xi
ABSTRACT
CORRY VERONIKA (2008). The Values of Feminism as Revealed through Inge’s Character in Fremd’s The Glass Inferno. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
This undergraduate thesis is dealing with one of Angelika Fremd’s novel entitled The Glass Inferno. It presents the female heroine as the central character and the interesting issue that comes up in The Glass Inferno is feminism. It tells about a woman who lives in patriarchal society that causes her experiencing oppressions from her surrounding. She has to survive in order to get her existence as a woman. This novel with its complexity, reveals the struggle of a woman who lives under patriarchal society, and through the main character’s characteristics, actions, struggle and thought could be seen the values of feminism. It would be interesting to discuss the values of feminism as revealed through Inge’s character.
There are three objectives of the studies that would be the main discussion of this thesis. The first objective is to find out the characteristics of Inge as the main character in The Glass Inferno. The second objective is to reveal the patriarchal society where Inge lives. The last objective is to find out the process by which the values of feminism appear through Inge as the main character The Glass Inferno.
In this discussion, the writer used the library research in which there are two types of sources that are primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the novel The Glass Inferno itself, while the secondary sources are the references books and the sites from internet that supported the discussion of this thesis. As for the theories, there are two theories applied, they are Theories of Character and Characterization, and theories of Feminism. Related to the topic of this thesis, the approach that is used to analyze the problem formulation is feminist approach.
The result of this study mentions that Inge is a young woman who is brave, independent, kind-hearted, responsible, strong and attractive. She lives under patriarchal society, therefore, as the result she gets oppressions from her surrounding. Patriarchal society always gives negative outcome to the second class citizen, women. The oppressions can be in sexual or psychological forms. Through Inge’s characteristics, actions, struggle and thought can be seen that she reflects the values of feminism that are freedom of choice, equality and woman’s right to be herself. The story reveals that women have to survive under patriarchal society in order to get their existence as women who have the same and equal rights with men.
xii ABSTRAK
CORRY VERONIKA (2008). The Values of Feminism as Revealed through Inge’s Character in Fremd’s The Glass Inferno. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Tesis ini berhubungan dengan salah satu novel Angelika Fremd yang berjudul The Glass Inferno. Novel ini menyajikan pahlawan wanita sebagai tokoh utama dan pokok persoalan yang menarik yang muncul di novel ini adalah feminisme. Novel ini bercerita tentang seorang wanita yang tinggal di masyarakat patriakhal, yang menyebabkan dia mendapat tindasan dari sekitarnya. Dia harus berjuang untuk mendapat eksistansinya sebagai wanita. Novel ini dengan kerumitannya, mengungkapkan perjuangan seorang wanita yang tinggal di masyarakat patriakhal, dan melalui karakter, tindakan, perjuangan dan pemikiran dari tokoh utama dapat dilihat nilai-nilai dari feminisme.
Ada tiga pokok bahasan yang akan dibahas dalam tesis ini. Pokok bahasan yang pertama adalah untuk mencari tahu karakter dari Inge sebagai tokoh utama dalam novel The Glass Inferno. Pokok bahasan yang kedua adalah untuk menunjukkan gambaran masyarakat patriakhal dimana Inge tinggal. Pokok bahasan yang terakhir adalah untuk mencari tahu proses yang dilalui Inge sehingga nilai-nilai feminisme dapat dilihat dari karaker Inge sebagai tokoh utama di novel ini.
Pada pembahasan ini, penulis melakukan penelitian pustaka di mana terdapat dua macam sumber, sumber utama dan tambahan. Sumber utamanya adalah novel itu sendiri, sedangkan sumber tambahannya adalah buku-buku referensi dan situs-situs yang mendukung pembahasan ini. Sementara itu, ada dua teori yang diterapkan berkenaan dengan teori karakter dan karakterisasi, dan teori feminisme. Berkaitan dengan topic tesis ini, pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendakatan feminisme.
i
THE VALUES OF FEMINISM AS REVEALED THROUGH
INGE’S CHARACTER IN FREMD’S THE GLASS INFERNO
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By Corry Veronika Student Number: 044214015
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
iv
•
Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but
in raising up every time we fail (Ralph Waldo
Emerson).
•
Three grand essentials to have happiness in
this life are something to do, something to love
and something to hope for (Joseph Addison).
v
I dedicate this thesis for to My Beloved Parents, My Sisters
and My Brother who always support me in accomplishing this
thesis.
vii
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my biggest gratitude to Jesus Christ for the blessings, strength and miracles He has been giving in my life, so that I am finally able to accomplish this undergraduate thesis. Thank God for answering my prayers.
My gratitude is also directed to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu R., S.S, M.Hum. I am so grateful for her guidance, patience, and especially for the time she spent for reading and correcting my thesis. I really appreciate all things she has done in process of writing my thesis. I would also like to say thank to my co-advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini, M. A, for her time in correcting my thesis.
Furthermore, I deeply express my gratitude to my beloved parents for their love, prayers, support, both financial and spiritual and good advices. I am so proud to be their daughter. It is wonderful to have both of them as my parents. For my big sister, Fenty Ferary, thanks for being a good model for me; and thanks for the love, support and help, “I am so proud of you, Sis!”. For my little sisters Febby Felicia and Caroline Setiyanti, thanks for the love and support. I am also so proud of my big brother, Ferry Haryanto. I would like to thank him for encouraging and motivating me in finishing my thesis.
viii
I also dedicate this thesis for my little angel, Natalia. Although we meet only in short time, but it means a lot to me. Thank you for the moment that we shared, for the laughter and joy. You will always be in my heart and I know you are shinning down on me from heaven.
I would not forget to say thanks to my best friends in Yogyakarta (Rhien, Dede, Ita, Erlin, Afril, Fitha and Ci Linda). Yogyakarta would not be much wonderful without you guys.
