THE REFLECTION OF TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICAN
WOMEN AS SEEN IN GAIL PARENT’S SHEILA LEVINE IS
DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SITI SULASMI
Student Number: 024214103
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
THE REFLECTION OF TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICAN
WOMEN AS SEEN IN GAIL PARENT’S SHEILA LEVINE IS
DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SITI SULASMI
Student Number: 024214103
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
“
I TRUST THAT
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR
A REASON EVEN WHEN
WE
’
'
RE NOT WISE ENOUGH
TO SEE IT
”
FOR:
JESUS CHRIST
MY BELOVED MOTHER
MY BELOVED FATHER IN HEAVEN
MY LOVELY SISTERS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my creator, Jesus Christ for his blessing, and giving me strength in accomplishing this thesis. I would be nothing without his blessing and guidance.
I would like to give my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M. A. who has spent her time to guide me to finish this thesis. My special thanks go to my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M. Hum., for giving me some suggestions, and critical corrections for the betterment of this thesis. I also give my special thank to my beloved father in heaven, Bapak Palyadi, whom I know that you are always beside me when I am down; my mother, Ibu Warsilah, who always gives her affection, support, and prayer for me; my sisters, Witri and Bibin, for the attention, love, pray, and support in the completion my study; and my nephew, Reinandra Arriel, for cheering me up everyday. To Lek Sunar, Ndari, and Jarot thank you for your kindness and generosity.
I thank my friends in English Letters Department: Nunung, Alfina, Lia, and all other friends in English Letters 2002 for the friendship and memories we have shared together. I also thank Fitri, Wastu, Sari, Dewi, and Niken for sharing many wonderful times and laughter together that have been colouring my life. Thanks girls.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Theory of Character and Characterization………….………...8
2. Theory of Setting………...10
3. Relation between Literature and Society…………...11
C. Review on the Characteristics and Lifestyles of the Twentieth Century American Women………..12
A. The Characteristics and Lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk Described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York….…26 1. The Characteristic of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk Described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York………...26
a. Willing to Develop Themselves as Independent Women...26
b. Free to Look for Their Own Interest………...29
c. Possessing the Traditional Qualities of Women………..34
2. The Lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk Described in
Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York……...………..…....41
a. Delaying and Avoiding Marriage………....41
b. Premarital Sexual Intercourse………..45
c. Taking Occupation Related With Traditional Qualities of Women………...…………..50
d. Getting Higher Education………....52
e. Reading Books, Shopping, Vacation as Leisure Activities……...55
B. The Relationship between the Characteristics and Lifestyles of the Two Female Characters to the Characteristics and the Lifestyles of Twentieth Century American Women: A Reflection……….………..……….60
1. Reflection of the Twentieth Century American Women’s Characteristics in the Novel………....………...……..…61
a. Willing to Develop Themselves as Independent Person…….….…61
b. Free to look for Their Own Interest……….…….……...64
c. Possessing the Traditional Qualities of Women………...70
2. Reflection of The Twentieth Century American Women’s Lifestyles in the Novel……….……….……...71
a. Reflection on Delaying and Avoiding Marriage………... 71
b. Reflection on Premarital Sexual Intercourse………...73
c. Reflection on Occupation Related With the Traditional Qualities of Women………....………74
d. Reflection on Higher Education………...75
e. Reflection on Reading Books, Shopping and Vacation as Leisure Activities ………...……76
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………78
BIBLIOGRAPHY……….…….81
APPENDIX……….84
ABSTRACT
Siti Sulasmi (2007). The Reflection of Twentieth Century American Women as Seen in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
This study is focused on Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. The author of this work presented the way of American women in going through their life. Through its two female characters, the work portrays the characteristics and the lifestyles of twentieth century American women.
In this study, the writer has two main problems to be discussed. The first problem is to find out the characteristics and lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. The second problem is how the characteristics and the lifestyles of the main character and the minor character in Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York portray characteristics and lifestyles of the twentieth century American women.
A library research method was conducted in this study. Besides using Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York as the primary source, the writer uses the secondary sources taken from some books and websites dealing with the study and supporting analysis of the novel. Some sources were A Handbook to literature by C. Holman and William Harmon (1986), Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel by M. J. Murphy (1972) and Theory of Literature (1956) by Renne Wallek and Austin Warren. Then, the writer also uses the review on the characteristics and lifestyles of twentieth century American women as another source to support this study.
ABSTRAK
Siti Sulasmi (2007). The Reflection of Twentieth Century American Women as Seen in Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York.Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Penelitian ini difokuskan pada Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York karya Gail Parent. Pengarang dalam karya sastra ini menyajikan cara hidup wanita Amerika dalam menjalani kehidupan sehari-hari. Penggambaran tentang karakteristik dan gaya hidup dari wanita Amerika pada abad keduapuluh dilihat melalui dua karakter wanita dalam karya sastra tersebut
Pada penelitian ini, penulis mengetengahkan dua permasalahan. Permasalahan yang pertama adalah apa saja karakteristik dan gaya hidup dari Sheila Levine dan Linda Minsk dalam Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. Permasalahan yang kedua adalah bagaimana karakteristik dan gaya hidup dari kedua karakter wanita dalam karya sastra tersebut menggambarkan karakteristik dan gaya hidup dari wanita Amerika pada abad keduapuluh.
Studi pustaka digunakan dalam studi ini. Disamping menggunakan Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York sebagai sumber utama, penulis menggunakan sumber sekunder yang dimbil dari beberapa buku dan situs internet yang berhubungan dengan studi ini dan mendukung analisis novel. Beberapa sumber tersebut adalah A Handbook to literature oleh C. Holman and William Harmon (1986), Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel oleh M. J. Murphy (1972) dan Theory of Literature (1956) oleh Renne Wallek dan Austin Warren. Disamping itu, penulis juga menggunakan tinjauan karakteristik dan gaya hidup wanita Amerika pada abad keduapuluh sebagai sumber lain yang mendukung analisis dalam studi ini.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
As time goes by, society’s views toward marriage have changed. In the last centuries, many people believed that the true and most important role of women in society were to get married and have children. In marriage, they were expected to do the housework, care for the children, cook the meals, and also follow the lead of the husband and respect him. Not all of those roles are there among women in the twentieth century. Marriage and having children were not priority in women’s life. Women in the twentieth century had to “combine between kindness and affection with new found feminine traits like independence and assertiveness” (Rice, 1997:358).
