THE REBELLION OF SOUTH ASIAN-INDIAN AND PAKISTANI
WOMEN AGAINST FORCED MARRIAGE AS SEEN THROUGH
JASVINDER SANGHERA’S
DAUGHTERS OF SHAME
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SARAH ISFANDIARY CONSTANTIA
Student Number: 074214033
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
THE REBELLION OF SOUTH ASIAN-INDIAN AND PAKISTANI
WOMEN AGAINST FORCED MARRIAGE AS SEEN THROUGH
JASVINDER SANGHERA’S
DAUGHTERS OF SHAME
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SARAH ISFANDIARY CONSTANTIA
Student Number: 074214033
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2011
ii
iii
iv
but God chose the foolish things of the world
to shame the wish;
God chose the weak things of the world
to shame the strong.
(1 Corinthians 1:27)
This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to:
my Lord JESUS
my beloved mother and father
v
On the opposite coast of sadness is something called a smile
In order to chase our dreams, we can’t have a reason to run away
We’ve got to go, to that far away summer’s day
If we find it tomorrow, we can’t sigh
Because like a boat that opposes the stream
We have to walk straight on
In a place worn down by sadness
Something called a miracle, is waiting
Yet we are still searching
For the sunflower that grows at the end of spring
Even if we’ve grown used to loneliness
Only relying on the light of the moon
We have to fly away with featherless wing
Just go forward, just a little further
As the rainclouds break
The wet streets sparkling
Although it brings only darkness
A powerful light helps push us to walk on
Taken from: the theme song of “One Liter of Tears”
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIK
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Sarah Isfandiary Constantia
Nomor
Mahasiswa
:
074214033
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
The Rebellion of South Asian-Indian and Pakistani Women against Forced
Marriage as Seen through Jasvinder Sanghera’s
Daughters of Shame
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian, saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,
mendistribusikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa
perlu meminta ijin ataupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap
mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal:
7 September 2011Yang menyatakan
Sarah Isfandiary Constantia
vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I send my greatest thanks and gratitude to
Almighty Jesus Christ
, for
His endless love, blessings, guidance, strength and each present He gives me to
every single day. I am nothing without You, Jesus and I truly believe that He has
planned all events which have happened and will happen in my life in His perfect
time arrangement.
I would like to give my gratitude to Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S,
M.Hum for sharing me her precious time and also for all attention, patience,
advice, guidance and great support given for me throughout this process of this
thesis writing. I would also say thanks to my co-advisor, Tatang Iskarna, S.S,
M.Hum, for giving suggestions on this thesis. I would like to thank my thesis
examiner, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum., for her questions and suggestions to
enrich my thesis.
My deepest gratitude also dedicated to my big family who always stands
behind me to support me every time I needed them. I also would like to thank my
beloved father and mother for strengthening me in walking through my choice by
each pray they send to Jesus every time. Then, I also thank my brothers and
sisters for loving me and supporting me. I am very lucky to have you all as my
family.
For my very best friends: Putri, Gangga, Ferdi, Ageng, Tina, Sondang,
Tabita and Adhe, thanks for cheering me up when I am wearing frown, coloring
viii
my days and strengthening me to face all the hardest days with support, care, love
and pray. I give huge thanks for Bundo Sri, Mbak Ikom, Mba Rina, Mba Mirah,
and friends in “Kasuari 7” for laugh, love and togetherness in our second home.
And last but not least, thank for all whose names are not listed here, it does not
mean that I forget them since they are in my heart. Thank for Jogjakarta for
giving me chance to be a part in its life and to learn how to live such a meaningful
life.
ix
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW
... 9
A.
Review of Related Studies ... 9
B.
Review of Related Theories ... 11
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization ... 11
2.
Theory of Feminism ... 14
3.
Theory of Patriarchy ... 16
4.
South Asian Women ... 17
5.
The Tradition of South Asian Society ... 19
C.
Theoretical Framework ... 24
A.
The Characterizations of the Female Characters ... 30
1.
Jasvinder Sanghera ... 30
2.
Sanah ... 37
x
3.
Yasmin ... 39
4.
Surjit ... 41
5.
Shazia ... 42
6.
Navjeet ... 43
7.
Robina ... 43
B.
Forced Marriage ... 44
C.
The Rebellion of South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women
Against Forced Marriage ... 55
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION
... 68
BIBLIOGRAPHY
... 72
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Summary of Jasvinder Sanghera’s
Daughters of
Shame
... 75
xi
ABSTRACT
SARAH ISFANDIARY CONSTANTIA.
The Rebellion of South Asian-Indian and
Pakistani Women against Forced Marriage as Seen through Sanghera’s
Daughters of Shame
.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters,
Sanata Dharma University, 2011.
This study concerns about a novel of Jasvinder Sanghera’s Daughters of
Shame. The novel tells the stories of South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women about
forced marriage. Forced marriage is one of tradition preserved in India and Pakistan
but it becomes the oppression to many women there. The aim of this study is first to
find the forced marriage’s depiction and the sufferings that South Asian-Indian and
Pakistani women have experienced, and the second is to find how South Asian-Indian
and Pakistani women rebel against forced marriage.
In analyzing the problems the writer conducted library research. The primary
source is the novel Daughters of Shame itself, while the secondary sources are
reference books, the sites from internet, and other resources that support the
discussion of this thesis. There are 5 theories applied, they are theory of character and
characterization, theory of feminism, theory of patriarchy, South Asian women and
the tradition of South Asian society. The approach that is used to analyze the novel is
feminist approach.
The result of the study shows three things. First, the characteristics of the
female characters in the novel are justice fighter, brave, rebellious, independent,
responsible women, and risk taker. Second, the female characters who have not
experienced forced marriage yet consider forced marriage as treatment which refuse
individual free choice and the female characters in the novel who have experienced
forced marriage find no happiness in it because in many cases of forced marriage,
they accepted violence and unfair treatment from their husband. They have no
freedom to choose, opportunity and equality with men in forced marriage. Third,
because of sufferings, unfair treatments and no equal rights in forced marriage, many
women in India and Pakistan rebel against forced marriage by running away and
committing suicide. They want to value themselves, to show the importance of
women as individual and to get equality with men.
xii
ABSTRAK
SARAH ISFANDIARY CONSTANTIA.