Lastly but not the least, I would like to express my gratitude to my friends in class A that I cannot mention one by one. It is nice to have nice friends like them. There are many wonderful and exciting moments that we have shared together, “Thanks for the memories friends!” I would not forget to thank all the staff in English Letters Department. I thank them for their help.
ix
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ... 8
A. Review of Related Studies ... 8
B. Review of Related Theories ... 10
1. Theories of Character and Characterization ... 10
2. Theories of Feminism ... 13
a. Feminism in General ... 13
b. Values of Feminism ... 17
c. Patriarchy and Its Oppressions ... 20
C. Theoretical Framework ... 21
B. The Patriarchal Society as Depicted in the Novel ... 43
x
2. The Oppressions from Paul ... 50
3. The Oppressions from Tristan ... 53
C. The Values of Feminism as Revealed by Inge ... 57
1. Freedom of Choice ... 58
2. Equality ... 61
3. Woman’s Right to be Herself ... 63
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 68
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 73
xi
ABSTRACT
CORRY VERONIKA (2008). The Values of Feminism as Revealed through Inge’s Character in Fremd’s The Glass Inferno. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
This undergraduate thesis is dealing with one of Angelika Fremd’s novel entitled The Glass Inferno. It presents the female heroine as the central character and the interesting issue that comes up in The Glass Inferno is feminism. It tells about a woman who lives in patriarchal society that causes her experiencing oppressions from her surrounding. She has to survive in order to get her existence as a woman. This novel with its complexity, reveals the struggle of a woman who lives under patriarchal society, and through the main character’s characteristics, actions, struggle and thought could be seen the values of feminism. It would be interesting to discuss the values of feminism as revealed through Inge’s character.
There are three objectives of the studies that would be the main discussion of this thesis. The first objective is to find out the characteristics of Inge as the main character in The Glass Inferno. The second objective is to reveal the patriarchal society where Inge lives. The last objective is to find out the process by which the values of feminism appear through Inge as the main character The Glass Inferno.
In this discussion, the writer used the library research in which there are two types of sources that are primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the novel The Glass Inferno itself, while the secondary sources are the references books and the sites from internet that supported the discussion of this thesis. As for the theories, there are two theories applied, they are Theories of Character and Characterization, and theories of Feminism. Related to the topic of this thesis, the approach that is used to analyze the problem formulation is feminist approach.
The result of this study mentions that Inge is a young woman who is brave, independent, kind-hearted, responsible, strong and attractive. She lives under patriarchal society, therefore, as the result she gets oppressions from her surrounding. Patriarchal society always gives negative outcome to the second class citizen, women. The oppressions can be in sexual or psychological forms. Through Inge’s characteristics, actions, struggle and thought can be seen that she reflects the values of feminism that are freedom of choice, equality and woman’s right to be herself. The story reveals that women have to survive under patriarchal society in order to get their existence as women who have the same and equal rights with men.
xii ABSTRAK
CORRY VERONIKA (2008). The Values of Feminism as Revealed through Inge’s Character in Fremd’s The Glass Inferno. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Tesis ini berhubungan dengan salah satu novel Angelika Fremd yang berjudul The Glass Inferno. Novel ini menyajikan pahlawan wanita sebagai tokoh utama dan pokok persoalan yang menarik yang muncul di novel ini adalah feminisme. Novel ini bercerita tentang seorang wanita yang tinggal di masyarakat patriakhal, yang menyebabkan dia mendapat tindasan dari sekitarnya. Dia harus berjuang untuk mendapat eksistansinya sebagai wanita. Novel ini dengan kerumitannya, mengungkapkan perjuangan seorang wanita yang tinggal di masyarakat patriakhal, dan melalui karakter, tindakan, perjuangan dan pemikiran dari tokoh utama dapat dilihat nilai-nilai dari feminisme.
Ada tiga pokok bahasan yang akan dibahas dalam tesis ini. Pokok bahasan yang pertama adalah untuk mencari tahu karakter dari Inge sebagai tokoh utama dalam novel The Glass Inferno. Pokok bahasan yang kedua adalah untuk menunjukkan gambaran masyarakat patriakhal dimana Inge tinggal. Pokok bahasan yang terakhir adalah untuk mencari tahu proses yang dilalui Inge sehingga nilai-nilai feminisme dapat dilihat dari karaker Inge sebagai tokoh utama di novel ini.
Pada pembahasan ini, penulis melakukan penelitian pustaka di mana terdapat dua macam sumber, sumber utama dan tambahan. Sumber utamanya adalah novel itu sendiri, sedangkan sumber tambahannya adalah buku-buku referensi dan situs-situs yang mendukung pembahasan ini. Sementara itu, ada dua teori yang diterapkan berkenaan dengan teori karakter dan karakterisasi, dan teori feminisme. Berkaitan dengan topic tesis ini, pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendakatan feminisme.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Feminism always becomes an interesting topic to discuss, since it deals with
women’s struggle to get equality in all aspects in life toward men, such as
education, work fields, politic, human rights, etc. It is particularly hard to find
out what equality means when it comes to gender, since there are real differences
between men and women. Men and women are created equal with their own
excesses and lacks, therefore they have to complete each other but in practice,
there are a lot of unfair treatments towards women. They are treated as
second-class citizen and what they are doing is somehow restricted to the society in this
male-dominated world. Therefore feminists are struggling to get equality.
Actually, what most feminists want is not to replace patriarchy with matriarchy,
they only struggle for equality. However, equality itself is a difficult idea to be
seen as something which is standard, fair to someone without any classification
from sex.
Women’s movement has existed a long time ago and it is not the
invention of the twentieth century. Women had been struggling to get equality
since a long time ago, but the one which marked the rise of this issue is the
feminist movement. As stated by Deborah L. Madsen in the book Feminist
Theory and Literary Practice feminist movement is divided into two waves. The
first wave is the wave of American Feminism in 1840s-1920 which is commonly
marked by the first women’s rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls in 1848 and
the second wave is the wave of American Feminism in 1960s which focused
upon indictment of male sexism and the domestic oppression of women and also
marks the establishment of the modern Women’s Movement (2000:3).
Although feminist movement has already existed for decades but still
many cases of women’s oppression are found. Women are oppressed by society
and men due to their sex, they are less valued than men. Women are considered
as “trouble” for men. Judith Butler in the book Gender Trouble: Feminism and
Subversion of Identity explains that the significance of the term ‘trouble’ in her
title. For men, as the subject of desire, ‘trouble’ is represented by the female
‘object’ of desire who unexpectedly returns and answers the masculine gaze, who
refuses the passive position of the feminine object and thereby ‘contests the place
and authority of the masculine position’. In the other hand it can be said that a
male subject desiring a female object. (Butler, 1990, p vii) It means that the
image of women can be seen as something ‘desiring’ and giving ‘trouble’ to
men.
As oppressions are received by women, a lot of females and some males
authors criticize the system that has existed since a long time ago, and they do
not only criticize but also want to open the eyes of people in this world to see
define what equality they wish for is. Through literary works, they try to give
real and true condition about women’s life in patriarchal society. They always
struggle for equality. Therefore, women’s writings are considered as critical
category since women’s writings and feminism are closely related. Through the
literary works, the authors could convey their ideas, comments, dreams in life.
