentral bukan frekuensi kemunculan tokoh itu dalam cerita, melainkan intensitas keterlibatannya didalam peristiwa-peristiwa yang membangun cerita.7
(The characteristic used to identify the central character is not the frequency of appearance but the intensity of involving which build the story).
Based on the function, character in a literary work can be divided into two
there are main character and minor character
Menurut kedudukan tokoh dibedakan menjadi dua yaitu tokoh utama dan tokoh bawahan. Tokoh utama adalah tokoh yang memegang peranan penting dalam suatu cerita.8
(Characters are classified into two: they are the main character and minor character. The main character has the highest involvement in the story).
Main Character
Main character has an important role and the highest intensity of involvement in
the story. The central figure in a story called central character. The character plays the
highest role in a story.
“Tokoh utama dalam suatu cerita disebut juga dengan tokoh utama yaitu orang-orang yang mengambil bagian dalam sebagian besar peristiwa cerita.”9
(Main character is the central character of a story. It refers to the people who take part in most of the events).
7
Ibidp. 52 8
Aminudin,Pengantar Apresiasi Karya Sastra, (Bandung: Angkasa, 1987), p. 80 9
Minor Character
Minor Character is a character that supports the central character. The
character has fewer roles or in the other words the character is less dominant. But the
character is needed to support the main character in developing story.
According to Grimes (1975:43),
“Di dalam cerita rekaan biasanya tidak hanya terdapat tokoh utama, tetapi juga ada tokoh bawahan, tokoh bawahan adalah tokoh yang tidak sentral kedudukannya didalam cerita, tetapi kehadirannya diperlukan untuk menunjang atau mendukung tokoh utama.”
(minor character supports the main character in building the story but they have less position than the main character).
The kinds of characters are dynamic and static. Dynamic is character works
through some development. It undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of
character, personality or outlook. The alteration in out of self and the human
correlation with affected; are able to touch the psychological and make the change
and development attitude. Static character is the character remains relatively
unchanged. It is a figure, which not changes in essential of characterization because
of phenomenon.10
C. Feminist Literary Criticism
Feminist literary criticism grew out of women's movement following WW II;
this approach analyzes the representation of women in literature. There is general
10
agreement that interpretation of literature involves critique of patriarchy. The
emergence of feminist literary criticism is one of the major developments in literary
studies in the past thirty years.
By knowing about the history of feminist, the definition of feminist, the kinds
of feminist, and about the critic itself, the writer can analyze and criticize the novel.
1. The History of Feminism
There are many theory that can be used in literary criticism but according to
the statement of Soenarjati Djajanegara who assume that a work which question
about unbalance gender relationships a promotes that creating of a more balance
social order between men and women as a feminist literary works.
Gender and particularly the role of women is widely recognized as vitally
important to international development issues. This often means a focus on
gender-equality, ensuring participation, but includes an understanding of the different roles
and expectation of the genders within the community.
As well as directly addressing inequality, attention to gender issues is regarded as
important to the success of development programs, for all participants. The term
gender is used to refer to proposed social and cultural constructions of masculinities and femininities. In this context, gender explicitly excludes reference biological differences, to focus on cultural differences. This emerged from a number of different
Feminism, as a construct, has probably existed as long as there have been
women, although the word, derived from the French "féminisme", did not enter the
English language until the end of the nineteenth century. If a broad concept of
feminism includes women acting, speaking and writing on women's issues and rights,
then we can see that these concerns go back as far as recorded history. Unfortunately
many talented women's contributions to history have been forgotten or ignored, but
modern scholarship is redressing this imbalance. Although feminist thinkers have
always existed, many people consider Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman(1792) to be one of the first written works that can unambiguously be called feminist philosophy.
