THE IDEA OF FEMINISM
AS REFLECTED THROUGH JOANNA EBERHART’S
CHARACTERISTICS
IN IRA LEVIN’S
THE
STEPFORD WIVES
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
ELIS WAHYU INDARTI
Student Number: 064214060
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
There is no “Y” in “happiness”, it is an “I”.
(The Pursuit of Happiness)
I can make it through the rain.
(Through the Rain – Mariah Carey)
This beauty I know comes from inside my soul.
I dedicate my undergraduate thesis to:
ACKNOWLEDMENT
I would like to express my biggest gratitude for my Lord who always gives me strength to pass each chapter in my life through pain and laughter.
My deep gratitude goes to my advisor, Maria Ananta, S.S., M. Ed., thank her for giving me her time to give her suggestions and guidance, and for her firmness so that I can really open my eyes to see a real world. I’m so thankful for my co-advisor, Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hum., for rechecking my work from another perspective so that I can make it better. If only I had a billion buck, I would really pleased to give a Ferrari. My next gratitude goes to Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum for her patience to listen my problems during my study. For all the lecturers, thank them for being the best lecturers I’ve ever had. The last but not least, I thank all the staffs, esp. mbak Ninik, for being so kind and warm and wishing me lucky with my thesis.
My greatest gratitude will be always and ever to my beloved parents, Surati and Ngatimin, S.E. who always give me their love, suppport and patience through their prayer and hope. I’ll never be able to finish my undergraduate thesis without your care. For my younger brother, Fadhli Arminansyah, thank you for being mature at your age. Also for my grandmother who always worries about me when I come home late.
For my “pigs family”, Iong, Mella, Siska, Pia, Uci, thank you for being my sisters and new family in this university. Thanks for always supporting me in doing this undergraduate thesis. Am gonna miss y’all, gals.
I am really thankful for Cita a.k.a cipay, Media a.k.a Nurbaya, Pipi a.k.a pekcay, Della a.k.a uni dendeng balado, Risca a.k.a Nurhalimah, Debi a.k.a Bia, Oca a.k.a sundel, and ica a.k.a Icun. Finding you, guys, like finding hectares of marijuana...tons of crystal meth!!
The last but not least, I would like to thank all my friends in English Letters Department of 2006, my team in String Movie Maniacs, and Puppet Show. Thank you for giving me the best team during my study. For everyone that I can’t mention one by one who helped and supported me in doing this thesis, thank you so much. God bless ya all.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI………. viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS……….. ix
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW………. 7
A. Review of Related Studies……….. 7
B. Review of Related Theory………... 10
1. Theory of Character and Characterization………….…… 10
2. Theory of Feminism…….……….. 13
C. Theoretical Framework……… 14
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………. 15
A. Object of the Study………. 15
B. Approach of the Study……… 16
C. Method of the Study……… 18
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS……… 20
A. The Characteristics of Joanna Eberhart………….…………... 20
B. The Ideas of Feminism as Reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s Characteristics……….. 40
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………... 49
BIBLIOGRAPHY……….. 52
APPENDIX………. 54
ABSTRACT
ELIS WAHYU INDARTI. The Idea of Feminism as Reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s Characteristics in Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011.
Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives tells about the struggle of the main character, Joanna Eberhart, to gain the equality for the Stepford wives as their husbands. Stepford is a patriarchal society that treats the women as the subordination of men. The main character tries to change the situation that happens in Stepford, so that the Stepford women there will not be placed in the second position after men anymore.
The research focuses on finding the idea of feminism that are reflected through the main character’s characteristics. In this research, there are two questions related to the topic. The first question is about the main character’s characteristics, and the second question is the idea of feminism that are reflected through the main character’s characteristics.
The writer uses the library research method as the primary source. The writer also collects the data from the internet source to support the thesis. The approach that is used in this thesis is feminism approach. It is used because the goal of this analysis is to find out the ideas of feminism that are reflected through the main character’s characteristics. So, feminism approach is suitable to use.
From the analysis, the writer finds that Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics are brave, caring, firm, independent, and persistent. They are shown from her reactions, speech, thought, manner, and conversation of other characters. From her
ABSTRAK
ELIS WAHYU INDARTI. The Idea of Feminism as Reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s Characteristics in Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011.
Novel yang berjudul Stepford Wives kaangan Ira Levin bercerita tentang perjuangan tokoh utamanya, Joanna Eberhart, untuk mendapatkan kesetaraan bagi para istri di Stepford seperti suami-suami mereka. Stepford adalah wilayah yang bersistem patriarki yang membuat para wanitanya diperlakukan sebagai bawahan pria. Tokoh utamanya berusaha untuk mengubah keadaan yang ada di Stepford, sehingga wanita-wanita Stepford tidak akan lagi ditempatkan di posisi kedua setelah pria.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menemukan pemikiran-pemikiran feminisme yang direfleksikan melalui karakteristik tokoh utamanya. Di dalam penelitian ini, ada dua pertanyaan yang berkaitan dengan topik. Pertanyaan pertama mengenai karakteristik tokoh utamanya, dan yang kedua mengenai pemikiran feminisme yang dicerminkan melalui karakteristik tokoh utamanya.
Penulis menggunakan metode studi pustaka sebagai bahan utama. Penulis juga mengumpulkan data-data dari sumber internet untuk mendukung skripsi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan feminisme. Pendekatan ini digunakan karena tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pemikiran feminisme yang dicerminkan melalui karakteristik tokoh utamanya. Sehingga, pendekatan feminisme cocok untuk digunakan.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature is a tool to reflect the life through the medium of language. As Hudson says in his book entitled An Introduction to the Study of Literature, literature is actually an expression of life through the medium of language. Literature can be regarded as something essential since it presents a description of a real life, people, feeling, thought, and feelings about life (1963:10).
There are many kinds of literary works, such as novel, poetry, or drama. A literary work is considered good and has quality if it gives pleasure and meaning toward someone who reads it. A literary work which only offers pleasure, will give pleasure in a short period of time because the readers feel the pleasure only when they read it. Literature talks about human life and society, therefore reading a novel, as one of the literary works, is not only a matter of looking for a pleasure, but also learning about life.
women as an object of the advertisement. They are used to make the products look more interesting, without showing the products in detail.