Most of works of feminist authors represent the voice of women, to get equality
towards men in all aspects in life. Besides, feminists also use it as a medium to
trigger women’s awareness about their own rights, to be appreciated fully by
society and men and also to restructure the patriarchal society so that women’s
rights will be appreciated and there will be no more oppression towards women.
In this study the writer chooses the novel of The Glass Inferno. The Glass
Inferno is a novel written by Angelika Fremd, an Australian female writer. The
Glass Inferno is one of her best novels which presents female heroine as the
central of the story. Her novels concern more on women’s world. One of the
interesting issues that comes up in The Glass Inferno is about feminism. The
Glass Inferno was first published in 1992 by University of Queensland Press
Australia. It is the second part of trilogy novels dealing with the life of Inge
Heinrich as the main character. It deals with the life of Inge Heinrich as the
female character who lives in patriarchal society. She has to survive to get her
existence as a woman. Although she lives in male-dominated world which
caused oppression to her, she keeps on surviving, her dignity as a woman will not
strong, responsible and attractive somehow become a proof that she can survive
and struggle for her existence as a woman. Patriarchal society and feminism
cannot be separated, they have strong relationship. One becomes the cause and
one becomes the effect. The negative result is oppression; unfair treatment that
triggers many reactions. Many women are struggling to get equality, to be treated
as equal as men.
In this study the writer wants to see the feminism values reflected by the
main character, Inge. As a woman, she knows what she wants and what she does
not want in her life. She wants to have freedom to choose what she wants for her
life. In the novel, Inge reflects the values of feminism through her actions,
thoughts and struggle. She demands her freedom as a woman, to do whatever she
wants to do with her own responsibility and also to be free from males’
domination.
B. Problem Formulation
1. How is Inge characterized?
2. How is the patriarchal society depicted in this novel?
3. How does the character of Inge reveal the values feminism in patriarchal
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on those questions in the problem formulation above, this study
attempts to obtain satisfying answers. In order to see the feminism values that are
reflected by the character of Inge, this study has three objectives that have to be
accomplished. First, this study is meant to find out the characteristics of Inge as
the main character in The Glass Inferno. By knowing her characteristics, the
writer could understand what Inge really likes and what she wants in her life.
Second, this study aims to find out the patriarchal society where Inge lives. This
could be seen from how the male characters do to the main character, Inge. We
could also see the struggle of a woman living in a male-dominated world. Last,
this study aims to find out the values of feminism reflected through Inge, as she
lives under patriarchal society, experiencing oppressions and as the main
character in The Glass Inferno.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding in reading this study and to give the
right focus for the readers while reading this study, there are some terms that the
writer needs to define. This definition of terms hopefully can be helpful in
understanding the terms that are used.
1. Feminism
Barranger defines “feminism” as a critique of prevailing social conditions
political and intellectual discourse and pursuits (1994:646). Humm states that
feminism is an ideology of women liberation since intrinsic in all approaches is
the belief that women suffer injustice because of their sex. She also defines
feminism as the principal that women should have political, economic and social
rights equal to men (1992: xi). In simple terms, feminism is a form of rebellion
against the patriarchal ideology which has placed women in its ruthless clutches
for centuries.
2. Value(s)
In Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, value(s) is/are defined
as standards, principles, or ideas about worth or importance of certain qualities,
especially those generally accepted by a particular group (1987: 1165).
3. Gender
Gender, in common usage, refers to the differences between men and
women. Madsen defines gender as opposed to ‘sex’, which refers to the
socio-cultural characteristics attributed to the different biological sexes (2000: xii).
Whereas sex is biologically determined, gender is socially constructed. Feminism
has posited gender roles to be socially constructed, independent of any biological
basis. In gender studies the term gender is used to refer to propose social and
cultural constructions of masculine and feminine.
4. Patriarchy
According to Madsen, patriarchy is another recurrent term, referring to
men and all things masculine, and a political system that places power in the
hands of men and thus serves male interests at the expense of women (2000:xii).
Feminists argue that the opposite of feminism is not masculinity but patriarchy.
Therefore, it is not surprising the word ‘patriarchy’ has negative association when
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
The Glass Inferno is Fremd’s portrayal about women’s struggle in living
in patriarchal society. The main character, Inge in The Glass Inferno faces many
problems and injustice treatments because of her sex. In struggling her own will,
dreams and also to reject the patriarchal standards in her society, she reflects the
values of feminism. There have been many comments on literary works by
internationally well-known American writers, whether classic or temporary ones,
but it is a different case if the novel study is Australian novel. The writer finds
that there is limited information or sources related to the work available on books
or internet, but two comments based on the novel are finally found.
Sue Walton in her essay entitled Search for Self Rings with Honesty
commented on Inge’s characteristic. According to Walton, women’s quest for
identity has becomes a recurrent theme in literature. As the main character Inge
represents the same idea. Her struggle in searching for knowledge and
self-understanding are sort of realization for her curiosity about identity and she does
not realize that her refusal to choose any specific course of action in itself is a
kind of selection process. Walton explains that many aspects had influenced
Inge’s life in her struggle in searching for self-knowledge and self-understanding.
She states:
By experimenting with different sexual partners, Inge tries fervently to discover who she is and where she belongs. The hostility of the world in which she lives, however, is given full reign when her liaisons are discovered. Society, the law, the medical profession combine to humiliate and control her. Inge moves through Melbourne, Sydney, Papua, and Brisbane trying to establish her own identity. She continues to see her existence in terms of her partners and is unable to crate a sense at herself apart from them.
Walton states that Inge’s act in experimenting with different sexual
partners as the way to discover who she is and where she belongs.
Another comment comes from Sneja Gunew from the same source. His
essay entitled A New Getting of Wisdom, explains the main character, Inge’s
childhood and also the story of an artist’s development that told a migrant and
non-Anglo Celtic perspective. He states:
I love the ending. She says that for a square peg, meaning herself, a suitable hole will ultimately be found. Her too we have the Bildungsroman (the story of an artist’s development) but told in this case from a migrant and Non-Anglo Celtic perspective. As Inge’s half-sister Monika declares, ‘if being grown-up makes then I don’t want to be a woman or a migrant!’ The purple hands, incidentally, are on one level merely an allergic reaction to the new country, on another, a telling mark of alienation.
