PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI A Portrait of a Mother as an Agent of Change in Some Selected Fiction A THESIS Presented as a Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to Obtain the Magister Humaniora (M. Hum.) Degree in English Language Studies by Deta Maria Sri Darta Student Number: 096332012 THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2011 PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS One cannot achieve her goals without lending hands from others, and neither can I. This thesis is a result of my never ending interaction with many magnificent people, including those whose names I do not know. Starting from the must-be-done routine, commuting from Salatiga to Yogyakarta on public buses, to the process of knitting the words into a bundle of thesis, I realize that I could not survive without them. I know that I cannot return their kindness except through my deepest gratitude and prayers for them. It is my pleasure to express my gratitude to my 2009 friends, especially from the Literature class. I thank them for the loving togetherness of the last two significant years in my life. Their contribution through making the room for sharing and discussion have helped me much to make this thesis come true. Let’s hope that all memories will be the sweetest ones to remember. Many thanks also go to the staffs of the English Studies for their kindness and great assistance. I am also indebted to the lecturers of the English Studies Programme who have enlightened me in so many ways. All the knowledge that I have obtained from them helped me in the process of writing. Their guidance also has aroused my sense of awareness of many things in life. I am very grateful to have Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A. and Dr. B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A. as my reviewers and examiners. I am also thankful to have Prof. Dr. Bakdi Soemanto, S.U. as one of my examiners. I thank them for spending time to read and give suggestions for my thesis improvement. My gratefulness also goes to Drs. Ph. Pirenomulyo, M.A. for lending me a little of his worthy time to be my proof reader. My appreciation goes to my persistent supervisor, Dr. Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A(Hons.), who patiently assisted me in the process of exploring and writing my thesis. I owe her for the valuable times and energy that she spent in advising. From her I learnt many different things that I had not comprehended before. Where would I be without my family? As a single parent, my mother gives her very best to support me in life including in the thesis making. I thank her for lending me her ears to listen to me. I also express my thanks to my only sister for her support and encouragement. Words fail me to express my appreciation to my husband whose love and understanding have taken the load off my shoulder. I also owe to my little bear to cuddle for many times that I could not spend with him due to my being away to pursue my study. I promise to pay back every single time I missed. Finally, I would thank Jesus Christ who enables me to do things beyond my reach and to make my dreams come true. v PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot. (Eleanor Roosevelt) vi PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI ABSTRACT Deta Maria Sri Darta. 2011. A Portrait of a Mother as an Agent of Change in Some Selected Fiction. Yogyakarta: English Language Study, Graduate Program, Sanata Dharma University. Providing an example of a strong mother can help the society to raise their awareness of the existence of non–stereotypical mother in literary works. This study discusses six literary works, i.e. three novels and three short stories. The novels are Maxim Gorky’s Mother, Gabriela Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Emak by Daoed Joesoef. While the three short stories are “Persembahan untuk Ibu” by Dasriel Rasmala, “Sepasang Mata Seorang Ibu” by Gerson Poyk, and “Anakkonhi Do Hamoraon Di Ahu!” by Saut Poltak Tambunan. The main purpose is exploring the depiction of non–stereotypical mother taken from the fiction under study. To do so this study will answer two research questions. The first is to find the portrayal of mother through her struggle, suffering, and self-actualization. The second is to see how the mother analyzed can become the agent of change. In line with Kate Millet and Adrienne Rich’s view that patriarchal society depends on mother to preserve