Women are objectified in ads everywhere, whether we are half naked or covered in a sheet in a bed. When you look at most of the ads there is not a hint of what is being advertised on the models. We only see a brand name, is she supposed to be selling jeans? Lingerie? How about lipstick? No, no and no, she is selling perfume. Well, how on earth, if she is selling, perfume can she do that with a bra and blue jeans on? Where is the perfume? There is no inkling of a bottle in sight, how is she supposed to sell this perfume if all we see is a brand name, where is the bottle, where is the mist? Maybe it is hiding
in her jeans. (Jaworski,
Moreover, women are still thought as a weak creature that cannot do what men do, and because of it women do not deserve to have what men have. Women are still positioned as house workers who are only able to take care of the babies. Women’s sensitivity is another reason why they are not as equal as men. It is because their sensitivity is thought to be dealt with their emotion, and women do not well in doing activities because of that. How women should be treated is not seen from the color of their skin, who they love, or from the anatomy of their bodies. But more, they should be treated as the same creature as men who have souls, feelings, and lives because they are people just like men. That is how women should be treated.
a promotion. If I have a child, it does not mean I am incapable of feeling the qualifications for my job. If I am emotional, it is because I am a human being, not because I am a woman, men are emotional as well, women have just been taught how to deal with their emotions. Men keep them bottled up. (Jaworski,
Feminists try to have the equality as men have. They try to erase the subordination that happens to women. Based on this reality, there are some efforts to gain the equality between men and women which is called feminism (Wyrick, 1987: 64). Feminism shows the action of women to gain the same right position as men. They take the action to get their freedom to develop themselves. Feminism believes that women have the same right and privileges as what men’s have so far. As what is stated by Gilbert and Gubar in Bressler’s Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice that feminism goal is to change this degrading view of women, so that women will realize that they are not “a person who is not significant,” but that each women is a valuable person who have the same privileges and right as what every men have. Women must declare themselves and assert their own voices in the arenas of politics, society, education, and also in the art (1999:180).
Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives brings the idea of feminism that are brought by the main character, Joanna Eberhart. It tells about the roles of both the Stepford wives and husbands. It seems that the author wants to show us women’s way of life, such as women should take housekeeping, while men do everything they want to do. Women should act nicely all the time and stay inside the house, but men do not.
Ira Levin shapes this issue through the different roles between the Stepford wives and husbands. He chooses to show the desire and effort of the female character to gain the equality as the Stepford husbands. The desire here is the desire to have the same right as what the Stepford husbands have and as what the Stepford wives used to have.
From the explanations above, the writer tries to analyze about the idea of feminism as reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics in Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives ince the issue of feminism spreads in each chapter of the novel. Joanna tries to change the patriarchal society that has existed in Stepford before she moves there. So, the wives would have the same right again as men.
On this account, this study tends to explore the idea of feminism that are reflected through the main character’s characteristics in the novel.
B. Problem Formulation
In this study, the writer uses two problem formulations to be discussed. The problems can be formulated as follow:
1. How are the characteristics of Joanna Eberhart described in the novel?
2. How is the idea of feminism reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics?
C. Objectives of the Study
The first problem formulation is to find out the characteristics of Joanna Eberhart. It is needed to know more about her characteristics since she becomes the main character of the novel who leads the issue of feminism in this study.
The second problem formulation is used to see what idea of feminism that are reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics.
D. Definition of Terms
In this part, the writer would explain some important terms to avoid misunderstanding in reading this study. But, the terms should be defined in order to limit the meaning. The writer finds two important terms, they are characteristics and feminism. The two terms mentioned will be explained as follow:
1. Characteristics
means that they have some characteristics that the real human beings have so that characters also have temperaments and emotions (Holman and Harmon, 1986:82). Characteristics itself, based on Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is very typical of something or somebody’s character.
2. Feminism
Based on the Dictionary of Feminist Theory, feminism means the ideology of women’s liberation since intrinsic in all its approaches is the belief that women suffer injustice because of their sex (Humm, 1990:74).
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Ira Levin has made several international best-selling novels such as A Kiss Before Dying, The Boys from Brazil, and Rosemary’s Baby. But, his novel that is entitled The Stepford Wives is the most unique one since the story consists of the changing of the women there from human beings into robots, and also the changing of the liberated women into the hausfraus immediately.
In this part, the writer will review the related studies that have been found. There are three related studies. The first one is taken from The Stepford Wives
Boruzkowski studies about the technology that is used to re-created women in the Stepford. She finds that there is a horror situation that happens in the Stepford since the women are changed into robots. She finds that the horror is not actually out there, but it is in our surrounding. More, she states that Stepford is a patriarchal
society. The Stepford men want to be the ones who can take control of everything. They want their wives become obedient wives to them and powerless. For that reasons, they finally decide to “kill” their wives and re-create the new ones to fulfill their desires.
THE STEPFORD WIVES specifically addresses the changing role of women in contemporary society and apprehensions about technology. The "horror" has its basis in current social and cultural ideologies. The evil is not "out there," but in our culture, our society, our home, our family, and the very beliefs which govern our lives. The basic plot of THE STEPFORD WIVES concerns men who discover the ultimate method of controlling women. The men create robot duplicates of their wives, which have no will and become men's sexual and domestic slaves. (Boruzkowski,
The second study by Veena Das still focuses her study on the science and violence in popular fiction. She studies that in the Stepford Wives, the patriarchal concept is not the only issue of the novel. But more, there is a mixing of the husband’s knowledge about science, sexual desire, and patriarchal concept. Their knowledge leads them to create a fantasy body that is applied to their wives. So, their wives can be like what the men want. But still, women are put up in the second position of men.
technology which gives Stepford homes that peculiar, picture-book quality, and the women bodies that neither sweat nor age, while their minds are completely tied to detergents and floor waxes. The fantasy bodies of these cherished wives are the body-made-whole or the body-without-organs of a capitalist, anti-oedipal society, living off commercials for detergents, soaps and deodorants. Whereas the household is vital in most traditional societies, in Stepford, household management has itself been transformed into ergs. (Das,
On the other hand, the last study that comes from Helen Bralesford critics about the second wave feminism that has its peak when the novel is first published. She studies the feminism issue as what the writer studies. But, she finds two feminism issues in the novel. The first is like what the writer studies that the main character brings the feminism issue in the novel.
The Feminine Mystique is cited in reverential as the work of feminist reference, but it is used to locate The Stepford Wives temporally; Joanna pointedly says that “The Mystique came out while I was still working“ (Levin 35) more than seven years before the date of the novel’s setting, a temporal distance that is reiterated when we learn that Joanna’s son, Pete, celebrates his eight birthday shortly after the family move to the Stepford. (Bralesford,
Historically and socially accurate though it may be, Levin’s representation of Ruthanne could be read as putting the blame for the feminine mystique squarely on the shoulders of those of any colour who aspires to join the middle-classes. It seems that a move to Stepford, whether in Joanna’s case from city life to middle-class suburb or Ruthanne’s to an uneasy equality with the white middle-class, is the self inflicted source of threat to them both as
women. (Bralesford,
B. Review of Related Theories
This part will discuss about the theories that will be used to analyze the problem formulations in this study.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
The first theory that the writer uses is the theory of character and characterization in order to analyze the main character’s characteristics in the novel. Regarding to Abrams in A Glossary of Literature Terms, character is “the persons in a dramatic or narrative work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say—the dialogue—and what they do—the action (1981: 20)”. So, the reader will be able to find out the characters’ moral and dispositional qualities through their dialogues or speech and their actions.