Further more, he also states that there are many sexual actions that appear in the
story.
The men are physically brutal and sexually rapacious, while the women here become the subjects, the victims who need to learn survival; bartering sex for material leading to alienation from their own bodies.
From those two comments above, we can see that Inge is depicted as a
strong, brave and curious woman who lives in male-dominated world. Here, we
society. She struggles for the equality to become the person in her own right, the
significant person.
In this study, the writer wants to develop both of those comments, the
statements which describe Inge as a figure of woman who struggles in facing the
oppressions that she got from her society, patriarchal society. In this study, the
writer also wants to find out the feminism values that are revealed by Inge as the
main character. It is interesting to discuss the character of Inge since she acts
differently from the other women characters in this novel. Her characteristics
reveal the effort of feminism values that women should have a progress in
thinking to determine their selves, as a significant person, not the other. She no
longer can be said as woman who is submissive, obedient and passive in dealing
the condition that she has to face.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theories of Character and Characterization
Since this discussion is aimed to analyze the characteristic of Inge, related
to this idea of feminism, therefore it is important to present theories of character
and characterization.
Character is an important element in the story. Character is commonly
individual who appears in the story. Second, the character refers to the mixture of
interest, desires, emotions and moral principles that make up each of this
individual and character gives a certain situation or circumstances in the story
because he or she shows his or her emotion on it.
According to Abrams, character may remain essentially “stable”, or
unchanged in outlook and disposition, from beginning to end of a work, or may
undergoes a radical change, either through a gradual process of motivation and
development or as the result of a crisis (1985:23).
Foster differentiates fictional character into flat and round characters. A
flat character is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without
much individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in a
single phrase or sentence. While a round character is complex in temperament
and motivation and is represented with subtle particularity; such a character
therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life, and
like real person, sometimes surprising the readers (1927: 29).
Character and characterization are related and cannot be separated from
each other. In real life, human sense of character naturally varies with their
power of perception and understanding. Human being can find his or her own
characterization by seeing others’ judgments towards something.
According to Murphy (1972: 161), the author always reveals the character
of imaginary person in the story. It is called characterization. Therefore,
attempts to make his or her characters understandable to, and come alive for the
readers:
a. Personal description. The author can describe a person’s appearance and
clothes. The telling and accurate description can help the readers to know the
characters further.
b. Characters as seen by another. Instead of describing a character directly the
author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of another
character.
c. Speech. The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the
persons in the book through what person says. It can be whenever a person
speaks, whenever he or she is in conversation with another character, whenever
he or she puts forward an opinion, he or she is giving the readers some clue to his
or her character.
d. Past life. By letting the readers learn something about a person’s past life the
author can give the readers a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s
character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, though the person’s
thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation of others. The author can also give the readers clues to a
person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things they
say about him or her. People do talk about other people and the things they say
often give as a clue to the characters of the person spoken about.
by letting the readers know how that person reacts to various situations and
events.
g. Direct comment. The author can describe or comment on a person’s character
directly.
h. Thoughts. The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is
thinking about. In this respect he or she is able to do what we cannot do in life.
The author can tell the readers what different people are thinking.
These are some of the ways in which an author makes his or her readers
aware of the personalities and the characters of the people that he or she writes
about in his or her books. By knowing about the characterization the readers will
understand why the character does the thing and the emotional feeling of the
readers will also be involved when they read the story.
2. Theories of Feminism a. Feminism in General
The first idea that is likely to occur in the course of any historical thinking
about feminism is that feminism is a social force (Humm, 1992:1). The
emergence of this social force is because the awareness of feminists to
understand that in all societies which divide the sexes into differing cultural,
economic or political spheres, women are less valued than men. Humm states
that feminism also depends on the premise that women could consciously and
in sexual equality combines with a commitment to eradicate sexist domination
and to transform society (1992:1). In the other word it can be said that feminists
desire to restructure the patriarchal society, not to replace it with matriarchy, they
only struggle to get equality. The goal of feminism is to change the degrading
view of women so that all women will realize that they have the same right with
men in all fields. Feminist theories reveal the rights that women should have,
women’s oppression and also women’s struggle to get the equality toward men.
According to Maggie Humm, in general, feminism is an ideology of
women liberation since intrinsic in all approaches is the belief that women suffer
in justice because of their sex. It is also stated that feminism is defined as the
principal that women should have political, economic and social rights equal to
men. Maggie Humm argues that feminist approach aims to redress the portrayal
of gender stereotypes and gives the appropriate value to ignore women’s writing
(1992: xi).
Feminism appears because there is an unfair treatment toward women in
society. The basic assumption of feminism is a movement that starts from the
women’s awareness to be free from discrimination, oppression, exploitation and
to try to end these treatments. Feminism is a women’s movement to be free from
oppressions, discriminations, and to get the same rights and dignity with men.
Feminism believes that women have the same right as men. They have
the rights to live, to work, to get education, to get freedom and so on. Women,
want. Women are born free and equal to men in the sense of human rights.
Unfortunately, in this male-dominated world, women’s rights are not fully
appreciated, because what women do is restricted due to their sex. There is a
belief in the patriarchal society that men are superior and women are inferior.
The misconception of women stereotyping that women are weak, dependent,
passive, submissive and receptive makes women seen as inferior to men. It is
clear that from time to time people assume that women are nothing compared to
men because people themselves believe it and do not want to try breaking that
wrong assumption about women.
Feminism also notices that women are always regarded as inferior to men
because they are never given equal opportunities to show their intelligence and to
prove their capabilities. Their potentialities to develop their abilities are narrowed
by the gender stereotypes system built by the patriarchal society.
Related to the gender stereotypes, according to Butler, gender identity is
the same with a cultural performance, matrix of signifiers that enables members
of a cultural group to ‘read’ the signs of gender and to be read as gendered
subject, that the basic ‘to search for the origins of gender, the inner truth of
female desire, and a genuine or authentic sexual identity that repression has kept
from view (1990: viii).
It is clearly seen that what feminists’ desire are equal rights and equal
opportunities for women. Feminist theory reveals the importance of women’s
equal opportunities and equal rights. They realize that they have the same right as
men, and because of that, women try to fight against the condition and strive for
their rights.
In relation to marriage, Stanton says that marriage is only one of a range
of choices men may make about how to live their lives; and how women have no
individual sovereignty. She recognizes that women are educated and socialized to
expert only marriage as the structuring principle of their lives. “Personal freedom
is the first right to be proclaimed, and that does not and cannot now belong to the
relation of wife, to the mistress of the isolated home, to the financial dependent”.