The Rebellion of South Asian-Indian and
Pakistani Women against Forced Marriage as Seen through Sanghera’s
Daughters of Shame
.
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra,
Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011.
Skripsi in membahas tentang novel yang berjudul Daughters of Shame karya
Jasvinder Sanghera. Novel tersebut bercerita tentang kisah-kisah yang dialami para
wanita Asia Selatan, khususnya India dan Pakistan tentang kawin paksa. Kawin paksa
merupakan salah satu tradisi yang melekat di India dan Pakistan tapi kawin paksa
merupakan tekanan bagi banyak wanita di sana. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk
mengetahui gambaran kawin paksa dan derita yang dialami oleh wanita India dan
Pakistan dan bagaimana para wanita tersebut memberontak melawan kawin paksa.
Dalam menganalisa masalah, penulis menggunakan penelitian pustaka.
Sumber utamanya adalah novel itu sendiri, Daughters of Shame, sedangkan sumber
keduanya adalah buku-buku referensi, situs-situs dan internet, dan juga sumber
lainnya yang mendukung pembahasan ini. Ada lima teori yang digunakan, yaitu teori
karakter dan karakterisasi, teori feminis, teori patriarki, teori tentang wanita Asia
selatan dan teori tentang tradisi masyarakat Asia selatan. Pendekatan yang digunakan
untuk menganalisa pokok permasalahan adalah pendekatan feminis.
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
“No one, of course, can deny these assertions: first, that literature is not created in vacuum, and second, that literature embodies ideas significant to the culture that produced it”
(Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H.Woods Jr, 1971: 9)
The opening quotation above is taken from Mary Rohrgerber’s and
Samuel H. Woods Jr’s Reading and Writing about Literature. It affirms two important things, first, literature is not created to be static but literature is
created to be dynamic, and second, literature can be a form of ideas related to
the history and culture that produced it. Literature also records social realities
which are portrayed by many writers and authors through their works. In the
work of literature such as novels, the authors reveal their opinions and views
about various issues related to their surroundings.
Novel as a work of literature not only can entertain the readers but
also can give knowledge to the readers. We can read a work of literature to get
knowledge about human experiences and struggles in a society who solidly
held their cultural tradition.
Every place in the world surely has its own history and cultural
traditions. Some examples are taken from some places in South Asia. South
Asia is divided into some countries that are: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and
Srilanka.
In these countries, there are many cultural traditions and most of its citizens
are solidly held their cultural tradition. One of many cultural traditions in
South Asia is forced marriage.
“Marriage is considered by most South Asia as a crucial part of a person’s and family life. Arranged marriage has long been the most widely accepted marriage practice across South Asia, where the parents and others family members make the match, taking into consideration the background and character of not only the bride and the groom but also the families, considering matters such as caste endogamy, family status, community reputation, wealth, occupation, education, potential business alliances, physical attractiveness, and perceived compatibility.
(Mines, Diane P. and Sarah Lamb, 1992:10)
Forced marriage is one of many cultural traditions in some regions of
South Asia like India and Pakistan. Both Indian and Pakistani young men and
women cannot choose their mate by their own selves, parents will take part to
choose their mate.
Jasvinder Sanghera is the author of a novel entitled Daughters of Shame. The novel is based on true story that Jasvinder and many women in South Asia, especially in India and Pakistan, have experienced. She is a victim
of forced marriage and because of that, she built Karma Nirvana, an
organization to help many victims of forced marriage.
“Karma Nirvana was set up in 1994 and can be contacted on their helpline 01332 604098, they now make referrals to refuge, offer advocacy and support, make referrals for counseling and legal support, assist with budgeting, finances, and re-housing and help women with parenting and lifestyle skills.”
<http://www.karmanirvana.org.uk> (7 April 2011)
Forced marriage has been the most widely accepted marriage practice
3
choosing the mate. The majority involved women, but men were also become
the victim of forced marriage in Pakistan and India.
“Britain's Forced Marriage Unit, established in 2005, receives around 5,000 calls and deals with about 300 cases each year -- figures that officials fear are just the tip of a very large iceberg. At least 3,000 young women in Britain are the victims of forced marriages each year, with the scale of the problem far bigger than originally thought. Men account for just 15 percent of the FMU's cases. Around 30 percent involve minors, including boys, some as young as 10 years old.”
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/08/religion> (26 August 2010)
The quotation above shows that both men and women become the
victims of forced marriage but women are the majority victims of forced
marriage than men. In many cases of forced marriage, women suffered more
than men because men have higher privileges than women. Women in South
Asia, especially in India and Pakistan are subordinated than men.
“Woman life is a journey of subordination. When she is young her father decides for her on matters ranging from whether she will get any education, to the all important matters of whom she would marry. After marriage, her husband and her in-laws get hold of her reins and decide matters or her behalf like shall she or shall she not have a child every year, or whether she would produce only boys, or whether she can seek independent employment and so on. Finally when she becomes old and her husband gets weak or may have gone already, it is her sons who decide her fate in the declining years of her life.” (Najam, 2003:9)
The quotation above shows that woman have no right to choose what
they want. Men take control of their live and they just cannot do anything
except obeying what their father or husband want. This makes many women
suffered more than men in most cases of forced marriage.
“Marriages formed out of love do happen in India. It is an accepted fact that a person’s family will play a role in picking the marriage partner.”
(http://www.pardesiservices.com/tradition/arrangedmarg.asp)
From the quotation above shows that forced marriage is the main
issue that happened in some countries in South Asia like in India and Pakistan.
Parents and other family members forced their will to their children and they
must obey what their parents want.
Honor in many South Asian countries is called izzat. Izzat is central to
many South Asian families’ sense of self-worth. In Everyday Life in South Asia, it is stated that, “For the sake of izzat, or honor, the cornerstone of the Asian community, and since the beginning of time it's been the job of girls and
women to keep it polished,” (Mines, Daniel P. and Sarah Lamb, 1992:11). The
key element in izzat or honor is modesty and obedience in their children.