In Understanding Unseen: An Introduction of English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Student, Murphy, explained nine ways of how the author presents the characters:
a. Personal description.
clothes, etc. Personal description is used in many literary works by many authors; it is the easiest way to tell directly to the readers the clues to a character with certain feature.
b. Character as seen by another.
Instead of describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another. The readers get the clue of a character’s personality or attitude through the other character’s explanation or opinion about that character.
c. Speech.
The author can give us an insight into the character of one of the person in the book through what that person says. For example, whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving some clues to his character. It means that the readers will get some clues about a character through the character’s own words.
d. Past life.
By letting the character learn something about a person’s past life, the author can give us a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thoughts, through his conversation or through the medium of another person. e. Conversation of others.
about other people and the things they say often give us a clue to the character of the person spoken about.
f. Reactions.
The author can also gives us a clue to a person’s character by le ting us know how that person reacts to various situations and events.
g. Direct comment.
The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. By using direct comments, the author gives the opinion about the character. This is one of the most common ways that the most writer use.
h. Thoughts.
The author can give us direct knowledge of what the person is thinking about. In this respect he is able to do what we cannot do in real life. He can tell us what different people are thinking.
i. Mannerism.
The author can describe a person's mannerism, habits, and also behavior whether positive or negative which tell us something about the reflection of his personality (1972: 161-173).
2. Theory of Feminism
the late 1960s. Whereas the first wave lobbied for women’s enfranchisement via the vote and access to the professions as well as the right to own property, the second wave of feminism talked in terms of ‘liberation’ from the oppressiveness of a patriarchal society. Second Wave Feminism committed to building a body of knowledge which specifically addressed the ways in which women have historically been marginalized, both culturally and socially (2004: 145).
Since this study deals with the goal of idea of feminism, therefore it is necessary to know about the idea of feminism.
1. Equality
Jo Freeman states in Women: A Feminist Perspective that the idea of universal equality is that behind the differences, either men or women are born free and want to be placed equal. In front of God, both men and women want to have the same right in life. The purpose of equality is to avoid the justice of some existing inequality treatment. It means that women should have the same rights and duties as men have (1975:439).
C. Theoretical Framework
15
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The study on the idea of feminism as reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics uses one of Ira Levin’s novels entitled The Stepford Wives as the object of the study. The novel is chosen because there is a strong issue about feminism in the story that attracts the writer’s attention. This novel was first published in 1972 by Random House by Ira Levin. In this study, the writer uses the first edition that consists of 123 pages and is divided into three chapters.
While, in 11 June 2004 the same movie was released by Paramount Pictures. The movie that was located i comedy-thriller movie. In the same year, this movie won 3 awards from Golden Trailer as Best of Show, Most Original, and Summer 2004 Blockbuster.
Basically, the story in this novel is about the superiority of men who did not want to be in the second position of women. They changed their wives into robots, so their wives would not able to defeat them and followed anything they asked for. When Joanna and her family moved to the Stepford, she feels that there was something weird with the situation in her surroundings, especially with the Stepford wives. She finally found what happened to the Stepford wives, and she started her rebellion to defeat against the Stepford husbands to get their right and freedom back.
B. Approach of the Study
Wilfred L.Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature that concerns with feminist criticism stated:
Despite their diversity, feminist critics generally agree that their goals are to expose patriarchal premises and resulting prejudices, to promote discovery and reevaluation of literature by women, and to examine social, cultural, and psychosexual contexts of literature and literary criticism (1992: 197).
Feminists try to expose the patriarchal concepts, to promote discovery and evaluate the literature done by women and to discuss social, cultural, and psychosexual contexts of literature and literary criticism. While, to interpret literary text, it is important to decide which approach that is suitable for the text.
In A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature, Wilfred L.Guerin, stated that feminism has often focused on what is absent rather than what is present. It is a reflecting concern with the silencing and marginalization of women in patriarchal culture. It is a culture that is organized in the favor of men (2005: 222-223).
C. Method of the Study
The writer used a library research to do this analysis. The primary source that was used in this study was a novel entitled The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin, the secondary were books and websites relate to the work and the theories, approach and undergraduate theses as related studies. In this study, there were several books that were used in analyzing the work such as An Introduction to the Study of Literature, Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, Handbook of Literature, Dictionary of Feminist Theory, Women’s Studies Encyclopedia, etc.
In this study, the writer took several steps. First, the writer read the novel comprehensively in order to understand the story well. After reading the novel, the writer found there was something attractive with the issue of the idea feminism that were brought by the main character’s characteristics from the very beginning of the story until the end. Then, in order to analyze more on it, several theories from proper books were used after the writer collected the data from the novel.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer will answer the two problem formulations as stated in first chapter. There will be two parts that will be divided in the analysis. The first one is on how Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics are described in Stepford Wives. The second one will be about the idea of feminism that are reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics.
A. The characteristics of Joanna Eberhart
In this first part, the writer will discuss about Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics. Joanna Eberhart is the main character in the novel. Joanna is a mother of two children, who is interested in women’s liberation movement and politics. She is also a career woman who creates her own money as a photographer. Here, the writer finds five characteristics of Joanna Eberhart. Those are brave, care, firm, independent, and persistent.
1. Brave
The first characteristic of Joanna is brave. In analyzing Joanna’s braveness, the writer will use Murphy’s theory about speech and reactions. Based on Murphy’s theory about speech, the author describes the character through what the character says. It can be seen from whenever he speaks, having a conversation with another, or giving opinion (1972: 164). Besides, Murphy’s theory about reactions stated that the author gives a clue to analyze a person’s character by letting us know a person reactions to various situation and events (1972: 168).
Joanna is a brave woman. She wants to change the situation in Stepford that already happens before her family and she move to Stepford. She is not afraid of facing Stepford men’s reactions in order to defeat Joanna’s plan. She wants the Stepford men not to think that their wives should be placed in the second position under them. Her bravery is shown from her action against her husband who do not want to move from Stepford after she knew what has happened to her best friend, Bobbie.
“Listen to me, damn it!”
She gripped the handset. “Go ahead,” she said.
“I’ll try to get home early,” he said. “Don’t do anything till I get there. You hear me? Don’t make any commitments or anything. I think I can get away in about half an hour.”
“I’m not going to stay here another day,” she said. (p. 83).