The general condition that happened in America during the twentieth century also influenced the life of American women. During that time, there were expansion on industrialization and technology. The opportunity to join the labor force was opened more widely for American people, including the women. This affected the financial fulfillment for women. Women became financially fulfilled and were allowed to do many activities to please them. Women also did not need to enter marriage in order to be happy and financially fulfilled since marriage in the last centuries was aimed to give financial support and social identity for women.
The characteristics of American women in 20th century can be used to expand the vision and knowledge of other people who do not belong to that group. The record of the characteristics of American single women in twentieth century can be found in many media, one of those media is literary work.
Since Wellek and Warren have stated in Theory of Literature that “literature represents life and life is a social reality” (1956: 94), the readers may find out how the story in the literary work reflects the real condition of society. Either many or just a little, the characteristics of the real life are put into literature. Then, the reflection can be used as a social record of human being.
One genre of literary work that can be seen as the reflection of real life is chick lit novel. “A chick lit author takes a woman character and puts them through a series of mostly realistic ordeals that many women in society can relate to”(http://chicklitbooks.com/whatis.php). Through chick lit novel, an artist is able to create various characters experiencing usual life problems, such as love, marriage, relationship, and weight issue, that many women in reality have experienced by themselves.
In this thesis, the writer is interested in analyzing a chick lit novel entitled Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York by Gail Parent. The writer chooses
Gail Parent with that novel because Gail Parent is one of the women writers who has experience living in America in twentieth century; therefore this novel more or less reflects one of the aspects that exist in American society in the twentieth century, which is the life of women. Besides, this novel is interesting to discuss since Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York was Gail Parent’s first novel that was
published among the first chick lit novel. This novel was written in 1972 and become a bestseller novel. Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York presents funny moment that is mixed with the bitterness in life.
characteristics. By paying attention to the characteristics of the main and minor character in the novel, the reader can get knowledge about the life of American women in the twentieth century.
In this thesis, the writer will analyze Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk’s characteristics and lifestyles as the reflection of American women in the twentieth century. The broad range of time from the beginning until the end of twentieth century allows many changes happened among American women in that century. The characteristics and lifestyles discussed here are the generalization of American women’s characteristics and lifestyles done during that range of time. During this century, many American women decided to avoid or delay marriage. These women were more open to new experience and they are also freer to absorb anything going on around them so that they can turn on to life as never before. They were also free to choose and decide the types of work, place to live, and friends. Moreover, women in America in the twentieth century were free to choose every activity to please themselves and to arrange their own life. They also had freedom on sexuality. These women spent their free time in many pleasing activities such as shopping, reading books, and traveling.
minor character, which also reveals the characteristics and lifestyles of American women in that era.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study above, the writer formulates three research problems that can be used to lead this study about the reflection of American women in the twentieth century seen in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. The questions are formulated as follows:
1. What are the characteristics and lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York?
2. How do the characteristics and lifestyles of the main character and the minor character in Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York reflect the characteristics and lifestyles of the twentieth century American women?
C. Objectives of the Study
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Review of Related Studies
In this part, the writer shows some studies and criticisms on Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine are dead and Living in New York. Firstly, there is a thesis written by
Windy Wirdhoningrum entitled “The motivation of Sheila Levine in committing Suicide as seen in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York.” Wirdhoningrun says that Sheila Levine’s personalities, which are pessimistic, easy to give up, negative thinking girl, perfectionist and dreamer, makes her easy to feel desperate in facing problems in her life. Sheila is not able to follow the rules and norms that prevail in her society and family. She also has to face problems about her physical appearances and single status. Sheila has to struggle very hard to get man to be married but they have no result at all, while her age running. According Wirdhoningrum, Sheila is frustrated in facing many problems in her life. Therefore, she wants to end her suffer, get happiness, get satisfaction and freedom by committing suicide.
no real friends, and being alone in a big city. The answer for Sheila’s misery is to commit suicide. But before she commits suicide, Sheila Levine writes a note to all people that have caused her pain. Sheila wants to make sure that everyone knows that she died because she was not a married woman (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ 1585674710/002-6672109-9432862?redirect =true).
Another criticism, which is from an editorial review written in Newsweek, says that Sheila Levine is taught that get married is a must. Besides, according to this criticism, Sheila Levine is a portrait of liberated single women living in New York City. Sheila Often gets many failures in her life, such as her failure to lose her weight and finds a right man to be married. Her failures disappoint her and it turns to desperation. This editorial review points out that Sheila desperation leads her to commit suicide. Therefore, she writes a suicide note to her parents to explain everything before she kills herself (http:/www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585674710/ 002-6672109-9432862?redirect=true).
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Since the topic deals with the main character, the writer considers that the understanding on character and characterization in relation with the work of literature is very significant to do the analysis.
According to Abrams, characters are the person presented in dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say in the dialogue and by what they do by the action (Abrams; 1981:20).
Robert Stanton in An introduction to Fictions defines character in two ways: the first, a character gives a particular description about the individual who appears in the story, and the second, a character refers to the mixture of interest, desires, emotions, and moral principles that form the individual (1965:17).
Holman and Harmon in their book A Handbook of Literature divide character into dynamic and static character. The character that gradually undergoes changes as their respond to the actions and plot of the story are called dynamic characters. And, the characters that do not respond s to the action and plot and do not change are called static characters (1986:83).
Holman and Harmon also explain about characterization. They say that characterization is the creation of imaginary persons in fictions, such as novel, drama, and short story; therefore they exist for the reader as lifelike. They define three method s of characterization afterwards: firstly, by the explicit presentation from the author of the character through direct exposition; secondly, by the presentation of the character in action, and, thirdly, by the representation from within a character (1986:81).
M.J. Murphy in his book Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students illustrates several aspects in which
author gives a clue to person’s character through the dialogue of other people and the thing they say about him. The sixth is reaction; here the readers get clues from the reaction of the person to various situation and events. The seventh is straightforward opinion and description from the author. The eight is the characters’ way of thinking is given by the author to make the readers understand about the characters. The last is peculiar habit of behaviour or speech of characters (1965: 16).
2. Theory of Setting
Settings of the stories explain the motif and reason of the characters in doing what they are doing. Setting of stories does not only describe about the time and place of the story but also the social circumstances of the story. The setting of a narrative or dramatic work is the general locale, historical, time and social circumstances in which its action occur (Abrams, 1981:175).