Daughters and sons must obey what their parents say and want to make their
parents happy.
Forced marriage is reality that happens in South Asian community
because it is a cultural tradition in South Asian community especially in
Pakistan and India. Honor or izzat is also central and be the cornerstone to
South Asian families. Many daughters and sons must do what their parents ask
them to do. If parents want them to marry their chosen mate, they must go
through with that arranged married. If daughter or son refuses it, he or she will
be considered as someone who shames her or his parents. Both daughter and
son are forced to marry someone who is chosen by their parents. Women
5
marriage is not the same to women and men. Women suffered more than men
in most cases of forced marriage because men have higher privileges than
women.
Based on the fact above, the writer is interested to choose forced
marriage as the topic in this study. Many victims of forced marriage feel that
forced marriage is like a nightmare and many of them must face and
experience unhappy and loveless marriage. Many of them also experienced
violence in their household.
The bad experience of Indian and Pakistani women as the victims of
forced marriage became the background of Daughter of Shame, the novel that will be analyzed in this study. Daughters of Shame is a novel written by Jasvinder Sanghera. She is a Pakistani. Forced marriage is a cultural tradition
of her country and izzat-honor is the most important thing for her family and
her surroundings. This novel tells the stories about some of thousands women
that Sanghera has subsequently met through Karma Nirvana, the organization
which she found in 1994 to help Asian women in similar situations: victim of
forced marriage and honor-based violence, usually the one who does the
violence is the family member, who sees shame in Asian girl touching a white
boy but none in abusing, beating, raping, torturing and murdering their own
flesh and blood. This condition affects the Indian and Pakistani women
characters. They feel that forced marriage is oppression to them and they rebel
against forced marriage to end that oppression.
Daughters of Shame is chosen to be the object of this study because this novel contains many cases of forced marriage in South Asia, especially in
India and Pakistan. The background of Daughters of Shame is the bad experience of Indian and Pakistani women as the victims of forced marriage.
Daughters of Shame also contains many female characters that can be used to reveal the rebellion of South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women against forced
marriage. Hopefully this study can give a greater understanding of how some
Indian and Pakistani women rebel cultural tradition that is forced marriage.
B. Problem Formulation
Related to the topics of the research that the writer tries to develop,
the questions are formulated as follows.
1. How are the female characters described in the novel?
2. How is the forced marriage depicted through the female characters in the
novel?
3. How is the rebellion of South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women against
forced marriage revealed through the female characters?
C. Objectives of the Study
Both men and women are become the victim of forced marriage but
women become the most dominant victim of forced marriage. Women
suffered more than men in most cases of forced marriage. This study will
focus on the rebellion of Indian and Pakistani women against forced marriage
7
the satisfying answers of the problem formulation. First, the objective of this
study is meant to find out the main female characters in Daughters of Shame. The second objective is to find out how forced marriage is depicted through
the female characters in the novel and the third objective is to find out how the
female characters rebel against forced marriage.
D. Definition of Terms
In this part, the writer gives a definition about some terms that related
to the study to avoid misunderstanding in analyzing the research. Here are the
definitions of some words stated in the title and the problem formulation.
1. Marriage
According to Description and Comparison in Cultural Anthropology, marriage is a contract in which a person or group establishes its right of
sexual access to a woman and in which is eligible to bear offspring.
(Goodenough, 1970: 33). And Murdock in Social Structure, stated that marriage is a socially accepted relationship between a man and a woman
that combines economic and sexual activities. (1949:36)
2. Forced Marriage
In Sociology, forced marriage is a marriage that arranged by parents without consulting the young people themselves. It seems constraining to
those people and refuse individual free choice.
3. Rebellion
According to The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, rebellion means against somebody or something or the action of resisting
9 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
This chapter provides various studies on the novel and some theories
related to the issue of forced marriage which is the topic of the study.
A. Review of Related Studies
Daughters of Shame tell the stories about some of thousands women who are the victims of forced marriage. The stories share about their bad
experience when they are forced to follow their cultural tradition that is forced
marriage, how they run away rather than experience a forced marriage, and
how they live their life without their family. The stories also share about
violence, abusing, beating, raping, torturing that happens to them.
There have been some comments on the novel, Daughters of Shame which is made by Jasvinder Sanghera. However, since this novel has not been
discussed yet by many people, the writer finds limited information or source
related to the work. In this part, the writer presents some comments to the
novel, Daughters of Shame. The first comment is taken from the Sunday Times Book review which is reviewed by India Knight:
“Sanghera also runs a network of much-needed refuges in Derby and Stok-on-Trent. She refers to a national rail company’s report on track suicides. The document showed that a disproportionately high number of that year’s death had occurred on the stretch of line that went through predominantly Asian areas such as Southall and Slough. The rate of self-destruction among young Asian women is three times the average for women of other ethnic group.”
<http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/bo oks/non-fiction/article5468029.ece> (4 March 2010)
Sanghera in her work, Daoughters of Shame, shows the document about the high number of the death that happen to South Asian young girls
because they are committed suicide, and there are some of them who killed by
the member of their family.
The second comment is taken from Ceri’s book six: Daughters of Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera. Ceri in her sixth book stated that:
“Sanghera’s work shocked me, and surpassed my expectations of the genre, in equal measure. The author comes to the realization that this woman did not adhere to the rules of the community out of pride and strength. The attitude which this book attacks is that women are essentially objects rather than individuals with choices, that “honor” is more important than health, happiness or anything else.”
<http//:www.26books.com/ceris-book-six-daughtersofshame-by-jasvindersanghera> (23 February 2010)
Daughters of Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera is a group of stories about women and the rule of the society. It shocked the readers because there are
many stories about women who are killed by the family members because
they do not obey the rule of the society that is forced marriage. Honor is
central to many South Asian families, honor is more important than women
happiness, health or anything else.
The topic of this study is forced marriage that happens in South Asia,
and this research is about the struggle of South Asian women against forced
marriage. The writer is interested to investigate this thesis based on the review
that women as the main characters must follow their cultural tradition that is
forced marriage and they rebel against forced marriage because it is
oppression to them. The female characters are described well in this novel and
11
exploring the forced marriage that is depicted through the female characters
and to find out how the female characters rebel against forced marriage.
