THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN WOMAN INFERIORITY AS … · seen in LaVyrle Spencer s November of the Heart and Pramoedya Ananta Toer s The Girl from the Coast: A Comparative Study

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THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN WOMAN INFERIORITY AS SEEN IN LAVYRLE SPENCER’S NOVEMBER OF THE HEART

AND PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER’S THE GIRL FROM THE COAST: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

A Thesis

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By ALENE ROSABEL U.

031214009

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

2008

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

I honestly declare that the thesis I wrote does not contain the works or part

of the works of other people, except those which were cited in the quotations and

the bibliography, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, March 11, 2008

The writer

Alene Rosabel Ulrikayanti


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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : Alene Rosabel Ulrikayanti

Nomor Mahasiswa : 031214009

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN WOMEN INFERIORITY AS SEEN IN

LAVYRLE SPENCER’S NOVEMBER OF THE HEART AND PRAMOEDYA

ANANTA TOER’S THE GIRL FROM THE COAST: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, menditribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya atau memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis. Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya, Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal : 11 Maret 2008 Yang menyatakan

(Alene Rosabel Ulrikayanti)


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all I would like to express my thank to Jesus Christ. He is not

only the one who saves me, but He is a loyal and great companion. He gives me

strength, He stays on my side, and gives me tremendous bless that I can stand up

once again and again. His helpful hands support me that I can finally finish this

thesis.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my major sponsor Dr.

Wigati Yektiningtyas Modouw, M. Hum., for her patient, motherly

understanding, and her motivating guidance in helping me finish this thesis. I will

not forget those great moments we share together. My deepest gratitude also goes

to my co-sponsor Drs. Concilianus L. Mbato, M.A.. He assists me on my every

page of this thesis. He is unbelievably efficient, and critical, and I am honored to

be one of his students.

I would also like to express my great thanks to all lecturers for their great

contribution in my development, their honest and critical sharing, and

unforgettable memories. I would like to express my thanks to all staff in the

secretariat, especially Mbak Tari and Mbak Dani for supporting me since my

very first day in this campus. I also thank to all the librarians who are always

willing to help me, and provide students’ needs in the library services.

My special thanks go to my father Bambang Poediyanto. He is my hero

and my idol since I was a little girl until now. He supports me with his endless

love, continuous assistance, and enriches me with his encouraging wisdom. I learn


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about respect for individua l difference from him. My special thanks also go to my

beautiful mother Priscilla Susi Siti Maryati, who has become my loyal

bestfriend. Nothing in this world can replace her and her great love and caring.

My greatest debt is to them, whose influence in this thesis was indirect but

profound. To my gorgeous sisters Gabey and Aggie who has become a light on

my night. No one can make me as happy, as sad, as proud, as confuse as they do.

My sincerest thanks go to my best friends , Paulina Gupta, who is the

best friend ever. She never judges me but encourages me with multiple

perspectives on any problems. She stays on my side during the hard days, and I

promise I will pay that someday somehow. My sincerest thanks also go to my

closest friends Nina Indarjo, Viana Rolos, Yani Bali, Chichil, Ari (Cret), and

Aryo (UGM). I found precious friendship, honesty, and respect and share the

greatest feeling of friendship with them.

My deep gratitude and admiration are addressed to my favorite lecturer

Drs. Petrus Garanim Purba, M.Pd. I found a figure of strong and loving man

from him. He assists me during my study on this university, and during crucial

parts of my development. He is more than just a lecturer; he is a grandfather of

mine who is always willing to provide me with chances for sharing and learning.

The only thing I want to do before I leave this university is to attend his class

again and enjoy his magnificent behavior, which is now impossible.

I also thank to my precious friend of PBI: Rizta, Dame, Monic, Daniel,

Meiske, si Bhe, Miertah, Tony Tonol, Pun-pun, Beni Suki, Rere, Tia Protee,

Indra Gupta, Dita, Netty, Kanya, Bertha ‘04, Bunga Ajeng ‘03, Andre ‘02,


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Tante-Tante Tua ‘02, Lady Dee and Siddha ’04 for crazy critical ideas in this

thesis, Mas Yudi ’00, Haris 04, Mas Punto ‘00 and all of them I cannot mention

one by one. You guys give me a lot.

My great appreciation, finally, goes to my greatest friend, my boyfriend,

Batista Ismoyo “beibi” Sedjati. Thanks for supporting words, inspiring

encouragement, and splendid love. He is all that suits me. He is the one I want to

have in this life, beside my own Grand Piano, of course, and he is the answer of

my prayer.

Alene Rosabel


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................

APPROVAL PAGE .......................................................................................

BOARD OF EXAMINERS ...........................................................................

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ...........................................

DEDICATION PAGE ...................................................................................

STATEMENT OF PUBLICITY ..................................................................

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................

1.1 Background of the Study .............................................

1.2 The Aim of the Study ..................................................

1.3 Problem Formulation ...................................................

1.4 Benefits of the Study ...................................................

1.5 Definition of Terms .....................................................

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ..........................

2.1 Theoretical Review ......................................................

2.1.1 Theory of Character .........................................

2.1.2 Theory of Characterization ..............................

2.1.3 Theory of Critical Approaches ........................

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2.1.4 Feminist Literary Criticism ..............................

2.2 Review on American and Javanese Culture ................

2.2.1 Review on American Culture in the Late of

Nineteenth Century ..........................................

2.2.2 Review on Javanese Culture in the Late of

Nineteenth Century ..........................................

2.3 Criticism on Literary Work .........................................

2.3.1 Criticism on LaVyrle Spencer’s Novel

November of the Heart .....................................

2.3.2 Criticism on Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Novel

The Girl from the Coast ...................................

2.4 Theoretical Framework ................................................

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ................................................................

3.1 Subject Matter ..............................................................

3.2 The Approach ..............................................................

3.3 Research Procedure .....................................................

CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS .............................................................................

4.1 Women Inferiority in the life of Lorna and Mas

Nganten ........................................................................

4.1.1 Making Decision and Choices .........................

4.1.2 Doing Interests .................................................

4.1.3 Expressing Feelings and Ideas .........................

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4.2 The Influence of Culture toward Lorna’s and Mas

Nganten’s Inferiority ...................................................

4.2.1 Patriarchy .........................................................

4.2.2 Religion ............................................................

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................

5.1 Conclusions ..................................................................

5.2 Suggestions ..................................................................

5.2.1 Suggestions for Future Researchers .................

5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teachers ....................

5.2.2.1 The Teaching Learning Activity in

Prose II Class Using November of

the Heart............................................

5.2.2.2 The Teaching-Learning Activity in

Prose II Class Using The Girl from

the Coast ...........................................

BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................

APPENDICES ................................................................................................

APPENDIX 1 Portrait of LaVyrle Spencer ...............................................

APPENDIX 2 Portrait of Pramoedya Ananta Toer ...................................

APPENDIX 3 Summary of November of the Heart ..................................

APPENDIX 4 Summary of The Girl from the Coast ................................

APPENDIX 5 LaVyrle Spencer’s Biography ...........................................

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APPENDIX 6 Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Biography ...............................

APPENDIX 7 LaVyrle Spencer’s Novels .................................................

APPENDIX 8 Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Novels .....................................

APPENDIX 9 The Implementation of Teaching Prose II Using Some

Parts of the Novel November of the Heart for the Fourth

Semester Students of English Language Education Study

Program ..............................................................................

APPENDIX 10 The Implementation of Teaching Prose II Using Some

Parts of the Novel The Girl from the Coast for the Fourth

Semester Students of English Language Education Study

Program ..............................................................................

APPENDIX 11 Material to Teach Prose II class Using November of the

Heart ..................................................................................

APPENDIX 12 Material to Teach Prose II class Using The Girl from the

Coast ..................................................................................

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ABSTRACT

Ulrikayanti, Alene R. 2008. The Influence of Culture in Women Inferiority as seen in LaVyrle Spencer’s November of the Heart and Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s The Girl from the Coast: A Comparative Study. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program. Department of Language and Arts Education. Faculty of Teachers Training and Education. Sanata Dharma University. This study is about Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority which is influenced by culture as they experience in the novels November of the Heart (1994) and The Girl from the Coast (2002). It is interesting to discuss women inferiority because it provokes us to learn about societies and their cultures. During the late of nineteenth century, women are treated as inferior. Each society may have different treatment. This differentiation is affected by their cultures. These cultures will influence women inferiority and the development. This study will discuss two problems. They are how Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority reveals in the nove ls, and how culture influences their inferiority. This study is aimed to answer the problems mentioned. The theory of character and characterization were used to understand Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s characters and also to find out what actually happen to them. The feminist literary criticism is used to analyze the position of Lorna and Mas Nganten as women in the novel, and to criticize their inferiority. This criticism is used to answer the first and the second problem formulation. Since this study focuses on culture and women inferiority, it uses sociocultural-historical approach as the critical approach. The results of this study show that Lorna and Mas Nganten are treated as inferior. They cannot make any decision, do their interest, and even cannot express their feelings and ideas. Patriarchy and religion, as their cultures, influences their inferiority. At the end of the novel, Lorna is succeed to make her own decision which means developing her inferiority. It is also influenced by her culture, American culture, which is more liberated and opened that provide chance for changes. Meanwhile, Mas Nganten remains inferior because Javanese culture is stricter and stronger.


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ABSTRAK

Ulrikayanti, Alene R. 2008. The Influence of Culture in Women Inferiority as seen in LaVyrle Spencer’s November of the Heart and Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s The Girl from the Coast: A Comparative Study. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program. Department of Language and Arts Education. Faculty of Teachers Training and Education. Sanata Dharma University. Studi ini berbicara mengenai inferioritas Lorna dan Mas Nganten yang dipengaruhi oleh budaya masyarakat mereka yang mereka alami di dalam novel November of the Heart (1994) dan The Girl from the Coast (2002). Inferioritas wanita merupakan suatu hal yang menarik untuk dibicarakan karena hal ini membuat kita belajar mengenai masyarakat dan budaya mereka. Pada akhir abad ke 19, wanita diperlakukan sebagai makhluk inferior. Setiap masyarakat memiliki perbedaan perlakuan terhadap hal tersebut. Perbedan tersebut dipengaruhi oleh budaya masyarakat itu sendiri. Budaya akan mempengaruhi inferioritas wanita dan perkembangannya. Studi ini akan mendiskusikan dua permasalahan. Masalah-masalah tersebut adalah bagaimana inferioritas Lorna dan Mas Nganten digambarkan di dalam kedua novel tersebut, dan bagaiman budaya mempengaruhi inferioritas mereka. Teori kesusasteraaan seperti teori tokoh dan penokohan digunakan untuk memahami karakter Lorna dan Mas Nganten dan untuk mencari tahu mengenai yang sebenarnya terjadi pada Lorna dan Mas Nganten. Selanjutnya, kritik sastra feminis digunakan untuk menganalisa posisi Lorna dan Mas Nganten sebagai wanita di dalam kedua novel tersebut, dan untuk mengkritisi inferioritas mereka. Kritik ini digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan pertama dan kedua. Mengingat fokus dari studi ini adalah mengenai budaya dan inferioritas wanita, maka studi ini menggunakan pendekatan sosial budaya dan sejarah. Hasil dari studi ini menunjukkan bahwa Lorna dan Mas Nganten diperlakukan sebagai makhluk inferior. Mereka tidak boleh membuat keputusan, tidak boleh melakukan semua hal yang mereka sukai, dan mereka juga tidak boleh mengungkapkan seluruh perasaan dan ide-ide mereka. Patriarkhi dan agama, sebagai budaya mereka, mempengaruhi inferioritas mereka. Pada akhir novel, Lorna digambarkan mampu membuat keputusannya sendiri dimana hal ini menunjukkan perkembangan atas inferioritasnya. Hal ini juga dipengaruhi oleh budaya Lorna, budaya Amerika, yang lebih bebas dan terbuka sehingga memungkinkan adanya perubahan. Sementara itu, Mas Nganten tetap inferior karena budaya masyarakat Jawa lebih ketat dan kuat. .


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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into five sections. The first section is Background

of the Study. This section explains the background knowledge of the study. It also

explains why the novels were chosen as the primary data of this study. The second

one is the Aim of the Study. This section mentions the main purpose of this study.

The third section is Problem Formulation that contains questions to be answered

as the focus of this study. Next, Benefits of the Study is discussed. It contains the

advantages of this study. The fifth section is Definition of Terms. It explains the

terms used in this study to enable the reader to understand this thesis better.

1.1 Background of the Study

Literature is a special work of art. Literature involves social phenomena,

thoughts, feeling, attitude, and even the society itself in it. Literature is special in

the way that it provides us with a very clear reflection of our living. So, by

reading literature, we can understand about our selves`, about people around us,

even about the society. Moreover, literature enables us to learn something about

life without experiencing by our selves.

Hudson (1958: 10) states that literature is a vital record of what men have

seen about life; what they have experienced of it, what they have thought, and felt

about those aspects of which have the most immediate and enduring human


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interest. It is, thus, fundamentally dealing with an expression of life through the

medium of language.

Literature is a means that provides us with chances to reflect. We can see

life and its aspects very clearly, because literature lets us stand as observer; we

don’t experience, but watch. In modern literature we have three major sections,

namely fiction, poetry, and drama. According to Milligan (1983: 4), novel is

classified as fiction that has a close relationship to human life. Novels convey

reality. Novel tells us something just how it is.

A novel is a book that tells a story of life. De Laar (1963: 163) says that a

novel is a work of art in so far as it introduces us into living world; in some

respects resembling the world we live in, but with individuality of its own. Every

novel may have different way and style of telling the story, but they tell the same

thing; life.