The married women surrenders all her rights, including the right to control her
own body, though her husband gives up nothing, she becomes an unpaid
domestic drudge, robbed of her labor; and when women are paid to work outside
the home they are paid not according to the value of their labor but according to
the value of their gender. Stanton identifies the lack of legal status as a citizen as
the root cause of women’s dependence within marriage. That situation also can
cause the economic and sexual oppression on woman (1969: 70).
As Stanton has expressed it, we must reject every conception that makes
women an instrument of men. Both men and women have the same rights and
dignity as human being. They complement each other through their differences.
Within a marriage, women have the same rights as men. In marriage, women
should be free, respected and sovereign in proportion to the stability of the
Feminist movement also focuses on women’s consciousness about their
disadvantageous positions that is regarded as the second class citizen, the
purpose is to correct the labeling on women and to restructure the society in
order to get the equality in gender. The basic goal of feminist movement is to
correct the misconception of women stereotyping and to get the equality toward
men.
b. Values of Feminism
Based on the brief explanation about feminism above, there are three
values that are important for feminist struggle to get equality towards men. The
values will be explained below.
i. Freedom of choice
According to Zillah Einstein in her book The Sexual Politics of the New
Right: Understanding the “Crisis of Liberalism” liberalism as an ideology
promised certain crucial values, such as individual autonomy, freedom of choice, equality of opportunity and so on (1982:189). Stanton also supports Einstein ideas
that personal freedom is the first right to be proclaimed, and that does not and
cannot now belong to the relation of wife, to the mistress of the isolated home, to
the financial dependent (Madsen, 2000:40).
ii. Equality
Einstein states that liberalism as an ideology promised certain crucial
desire that feminist want: equal rights and also equal opportunities (1992:2).
Humm states:
“Liberal feminism aims to achieve equal rights, political and social rights for women. It wishes to bring women equally into all public institutions and to extend the creation of knowledge so that women’s issue can no longer be ignored (1992:181).
Moreover, Madsen states that liberal emphasis on the individual and
stresses the importance of the individual which are protected by guaranteed rights,
economic justice and equality of opportunity (2000:35). iii. Woman’s right to be herself
Stanton states that the rights of the individual are natural rights which the
individual brings into the world of birth; these rights cannot be taken away
because they are constituted of the individual. Women and men are created equal,
therefore women’s rights have to be appreciated as the same with men (2000:39)
c. Patriarchy and Its Oppression
According to Madsen, patriarchy is another recurrent term, refers to
government by men; patriarchy is a cultural (ideological) system that privileges
men and all things masculine, and a political system that places power in the
hands of men and thus serves male interests at the expense of women (2000:xii).
Feminists argue that the opposite of feminism is not masculinity but patriarchy.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the word ‘patriarchy’ has negative association
when used in the context of feminist theory.
because it has not come out of capitalism and imperialism. The sexual division of
labor and the oppression of women by men predate capitalism. Patriarchal
authority is based on male control over the woman’s productive capacity and over
her person. This control existed before the development of capitalist commodity
production. It was belonged to a society in which the persons of human beings
were owned by others. Patriarchy, however, is contradicted by the dominant mode
of production in capitalism because in capitalism the owner of capitalist owns and
controls the labor power but not the persons of his laborers (1992:96-97)
In Gilman’s view, capitalism and patriarchy work together in the
economic and sexual exploitation of women (Madsen 2000: 41). As the negative
outcome of patriarchy is oppression. Women constitute the oppressed class in
patriarchal society and men constitute the class of oppressors. Gender oppression
is the systematic under patriarchy and not a matter isolated violent and
discriminatory incidents. According to Anne Koeidt women’s oppression stem
from men’s sexual power over women which is achieved through actual or
threatened physical violence and by psychological inducements such as romance
(Humm, 1992:261). Firestone also supports Koeidt ideas on forms of oppressions,
she states:
“But sexual oppression is the fundamental and foundational form of oppression in patriarchal society “(Madsen, 2000:158).
Firestone also shows how women and children are educated to accept their
is ‘woman’ trough the twin mythologies of femininity and childhood. Another
form of oppression according to Firestone is love oppression. She concludes that
love and romance are very different for men and for women. men idealize,
mystify and glorify the individual women with whom they fall in love in order to
obscure her inferior class status, women, in contrast, pursue the male love and
approval that will raise her up from he subordination class position and validate
her existence. In this way, love becomes a political force, a force for unequal
power relations (Madsen, 2000:159). Or in the other word it could be said that
there are two forms of oppressions, they are physical violence or sexual abuse and
psychological inducements or love oppression.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this part of the study, the writer will explain some of the theories
and approach that will be used to analyze the problems of the study. It also
explains the reason why the theories are needed and applied in the analysis.
The study of Anglika Fremd, The Glass Inferno aims to reveal the
feminism values through the main character’s life. In order to achieve the aim,
there are three problems come up. First, how Inge’s characteristics are described,
second, how the patriarchal society depicted and the last, how the feminism
values are reflected through the main character. Therefore, some theories are
The first analysis aims to find out the characteristics of Inge. The theory
of characterization, defined by Murphy, and the theory of Forster on character
will support the writer to analyze the main character, Inge. The theory of
characterization is used to know the process in finding Inge’s characteristics,
actions, struggle and thought.
In discussing the patriarchal society in which Inge lives, the writer applies
the theory of patriarchal society related to the feminism theories: Feminist
Theory and Literary Practice by Madsen, A reader's Guide to Contemporary
Feminist Literary Criticism by Humm and Feminism: A Reader by Humm. Here,
the impact of living in male-dominated world could be seen clearly from the
oppressions experienced by Inge which come from men around.
The third analysis aims to discuss the feminism values as revealed
through Inge as the main character. The writer applies the theory of feminism by
Humm, Madsen, Montagu and also the theory of feminism presented by Einstein
and Stanton. They give three values of feminism, which are; freedom of choice,
equality, and woman’s right to be herself. These theories will support in
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is The Glass Inferno. This novel is written by an
Australian female writer, Angelika Fremd. This novel has 185 pages with 40
subtitles to indicate where the story takes place and also what it is about. The
Glass Inferno is one of her best novel, which presents female character as the
central of the story. It was first published in 1992 by University of Queensland
Press Australia. It is the second part of trilogy novels dealing with female
character as the main character.
