oman’s
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Kartika Arundyna
112009010
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF WOMAN’S SITUATION IN TEST PACK NOVEL
Kartika Arundyna
Abstract
Due to the fact that novel nowadays become one of popular product, so this study was conducted in order to analyze woman situation in Test Pack novel, one of the famous creations of Ninit Yunita which first publishes at 2005, become best seller and made into a movie at 2012. Test Pack is a novel which raises a theme about marriage life, about waiting and struggling for the presence of a baby in seven years marriage. The aim of the study is to analyze about how the main character, Tata, deals with her situation viewed from a feminist perspective. Using the Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir this study explores how woman struggle to have a baby in
her marriage by analyze the characters‟ conversation. The finding reveal that one thing which
affect woman‟s character is her situation: patriarchal situation.
Key Word : feminism, patriarchy, married woman, Second Sex, Test Pack.
Introduction
“Being a mother is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me in my life” said
Cindy Margolis, an American glamour model and actress. Cindy‟s statement might be true for
almost women in the world, but even being mother is such an amazing thing, not every woman can experience of being a mother with the various reasons. Whether women are not ready yet or just because they cannot.
There are so many women who really want to have a baby, but they cannot get it yet. This condition experienced by Tata, the main character on Test Pack novel. For seven years of married to Rahmat, Tata was always hoping and had to get pregnant and have a baby, so both of them could really build a real family which consist of mother-father-child. Tata realized that it only needs two cells and miracle. According to Beauvoir, “in her imagination all posibilities
having a baby become reality. One thing that stopped and disappointed her was the fact her husband, Rahmat, was infertile.
Tata‟s case in waiting for a baby for seven years of marriage sometimes evoke different
point of view from the society where patriarchal minded exists; like the assumption that Tata was infertile. This point of view often encountered in our daily environment; no children in the marriage consider as a mistaken and the fault is always intended to women, just because they have a womb and destined for conceive and bear a child, and these things raise the pressure for women. In the marriage life having children seems become the essential thing, since a child is the best gift for marriage life. Therefore, a woman in common would always feel complete if they could give their husband a child, if they cannot, they would feel fail. Another patriarchal situation which shown in the novel was the condition where the husband hid the important fact about himself in order to keep control toward his wife.
It is interesting to observe and explore feminist‟ point of view seeing how woman facing her situation and also in struggling against patriarchy. The major question is how woman‟s case
of waiting for a baby in Test Pack novel viewed from a feminist perspective. Hence I use
Beauvoir‟s the Second Sex, in the chapter “Woman‟s Situation and Character” to analyze the
character. According to Beauvoir, “Woman‟s character – her conviction, her values, her wisdom, her morality, her tastes, her behavior – are to be explain by her situation.” (1953: 591). By applying the theory I would describe and analyze woman struggle which shows feminist perspective in Test Pack novel. I will try to analyze and find all the details in the novel in order to answer research question.
The significance of the study is to gain the readers understanding about woman‟s
situation facing patriarchal condition and how she deals with her problems. This story can be good model to read, hopefully the reader will comprehend how woman situation in facing patriarchy and how she deals with her problem from the feminist perspective.
Thereotical Framework
The theory which developed by Simone de Beauvoir, a French philosopher who is known as an existentialist, The Second Sex (1953) especially in book two in the chapter which explains
about woman‟s situation and character, argue that woman situation is not a result of her
character, but her character is a result of her situation, where everything which is related to the term of patriarchy become one of the bad situation that woman face from era to era.
Beauvoir‟s main concern in her book is the women‟s position in the society. In the
Second Sex, Beauvoir writes her critique toward the society, and shows the fact that women are known and accepted as the „second‟ sex when they are compared to men. According to Beauvoir,
women exist as „the other‟. Ursula Tidd in her book entitled Simone de Beauvoir, Routledge
Critcal Thinkers even says that women are the „absolute other‟, whereas men are „The Subject‟,
which means that males have the power even the authority in life. Beside criticize the society, Beauvoir also critiques that actually women are accept this ideology that men have the higher position than women, and they are allow the abuses of patriarchy to happen to them. Beauvoir also explains that women saying „I am a woman‟ to define herself, but there is no man would do
so, this shows the term „masculine‟ and „feminine‟ where man defines the human, but not
is not born, but rather becomes a woman” that there is a theoretical distinction between gender
and sex. Moreover women realize that the world is masculine, this condition has the accordance with Beauvoir statement in her second book “woman herself recognizes that the world is
masculine on the whole: those who fashioned it, ruled it, and still dominate it today are men” (1953: 567). In the patriarchy, women are enslaved and blamed, but they do not directly show their objection, this has the connection with Beauvoir‟sstatement, “woman is always prepared to take an attitude of frustration towards her world because she has never frankly accepted it” (1953: 577). Because women from era to era are always accept the system of patriarchy hence patriarchy looks naturally happen in society. Kamla Bhasin, an Asian feminist activist and gender trainer, in her book, entitled Menggugat Patriarki states that patriarchy looks natural in the society because there are main institutes which helped to sustain this system like family, religion, politics even education (1996). That is why women are always facing the oppression and discrimination.
