MUHAMMAD ARIEF BUDIMAN
(Lecturer in IKIP PGRI Semarang and teachers English at FPMIPA)
Feminism is a women movement which demands
emancipation or equality and justice between women and men. As a philosophy and
a movement, feminism is closely connected with Enlightenment Era in Europe
which is led by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Marquis de Condorcet.
This is different with Indonesian women. In
Indonesia, women still have position as second citizen. This can be observed in
daily life, as reflected in the story “Taman Kunang-Kunang” by Fandrik Ahmad.
The female character in the story is described as a housewife, replacing the
previous deceased one. The woman’s responsibility is to take care her husband’s
child from the deceased wife. In other words, the woman is only dedicating her
life in domestic area.
The writer analyzes this story uses Greimas’
structuralism. By using aktansial scheme, the story can be understood clearly.
Beside using Greimas’ structuralism, the writer also analyzes this story based
on the characters and characterization, and conflict. With these analyzes, we
can find the position of the female character in the modern Indonesia where she
tries her best to be a good wife and a good mother who is only active in
domestic area.
Keynote: Greimas,
character and characterization, conflict.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Feminism is a thought which is
introduced to promote the equal right between men and women in all aspects of
life. This school was first introduced by French scholar Simone de Beauvoir in
19th century. At that time Beauvoir actively promoted the equal
right between men and women trough literary works. Her writings have big contribution
in first-wave feminism. This first-wave feminism focused on the issues of the
equal rights for women, especially women of lower class, which in that time
they were minority in almost all aspects of life, such as job, education,
marriage, and others.
If we had Simone de Beaovoir in
there as pioneer in feminism, here we have pioneer in feminism which is very
famous up to now, RA Kartini. Even, Kartini’s struggle to promote woman’s
rights began long before Beauvoir’s, which was since 18th century.
Similar to Beauvoir, Kartini was born in noble family which has a prestigious
position in that society. Kartini’s struggle was to promote women’s right which
in that time they were considered have no right to have an education. This
started when she began her correspondence with a Dutch feminist-socialist,
Stella Zeehandaler. In her letters, Kartini starts to open her heart and is
moved to give a chance for Indonesian women to get education. This can be
understood. Although she is a noble woman, Kartini wasn’t allowed to get higher
education in that time. Kartini’s thought is influenced by colonialism, which
affects her rejection on feudalism towards poor people. She thought that
Javanese which is patriarchy became one of the many factors which detained the
progressive of Indonesian women. Kartini’s famous book Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang contains her letters for her
colleagues containing her desires and goals to promote Indonesian women.
Feminism thought is closely
related to emancipation. Equality and ending the exploitation towards women are
the main spirit of feminism. Since Kartini’s thought and movement on feminism,
there has been some women organization in Indonesia. Feminism in Indonesia is
strengthened by First National Indonesia-Women Congress which was held in 1928
in Yogyakarta. This congress was attended by some women organizations which
were already established. It can be said that this congress becomes main
foundation of emergence of women organizations in Indonesia. After this
congress, the movement of feminism mostly is against polygyny and polygamy. One
of the famous organizations is Istri Sedar, which later became Gerwis (Gerakan
Wanita Sosialis), and finally became Gerwani.
One of the organizations which get
attention is Sarekat Rakyat. This organization is considered as the most
progressive and majority of its members is women of lower class, such as
farmers, and laborers. This movement got hard reaction from Indonesian
government, because they are regarded has connection with PKI, which in that
time was judged as radical movement. The female figures, such as Sukaesih,
Munasisah, and some other members were sent to Dutch concentration camp in
Digul.
Like in other countries, feminism
in Indonesia has also some phases (first wave, second wave, third wave). First
wave before independence, feminism promoted equal education between men and
women. In old period, feminism promoted women to be involved in politics. In
new period, when women have limited contribution in public area, feminism
promoted that women get more room, such as in choosing job. In reformation
period, feminism promotes non-violence movement against women, and other
liberal themes.