The Glass Inferno by Anglika Fremd tells about a woman, Inge who lives
in male-dominated world. In the patriarchal society where she lives, she has to
face oppressions which come from men. She has to deal with it because of her
sex. The male characters depicted in this novel are unconsciously or consciously
give oppressions to Inge, the sexual oppression and also love oppression. Then,
through her experiences in dealing with men, she realizes that she has to strive
for her rights, to be equal with men in all of fields. Through her characteristics,
actions and struggle we can see the values of feminism. They are freedom of
choice, equality, and woman’s right to be herself.
B. Approach of the Study
Since the focus of the study is about feminism, therefore, the writer uses
Feminist Literary Criticism Approach. Feminist Literary Criticism Approach is
an academic approach to the study of literature which applies feminist thought to
the analysis of literary text and the contexts of their production and reception
(Goodman, 1996:xi). Concerning with feminist criticism, Guerin in his book A
Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature stated that:
Despite their diversity, feminist critics generally agree that their goals are to expose patriarchal premises and resulting prejudices, to promote discovery and reevaluation of literature by women, and to examine social, cultural, and psychosexual contexts of literature and literary criticism (1992: 197).
Most of feminists believe that our culture is a patriarchal culture.
Feminist literary criticism tries to explain how power imbalances between
women and men. It also presents how gender stereotypes which is shaped by
culture, are reflected in or challenged by literary texts (Guerin, 1992: 196).
Feminist approach is used to analyze the condition of women which is
usually differentiated with men and considered as inferior, and then eventually
this condition discriminates and places women as secondary class citizen in the
society. However, through this story, we could see that a woman’s awareness of
her own rights result in an effort to have the same rights with men. The approach
sees how women can stand equally with men and breaks the misconception that
women are weak, dependent, passive, submissive, receptive and subordinate
feminism, that are freedom of choice, equality, and woman’s right to be herself.
C.Method of The Study
In writing this thesis, the writer used the library research to find the
data as the main step and also preferred to look for some additional references
from the website in internet that hopefully helped the writer to finish this study.
Theories of character and characterization that is applied in this study for
a better understanding of Inge as the main character are taken from Abram's A
Glossary of Literary Terms, Murphy's Understanding Unseen: an Introduction to
English Poetry and the English Novel for overseas Students and Forster's Aspects
of the Novel.
To support the analysis of the character of Inge, the writer also used the
theory of feminism that are taken from Butler's Gender Trouble: Feminism and
the Subversion of Identity, Humm's Feminism: A Reader, Medsen's Feminist
Theory and Literary .
The next process was analyzing the data using the theories of character,
feminism and patriarchal society. The first step is analyzing Inge character. The
second step is analyzing the patriarchal society that is depicted in this novel. It
can be seen from the oppression that Inge got from the male characters in this
novel. The third part is analyzing feminism values that are revealed through
Inge’s struggle in living against male-dominated world. After getting the
report. The final step was drawing a conclusion. This last step was done by
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
In thischapter, the discussion will be divided into three subchapters based
on the questions in the problem formulations. The main focus of this study is to
reveal the feminism values through the main character, Inge. Therefore, in order
to get the study more understandable, this analysis starts with the description of
the main character of this novel, Inge. Inge’s characteristics are observed by
applying theory of character and characterization. According to Forster, fictional
characters could be divided into flat and round character. In this novel, Inge is
categorized as the round character since according to Forster round character is
complex with subtle particularity; such a character therefore is as difficult to
describe with any adequacy as a person in real life. Inge is a character with
complex characteristics and in this novel, her characteristics are developing and
have complexity, therefore, the character of Inge is categorized as a round
character. The characteristics of Inge also could be analyzed deeper by using
Murphy's theory on characterization. According to Murphy in Understanding
Unseen there are several ways in which an author attempts to make his or her
characters understandable and come alive for the readers such as from personal
description, as seen by another, speech, past life, thoughts, etc. We could find out
the characteristics of Inge from other characters, from her past life, her thoughts,
etc.
After observing the main character in this novel, the second section will
begin with the discussion of the patriarchal society in which Inge lives. The
patriarchal society which becomes the surrounding in Inge’s life has more or less
affected Inge. It becomes the central problem of Inge, how a woman lives in
male-dominated world. The main point of this discussion is that how a woman’s
ability has to be challenged in men’s world or in the other word patriarchal
society, to get freedom in choosing the pattern of her own life without being
entrapped by the system. The patriarchal society as depicted in this novel could
be clearly seen from the oppressions that Inge got from the male characters in
this novel, the physical violence or sexual oppression and psychological
inducements or love oppression.
The third section will discuss about the values of feminism that are
revealed by Inge. In this novel, Inge has revealed the feminism values which are
freedom of choice, equality, and woman’s right to be herself. It is clearly seen
through her struggle in dealing the oppressions which come from men in the
patriarchal society where she lives.
A. Inge’s characteristics
In this novel, The Glass Inferno Inge is described as a young, beautiful
woman in the age of twenties. She lives with her boy friend, David Rooney and
with other friends. They share a room in a small house. Inge is described as a
appeal that she has, she is also brave, independent, kind-hearted, responsible, and
strong. Her journey as a woman who lives in patriarchal society is marked by her
escape from her horrible past. What she had in her past that was she was raped by
her step father, more or less has affected her present life. In Inge’s new life, with
her savior, her boyfriend, David, she has to face oppressions too. She has to
struggle for her own freedom as a woman. Through her actions and ways of
thinking, Inge reflects certain values of feminism. To see more deeply how Inge is
characterized in the novel, the analysis is divided into each description of her
characteristics.
1. Inge is a Brave Woman
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995: 133), the state of being
brave means ready to face and endure danger, pain or suffering; having no fear. In
the novel, Inge is depicted as a brave woman. Her characteristic as a brave
woman could be seen from her past. Her courage to run away from her terrible
past, and from the oppressions that she got not only from her step father, but also
from her own mother had become a proof that she is a brave woman. She had to
avoid her father’s advances and also to keep away her mother from jealousy. Her
step father always tried to rape her, unfortunately she did not get any support,
what she got were oppressions. That was why she had the bravery to leave her
family and moved forward to live her own life. She chose to be free from the
sexual abuse done by her step father, Karl and the oppressions that she got from
David Rooney was her savior from Inge’s horrible past. She owed to
David, since David helped her to run away. Although Inge did not love David,
bravely she took the decision to run away with David. In a way, Inge is a brave
woman in making such decision, though she has to barter her body in order to get
the freedom. She has to pay high price to get her freedom.