Regardless of the oppression and discrimination that women experience, Ursula Tidd
states that „situation‟ is the key concept of Beauvoir thought. Nancy Bauer in her book Simone
de Beauvoir, philosophy and feminism - Gender and Culture (2001) describes situation as consisting in significant part in the set of constraints placed upon women by Man‟s look (201). Hence, here there are some important situations that always faced by the women. From Greek up to our own generation, there are so many common features in indictments drawn up against women, but the condition are still the same, women still become marginalized. According to Beauvoir the condition establishes woman character, “Her condition has remained the same through superficial changes, and it is condition that determines what is called „character‟ of
woman” (1953: 567). Nevertheless, Beauvoir also claims that actually a wife or a woman are
good in facing bad condition; the crises, poverty, misfortune, even the physical pain, they can face it energetically than their husband, stand all of the conditions much better than men. As a human, women are strong enough, though they are still being underestimated. Even in the marriage life, women are always give in to the system of patriarchy.
According to Beauvoir, marriage is the destiny that society offered to women. Hence, marriage is not a choice for woman, it is a destiny. Bergoffen in the essay entitled Marriage, Autonomy and Feminine Protest (2005) explains that since marriage is a woman‟s not man‟s destiny, therefore marriage framed as a relationship which based on an agreement, but a reciprocal relationship not between equals or not. For example, men become women‟s guardian;
meanwhile women are sexually available for their husband. In the marriage life woman also becomes the part of her husband, like Beauvoir states about marriage, “she takes his name; she
belongs to his religion, his class, his circle; she joins his family, she becomes his „half‟ (1953:
419). Hence, woman allows men‟s dream to become her own vision and goals, therefore her
identity is not constructed on her own. Woman might only the little part in masculine life, while man is her everything, her whole existence, therefore women desire to do anything for men. Beauvoir even put the quotation from Frazer in her book that “Men are the Gods” and women worship them. Hence, women suppose to press her ego in order to always be obedient to men.
Marriage life is closely related to the issue of having offspring. Since commonly the purpose of marriage is to preserve the offspring. In this case, woman is the one who has an ovary hence woman is destined to give a birth, thus if woman cannot, she will be blamed because of this condition. The negative stigma also appears, like the infertility which must be experienced by the woman. In the data of biology, Beauvoir says that woman; „she is a womb, an ovary, she
posterity‟(1953: 33), man could claim for her posterity, and if they could, they can give it for their husband. Nancy Bauer in her book criticizes Beauvoir‟s statement which says that women
are „biologically destined for the repetition of life‟. According to Bauer, of course it refers to
woman‟s child-bearing capacity, while Beauvoir in her book did not state or argue that women
are psychologically destined to bear the children, they are naturally inclined to crave producing children more than they desire anything else (2001: 202).
Among all the pressure that woman experience, Beauvoir in chapter “women‟s situation and character” insists that, when women are called upon for concrete action, when they recognize their interest in the designated goals, they are as bold and courageous as men (1953: 572), since there is no impossibility for women imagination, all possibilities have equal reality. Through the chapter, Beauvoir also explains that woman situation is not a result of her character, but her character is a result of her situation. Like Beauvoir clearly said that, “woman character – her convictions, her values, her wisdom, her morality, her tastes, her behavior – are to be explained by her situation” (1953: 591).
Discussion
1. Marriage Life
Beauvoir (1953) claims that marriage is the destiny that society offered to women. Related to the statement, Bergoffen in an essay entitled “Marriage, Autonomy and the Feminine Protest” says that for most women, marriage is not choice but a destiny, since it is a woman‟s not man‟s destiny, marriage framed as a contractual relationship. Where
men become women‟s guardian, while women are duty-bound to be sexually avaiable to their husband (2006: 94). In the marriage life woman is officially become part of the husband, according to Beauvoir, woman becomes man‟s „half‟, hence she takes his name,
she belongs to his religion, his class, his circle, and also joins his family (1953: 419). In Test Pack novel, since married to Rahmat, Tata officially became Rahmat‟s half, and then wherever she goes, everybody would call her,„Bu Rahmat‟. „Becomes his half‟ in the statement here has the deeper meaning; being a part of Rahmat‟s life was no longer a desire for Tata, but it also become an obligation.