Whatever the condition, feminism
is a heavy struggle proposed by Kartini and continued by Indonesian women
afterward. The spirits which were promoted by feminism are interconnected one
to another, they are: equal right between women and men, and erasing
discrimination against women both in domestic sphere and public sphere.
II.
FEMINISM IN INDONESIA
Feminism is a movement which
promotes women’s right to be equal with men without any discrimination.
Historically, women’s rights were ruled out in almost all aspects including
domestic and law. Government does not protect women’s rights legally though
women often receive infringement which harms them. Essentially women are weaker
than men.
The word ‘feminism’ comes from
Latin ‘femina’ which means women. This term started to be used in 1890,
referring to theory of equality between men and women, and movement which
promotes women’s right. Now international literature defines feminism as
distinction of women’s right based on equality of women and men.
In its development, feminist
refers to those who consciously try to end subordination against women.
Feminism is often connected to emancipation. In Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia,
feminism means liberation on women’s issues, equality between men and women. RA
Kartini who struggled to free the women from traditional norms which oppress
them through education was a famous figure in the struggle of women’s
emancipation.
Feminism is started at the end of
18 century, and ended at 20 century. Women’s voice in law, especially theory of
law, is emerged and meaningful. The law of feminism which is based on sociology
of feminism, philosophy of feminism, and history of feminism is the elaboration
of women’s attention afterward. In the end of 20 century, feminism is
considered as a branch of Critical Legal Studies. Its core criticizes the logic
of law which is used all this time; law’s manipulative and dependence towards
politics and economy; law’s role in shaping the pattern of social connection;
and hierarchy shaping by law’s clause is not fundamental.
Although feminist’s opinions are
pluralistic, one thing that unifies them is their belief that society and legal
order are patriarchal. Neutral and objective law is often only visor towards
political and social consideration which is manipulated by the ideology of
decision maker, and this ideology is not for women’s interest. Patriarchal in
society and legal order is cause of injustice, domination, and subordination
towards women. Consequentially, there is demand on gender equality. Gender
equality cannot be reached in institutional structure of ideology which is used
today.
Feminists focus their attention on
analysis on the role of law towards the survival of patriarchal hegemony. All
analyses and theories proposed by feminists hopefully can be applied in real
life. This is because feminists’ efforts are not only to beautify the history
of human beings, but also to help people survive. The movement of feminism
proves that abstract provision cannot solve inequality.
There are some schools in
feminism. The first is liberal feminism. This school appears in the early 18
century, along with renaissance era. The demands are equal in education and
revision on discriminative law. This thought is based on rationalist and the
division between domestic and public sector. Liberal feminists demand the same
opportunity for every person, including women.
The second is traditional Marxist
feminism, which is based on Marxism. The members fight against the system of
social economy which exploits women. Exploitation against women is part of
class exploitation in the production system. Along with proletariat revolution
which eliminates class system, exploitation against women will also disappear.
The third is radical feminism
which refers to the concept of biological essentialism. The approach is that
anything concerns with male is negative and exploiting. The members of this
school also reject family institution, both theoretically and practically.
The fourth is socialist feminism
which is combination between radical feminism and Marxist feminism. They
consider that women are exploited by two things, the system of patriarchy and
the system of capitalist.
The fifth is co-feminism which focuses
its view on the analysis of feminism quality. They sharply criticizes the other
schools of modern feminism (liberal, radical, Marxist, and socialist) by saying
that gender inequality is not only caused by the construction of culture and
social but also by the intrinsic factors.
III.
STORY ANALYSIS
Here the writer chooses American
folklore entitled “Taman Kunang-kunang” as object of the study. In analyzing
this story, the writer uses Greimas’ structuralism. By using Greimas’
structuralism, the writer organizes the story into diagram. The diagram is made
thus the readers can understand the story easily. Through diagram, the readers
can quickly recognizes which one is protagonist and which one is antagonist.
They will also understand why the character doing what he/she does. Beside they
will also understand the main goal of the character doing all his/her actions.
By inserting the story into the
above diagram, the story will be understood easily. The main character, father,
tries to find a new mom for his daughter. He is sad when he sees her daughter
missing his deceased mom. He wants his daughter to be happy. He meets Linda. As
his daughter likes Linda, he marries her.