The outburst of feminist theory and practice, which has affected so many
women’s lives in 1960s, differed from previous forms of feminism. It started from
assertion of women’s common sisterhood in oppression. Sisterhood expressed the
idea that in general women have interests opposed to those of men, that men
generally dominate women, and generally benefit from this domination. During the
1970s, however, feminist produced new knowledge of women’s lives. Instead of
establishing women’s shared oppression as women, they began to emphasize the
difference between women.11
Feminist ideological criticism has a close relationship with the movement of
feminist itself. This movement has along political history, developing as a substantial
11
force, in two big countries American and Britain, throughout the nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries.12
For the most part, feminist theory has assumed that there is some existing
identity, understood through the category of women, who not only initiates feminist
interests and goals within discourse, but constitutes the subject for whom political
representation is pursued.13
While in practice feminist critics continue to use a variety of methodological
approaches to literature, there are common assumptions that underlie a feminist
approach to anything. It is upon this commonality that wish to dwell, so as to a place
feminist literary criticism within the context of a more general critical theory.14
When women first organized in groups to talk together about the issue of
sexism and male domination, they were clear that female were socialized to believe
sexist thinking and values as males, the difference being simply that males benefited
from sexism more than females and were as a consequence less likely to want to
surrender patriarchal privilege.15
It is not, however, just because the feminist movement “needs” to have a group
called women oppressed by a group called men that this assertion is made, rather, it is
a conclusion that is derived from the massive weight of historical evidence; indeed it
12
Raman Selden, A Reader’s Guide To Contemporary Literary Theory, (Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1991),p. 206
13
Judith P. Butler,Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity(New York: Routledge Publisher, 1990), p. 3.
14
Josephine Donovan,Feminist Literary Critisism: Exploration in Theory. (Kentucky: the University Press of Kentucky, 1975),p. 74
15
is this evidence and the continuing mistreatment of women by men that has led to the
feminist movement.16
Revolutionary feminist consciousness-raising emphasized the importance of
learning about patriarchy as a system of domination, how it became institutionalized
and how it is perpetuated and maintained.17According to Patrick McGuire patriarchy
is the control by men, as individuals or as extended family or kinship heads, of the
labor of women. This control may be manifested in legally sanctioned ownership of
women themselves or simply in the authority to assign women particular tasks.
Patriarchy still exists in some parts of the world, particularly in rural areas. However,
its legacy endures in other settings, including domestic and interpersonal relations.18
All version of feminism make a direct challenge to the assumption that women
as a sex are naturally inferior to men. The argument that women are a culturally
constructed gender category rather than simply a biological sex led to a much broader
feminist challenge to existing knowledge of the relation between men and women.
The idea of women oppression was a means of conceptualizing the supposedly
natural inferiority of the feminine as unnatural. Feminists challenged the conceptual
separation of nature and culture which had allowed men to dominate women and had
allowed women’s oppression to develop in the guise of women’s feminine.19
16
Josephine Donovan (Ed),Feminist Literary Criticism: Explorations In Theory, (Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1975), p. xi
17
Bell Hooks (2000),loc. cit. 18
Patrick McGuire and Donald McQuarie,From the Left Bank to the Mainstream: Historical Debates and Contemporary Research in Marxist Sociology,(New York: Dix Hills Publisher, 1994), p. 48.
19
One of the women’s demands is the gender inequality. Gender is the set of
social expectations associated with maleness and femaleness. By using the word
“gender,” sociologists suggest that the social construction of male and female
behavior is as important to collective experience and action as biologically based
sexual characteristic.20
Understanding the way male domination and sexism was expressed in everyday
life created awareness in women of the ways they were victimized, exploited, and, in
worse, case scenarios, oppressed. Early on in contemporary feminist movement,
consciousness-raising groups often became settings where women simply unleashed
pent-up hostility and rage about being victimized, with little or no focus on strategies
of intervention and transformation. On a basic level many hurt and exploited women
used the consciousness raising group therapeutically. It was the site where they
uncovered and openly revealed the depths of their intimate wounds. This confessional
aspect served as a healing ritual. Through consciousness-raising women gained the
strength to challenge patriarchal forces at work and at home.21
2. The Definition of Feminism
20
Op.cit.p. 48 21
One of the ways women have fought discrimination is through feminism,
but one of the difficult parts of learning about feminism is defining it. First of all it is
necessary to consider what the meaning of feminism itself.
Etymologically feminism come from word femme (woman), mean woman (singular) which struggling for woman rights (plural), as a social class. In this matter it is necessary to make a difference between male and female (as the aspect of biological differences, as natural term), masculine and feminine (as the aspect of psychological and cultural differences). In other words, male-female leading to sex, on the other hand masculine-feminine leading to gender. In more extensive understanding, feminism is the women movement in resisting to be marginalized,
subordinated and to be put a side by the dominant culture, either in economy and
politics or in social life in general. In a slight understanding, which is in literature,
feminism is connected in ways to understand a literature related to either the
production process or the reception.22
Feminist believe that women have been locked off in a condition of lesser
reality by the dominant patriarchal attitudes and customs of our culture. We find these
and customs reified in the institution of literature and literary criticism. Feminist
critics- like many feminists in every area - are engaged in negating these reification.23
22
Sugihastuti Suharto,Opcit,p. 50 23
Feminist researching the female tradition constantly emphasize both the
amount and the variety of material to be uncovered.24 Modern feminist political
activists commonly campaign on issues such as reproductive rights, including the
right to safe, legal abortion, access to contraception and quality prenatal care,
protection from violence within a domestic partnership, sexual harassment, street
harassment, discrimination and rape, and rights to maternity leave, and equal pay.