B. Review of Related Theories
In doing this study, there are several theories needed to support the
analysis. In the analysis, the writer tries to analyze the female characters as the
victims of forced marriage and the writer tries to reveal the rebellion of the
South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women as seen from the female characters
in the story. The theory of character will help the writer analyzing the female
characters.
1. Theory Character and Characterization
A work of literature is developed from some significant intrinsic
elements, such as character. Since the writer wants to analyze the
characteristics of the female characters related to their rebellion against forced
marriage, therefore it is important to present theory of characters. M.H
Abrams in Glossary of Literary Terms stated that:
“Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do the action. A character remains stable or changes, the reader of traditional and realistic work expect “consistency” –the character should not suddenly break off and act in a way not plausibly grounded in his or her temperament as we have already come to know it,” (1993:24)
Abrams also says that “Character’s motivation can be in their
temperament, desires, and moral nature for their speech and actions”
(1993:23). There are two things that can be concluded, first, the character
of his or her surroundings and the character changing in the novel can be
analyzed through their environment and surroundings. Second, the position,
motivation and the struggle can be analyzed through their dialogues and
actions.
According to Baldick in his book The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, character is different from characterization. “Characterization is the way which a character is presented. Therefore, character is the result
while characterization is the process” (1991:83). Although character is
different from characterization, but they are related to each other and they
cannot be separated.
M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for overseas Student states that there are nine ways in which the author presents his character. Those are:
a) Personal Description
Character which is described by the author through his/her appearance and
clothes.
b) Character as Seen by another
Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him
through eyes and opinions of another.
c) Speech
The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the persons in
13
whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an
opinion, he is giving us some clue to his character.
d) Past Life
By letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life, the author
can gives us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character.
e) Conversations of others
Through the conversations of other people and the things they say about
him/her.
f) Reactions
Person reacts to various situations and events can also give the reader a clue
to a person’s character.
g) Direct Comment
The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
h) Thought
The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.
It is something that we cannot do in our real life. The author also can tell us
what different people are thinking.
i) Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits, or idiosyncrasies
which may also tell us something about his character (1972: 161-173)
That is how the author makes the readers aware of the personalities
and the characteristics of the people that the author writes about in his or her
emotional feeling of the readers will be also concerned when they read the
story.
2. Theory of Feminism
Works of literature are usually based on the author’s imagination but
some of works of literature are usually written based on the true story. Many
works of literature show the fact that women are less valued than men, women
are currently disadvantaged with respect to rights and respects, compared with
men. Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader, stated that feminism is defined as the principal that women should have political, economic and social rights
equal to men,” (1992:xi). AndHelen Tery in Women’s Studies Encyclopedia, stated that: “Feminism can be described as a belief and a commitment to equal
rights and opportunities for women,” (1989:139). The quotations above show
that feminism is a principal, commitment and belief that women should have
equal rights and opportunities with men in all fields, like social, political and
economic.
Virginia Woolf says in Bressel’s Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, that:
“Women must reject this social construct and establish their own identity. Women must challenge the prevailing, false cultural notions concerning their gender identity and develop a female discourse that will accurately portray their relationship “to the world of reality” and not to the world of men,” (1994:182).
Women born as individuals who have opportunities, freedom of
choice and equal rights with men. But in patriarchal society where men
15
do due to their sex. Patriarchal society considers that men are superior and
women are inferior. There is a belief in societies that men are cleverer than
women, this belief makes women are treated different with men, they are not
given chance to state their arguments and develop their ability.
Hester Eisenstein in Contemporary Feminist Thought stated that, “The oppression of women was at the root of all other oppression, racial,
economic, or political.” (1983: 127). Feminism appears because there are
unfair treatments toward women, and its goal is to end women’s oppression.
Deborah L. Madsen in Feminist Theory and Literary Practice, stated that: Feminist literary theory had three main aims: to expose the workings of the ubiquitous patriarchal power structure; to promote the rediscovery of women’s historical achievements (including critical, literary, political, scientific, philosophical and other) theories of the cultural forces that shape our lives. The intended aim was to change the sexist bias of traditional, educational and social practices. (2000:15)
It can be concluded that some purposes of feminist theory are to show
the work of patriarchal system in society, to show cultural forces that shape
women’s lives, and the main aim is to change sexist thought in many
practices.
Maggie Humm says that, “Feminism depends on the principle that
women could consciously and collectively change their social place. The word
feminism could stand for a belief in sexual equality combines with a
commitment to eradicate sexist domination and to transform society” (1992:
1).
The quotation above shows us two important points. First, it shows
that feminist’s purpose is to reform patriarchal society, not to replace it with
matriarchal society, feminists only struggle to get equality. Second, the goal of
feminism is to change the degrading view of women so that all women will
realize that they have the equal right with all men in all fields.
In conclusion, theory of feminism reveals the importance of women
as individual and it also shares their experiences, rebellion and struggle to end
their oppression and get equality with men.
3. Theory of Patriarchy
In many parts of the world, men exert and control over women. Kate
Millet in her work, Sexual Politics, used a word which has become part of the standard vocabulary of feminist writing that is patriarchy. The word patriarchy
comes from Greek that means the rule of the father (1970: 25). Maggie Humm
in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory, stated that: “Patriarchy is a system of male authority which oppresses women through its social, political and
economic institutions. Patriarchy has power from men’s greater access to, and
mediation of, the resources and rewards of authority structures inside and
outside home,” (1995:200). The quotation above shows that patriarchy can be
described as the world of men where men have authority to oppress women in
all fields like social, political and economic. This makes women depend on
men and they have no chance to develop themselves.
The fundamental fact of male domination over women could be
17
therefore justified by this fact, that of the universal oppression of women by
men” (1970: 5).
Adrienne Rich in her work, Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution, stated that
“Patriarchy is the power of the fathers: a familial-social, ideological, political system in which men by force, direct pressure, or through ritual, tradition, law, and language, customs, etiquette, education, and the division of labor, determine what part women shall or shall not play, in which the female is everywhere subsumed under the male.” (1976: 57-58)
The quotation above shows that patriarchy refers to society in which
family unit structures focus on males who exert authority over females.