“Gue sangat bersyukur dengan keadaan rumah tangga gue. Apa pun yang terjadi, gue nggak akan pernah menggugat cerai Kakang.”
[I am so thankful with my household condition. Whatever the condition is, I will never divorce Kakang.] (Test Pack, 112)
The quotation prove how much Tata being grateful and how she desires to keep her household. Beauvoir also believes that women usually put men as their idol, thus women will do anything for their idol. She critiques how women always prioritize men, whereas men are not always put their spouse in their number one priorities. This case has the connection with another Beauvoir statement, “She is only one element in masculine
life while man is her whole existence.” (1953: 579). The quotation below concludes how
Tata loves her husband, Rahmat.
“Gue sayang banget sama Kakang. That‟s why I want to give him a baby”
[I really love Kakang. That‟s why I want to give him a baby] (5)
“I love him! I want to give him a baby, that‟s my number one mission.” (83)
As an obedient wife, Tata supposed to maintain their household by prioritized her husband. Therefore she will do anything for her husband, thus her husband does not leave her.
“kalau gue infertil, gue akan menghapuskan harapan Kakang untuk mengajari anaknya mengenakan kostum Superman saat karnaval. Most of all, gue takut kalau Kakang ninggalin gue.”
[If I am infertile, I will completely remove Kakang‟s hope to teach his son
wearing Superman costume at the carnival. Most of all, I‟m afraid to be
As Suharni (1997) quoted from WHO through her writing entitled Dampak Infertilitas Terhadap Hubungan Social dan Ketahanan Keluarga Pada Masyarakat
Palembang, mentioned that, in some region in a certain country, infertility trigger disharmony in household, divorce or discrimination in the society. The fact about infertility is reinforced by Hull and Tukiran (1976) statement in their book entitled Regional Variations in the Prevalence of Childless in Indonesia which mentions that an infertile woman in Indonesia is more likely to be divorced.
For seven years of their marriage, having a baby is Tata‟s number one mission. In this case, the matter of having offspring seems to be entirely Tata‟s responsibility; since Tata is a woman who destined to give a birth. For seven years of marriage without child, the term infertility makes her live in desperation.
As subordinate group, women realize that in society men has higher and stronger position than women. Women are only the others, not important, thus if something goes wrong it would be woman‟s mistake who is in the lowest position. The society where patriarchal – condition and thought – exists judge Tata‟s condition where she cannot get her pregnant, it must be happened because of her mistake, not her husband.
According to Beauvoir, woman actually realize her position in society, “woman herself recognize that the world is masculine on the whole; those who fashioned it, ruled it, and still dominated it today are men” (1953: 568). Tata realized that she was in masculine world when she felt that she was „the trouble‟ in her marriage. Since her patriarchal society, who play an important role in her household, had already judge her
like an infertile. Tata feels failed to be a woman because she realized also about her nature as a woman who has a womb and an ovary.
“semakin jelas kegagalan gue sebagai perempuan yang penuh penantian untuk hamil.”
[clear all my failure as a woman who dying to get pregnant] (41)
The quotation shows Tata desperation as a woman who cannot get pregnant after waiting for seven years marriage. Even though showing desperation, Tata is actually stronger than Rahmat in facing this case. Tata often receives satire like Sri Narsisari,
Tata‟s receptionist, give to her“…aman kok buat perempuan yang belum hamil, nggak
menyebabkan kemandulan” [it is safe for women who have never been pregnant, it does
not cause infertility] (95) and other negative opinion from the society about her condition, while her husband, Rahmat, never felt such pressure from the society because of his position as the husband, the king in the household. Hence when Rahmat should face the fact that he is infertile, Rahmat felt destroyed and failed. Rahmat knew that he was „the trouble‟ who cannot make Tata pregnant after doing several test in order to check his
fertility.
“This is the end of the world. Hasil test tidak berubah. Secara klinis, gue tidak
bisa punya anak. Gue… infertile.”
“It turns out that being infertile isn‟t very funny. I wish it wasn‟t me.”(115)
[This is the end of the world. The test results did not change. Clinically I cannot have the baby. I… I am infertile] (114)
2. Woman Situation and Character
Ursula Tidd in her book Simone de Beauvoir, Routledge Critical thinkers (2004) states that „situation‟ is the key concept of Beauvoir thought, since situation is the one which shape woman‟s character. Related to the character, Beauvoir said, “the varieties of behavior reported are not dictated to woman by her hormones nor predetermined in the structure of female brain: they are shaped as in a mould by her situation (1953: 567).