its power, this thesis explores the potential opportunity to make the world a better place. Supported by Bell Hooks, the idea of equity between women and men is the main concern of the recent feminist movement which this study attempts to show. Answering the first research question, it is found out that the mother in the works studied is strong, firm, religious, less educated but tries her best to give her children the best education they can afford, not materialistic, and willing to make a change. Struggling hard for her family (especially children), the mother does not give up her hope and faith. The struggle makes her suffer, but the suffering results in her self-actualization, whereby she makes changes in her children’s future lives. As for the second research question, it is revealed that the mother unconsciously becomes the agent of change. It is because she does not follow the mainstreams and dares to do something that is uncommon in the society where she lives. She might not feel the changes herself, but they do occur in the lives of her children. This study thus has shown that the equity between women and men will not only benefit women, but also men. This idea (of equity) should be introduced and induced since childhood, and it can be done by mother. It is not a harmful situation for men for, as long as women and men respect one another, a new and better world will be created for all. vii PLAGIATPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TIDAK TERPUJI TERPUJI ABSTRAK Deta Maria Sri Darta. 2011. A Portrait of a Mother as an Agent of Change in Some Selected Fiction. Yogyakarta: Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Program Pasca Sarjana, Universitas Sanata Dharma. Pemberian contoh akan ibu yang kuat dapat membantu masyarakat untuk lebih meningkatkan kesadaran akan adanya penggambaran ibu yang tidak stereotip dalam karya sastra. Penelitian ini membahas enam karya sastra yang terdiri dari tiga buah novel dan tiga buah cerita pendek. Adapun novel yang dipelajari adalah Mother karya Maxim Gorky, One Hundred Years of Solitude karangan Gabriela Marquez, dan Emak oleh Daoed Joesoef. Sedangkan tiga cerita pendek yang diteliti adalah “Persembahan untuk Ibu” oleh Dasriel Rasmala, “Sepasang Mata Seorang Ibu” karangan Gerson Poyk, dan “Anakonhi Do Hamoraun Di Ahu!” karya Saut Poltak Tambunan. Tujuan utama dari penelitian ini adalah meneliti penggambaran ibu yang tidak stereotip dalam keenam karya sastra tersebut. Penelitian ini mempunyai dua pokok permasalahan. Pokok permasalahan yang pertama adalah mencari penggambaran ibu melalui perjuangan, penderitaan, dan actualisasi mereka dalam keenam karya sastra. Sedangkan permasalahan yang kedua adalah mencari tahu bagaimana para ibu dalam karya – karya tersebut mampu menjadi pembawa perubahan dalam masyarakat. Sejalan dengan pandangan Kate Millet dan Adrienne Rich yang mengatakan bahwa masyarakat patriarki bergantung pada ibu dalam upaya melestarikan kekuasaannya, thesis ini meneliti adanya kesempatan yang potensial untuk menciptakan dunia yang lebih baik yang bisa dilakukan oleh para ibu. Didukung oleh Bell Hooks, gagasan mengenai kesetaraan antara perempuan dan laki-laki merupakan pemikiran utama penelitian ini. Dari menjawab pertanyaan pertama ditemukan bahwa penokohan ibu dalam karya sastra yang dipelajari adalah kuat, tegas, religius, kurang terpelajar namun berusaha keras memberikan pendidikan terbaik bagi anak-anak mereka, tidak materialistis, dan mau untuk membawa perubahan. Para ibu ini tidak pernah menyerah, tidak pernah putus asa. Perjuangan yang mereka lakukan membuat mereka menderita tetapi penderitaan tersebut membuahkan aktualisasi diri, dimana mereka membawa perubahan pada dalam hidup anak-anak mereka. Sedangkan dari menjawab pertanyaan kedua ditemukan bahwa para ibu tersebut secara tidak sadar menjadi pembawa perubahan. Hal tersebut karena mereka tidak mengikuti arus dan berani melakukan hal yang tidak lazim ditemukan dalam masyarakat dimana mereka tinggal. Para ibu tersebut mungkin tidak merasakan sendiri perubahan yang mereka buat, namun perubahan itu memang sungguh terjada dalam hidup anak-anak mereka. Kesetaraan antara perempuan dan laki-laki tidak hanya menguntungkan perempuan namun juga laki-laki. Ide tentang kesetaraan sebaiknya dikenalkan dan ditanamkan sejak kecil dan ibu mampu melakukannya. Hal ini tidak akan membahayakan nasib kaum laki-laki dimana sejauh perempuan dan laki-laki mampu menghargai satu sama lain, dunia baru yang lebih baik akan