Feminism asks for sexual equality that includes sexual difference. It aims for
individual freedoms by mobilizing sex solidarity. It posits that women recognize their
unity while it stands for diversity among women. It requires gender consciousness for
its basis yet calls for the elimination of prescribed gender roles.25
Feminism is a belief that women and men are inherently of equal worth.
Because most societies privilege men as a group, social movements are necessary to
achieve equality between women and men, with the understanding that gender always
intersects with other social hierarchies.26
In simple terms, feminism is the belief in social, political and economic
equality of the sexes, and a movement organized around the belief that gender should
not be the pre-determinant factor shaping a person's social identity or socio-political
or economic rights.
24
Mary Eagelton,Feminist Literary Theory(Oxford: Basil Blackwell, Great Briatain),p. 2 25
Nancy F Cott.The Grounding of Modern Feminism. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987), p 5.
26
3. Kinds of feminism a. Liberal Feminism
The first known Women’s Liberation Movement groups were formed by
young mother in south London, students in Essex, women striking for equal pay at
the Ford plant in Dagenham, and a fisherman’s wife, campaigning for safer working
conditions for trawler men, in Hull. Other groups followed; by late 1969 the London
Women’s Liberation Workshop coordinated about 70 groups.27
According to Alice Echols (1989) Liberal feminism is the variety of feminism
that works within the structure of mainstream society to integrate women into that
structure. The main views of liberal feminists are that all people are created equal by
God and deserve equal rights. Liberal feminists are responsible for many important
acts of legislation that have greatly increased the status of women, including reforms
in welfare, education and health. Unfortunately Liberal feminism has been known to
only concentrate on the legislation aspect in the fight against patriarchy. It has been
criticized for not breaking down the deeper ideologies of society and patriarchy. Also,
it has been criticized for ignoring race and class issues.
27
b. Radical Feminism
In one sense, all feminism is by definition ‘radical’, challenging the central
tenets of legal and political thought and demanding full citizenship for women in
society. The emergent woman’s movement of the late 1960s and the political activity
of women confronting the prevailing mores in western society represented a radical
departure from women’s conventional roles and stereotypes.28
According to Alison Jaggar (the feminist philosopher), radical feminist is
biological determinism for an explanation of men’s behavior, defining women’s
oppression under patriarchy as seamless and absolute with women as absolute
victims, and focusing on the construction of woman-culture as the sole political
strategy.29
c. Socialist feminism
Socialist feminism appeared as an organized current of feminism in most
western capitals in the mid-1970s. It expressed the outlook and many of the early
assumptions of women’s liberation, a self conscious movement of women that first
emerged in the closing years of the civil rights and student movements of the 1960s.
Although socialist feminist flourished within the wider movement in the 1970s, it
28
Hilaire A. Barnett,Introduction to Feminist Jurisprudence, (London: Cavendish Publishing Limited 1998), p. 163
29
conference often became bogged down in abstract debate about some of the least
creative areas of Marxist thought.30
Socialist feminism appears to adopt some of the same tenets of Marxism, but
instead of focusing on economic determinism as the primary source of oppression,
the socialist feminist sees the oppression as having psychological and social roots.31
They share a genuine concern for women that transcends politics. Their focus
is on people, not profits. To the socialist feminist, the prostitute is a victim of the
corruption of a society which accompanies class distinctions. The oppression of class
in a materialistic society degrades people by categorizing them in a particular class
and objectifying them so that they are merely parts of a mechanism that can be
replaced by other parts of the same description. In both the socialist feminist and
Marxist feminist perspectives prostitution is discouraged, but neither school of
thought seeks a legal remedy for its elimination. They believe that the cause of
prostitution is in the structuring of society, and that is where the solution will reside.32
d. Marxist feminism
In Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, Marxist and socialist played a pioneering
role in the development of feminist theory. It is inspired by second wave radical
30
Cheris Kramarae and Dale Spender (2000),op.cit. 826 31
Simone de Beauvoir “believed that one of the keys to a woman’s liberation is economic, a point she emphasized in her discussion of the independent woman.” Rosemarie Tong, Feminist Thought: A Comprehensive Introduction(Boulder and San Francisco: Westview Press, 1989), p. 211.