Situation of waiting a baby for seven years of marriage indirectly shape Tata become personal discouraged. It shows in some situations; when accidentally, Tata and
Dian meet Dian‟s friend, Riska – a mother who already has three children, then they
decide to have their lunch together. Through their lunch, Riska told her friends many things about her children. Their conversation about children was very sensitive for Tata, also when Riska asked Tata about how many children Tata has, and how long Tata married to her husband
“tujuh tahun?” mata Riska membelalak seperti tidak percaya.
[“Seven years?” Riska‟s eyes widened as did not believe] (23)
Riska‟s reaction toward Tata‟s statement is one of the evidence how the society
seems hesitated Tata as a woman who destined to get pregnant and bear a child. Another situation was when Dian, Tata‟s best friend, hide her pregnancy from Tata in order not to make Tata feel sad and feel intimidated,
Dian pasti nggak pengen gue sedih, tapi kenyataannya gue sedih! Semakin jelas kegagalan gue sebagai perempuan yang penuh penantian untuk hamil.
Sekilat ada sebuah perasaan di hati gue yang terluka. I‟ve been waiting longer
than her to have a baby. This is not fair!
Now she‟s going to have two.
[Dian is certainly did not want to make me sad, but the reality is I am sad.
Clear all my failure as a woman who dying to get pregnant. My heart hurt. I‟ve been waiting longer than her to have a baby. This is not fair!
Now she‟s going to have two.] (40-41)
Dian‟s pregnancy directly affected Tata‟s confident. These situation were easily
mould Tata‟s personality became pessimist and had the negative thought about herself, it
could be seen clearly when Tata threw the thought about her failure as a woman, like have been mentioned above.
More than just shaping, situation is also the important thing to decide woman‟s character. According to Beauvoir, woman situation is not a result of her character, but her character is a result of her situation. Situation around the main character was influenced by their society. We should realize that the society plays an important role in shaping
someone‟s character. Society also easily judge what they seen, hence the opinion from
the society, whether it is good or bad, it would influence us.
The society judge Tata‟s condition by using satire like,“anak lo udah berapa
tahun, Ta?” [How old is your son, Ta?] (66), satire that directly Dian gave to her easily
influenced Tata‟s personality. Since the negative opinion from the society about her condition, Tata became pessimist whenever she checks her pregnancy using a test pack. Hence Tata also feels intimidated by other women around her who get their pregnancy. It shows when Tata is in the hospital to consult with an obstetricians.
“Then, I realize, they‟re all pregnant! semua perempuan yang ada diruangan ini hamil… kecuali gue. I feel like an alien.”
[“Then, I realize, they‟re all pregnant! All women in this room are pregnant, except me. I feel like an alien.] (70)
woman, the „absolute other‟. The condition about personality and situation have a
relevance with Beauvoir statement, “woman‟s character – her conviction, her values, her
wisdom, her morality, her tastes, her behavior – are to be explain by her situation (1953: 591).
3. Facing the situation
Man and woman tend to choose different way in facing their situation. In Test Pack novel, situation that face by Rahmat and Tata is the situation of waiting for a baby. Rahmat, the husband, tend to be calm and cool in facing the situation, different with Tata who always felt uncomfortable about their condition: childless for seven years of marriage.
After doing several fertility checks, proved that Rahmat is infertile. This fact disappointed him and also his wife later. Even though it is hard, but slowly Rahmat accepted the fact that he was „the trouble‟ who cannot give the superhero sperm to make Tata to become pregnant. Rahmat faced and tried to deal with it, his desire for his wife to accept his condition.
“kalau kenyataannya saya infertil.. itu juga bukan saya yang mau. Deal with it, just because we cannot have children, do we give up our marriage?”