“Woman inferiority” is always an interesting subject of discussion by

many people in this world because this subject has a long and interesting history,

and the changes on it involve many efforts from so many people in this world.

Many authors had brought this issue into their writing. LaVyrle Spencer has an

interesting way to tell a story through her novel. Her diction is always perfect and

conveys the meaning clearly. The characters descriptions are also very clear and

understandable. LaVyrle Spencer really knows how to make the readers

understand, and even be involved in the story. Pramoedya Ananta Toer is also a

great writer. In his The Girl From the Coast (1991), he describes the issue in a

controversial way that allows the readers to find the reality. Instead of making a


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misunderstanding, his controversial way enables the readers to explore more

meaning and value concerning on woman inferiority. The strengths of both

novelists become the reason why I choose their novel. These novels are exactly

what this study is about.

When we discuss the issue of woman inferiority, especially in the middle

age, we will include matters that influence the particular issue such as culture,

politic situation, tradition, and life style on that age. Since it includes many

matters, the practicality of the issue may vary, and it will be very challenging to

find out how it differs among countries. That is the reason why I choose two

novels that use two different countries as the setting. The differences among them

make us know that one particular issue may vary in different setting of place and

time.

November of the Heart (1994) tells us about the story of how woman in

that age was treated strictly by man. This novel is about a young woman named

Lorna Barnett who was born in a rich family. Lorna has the spirit of a modern

woman. She is willing to learn many things and to try new things. But, culture and

society never let her grow as she wishes. She must marry a man who is the choice

of her father, while she is in love with another man. She may not do what man at

that time can do. She may not make her own decision.

While, The Girl from the Coast tells us a story about a village girl who is

trapped in a nobility life. She is engaged to a noble and must marry him. The girl

then has a new name, Mas Nganten. When Mas Nganten finally falls in love with

her husband, she must accept inappropriate treatment on her. She is considered as


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a temporary wife before her husband marries to another woman from the same

class to be the “real” wife. She is married in proxy manner where a dagger

represents her husband to be. The interesting point of this novel is how this novel

describes the situation when Indonesian woman were treated as inferior. It is

clearly described how women had no right upon their own life. Their destiny is

thoroughly arranged by men. Mas Nganten finds herself dumped when she is in

love with her husband and having their baby.

Those two novels illustrate the issue on woman inferiority in different

ways. They do not merely talk abut the issue, but the stories of those two novels

pictures the clear situation, feeling, thought, even the effect of the practicality of

the issue. Those two novels are exactly what this study is about.

Women nowadays have their own freedom and life. They may pursue any

career they want to have. Women, now, may make their own decision for their

life, and even they deserve the same appreciation and respects as man have. When

we read those two novels, we find that there is a long history of woman freedom.

The process in achieving woman freedom is influenced by many things over

times. This process happens everywhere, such as in western region and eastern

region which have different cultures. I am interested to talk about the treatment as

inferior toward women in past time, and compare the issue to investigate how

culture influences it. Since Lorna and Mas Nganten come from different regions

and cultures, although they receive the same treatment, they may have different

experience on the same issue. Different experience may result in different effect

on them, and even different action and reaction.


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1.2 The Aim of the Study

The first objective of this study is to find out how women inferiority

reveals in the life of Lorna and Mas Nganten. It tries to give a clear description of

treatment toward woman in past time, both in western area and culture, and in

eastern area and culture. The second objective is to find out whether different

culture may result in different influence toward Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s

inferiority. It tries to give a clear description if western culture and society

influence women inferiority differently from how eastern culture and society do.

1.3 Problem Formulation

Based on the aim of the study, the questions to be answered in this study

can be formulated as fo llows:

1. How is woman inferiority revealed in the life of Lorna and Mas Nganten?

2. How does culture influence Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority?

1.4 Benefits of the Study

There are benefits that we can obtain from this study for both readers

and those who are interested in a literary work. By reading this study readers

can understand more about the treatment on woman as inferior both in

western and eastern areas. The other advantage is that the readers are able to

reflect on how woman independence nowadays derives from a long and very

hard history and struggle. For example, in this study, readers can see and

learn that as a human being, we have the right of freedom, and we have to


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struggle to be able to get or defend it. Moreover, this study can be such an

enjoyment and pleasure.

This study also helps the reader to understand more about the novel,

so that the readers are able to enjoy reading the novel.

1.5 Definition of Terms

In this study, some terms are used. In order to have a clear

understanding of this study, I include the definition of some terms used in

this thesis.

A Comparative Study

According to Levin (1966: viii), comparative literature already sets its

discipline which has tended to focus its interest on interrelationships-traditions

and movements, the intellectual forces that find their logical termination in –ism –

rather than on the contemplation of individual masterpieces. So, comparative

study here means to compare two or more people or things. This study seeks for

the interrelationships between two different society and culture, and seeks for the

difference and similarities among them.

Woman Inferiority

According to Hornby (1987), inferiority is defined as feeling that you are

not as good, important, etc. as other people. In this thesis, inferiority means

feeling of having no control and right on your own life. Therefore, woman

inferiority means the condition in which woman is weak and totally controlled by

man without any chances to make a choice.


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The American and the Javanese

This study compares the practicality of a certain issue from two different

areas. The areas are American and Java. The American area refers to Minnesota,

which is the setting of place of the first novel, November of the Heart. While, the

Javanese area refers to Rembang and the north coast of Central Java which is the

setting of place of the second novel, The Girl from the Coast.

Culture

According to Geertz (1973:4), in Mirror for Man, Clyde Kluckhohn

defines culture in 11 definitions. Four of them states that culture is the total way

of life of people, the social legacy the individual acquires from his group, a way of

thinking, feeling, and believing, and an abstraction of behaviour.


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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of two sections. The first section is the

Theoretical Review. The second section is the criticism of LaVyrle Spencer

and her work November of the Heart , and Pramoedya Ananta Toer and his

work The Girl from the Coast, and the theoretical framework.

The first section, that is the theoretical review, consists of two

theories. Those theories are theory of literature, and the feminist literary

criticism. The theory of literature itself consists of three parts. They are

theory of character, theory of characterization, and the theory of critical

approaches. The theory of character and characterization are used to find out

the clear and detailed description of the characters in the two stories. It helps

us to understand more about what happens to the two main characters in the

stories. The theory of critical approaches are used to find the appropriate

approach I am going to use in this study to analyze the two novels. This study

uses sociocultural-historical approach. Rohrberger and Woods (1971: 12 –

13) state that this approach enables us to investigate the place and society.

Using sociocultural-historical approach, I can analyze women inferiority in

the two stories in deep. The feminist literary criticism is used to enrich the

analysis by giving a keen analysis on the subject matter.

The second part is the criticism of LaVyrle Spencer and her work

November of the Heart , and criticism of Pramoedya Ananta Toer and his


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work The Girl from the Coast. Most of the criticisms are stated by comparing

the works with what happen in the real life, and also by considering the

values that revealed through the work. I also include the context of the two

novels to provide a clear background about the two novels.

2.1 Theoretical Review

This section presents theory of literature, and the feminist literary

criticism. The first is the theory of literature. It is divided into two, namely

theory of character and characterization, and theory of critical approaches.

The second is the feminist literary criticism.

2.1.1 Theory of Characte r

In this thesis, I use the theory of character and characterization to help

me to understand about women inferiority through the main characters of the

two novels, Lorna and Mas Nganten. Women inferiority deals with society,

culture and also historical background of the environment, that is why I

mostly use the sociocultural-historical approach to analyze the novels. The

theory of character and characterization itself can be used in the analysis,

especially when I need to examine the subject matter through Lorna’s and

Mas Nganten’s character. I apply this theory by relating the theory with their

behaviour and actions.

According to Abrams (1981: 2), a character is a person presented in

dramatic or narrative works, and interpreted as being encouraged with moral


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and disposition qualities that are expressed in the dialogues of the novel and

the actions. Abrams also adds that characters are like human beings.

Characters have emotion, temperament, moral, and social values that become

the basic motivation of his or her speech and actions. Characters can remain

stable or can have some changes during the story. The events or experiences

that characters have during the story can affect their thoughts, ideas, or

judgements about life and their environment or society.

In the two novels, Lorna and Mas Nganten are also presented in

dramatic and narrative way with dialogs and actions. Those dialogs and

actions are means for Lorna and Mas Nganten to express their feeling.

Through their dialogs and actions, we can understand more about their

thoughts, idea, feeling, judgements and even social values. Their behaviour,

as presented in the novels, also expresses their emotion and feeling, and even

their moral values. Using this theory, I can analyze those behaviour, dialogs

and actions, and get the fact beyond the issue of women inferiority.

2.1.2 Theory of Characterization

In every novel, we will find that characters ‘live and ‘act’ in the

stories. Therefore, to make the readers accept those characters as believable

people, those characters must be presented very well. In this case,

characterization is important. Characterization is a process in which characters are

portrayed in the novel as real people in real life. In this thesis, I use the theory of

characterization to analyze Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s character deeper. In these


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novels, November of The Heart and The Girl from The Coast, Spencer and Toer

present their characters in the novel very lively and understandable for the reader

through several ways, like speech, conversation of others, mannerism and direct

thoughts. The theory of characterization is able to reveal a character’s description.

Murphy (1972: 161-173) states that there are nine ways which enable an

author to present the character in the story understandably and lively for the

readers. The nine ways are personal description, character as seen by another,

speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction, direct comment, thought, and

mannerism.

1. Personal description

The author can describe one’s appearance and clothes that he or she

wears. A character’s character and personality can be seen through his and

her appearance and clothes.

2. Characters as seen by another

The author can describe a character’s character from another

characters’ point of view and opinion. Another characters’ opinion on

character can help the reader to understand the character more.

3. Speech

The author can give us an insight into the character of certain person

in the book from what the particular person says. Speech can be whenever

this person speaks, has a conversation with other people, or gives an opinion.

Whenever it happens, he or she gives us clues about his or her character.

Speech can also show his or her personality implicitly.


12

4. Past life

The author can invite the reader to know and learn something about a

person’s background or past life. The author can provide the reader with

clues about the events that have given some help in shaping the person’s

character. The clues can be given through the author’s direct comment,

through the person’s thoughts and feeling, through the person’s conversation,

and also through another person in the story. A person’s past life also

influences his or her ways of thinking and behaviour toward other people.

5. Conversation of others

The author can provide the readers with clues about a person’s

character through other people conversation and what they say about him or

her. People talk about other people and all the thing they say may give a clue

about the character of the particular person spoken about.

6. Reactions

The author can provide the reader with clues about a person’s

character through his or her way in reacting various situation or events he or

she faces. A person’s reactions will show his or her character and

personality.

7. Direct comment

The author can describe a person’s character by giving an opinion or

direct comment on the person directly. The author usually gives the comment

or opinion about the person in the story in his point of view and put it in line

within the story.


13

8. Thoughts

The author can give the reader direct knowledge about a person’s

thoughts. This is what an author cannot do in real life. The author can

provide the reader with special device which plugged into the deepest

thought of a person in the story, so that the reader knows what the particular

person is thinking about, and what his or her opinion on certain things.

9. Mannerism

The author sometimes describes a person’s mannerism, habits or

idiosyncrasies. This description will provide the reader with clues about the

person’s character. The author usually reveals both the positive and negative

habits of the person to enable the reader to know more about the person’s

character.

Character is one of internal aspects in a novel. The term character is

used in two ways: (1) it designs the individual who appears in the story and

(2) it refers to the mixture of interests, desires, emotions, and principles that

make up each of these individuals. Through some of these ways, the author

makes the reader aware of the personalities and the characters of certain

person he wrote in his books.

2.1.3 The Theory of Critical Approaches

In this study, I need to employ one of the theories of critical

approaches to enable me to have reasonable judgments. Reasonable

judgements will make it easier for me to analyze the novel better and even to


14

explore more. By using an appropriate critical approach, I can understand

more about what value is revealed in the novels and how literature is shaped.

Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature (1971: 3)

distinguish five critical approaches. Those approaches are the formalist

approach, biographical approach, sociocultural - historical approach,

mythopeic approach, and psychological approach.

In this thesis, I employ the sociocultural-historical approach.

According to Rohrberger and Woods (1971: 9-10), sociocultural-historical

approach insists that the only way to locate the real work is be in the

reference to the civilization that produces it. It is needed to investigate the

place or society, which reflects a created work. The historical critic examines

either the work itself or the work in relation to other works by the same

author or works of similar kind of subject matter by different authors in the

same or in the different periods.

This approach brings us to analyze the two novels from the

sociocultural-historical point of view. It enables us to investigate and

examine the society or the place deeply. Society creates culture which

becomes one of guidance, beside religion, on their life. Culture really affects

the society, but it is not the only thing that affects them. What happens on

that time also brings big influence to the society. Because the settings of time

of these two novels are around 1800, we can call it history. Society, culture

and history have certain relation, and using the sociocultural-historical

approach, we can analyze the two novels deeper and keen.


15

2.1.4 Feminist Literary Criticism

In the novel November of the Heart and The Girl from the Coast, the

influence of culture toward the main characters’ inferiority is very interesting

to be analyzed because the influence reflects the power of society in

controlling as well as destroying their own life. Culture is made by the

society, to control themselves and their own life. Since this study is closely

related to culture and women inferiority, it is necessary for me to use the

feminist literary criticism. Feminist Literary Criticism is a theory that

explains how women are placed in the novel. Humm states (1994: ix) that

gender is the focus and the fundamental category of this criticism analysis.

Feminist literary criticism gives a big contribution toward my study. It helps

me in understanding how woman is characterized in the two novels. It also

makes me understand the cultural background that influences the main

characters’ inferiority better.

