Thanks to numerous friends online on Discord who gave me advice and introduced me to All the Bright Places in the first place. This study aims to present a textual analysis of All The Bright Places from a postmodern feminist perspective, to determine the portrayal of the male and female protagonists and the gender-based literary tropes present in All the Bright Places is to be identified.
INTROUDCTION
- Research Background
- Statement of Problem
- Research Objectives
- Research Questions
- Significance of Study
Since this book is popular among teenagers and young adults, the purpose of this study is to raise awareness about All the Bright Places among the target audience and to debunk the myths and dispel the gender stereotypes perpetuated by the book. To explore the effect of literary tropes among the target audience of All the Bright Places and to expose and dispel the myth of gender stereotypes perpetuated in the book as a result.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of Related Literature
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Postmodern Feminist Approach
In terms of literary criticism, according to Yang (2019), second wave feminist criticism consisted of three main aspects:. The third wave of feminism served as an extension of the previous wave, as well as a rejection of the failures and shortcomings of the previous wave. According to Sands & Nuccio (1992), the term postmodern feminism is a fusion of poststructuralism, postmodern philosophy and French feminist theory, all of which emerged as ideologies at roughly the same time.
According to Sands & Nuccio (1992), postmodern feminism is centered under the factors of 1) critique of logocentrism, 2) the celebration of differences between multiple discourses, 3) deconstruction of texts and 4) subjectivity in context. Postmodern feminists criticize this idea because it promotes thinking in terms of "polar opposites" and "binary opposites", such as the dichotomies of "black & white", "male & female", "reason and emotion", and so on. However, postmodern feminism centers on embracing diversity, difference and the rejection of labels and categories such as race, gender and class.
In promoting diversity, postmodern feminism rejects the generalizations and stereotypes that patriarchy assigns to women to justify the exclusion and marginalization of women in society. The voices that dominate historical discourse are often associated with power and its maintenance, but postmodern feminism argues that it is important to consider the perspectives of individuals and parties that may have been ignored or silenced throughout history , since these are also meaningful discourses. Subjectivity in context Subjectivity refers to the multifaceted identity of the individual in relation to the socio-cultural, historical and interpersonal context of the individual.
Methodology
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
The portrayal of male and female protagonists
This first impression also demonstrates Jacobs' criticism that young adult literature is often dictated by the stereotype that obtaining a boyfriend or husband is the greatest goal in a woman's life, and that if the female protagonist does not already have a boyfriend , his one ear pursues. the course of the story and wins him over in the end. Furthermore, in the next chapter which is told from her own perspective, she is portrayed as miserable and depressed, presented to the readers as someone who has lost interest in everything she used to love, especially writing. Before the events of the story, she aimed to pursue a creative writing program in college and even ran a writing blog with her sister, but in the story's present is too overwhelmed with grief to continue after her sister's death to write anything.
Eventually, these extenuating circumstances become associated with her as part of her identity in the eyes of people around her. Her entire identity throughout the first half of the story and the initial portrayal is centered around her extenuating circumstances as well as her guilt and grief over her sister's death, as well as the weight of societal expectations from those around her. With Finch's help, she slowly begins to shed the "victim" label and stops using her mitigating circumstances as an excuse to stagnate, and instead tries to move on with her life.
Instead, in the book's final section, she is portrayed as hopeful and inspired, thinking about all the places she has yet to walk and all the potential she still has as a human. Theodore Finch, the male protagonist, is obsessed with the idea of death and constantly thinks about the 'ideal way to die'. For example, before the events of the story, Finch throws a desk after being bullied by Roamer, a bully.
Moreover, this is also the reason why he refuses to seek treatment for his mental illness as he sees mental illnesses as 'labels' and therefore refuses to be limited by them. This reluctance to confide in others about his problems, not even Violet, is yet another aspect of his portrayal that conforms to the gender stereotype stated by Jacobs (2004), that being vulnerable and showing emotions is a feminine trait is what is undesirable in men, as well as the idea in YA literature criticized by Fox (1993), that men should be stoic and brave, who carry their responsibilities without seeking help. 17 issues, and finally at the climax of the story it is revealed that he commits suicide by drowning himself.
The Gender-based Literary Tropes Present in “All the Bright Places”
He helps her to enjoy life again, and at the end of the novel she is portrayed as hopeful for her future and full of potential. However, the story deviates from the logos of the Damsel in Distress and Knight in Shining Armor tropes in its conclusion, as the 'damsel' is forever changed, but alive, and the. The role of the MPDG is as a love interest who helps the male protagonist mature or overcome any mental and emotional problems he faces in the story.
After this role is fulfilled, the MPDG leaves the protagonist's life, usually by dying of an illness or disappearing in an unexpected way. However, All the Bright Places is a subversion of this literary trope, as Finch is instead Violet's Manic Pixie Dream Boy. The story starts with Finch narrating the first chapter, so readers familiar with the trope would assume he's the main character and Violet would likely be the MPDG.
In keeping with the trope, Finch leaves after his role is fulfilled, as he commits suicide by drowning. This difference in trope allows readers a different perspective while still remaining within a familiar context of teenage high-school romance that YA readers can relate to in their own lives. This is especially true with the book's depiction and frank discussion of mental health, a topic that resonates with readers who are teenagers and young adults, but one that they may find difficult to discuss in real life due to expectations and fear of judgment from their peers and society.
Conclusion
In romance and society in general, girls would be just an instrument for the growth and character development of the man and disappear after serving their purpose. This will further exacerbate the oppression, discrimination and biased treatment women face in society. Essentially, the portrayals of both Violet and Finch are fundamentally defined by the societal expectations and norms imposed on them by those around them, leading them to struggle with their mental health, similar to what teenagers and young adults face today in the 21st century. century may experience during adolescence. and growing into adulthood, especially young women who may struggle with their physical appearance and self-image in a society that emphasizes just those things.
While Finch's death is a warning against notions of toxic masculinity and the refusal to seek help from those around you, Violet's story is one of triumph and overcoming adversity, showing readers that even if one struggles with mental illness, it is possible to take responsibility for one's life and rediscover a reason to live. By doing so, she managed to free herself from the oppressions and expectations placed upon her by a patriarchal society.
CONCLUSION
Summary of Findings
22 The races and nationalities of Finch and Violet are never specified in the book, presumably to allow readers of all races and backgrounds to relate to them. In terms of diversity and suppressed voices, the character of Finch might resonate more with readers from economically struggling backgrounds with similar situations, as he is portrayed as coming from an economically struggling family with an estranged, physically abusive father and a single child. a mother struggling to provide for her children. What's more, the film adaptation of the book features an African-American actor as Finch, which could allow African-Americans and other POC (people of color) readers and viewers to resonate with the story.
After textual analysis and deconstruction of the text, the researcher believes that All the Bright Places is a story that addresses social issues in society, especially mental health, but also the social inequality and discrimination that one can experience when mental health in general community is discussed, regardless of whether they are male or female. Whether it's Violet's initial repression due to the expectations of people around her to be their perfect girl or Finch's reluctance and failure to seek professional mental help due to notions of toxic masculinity, this struggle is an allegory of the very real issues both men face. and female teenagers in terms of mental health in the 21st century, especially during such an important stage in their growth. Finally, the researcher wants to clarify that this study was made with the focus of exploring the story from specific aspects, namely postmodern feminist theory and the method of text analysis.
Therefore, other theories and approaches are recommended to analyze all the bright spots to perhaps obtain different results that can be more comprehensive and generally applicable.