Stepford men’s thought about women. She collects the facts from many sources she can find such as the written evidences from the library or from some people’s testimonies. Although in that time her husband starts changing his thought of women to have equality as men, Joanna does not stuck there.
Another action that shows Joanna’s braveness can be shown from her reaction to face the three Stepford men who run after her when she leaves her house. She fights against the three men both physically and mentally.
“Get away!” she cried at the lights bobbing toward her, two on one side, one on the other. She raised the branch. “Get away!” (p. 111).
Shapes darker than the darkness stood before her. “Stay away,” she said, raising the branch higher.
“You don’t need that.”
“We’re not going to hurt you.” “Then get away,” she said. (pp. 3). “Get away and let me go on!” she said.
“We can’t do that,” the man in the middle said. “You’ll catch pneumonia. Or get hit by a car.”
Joanna’s speech and reactions that wants to change the Stepford men’s way of thinking reflect her characteristic as a brave woman. They are also suitable to Murphy’s theory about speech and reactions.
2. Caring
Joanna Eberhart is also a caring woman who really loves and cares for her children and husband. It can be shown through her speech (1972: 164), reactions (1972: 168), thoughts (1972: 171), and manner (1972: 173) as stated in M. J Murphy’s theory.
In the novel, there can be found where Joanna tries to make their children not to feel sad or cry. She always tries to pay attention more on her two children as what is shown when Kim cries because Pete changes the channel that Kim is watching.
Crouching, she hugged Kim to her shoulder and rubbed her pajamas back, kissed her silk-soft ringlets. “Ah, come on now,” she said. “Don’t you want to play with that nice Allison again? Maybe you’ll see another chipmunk.” (p. 4).
“And don’t kick,” she told Kim. She rubbed her back and tried to get kisses in at her squirming-away cheek. (pp. 9)
Joanna also shows her habits of taking care her two children well. She always makes sure that when they sleep at night.
So once Pete and Kim were sound asleep she went down to the cellar and did some measuring and planning in the storage room that was going to e her dark room, and then she went back up, checked Pete and Kim, and made herself a vodka and tonic and tonic and put it into the den (p. 13).
Kim’s elephant was on the floor. She picked it up and tucked it under the blanket beside the pillow, then pulled the blanket up onto Kim’s shoulders and fondled her ringlets very lightly (pp. 4).
Pete was on his back with mouth open, exactly as he had been when he had checked before. She waited until his chest move, then opened his door wider, switched the hall light off, and went into her and Walter’s room (pp. 5).
Her manner that makes sure that her children sleep well at night shows her care to them. She really cares about them, so though they sleep, she will keep an eye on them. It can be also seen when she finds Kim’s doll lying on the floor. She picks it and puts it right beside Kim’s pillow. She pulls up her blanket, so her daughter will not feel cold at night and sleep tightly. Then, she checks her son, Pete that he sleeps comfortably as she has checked before. She looks at him and waits until his chest move, and makes sure that his door opened wider and switch off the hall light off.
Another manner of Joanna’s care is pictured when she takes care of Walter’s things in the storage room. She puts Walter’s things back in the same place after she uses his desk.
Her manner to keep the Walter’s things in the right place shows that she cares about her husband. So, he will not find difficulties in looking his things. She always makes sure that the doors are locked except the one in the entrance hall. That because she wants her family is saved from the bad things outside the house. But, she always lets one door in the entrance hall unlocked whenever her husband is not home. She does it because she wants to show her care to her husband that she loves him by giving him her attention, even when he is not with her.
From there, her mannerism can be included in Murphy’s theory about mannerism that is about the author’s description about a person’s mannerism, habits, and also behavior whether positive or negative will tell us something about the reflection of his personality (1972: 173).
Her characteristic of being a caring woman is also shown from her speech where she wants to make sure that their kids are all right. She still pays her attention to her kids by asking her husband to yell at her if they act up. So, she can go in to watch them directly.
She turned and took his chin and kissed his lips. “I’m going to stay outside a few minutes,” she said. “Yell if they’re acting up.”
“Okay,” he said. He went into the house by the living-room door. (p. 7).
new life and lives happily with her family in Stepford. She shows it through her thought when she sits alone in the porch after her husband go inside the house.
She wished—they would be happy in Stepford. That Pete and Kim would do well in school, and that she and Walter would find good friends and fulfillment. That he wouldn’t mind the commuting—though the whole idea of moving had been his in the first place. That the lives of four of them would be enriched, rather than diminished, as she had feared, by leaving the city—the filthy, crowded, crime-ridden, but so-alive city (pp. 7).
Her wishes to her family show her care that she wants every single thing work well to them. She wants her new life with her family in Stepford to be better as they decide to leave the city. By making her wishes and showing her fear, they also show how big and strong her love is to her family. She pays much attention to them, so the four of them will be alright.
When she has to sleep alone after her husband joins Men’s Association, she suffers from a loss. She remembers that she sleeps alone without him not many times. That also makes her feels as an unmarried woman again. Her reaction of missing her husband when he is away from her also indicates her as a caring woman.
To show her care to her husband, Joanna does not feel to be disturbed when her husband wants to have sex with her when she is already asleep. She says to him directly when she finds her husband masturbating.
“You could have,” she said. “Woke me. I wouldn’t have minded.” He didn’t say anything.
“Gee whiz, you don’t have to do that,” she said.
“I just didn’t want to wake you,” he said. “You were sound asleep.” “Well next time wake me.” (p. 15).
She feels so shock of her husband masturbating. She does not want her husband masturbating again, so she wants him to wake her up when he wants to have sex. She wants her husband gets what he should have gotten, her.
Both Joanna’s speech and reactions when she interacts with her children and husband show herself as a caring woman. Joanna’s caring can also be shown from her thoughts when she wishes for her family to have a new life in Stepford and live happily there. Her manner of always making sure her family’s safety and comfort is another proof that she is a caring woman. In here, the four Murphy’s theories of speech, reactions, thought, and manner can be applied.
3. Firm
do any housework at night when people should have taken a rest.
As a matter of principle she wasn’t to do any housework. Not that there wasn’t plenty to do, God knows, and that she actually wanted to do, like getting the living-room bookshelves squared away—but not tonight, no sir. It could darn well wait. She wasn’t Carol Van Sant and she wasn’t Mary Ann Stavros—pushing a vacuum cleaner past a downstairs window when she went to lower Pete’s shade.
From her thought, Joanna shows her firmness that she is not like other women in Stepford, more she does not want to be like them. She firmly says to herself that all the house work can be done in her free time. That does not because she thinks house works are not important, but those activities should be done in the proper time.