Subject is the main character.
Here the main character is father. As the main character, father appears almost
throughout the story, from the beginning till the end. Throughout the story,
father tries many ways to realize his goal. All father’s actions are influenced
by his surroundings. One of the factors which influences him is the opposition.
Opposition is the opponent party.
In this story, opposition is death of his wife. This condition makes her
daughter very sad. He is heart broken when he sees his daughter’s condition. He
wants to makes her happy. He tries to find the replacement of his late wife.
Helper is the party who helps the
main character to get his goal. In this story the helper is Tante Linda. She is
a kind woman. When father introduces Tante Linda to his daughter for the first
time, her daughter is afraid of her. Tante Linda positions herself to the
daughter’s level. She admits that she also likes fireflies as the daughter does
thus she is accepted by the daughter.
Sender is the second party after
helper who also helps the main character in the process of getting his final
goal. In this story, the sender is the fireflies. The fireflies are the object
of the daughter’s affection replacing the lost of her mother. The daughter is depressed
after losing her mother. To find comfort, she tries to befriend the fireflies
that she meets in her bedroom window. She does this in quiet as her father does
not approve with what she does.
Object is the final goal of the
main character. In this story object is to find a new mom for the daughter.
This is closely related to the happiness of the daughter. Father does not want
to see her daughter playing around with fireflies as if the fireflies are her
mother. Father introduces Tante Linda to replace fireflies in the daughter’s
life.
Receiver is the party who gets the
final goal. In this story receiver is the daughter. All actions from the father
is done to makes the daughter happy. The only father knows to do it is to
replace the late wife with a new mother. He does not know that the daughter can
find happiness in fireflies. The father thinks that befriending fireflies will
make the daughter miserable.
IV.
FEMINISM ANALYIS
The story tells about an
Indonesian family consists of a father, a mother and a daughter. The woman
reflected here are in contrast with the condition proposed by feminism. The
story describes Indonesian woman as obedient and passive.
“Lumrahnya, yang selalu mengetok pintu kamar
adalah si pembantu. Ia juga yang menyiapkanmu makanan, seragam, tas, dan
sepatu.”
It shows that it is tradition that
a woman brings up children. It is the women who always take care all the
children’s need. And it is the women’s responsibility to always understand,
know, and predict all the children’s need.
“Bukankah kau ingin memiliki ibu? Dia akan
menjadi ibumu,’ kata ayahmu.
The quotation illustrates that the
father as representation of male determines all the decision of the family. He
is the one who decides what the daughter wants. He is the one who decides the
solution of the daughter’s problem.
“Kau akan ditinggalkan bersama pembantu dan
ibu tirimu.”
Once again, the description tells
about the position of a woman in Indonesian family. She is responsible for the
domestic area. She has to handle all the problem in the domestic area while the
father goes away to work as he is the breadwinner.
“Tante Linda benar-benar menjadi ibu yang
sesungguhnya. Ia setia menemanimu tidur, mendongengkan cerita-cerita lucu,
meninabobokan, dan mengantarmu pergi ke sekolah esok harinya.”
Here the author explicitly
describes a mother’s daily responsibilities. All of these activities concern
only in the domestic area. There is no place for woman outside the domestic
sphere.
“Apa yang kau lakukan,” bentakan ayahmu di
seberang.
Here we can see that the woman is
become the object of anger from the male side. The woman passively accepts it.
She cannot argue back and defend herself in front of the male dominant.
V.
CONCLUSION
From the analysis above, it can be
concluded that the woman pictured in this story does not reflect the ideal
woman according to feminism. It is said in the story that it is a man who
becomes a breadwinner. He is the one who goes out there to do some works and
collect money for the family. While women are requested to stay at home and
conduct all the things connected to domestic affair.
In the story, it is described that
the women is being the passive party, while the male is being the dominant
party. The male is the one who determines what kind of decision for the family,
including for the wife and the children. From the beginning, the male is the
one who is actively choosing who will become his wife, who will responsible to
take care of the children, who will conduct all the chores in the domestic area.
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