Van de Laar and Schoenderwoerd in An Approach to English Literature emphasize that scene and environment is as important as the characters themselves, as the characters are determined and shape by the environment. Moreover, they state that the place or scene in that novel must be taken from real life, but it can not be directly taken from real life (1963:172).
a. The actual geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements as the location of the windows and doors in a room. b. The occupational and daily manners of living of the characters.
c. The time and period in which the action takes place.
d. The general environment of the characters, e.g. religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional condition through in which the people in the narrative move (1986: 465).
3. Relation between Literature and Society
According to Rene Wellek and Austin Warren in their book, Theory of Literature, literature is a creation of society that uses language as the medium.
Literature expresses the reality in society, but it does not express the whole reality. It only pictures some specific situation in the society. Besides, literature also presents historical and social truth of human life (1956:94-95)
Moreover, literature is also seen as social documents that convey the reality in the society. Therefore, it can be used as the outline of social history (Wellek and Warren, 1956:102-103).
C. Review on the Characteristics and Lifestyles of Twentieth Century American
Women
The twenty century in America was an era in which there was a great industrialization and technology improvement. “The production on food, clothing goods for repair, and maintenance was gradually increased” (Current, William, and Freidel, 1976:308). The invention of transportation and communication were much varied and used high technology. As a result, the demand on the labor was increased, and women also took part in the work force. By being part in the work force, women became financially fulfilled. They did not depend on men to support their life because they were able to fulfill their needs and began to delay or avoid marriage. They were also allowed to make many choices for their own life. American women in the twentieth century possessed “a new sense of self confidence and independence” (Rippa, 1967:250) and they “were freeing up their lives for more than in the past” (Kelley, 1986:822).
struggled for women improvement, such as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and Susan Brownmiller. They brought their idea to change women’s life in society.
However, the changes did not happen in all aspects in women’s life. The traditional images of women, which are “passive, dependent, meek gentle, warm, affectionate, sentimental, and sensitive” (Rice, 1997:358), still existed among women. In some aspect of life, women still showed that they did the ancient roles of women. American women in the twentieth century “could have recourse also to the role of traditional femininity” (Kelley, 1986:784).
The improvement that happened on women could be clearly seen through their lifestyles. The lifestyles here consist of marriage, sexual behavior, occupation, education, and leisure activities. Through those aspects, many people could know the way of the twentieth century American women going through their everyday life in society.
1. Marriage
children were not their life goal anymore. In addition unlimited career choices for women also influenced women decision to get married.
The number of women who chose to live as single had increased from time to time during the twentieth century. ‘The proportion of adult living alone tripled in the three decades after 1950, and by 1990 nearly one third of women aged 25 to 29 had never married’ (Bailey and Kennedy, 1991:1004) Those women kept their unmarried status and decided to live without partner. According to Schur, “The proportion of women (aged 25-29) as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau who have never married had risen from 10. 5% in 1960 to 18% in 1978” (http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/spinster.html).
Moreover, the average age marriage of women also rose in the late of twentieth century. Many American women stayed single for the longer time. In the late of the twentieth century, “the average marriage age had risen to 25, and women did not marry until their thirties and then had only one child” (Chafe, 1994:115). During this time, the interest of women on having child was decreased. Some women did not believe anymore that ‘having a child was a source of pride and achievement’ (Chafe, 1994:41). Children became one of limitation for women to live freely. Therefore, the use of birth control was very popular among women in that era.
Skolnick added that there were some women who live together with their partner without being married (1984:240). Besides, some other unmarried women lived together with their unmarried friends. “In attempt to combat the effects of loneliness and isolation, in todays society an increasing number of never married and single individual living together to share expenses and companionship” (Dobos, Mastin, and Moore, 1977:67). A single woman shared one apartment with the other single women to reduce the spending for the place to live.
2. Sexual Behavior
Sexual behavior of American women in the twentieth century also changed. Since there was easier access to control unwanted pregnancy, many women whether married or not got freedom on sexuality by having sexual intercourse outside marriage.
(Chafe, 1994:115). By having premarital intercourse, women could have more than one sexual partner; therefore they could change their sexual partner as they wanted.
In this century, there was another understanding about the meaning of sexual freedom among some women in America. For those women “sexual freedom meant freedom from unwanted children, not only through contraception but, when necessary, through abortion” (Current, et al, 1976:396). During this era, contraception and abortion were used to control pregnancy (Henretta, Brody, and Dumenil, 1999:879).
The widespread of premarital intercourse in America affected on “the obsession with and explicit description of sexual intercourse in reading material for masses” (Kelley, 1986:831). Many women read magazines which discussed about sexual intercourse or the way to gain sexual satisfaction.
3. Occupation
In the beginning and the middle of the twentieth century, the choice of job for women was still limited. As it stated by Henretta et al that “occupational segmentation remained the norm, more than 80% working women did stereotypical ‘women’s work’ as salesperson, health –care technicians, waitress, domestic servants, telephone operators, and secretaries” (1999:784-785). In addition, according Robert Kelley “as late as the 1970s they tended still to concentrate overwhelmingly in traditional activities: as typist, maids, teachers, nurses, cashiers, and saleswomen” (1986:783). Meanwhile, Currie and Skolnick said that “women’s work, even at the highest level of conventional status and pay, often becomes defined as an extension of the type of work women have traditionally done at home, teaching, nurturing, feeding, cleaning”(1984:219). They added that between 1960s until 1970s “Most women professionals are teachers, nurses or social workers…” (1984:232).
Even though women could join in the workforce, the ancient role of women still attach to them. Moreover, in the beginning and the middle of the twentieth century, women did not get payment as much as men did. Robert Kelley said that “in all categories of employment women received less pay” (1986:783). However, according to Chafe, “ By the mid 1970s, the number of women planning to ender traditionally ‘feminine’ careers, such as elementary school teaching or nursing, fell from 31% to 10%” (1994:89).
child rearing” (Henretta et al, 1999:879). By delaying or avoiding marriage and child rearing, women had flexibility to choose the types of job they wanted (http://www. findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0826/is/_n7_v7/ai_11518232/pg_3). Those women could choose the most suitable jobs for them. They also could move from one job to another easily since as being single, they did not have to put husband and children become part of consideration to take the decision about the type and place to work.
4. Education
One of the results of women struggle to gain equality with men was women opportunity to have higher education as men did. In the twentieth century, American women had greater chance to get higher education. Having higher education became one of the lifestyles of American women in the twentieth century. Antonia Chayes said that “…continuing education for women especially for the blessed with certain degree of prior education and worldly comfort is on its way to becoming part of the American way of life” (Rippa, 1967:253).