32
feminism texts from USA, women in Britain, often from the New Left, set out to
develop a Marxist feminism which might account for both patriarchy and capitalism
and the connection between two.33
According to Marxist theory, in capitalist societies the individual is shaped by
class relations; that is, people's capacities, needs and interests are seen to be
determined by the mode of production that characterizes the society they inhabit.
Marxist feminists see gender inequality as determined ultimately by the capitalist
mode of production. Gender oppression is class oppression and women's
subordination is seen as a form of class oppression which is maintained (like racism)
because it serves the interests of capital and the ruling class. Marxist feminists have
extended traditional Marxist analysis by looking at domestic labor as well as wage
work in order to support their position.34
Soenarjati has stated that Marxist Feminist literary criticism is to analyze
woman character from point of view of classes in the society, Feminism as a
conscious intervention in the hierarchically organized regime of gender power. In
other words, the Marxists approach the national question exclusively from a class
point of view. For the Marxist feminist the source of problem of oppression is in
33
Chris Weedon,Feminist Theory and the Politics of different(Massachusetts: Blackwell publisher 1999), p. 134
34
Marxist Feminist, Answer.com. Accessed on July 30 2007.
classes (social-economy) and patriarchy.35It is the same with the attitude of Marxists
towards the oppression of women.
Marxist feminist took its socialism from Marx, and its feminism from radical
feminism. When Marx’s analysis was applied to an understanding of women’s place
in capitalist society it led to the conclusion that women’s liberation was subordinated
to the goals of class struggle.36
The “marriage” of Marxism and feminism has been like the marriage of
husband and wife depicted in English common law Marxism and feminism are one,
and that one is Marxism. This political stance produces an analysis that absorbs
feminism into the class struggle.37
As Raymond Williams (Patrick McGuire and Donald McQuarie1994:48) in keywords, the history of the term ‘class’ is complex. Class has, of course, long been used as a general term of classification and in the educational context. In addition to
this, Williams (1976: 59) identifies three significant further uses:
1. An objective social or economic category;
2. Rank, i.e. relative social position determined by birth or social mobility;
3. A formation (which Williams defines as a perceived economic
relationship and social, political and cultural organization).
35
Soenarjati Djajanegara.Kritik Sastra Feminis. (Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama,2003), p.30 36
Caroline Ramazanoglu (1997),op.cit, p. 26 37
The main distinction in play in these different uses is between those restricted
to social and economic position and those which imply particular forms of culture
and social organization.38
Marxist Feminists believe that class distinction is the greatest evil, that the
very ownership of private property, a basic tenet of capitalism, oppresses women. The
hierarchies that govern most businesses make most capitalist organizations untenable
to a Marxist, and a Marxist feminist believes that in too many businesses, hierarchies
of power oppress women.39
In order to bring about the socialist revolution, it is necessary to unite the
working class and its organizations, cutting across all lines of language, nationality,
race, religion and sex. This implies, on the one hand, that the working class must take
upon itself the task of fighting against all forms of oppression and exploitation, and
place itself at the head of all the oppressed layers of society, and on the other, must
decisively reject all attempts to divide it - even when these attempts are made by
sections of the oppressed themselves.40
Finally, contemporary Marxist offer various theories of the impact of gender
ideology on women’s continued subordination as material constraints to women’s
labor force participation diminish.41
38
Chris Weedon (1999),op. cit134-135 39
M. Louise Ripley,Gender Issues in Management, Marxist feminism. Accessed on April 8, 2007. http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/~lripley/pgresearch.htm.
40
Alan Woods,Marxism versus feminism: The class struggle and the emancipation of women.
http://www.marxist.com/marxism_v_feminism.html, p. 1 41
Generally, feminism objective is to end sexism, though because of its relation
to other forms of oppression, this will require efforts to end other forms of oppression
as well. We might characterize feminism schematically as the view that women are
subject to sexist oppression and that is wrong.