Culture deals with society, because it is the society who creates

culture. Culture represents society’s thought, idea, and also civilization level.

There are many other aspects that represent the society, such as ideologies,

religion and traditions. Those aspects influence women as a part of the

society. In here, the feminist literary criticism brings a great contribution in

understanding the influences. According to Humm (1994: ix), feminist

literary criticism attends to how those ideologies in society and its practices

shape literary texts.


16

Literary texts may tell a life phenomenon. The life phenomenon

represents social ideologies, culture, traditions, and many other aspects

through the story. In this study, the two novels, November of the Heart and

The Girl from the Coast , represent the culture of the societies throughout the

story. The feminist literary criticism helps me in understanding the cultural

implications behind the story by showing how women behave, how they are

treated, the social attitude and society tradition, patriarchal practices, and the

mind concepts of the society.

Humm (1994: 2-3) explains that feminist literary criticism has

developed in tandem with the women’s movement. It emerges from the

situation of women who encounter injustice in the society. Humm (1994: 2)

also underlines that Virginia Woolf’ A Room of One’s Own can be said as the

first modern work of feminist criticism. The work is liberating and fluid

autobiographical in its form, and a serious address to the social, literary and

cultural aspects of female difference in its content. She explains that

literature which is read with feminist eye has double instead of single

perspective. Further, Humm explains that Woolf is succeed in providing the

two perspectives. Woolf (Humm, 1994:2) shows that since women’s social

reality, like men’s social reality, is shaped by gender, the representation of

female experience in literary form is gendered. She also shows that the

representation of women in literature, while not depicting innate

characteristics of actual women, might disrupt the traditional symbolic order

or language system of patriarchy. Feminist Literary Criticism (Humm, 1994:


17

3) enables the readers to understand the ways in which we acquire a gender

through language, and to perceive the role played by language in creating our

subjectivities and our oppressions.

In her further explanations, Humm (1994: 4) tries to explain what

feminist criticism is by mentioning three basic assumptions which are shared

by feminist criticism based on the writing of many critics. The first

assumption is that gender is constructed through language, and is visible to

writing style; and style, therefore must represent the articulation of

ideologies of gender. The second assumption is that there are sex related

strategies. It underlies the fact that some writing is written by women, and

how women wrote is how they were allowed to write. Therefore, the

language may appear as not the real expression. It also underlies that men

and women have different vocabularies and use their vocabularies in

different kind of sentences. The third assumption is that the tradition of

literary criticism uses masculine norms to exclude or undervalue women’s

writing and scholarship.

According to Humm (1994: 7), Feminst Literary Criticism or, which is

also called as feminist criticism, addresses four issues in literary texts. The

first (Humm, 1994: 7) is the issue of a masculine literary history is addressed

by re-examining male texts, noting their patriarchal assumptions and showing

the way women in these texts are often represented according to prevailing

social, cultural and ideological forms. In here, the criticism focuses on

women’s oppression as a literature theme, and assumes that a woman reader


18

is a consumer of male-produced works. The second (Humm, 1994: 7) is the

issue of the invisibility of women writers has been addressed. It underlies the

consideration on the texts of neglected women, and women’s oral culture.

The third (Humm, 1994: 8), the feminist criticism confronts the problem of

the feminist reader by offering readers new methods and a fresh critical

practice. Humm adds that the practice focuses on those techniques of

signification which are undervalued in traditional criticism. The fourth,

Humm explains (1994: 8) that feminist criticism aims to make us act as

feminist readers by creating new writing and reading collectives.

Using this criticism, I am able to analyze the two novels deeper. The

criticism enables us to find values under the issue of gender, and also to find

the role played by women in the society during the period of time which also

shows us the civilization and tradition of society.

2.2 Review on American and Javanese Culture

This section presents the cultural background of the two areas of the

two novels. This section is divided into two. They are review on American

culture and review on Javanese culture.

2.2.1 Review on American Culture in the Late of 19th Century

During the late nineteenth century, America was dominated by the rise

of highly developed industrial and capitalist society (Hinsley, 1967: 487).

There were people from British who decided to move to America and built

enterprises that later gave great contributions to America economic growth.


19

As the enterprises get bigger, there were migrants who decided to come to

America to work on those enterprises. Hinsley (1967:501) also states that in

this period, America economic growth was supported fully by the great

wealth entrepreneur. They were asked to chary for the development of

America. The gap between the great wealth and ordinary businessman was so

great that they were separated into classes. Hinsley (1967:505) mentions that

the businessmen began to enjoy their separate existence. This economic

growth produced not only big enterprises, but also brought immigrants.

Immigrants were accepted in the society only as strangers and were put in

lowest social class.

Women on that time already had education. Hinsley (1967: 197) states

that in the period of time a class distinction cut across the sex distinction. For

worker girls, they may have the same education level with boys. Those girls

went to the same school with boys and learnt the same things, even though

their maximum level of education was very low.

Hinsley (1967:197) adds that for girls from the middle and upper

classes, the education was so poor and sex distinction meant everything.

Girls were taught at home or in private school to learn everything about

household and or about art. They did not go to universities as man did. Along

the period, there are many of women’s pioneer emerged to struggle for the

rights to have the same education as men had. According to Buckler

(1983:860), encountering injustice, there is no wonder that some women

rebelled by the second half of the nineteenth century and began the long-


20

continuing fight for the equality of the sexes and the rights of women.

Hinsley (1967:197-200) mentions certain names who struggle for justice for

women. They are Frances Mary Buss (1827-1894), Dorothea Beale ( -1906),

Emily Davies, Anne Jemmima Clough, Professor Henry Sidgwick, and also

Maria Grey. Therefore, during the time, the equality of men and women

starts to be developed.

2.2.2 Review on Javanese Culture in the Late of 19th Century

Conley (1988:221) says that during this period, Java was still under

the authority of the Dutch imperialist. There were many Javanese people who

work for the Dutch as the administration workers. They were given with

luxury and privilege. They later became a part of high class society which

commonly named priyayi. People worked as farmer, fisherman, and

employee of high class people. Those who were common people usually

forced to work for the Dutch without any payment.

There were social classes that separate the Javanese (Budiman,

1990:67). Common people live to serve the upper classes people. Upper

classes people may decide the lower people destiny, whether they are right or

wrong, and whether they should live or die.

Keji mentions (1990:79) that arranged marriage was very common in

this period of time. A man cannot marry a woman from lower class. If it

happens, it was not considered as a real marriage or illegal. Women did not

have any chance to choose their husband. They must agree with their parents’


21

choice. Polygamy was also common among the upper class society, and

women did not have any rights to protest or deny it. Kenji (1990:105) adds

that divorce happens very often as the effect of arranged marriage and

polygamy. In this case, after the divorce, women can choose their own future

husband.

During the time, men could have sufficient education as long as it was

for the Dutch importance (Conley, 1990:561). Many men were sent to Dutch

to attend universities. Only people and the son of upper class people who had

the right. While women were taught at home by private teacher who would

teach them how to read and write, read the Koran, and maybe to draw batik.

This education was only for upper class women.

Conley (1990:266) explains that there were schools for girls but not

many. He explains that these schools taught common girls the same thing

with what has been taught to upper class girls. These schools were pioneered

by R. A. Kartini. Since women independence was still considered as

ashamed, common parents decided not to send their daughters to the schools.

Instead of send them to schools, common people prefer to marry their young

daughters.

2.3 Criticism on Literary Work

In this part, I would like to present some criticisms on LaVyrle

Spencer’s work November of the Heart, and Toer’s The Girl from the Coast .

Much of it is from websites since there is very little information or analysis


22

on this book. I also add some of my criticism on this book along with other

reviewers.

2.3.1 Criticism on LaVyrle Spencer’s Novel November of the Heart

In this part, I would like to present some criticism on LaVyrle

Spencer’s novel November of the Heart . Much of the criticisms is from

websites because there is very little information and analysis on this novel. I

also add my criticism on this novel along with other reviewers. The objective

of presenting these criticisms is to enable us to understand more about

LaVyrle’s November of the Heart. The criticism contains of some critical

opinion about her work, and it will help us to get further understanding on

her writing. This criticism also helps me to explore more on the novel, so that

I can understand more about what happens to Lorna Barnett.

Publishers Weekly (www.barnesandnoble.com/novemberoftheheart.

html/, accessed on January 8th, 2006) says that November of the Heart is a

very interesting novel. The rhythm of the story is good, and it has a strong

dramatization and strong characterization that make it very interesting

romantic fiction. The interesting point of the story is when Jens, a handsome

kitchen hand and a boat builder, offers to build his employer, Mr. Barnett, a

regatta winning yacht with Lorna, Mr. Barnett’s daughter, helps to get the

ideas. When the boat takes shape, Lorna and Jens fall in love and get into an

unwise and impossible love. Then, Lorna must risk all that she has to get the

life that she really wants to have. This novel is great, but Spencer diminishes


23

her tale’s dramatic impact by failing to provide a similarity full portrait of

lower class society. Moreover, her ornate and old fashioned language is not

that good.

A reader from California (www.barnesandnoble.com/novemberofthe

heart.html/, accessed on January 8th, 2006) says that he loves Spencer’s work,

because Spencer has the ability to put very strong feeling into words like no

other author. He also thinks that November of the Heart is her best work. It

affects him and makes him emotional. He feels so bad especially when Jens

and Lorna have rough time. He also feels rejoices over Jens and Lorna

happiness.

A reader from Chicago (www.barnesandnoble.com/novemberofthe

heart.html/, accessed on January 8th, 2006) mentioned three strengths of this

book. The first strength is the characters and their relationship has process. In

here, it has steps from mutual attraction to friendship that grows into grand

passion. Moreover, all the characters are very real, and well suited for the

period and the turn of the century. The second strength is this novel has no

bad guys. Even Lorna’s parents’ action to apart Lorna and Jens is very

normal for they believe it is the best for her dearest daughter. The third

strength is this novel has very sweet and hot love scenes.


24

2.3.2 Criticism on Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Novel The Girl From the

Coast

In this part, I would like to present some criticisms on Toer’s The Girl

from the Coast. Much of it is from websites. I also add some of my criticism

on this book along with other reviewers. The aim of presenting them is to

understand Toer’s The Girl from the Coast . It explains some of the critical

opinions about his writing, so that we can understand more his well-known

work. By reading the criticism, I got many informations related to Javanese

culture and its’ treatment toward Mas Nganten.

A reader named Sarah Rachel Egelman (http://www.bookreporter.

com/reviews/0786868201.asp, accessed on September 7, 2006) says that she

loves this novel. For her, this novel is beautiful of its emotional tale. This

emotional tale is deceptively simple. It contains the rich history and

landscape of Java surge against the economical use of words and the

sparseness of the action. This novel is masterfully crafted, which is apparent

even in translation. It is often dark, often witty and always thought

provoking. According to her, one reading of this novel is likely to inspire

many trips to the bookshelf to delve into other works by Toer and non-fiction

about the island of Java.

The short-story writer Nell Freudenberger has noted in the New York

Times Book Review that there are clichés in the translation. This is quite true

and does mark the work. She also implies that the novel lacks “the shading

and dimension of lived experience.” She means, one supposes, that the


25

book’s action is imposed upon characters by the ideas of the writer. Her

operative word for many of its situations is improbable. She echoes what

various critics of Pramoedya, often those hostile to his political views, have

said before: politics stifles artistic beauty and insight. The “desire to

communicate and the urgency of his message,” she says, “have overwhelmed

his art.” The girl herself displays the “banner of oppressed Indonesian

womanhood.”

In my opinion, what is probable in fictional characters comes, first of

all, from the sociologically truthful. It may appear in spite of the writer’s

conscious political beliefs, if he or she is an honest artist. In a successful

work of art, a character can be both individualized and universal, both a shy

teenager exposed to abuse and the “banner of oppressed Indonesian

womanhood.” What Freudenberger and many other critics miss is the fact

that Pramoedya’s theme is rooted in a century- long social process in

Indonesia, the struggle against imperialism and the mass striving, despite

betrayals and setbacks, for an alternative to capitalism. On the whole, the

manner in which this novel portrays the emergence of a dissenting

consciousness in an oppressed person feels authentic.

2.4 Theoretical Framework

I use some of the theories stated above to understand more about

Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority, and to help me to answers the problem

formulation. The first theory is the theory of character and characterization. I use


26

the theory to understand Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s character, and find out what

actually happens to them. The second theory is the feminist literary criticism. It is

used to analyze the position of women in the two novels. This criticism not only

brings better understanding on how women are positioned in the novel, but also

brings realization on the role of women. There are ways that I can use to

employ the feminist literary criticism in analyzing the two novels. One of

them is by criticising the language which is used by the author to describe

women in the two novels. An author lives during certain period of time

among the society, so what he or she writes on the novel represents the

society. The background of the author may influence his or her work. The

language of the novel also plays big role in portraying the message of the

story in the novel. Language represents meaning, and it explains and also

shows the whole situation of the society. By criticising the language, I can

find the culture and its influence toward women’s inferiority during the

period of time. I also employ the sociocultural-historical approach to analyze the

influence of culture in Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority. By using the theory

of character and characterization, theory of feminist literary criticism, and the

sociocultural-historical approach, I can answer the problems formulated in this

thesis.


27

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter is divided into three parts; namely subject matter,

approach, and procedure. The first part, subject matter, is explaining the

focus of this study. The second part, approach, discusses the approaches

being used in this study. The third part, procedure, contains the phases that

I used in analyzing the problem formulation.