Moreover, the rise of women who decided to delay or avoid marriage had allowed getting higher education. Since they did not have responsibility to take care of family, they had freedom to continue their study on the highest level. Women who had unmarried status had greater educational opportunity (http://michaelstone.net/prince.htm)
5. Leisure Activities
As being part of American society, American women got a lot of influences from American society in general. Therefore, the way of twentieth century American people spent their leisure time was also done by the women. During this century, “many women turned inward to enjoy the private satisfactions of leisure and consumerism” (Henretta et al, 1999:779).
Reading books became an activity that was done during the leisure time of many American people, especially the women, in the twentieth century. According to Norton et al, the amount of people who read books was increased during this century (1984:464). As a result, the great amount of books reader affected o the increase of its sales. Boyer, Clark, and Purvis said that “book sales doubled” between 1950 and 1960 (1990:1028).
consumerists (Ritchie, Altoff, and Wilson, 1985: 548). In addition, the number of malls in America which “had risen to almost 4000” allowed women to do shopping easily (Henretta et al, 1999:787).
Meanwhile, traveling was also one of the activities that was done by many women in America in the twentieth century. According to Kelley, “many people go 500 miles over the course of a week end to ski, swim, mountain climb…” (1986:816). But, this activity was mostly done by single women since they still had freedom to do a lot of things without burdened by the responsibility toward family. Those freedoms allowed them to be “more frequently taking vacations on their own” (http://www.csmonitor.com/atcsmonitor/specials/women/miror/miror/041299.html). In addition, there were ”hundreds of travel companies had become savvy to this population’s thirst for adventure, offering increasingly challenging women only treks across desert and over mountains” (http://blocritics.org/archives/3003/11/15/ 133352.php).
D. Theoretical Framework
through personal description, conversations, thought, comment, reaction, and habit. Besides, the writer also applies theory of setting from Abram’s, Horman and Halmon, and Van de Laar and Scoenderwoerd’s to reveal the lifestyles of the main and minor character that are seen through actual geographical location, daily manner of living, the time of the action, and general environments of the characters.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study in this study is Gail Parent’s novel; entitled Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York. This novel was first published in August
1972 by G.P. Putnam’s sons. The writer uses the second edition of Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York that is published in July 1973 by Bantam Books, Inc. This novel consists of 218 pages that are divided into 12 chapters. Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York is Gail Parent’s first novel and was published among the first chick lit book (http://entertainment.excite.com/celebgossip/lizsmith/id/ 02_12_ 2004. html).
The novel has been made into a film in 1975 and released by Paramount Pictures with Harry Korshak as the producer. The film, which has time duration of 119minutes, was directed by Sidney J. Furie and stared by Jeannie Berlin.
Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York is a hilarious suicide note of
freedom to manage their own life, such as to get education, choose the place and type of work that want. But both of them have difficulty in finding the right men to be married. Related to that problem, Sheila Levine feels more unfortunate than Linda Minsk. She is pessimistic about her opportunity to get married. Therefore, she decides to commit suicide. Before she commits suicide, she prepares everything for the funeral by herself.
B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing this work, the writer uses sociocultural-historical approach. According to Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Wood in the book Reading and Writing about Literature, sociocultural-historical approach locates the real work in reference to society that produce it. It sees a work of literature as the result of the society condition through the author hands (1971:9).
In addition, sociocultural-historical approach will allow the writer to get deeper understanding about the society, culture, and historical background of the society where the text takes place and time. By knowing the actual condition behind the text, the writer will be able to reveal the idea that author wants to inform to the readers.
C. Method of the Study
The analysis in this study uses library research method. The primary data used in this study is Gail Parent’s Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York. The secondary data were essays and articles taken from books and websites. Theories that were used in this study for example, theory on character and characterization by M.J. Murphy in his book entitled Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students and theory on setting by Holman and Harmon in his book entitled A Handbook to literature. In order to compare the study with the real condition that happened in society, then review about the characteristics and lifestyles of American women in the twentieth century are applied.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter is divided into two main parts. The first part deals with the analysis on the characteristics and the lifestyles of two women characters. The second part is focused on comparing the lifestyles of the two women characters related to their characteristics which portray the twentieth century American women’s lifestyles which are also related to the characteristics.
A. The Characteristics and Lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk
Described in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York
1. The Characteristics of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk Described in Sheila
Levine is dead and living in New York
a. Willing to Develop Themselves as Independent Persons
The mothers promised to give them money from their own castlehold expenses, but the princesses said, “No, we must do it on our own. We must find another princess to share the expenses” (Parent, 1973:42).
As being independent women, Sheila and Linda are able to gain happiness and satisfaction by themselves. They earn money to afford their own apartment, afford the vacation to Europe, and fulfill the other needs by themselves.
“It’s been great. A lot of fun. I’m glad I didn’t get married right out of college. Look at all the things we’ve done. Worked, had our own apartment, seen Europe.”
“Yeah….” (Parent, 1973:79).
Sheila and Linda work after they graduate from college. At first, Sheila works for Frank Holland Hyman in a children’s record business. Then she changes her jobs and works for Frank Holland’s boss, Mrs. Cox. After that, she works as a teacher for the seventh grade English student. Sheila chooses to work as a teacher because she does not want to depend on other people when she gets old.
Thought about pensions and everything. I taught seventh-grade English on the Lower East Side. It wasn’t easy, the kids were tough, but the job had its benefits. The pay was good-Christmas and Easter off, summer vacations (Parent, 1973:140-141).
Sheila has to consider the amount of money that she makes from the job she takes since she wants to be independent to support her life. She realizes that she is responsible for her own life. Sometimes, Sheila feels worry that she can not earn money and fulfill her needs anymore.
great…Maybe I should go to Bloomingdale’s on Thursday night and pick up a top to go with them…I’ll charge it” (Parent, 1973:15).
Linda is the same as Sheila who works to support her life. After she graduates from college, she works as a welfare worker for the Department of Welfare. Then, she decides to move to Los Angeles and gets a modeling job. Living in Los Angeles means she is able to live alone and to take care of herself.
Next, being independent women influences Sheila and Linda’s decision to get higher education. The opportunity to study at college makes them get more knowledge and be more confident. Sheila gets knowledge about art that enables her to discuss many things related to art with her boyfriend, Norman.
We walked around the Metropolitan saying things like Renaissance art, Impressionistic, Expressionistic, etc., and Norman brought me home, didn’t spend a dime on me, not a nickel (Parent, 1973:6).
Sheila gets bachelor degree after four years she studies Dramatics Art in the school of education at Syracuse and New York University. Her status as a college graduate is used as one of the qualification to apply for a job.