Barbara A. Weightman in Dragons and Tigers: A Geography of South, East and Southeast Asia, stated that: “In patriarchal system, men also dominate social, economic and political realms. Unfortunately, the majority of women
in Asia are forced into subordinate roles and statutes embedded in wide array
of male-dominated cultures,” (2006:73).
From the quotation above, it can be inferred that in patriarchal system,
men control and oppress women in social, politic and economic and it makes
women become subordinate of men.
4. South Asian Women
The term South Asia refers to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Most of people in South Asia are Hindustani and
Muslims. “South Asian women do not directly adopt foreign countries ways
Muslim gender patterns during most of the 19th C” (Hughes and Hughes, 1997: 206).
Geoffrey Cumberlege in India, Pakistan and West, stated that:
“The Hindu and Muslim woman has a distinct place in society, but it is a distinctly subordinate place. She is worshipped as a mother, venerated as a wife, loved as a sister, but not much regarded as a woman. Woman as woman is the hand maid of man; her duty is to worship her parents and her husband, to bear and rear his children. For this reason every woman is married at an early age and though the general rule of monogamy prevails a man may take a second wife if the first has no children. Her property right is vested in her husband and she has very limited rights of inheritance”
(Cumberlege, 1955: 67-68)
The Hindu and Muslim women are respected as mothers, wives and
sisters but they are not regarded enough as women. Their life is under pressure
and controlled by men. Their duty is to obey their parents, especially their
father and their husband and they must take care of his children by
themselves.
South Asian Women live in patriarchal system and as a result, they
are conditioned to dependent on men and subordinated.
“South Asian women are married at an early age and though general rule of monogamy prevails a man may take a second wife if the first has no children. Their property rights are vested in their husband and women have very limited rights of inheritance. Marriage is sacramental and indissoluble, so that on the husband’s death there is nothing left for the widow but to await reunion with her husband. The ideal woman is a woman who followed her husband into exile, remained faithful when kidnapped, was rescued and then voluntary left him at first breath of scandal in order to protect his reputation.” (Cumberlege, 1955: 68)
19
to life of women in Pakistan is conditional on their obeying social norms and
traditions,” (Najam, 2003:9). A requisite for women in Pakistan to life and to
be accepted in society is to obey the social norms and traditions.
Marriage in South Asia is the crucial events in a family’s life. Robert
W. Stern in Changing India, stated that: “Marriages are regarded as family affairs of the utmost importance. The primary function of marriage is to
produce sons because the girl-child is not a particularly wanted child,”
(1993:34). The quotation above shows that the purposes of marriage are to
produce male heirs. It also shows that they consider men are more precious
than women. Based on the quotation above, it can be concluded that South
Asian women have a place in society but their life is under controlled by men.
They have to obey men, norms and traditions. South Asian women’s position
really depend upon their family and their husband, there was no escape for
them from the family circle.
5. The tradition of South Asian Society
South Asia region is divided into some countries that are: India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. But not all the
countries have the same tradition. India is a country that has a social system
called caste. In Caste in India Its Nature, Function, and Origin, J.H. Hutton said that “The word caste came from the Portuguese word casta signifying breed, race, or kind” (1963: 47). Caste system divided the society into many
classes with specific differentiation.
pervasive form of social organization throughout South Asia, although it is not widespread in tribal societies.”
(Hockings, 1992: 110)
Indian society with the majority were Hindu could not be separated
from the caste system as it was the most important part in Hindu tradition.
Cumberlege also stated in India, Pakistan and West that,
“The four main divisions of Hinduism caste are the Brahmins as priests, the Khsatriyas as kings or warriors, the Vaisyas were trading and landowners and the Sudras were agriculturists, service providers and servants.” (1955: 62).
Caste is a system to differentiate people and put them into some
socially segregated groups. In Caste in India Its Nature, Function, and Origin, N.K. Dutt described that:
“Caste from its features: members of a caste cannot marry outside it. Hence, the marriage should be within the caste (endogamous marriage). There were also rules for eating and drinking with a member of another caste which did not allow people in the higher caste position having an interaction with another in the lower caste position. There were also fixed occupations for each caste. The best recognized position was being that of the Brahmans. The Brahmans position at the top of the caste hierarchy. The achievement of a caste is determined by man's birth, unless he was being expelled for violation of its rules. Transition from one caste to another was not possible. The whole caste system turned on the prestige of the Brahman.” (1963: 49)
From the quotation above, it can be concluded that people in Indian
society are divided into four groups that called caste. The members of each
caste have some boundaries with other caste, like people from higher caste are
not allowed to have an interaction with another in the lower caste and the
21
India call the lowest caste as the untouchables. Robert W. Stern in his book
Changing India Bourgeois Revolution on the Subcontinent, stated that:
“Untouchables are the sources of dreadful pollution either because their jatis (an endogamous social group of Hindhus, a caste, whose referent ideology is the varna dharma) customarily have had particularly unclean habits, for example eating carrion or particularly unclean occupations, for example those which involve regular physical contact with death or human excreta. Also for those whose customary occupations are attending to funeral grounds, tanning, sweepers, and laundress. Actually, these jatis may in fact, no longer practice their unclean habits or occupations. Their ancestors’ habits and occupations were customarily indicates that they are naturally unclean. Untouchables are usually agricultural laborers who hold little or no land and work for village landholders. The society still regards them as the unclean people that should not be touched.”
(1993:74)
The term ‘untouchability’ is used to describe the condition of Indian
society as the carriers of pollution who make the society needs to eliminate
them. People in India call ‘Chamars’ as the untouchables. ‘Chamars’ are seen
as the lowest caste, people who pick up dung in the fields.
There are some other traditions in South Asia, one of them is forced
marriage. Forced marriage is the tradition in Pakistan and India.
It is important to realize that while India is very modernized in some aspects (i.e.. they lead the world in student's math and science scores and produce the largest amount of engineers in the world) they still keep to the tradition of arranged marriages.