3.1 Subject Matter

This study is focused on Lorna and Mas Nganten. Two women who

suffer from cultures of their countries that oblige them not to make any

decision and treat them only as inferior. Since this study deals with the

literature, the subject matter is a novel by LaVyrle Spencer entitled

November of the Heart , and a novel by Pramoedya Ananta Toer entitled The

Girl from the Coast . November of the Heart is published by the A Jove

Book, NY. in 1994. It contains of 418 pages. The story takes place in the

late of nineteenth century. Most of the events are in Minnesota, a city where

Lorna spent most of the summer with her family that guides her to Jens

Harken. While, The Girl f rom the Coast is published by Hyperion in New

York in 2002. It contains 280 pages which are translated from its’ original

text in Indonesia. The story takes place in the late of nineteenth century in

one of costal region in the north of Central Java.


28

The two novels tell us about old culture, which treats woman as

inferior. The two main characters, Lorna and Mas Nganten, suffer from this

cultural attitude, and were facing bitter life. They are tired of this situation,

and tried so hard to survive.

These novels teach us that life is full with unpredictable and

unavoidable things. The only way out of those very bad conditions is face it

and try hard to survive. These two novels also provide us with the fact how

human could be so cruel, considering woman as inferior, and treating them

as if they have no feeling and their own right to live.

3.2 The Approach

In order to get the answers of the problem formulation, certain approach is

needed to analyze a literary works, and to give boundaries of the aspects to

discuss in the study. It gives background of knowledge on the study and helps me

develop the analysis based on the work to discuss. The focus of this study is on

the treatment toward the main characters from the two novels as inferior that is

influenced by the culture of their country.

This study applies the sociocultural – historical approach because it

concerns in cultural attitudes toward Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority.

Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority deals with the situation in the society, the

culture and also historical background during the time. Society has culture as one

of guidance for their life. These cultures influence the treatment toward women, in

here Lorna and Mas Nganten. The author also include some historical events that


29

influence the life of the society. Using the sociocultural – historical approach, I

can analyze the culture and attitude in the two novels, November of the Heart and

The Girl from the Coast.

3.3 Research Procedure

There were two ways that could be used to do the research in order to get

some information and data, named field research and literature review. I preferred

using the second research, literary review, since it was sensed as the most

appropriate way in collecting some information, data, and theories that would be

used latter in the discussion.

The first thing I did in analyzing this novel was read the novels November

of the Heart and The Girl from the Coast over and over again to find the message

of the novels. I used the two novels as the primary source to find evidence for this

study. From the very first, I read the novel Novemeber of the Heart, I am

interested in the unique culture of Minnesota, and it also makes me want to

explore more and try to understand the cultural attitudes better. When I read the

novel The Girl from the Coast, I find the originality of Javanese culture, and its

attitude toward Mas Nganten which becomes a very touching story as well as a

brave presentation of a fact. This novel also motivates me to analyze the culture

better, and compare it with what happens to Lorna in November of the Heart.

When I read the two novels, I wrote some important points for the analysis. Then I

analyzed the cultural attitudes toward Lorna and Mas Nganten as inferior from the

author’s comments, characters’ feeling and thought, and characters’ speech in

order to answer the problems in the problem formulation.


30

Secondly, I tried to find some important theories to support my findings

about the cultural attitude toward woman as inferior. In this phase, I read many

books especially those, which have relation with the problem of culture and

women inferiority. These books on literature were the secondary sources. Books

that deal with society and culture, and history were mainly used to analyze the

treatment toward Lorna and Mas Nganten, and their inferiority. Since the main

topic of this study was the cultural attitudes toward women inferiority, the sub

discussions on the socio-cultural and historical books that dealt with the issues

became the main interest to read. Besides these socio-cultural and historical

books, the books on the literature theories also become the main interest to read.

Those books gave more information and guidance in understanding the two

novels. I also browsed in the Interne t to find information related to my analysis.

The third step was analyzing the novel. In this step, I answered the

problems in the problem formulation using the approaches and references, which

are related to the study.

The last step was making the conclusion of the study. I made conclusion of

the study after answering the questions in the problem formulation. The

conclusion was the findings of the analysis, and suggestions that were useful for

the readers to use parts of November of the Heart and The Girl from the Coast as

teaching learning materials to improve the speaking and writing skills in using

English for the third and fifth semester students of the English Language

Education Study Program.


31

CHAPTER 4

ANALYSIS

This chapter discusses the answers to questions that are formulated in the

problem formulation. The discussion is divided into two parts. The first part is the

analysis of Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority. The analysis focuses on the

disability of both characters in order to show their inferiority in the society. The

second part or the last part is the analysis on cultural influences toward Lorna’s

and Mas Nganten’s inferiority. It focuses on cultural value that influences Lorna’s

and Mas Nganten’s inferiority and its effect. Each analysis is discussed using the

theories that are stated in the review of related theories.

4.1 Women Inferiority in the Life of Lorna and Mas Nganten

Inferiority is something that can be seen in daily life, but maybe invisible

for particular persons. Women inferiority has not been noticed for a long time

until many people started to talk about it. A woman’s inferiority is revealed in

how people treat her, and how she behaves. In the two novels, both the authors

show women inferiority very clearly in the life of Lorna and Mas Nganten.

In the novel, Lorna is described as a pretty girl. It can be seen through the

manner of people around her (Murphy: 1972). She is 18 years old. Besides her

beauty and young age, the author also describes her as a girl who has brown eyes

and auburn hair that make her even prettier than others.

Every eye in the room swerved to the pretty eighteen-year-old who sat with her brown eyes fixed upon her father. Her auburn hair was


32

combed in a “Gibson girl” pompadour, its intentional droop and neckline squiggles so much more than her mother-braided crown (3).

The author describes that even man cannot deny her beauty. It reveals

through the thought of other people (Murphy: 1972) that is Jens when he meets

her for the first time. “She was too pretty to deny himself the pleasure (20)”.

Lorna’s beauty can provoke a man to be sweet on her. It can be seen through the

speech of Lorna’s sister, Daphne. Daphne realizes that Lorna is so beautiful that

Taylor DuVal behaves very nicely to Lorna. “Gosh, Lorna, it’s no wonder Taylor

DuVal is sweet on you (68)”.

The author even gives more evidence about Lorna’s beauty. She is so

gorgeous that no man will ignore her pretty face and her slim body. She also

inherits interesting features from her mother. It can be said that she is perfect as a

woman.

But there she stood, looking at him expectantly from the shadow from a straw bonnet, with a faint sheen of sweat on her brow and a hint of it dampening the armpits of her ham shaped sleeves. From the waist down she was as slim as a buggy whip, while above she’d inherited her mother generous breast. A man would have to have two glass eyes not to notice all that plus her pretty face (41).

Besides her beauty, the author also describes that she lives in a rich family,

and it makes her has a good life. It can be seen through the manner of her family

(Murphy: 1972). Her father, Gideon, is a rich man. The author describes Lorna’s

father as a successful man in business, and he does not do small business, but the

great one that is lumbering business.


33

They read like the Who’s Who in Minnesota, their vast wealth earned in railroading, iron ore mining, flour milling and, in Gideon Barnett’s case, lumbering (5). As a rich family, the Barnetts got a life style other than the ordinary

family. Lorna’s father has an interest in boat race. As a rich man, he has his own

style in expressing his interest in it. He bets for thousand dollars for a race, yet

other people bet for few dollars.

“How? Gideon Barnett threw up both hands. “I don’t know how, but I for one refuse to lose ten thousand dollars to those damned Minnetonka sandbaggers, not when it was they who challenged us to these three years of races (3). Gideon Barnett’s success has put him and his family into high-class

society. They live among rich people, and make friends with them. They share the

same interests, and do the same hobby. The Barnetts often invite their friends in

certain occasions to maintain their relationship with those people.

… Around the table glances were exchange among the men-Gideon, Taylor, Nathan, Percy Tufts, George Whiting and Joseph Armfield-the most powerful and persuasive cartel not only of the White Bear Yacht Club, but of the Minnesota financial scene in general (5). From the evidences, I can conclude that Lorna is a beautiful girl who lives

in a rich family.

Meanwhile, in The Girl from the Coast, Toer describes Mas Nganten as a

beautiful girl. She was fourteen years old when she married a nobleman from the

city of Rembang. She has nothing special with her profile or her nose line, but she

is attractive, because she has a beautiful skin color and eyes.

She was only fourteen at the time, a wisp of a thing. Her profile, the line of her nose, was nothing extraordinary, but she was attractive, nonetheless, with honey-colored skin and slightly slanted eyes. In her fishing village


34

outside the regency seat of Rembang on the north coast of Java, she was the flower of the town (3).

She was too young to realize that she has a beautiful face. Some people

around her may also think that she was just a little girl, but a person from the city

saw her and report her beauty to his Bendoro. The author describes how Mas

Nganten’s beauty attracts man from the city who even reports her beauty to a

person higher than him self. “…there was a man who had taken note for her and

informed his employer in the city of this village girl’s beauty (4).”

Her beauty is said to be very attractive and that every man will have a

desire on her. The author describes her as a village girl who has smooth and tawny

skin. Her beautiful eyes with supple eyelids and her slim body make her perfect as

a young woman.

“What man would not desire the woman you see here?” the servant asked. “Just look,” she said to the girl’s mother. “With her small body, no heavier than a cotton ball, and her tawny skin, as smooth as a flat iron to the touch. It’s only her hands that need some work, but if we soak them in saltwater, they’ll soon lose their roughness. And with her supple eyelids and almond-shaped eyes, she looks for all the world like a Chinese princess. Who would not recognize such beauty? (44)”

The author shows the reader that Mas Nganten is different with the other

village girl. Toer shows it through the conversation of others (Murphy: 1972). She

has an attractive profile and some parts of her body are well shaped. “People said

that her skin was soft and smooth and the color of lansium fruit (45)”. Even

people admit that she has good features on her body that give her a good

appearance. Mas Nganten’s servant at Bendoro’s house also said that Mas

Nganten is even prettier than another wives before her.


35

“Mbok?” “Yes, Young Mistress.” “Do you think I’m pretty?” “You’re beautiful, Young Mistress.” “But weren’t the others prettier?” “In this world, Young Mistress, when beauty passes, everyone steps aside.” At the inner courtyard, they rested momentarily. “But the others,” the girl continued, “weren’t they nice, too?” “You’re much nicer, Young Mistress. (67)”

Besides her beauty, the author describes that Mas Nganten comes from a

poor fisherman family in the north coast of Rembang. She used to help her parents

to work. Her family was poor that she must do a lot of works to help her parents

to get extra money. She also did some helps for her neighbour and relatives too.

At home, in the village, she had always helped her parents and lent a ready hand to relatives and fellow villagers. She herself sometimes had to gather her father’s net, heavy with its metal sinkers, and hang it from the crossbeam in the house to dry; using a wooden pole for a lever, she would, all by herself, hoist the net onto a pulley and raise it to the joist. She also had to help grind the dried shrimp. Now her mother would be performing the task alone, all for few cents that she would receive from the Chinese trader from town (62). She usually works in sunny days and does rough things like carrying

fishes, and repairing the net. “Accustomed as she was to the coarse fiber of the

fishing nets that she made and lugged about in the village… (21)”. The situation

requires her to do a lot of works and provides her with no chance to care about her

appearance.

Since her marriage with Bendoro, Mas Nganten has to live with different

life style and she must adapt herself to this situation. Her new house is a nobleman

house which is filled with luxury that Mas Nganten could never imagine before.

She could have what other people cannot have.

The girl peered over the edge of the mattress and looked down at the foot of her bed, where the maidservant was sleeping soundly on a woven mat


36

of pandanus leaves similar to the one she might now be sleeping on if she were at her parents’ home in the village (24).

Mas Nganten sleeps on mattress instead of a woven mat as she used to in

the village. This shows different social class she belongs to. She can enjoy a soft

mattress, and she has her servants sleep near her in case Mas Nganten needs

something. Living in a high class family also enables her to own jewellery to

wear. “She looked at her necklace, bracelets, and ring, all od them made of gold

and studded with gems (45).”

4.1.1 Making Decisions and Choices

Women’s life in Minnesota is just the same as other women on the age.

Men rule their lives. Women live as their properties whose feeling and thought are

not considered to exist. As it happens to women, the same thing happens to

daughters. Their parents, especially their fathers, decide their lives as women.

Everything is decided and chosen. They may only agree with the decision.

Living in a rich family with a high-class social status does not give Lorna

any right to make any decision for herself. It can be seen through the manner of

people around her, especially her parents who decide everything for her including

her marriage. As a daughter of a rich man, Lorna cannot marry to anyone out of

the social circle or she will take her father’s wealth and position as the risks. It

becomes the reason why her parents choose a certain man for her to marry with.

“Mother, I thought you like Taylor.” “I do dear. Your father and I both like Taylor. As a matter of fact we’ve had frequent discussions what a perfect husband Taylor would be for you.” (59)


37

Taylor DuVal is the son of a rich man in town. He pays a lot attention to

Lorna. When Taylor and Lorna get even closer to each other, their parents agree

to marry Lorna to Taylor. Considering the background of Taylor, the marriage

between Lorna and Taylor is considered to be beneficial for both families

financially and for the sake friendship of the families.

The matchmaking of Lorna and Taylor is different from the general

matchmaking. Lorna will marry someone she already knows, instead of stranger

in general matchmaking on the days. This may be potential for helping Lorna to

be even more ready for the marriage. Lorna even likes Taylor and often agrees to

spend time with him. “The other night, when you and Taylor came home from the

band concert.”(59). She occasionally watches for concert with him, attends the

dance party, or goes for just a little walk in town. The friendship of their family

also becomes another consideration for the marriage.