Sheila also used her knowledge that she gets from college to work as a teacher. She decides to works as a teacher and applies her knowledge that she gets from the school of Education because working as a teacher gives her good payment so that she can support her life by her own effort.
her. It makes her have ability to decide where she stands. She has her own opinion about certain problem so that she does not follow other’s opinion. She can decide anything by herself.
“I don’t know. So many things he does irk me. Like he’s supposed to be this fantastic liberal, but I don’t think he is. I think he just likes the idea of being called liberal. You know what I think? I think he has middle-class values. That’s what I think” (Parent, 1973:86).
Linda’s awareness about the importance of education is seen from her spirit to continue her study. She plans to gets her master in fine art in Paris. She does do that plan, but she continues to study something else, which is Eastern Religion 101 in New York University.
Sheila’s arrangement of her own funeral shows that she is an independent woman. She does not want to bother other people with many things for her funeral. Therefore, she arranges everything related for the funeral by herself.
“Did you hear? The Levine girl killed herself.” “What a horrible thing to do to her parents.”
“She arranged for the whole funeral and bought her own plot and tombstone and everything” (Parent, 1973:155).
b. Free to Look for Their Own Interest
Sheila’s mother often tells Sheila that she should not let any guy to have sexual intercourse with her. But Sheila does not listen to her mother because she likes to have sexual intercourse.
Whadda you mean, Mom, don’t let a boy touch you, you know where? It feels good when they touch you, you know where (Parent, 1973:12).
Sheila is free to do the thing that she likes. No one can stop her to do the thing she wants. Sheila does sexual intercourse with guy even though her mother has told her not to do it.
Sheila also does not want to hear what her mother is saying about wearing a nice dress. Sheila often wears clothes as she likes and does not follow what her mother wants. Sheila’s mother can not control her to do the things that she wants. Sheila does the thing that she really wants to do.
So I went the artistic route. I wore pants and sweat shirts and sneakers without socks in the snow.
“Manny, I don’t know why hat girl doesn’t catch pneumonia.”
Mom, you used to beg me to put on a nice dress. Practically every night when I come home, there was another box from Klein’s with a “cute little outfit” (size fourteen) in it. I made you take them back, but they keep coming. Dresses in slandering color, matching skirts and sweaters, a black cocktail dress for when I went out to dinner (Parent, 1973:14).
“Boy, did my parents give me the silent treatment when I left Parsippany this morning. They’re really upset when I’m leaving home. What about your mom? How’d she take it?”
“Great. No problem. Wished me luck.” “You’re kidding!”
“Of course I’m kidding. She’d rather have me frozen in her stand-up freezer than have my own apartment.”
“They’re all the same” (Parent, 1973:33).
Sheila’s mother tries to stop Sheila from doing what she wants which is to find their own place to live. Sheila still thinks that she should do what she wants since she realizes that she has freedom to decide anything she wants.
“Mom, please. I’m twenty-one years old. I should be able to decide where I’m going to live.”
“Listen here, College Graduate, you think you’re so smart. Twenty one is just a baby. You listen to your mother. You’re not too old for me to tell you what’s good and what’s not good. You let Hyman Silverman get you out of the lease and you’ll thank me for the rest of your life.” I’m not tanking you, Mom (Parent, 1973:38).
Sheila realizes that she has freedom to do what she wants. She is free to make decision for her own life matters including to choose her place to live.
“I don’t know. What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.” I don’t know because nobody’s ever asked me that question. “Were you crazy about that place?”
“No. All those alcoves. What it mean?” It means your Freedom to make a decision. That’s what it meant Linda (Parent, 1973: 41).
Sheila and Linda can decide any people to be their companion to live together in an apartment.
Sheila and Linda are happy that they do not get married soon. By being single for longer time, they can be free to do many things which are having their on job, apartment, and vacation to Europe.
“It’s been great. A lot of fun. I’m glad I didn’t get married out of college. Look at all the things we’ve done-worked, had our own apartment, seen Europe.”
“Yeah. I always wanted my own apartment for a year or so before I settled down. This way I know what I want. You know what I mean?” (Parent, 1973: 79).
Being single women leads them to be free to do what they want without thinking about the responsibility to take care of family. They are free to choose and do the type of job that they want. They also have freedom to decide the place to live. In addition, single status allows them to visit other places freely. Sheila and Linda do not have to put husband and children as part of their consideration to do all of those things.
Sheila is pregnant after she has done sexual intercourse with Thomas Brown. But she decides to do abortion since she wants to be free from many problems that may rise if she rears the baby alone.
I wasn’t feeling very maternal, and I didn’t feel that I was destroying a life. The abortion seemed like the easiest way out. A lot of girls had them, you know. Friend after friend after friend. Very common, those abortion were (Parent, 1973:148).
Sheila does not keep the baby because she wants to be free to do anything she wants without being responsible with the baby rearing. By doing abortion, she is free from the responsibility to take care of a child and be able to do what she wants. After Sheila breaks her relationship with Norman, she dates another man named Harold. They have sexual intercourse in the first night they meet each other. Their relationship is much about having sexual intercourse and Sheila enjoys this relationship. Harold admits that Sheila is a woman who has freedom to have sexual satisfaction as she wants. Therefore, she is free to look for sexual satisfaction from any men she likes.
This time when Harold left, he looked straight into my close-set brown eyes with the untweezed eye brows and said, “I’d like to fuck you net Wednesday.” I avoided his beady little eyes, which sat on top of his overgrown beard, and said, “Great.”
“I’m happy I found you Sheila. You are truly liberated woman.” (You hear that, Mom? A liberated woman!)
Sheila’s roommate, Linda, is also free to look for sexual satisfaction. She has changed sexual partner for thirteen times in order to get sexual satisfaction. She has freedom to choose her sexual partner and to do sexual intercourse as she likes.
In her daily life, Sheila does many things she likes freely. Sometimes she does not follow norms in society and only does the things she wants to do.
I started wearing plaid pleated skirts. I wore diagonal stripes and unslendering colors. I took cabs everywhere and didn’t worry about the meter. I went to Broadway shows and sat in the orchestra. It’s hard to believe that Jackie Onassis did those things without thinking twice (Parent, 1973:154).