<http://www.pardesiservices.com/tradition/arrangedmarg.asp> (15 September 2010)
Forced marriage does happen in South Asia-India and Pakistan but it
is not a norm. It is an accepted fact that a person’s family will play a role in
picking the marriage partner.
do as they are told by their parents and I can not move out of home like in the West and get my own place. I am also educated and have been going to university. I had hoped for when I finish to have a job but my soon to be husband wants me to stop university and not have a job.
<http://www.dearcupid.org/question/im-being-forced-into-marriage-in-india-please.html> (15 September 2010)
It can be inferred that forced marriage is a cultural tradition in India
and Pakistan. Forced marriage happens to many South Asian-Indian and
Pakistani women from every caste and it also happens to educated women.
People of India and Pakistan basically follow the arranged marriage. They
consider forced marriage as the cultural tradition that can be used to protect
family.
Arranged marriage seems to protect the family. The parents take care of their children, and the children obey their parents. Parents find suitable spouses for their children from appropriate families. So, there is no chance of marrying outside their own religion, caste, social status or economic class. This protects the couple from the problems that usually originate from disparity of religion, caste and class. Through a marriage two families come into mutual relationship, and both families together try to work out the marriage if problems arise in the marriage. <http://berchmans.tripod.com/arrange.html> (28 July 2011)
From the quotation above, it can be inferred that the purposes of
forced marriage are to prevent children from seeking mates by themselves, to
avoid marrying members from outside caste, religion, social status and
economic class, and to protect the couple from the problems that caused by the
differences of religion, caste and class.
Forced marriage as the accepted marriage practice also happens from
time to time in South Asia, especially in India and Pakistan. “There may be as
23
totaling more than 55 million people.” (Hockings, 1992:110). There are many
tribal groups in South Asia and most of them accepted the practice of arranged
marriage as their cultural tradition.
In India, Pakistan and West, Geoffrey Cumberlege includes many tribal groups in South Asia with its cultural tradition. Some of them are:
1. Baluchi Tribe:
Marriages are arranged between the bride’s father and the prospective
groom upon the payment of a bride-price consisting of livestock and cash.
On marriage, a woman passes from the control of her father to that of her
husband. (1955:23)
2. Bengali Tribe:
Bengali marriages are arranged and usually occur between persons of the
same caste but hypogamous marriages in which a woman marries a man of
lower caste are strongly discouraged and rarely occur. (1955:32)
3. Bhuiya Tribe:
Marriage by arrangement has become more frequent recently. (1955:44)
4. Chakma Tribe:
Marriages are usually arranged by the parents and usually give their
consent provided the rules of marriage allow them to do so. (1955:59)
5. Gujarati Tribe:
Among the Hindu Gujaratis, marriage is sacrament. It is arranged by the
parents. (1955:91)
The quotations above show that forced marriage have been practiced
in South Asia for a long time. Forced marriage continuously happens in South
Asia. In 1981, a sixteen years old girl named Tulay Goren was taken out from
her school and she was forced to marry by her parents. Jasvinder Sanghera
was also forced to marry by her parents when she was fifteen but she refused it
and ran away from her family. In 1994 she built an organization named Karma
Nirvana whose project is to help South Asian women who become the victim
of forced marriage and honor based crime. It can be concluded that forced
marriage is the marriage practice that have conducted since a long time ago
and it still exists.
C. Theoretical Framework
Both related studies and related theories are important to this study
because they are used as instruments to support this study. The reviews are
mainly taken from the sources from internet and they are used to support the
writer’s analysis.
The first related theory is the theory of character and characterization.
The theory of character and characterization is used to answer the problem
number one that is how the female characters are described in the novel. This
theory gives the definition of characters and characterizations, the theory will
help the researcher in analyzing every character in the play by examining what
the characters say in the dialogue, how they act in the story, etc.
The second theory is theory of feminism. Theory of feminism gives
25
right and respect with men. This theory will help to show the rebellion of
South Asian-Indian and Pakistani Women against unfair treatment and
oppression that they must experience that is forced marriage. Theory of
Patriarchy will be used to answer the problem formulation number two
because Theory of Patriarchy becomes a context why female characters rebel
against forced marriage. In Patriarchal system men control over women and it
makes women are subordinated than men. South Asian women and The
Tradition of South Asian Society will also be used to answer the problem
formulation number two because they give a description about South Asian
women and the tradition of forced marriage.
26 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the play is the novel Daughters of Shame. This novel was written by Jasvinder Sanghera in 2009. The writer uses the edition
published by Hodder & Stoughton An Hachette UK Company which was
printed in 2009.
Daughters of Shame has totally 320 pages and is divided into three parts, the first part is Prologue, the second part consists of thirty two chapters
and the last part is Epilogue.
Daughters of Shame tells the stories about some of thousands women that Sanghera has subsequently met through Karma Nirvana, the organization
which she founded in 1994 to help Asian women who are victims of forced
marriage. The stories share about violence, abuse, rape, torture that happen to
them, and usually the one who did it is the family member, especially father
and brother or their husband. The stories also share about their bad experience
when they are forced to follow their cultural tradition that is forced marriage,
how they run away and commit suicide in order to rebel against forced
marriage, and how they live their life without their family.
B. Approach of the Study
Feminist Approach is the appropriate approach in analyzing this study
27
Shame is to show the rebellion against forced marriage that revealed by the female characters in the novel.
Maggie Humm in Contemporary Feminist Literary Criticism, stated that: “Feminist criticism addresses social ideologies and practices while
feminist literary criticism attends to how those ideologies and practices shape
literary text,” (1994:viii). The writer uses feminist criticism to emphasize on
feminism in literary work involved. Women's literary works, men's works
related to women role and the work that require the position of men and
women in society will be the object of feminist criticism. Feminism is an approach that concerns on women and their position.
McManus in Classics and Feminism: Gendering the Classics, stated that: “Feminist approach is an approach that the major purpose is to revise our
way of considering history, society, literature, etc. So that neither male nor
female is taken as normative, but both are seen as equally conditioned by the
gender constructions of their culture,” (1997:58).