…Your marriage to Taylor will put you in a house as grand as our own, and you’ll move among the cream of society… (202) Lorna’s parents have a hope that if she marries to Taylor, she will get a

good life and belongs to the same social class as her parents. Lorna will leave in a

beautiful house. She can also attend for everything she usually attends like

concert, and dance part and any other event for high class society. In short, the

marriage is proposed both for the beneficial of Lorna’s family and for the sake of

Lorna’s bright future.

“ I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t want to be with him, but I didn’t now to get out of it. My mother planned the whole evening and I had no choice.”(183)


38

The matchmaking takes time for the process. Lorna’s parents, through her

mother, often involve Lorna on certain occasion in order to get her closer to

Taylor. They sometimes held a dinner and tennis match with other families

including Taylor’s. The sentence above shows us that Lorna is not quite

comfortable with the occasions which are merely objected for her and Taylor.

Unfortunately, she has no right to refuse. This shows Lorna’s inferiority where

she cannot refuse and can only follow her parents’ decision.

Sometimes, Lorna’s disagreement can be seen through her manner. On a

dance party, when she must be Taylor’s consort, Lorna was involved to a

conversation with her father. She mentioned that becoming Taylor’s consort

would not stop her from dancing with another man in the party. “But that doesn’t

mean I won’t dance with others Papa” (71). Lorna’s behaviour shows Lorna’s

disagreement to her parents. Lorna likes Taylor and makes friend with him, but it

does not mean that she agrees to marry him. She hopes for a chance for her to

choose her own husband which rarely happens to woman on that time.

Realizing her daughter’s manner, Gideon Barnett immediately forbids her

to do so. “I don’t want you doing anything that will give Taylor the idea you don’t

want to marry him.”(71). Lorna’s behaviour may provoke Taylor to think that

Lorna does not want to marry him, so he may cancel the proposal. It means

problem for Lorna’s father. He insists that Lorna cannot marry a person out of

their social circle, and he chooses Taylor, so Lorna must marry to Taylor.

This fact makes Lorna feels terrible, because she actually loves someone

else. Lorna falls in love to Jens, a kitchen helper, who is a person her parents


39

would not approve. “…Oh, Jens Harken, I love you so much that everything in

my life has changed.”(187). Jens builds a boat for Gideon Barnett, but he does not

come form the same social circle with Lorna. Once, Lorna tries to tell her parents

that she does not love Taylor and that she does not want to marry him, but her

parents remain unchanged.

… Now, the matter is settled! You’re marrying him in June at whatever function your mother plans!” Lorna stared at him, helpless, angry, her insides trembling. “Papa, please…don’t-“ “The matter is settled, I said!” (208) It is tragic that her own parents do not really care about her feeling about

the decision. The right of making the decision and choosing from choices does not

belong to Lorna but her father as a man, and as the head of the family. From the

sentence above, we can see how Lorna’s’ father tells her about the marriage. It has

been decided and Lorna cannot change that. She is marrying to Taylor. The

marriage has been approved by both families, and Lorna cannot avoid or refuse it.

Lorna’s parents do not even want to hear any argument from Lorna. The incident

clearly shows how Lorna’s right, as a woman, to decide her own marriage has

been taken off of her. She is not only incapable to make a decision, but she is also

not being asked when the decision is made.

Predicting her parents’ disapproval toward her relationship with Jens,

Lorna meets Jens secretly, and keeps the relationship. Until one day, she finds her

self carries Jens’ baby. She tells Jens about her pregnancy, and they agree to tell

Lorna’s parents about it. Jens finally comes to Lorna’s parents and proposes her.

The proposal, of course, get a disapproval from Lorna’s parents. “Well, it doesn’t!

What matters is that you’re not marrying any kitchen handyman, and that’s


40

final!”(249). Jens even gets fired and has to leave the house. He maybe cannot see

Lorna anymore while Lorna is forced to leave the town for some time in order to

hide her pregnancy from her father’s colleagues.

“Where are we going?” “Where this disgrace can be handled in a discreet manner.” “Mother, please…where?” “There’s no need for you to know. Just do as I say and be ready. Your sisters and brother will be in the library to bid you goodbye. They are to be given to understand that you’re going off to school, and that your father pulled plenty of strings to get you there at this odd time of year, primarily as an assuagement for refusing to let you skip the boat in the regatta next summer.” (273) It is said to Lorna’s brother and sisters that she must go to attend college.

The truth is Lorna is decided to be sent to a catholic abbey of Benedictine nuns.

The nuns will take Lorna and give Lorna good care and seclusion, as well as the

help of the good nuns and a doctor when time comes for her to deliver the baby.

This decision is clearly made without considering Lorna’s wants and feeling. She

is sent away so she cannot come to the next regatta and make people find out

about her pregnancy. It is merely made by her father for the sake of his position.

“ And what about the baby? Will I be allowed to keep it?” “ Keep a bastard? And do what with it?...” (275). After being sent away, Lorna is forbidden to keep her own child. Having

been forced to deliver the baby out of the house, she must also give her baby to a

childless couple who will adopt and take care of the baby. Lorna’s parents do not

want the baby. For Lorna’s father, the baby will bring disgrace and bad luck for

the family. It explains why Lorna’s father decided to make Lorna give away the

baby for an adoption, and it is Lorna’s mother’s duty to tell Lorna about it. Lorna

cannot keep her own baby even though she, as a woman and a mother, has the

right to do so.


41

From the evidences above, I can conclude that, as a woman, Lorna lives as

inferior. All of her life is decided by her parents, mostly her father, instead of her

own self. Her inferiority can be seen through her incapability in deciding her own

marriage and her own will and also in her incapability in defending her right to

have her baby. In short, Lorna’s life has been chosen and decided, and she has no

right to change it or to state her will, her wants, or even her own decision.

What happens to Lorna also happens to Mas Nganten. During the time, in

Javanese society, men are considered higher than women. It can be seen on how

man rules on that time. When a decision is needed, it is man who has the right to

make one. The same thing happens to Mas Nganten, where she is a woman, and

woman lives under the authority of man. Mas Nganten lives under the authority of

her father.

Other than woman nowadays who can choose to whom she will marry to,

Mas Nganten has no chance to pick a choice. Her father on behalf of the family

has decided to marry her daughter to a nobleman frrm the city of Rembang. “ The

day before, she had been married, in a proxy manner, with a dagger representing

her husband-to-be (4).” Her husband-to-be has never showed himself in the

marriage ceremony. He was represented by a dagger. The marriage is based on

Mas Nganten’s parents’ hope that their daughter will get a better life. It shows the

difficult situation Mas Nganten must encounter. She had never known her

husband-to-be before, not even heard his name. “”Him?” Who was this man she

had been married to? the girl asked herself (7).” The marriage shows how Mas

Nganten is inferior in making her decision about marriage. She must agree to


42

marry a man she never met before. She even had never heard his name. In short,

Mas Nganten marries a stranger, and she has no right to refuse or complaint.

Mas Nganten’s condition shows the condition which is encountered by

women at that age. It is the duty of men to decide something. Women must follow

the decision, and they are placed as inferior. Even for a marriage, women cannot

pick their own choices. They cannot also refuse or complaint. They are inferior

that women is positioned as merely an object.

The same thing, Mas Nganten’s inferiority in making decision, happens

during her marriage with Bendoro. Mas Nganten’s parents’ hope for her daughter

comes true. Mas Nganten gets a much better life. She lives as a high class woman.

However, this change does not bring any significant development on Mas

Nganten, because she still cannot state any decision even though she was given

with authority for her household. “The servant repressed a laugh. She looked at

her new and very young employer (20).” Mas Nganten has a personal servant who

had become the personal servant of Bendoro’s escorts before Mas Nganten. “For

now, it is my duty to take care of you (22).” The servant’s duty is to serve Mas

Nganten and help her whenever she has difficulties in the house. Mas Nganten

possesses power to her servant. She is allowed to ask her to do anything she wants

her to do, because the ecistence of this servant is merely to serve and fulfil Mas

Nganten’s need. Mas Nganten has the authority to rule her servant. Beside her

authority on her personal servant, Mas Nganten has another authority.

When the girl discovered that her wallet was missing, she had never felt such fear. Without the money in it, which she used to pay the house expenses, how were they going to eat? (107)


43

Mas Nganten has the power to manage the house financial expenses. She

is in charge to pay all the house need, including payrolls for servants and

shopping things. She holds the whole money needed to run the household, and she

makes the decision on what should be bought and what should be replaced. Mas

Nganten also has the responsibility on Bendoro’s food. She will come to the

kitchen every morning, and check whether the food is good, healthy, and tastes

good. This is for Bendoro’s importance. However, having the authority to the

house hold does not make Mas Nganten able to make every decision. Her

authority includes only supervision of the kitchen, shopping for food, and serving

her husband’s meal. She is still living under her husband’s power.

Mas Nganten’s authority gives a clear description abut women’s authority

during the time. They posses power to rule their household only. They can

manage the servants and their work as well as food for the family but they cannot

give command on other things. Their power is limited. In here, women are inferior

because they have no power to decide on bigger things. They are considered as

dumb and weak so that they are not able to make any decision. Although house

things are their authority, women are still inferior because they are still living

under their husband’s power.

Since Mas Nganten’s arrival to the house, she has been told that she must

bow to Bendoro. The situation has been set up to make her biddable to Bendoro.

She must always agree with her husband, and follow his commands. She makes

decision only for household things.


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The servant opened a drawer in the vanity, took out a key, and handed it to the girl. “After three month, you’ll be able to go wherever you want, as long as, it’s with the Bendoro’s permission (48).” As a woman, Mas Nganten may not go anywhere unless she has the

Bendoro’s permission. Mas Nganten may have the desire to go to certain places,

but this is not her own self who must decide whether she must go there or not. It is

under her husband’s permission. Therefore, Mas Nganten will spend her days

only on her room, kitchen, and dining room for sometimes, unless Bendoro

permits or asks her to go. It is Bendoro who is in charge in making the decision.

“You belong to me, and I will determine what you can and cannot do and also what you must do. But now be quite, it’s getting late (133).” Bendoro also has determined that he owns Mas Nganten. As an owner, he

has the right to ask Mas Nganten whatever he wants her to do. It shows the power

of man in controlling woman’s life. Bendoro’s authority seems to control the

whole life of Mas Nganten. Mas Nganten has been treated as a property that must

always follow her husband’s wants. Mas Nganten’s feeling and wants play no

rules in it, and will not become a consideration of her husband. It happens

because, on that period of time, woman complete obedience to man is a duty that

must be fulfilled. Feeling and wants of a woman is considered as nothing and does

not exist. Therefore, Bendoro does not need any opinion when he makes decision,

not even from Mas Nganten, his own wife.

What happens to Mas Nganten shows us the inferiority of women. Women

are not more than properties. It explains why their feeling and opinion are

considered do not exist. Women is not involved in the decision making. They live

only to serve their husbands.


45

During her marriage, Mas Nganten focuses only on serving her husband.

She stays and spends her spare time at home. Sometimes, it makes her feel bored.

When she has nothing to do, she longs for her village. She, sometimes, wants to

see her parents and visit her village, but Mas Nganten realizes that she cannot go

visit her village and her parents.

“Tomorrow morning go to the market and buy a bolt of fabric, a few sarong, sealing resins, sandals, and some tins of cookies.” He paused to think. “And some good rosaries, too, the ones with the black and shiny beads.”…And as personal gift from me, take with you a basket of scented rolling tobacco (134).” When the time comes when Mas Nganten is allowed to go visit her home,

Mas Nganten still has duty to do. The duty is following her husband’s command.

She must do his command in order to avoid people diminish the respect they hold

toward Bendoro. She cannot decide wha t gifts she should bring. Her husband

decides things she must bring to home, and also where and when she should buy

the things. All Mas Nganten has to do is merely following his command. She is

also not allowed to go alone, so Bendoro send her to the village with a servant.

Mas Nganten actually does not like this particular servant for her bad treatment

toward Mas Nganten. However, she must obey her husband’s order to take the

servant with her. Mas Nganten also has to go with certain carriage her husband

wants her to ride. Mas Nganten has no rights to decide anything, not even on

things when she visits her own parents.

Mas Nganten is in charge on house things. She may give commands to

every servant in the house, but she has no authority in hiring or dismissing them.

There is a servant in the house, replacement of her previous personal servant, who


46

intended to harm Mas Nganten. The servant is in coalition with Bendoro’s aunt in

eliminating Mas Nganten’s position in the house. Mas Nganten actually wants to

dismiss her, but she knows, she has no authority in dismissing employee. Even

though the servant is evil and harms her safety, she has no right to defend her own

self of it.

Mas Nganten is in charge to give orders and watch the servants’ work. She

may also critice their work, but she does not decide whether a servant still works

for the house or not. It is Bendoro’s authority. Mas Nganten opinion is not liable.

Mas Nganten also, once, said to her new personal servant that she would like her

to leave. “”When will you be leaving the house?” the girl then asked. “You can’t

order me out of here. This isn’t your house (128).” A servant also knows that Mas

Nganten has no authority in dismissing her. It is Bendoro who will decide and do

such of things, and every of Bendoro’s decision cannot be changed by anyone, not

even Mas Nganten, his own wife. Another example is when Bendoro dismissed

Mas Nganten’s previous personal servant.

“No!” the girl screamed. She clutched her servant’s hands. “Forgive her, Bendoro. Please forgive her,” she pleaded. The Bendoro answere curtly:”Don’t make a scene! Now go back to your room alone. (117)” The servant is considered as being brave enough to accuse Bendoro’s

nephew of committing a crime of stealing Mas Nganten’s wallet. All she has done

was giving help. For Bendoro, her action was too brave, therefore Bendoro

decided to dismiss her of the work. Even though Mas Nganten begged him not to

dismiss her, Bendoro remained his decision unchanged. Mas Nganten’s begging

counts for nothing. It is his authority and no one can interrupt him in making the

decision.