As a woman, Sheila knows that fat person should not wears clothes with diagonal stripes but she wears it and does not care about her appearance. She also should take cab in the places that are allowed. Besides, she should sit on the audiences’ seat instead of orchestra. Sheila does any thing she wants freely without thinking about the effects that may happen because of her action. She is able to do the things she likes without being controlled by other people.
c. Possessing the Traditional Qualities of Women
When Sheila is in college she join with her lecturer, professor Hinley and her colleges student, Joshua, to run the drama production together. Sheila’s duties are to sweep the stage, prepare some food and drink for the professor, and keep Joshua fed and clothed. Sheila’s duties are related with women activities done at home.
After Sheila graduates from college, the first job that she takes is being a secretary for Mr. Frank Holland in a children record business. As being secretary, she is responsible to serve food and drink for her boss. Sheila’s job is also related with women’s duties at home.
It is widely known that Frank-Holland-Hyman wouldn’t have coffee and a Danish if it wasn’t brought by Sheila’s own hands. The picture would show me in a tight black dress, wrinkles cross the stomach, runs in the stockings, having a pretty big cheese Danish myself (Parent, 1973:28).
Another job that Sheila has taken is being a teacher for seventh grade English on the Lower East Side. Her duty to teach children is the same as a wife’s duty at home, which is to teach children.
I taught seventh-grade English on the Lower East Side. It wasn’t easy; the kids were tough, but the job had its benefits (Parent, 1973:140).
Linda also chooses the types of jobs related with women’s duties done at home. She works as a welfare worker for the New York Department of Welfare. She has a duty to help and take care of other people. A woman duty is also to take care of the family member. Linda’s job is also related with taking care of other.
After that, she also has worked as a model in Los Angeles. Working as a model is closed with one responsibility of women at home, which is clothing.
In daily life, Sheila and Linda do many things showing that they posses the basic qualities of women. When they hold a Halloween party at their apartment, Sheila does the cleaning. She does this activity which is the same as the women’s duty at home.
The day of the party I was dry mopping the floor when Linda came back from the beauty parlor, looking great (Parent, 1973:49).
During the party, Sheila still does the activity tat related with women’s duty. She serves drinks and foods for the guests and cleans the room. She tries to satisfy other people and keep the apartment neat.
I was the perfect hostess, getting drinks, making emergency dip, mopping up spills, emptying ashtrays into other ashtrays and getting really annoyed that I had let all these dirty people into my nice, clean home (Parent, 1973:56).
When Sheila and Linda have a vacation at Fire Island, She does a lot of things to make the cottage that they rent comfortable. She cleans up the cottage, makes sure that the device is working, and finds the groceries that are needed.
Next, Sheila also shows that she possesses the basic qualities of women when she dates Harold. Once, she serves food and drink for Harold when he spends a day at Sheila’s apartment. Serving food and drink considers a wife duty done to her husband.
Harold stayed all night. It was nice. So nice to wake up and see him there, to give him towels and toast, to squeeze an orange, to make love again in the morning, in the afternoon, in the early evening. Three more orgasms, folks. He left after dinner….I was dinner (Parent, 1973:175).
Linda also does women’s duty which is to serve food and drink for man. Linda cooks dinner for her boyfriend, Ivan Lumak, at his apartment. Although she can not cook well, she tries to serve food for him.
“No, thanks, Sheila. Linda made me a TV dinner, which she burned.”(He kissed the hand that ruined his dinner.) (Parent, 1973:86).
Looking after the cloth is one of the women’s responsibilities at home. Sheila has ability to keep her clothes in good condition. She has ability to sew her own cloth. “Well, I’ll be going back to my room now. I’m going to read a little Voltaire and sew my stockings. Linda, I’ll make your bed if you want” (Parent, 1973:86).
As a woman, Sheila has desire to have her own children. She wants to bear her own child. Being pregnant and bearing a child are the basic qualities of women. Although Sheila is finally does the abortion, she actually has an intention to keep her pregnancy.
FACT: Most single girls plan to have a child when they’re thirty-five heather they’re married or not and never do.
The prospect of actually planning for a fatherless child is indeed very interesting. You’d want the best possible genes-like a John Lennon maybe. If it’s your husband, you’re willing to take the wavy-hair genes. If you’re out there picking, you might as well have the best (Parent, 1973:147).
d. Thinking Mainly of Herself
Sheila and Linda often think only about themselves and do not care with other people. They only care about their own happiness.
Sheila does not want to see her sister, Melissa, happy because she should not marry before Sheila does. When Sheila’s mother tells Sheila that her sister will get married, Sheila is upset and wants the marriage be canceled. She prays bad things happen so that Melissa can not get married. Sheila does not want to attend the marriage. Sheila does not think about what her sister wants. Her sister wants the marriage happens and be happy because of it. Sheila only thinks she should get married first.
Worse. It was worse than mass murder. How can she get married before me? How could Luci Baines do it to Lynda Bird? I won’t go. I’ll go to California and hide, and no one will know where to find me. I don’t wish her well. I hope something terrible happens and she can’t get married. I’ll tell her future husband that there is a history of craziness in our family, and because of certain things Melissa has done, we’re sure she inherited it (Parent, 1973:119-120).
appointment that she has made. She cancels the appointment because she has another appointment with her boy friends.
I met this guy once from Cleveland. He didn’t know what restaurants to go to. He didn’t know what was playing on Broadway. He just wasn’t right for a sophisticated broad like me.
Some nights it was my turn to say, “I’m sorry, “to a girl friend because thus guy asked me out-just a guy, nothing much (Parent, 1973:138).
According to Sheila, going with guys is better than going with girl. Sheila often makes appointments to go out with girl friend but when suddenly meets a guy who asks her out, she will cancel the appointment with her and goes with the guy. It means that Sheila only thinks about her own happiness without thinking of girl friend that may spend the night alone.
During relationship with Norman, Sheila has been cheating him for three times. Since Norman can not give sexual satisfaction to her, Sheila decides to find other sexual partners. She has sexual intercourse with Thomas Brown Alfred Block, and Bernie. She does not let Norman knows about them.
Norman didn’t know about the Bernies and the Alfreds, and he was faithful to me. Like a little old married man afraid to cheat on his wife. No, probably not even afraid. More fucking just wasn’t on his schedule (Parent, 1973:150).
When Sheila decides to commit suicide, she wants Harold to attend the funeral. Suddenly, Harold tells Sheila that she can not attend it because she wants to go to East Hampton with his friend. Sheila is upset that he will not attend the funeral.
“Sheila, I was invited to go to East Hampton over the fourth.” “That’s nice.”
“You mean you don’t mind?” “Mind what?”