Joanna’s characteristic of being a firm woman is also captured from her reaction when she finds that her only one best “human” female friend in Stepford, Bobbie Markowe has changed.
“She’s changed, Walter! She doesn’t talk the same, she doesn’t think the same—and I’m not going to wait around for it to happen to me!”
“We’re not going to—“ (p. 85).
Joanna brushed crumbs from her hand. “It’s a nicer house than this one,” she said, “and we can have it for fifty-three-five. And we can get that for this one; Buck Raymond said do.”
“We’re not moving,” Walter said. “You said we would!”
“Next summer, not—“
“I won’t be me next summer!” (pp. 13).
Another part that shows her firmness is when she tells her husband about her leaving the house and taking her two children away from home after she finds out what is actually happening in Stepford.
“To me,” she said, “it sounds like a mistake, a very big mistake.” She lowered her hands and palmed her skirted sides. “I’m taking Pete and Kim into the city,” she said. “To Shep—“
“What for?”
“—Sylvia’s or to a hotel. I’ll call you in a day or two. Or have someone call you. Another lawyer.” (p. 104).
Joanna feels being lied by her husband about what is happening in Stepford, and she has to leave her husband because of it. But, her husband still acts as if he does not know what Joanna is talking about. However, she keeps on her first decision to go out from the house and finds another lawyer to help her handling the problem she faces in Stepford.
She also wants her children to behave and be nice children. It can be seen when Pete and Kim are arguing about TV programs they want to watch themselves. At that time, both Pete and Kim are still on their pajamas and sitting too close from the television. Pete who has just been kicked by Kim tells her what he has just experienced, but Kim debates it. Joanna asks them to not to fight each other.
“She’s kicking me!” Pete shouted, and Kim shouted, “I’m not! You diarrhea!” “Now stop it,” Joanna said, going to the port and looking through. (p. 3-4). “Quiet!” Joanna commanded. “Absolute silence! Utter—complete—total— silence.” (pp. 2).
“A, you’re too close to the set,” Joanna said. “B, turn it off; and C, get dressed both of you. That green stuff outside is grass, and the yellow stuff coming down on it is sunshine.” (p. 4).
Her firmness makes her children follow her command. They just stop and do as what their mother ask to them without arguing it. She wants her two children love each other without taking to one’s side and without placing them into different gender.
In the third characteristic of Joanna, M. J Murphy’s theory about speech (1972: 164), reactions (1972: 168), and thoughts (1972: 171) are suitable to be applied. Both the theory of speech and reactions can be seen in Joanna’s conversation with her husband when she found her best friend’s changing, when she is in a conversation with her two kids to take an action so that they will be nice children but without taking to one’s side and putting them into different gender, and also her reaction in leaving her husband. Her thought of rejecting to do house works at night also proves herself of being a firm woman.
4. Independent
women by being an in independent woman.
Joanna smiled. “That means an agency handles three of my pictures,” she said. “And I’m interested in politics and in the Women’s Liberation movement. Very much so in that. And so is my husband.”
“He is?” The Welcome Wagon lady looked at her. (p. 2).
Joanna also lets her husband to do anything he wants to do, including when he wants to join the Men’s Association in Saturday night when they should spend the night together.
“But it’s easier from the inside,” Walter said. “You’ll see: if these men I spoke to are typical, it’ll be the Everybody’s Association before you know it. Co-ed poker. Sex on the pool table.”
“If these men you spoke to are typical,” she said, “it would be the Everybody’s Association already. Oh, all right, go ahead and join, I’ll think up slogan for placards. I’ll have plenty of time when school starts.” (p. 6). Lying on her back, she swung out her right leg and arm. She missed Walter beside her, but the expanse of cool-sheet smoothness was pleasant. How many times had she gone to bed alone since they were married? Not many: the nights he’d been out of town on Marburg-Donlevy business; the times she’d been in the hospital with Pete and Kim; the night of the power failure; when she gone home for Uncle Bert’s funeral—maybe twenty or twenty-five times in all, in the ten years and a little more. It wasn’t a bad feeling. By Gog, it made her feel like Joanna Ingalls again. Remember her? (p. 14).
Her independence does not make her complain or ask her husband to quit from joining Men’s Association although she has to spend her nights alone every time he is with his male friends Men’s Association.
Joanna shows that she is an independent woman from not depending on her husband and trying to do anything alone as best as she could.
scay-er me. It’s a nice night isn’t?”
“Yes,” Joanna said. “And I’m done with my unpacking, which make it even nicer.” (p. 8).
Joanna handles the unpacking things by herself. She does not ask for any helps from her husband, because she thinks she can manage it alone. Her action of handling the unpacking things alone shows that she is an independent woman who does not want to depend on help when she does need to. Moreover, she also makes money by herself.
“’Avid shutterberg’! I thought that meant Polaroids of the kids! These are marvelous!”
“Now that Kim’s in kindergarten I’m really going to get to work.” (p. 19).
Unlike the Stepford wives, Joanna is also free to do what she wants. She can manage her time to do her activities and hobby that she likes. She managed to get in a little tennis, her game improving but still not as good as Charmaine’s (p. 49). Joanna shows her pictures she takes to her best friend, Bobbie, and she plans to make money from photography when Kim is in the kindergarten. She takes her photos to the agency. Though, the agency does not sign contract with anybody at that time.
She brought sixteen photos in to the agency. Bob Silverberg, the she dealt with there, admired them gratifyingly but told her that the agency wasn’t signing contract with anybody at that time. He kept the photos, saying he would let her know in a day or two whether he felt any of them were marketable (p. 69).
action of letting herself keep doing what she wants to do as woman shows her characteristic of being an independent woman, because for her those who can make their own lives are not only men, but also women.
Her independent characteristic can also be pictured when she is in Stepford Library and she meets a black woman, Ruthanne Hendry, who asks her whether she has any small children or not. The black woman who has done a children’s book tells Joanna about her book and offers her to take the book for her daughter. Joanna feels so interested in that because she wants her daughter, Kim, does something else but playing with her dolls in her free time.
The woman smiled. “Do you have any small children?” she asked. Joanna nodded, puzzled.
“I’ve a children’s book, Penny Has a Plan,” the woman said. “They’ve got it here; I checked the catalogue firs thing.”
“Of course,” Joanna said. “Kim had it out about two weeks ago! And loved it! I did too; it’s so good to find one where a girl actually does something besides make tea for her dolls.” (p. 72).
From the conversation above, Joanna wants women not only can do house things, but also something else that men can do. That is why she is really enthusiastic when the black woman says about asking her to take her book for her daughter. In other words, reading will enrich her daughter’s knowledge and develop herself better than only being subordinated by men.
person’s character through the conversation and they mention about the character (1972: 167). In the novel, Bobbie plans to move to Norwood soon and she asks Joanna if Stepford is the place she really wants to live in or not. But, Joanna stays in her side independently. She is not afraid of losing Bobbie, her only “alive” friend in Stepford, if that can make her live happier and better than in Stepford.