However, the main purpose of feminism is to raise women’s status in social
life. 42 Feminism is both an intellectual commitment and a political movement that
seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms. However, there are many
different kinds of feminism. Feminists disagree about what sexism consists in, and
what exactly ought to be done about it; they disagree about what it means to be a
woman or a man and what social and political implications gender has or should
have. Nonetheless, motivated by the quest for social justice, feminist inquiry provides
a wide range of perspectives on social, cultural, and political phenomena. Important
topics for feminist theory and politics include: the body, class and work, disability,
the family, globalization, human rights, popular culture, race and racism,
reproduction, science, the self, sex work, and sexuality.43
Based on the story of La Cucina, the writer uses the feminist approach to study
the characteristics of Rosa Fiore and the feminist values of hers. Therefore the writer
provides more theories or explanation related to Feminist in above.
42
Djajnegara,opcit. p.4 43
CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDING
I. Data Description
A. The Characteristics of Rosa Fiore
The characterization means how the writer tells the readers about the physical
and non-physical characteristic of the person told in the story. As the writer explained
in theoretical framework, that characterization is the method used by a writer to
develop a character. The method includes; showing the character's appearance,
displaying the character's actions. Characterization means of differentiating one
personage from another.
Here are the characterizations of Rosa and the evidence based on the novel of
La Cucinaby Lily Prior:
Table 1
The Characterization of Rosa Fiore
No Corpus Page Remarks
1. Rosa’s social life Page 25
Salvatore. When I was eight my younger brothers, Guera and Pace, came along. My family was I suppose a typical Sicilian family:
large and loud.”
2. Page 35
“It was not uncommon in Sicily in those days
for people to disappear. Their bodies were never found. They formed the foundations of new roads or railway tracks or buildings, were hidden in disused wells or mine shafts; some were chopped up and fed to dogs; others were dissolved in baths of acid. Such
disappearances were known as ‘lupara bianca’ or white deaths: a way for the Mafia
to dispose of people who had become
inconvenient dangerous, or embarrassing.”
3 Page 81
“Back then, educating girl was regarded as a
waste of money, but Mama insisted on
underwear…They mocked my passion for
food, my generous size, my overwhelming
breast”
5 Rosa’s Psychological
6 1. Responsible Page 253
“It was not my intention to take over, but none of my brothers had any idea how to run business. Every minute one of them would run into La Cucina asking me what Mama would have done in a given situation, so it came about naturally that I took over all responsibility. I decided which pastures should be used or which of the crops. I determined which of the livestock should be
breed and which slaughtered.”
7 Page 94
“The bells of San Domenico chimed a quarter
to nine. I would have to rush. I could not be late.No. I had never once been late. Not in twenty-five years. I rushed. A gush of icy
8 Page 95
“An hour later, when I had gathered together my papers, ledgers, ruler, sharpened pencils, and India rubber, I knew I had to turn my attention to the foreigner. I had never been able to leave a task half done”.
9 2. Independent Page 51
“Not knowing whereto go, I spent the whole day walking around the Arab quarter,
thinking how best to find work and how I would survive in the noise and bustle and confusion that was unlike anything I had ever
experienced.”
10 Page 26
‘When I was twelve Papa disappeared. But wait I am getting ahead of myself
11 Page 121
I said nothing, but the same day I packed my few things in my suitcase, and taking from the hook on the wall the cage containing my
“One morning I discovered head of one of the
sheepdogs outside the back door with a note attached advising me to cease production of tomato sauce if I did not wish to damage the
sender’s business and risk his displeasure. I
recognize this a warning from the Mafia, and yet it did not worry me; I was beyond worrying about man-made threats at this stage. And so I threw the dog’s head in the
fire and turned my attention to preserving
instead.”
14 Page 80
“Leave this house you whore…you make my
son betray me, he threw me fro, the front into
the street”
15 4. Honest
Page 69
“Father, forgive me, for I have sinned, I said,
crossing myself as I settled down in my knees in the confessional.
‘And what did you do, my little Rosina? Asked
the priest.
‘I went walking in the pastures, Father.
‘No Father’ With whom did you walk in the
pastures while your mother was away from
home, Rosa?’
‘With Bartolomeo, Father.’
16 Page 158
“It was the first time I had ever spoken of my
past, and yet it felt right to reveal my secret to this man, on that day, that summer, under the
burnig sun.”
17 5. Lover. Page 210
“Oh my beloved boys! Could it really be
them? Despite our long years of separation I
had never stopped thinking about them.”
18 Page 264
“I never knew I had such a deep,
encompassing ability to love. These three tiny girls have brought me to life again. I give them all the love I have inside me: I have
nowhere else to give it now”.’