“That I miss the funeral and everything.” “Whadda you mean miss the funeral?”
“Well, this friend of mine, you know him, we were over there last New Year’s Eve, invited me out and asked me to drive out on the afternoon of the third and I said, yes, sort of ”(Parent, 1973:213).
She does not want to understand about what other people need. Harold really wants to go to that place but Sheila does not let him go. She wants Harold to follow what she wants.
Linda also thinks mainly about herself. It is shown when they hold a Halloween party at their apartment. Linda leaves Sheila cleans up the apartment alone while she goes to beauty parlor to make herself prettier. She only thinks about how to make herself has good appearance and does not care whether Sheila also wants to improve her appearance at beauty parlor or not.
Next, Linda also does not care about Sheila who is lonely in the first days of the vacation to Europe. Linda often goes with her boyfriend and leaves Sheila who walks around London alone.
Do I have to tell you that Linda and Charles skipped around town together night and day in each other’s arms, their London Fogs flapping in the breeze? And do I have to tell you that I saw the Tower of London, the Palace, Parliament, Soho, Piccadilly Circus, etc., etc., etc. by myself, alone, on a crowded bus tour? Do I have to tell you that I have a lot of stranger in my slides? (Parent, 1973:71).
Sheila feels lonely to go around London alone; and Linda does not want to know about it. She feels happy to be with her boy friend and she does not know whether other people feel. She only thinks about her own happiness and ignores other’s feeling.
2. The Lifestyles of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk Described in Sheila Levine is
Dead and Living in New York
a. Delaying and Avoiding Marriage
The willingness of Sheila Levine and Linda Minsk to develop themselves as independent persons affects their marriage decision. They decide to delay or avoid marriage and live independently without laying the responsibility to support their life on other people.
Sheila is taught by people in her environment that marriage is very important for women. Her relatives want Sheila to get married. In order to fulfill the society demand, Sheila tries hard to find a man to be her husband. Sheila’s desire to get married grows because many figures that she knows are in pairs.
I read Dick and Jane, and they had a mommy and a daddy who are married. Noah’s Ark, they came two by two. Everything comes in pairs but Sheila Levine (Parent, 1973: 4).
Sheila sees that every people have their own partner and she wants to be like other people. In addition, her desire to get married grows greater because many relatives and friends ask her about getting married when they attend Sheila’s younger sister’s marriage.
Thank you for coming.”…”Sheila, dear, you look wonderful. When you are going to get married?”(Fuck off) “Thank you for coming.”…”Sheila, I didn’t recognize you. You look wonderful. Pretty enough to be a bride yourself (Parent, 1973:135).
Actually, Sheila does not want to get married. She wants to live freely without burdened by responsibility of taking care of the family because by being single she can do anything she really wants. She tries not to follow the society expectation that every woman should marry. “I don’t want to get married and get tied down like Melissa, who is a dyke anyway” (Parent, 1973:133).
Sheila comes to see a doctor to consult about her problem related to marriage. She is bothered about her sister who is going to get married while she does not married yet. According to the doctor, Sheila is not jealous with the younger sister’s marriage, she is only not ready to get married. It makes her not married yet even though she has done many things to get married.
“Sheila you’ve been coming to me about a month now. My guess is, Sheila, that you’re running away from marriage” (Parent, 1973:129).
Besides, Sheila also can be seen as delaying marriage because she has tried hard to fulfill society expectation, which is to get married, but she does not find a right man to be her husband. She has tried hard to find a husband by improving her appearance, attending any occasion she invites, and also asking guys to marry her.
“Norman, this is silly. Really, it’s just silly. You’re here four nights a week. We’re practically married now. Why don’t we just sort of do it?”
“Do what?”
“Get married you know.”(There I go, proposing again.)
“Not now.” (Not now? Not now, you say? Why not now? You leading a wild bachelor life out there in Brooklyn?) (Parent, 1973:138-139).
On the other hand, Linda, Sheila’s roommate, does not get married yet because she does not find a right man to be her husband. She has dated several men but none of them is suitable for her. She has certain qualities to choose a man to be her husband.
“How come we never got married?”
She has a lot of opportunities to get married, but she feels difficult to find man who is really suitable for her. She often breaks her relationship with her dates because of simple reason. She tries to look for the best man to be her husband.
Linda had prospects for marriage every week. She was turning then down because they voted for Nixon or they were pro Johnson or they were phony dresses, and there was a new one they had no chance if they didn’t die from the Beatles’ third album (Parent, 1973:96).
Linda does not want to marry a man who does not like what she likes. She really wants a man who has many similarities with her. For Linda, it is better to live alone rather than having a husband who does not fulfill her standard. Therefore, she decides to delay marriage until she finds a perfect man to be her husband.
Besides, Sheila and Linda’s freedom to look for their own interest also affects them to delay marriage. Sheila and Linda feel that delaying marriage gives more advantages for them. Both of them actually do not want to get married in younger age. They also realize that they are free to do anything and to gain many things while they are single.
As a woman, Sheila has an intention to have child. She considers raising the baby alone, without looking for a father for it, but when she is pregnant she feels that she does not want to have a baby yet. “Actually, I always thought that I’d have a child at thirty five whether I was married or not” (Parent, 1973:146).
She has a plan to have a child when her age is thirty five, therefore when her age is not yet thirty five she decides to delay child bearing. At that time, she is not ready to have a child yet.
As mature women, Sheila and Linda do not want to live with their parents anymore. They want to live separately and be independent from them. Therefore they rent an apartment for their place to live. Since they do not marry yet, they decide to live together. They can share the expense and also avoid loneliness.
My roommate, Linda, and I decided way back in Syracuse that if weren’t married by he time we graduated, we probably would at least be engaged, and we would live together in Manhattan (Parent, 1973:29).
another. As single women, they need accompany to live, and they are free to choose someone whom they live with. They also have lived with men without any marital status.
b. Premarital Sexual Intercourse
One of Sheila and Linda’s characteristics which is freedom to look for their own interests influences their freedom on sexuality. In the novel, both Sheila and Linda are described as single women who have freedom in doing their sexual activity with men. They do sexual intercourse with different men without having marital status. Sheila and Linda often change their sexual partner as they want.
Sheila has sexual intercourse for the first time and loses her virginity when she is in college. She has sexual intercourse with a man named Will Fisher in the first time she meets him.
So, finally, as the sun was beginning to rise, I, Sheila Levine, let Will Fisher touch me you know where and he did you know what (Parent, 1973:10).