Feminist Approach is used to revise our way of thinking that women
and men should have the same right, opportunity and freedom in all aspects
and it also used to show the women’s rebellion against their oppression to end
it and get equality with men.
C. Method of the Study
The method of this study is library research, it uses articles and books
writer uses Glossary of Literary Terms from M.H Abrams that contains the theory of character and characterization, Feminist Theory and Literary Practice from Deborah L. Madsen that contains the theory of feminism, Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution from Adrienne Rich that contains theory of patriarchy, India, Pakistan and West from Geoffrey Cumberlege that contains about South Asian women and the tradition of South
Asian society, and Classics and Feminism: Gendering the Classics from McManus that contains the Feminist approach in analyzing this research.
The writer applied the library research step by step in order to analyze
the thesis. The first step, the writer read the novel in order to understand how
the story told, found the character and its characterization and made some
problem formulation to be answered. After the writer got an understanding
about the story, the writer tried to find appropriate theories to the topic. In the
second step, the writer collected data about related studies and its applications
from some books and also from internet. After the writer collected the primary
data and secondary data, the writer tried to answer the problem formulation
29 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter provides the answers of the questions formulated in the
Chapter I. In order to make a good arrangement, this analysis is divided into
three parts. The focus of the first part is to identify the depiction of female
characters, particularly as the victims of forced marriage, in the novel
Daughters of Shame. The female characters are analyzed by applying the theory of character and characterization. According to Murphy’s theory of
characterization in Understanding Unseen, there are several ways in which author attempts to make their characters understandable for the readers such as
from personal description, as seen by another, past life, thought, direct
comment, and mannerism. The first part focuses on the characterizations of
the female characters that could be found out from personal description, other
characters’ opinion, reaction, speech, past life, thought, and conversation with
others.
After observing the female characters in this novel, the second part
discusses about how the forced marriage is depicted through the female
characters in the novel, and then, the third part will focuses on the way of the
South Asian women rebel against forced marriage. The main focus of this
study is to reveal the rebellion of the South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women
against forced marriage and their rebellion are seen through their characters.
In this novel, the female characters view forced marriage as oppression and
A. The Characterizations of Female Characters in the Novel
The writer would like to analyze the main female characters in the
novel in order to answer the first problem formulation.
1. Jasvinder Sanghera
This analysis starts with the description of one of the female
characters in this novel, Jasvinder Sanghera. M.J Murphy in Understanding Unseen: an Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student states that there are nine ways in which the author presents his
character and one of them is: “Past life, by letting the reader learn something
about a person’s past life, the author can gives us a clue to events that have
helped to shape a person’s character,” (1972: 161-173). Most of the female
characters’ past life in this novel is related to forced marriage. There are some
female characters in the novel who have not experience forced marriage yet
but they do rebel forced marriage because they consider forced marriage as a
treatment that refuse individual free choice. As human, they have right and
freedom to choose whatever they want in their life. Some female characters in
the novel have experienced forced marriage and they consider it as unfair
treatment and oppression. Forced marriage makes them suffer and they find no
happiness in their life. Forced marriage is considered as oppression toward
women that later shape their character to be brave women who dare to refuse
and rebel against forced marriage. It can be seen through most female
characters in the novel. First is Jasvinder Sanghera. She is described as a
31
thought and feeling through her action. When she was fifteen, she was forced
to leave her school and she was forced by her mother to marry a man that she
did not know. She knew that forced marriage was not right and she refused it
by running away from home with her chosen boy, Jassey.
“I knew I was too young to leave school to get married, and it felt all wrong being forced to marry a man I did not know. I ran away than go through with that marriage.” (Sanghera, 2009:1)
Jasvinder is also a brave woman. She knows that forced marriage is
an unfair treatment that refuses individual free choice, and she does not want
to marry someone who she does not know. She dares to speak her mind and
her opinion about forced marriage straight forward to others. And she
preferred to run away than experience forced marriage. The quotation below is
also show that she is a brave woman.
“When I told them that to avoid the marriage my mum and dad wanted to force me into I ran away with a boyfriend from another caste –a jat with a chamar.” (Sanghera, 2009:111)
She opposes forced marriage and chooses her own mate from another
caste even though she knows that there is a system named caste in Indian
society and it is forbidden to a member of one caste to marry a member from
another caste. She does not care about that and runs away with her chosen
boyfriend.
In Caste in India Its Nature, Function, and Origin, N.K Dutt stated that: “Caste from its features: members of a caste cannot marry outside it.
Hence, the marriage should be within the caste (endogamous marriage).”
be separated from the caste system as it is the most important part in Hindu
tradition. Caste system divides the society into four classes with specific
differentiation. Geoffrey Cumberlege in his book India, Pakistan and West, stated that:
“The four main divisions of Hinduism are Brahmins as priests, the Kshatriyas as kings and warriors, the Vaishyas were trading and landowners and the Sudras were agriculturists, service providers and servants.” (1955:62)
Jasvinder and her boyfriend are different in the matter of caste.
Jasvinder’s mother describes her family as ‘Jats’ and Jasvinder’s boyfriend as
‘Chamars’. ‘Jats’ are the same with the Vaishyas, they are landowners and
middle caste. ‘Chamars’ are the Sudras and the lowest caste, they are regarded
as untouchables because they have particularly unclean occupations, those who
involve regular physical contact with death or human excreta, for example
people who pick up dung in the fields.
The Chamar people are considered untouchable. With a population of over 50 million, they are among the largest untouchable. They are engaged in daily-wage labour and petty business. They are regarded as untouchables or Sudras. To be untouchable, according to Indian-Hindu tradition, is to be undesirable, or unworthy of any sort of consideration or provision by society.
<http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopleprofile.php?peo3=16561&rog3 =IN> (21 April 2011)
Jasvinder is a great motivator. She has met many victim of forced
marriage and most of them are women. They feel hopeless and desperate to
their own life because they ran away from their family, being disowned and
must start and struggle a new life without any support from their family.
33
up. She also motivates them to continue their life even though without any
support of their family and be useful persons for others.