19 6. Mature. Page 50
“It’s not right to think that I had lived in grief for all of these years. Honestly, once I had emerged from La Cucina at Castiglione, my rage left me. In fact, I felt nothing for a quarter of a century. I did not even continue to mourn the loss of Bartolomeo, I accepted
my life, and it caused me no pain.”
20 Page 254 understanding with her that we had never had when I was younger; and now here she was
gone.”
22 7. Struggling Page 155
out was going on. Had he lied to me? If he had lied about this, had he lied about other things? Suspicion ran along beside me, encouraging me. Had his whole story been a tissue of lies?
I would catch him. I would force the truth out of him. I would look him in the eye and ask him what all this meant.
I threw open the door, panting. L’Inglese was
at the bar ordering a drink. He turned round to face me. Only it was someone else. It was
not L’Inglese at all.”
II. Analysis
A. Rosa Fiore as Main Female Character Viewed From Feminist Theory
From the explanation of Rosa Fiore above, the writer tries to relate her
characterization and Feminism. According to feminist theory, women’s subordination
is seen as a form of oppression that maintained because it serves the interest of male
domination. A woman is included into subordinate one, in the patriarchy, who was
born to be a servant of men as the member of the ruling class. Each man in patriarchy
is always an employer, a brother, a husband, or a father.
1. Male Domination
The male domination is represented by the Mafia in the place Rosa lived. The
century in opposition to legal authority.44Sicily's Mafia is rebuilding its networks in
the US, according to an Italian parliamentary report.45 Coldiretti, the Italian farmers'
union, reported this year that the Sicilian Mafia is adding flavoring to colza oil, often
used to lubricate machinery, before re-labeling it as olive oil. Millions of tons of
industrial and urban waste are trucked into the region and dumped illegally each year,
poisoning farmland and contaminating public waste-disposal sites. The Mafia hides
behind apparently legitimate waste-disposal firms, which appeal to unscrupulous
companies tempted to remove their waste cheaply.46
Rosa got oppression when she was the only girl at school; she had to face her
environment which thought education was only for man, and sent a girl to school was
considering of wasting money.
The ruling class members have gotten their own privilege upon the
subordinate one. They also can choose which whom their daughter or son will
married. They do what they like to do, they have no good attitude, and for example
when Rosa comes to Don Umberto houses to see for the last time Bartolomoe’s body.
Rosa was throwing to the outside by Don Umberto
“Leave this house you whore…you make my son betray me, he threw me fro, the front into the street.”(p. 80).
44
Farlex, Mafia, The Free Dictionary. Accessed on April, 5 2008 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Mafia.
45
Christian Fraser,Sicily Mafia restoring US links. BBC news http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7268098.stm. Accessed on April, 5 2008
46
They have the right to establish anything that must be obeyed by the members
of subordinate class, as Mama said to Rosa:
“Mama like many others had lived in fear of the Mafia all her life. The tales she heard at her mother’s knee were of the murderous exploits of the men of honor, and with Mama, who took everything literally, myth had fused with reality. Had Bartolomeo been part of another family, Mama would have paid a visit to his parents and ordered them to keep their son away from her daughter. But in this case, Mama, who was so used to exercising control, was afraid and
powerless” (p.82)
On this statement mama told about the hidden feeling of people that lived in
Castiglione. They were scared of mafia; they have no freedom to manage their
business. The only thing they can do is obeying anything chosen by the Mafia,
especially about market and trade.
Mama was forbidding Rosa to cook, whereas for Rosa cooking was the place
for expressed her feeling. Because she had no one to shares, so the only thing she can
do and she liked was cooking. And that should end too. This moment made Rosa
thought what she would do then.
Rosa was born as low class, she has to obey the ruled that made by mafia, and
her family. She is only daughter in her family; her mother was overprotected to her.
And it makes Rosa got an oppression in her own family, she never feels the free, and
she can not choose the way she likes.
In Library Rosa was considered as a spinster, almost the women who worked in
library was deride to Rosa and mocked at her dressed. Rosa should face it all by her
Besides the oppression by the mafia and her environment, Rosa also got the
oppression by her brother Luigi which disagreed if Rosa has a relation with
L’Inglese, Luigi said that L’Inglese was not good for Rosa, and without any
explanation Luigi told to Rosa that he had killed L’Inglese.
Before L’Inglese killed by Luigi, Rosa has falling in love with L’Inglese. They
had spending time together and it made Rosa really happy, but one thing that made
Rosa struggled in her mind that she never knew the truth about L’Inglese because
every time Rosa asked about what L’Inglese was doing he never told the truth.