Sheila does not refuse when Will Fisher tries to have sexual intercourse with her even though there is no special relation between them. It means that Sheila also wants to have sexual intercourse with him.
sexual behavior because according to her, she can reduce calories in her body and she can fulfill her sexual needs.
All that sleeping around did two good things to me. First of all, I lost a little weight (Parent, 1973:11).
Second of all that sleeping around got me rid of my sexual hang-ups (Parent, 1973:11-12).
After she graduates from college, she has sexual intercourse with different men. Sheila has sexual intercourse with a man, named Norman Berkowitz, whom she meets at Halloween party in her apartment. At first, they date but they do not do sexual intercourse. They only do a lot of kissing feeling, necking and petting until Sheila feels bored with all of those things. Sheila wants to have sexual intercourse with Norman. Therefore, she asks Norman, who is still virgin; to have sexual intercourse with her even though he is afraid to do it and tries to refuse it.
“Well, why don’t you do it know? Go ahead?” “I’m scared”
He is scared. I am lying there naked, begging Norman Berkowitz to screw me, and he is scared (Parent, 1973:67).
After that, they often do sexual intercourse regularly until Sheila is bored with having sexual intercourse with Norman. In order to reduce her boredom, Sheila looks for other sexual partner while she still dates Norman. Sheila who thinks mainly about herself drives her to cheat Norman and have affairs with other men.
to have sexual intercourse with him. “I went there and, okay we did it. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either” (Parent, 1973:146).
A few times later, Sheila finds out that she is pregnant. But she does not know whether Norman Berkowitz or Thomas Brown is the real father for the baby in her womb. Sheila does not tell Norman Berkowitz or Thomas Brown about her pregnancy. She thinks that there is no possibility for Norman to accept the baby. She also does not want Thomas Brown to be the father of the baby. Therefore, she decides to have an abortion. Moreover by having abortion, she does not need to think many problems that may arise because of the baby rearing. Abortion is the easiest way to solve her problem. In addition, she does not feel guilty to have abortion. Many girls around her already have abortion.
I wasn’t feeling very maternal, and I didn’t feel that I was destroying a life. The abortion seemed the easiest way out. A lot of girls had them, you know (Parent, 1973: 148).
It is easy for Sheila to find a doctor who wants to help her to do abortion even though it was not legal in New York. The doctor is recommended by her friend, Martha Katz, who has used them twice. She has to pay five hundred dollars for the abortion.
I did meet this other teacher at the school, Alfred Block. We dated had short affair-all I learned there was a Mrs. Alfred Block, two children and a dog (Parent, 1973: 150).
In addition, Sheila also has an affair with another married man, named Bernie. They dates and have sexual intercourse. Sheila does not let Norman know that she is unfaithful to him. “Norman didn’t know about the Bernies and Alfreds, and he was faithful to me” (Parent, 1973: 150).
When Sheila breaks the relationship with Norman, she meets another man, named Harold, in an election eve party. In the first time she meets him, Harold already asks Sheila to have sexual intercourse and Sheila accept it. They do sexual intercourse for several times at the night they meet. Harold becomes Sheila’s regular sexual partner that can give sexual satisfaction to Sheila. Sheila wants to have sexual intercourse with Harold because she wants to fulfill her sexual desire.
“I’m doing it because I like sex,” (yeah, Mom, what the hell. A few more orgasms before I go. Just a few more aren’t going to kill me. ) (Parent, 1973: 180).
In the story, sexual behavior of Sheila’s roommate, Linda, is not described in detail. It is only described that Linda has had many sexual intercourses with thirteen guys but she never gets sexual satisfaction from any of them. She often changes her sexual partner in order to get sexual satisfaction. Sheila and Linda talk about their sexual behavior openly. They share about their sexual experience of each other.
there are articles that discuss about sexual activities of women, especially about masturbation. “Cosmopolitan magazine has dirty horoscopes. They also have great articles on masturbation” (Parent, 1973:149).
As single woman, Sheila needs references to fulfill her sexual desire by herself. Fortunately, Cosmopolitan is a magazine that discuss openly about sexual behavior of woman. So that it becomes Sheila’s references on having more information about sexuality.
c. Taking Occupation Related With Traditional Qualities of Women
Sheila and Linda’s willingness to develop themselves as independent person makes them decide to have their own job and earn money to support their life. Both Sheila and Linda work to fulfill their own needs. Since they still posses the basic qualities of women, the jobs they take are closely related with women’s duties usually done at home.
does not have to type, but she still does not like this job, because she thinks that this job is not a creative job. Her duty which is to help her boss with his needs, such as to serve coffee and cheese Danish is related with women’s duty at home.
Then, Sheila changes that job and work for Frank Holland’s boss, Mrs. Cox. Even though Sheila does not like type of job where she has to type, she finally takes that type of job.
Mrs. Cox, a middle-aged woman with dyed black and white booths, welcomes her and asks her if she can type. Zoom in a very depressed Sheila simply says, “Yes” (Parent, 1973:45).
After about three years Sheila works for Mrs. Cox, she tries to find another job that is suitable for her. She goes to some employment agencies again but she does not get a job she wants. She is finally offered a job to be a research assistant of an author, named Rudolph Swenson by her cousin. She thinks that she may like the job because it is a creative job even though she has to type. But finally she refuses the job because the payment is less than her last job.
Three years in New York, three rises from Mr. Frank Holland. Now making a hundred and thirty five a week. Back to ninety five (Parent, 1973:103).
Sheila doesn’t want to receive less payment than what she gets from the last job. Therefore she decides to be back to work for Frank Holland and Mrs. Cox while she is looking for another job through help wanted pages.
About three years later, Sheila changes her job and takes a job that is the same with one of the responsibilities of women at home. She works as a teacher for the seventh grade English on the lower East Side. Even though she does not like teaching, she works as a teacher because she gets good payment and vacation on Christmas, Easter, and summer. Sheila can not find a type of job that she really wants, but at least she gets enough payment to support her own life.
Linda is not the same as Sheila who changes job several times. In that novel she is described that she changes her job twice. After she graduates from her college, she applies for a welfare worker for the New York Department of Welfare, and she is accepted. She likes that type of job which is related with women’s activity done at home. She succeeds to help other people.
Linda put down her charcoal and mat knife for the last time and became a welfare worker for the New York Department of welfare (Parent, 1973:29).
After two years she works at the welfare department, she goes out from that job and continues to study Eastern Religions 101 at New York University. She goes back to work at that department after she finishes her study. Meanwhile she is looking another job.