“I’ve often described some of the more damaged women we meet as ‘dead people walking’, and I’ve spent hours coaxing them to engage with life again, often without success.” (Sanghera, 2009:31-33)
Jasvinder met a woman named Shazia when Shazia was living in a
refuge. Shazia told her about her experience, she is taken to Pakistan by her
parents and being forced to marry a man she has never met. She finds no
happiness in her marriage so she left that forced marriage by running away
from her husband and her family. Since that moment, her life seems has no
purpose and she is desperate on her life. Jasvinder comes to motivate her in
order to make her knew that she can do useful things and she can also help
other people by sharing her experience to others.
“The thing is Jasvinder, I want to make something of myself. It’s all I think about. I’ve given up everything and I do not want that to have been for nothing. I’d like to help people like ypu do.”
“You will,” I said.
I knew from the start that Shazia could put her experience to good use. She gave a sort of snorting, disbelieving laugh.
“How can you say that? Look at me. I live in a refuge. I’ve got no qualifications…”
I said, “Shazia, if you believe in yourself you will do it. Trust me, not only will you do it, you will do it with me.”
(Sanghera, 2009:37-38)
From the conversation between Jasvinder and Shazia above, it shows
that Jasvinder is a great motivator, she can make a desperate woman like
Shazia become more spirited. Jasvinder also motivates her to become a useful
person by helping and supporting other women, as shown in the following
lines.
“Twelve months later Shazia started working with me at Karma Nirvana. She’s brilliant at it. I watch her supporting other women and she shines with radiance and compassion.” (Sanghera, 2009:143).
Jasvinder is a justice fighter. Most of Indian and Pakistani women
are forced to marry their family chosen husband. Most of them rebel against
forced marriage and they prefer to run away rather than experience forced
marriage. Jasvinder is a Pakistani, her parents forced her to marry someone
she did not know and she preferred to run away and struggle a new life
without any support from her family. Based on that bad experience, Jasvinder
is now at the frontline of the battle to save the women from the violence and
threat of forced marriage that destroyed their youth. She becomes a voice of
victims who cannot speak and under oppression of forced marriage.
“I remind myself that I’m there not for myself but for all those who cannot speak, that I’m representing thousands of women in this country and in time, I hope across the world.” (Sanghera, 2009:277)
Jasvinder is a helpful woman. Her sister named Robina was the
victim of forced marriage. Robina experienced unhappy and loveless
marriage. She was desperate with her marriage and she committed suicide by
burning herself in order to escape from her husband. This terrible death
inspired Jasvinder to help many other women who become the victim of
forced marriage.
“I was inspired by the terrible death of my sister Robina, who burnt herself to death to escape her husband.” (Sanghera, 2009:8)
35
Jasvinder built an organization named Karma Nirvana. Through her
organization, she helps many South Asian-Indian and Pakistani women who
had been the victim of forced marriage. She also provides refuge for many
women who run away from her home because they are forced by their family
to get married.
“Jasvinder Sanghera is the co-founder of Karma Nirvana, an organization that helps south Asian women who had been the victims of honor-based violence and forced marriage.” (Sanghera, 2009:167)
“Karma Nirvana helps women overcome cultural and language barriers. Most of women who contact us are South Asian, a lot of them are very young. A lot of them are being abused at home by their families, or their in laws. Some of them are afraid of being forced into marriages.”
(Sanghera, 2009:12)
The Karma Nirvana is an organization based on project to supports
South Asian women who become the victims of forced marriage.
Jasvinder is a responsible woman. She decided to refuse forced
marriage and she knew the consequences. The consequences are she is being
disowned by her family and she must live her life without any support from
her family. She faced that terrible consequences and she overcame it and
rebuilt her life.
“I ran away than go through with that marriage. My family disowned me: ‘You have shamed us. You are dead in our eyes,’ my mum said.” (Sanghera, 2009:1)
M.J Murphy in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for overseas Student, states that: “From speech, the author can gives us an insight into the character of one of the persons in
he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is
giving us clue to his character.” (1972: 161-173). Jasvinder as a justice fighter
and helpful woman has helped many women who have been the victim of
forced marriage by becoming a national speaker who gives a speech about the
refusal of forced marriage. Her job often causes her to a great personal risk.
She is threatened with bomb, and some Sikh women group threatens her by
saying that they will kill her because she opposes forced marriage. She knows
what the consequences of her job and she faces it.
“Jasvinder, I’ve got to talk to you, she said after she bustled me into her office and locked the door. We need to talk about risk, Jasvinder. Are you aware of the precautions you should take?”
“I answered without thinking: ‘Yes.”
“Because I hear that some people are not happy with what you’re doing. Some people do not like it at all.”
(Sanghera, 2009:153)
Jasvinder lives in the community that still holds strongly their forced
marriage tradition and she opposes forced marriage because she knows that
forced marriage is oppression toward women and it refuse women’s freedom
to choose. However many people in her community do not like her refusal
toward that tradition. Many people in their community think that forced
marriage is a tradition that must be conducted and preserved.
37
Jasvinder was threatened by Sikh’s women group. They will kill her
because they do not like Jasvinder’s speech about the refusal of forced
marriage because they consider forced marriage as their cultural tradition and
they accept the practice of forced marriage.
“I believe so strongly in the work I do, Karma Nirvana is such an important part of me that giving it up would be almost like abandoning one of my own children.”
(Sanghera, 2009: 156)
Jasvinder knows what the difficult consequences of her work are but
she does face it. She is called to fight against forced marriage and she will
never feel regret of what she does. Karma Nirvana is an important part of her
life and she will never give up on it.
2. Sanah
When Sanah was fifteen years old, her family arranged a marriage for
her. Her family would take her to Pakistan to marry a man that they have
chosen for her.
“I heard my mum say, “We’ll take her off to Pakistan and get her married.”
Then my sister said, “But what will you do if she runs away?”
My dad said, “I will not let the shadow of dishonor settle on my own family.”
(Sanghera, 2009:21)
The conversations of Sanah’s family above shows that her parents do
not care about her being unhappy, they just care about their honor and her
father will not let her daughter refuse forced marriage. However, she is a
brave girl.