In her new chapter of her life, Inge lives with her boyfriend, David and
also with their friends. Inge’s characteristics develop through what she does and
thinks. Being David’s wife does not make Inge safe from oppressions, since as a
husband, David never gives Inge space to choose whatever she wants, he wants to
take control about all the things around Inge’s life. Actually, David treats Inge
only as his property, as a means to release his passions, as a means to produce
babies. Inge becomes David’s sexual object. David never loves Inge since all
what he does to Inge is only to take revenge. He wants to take revenge since when
they were in senior high school, Inge rejected David’s love and the wound stayed
forever. In the same time, he does not want to lose Inge. He wants to own Inge as
his property.
Being David’s wife makes Inge’s movement restricted to her husband’s
will. David treats her only as his property. The legal status that they have as a
husband and wife, only makes the situation getting worst, it strengthens David’s
power to own Inge fully. With the legal status, David feels that he could own Inge
fully. David does not appreciate Inge’s rights that she should deserve as a woman
to do and not, Inge strives for her rights bravely. One of the examples is when
they decided to move to Sydney, for the first time after their marriage Inge
bravely decides to do what she wants to, she prefers to leave her husband in order
to understand more about herself. She has a neighbor named Lilith, she is a witch
and she could do magic to reach her will. Lilith wants to trap Inge in order to ruin
her family. Lilith introduces Inge to her friend, Paul. She sets everything to ruin
Inge’s family. With Lilith’s trick Inge is trapped in such difficult situation, a
situation that actually Inge does not want to be in. Lilith wants to ruin her family,
therefore she tells David that Inge is unfaithful to him. David feels angry,
betrayed by Inge. He forces Inge to go home rather than with Paul. What Inge did
is somehow a kind of unfaithfulness act, but, inside she feels when she is with
Paul, she feels different, warm, and being loved. Although what Paul wants only
her body, she finds something different, which she sure, she wants it. Therefore,
bravely she rejects David’s order to come back home. She remains stay with Paul.
“No David, this bargain I can’t enter. I’ll stay here,” I say finally. (p.83)
Inge’s decision to stay with Paul shows that she is a brave woman in
making such decision. She prefers to understand more deeply who she is by
staying with Paul rather than going home and being David’s property.
Moreover, when David is accepted to be the new teacher in Papua New
Guinea, Inge decides to follow him to the remote area. She does not feel afraid to
the new environment. In fact, she could adapt well, and get along with the natives.
Kiwa-Kiwa. The other women feel they are trapped in that remote area, but not with
Inge. She feels that she loves that place very much.
“I feel drawn to everything I see. I can’t get enough of that crazy green twilight when everything seems to be at a standstill waiting for the nightfall. I can’t help dancing to their music. I can see my self living the way their woman live. They’re so natural.”(p.111)
Inge’s decision to leave Sydney and make new life in Papua New Guinea
gives tribute to understand more who she is. Her bravery to follow her husband
and live in a remote area has developed her own characteristics. Living in a
remote area has made Inge’s eyes widely open. She meets Tugl, the native man.
She makes decision to make love with Tugl, although she knows the effects. She
does it in a matter to get the deeper knowledge to understand who she is, what
actually life is and what she wants in her life. After making love to Tugl, she feels
her eyes are opened widely. She chooses to leave David once again.
“For days on end I think about the note I’ll leave David and Lena. In the end I write what many wives before me have written.
Forgive me, but I can’t stand it anymore. I’m leaving with Rua. My darling Lena, I’ll be back for you. Be good.” (p.153)
That kind of action shows that Inge is a brave woman in making such
decision. She prefers to leave her husband and her daughter in order to understand
more who she is and to find her freedom, her quest for herself with all of the
consequences. Her characteristic as a brave woman completes the complexity as a
2. Inge is an Independent Woman.
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995: 604), independent is the
state of being not dependent on other people or things; not controlled by other
people or things. Inge’s independence could be seen from her past. Although she
lived in a broken family, it did not make her lost her dignity as a woman. Her
childhood was full of sorrow, since her family was migrants, therefore young Inge
was forced to adapt in the new environment. Besides she had to face the problem
inside her family. Since Inge was a little girl, her mother, Lisl never loved her
because she was an unwanted baby. Inge’s mother traded her body in order to get
safety from the war and when Inge’s mother gave birth to Inge, she was still too
young. Young Inge never got love from her mother neither from her step father.
She was lack of affection, her step father, Karl always took advantages to rape
her. Inge spent her adolescent years avoiding her step father’s advances and in
return she got her independence. She could not depend herself on her mother
neither her grandmother. They seemed to blame Inge for Inge’s beauty that made
Karl attracted to her. They always tried to make Inge really ugly or locked up her
so that she could not get into trouble. Actually what children needed the most
were to be loved, but young Inge never got love, she was lack of affection. Lisl
did not give any support at all or try to protect Inge from her step father’s
advances, however, she kept on blaming and hating Inge, she could not stand
anymore and preferred to run away. Lisl, Inge’s mother kept on hating Inge until
Inge’s childhood was unhappy and full of sorrow. She had to survive for
the internal problems in her family and also external problem, which she had to
face her new environment as a migrant from Germany. She had to work hard to
be accepted in the new school, she had to learn English, she had to blend with the
other students in her new school. This hard situations that she got had made her
independence grew since she could not depend to anyone to live her adolescent
years.
“The school is tiny, one for the seniors, one for the juniors, in the larger room I learnt to speak English, to hate my origins, to survive; blending into the rhythms, the nuances, the hierarchy of my surroundings.”(p.42)
She had to force herself to do what actually she did not want to do in order
to be accepted in the new environment. Finally she was accepted in her new
environment, she could adapt well, she was welcomed by her friends, and in a
way, she became popular girl in her school, and through her effort in struggling to
live in her new environment by herself had shown her independence as a girl.
In Kiwa-Kiwa where David becomes a teacher, Inge also shows her
independence. Most of the white wives have boy house, a native young man who
could help all of the house works with low price only for eight dollar a week. But
not with Inge, she does not want to have it since she still could do the house work
by herself. When one of the wives asks Inge why she does not want to have
helper at her house, she answers that she still can do all of the house work by
herself.
one? Alice says.