“Find friends in Norwood,” Joanna said, smiling. “You’ve got the car.”
“You’re so damn independent!” Bobbie took her coffee from the dashboard. “I’m asking Dave to move,” she said. “We’ll sell here and buy in Norwood or Eastbridge; all it’ll mean is some headaches and bother and the moving cost— for which, if he insists, I’ll hock the rock.” (p. 58).
From analyzing Joanna’s speech, reactions, thoughts, and conversations of others based on Murphy’s theory, there can be found that Joanna is an independent woman. It can be proved from her speech that she does not want to be dependent on her husband by joining politics and Women’s Liberation movement, letting her husband to join Men’s Association, being a career woman as a photographer, and trying to do anything alone, not treating her children based on their sex, and also by letting her best friend, Bobbie, finds her better life by moving out from Stepford. Moreover, Bobbie also states firmly and clearly that Joanna is an independent woman.
5. Persistent
feels being motivated by Joanna’s interest in Women’s Liberation movement. When Joanna thinks that there should be a Women’s Association in Stepford like what men have in Men’s Association, Bobbie feels more enthusiastic. Their conversation shows that Joanna is a persistent woman. She believes that they can change the situation where Stepford wives being subordinated.
“Damn it, no,” Bobbie said. “We ought to try at least. Let’s talk to the hausfraus; there must be some of them who resent the situation a little. What do you say? Wouldn’t it be great if we could get a group together— maybe even a NOW chapter eventually—and give that Men’s Association a good shaking-up? Dave and Walter are kidding themselves; it’s not going to change unless it’s forced to change; fat-cat organizations never do. What do you say, Joanna? Let’s ask around.”
Joanna nodded. “We should,” she said. “They can’t all be as content as they seem.” (p. 19-20).
It can be also shown through her speech of her struggle in finding the equality of Stepford wives. She does not feel tired or bored to gain the equality. She never gives up though many difficulties should be faced.
She spoke to Carol Van Sant. “Gee, no, Joanna,” Carol said. “That doesn’t sound like the sort of thing that would interest me. Thanks for ay-isking me though.” She was cleaning the plastic divider in Stacy and Allison’s room, wiping a span of its accordion folds with firm downstrokes of a large yellow sponge.
“It would be a couple of hours,” Joanna said. “In the evening or it’s mor convenient to everybody, sometime during school hours.” (p. 20).
When Joanna thinks that Stepford wives should have an association for them to meet, talk, and share the unusual things that happen in Stepford each other, Joanna tries to convince each woman there, although it is not an easy thing to do. But, she still does it.
“Thanks, but I don’t see how I could manage it,” Barbara said. She was a squired-jawed brown-haired woman in a snug pink dress molding an exceptionally good figure. “Lloyd stays in a town a lot,” she said, “and the evenings he doesn’t, he likes to go to the Men’s Association. I’d hate to pay a sitter for just—“
“It could be during in school hours,” Joanna said.
“No,” Barbara said. “I think you’d better count on me out.” She smiled, widely and attractively. “I’m glad we met though,” she said. “Would you like to come in and sit for a while? I’m ironing.”
“No, thanks,” Joanna said. “I want to speak to some of the other women.” (p.21).
The same rejection comes from the second woman she meets, Barbara. But, Joanna does not give up that way. She still keeps on fire to reach their freedom back by meeting the other women there. To have Women’s Lib activity is not that as easy as she thinks.
She spoke to Marge McCormick (I honestly don’t think I’d be interested in that) and Kit Sundersen (I’m afraid I haven’t the time, I’m really sorry, Mrs. Eberhart”) and Donna Claybrook (That’s a nice idea, but I’m so busy these days. Thanks for asking me though”. (pp. 9).
She met Marry Ann Stavros in an isle in the Center Market. “No, I’d don’t think I’d have time for anything like that. There’s so much to do around the house. You know.” (p. 10).
The women she meets and convinces about the Women’s Liberation in Stepford, response the same thing. They do not have much time to go out to meet and share their experiences. They feel that they do not need a kind of activity like that because they should always take care of their family house works.
“Do you think there might be a chance of setting up some evening lectures for adults?” she asked. “Or parent-and-teenager forums? In one of the school auditoriums?”
“On any subject there’s general interest in,” she said. “The drug thing, which we’re all concerned about but which the Chronicle seems to sweep under the rug; what rock music is all about—I don’t know, anything that would get people out and listening and talk to each other.”
“That’s interesting,” Claude Anselm-or-Axhelm said, leaning forward and crossing his legs, scratching at his temple. He was thin and blond; bright-eyed, restless.
“And maybe it would get the women out too,” she said “In case you don’t know it, this town is a disaster area for baby-sitters.” (p. 27).
What she tells about having evening lectures in the evening to some Stepford men describes her persistence that they should have an everybody’s forum so that they can sit together in order to have women’s same right and equality as their husbands’ in Stepford.
Joanna’s persistence is also shown when she finds a newspaper and there stated that, in Stepford, there used to be the Stepford Women’s Club Tuesday evening. No woman she meets tells her about that club.
“’Over fifty women’!” Bobbie said. “Who the hell were they? What happened?”
“That’s what I want to know,” she said. “And why Kit Sundersen didn’t mention it to me. I’m going to speak to her tomorrow.” (p. 39).
She keeps going to investigate what is actually happening to the women in Stepford. Even, she does not take any longer time to do it. From her reactions after finding the news in the newspaper, it shows us that Joanna is a persistent woman that will not end it up no matter what happens.
not give up that easy. She starts thinking that there may be a chemical thing that pollutes the water or air in every area in Stepford.
“More,” Joanna said. “Because it affects all women. What does Dave think?” “I haven’t mentioned it to him yet. I thought I’d try it out on you first.”
Joanna sipped her coffee. “Well it’s in the realm of possibility,” she said. “I don’t think you’re off your rocker. The thing to do, I guess, is write a very level-headed-sounding letter to the State—what, Department of Health? Environmental Commission? Whatever agency would have the authority to look into it. We could find out at the library.”
Bobbie shook her head. “Mmk-mmm,” she said. “I worked for a government agency; forget it. I think the thing to do is move out. Then futz around with letters.” (p. 57).
She convinces Bobbie that they need to tell the government of what is happening in Stepford, so they can take action to research the causes. Joanna also tries to explore what happened to women in Stepford before she moves there by finding the articles in the library.
She leafed back, through Little League ball games and heavy snowfalls, through thefts, collisions, school-bond disputes.