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Mas Nganten’s incapability in making decision is also seen in her divorce.

After her first birth giving, Bendoro decided to divorce Mas Nganten. Even

though marriage involves two persons in it, it seems that only Bendoro himself

who has the right to decide whether the marriage should be defended or not.

“Just get ready to go home,” he snapped. “This isn’t your place anymore.” “What are you saying, Papa?”“What do you think I’m saying? You’ve been divorced. (259)” Bendoro thinks that he does not need Mas Nganten’s opinion when their

marriage will be ended by a divorce. He does not need to hear any word from her

about the divorce. Mas Nganten’s opinion is nothing. After divorcing Mas

Nganten, Bendoro also feels that there is no need for him to tell Mas Nganten.

That is why he only tells Mas Nganten’s father to take her home. Bendoro’s action

shows how Mas Nganten not only has no right to make any decision, but also no

right to be asked for consideration and be informed directly from his husband

about the divorce.

From the analysis above, I can conclude that Mas Nganten is inferior, as

she has no right to decide anything for her own life. Her life, as a daughter and a

wife, is on the hands of her father and, after the marriage, on the hands of

Bendoro. Woman is not more than property so that man makes a decision without

asking woman’s opinion. However, Lorna as an inferior has more freedom than

Mas Nganten. While Lorna can decide on trivial things like how to dress, Mas

Nganten is completely inferior that she can only obey what she is told to.

4.1.2 Doing Interests


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Lorna is an energetic girl. She loves to do many things. She learns

something new. She loves to gain new knowledge, and develop her way of

thinking. As a daughter of a rich man, Lorna is provided with facilities for many

activities. Those activities are ladylike activities.

One could garden, fill scrapbooks, collect shells, butterflies or birds’ nests, read, stitch, go shopping, have lemonade on the veranda, attend chautaquas or play the piano (61). From the sentence above, we can see that during the period of time, there

several activities women can do. Most of the activities are inside the house. The

outdoor activities include only gardening, collecting shells, butterflies, and birds’

nests and shopping. Those activities tend to gain some fun in which women are

actually inferior. They are considered as unable to do activities that men do.

Women become the symbol of weakness and disability.

In the novel, Spencer describes the differentiation between men and

women activity. Women are identically connected to simple activities that do not

need certain skill, and risk less. Of course, this is about protection for women,

and to keep them as ladylike. Stay at home, doing simple activities, and do the

house things. These restrictions make women inferior. Their worlds are as narrow

as their knowledge, and they are positioned as weak and disable.

Lorna is actually an innovative girl. She loves to gain more knowledge,

and feel unsatisfied with her recent activities. She wants to try new activities.

“The range of activities available to those of the female gender left Lorna bored

and restless. (61)” Lorna feels tired and bored with activities women can do. For


49

her, those activities are not challenging enough, and they give her no more

knowledge. Lorna has her own choice about activities she wants to do.

“…would our fathers care who we choose for friends, or whether or not it was ladylike to sail and play tennis? I’m so sick and tired of being told what to do by my father. And my mother! (62)” Lorna has the thought that playing tennis is a more interesting activity

compared to other women activities. Unfortunately, at that time, tennis is played

by men only. Playing tennis requires someone to move a lot, and it is not ladylike.

This sport is done by men only, and women are not allowed to do it. A lady

should stay still and calm instead of moving around try to hit back the ball. Lorna,

as a lady, must not do tennis.

The same thing goes to sailing, which is one of Lorna’s interest. Sailing is

considered as a hard and difficult sport. Sailing asks someone to have certain

skills, and it is on the water. It makes sailing even more dangerous. Women is

considered as out of the capability to do it. Therefore, Lorna is not allowed to do

the sport by her father. “ I don’t condone women sailing, Lorna, and you know

that. (36)” A lady may not do dangerous sport. Once, Lorna asks her father to

allow her to ride a boat, but her father forbid her.

“…I’d rather be the organizer of the first women’s yachting club in the state of Minnesota or hunt wild tigers in the velds of Africa. …(68-69)” Lorna is interested not only to tennis and sailing. She has the idea about

establishing a women yachting club in Minnesota. She wants to become the

organizer and she finds it interesting. Meanwhile, at the time, women are not

allowed to go hunting because of the danger. Gideon Barnett also does not

respond her daughter’s idea to establish a yacht club, and does not allowed her


50

daughter to go hunting. Lorna must be satisfied with being Taylor DuVal’s dance

partner.

All restrictions given to her make Lorna disappointed. “Oh, who cares

about being pretty anyway? “I’d rather be adventurous and sporting and

interesting. (68)” She does not really care about rules that require women as

ladylike. Lorna also does not need to be pretty. She wants to be an adventurous

woman who does challenging and interesting sport and activities. She also wants

to be an interesting girl who is popular with her wide knowledge and smart

opinion. Lorna even wants to go attend college.

One day, Lorna tells her parents that she wants to attend college. “I’d like

to attend college, Papa says it’s unnecessary. …(75)” Unfortunately, her father

says no. According to Hinsley (1967:197), at the time, women receive education

at home or at school for girls. They are taught with house things and house skills

like arranging flowers and cooking. Meanwhile, in college, a student will learn

certain disciplines. Therefore, Gideon Barnett thinks that her daughter does not

need to attend college, because, as any other women at that time, Lorna will marry

and needs only to learn how to serve her husband. She does not need to learn any

other disciplines.

What happens to Lorna clearly explains the inferiority of women at that

time. Women is brought to a condition of inferior by taking their freedom to

choose what they want to do. This position becomes more inferior when women

do not have the same education with men. Women do not have the chance to

develop themselves and gain more knowledge. They are also considered as do not


51

have the ability to learn what men learn. Of course, it put them into inferior

position, because women stay as stupid people.

We can also say that the restrictions on women activities, make women

inferior among the society. Women have been unable to experience their own

experience (Eagleton: 1991). They have no chance to widen their world and

develop their ability. Their knowledge is little and narrow. While they focus on

house things, men are able to get wider chance to develop themselves. Beside

attending college, men can also go abroad to learn new things.

In the novel, Lorna is described as a girl who is interested to go travel to

Europe to gain her knowledge. “I’d like to travel to Europe. He says I can do that

on my honeymoon. (75)” Unfortunately, her father does not permit her. It is

because women at the time do not travel abroad or to a distance place alone except

condition asks them to. Women generally travel with her husband or her family

for vacation.

All that happens to Lorna represent what happens to women during the

period. Women, with inferior position, become more inferior because of the

restrictions. They do not posses the same right with men even for travelling

abroad. What makes women have the possibility to go is men, As long as it is

under men’s permission, women can do what they want. Women cannot state their

own wish.

In conclusion, women become inferior because of the restrictions. It gives

emphasize only on ladylike image a woman must posses. As an effect, it kills the

same chance and right with men that women can have.


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As Lorna, Mas Nganten experiences the same thing. Since her departure to

Bendoro’s house, Mas Nganten has been told that she only has a duty here that is

to serve Bendoro. “…the one and only thing she could do- in fact, had to do-was to

serve her husband,…(61)” Therefore, everything Mas Nganten is doing must be

aimed to please her husband. To minimize the chance for Mas Nganten to do

trouble, she is not allowed to do everything she wants to do. There are restrictions

for Mas Nganten to follow.

In her first day at Bendoro’s house, Mas Nganten felt so nervous and

afraid, and she wanted to see her parents. The restriction requires her to stay and

not to meet anyone without Bendoro’s permission. “…until Master gives his

permission, you are not to see anyone (22).” It shows how Mas Nganten, as a

representatives of woen at that time, has no right to do what she wants to do

except what have been told to her to do, even though it is her wants to meet her

parents who was still in Bendoro’s house.

During the days at Bendoro’s house, Mas Nganten feels so lonely. She can

only talk to her personal servant and to Bendoro himself. This lonely feeling

really disturbs her. She could see that there are many servants in this house to

whom she can talk to. She tries to know them and ease her lonely days.

Unfortunately, she is not allowed to socialize with anyone. “She wasn’t allowed to

have friends (41).” Mas Nganten cannot talk to servants except her personal

servant. She can only give them orders to do something. “” No, Young Mistress,

the Bendoro’s consort cannot talk to just anyone. Just tell the people here what

you want and don’t be hesitant about it….(78)” Talking to servants is considered


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inappropriate, and Mas Nganten is not allowed to do so for the sake of Bendoro’s

nobility.

Mas Nganten existence is aimed merely for Bendoro’s pleasure. Therefore,

Mas Nganten cannot do anything that pleases her only. Even her personal person

has to remind her everyday that she may not be anywhere close to the kitchen

where sevants work. “”You’d best stay out of the kitchen,’ her servant

advised.”The kitchen help are nothing more than servants,… (63)” Mas Nganten

is allowed to visit the kitchen whenever she needs to check and prepare for

Bendoro’s meal. Her position as Bendoro’s wife makes her unable to socialize

with servants, and other people from the lower class.

She wanted to join the party makers below, to be a part of the crowd of people she had known since she was just a baby. But now that was not possible, for she was higher than them all (66). Restriction to socialize is not only to servants, but also for other people

who is in lower social class of her. Mas Nganten really wants to meet her old

friends but since her marriage with Bendoro, she cannot do as she pleases. When

her friends from the village help for the preparation of a wedding party in the city,

Mas Nganten really wants to join them, to talk and help them as she was used to.

Of course, Mas Nganten is not able to fulfil her wants. Her status is now higher

than them all.

Beside restriction on not to socialize to servants and old friends, Mas

Nganten is also not allowed to communicate with Bendoro’s sons and daughters

of the previous wives. She can communicate to Bendoro’s nephews and her


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personal servant only. As a woman, her maternal instinct comes up. It can be seen

through her curiosity about Bendoro’s children.

..the more time she spent in his house, the more she wanted to take care of his children. But that, it seemed, was not to be; the children of previous consorts were intentionally kept away from her sight. Even the older child, the Young Master Rahmat, she rarely saw,…(64-65). Mas Nganten really wants to take care of Bendoro’s children. She wants to

be their mother, but it is forbidden. The servants have been told to take the

children away of Mas Nganten’s sight. So, Mas Nganten cannot see or take care

of them. Mas Nganten is absolutely isolated from her surroundings. The

restrictions have tortured her, but it has not enough yet.

Mas Nganten’s position as a practice wife taken from lower social class

makes her more isolated. Mas Nganten is not allowed to have a guest. She also

cannot accompany her husband having a guest as every wife does.

The Bendoro’s marriage to a common woman made it impossible for him to receive as his guests married couples of the same upper class; the presence of his commoner wife would be seen as an affront (76). Even though Mas Nganten is Bendoro’s own wife, her position makes her

unable to meet her husband’s guests from the upper class. Bendoro is not

considered married when he married to Mas Nganten. The marriage is a practice

marriage. Therefore, Bendoro always asks his wife to go inside her room whnever

he receives a guest. Sometimes, Bendoro needs only to tell her that he has a guest,

and Mas Nganten will directly go inside her room.

“There’s a guest for dinner tonight,” he said softly, then stood in place, watching her. She rose from her chair, bowed to him, then lowered her body and went back to the bedroom that was her cage (87).


55

Only by telling Mas Nganten that he will receive a guest, Mas Nganten

will know that this is time for her to go inside her bedroom and not to step outside

unless Bendoro asks her to, or the guest already leaves the house. The rule must

be obeyed not only whenever Bendoro receive his colleague, but also whenever

Bendoro has his family or relatives visit him.

As though through cotton-stuffed ears, she listened as her husband called together his young male relatives and delivered to them a host of commands. Several hours later, she heard the sound of another voice, that of a woman, as the Bendoro sat at the dining table with his guest (249). One day, a woman who is Bendoro’s relative from Demak comes to visit

him, Mas Nganten is totally not being involved in. She must stay at her room,

while her husband prepares everything along with his nephews. Mas Nganten is

not allowed to go outside her room, and she could only hear the sound of the

preparation from her room. She plays no rule that she can figure out that

Bendoro’s guest is a woman by hearing her husband’s conversation with his

guest. In that condition, Mas Nganten’s life becomes so boring. Too many things

are forbidden for her. This is not only her activities that are restricted, but also her

social life and her movement.

In the year that she had been at the Bendoro’s house, she had never once set foot in the front or central room of the house, nor in the inner rooms. The preyer room was the only exception. No one had ever told her not to enter these rooms; it was a rule that she herself had sensed to be in place. There seemed to be a silent power forbidding her (71). Mas Nganten visits the prayer room, or is called khalwat, to have a pray

with her husband. Even though she visits the room when she has pray with her

husband or in every pray time. At least, it is another room she can visit after the


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kitchen, dining room, back garden and inner room. She is afraid to visit those

rooms unless her husband wants her to do so.

Feeling so lonely, Mas Nganten, sometimes, wants to go for a walk. She

wants to meet many persons and make friends. She wants to see a world other

than her own room, but the back garden is already the most distance place she can

reach. She even cannot go out to shop some vegetables to cook. She has the

vender comes to the entrance.

Such was also the case with the vegetables vendor, who posted himself each morning beneath the overhang outside the kitchen window, and the meat seller, who took up position at the rear entrance, between the kitchen and the back steps; they, too, seemed to be of an altogether different breed (239). Wherever Mas Nganten needs to shop some vegetables or meat to cook,

she is not allowed to go to the market with the servant. She must wait for the

vegetables vendor or the meat seller delivered the items in the kitchen window, or

at the rear entrance. Every socialization, movement, and Mas Nganten’s wants is

limited. Even though Mas Nganten has the authority on her house hold things, she

is not more than bird who must always gotten into her cage. The rule forbids her

not to go outside the house. Fortunately, Bendoro gives her activities to do on her

spare times.