“Well I don’t want know. It’s a bit like slave labor, isn’t it? I mean we get twenty times that amount and having a grown man do your housework when you’re quite able bodied as a bit strange.”(p.105)
By preferring not to have a helper at her house although the payment is
cheap, Inge not only shows her independence, that she still could handle all the
household things by herself, but also her concerns about the slavery labor issue.
Moreover, when one of the teachers in Kiwa-Kiwa is leaving she is
offered to replace the place as the new teacher. Although her background of
education does not fit with the subject she has a will to try it. By trying to fill the
position, she wants to prove to David that she is also capable to teach. She could
do like what David could. She goes alone to the Moresby, where the education
department is located. Although the place is really far away from her village and
the street is not in a good condition, she still goes by herself, she does not ask her
husband to take her to the education department, and it shows her independence
too as a woman. David, as Inge’s husband, does not feel happy to know Inge’s
succeed to fill the position, in fact he looks suspiciously, as if Inge does not have
the ability to teach. By becoming the new teacher, in the other hand Inge wants to
prove to David that she could do whatever she wants and that she has the ability
to do it. In conclusion, Inge could be said as an independent woman. She could
3. Inge is a Kind-hearted Woman.
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995: 601), the state of being
kind means showing concern about the happiness and feelings others in a gentle
and friendly way. As a human, her loyalty to her friends and her families is very
big. She has a good heart and sensitive feeling. When she lives with David in a
shared-house with their friends, the one who takes care of David is Inge. She
makes him breakfast, waits for David until he returns from work, does the house
work, etc.
“I rise with him, make him breakfast, escort him to the tram, walk back down Rathdowne Street, wash the dishes, do whatever housework doesn’t distract from the general mess. I wait for him to return, afraid of the space his absences creates.”(p.11)
Inge owes to David since he saved her from her past. Although David
treats Inge merely as his property, a means to release lust, but Inge always tries to
be good to David. The sexual relationship that they have was always cold because
there is no love and it is only to satisfy lust. Although inside her heart Inge feels
disappointed with the sexual relationship that she has but she feels that she owes
so much to David. She has to barter her body to the freedom that she dreamt for
and also to get the shelter and protection. For all what David has done to Inge, she
prefers to stay with him.
In their house, they share the rooms with Fitz, a man, a friend of David
and also Jo, a woman. Although they live in the same house, it seems that Fitz and
happens because they have different perspective towards life and different
idealism. Although Jo is a woman, but she is very tomboy. She used to ride a
bike. It seems that Fitz hate it. According to Fitz a woman should be at home, do
the households, fulfill men’s needs and satisfy their sexual pleasure. He praises
free sex and he thinks that women are worthless, they are merely means to satisfy
sexual desire. Fitz hates Jo’s dignity of being a free woman, therefore he sets to
ruin it by raping her. He sets everything and gives Jo poison that makes Jo
unconscious so that he could release his lust to her.
Fitz rapes Jo successfully. Watching the sexual violence that is done to her
friend, Jo, Inge’s sympathy as a woman appears. She could feel what Jo feels.
After that, she helps Jo to fix up with her clothes. She feels empathy for Jo,
although Jo seems underestimates Inge. Having the same feeling as women, she
feels that her hatred to men becomes bigger, she feels that what Fitz has done to
Jo seems to underestimate her, does not respect women’s rights and it makes
Inge’s eyes open widely.
The other friend of Inge, Sue who praises love more than anything has the
same tragic fate. Sue is the kind of woman who believes and praises love more
than anything. She keeps her virginity until the man who is destined for her is
coming. She keeps on waiting ad waiting. At that time if a grown up woman still
keeps her virginity until she gets married, people will regard it as something old
and awkward. As a woman, Inge respects Sue’s idealism. Sometimes she feels a
Until one day, Sue is being raped by three masked-men, but Sue recognizes that
one of them is her boy friend. She feels disappointed, lost hope, lost faith and lost
everything. Hearing her lovely friend got an accident, Inge searches for Sue, she
feels sad for what happened to Sue.
“Sue, I heard what happened.” She is still, silent. I sit beside her, my arm around her shoulder, my face amongst her hair. Sue is a statue. She is rigid, like the other statues; the marbe Angel Gabriel, the tiny agonized Jesus. I am the first to sob and then she joins in. Sue’s hair holds our many tears.” (p.33)
This shows Inge’s kindness towards her friend. Inge feels empathy and
disappointed at the same time. She feels disappointed to men. Men always treat
women as their stuff, to release lust and they do not respect women. What
happened to Sue has somehow, stronger Inge’s hatred to the system. The system
which underestimates women, gives unfair treatment and merely regards women
as sexual objects.
Although Inge has terrible past, she was raped by her step father, it seems
that she does not want to take revenge to her step father. Her sister, Monika seems
to hate her own father for what he did to Inge and the rest of the family. Monika
hates him and wants him to be imprisoned for he is a Nazi. Inside her heart, Inge
hates for what Karl did to her, but she does not want to take revenge. As a mature
woman and a mother, she feels that to take revenge is not a good thing to be done.
It is useless, since it does not solve the problem, and it will not change the
condition. Therefore, she rejects Monika’s and Sam’s ideas to imprison Karl.
got no evidence. I think it’s better to forget about it. He’s your own father, Monika,” I counter, shocked at the suggestion.”(p.49)
As a sister, Inge gives advice to Monika, but it does not mean that she
wants to take side with Karl. Inside, she has forgiven him to what he did to Inge.
Inge has erased him from her life, she is trying to live her new life without being
interrupted by her past. Therefore, Inge does not want to take revenge. Her
maturity as a woman grows up as the time goes by.
4. Inge is a Responsible Woman.
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995: 1000) responsible means
capable of being trusted; reliable and sensible. Inge is said to be a responsible
woman since she always accepts all of the consequences to what she has chosen in
her life. This could be seen when she is living with David and she finds herself is
pregnant. As a young woman in her twenties, she could choose to free herself by
aborting the fetus, but she has the responsibility to keep the baby. She chooses to
have the baby with all of the consequences. Although the doctor agrees to help her
doing abortion. She prefers to keep the baby.
“I can arrange an abortion for you. Dr. Mauris says cautiously. I go tomato red. “No, of course I don’t want an abortion.”(p.36)
Her motherly feeling appears and tries to save the baby inside her womb.
She chooses to keep it, although she is not ready yet to marry and so does with
David. By taking a big decision to marry the man whom she does not love
becomes the proof that she is responsible to her life and the baby’s inside. Inge is