WOMEN’S CLUB SUSPENDS MEETINGS. The Stepford Women’s Club is suspending its bi-weekly meetings because of declining membership, according to Mrs. Richard Ockrey, who assumed the club’s presidency only two months ago on the resignation of former president Mrs. Alan Hollingsworth. “It’s only a temporary suspension,” Mrs. Ockrey said in her home on Fox Hollow Lane. “We’re planning a full-scale membership dive and a resumption of meetings in the early spring . . .”
Do tell, Mrs. Ockrey. (p. 96).
She dropped the next-earlier volume down onto the other one. Sitting, she opened the volume at its back.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MAY CLOSE. So what’s so surprising about that?
Unless the recent fall-off in membership is reversed, the Stepford League of Women Voters may be forced to close its door. So warns the league’s new president, Mrs. Theodore Van Sant of Fairview Lane . . .
Carol?
Joanna finds out the articles that tell about women’s association in Stepford. She looks what causes the dispersing of that association. She finally finds the dispersing is because of the declining membership. At the beginning of the declining membership, the women’s association should change their meeting into once in every two weeks. Then, it is fully closed, while the Men’s Association finds its fame.
B. The idea of feminism as reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s
Characteristics
After analyzing the characteristics of Joanna Eberhart, in this part the writer will analyze the idea of feminism that is found in the novel. The writer tries to reveal the idea of feminism that is reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics. Here, the writer will use a theory of feminism from Jo Freeman.
1. Equality
Since a long time ago, women have been subordinated by men. They put in the second position under men. Men have the right to decide what they want to do and do not. But, women have to follow the rules that force them to be good women. More, they do not have the same right to create their own future as men. Then, feminism appears to struggle for the equality. Feminism believes that women are as equal as men. It means that women can be in the same position as men. Women are not men’s subordinate.
Being a married woman, for her, does not mean that she has to let her hobbies and job go away from her life.
So,”Yes, several,” she said. “I play tennis whenever I get chance, and I’m a semi-professional photogapher—“
“Oh?” the Welcome Wagon Lady said, writing. (p. 2).
Joanna is a married woman to Walter. She never puts herself in the second position of her husband just because she is already married. Her marriage with Walter cannot make her to lose her right to do her hobbies and be a career woman. Joanna feels so irritating about the existence of Men’s Association in Stepford that do not allow women to have their opportunities to be equal as them. In her opinion Men’s Association, is a kind of irrational association, because they still feel being more powerful than women. She said, “How can you join an outdated, old-fashioned—“(p. 5).
At their first moving to Stepford, Joanna is supported by her husband her plan to change the Stepford men’s way of thinking about sexism that happens in Stepford.
“I spoke to some of men on the train,” he said. “Ted and Vic Stavros, and a few others they introduced me to. They agree the that no-women-allowed business is archaic.” He took her arm and they walked on. “But the only way to change it is from inside,” he said. “So, I’m going to help do it. I’m joining Saturday night. Ted’s going to brief me on who’s on what committees.” He offered her cigarettes.”Are you smoking or non- tonight?” (p. 6).
He put his arm around her shoulders and said, “Hold off a little while. If it’s not open for women in six months, I’ll quit and we march together. Shoulder to shoulder. ‘Sex, yes; sexism, no.’”
“’Stepford is out of step,’” she said, reaching for the ashtray on the picnic table. (pp. 7-8).
At the beginning, her husband does not agree with the way the Stepford men treat their wives as their subordinate who should obey all the things their husbands ask to them. He does not like the sexism that happens in Stepford, either. Joanna, then, allows her husband to join the Men’s Association in order to find the equality for the Stepford wives, because in her opinion, what happens in Stepford is very irrational and out of step.
When she meets Bobbie, the only one woman who has the same opinion as her in Stepford, they keep talking about the unfairness treatment that forbids women to have the same association in Stepford.
“It’s the same around here,” Joanna said. “Even at night! And the men all—“ “The Men’s Association!” Bobbie cried.
They talked about it—the antiquated sexist unfairness of it, the real injustice, in a town with no women’s organization, not even a League for Women Voters. “Believe me, I’ve combed this place,” Bobbie said. “There’s the Garden Club, and a few old-biddy church groups—for which I’m not eligible anyway; ‘Markowe’ is upward-mobile fir ‘Morkowitz’—and there’s the very non-sexist Historical Society. Drop in and say hello to them. Corpses in lifelike positions.” (p. 18-19).
Hearing from Bobbie’s explanation, Joanna feels more irritated by the inequality and the antiquated sexist unfairness that happen to the Stepford wives there.
subordinated by their husbands anymore. By knowing Joanna’s struggle of changing the Stepford men’s way of thinking about doing sexism for their wives, it shows us that she wants women to be as equal as men.
Joanna tries to convince the women themselves that they should have put themselves to be equal as their husbands. With her persistence, she speaks to the women in Stepford.
Joanna watched her for a moment. “Doesn’t it bother you,” she said, “that the central organization here in Stepford, the only organization that does anything significant as far as community projects are concerned, is off limits to women? Doesn’t that seem a little archaic to you?”
“Ar-kay-ic?” Carol said, squeezing her sponge in a bucket of sudsy water. Joanna looked at her. “Out of date, old-fashioned,” she said. (p. 20).
She believes that the Men’s Association should have not been the only one in Stepford. More, the organization is the one that leads anything significant there and forbids women to involve. She believes that the situation there can be changed if she can convince the women to have their equality as men by having their own organization.
Joanna reflects that she does not put herself to be dependent by her interest in the Women’s Lib Movement.
"We haven’t been formally introduced,” the no-not-Peggy-Clavenger voice said. “but I’m going to do right now. Bobbie, I’d like you to meet Joanna Eberhart. Joanna, I’d like you to meet Bobbie Markowe—that’s K O W E. Bobbie has been living here in Ajax Country for five weeks now, and she’d like very much to know an ‘avid shutterbug with a keen interest in politics and the Women’s Lib movement.” (p. 17)
that she is a liberal woman that she tries not to make herself to be dependent to her husband. In the novel, Joanna does not show her dependence to her husband, such as in making decisions by herself and does anything alone as best as she could.
Another part that shows Joanna’s reflection of the idea of equality can be shown when she is liberal to decide what she needs to do in her own time.
She bought winter clothes for Pete and Kim, and two pairs of wool slacks for herself. She made terrific enlargements of “Off Duty” and “The Stepford Library,” and took Pete and Kim to Dr. Coe, the dentist (p. 52).
When the winter comes, she is planning herself to buy some needs for her two kids and for herself. She does not need to ask for her husband’s permission to go shopping and moreover she does not but any for him. It shows that she can decide by herself what she wants to buy and not just like men in deciding what they want or not by themselves.