Many things happened that makes Rosa suffered, first is she should lost her
boyfriend because his father disagrees if Bartolomeo has a courtship with Rosa, Rosa
is not rich and not from the honorable family, so Bartolomeo’s father forbid his son
of having a relation with Rosa. The second is when she was warned to cease her
prdouction house. And the third is when her brother Luigi forbids Rosa having a
relation with L’Inglese, Luigi said that L’Inglese was not good for her, and he told to
Rosa that L’Inglese has killded by him. Rosa is struggling that entire thing happens
with strong and wise heart. And it made Rosa become mature and learn how to be a
better person and to not give up easily.
Even all the people were scared by the Mafia but Rosa was the one who fight
against the Mafia power. Her spirit and passion made her became more struggles to
her better life. It shows when she was warned to cease production of Tomato sauce
thinks that nothing can stop her to get everything she wants to reach. As Rosa
narrates her statement:
“One morning I discovered head of one of the sheepdogs outside the back door
with a note attached advising me to cease production of tomato sauce if I did
not wish to damage the sender’s business and risk his displeasure. I recognize this a warning from the Mafia, and yet it did not worry me; I was beyond worrying about man-made threats at this stage.And so I threw the dog’s head in the fire and turned my attention to preserving instead.”(p. 45-46).
This statement proves that Rosa is brave and independent woman.
At the age of 18 Rosa lost her boy friend, Bartolomeo. He was killed by his own
father Don Umberto. His father disagrees if Bartolomeo has a courtship with another
girl, because his father has proposed him with another girl that he had chosen. Rosa
feels so disappointed and unsatisfied with this rule. She can not marry with the man
she loves. She knows what she has to do for her life, so that she decides to leave
Castiglione to Palermo to find a new life, a new job and new experiences.
Through the story above, it can be seen how a daughter like Rosa has no
freedom to choose her soul mate. She has no right to decide whom she will marry.
She has to obey Don Umberto who represents male domination and the rule
patriarchy. She experiences the terrifying reality of a patriarchal rule.
2. Rosa overcomes the Oppression and Male domination
The image of Rosa is brave, and struggles. She is daughter of Sicilian family,
that is her will. Biologically she is not beautiful, since child Rosa really liked to cook,
because cooking was the place for express her feeling. When Rosa felt happy or sad
she was cooking. Mama was forbidding Rosa to cook, whereas for Rosa cooking was
everything. And when it should ended Rosa took a suitcase and left her home to find
a place for her liberation. This was beginning for Rosa to create her freedom and to
become an independent woman.
Rosa decided to go to Palermo and worked as a librarian. Even though many
girls mocked at Rosa dressed and called her as spinster but Rosa ignored it and carry
on her life. Then Rosa was falling in love with L’Inglese the man who came to
library, but her mother and her brother Luigi disagreed if Rosa had a relation with
L’Inglese. Rosa thought that no body can harmed her; she has rights to choose the
man she loved, and defend it. So Rosa ignored her mother and Luigi. This thing
should not be done by a woman in Elizabethan era; this era forced the idea about
family in which a woman especially a daughter has no right to establish anything in
her life.
Rosa and L’Inglese had spending time together and it made Rosa really
happy, but one thing that made Rosa struggled in her mind that she never knew the
truth about L’Inglese because every time Rosa asked about what L’Inglese was doing
he never told the truth. Rosa tried so hard to find the truth about L’Inglese, she asked
to her brother Luigi about L’Inglese, but he said L’Inglese had killed by Him because
L’Inglese was not good for Rosa. All that Rosa can do was carried on her life and
Rosa was sick in Palermo so her younger brother Guera and Pace took her back to Castiglione, in castiglione Rosa made a new relation with her mother which
was did not work when Rosa was teenager, and now they were understood each other,
Rosa had mature. The communication between them now was better. But then
Mother died, it made Rosa tragic, for the times time Rosa should lose somebody she
loved. Rosa did not desperate of her faith; she knew has to let her mother go.
A year had Rosa passed her return to Castiglione, now Rosa ran the farm in
place of her mother. As an educated woman, in this case Rosa was had better idea
than her brother which anytime asked to Rosa what mother would have done in
certain situation of ran the farm. She had made some changes which made her proud.