A batik teacher was called to the house to teach the girl how to transform a piece of white cloth into a fabric of multicoloured patterns;…. Once a week another teacher came to teach her cake making. And every third day, her religion teacher would come to tell her tales of mystery that had been handed down from some far-distant desert kingdom (62). Bendoro called three teachers to teach Mas Nganten many skills to cheer

her up and to use her spare time wisely. The first teacher teaches her how to make


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batik cloth. It seems that it is Mas Nganten’s most favourite activity, because,

later, she often spends her time making batik cloth. The second teacher comes

once every week to teach her cooking. The third teacher comes every three days to

give her religion lesson and to teach her reading Arabic.

The activities do make Mas Nganten busier than before. She even learns

new things she has never known before. However, Mas Nganten does not feel

quite happy. It is because those activities are held not because she wants to do so.

All Mas Nganten wants to have are freedom and space for her to do what she

wants, and she cannot have that. The activities just seem to keep her busy and

have no time to have certain wants.

Her life, made up of her duties and tasks—from supervision of the kitchen to making batik, from shopping for food outside the kitchen door to serving her husband’s meal--…(241). Mas Nganten’s feeling of lonely and despair are so huge that she cannot

enjoy her own life. For Mas Nganten, her life is merely duties and tasks to do.

Worse, those duties and tasks have never been for her importance, but only for her

husband’s pleasure. The rules and restrictions are also implemented for the sake of

the Bendoro.

What happens to Mas Nganten clearly shows women’s inferiority during

the time. Women are not allowed to do their interest, because they are considered

as do not deserve to receive the chance. Women’s life is about serving their

husband only. They have to focus in it, and step aside their want. Preferring their

interest means disobeying their husbands.

From the evidence above, I can conclude that Mas Nganten is inferior so

that she cannot do any of her interest. All she must do is obey the rule, and please


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her husband without too much demanding such as making friends, and walking

outside the house. However, women inferiority in Javanese society is greater than

in American society. Lorna is still able to go out the house for party or visiting a

friend, while Mas Nganten must stay inside the house unless her husband asks her

to go.

4.1.3 Expressing Feelings and Ideas

Becoming a woman during the period of time is not easy. Women’s

position is inferior and they are banded to rules that restrict them. Everything

begins with society consideration on women. The same thing happens to Lorna.

She lives as inferior woman. It is because the society have their own opinion

about women’s position.

“You know my father,” she said, squeezing his sleeves in appeal. “You know how he is about us girls. We’re nothing to him but fluffy empty-headed matrimonial material to whom he gives orders which he expects to have obeyed without incident….(75)” The sentence above shows us Gideon Barnett’s opinion about woman. He

thinks that woman is dumb who can never learn any discipline. Therefore, he does

not think that Lorna needs to attend college. Woman is also regarded as material

of matrimony.

Lorna’s father’s consideration represents society’s consideration on

women at the time. Women are material to complete men’s life. A man will marry

a woman he wants to, so that the particular woman can take care of him and his

needs. The woman can also give him children. Women are merely ornament for


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the house. They do not have the same right to express their feeling and

aspirations. Women’s feeling and aspirations are considered do not exist.

Lorna experiences the same situation. It is clearly seen when Lorna falls to

Jens. She tries so hard to express her feeling that she does not love Taylor, a man

her parents want her to marry to, but Jens. ‘“I don’t love him, Father.” Gideon’s

eyes narrowed to pinpoints while he stared at her in derision. Then he snorted and

spun away. “That is the singularly most asinine statement I’ve ever heard.”(208)’

Lorna have tried to explain her feeling to her parents, but because women’s

feeling is considered does not exist, Lorna’s statement gains no respond from her

father.

“I haven’t any feelings for him, Mother.” “Feelings! What have feelings to do with it!...(201)” The evidence above shows us how Lorna tries to express her feeling to her

mother. She hopes that as a woman, her mother will understand her feeling. She

does not directly tells her mother that she loves Jens. She starts the explanation by

telling her feeling to Taylor. Unfortunately, she gets a bad respond. Her feeling is

ignored. Even her feeling is regarded as useless and brings no help to Lorna’s

future. We can also say that Lorna is asked to neglect her own feeling.

It is a horrible thing when someone’s feeling is considered does not exist

and even is not allowed to exist. Killing someone’s feeling will be the same with

kill the person psychologically. Women at that time are not allowed to care so

much to their feeling. From Lorna experience, we can see that women are even

not allowed to express what they may feel. Women’s feeling seem to be priceless.


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“We’re nothing, Phoebe – don’t you see? What we want, what we feel, who we love is dismissed simply because we’re women, and worse yet, women who belong to rich men. If I wore trousers I could say marry me or don’t marry me and nobody would bat an eye. Instead, look what they do to us—parcel us off as social chattel. Well, I won’t be parcelled off! You’ll see, I won’t! (203)” The evidence says that Lorna is angry as well as distraught. She has the

thought that being a woman at that time is being nothing. They cannot have any

freedom for what they feel. While men have the total freedom, women have

almost nothing. A man can choose to whom he marries to, and also have the right

to do anything they want including expressing their feeling. Meanwhile, women

must step aside their feeling and desire. They must obey and do everything they

are told to. This is one more aspect that keeps women as inferior.

As Hinsley’s (1967:197) statement that during the period of time, sex

distinction meant everything, Lorna suffers from it. Men rule the world where

they can get the freedom and power. Men may do everything to satisfy their

feeling. Their words must be heard and followed by women, and women must

stand as matrimonial material. Men do not have to pay any attention to women’s

feeling. We can see how hard to live as a woman during the time. They must step

aside their feeling and obey the rule. It is said that this will be the best way for

them to live their live. Feeling is not to be expressed, but to be killed. But women

at that time even suffer for more. Women must accept that their feeling counts for

nothing, and they must also accept that they are considered as empty-headed

people whose idea and aspirations will not be heard.

Lorna’s experience show us how women ideas are considered nonsense.

One evening, Lorna’s family invite some friends to have a dinner together. During


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the meal, Men go on discussion about yachting race. They try to find new strategy

to beat their opponent. Lorna actually has a bright idea about it, but she knows she

cannot tell them her idea. “Gideon’s daughter Lorna had been biting her tongue

long enough. (3)” there is a restriction that women should not be invo lved in

every men discussion. Sometimes, Lorna is allowed to express her idea even

though it may not be heard. Lorna’s father usually makes her, her sisters and

mother stay out of the discussion. “If he had his way she would sit through this

entire meal biting her tongue, as a lady ought. (4)”

A woman is considered as a lady when she shows he interest on unladylike

things not more than men do. Telling a woman’s idea or aspiration on something

may provoke a new problem. Even though her idea may result a better condition,

expressing it is considered threatening men’s position in the society as higher and

smarter people. Women stays under the length of men’s shadows (Hinsley,

1967:81). Therefore, a woman may not do anything that make her look any

smarter than man. Women must satisfy with their men’s achievement, and their

photograph beside their men.

It is so poor, because women may have great potency to build better

circumstances. “Why, any fool knows a woman’s place is in a drawing room!(4)”

Women’s place is in the drawing room or maybe the veranda. This revels women

inferiority when women are considered as fool. Women do not have to and may

not learn anything, because men think that they will never able to learn. After

underestimating women’s ability, men put women into more inferior position by


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forbidding them in gaining knowledge, and expressing their idea. Women have

been unable to experience our own experience (Eagleton: 1991).

From the analysis, I can conclude that women are inferior. Women are not

allowed to feel their own feeling and express it. They must focus on men’s

feeling. Women also cannot join any discussion out of ladylike things because it is

considered as threatening men’s position. Their thought and ideas cannot also be

expressed because a lady should live under her man’s shadow. Women are merely

material of matrimony who do not have any feeling and thought.

Mas Nganten’s condition also clearly shows how women, at that time,

were inferior. Women lives under the authority of men, and women were not

allowed to do things for their own benefits, but their husbands’. All of these rules

depress not only Mas Nganten’s activity but also her feeling.

Pressure on Mas Nganten’s feeling has started since her departure to the

house. “”Your daughter must remember that the Bendoro’s consort has to be

strong and to always wear a smile no matter what she might be feeling.” (38)” On

that time, Mas Nganten’s personal servant told Mas Nganten’s mother to advice

Mas Nganten to never show her feeling, even though she feels sad, she must have

smile on her face. Sadness on Mas Nganten’s face will draw the Bendoro into

curiosity, and may create problems for everyone in the house. In the opposite,

happiness on Mas Nganten’s face will please the Bendoro, and may bring safety

for everyone.

The big house has different condition and circumstances than Mas

Nganten’s home in the village. She must be able to adapt to the new situation very


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quickly. She must also be able to follow all of the rules and do her duties and

tasks well. Sometimes, it is disturbed by Mas Nganten’s feeling. She often misses

her family and village very much. It makes her sad, but Mas Nganten must always

remember and do her duties despising her own feeling.

“Then what am I supposed to do here?” “Only two things, Young Mistress, nothing more: serve the Master and command the servants and other people who live here. (52)” In that big house, Mas Nganten’s duty is to please the Bendoro, her

husband. One of her tasks is to wait her husband for coming home. Sometimes,

Bendoro will come into Mas Nganten’s chamber, and on that time, Mas Nganten

must be in perfect condition. Mas Nganten must greet her husband happily and

wear beautiful dress and nice make up to please him. Mas Nganten is obliged to

appear perfectly in front of her husband despite her true feeling. She is not to

show any feeling to her husband except happiness of her devotion to him.

Because the rule forbids her to show her real feeling, Mas Nganten

encounters problems with her feeling. She keeps too much feeling inside her heart

that she actually needs someone to talk to for her self-recovery. Since only

happiness pleases the Bendoro, there is no space for Mas Nganten’s other feeling

than happiness. Worse, no one in the house is able to accept her sadness as natural

thing.

In the village, she had been able to say whatever she wanted to say, to cry when she wanted cry, and to scream with delight when she felt happy. But now, in this house, she had to be silent; there was no one willing to hear the sound of her voice (31). There is a big difference Mas Nganten feels since her departure to the

house. Her freedom to express her feeling is taken away. She cannot laugh, cry,


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scream or anything freely. Mas Nganten seems to have no one beside her. No one

is willing to listen to her. Maybe there servants care for her feeling, but they are

too afraid to the Bendoro, Mas Nganten’s husband. Finally, Mas Nganten suffers

of her sadness alone. “Here, in this house, all she could do was cry. (130)” The

only way for her to release her sadness is to cry. It becomes the solution of all of

Mas Nganten’s problems.

“Now when you cry you must learn to cry alone. Nobody else is going to see or hear you. You have to stop thinking about yourself and learn how to make other people happy. (61)” Every pressure on her feeling has not gotten into climax. When cry finally

becomes the only way for Mas Nganten to relieve herself, Mas Nganten must

encounters the fact that she has no right to please herself. Whenever she is sad or

depressed, Mas Nganten has to cry secretly. She may not let anyone know her

crying. She can cry whenever she is alone in her room, or when she prays. After

that, she must appear happy for everyone in the house, especially the servants.

They will get no trouble if Mas Nganten appears happy, and Bendoro is pleased.

Mas Nganten’s feeling is hurt. She is so depressed but she has no chance

or freedom to express her feeling. She starts to be so introvert and more

depressed. “She suddenly felt incredibly tired and drowsy and wanted nothing

more than to lie down on the soft mattress in her bedroom, alone. But she didn’t

have the courage to speak. (36)”She has no courage to speak and tell her own

husband what she might feel physically or psychologically. It finally draws new

problem. As a wife, Mas Nganten wants to know everything about her husband.

Though the Girl from the Coast didn’t realize it, all of her questions were, in fact, an expression of her jealousy. She wanted to know everything


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about the Bendoro, her master and husbands, but lacked the courage to ask him herself (83). Mas Nganten really wants to give special attention to her husband as every

wife does. An expression she wants to give to her husband is a full understanding

toward her husband. She never knows many things about the Bendoro. She never

knows where the Bendoro go for days on end, whom he saw, and what he talked

about, and also what he thinks about herself. Mas Nganten wants to find answers

to those questions, but knowing her having no right to ask, Mas Nganten never

has courage to ask those questions to the Bendoro.

Mas Nganten encounters not only difficulties in expressing her feeling and

thought, but also her feeling and desire toward her own husband. Like every wife,

Mas Nganten has certain hopes to her husband. “…They eat together, sit together,

drink together. And when the husband isn’t off the sea, they talk about things

together.(84)” Mas Nganten wants the harmony with the Bendoro where they can

spend the spare time together like sit and talk together, having meal together, and

take a walk together. Unfortunately, as a woman, Mas Nganten is not allowed to

have such desire, not even to her own husband.

…, the girl felt terribly lonely; she longed to sit beside her husband, to spend time with him; but what right did she have to expect that (252)? Mas Nganten has been forced to be a person without feeling who may not

have any feeling other than happiness for full devotion toward her husband. Mas

Nganten encounters all of those pressures, but she cannot hide from her

loneliness. When she is lonely, all she wants to have is her husband’s presence.

She really wants to stay near him, and share the time with him, but the Bendoro


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has different opinion. He comes to Mas Nganten only when he needs her or wants

to. He does not really care about Mas Nganten’s feeling for being left for days by

her husbands. However, Mas Nganten has no right to tell her actual feeling. She

must keep it, and pretend nothing happens to her.