In doing house works, Joanna usually handles the jobs that she can do without asking for her husband’s help. “I’m not sure that I’m not. And I just finished the darkroom (p.58).”
She made autumn leaf-collages with Pete and Kim, and helped Walter put up the storm windows, and met him in the city for partners-and-wives dinner— the usual falsely-friendly clothes-appraising bore (p. 61).
Since women and men are created by God, they are given the same right. But then in the real life, women often get the unfair treatment from the society that limits them to be free in speaking unlike men. Women are not free to express their argument, but that does not happen to men. Feminism demands women to have the same right to express their argument, thought, and opinion like what men have. Feminism wants women to have their freedom as men.
Regarding to the theory of the idea of feminism that is mentioned in chapter two, Joanna can be concluded as a woman who can express her own argument to men.
There were no objections from the circle of men when, holding her glass, she said, “May I?” and eased into the sofa-end Walter had saved for her. Ike Mazzard and Anselm-or-Axhelm rose, and the others-made I’m-thinking-of rising movements—except Dale Coba, who sat eating peanuts out of his fist, looking across the cocktail table at her with his disparaging green eyes (p. 26). “May I say something?” she asked. (p. 27).
Everyone laughed, and she good at ease. She offered other possible other topics, and Walter added a few, and so did her Sundersen. Other new-project idea were brought up, she took part in the talk about them, and the men (except Coba, damn him) paid close attention to her—Ike Mazzard, Frank, Walter, Claude, even Herb looked right at her—and they nodded and agreed with her, or thoughtfully questioned her, and she felt very good indeed, meeting their questions with wit and good sense. Move over, Gloria Steinem! (pp. 8).
discussed, so the men will get into the topics and they can be in one discussion that never be done between men and women in Stepford. Joanna does not feel being subordinated in the middle of men’s gathering. She keeps expressing what is in her mind about the freedom that should have been possessed by women. Though, not all men are interested in what she thinks, but she keeps trying to completely remove the limitation of women’s freedom.
“I don’t need a psychiatrist,” she said. “And if I did, I wouldn’t want Alan Hollingsworth. I saw his wife at P.T.A.; she’s one of them. You bet he’d think I’m irrational.”
“Then pick someone else,” he said. “Anyone you want. If you’re not going to some kind of—delusion or something, then we’ll move, as soon as we possibly can. I’ll look at tat house tomorrow morning, and even put a deposit on it.” (p. 87).
From the above conversation, Joanna still reflect herself as a woman who can directly express her opinion to refuse her husband’s want for her to see a psychiatrist. Her husband starts thinking that Joanna has a delusion about what the Stepford wives suffer from. But, when her husband forces her, she firmly refuses it. It also happens when Joanna is forced to follow what her husband wants for her to stay home after she finally finds that her husband wants her to be like other Stepford wives.
She had to get to Ruthanne’s. Ruthanne would lend her money and a coat, let her call an Eastbridge taxi or someone in the city—Shep, Doris, Andreas— someone with a car would pick her up (p. 108).
it, Joanna shows that she has a freedom to find her own happiness from her own power.
Other evidences that show Joanna’s struggles to gain the equality for the Stepford wives aare pictured when Joanna tries to convince the Stepford wives to have outside activities, but doing house works even in the night. She feels irritating of their activities that always do the house work although their husbands are away from home often to do what they want.
Carol shook her head. “No, I’ve put it too long as it is,” she said. “It’s all over scuff-marks. And besides, Ted will be going to the Men’s Association later on.”
“Does he go every night?” “Just about.”
Dear God! “And you stay home and do house work?” (p. 9).
When Joanna tries to convince that they should have outside activities, she is shocked of what she found that her opinion is rejected. Moreover, she does not understand why the women in Stepford accept the fact that they cannot have outside activities.
In her daily life, Joanna shows her action toward gaining equality by playing tennis with her two friends before they are changed by their husbands. Joanna shows that she does outside home to do her hobby to play tennis.
“Just a game then!” Charmaine called. “One more game, Joanna!” “All right, one more game!”
Charmaine won it. (p. 33).
She walked them to Bobbie’s car. “Now look,” she said to Joanna, “I know you’re busy, but anytime you have a free hour, any time, just come an over. You don’t even have to call; I’m almost always here.”
Joanna firmly says to Charmaine that she will have another game with her whenever she has free time. Besides playing tennis, Joanna also reflects to have the same equality as men with having a career as a photographer.
She reloaded by moonlight, gathered the tripod, and backed across the street, scouting the library for a good angle. She found one and set up. The white clapboard siding was black-banded in the overhead moonlight; the windows showed bookshelved walls lighted faintly from within. She focused wit extra-special care, and starting at eight seconds, took each-a-second-longer exposures up to eighteen. One of them, at least, would catch the inside bookshelved walls without overexposing the siding (p. 44).
Joanna’s job as a photographer shows that she can have the same equality as her husband and the other Stepford husbands have. She does not want to always be placed home taking care of all the house work without having opportunities to do other activities outside home.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
From the analysis in the previous chapter, the writer can answer the two problem formulations as stated in the first chapter. The first problem formulation that is used in this study is about the characteristics of the main character of the novel, Joanna Eberhart. Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics are brave, caring, firm, independent, and persistent.
The second problem formulation that is used is about the idea of feminism that is reflected through Joanna Eberhart’s characteristics. In the analysis, there are three idea of feminism that the writer can find from her characteristics. That idea of feminism is equality.
independent woman that also affects her actions. Her characteristic of being an independent woman can be also found in the part where she does not put up herself to be dependent to her husband. It is reflected through her actions such as from making decisions by herself and anything alone as best as she could.
Her care is also pictured her struggles to gain the equality. Although she is an independent woman, he keeps paying attention to her two children in her own way, because she believes that she also can be a good leader for them. Her care also proves that she does not depend on her husband on how to teach their children.
This idea of feminism is also brought by Joanna who reflects a characteristic of a persistent woman. It shows from her movement to convince the Stepford wives that they also deserve to have a kind of their own association as what their husbands have in the Men’s Association. Her characteristic of being a persistent woman can be found in her persistency in convincing the Stepford wives to have outside activities and not only doing house works even at night where their husbands go to the Men’s association. She believes that women also can get their opportunity to have a career outside.
listening and talking each other. It also shows her persistence to change the condition in Stepford. Her bravery is also shown from her action of leaving the house because she feels of being threatened by her husband that wants to change her to be like other Stepford wives. On the other other hand, Joanna’s characteristic of being a firm woman is shown when she tells her husband that she does not need a psychiatrist, because she does not like what her husband thinks of her having a kind of delusion about what happens in Stepford.