Rosa introduced a proper bookkeeping system, and recorded her accounts in series of
neatly written ledgers, just like those at library. Rosa bought a tractor, the first one in
the region and a truck to take a produce to market. Many people jealous of Rosa
advance. Rosa totally had made a progress in the farm, she said’ “I was convinced that we had to move into the future rather than continue to do things the old
fashioned way”(p.235). And what Rosa done in the farm it all gave a better outcome
for her family. Rosa proved that women can be equal as men, even better.
The position of Rosa Fiore as educated woman and become worker woman,
then she proves that she can be independent woman, and becomes the head of her
family lead the farm, all those things only done by Rosa Fiore, she makes progress
and changes women to view the world differently, that women should struggle for
Rosa Fiore struggled continually to achieve equality and to overcome
oppression. In addition, she must fight the male domination in this case the mafia,
against those who believe woman to be inferior who did not have power and fund,
and tried to threat them as such, and she also must fights the patriarchy which
represented by Don Umberto. For control male figures threaten her desire for equality
and dignity. This world view reinforced by the Sogno Family, Luigi and the gangs of
the Mafia, they are tried to keep Rosa in submissive position, where she was unable
to express her own feelings. Nevertheless she can against it by her action and her
thoughts. She never give up of Mafia authority, she fight it and stand up for the
freedom and to be independent woman. She thought she can survive and overcome
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
In this chapter the writer concludes the paper analysis, and then the writer
describes the suggestion of the novel.
A. Conclusions
La Cucina is a novel by Lily Prior that describes woman’s struggle, name
Rosa Fiore. Rosa had a job in Palermo, and it made Rosa differs from women of in
her area. In this story, Rosa becomes a librarian in Palermo. The activity was the
evidence of her creativity, and that made Rosa active in the public sphere and in the
domestic work. In addition, she is able to defend her life and to overcome her
problems through her behavior and attitude. She would do everything to find and to
make freedom and happiness. She always struggles to be obstinate, not easy to give
up in facing any problem. Her courage becomes the source of strength in herself. So
that, she could have a better life and she decides to begin a new life by herself.
From those explorations of strong characterization’s consciousness of Rosa
Fiore, the writer conclude that Rosa Fiore is not described only as educated woman
and independent but also responsible, rebellious, honest, lover, and mature woman,
she also a woman who fights against the capitalism and tries to promote the
emancipation of women. It is implies in her characterization through the dialogue on
Its message to its female readers is: no matter how nondescript, bulky, and
frustrated you might be, tomorrow you may run into your perfect lover, who will
share not only your bed, but even your main interests, and will adore you as a
goddess, and the most important thing is the relationship that we made should be base
of respecting each other.
B. Suggestions
The writer suggests for those who are interested in studying about novel,
especially in the Lily Prior works, they can use many approaches in comprehending
the content and message in her works. Anyone who is interested in doing deeper
study about novel may use many approaches that related to extrinsic or intrinsic
elements of novel. And it can also use cultural studies as approach to analyze this
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APPENDICES
Appendix I
Appendix II
Synopsis of the novel La Cucina
The story takes places of the twentieth century, 1927, on the farm of Alcantara
valley beneath the citadel of Castiglione, on the far eastern side of the island of Sicily,
near the slopes of the great volcano. Here, Rosa Fiore narrates the story of her life in
mid-century Sicily.
Rosa Fiore was born in 1915 she grows up in rural Sicilian house and lives
with her family on the farm in the Alcantara valley beneath the citadel of Castiglione,
on the eastern side of the island of Sicily, near the slopes of great volcano. In the
palce where Rosa lives, there were under the power of the mafia, who has control
about trade, to where the people should sell the foods and the mafia will kill the
people who they think are dangerous or embarrassing.
In Castiglione to educate woman regarded as wasting of money, Rosa is the
only girl at the school. Even her papa objection to send Rosa to school but her Mama
insisted on sending her to the school.
At the age of 18 Rosa left Castiglione, after her argument with her mother and
when the guy whom she loves has died, it is obvious that he was murdered by his
father because he refused to marry someone other than Rosa. Rosa leaves her family
farm in Castiglione and goes to Palermo tries to find a job and new life in Palermo.
The novel is about the struggles of Rosa Fiore, she struggled continually to
domination in this case the mafia. Nevertheless she can against it by her action and
her thoughts. She never gives up to mafia authority; she fights it and stands up for the
freedom and to be independent woman. She thought that she can survive and
overcome the oppression and repression by men, to avoid herself being an object of