[The fact that I am infertile is not my desire. Deal with it, just because we cannot have children, do we have to give up our marriage?] (128)
According to Beauvoir, man tend to accept the world, “a man does accept the world; not even misfortune will change his attitude, he will face it, he will not let himself
give up” (1953: 577). In line with Beauvoir‟s statement, Rahmat accepted his condition it
is proven on how he did not change his attitude and did not let himself give up. For Rahmat, remembering how they fell in love was the strongest power to keep his
household with Tata. Hence when they were argue, once Rahmat asked Tata to remember how they fell in love. His statement, “kamu segalanya buat saya… kamu adalah dunia saya.” [You are my everything.. you are my world] (135) proved how much Rahmat
wanted Tata to realize that her presence is enough for Rahmat. They even do not need child to make them happy. Again, from Rahmat point of view, childless is not the end of the world (51), this shows how he knows another important thing that could make his household happy, like their togetherness and their love. This part is the evidence how he would not give up his life and also his household only because he is infertile, as Beauvoir said a man does accept the world even misfortune that happens to him, he will not give up, nevertheless it was hard for his wife to have the same thought.
Kalau memang worst case scenario terjadi, Tata tidak bisa hamil, gue akan terus berusaha menjadi suami terbaik bagi istri tercinta
[If the worst case scenario really happened, Tata cannot get pregnant, I will always try to be the best husband to my lovely wife] (33)
The phrase above shows Rahmat willingness to always be the best husband for his wife, even though the bad thing happens to them. Since Rahmat realized that there is no child in his household, Rahmat accepted it and not changed his attitude toward his wife, it clearly shows in his statement, “saya ingin terlihat tegar, agar kamu bisa berpegang pada saya” [I want to be strong, so that you can hold on me] (129). Through the
discussion found that Rahmat can accept the misfortune that happens to him as Beauvoir said that man does accept the world even misfortune that happen to him.
Rahmat‟s situation was supported by the society who never give him negative
In contrast, the negative judgement addressed for Tata. Thus Tata felt the pressure from the society about her condition. While as subordinate group, Tata could not do anything to adjust to society‟s judgement. According to Beauvoir, “women has no taste for definite solution, hence the only thing she can do is just protest, she protest against men, against life, against situation, therefore she does not make good escape from them.”(1953: 579). Tata protested against situation when there were many women around her who getting pregnant. Tata protested against her situation, while she knew that she could not escaped from the situation, even to deal with her situation. Tata should face the problem throughout her life, hence protest might be one way to remove her sorrow.
After all pressure she got from the society, Tata cannot easily accepted Rahmat infertility. Hence when tears and her protest did not enough, she used Rahmat infertility
as a „weapon‟ to attack Rahmat. Tata attacked her husband since she felt that Rahmat did
not want to have children in their household, it is prove by Rahmat who always ignoring his wife and tend to pay attention to the soccer news rather than listen to his wife. Tata‟s
condition might have a connection with Beauvoir statement which said that whenever tears are insufficient to express her revolt, she will make scene of incoherent violence as to abash a man still more (1953: 578).
“You know what, bukan KITA yang nggak bisa punya anak, tapi KAMU!” [You know what, YOU are the one who cannot have children, not US] (130)
The quotation shows the way Tata wreaks her emotion when Tata feels that her tears do not enough to show her frustration. Tata‟s statement has accordance with Beauvoir statement above, where the goal is to abash a man still more. Through the discussion above shows that men and women tend to use different way in facing their
situation, men tend to be calm, they can accept the misfortune that happen to them, meanwhile, women tend to use their emotion through their situation, like protest or complain.
Conclusion
Generally, Beauvoir‟s book, the Second Sex, focuses on woman‟s position in the
patriarchal culture which known as „the other‟. Not only critizing the society, Beauvoir also
critiques women who accecpted the ideology of patriarchal that happened to them. In the chapter
“Woman‟s Situation and Character”, Beauvoir states that, women character is the result of her
situation (591).
Furthermore, for the futher research, people can analyze more about infertility from
man‟s point of view by using Reader Response, or people can also analyze about the abortion
which become popular among teenagers or the society‟s opinion related to unmarried women. People might also analyze about symbolism in some Indonesian novel which now become a popular product.
Acknowledgement
This thesis would not be done without blessing and guidance from Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. All the Glory only for His name.
I would like to express my gratitude also for my great supervisor, Ibu Purwanti Kusumaningtyas, and also my examiner Ibu Deta Maria for all suggestion and guidance for my thesis. Big thanks and big hug for my beloved family, my home sweet home,„Bapak‟ Eko Budiyono,
„Ibu‟ Sudar Hajarwati and Mas Andreas Bintang Persada, thanks for all supports and love for
me, I love you, my dear home.
My beloved friends–Jeremia Jagad Soerjaatmadja, Fidelis „Badak‟, Andreas Banyu Biru, Sejatining Srikandi, Novia Surya Marhayuningtyas, Mattias Vici Noviandono, Christiawan Adhi Nugroho, Dwi Styoningrum and Nurul Utami – thank you for the support, love and laugh for me,
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