All of the pressures send her down where she cannot get her courage to

speak. She cannot express and show what she feels and thinks.” The girl released

a mournful sigh. She still didn’t have the courage to tell him what she felt. (132)”

There are times when Mas Nganten sleeps alone for days, when she cannot meet

her husbands because of her duty. Sometimes, the Bendoro himself does not want

to see Mas Nganten. On times like that, Mas Nganten must be able to control her

feeling. Even though she really misses her husband, she cannot ask for her

husband’s presence. As the result, Mas Nganten never has the courage to speak

even when her husband asks her about how she feels. The rules that oblige her to

show only happiness has made her afraid of telling her true feeling.

It is tragic that women who dedicate their life to serve their husbands are

not allowed to express what they feel or think. It seems that women are just

machine that provide their husbands’ needs. Woman as such does not exist

(Eagleton: 1991). Their feeling is not considered exist. Their thought is considered

silly. Women is inferior so that they cannot express their feeling.

From the evidence above, I can conclude that Mas Nganten is inferior in

expressing her feeling and thought. The restrictions require her to show only

happiness, therefore she always feels afraid to speak her feeling up, and she never

find her courage to speak. This makes her even more inferior. However, American


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women, even though cannot demand for more, still have the chance to speak what

they feel and later have also the chance to struggle for that. Meanwhile, in

Javanese society, women feeling is not considered exist. Javanese women are

more inferior than American women.

4.2 The Influence of Culture toward Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s

Inferiority

Geertz (1973:5) states that in Mirror of Man, Clyde Kluckhohn defines

culture as the total way of people and a mechanism for the normative regulation of

behaviour. The definition shows the relevance between cultures with life of

people. Culture becomes a set of rule that controls people. It affects people’s

attitude, behaviour, understanding, and way of thinking. Lorna and Mas Nganten

live among people. Therefore, culture influences heir life. According to

Rohrberger and Woods (1971: 9-10) states the sociocultural-historical approach

insists that the only way to locate the real work is to be in the reference to the

civilization that produces it. In this analysis, I include two value of culture that

influences Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority. They are patriarchy and

religion.

4.2.1 Patriarchy

Murniati (1992: 80-81) states that patriarchy is a system with man

domination. In this system, man is higher than woman. Murniati also states that in

this system, only man who is considered as normative. From the definition, we

can find a gender injustice. This system gives the total power to rule to men, and

women become the subordinate.


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Injustice appears when women’s needs are not considered important. It

emphasizes only on men’s existence, and acquires women to serve them. To make

sure that women will give the best service, there are rules for women to follow.

These rules ask women to achieve certain image which we call as ladylike image.

Ladylike image can only be achieved with ladylike behaviour. That is why

patriarchy and ladylike image cannot be separated to each other.

Although private opinions and public laws relating to the social position of

women varied widely, the weight of evidence indicates that women were

considered to be decidedly inferior beings ( Buckler, 1983 ). They live under the

shadow of men. We can also the same thing happens to women at the age when

Lorna live.

Every wife present realized she was measured primarily by the length of her husband’s shadow, and none would have voiced the slightest objection…(5) The evidence above shows us that every wife at the age live under the

shadows of their husbands. Their husbands’ achievement will also be their

achievement. This condition describes situation that is encountered by women

during the time. Men’s achievement is to be praised, to be honoured, and it brings

prestige to the particular person. Meanwhile, women’s effort is considered as

nothing. It will not be praised or honoured, and will not bring them prestige. They

can enjoy the joy of praise, honour, and prestige when their fathers, brothers, or

husbands make an achievement. No matter how hard their effort to support men,

their effort will be considered as something naturally they have to give. Women

do not desrve for appreciation or compliments for their effort.


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In A History of Western Society, Buckler mentions that an English feminist

noted in 1908 that “though legally women occupy a much inferior status than

men, in practice they constitute the superior sex. They are the power behind the

throne.” It explains the situation tha t at the time women do much effort to support

their men. It brings a great contribution to the success of men. However, women

remain inferior. A woman’s effort was directed toward pampering her husband as

he expected (Buckler,1983:861). Women’s hard effort to support their husband is

something women are expected to give. Therefore, it will not change their inferior

status.

Just as Western women who are expected to serve their husbands,

Javanese women are expected for the same thing. Mas Nganten, as a Javanese

women, experiences it. “…the one and only thing she could do – in fact, had to do

– was to serve her husband, the Bendoro (61).” Mas Nganten, as every wife in

Java, has the duty to give her life serving her husband. Javanese wives stand on

the social va lue of patriarchy that oblige women not to stop pay full attention to

their husbands, their husbands’ will (Ariyanto, 2006:9). Therefore, Mas Nganten,

just as other Javanese wives, spends her time for housework and providing her

husband’s needs. Of course, Mas Nganten’s effort brings a big support to her

husband.

Both Western and Javanese societies agree that women are subordinate to

men. It is not only their effort that is not appreciated, but also their existence. Both

culture have similarities on their treatment to women. Lorna as a part Western


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society is treated as grown-up children to be teasingly indulged or as hopelessly

irrational.

“You know my father,” she said, squeezing his sleeves in appeal. “You know how he is about us girls. We’re nothing to him but fluffy empty-headed matrimonial material to whom he gives orders which he expects to have obeyed without incident…(75).” Even Lorna’s father thinks that Lorna, just as other women, is not clever as

men. He thinks that women can only think about simple and trivial thing, and will

not be able to think about something harder. What happens to Lorna represents

what happens to women during the time and place. It shows the inferiority of

women when they are regarded as fool. Buckler (1983:538) mentions John

Knox’s opinion about women at that time. According to Knox, nature doth paint

them forth to be weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish, and experience hath

declared them to be inconstant, variable cruel, and void the spirit of council and

regiment.

“Then what do women have in the city?” the girl asked. “I’d have to say nothing, Young Mistress, except for…” “Except for what?” “Except for her duty to guard her man’s holdings.” “So what do women own?” “Nothing, Young Mistress. She herself is property. (84)” While in Western society, women are emotional, in Javanese society,

women are the property of men. Mas Nganten is valued as a tool for her

husband’s holding. She is not more than a table, a chair or a pair of shoes.

Comparing these two situations, we find a big difference. Both live in patriarchy

culture. Both take men as superior, and women as inferior. Nevertheless, in

Western society, even though they create unfair image of women, women are the


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part of society. Meanwhile, Javanese society values women as not more than

property.

Patriarchy does not only differ the status of men and women in society. It

also differs the treatment toward men and women. Men, as superior beings, have

the freedom to do any activities they want to do. Women, as inferior beings, have

to face and follow restrictions and rules that bound them. These restrictions and

rules, however, show the inferiority of women in patriarchy culture.

One could garden, fill scrapbooks, collect shells, butterflies or birds’ nests, read, stitch, go shopping, have lemonade on the veranda, attend chautaquas or play the piano (61). Lorna, as a part of western society, is allowed to do certain activities

women can do, or in fact may do. As I have mentioned in the previous analysis,

Lorna actually has her own aspirations on doing activities, but as she lives in

patriarchy society, she cannot have the freedom to do as she wishes. Women do

not have the same freedom. Buckler (1983:860) states that women faced great

injustice if they tried to move into the man’s world. The pleasure and freedom

belong to men. Women may not get into it.

Gideon had blustered, “This is outrageous! A daughter of mine slapping around a tennis court with ankles flashing! And coercing her friends to form a female contingent of the White Bear Yacht club. Why, any fool knows a woman’s place is in a drawing room! (4)” Lorna’s interest in playing tennis and establishing yacht club for women

are not permitted. Those activities belong to men’s world, and women are not

supposed to take part. That is why, Lorna’s interest results on her father’s

disapproval. Lorna represents women at the time. They are not supposed to join in


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any men’s world. Women’s place is inside the house, the veranda, the party, or

beside their husbands or father.

“That’s a man business, Young Mistress, and it would be best for you not to interfere. Women don’t know about such things. Our work is here in the house. This is our territory, the area under our control. (74)” What happens to Western women also happens to Javanese women. They

are not allowed to get into men’s world. Mas Nganten, representing Javanese

women at that time, are not allowed to get into her husband’s world. By

comparing the two situations, we will find a difference on similarity. Both

Western and Javanese women are not allowed to do men’s activities, but Javanese

women, as represented by Mas Nganten, interface worse situation.

Western women are still able to do many activities as long as it is not

men’s activities. They may choose where they are going to do the activities,

whether in the house or at the veranda or at friends’ house. As long as it is lady’s

activities, they have the freedom to do so. Meanwhile, Javanese women are not

even allowed to ask questions about their men’s activities. It will be an

interference.

Patriarchy on Javanese society is stricter. It brings benefits only for men,

and women are separated from the society. There is even a restriction for women

not to go out of the house for activities that do not involve their fathers, or

husbands. This rule is based on the thought that women are too easily seduced by

any men when they are not under the proper supervision (Magnis-Suseno, 1984:

176).This restrictions are not applied to lower class women. They have to help

their husbands’ work. Middle and upper class women, especially who live among


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priyayi, must obey the rule. There are even certain activities for them to do to give

them ladylike ability as well as to keep them stay inside the house.

A batik teacher was called to the house to teach the girl how to transform a piece of white cloth into a fabric of multicoloured patterns;…. Once a week another teacher came to teach her cake making. And every third day, her religion teacher would come to tell her tales of mystery that had been handed down from some far-distant desert kingdom (62).

Patriarchy has become one-sided culture, and it brings inferiority to

women. Emphasizing only on men’s important, patriarchy emerges one-sided

rules that enriched men with unlimited authority, power, and freedom. Those rules

are strictly applied especially to middle and upper class women, because they

have to protect their men’s reputation.

Levinia met her daughter’s eyes. “You must understand, Lorna, This is very difficult for a mother to say, but it’s my duty to warn you. Men will try things.” She reached out and touched Lorna’s hand urgently. “Even Taylor. As fine a young man as he is, he’ll try things, and when he does, you must withdraw immediately. You must come into the house or…or insist on leaving for home at once. Do you understand? (60)” In A History of Western society, Buckler (1983:858) states that a young

woman of the middle class found her romantic life carefully supervised by her

well-meaning mother, who schemed for a proper marriage and guarded her

daughter’s virginity like the family’s credit. After marriage, middle-class morality

sternly demanded fidelity. Lorna, as a part of high-class society, experiences the

same treatment. She is supervised by her mother. She gets a lot of warnings and

advices. Women are strictly supervised while men experience the contrary.

Buckler (1983:858) also states that middle class boys were watched too, but not as


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vigilantly. By the time they reached late adolescence, they had usually attained

considerable sexual experience with maids or prostitutes.

In Javanese society, women, especially from middle and upper class and

who live among priyayi, must encounter the same situation with Western women.

They are oblige to behave nicely as the society, in fact men, wish for. After

forbidding women to go out the house, Javanese society creates a set of criterion

for women to achieve. Jong (1976:20) mentions ‘sabar’ or patient, which comes

from ‘rila’ and ‘narima’, as one character Javanese women must posses. Rila

means willing to give or accept freely, and narima means accepting thoroughly

without demanding too much.

The servant didn’t answer directly: “Sometimes I think that women were put on this earth just so that men could beat them. So let’s not start talking about that, Young Mistress. Besides, what’s a beating every once in a while when compared with the beating a husband himself must take in providing for his wife and children?...(92)”

Being patient should be a good thing. Unfortunately, Javanese society

interprets the word differently. Women must be patient in every condition, even

the worst one when they get very bad treatment from her husband. This is unfair

because men are allowed to do terrible things to their women, wives or daughters,

and those women will not complain, or in fact they cannot to.

Patient is only one character a woman must have out of the other

characters such as humble, calm, love others, including love the other wives of her

husband, sweet, and sympathetic (Astiyanto, 2006:108). In Javanese society, there

is also a traditional value for a good wife. They are called three ‘ma’ that consist

‘pinter masak’, ‘pinter manak’, and ‘pinter macak’ (Astiyanto, 2006:79). The


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three ‘ma’ requires Javanese women to be able to cook, birth many child, and

appears beautifully.

The older woman whispered, “Smile. You must learn to smile and always be standing, ready to greet the Master, just inside the doorway. (52)” Mas Nganten is required to be always ready to serve her husband no

matter what happens to her. Mas Nganten’s situation represents Javanese

women’s situation at the time. Society demands too much, while men rarely face

problems with rules. Women are not allowed to misbehave, but men can go to

prostitute to satisfy their sexual desire. Magnis-Suseno (1984: 178) explains that

unmarried men who try to find sexual experience with prostitute in coffee place

will not get much warning.

This shows injustice in patriarchy. Women are required to be perfect,

while men do not have to bother the rules. Men’s mistakes are tolerable, but

women’s mistake means breaking the tradition and social value. However, it is

written in Darmawasita letter by Mangkunegara IV (Estiyanto, 2006:74) that a

wife is expected to born at least a son. Javanese society always hopes to born baby

boy when their women are expecting.

As the servant was kneading the girl’s neck with her hands, she said knowingly, “You’re pregnant, Young Mistress.” “Looks like it,” the girl replied. “Praise heaven, Young Mistress, I pray that God will grant you a son.” “Yes, a son,” she said wistfully (248). It seems that women are unwanted. When their mothers are pregnant, their

mothers expect for boy. When they are getting married, they cannot choose their

own husband (Estiyanto, 2006:76). Their parents will decide for them, and only

men who has the right to choose their wives (Estiyanto, 2006:76).


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“Him?” Who was this man she had been married to? the girl asked herself. She closed her eyes but could not picture him (7).

Patriarchy has clearly made one-sided way of life. It decisively causes the

inferiority of women (Eagleton: 1991). It supports men but demands too much to

women. Although Western women are inferior because of it, they are still a part of

the society. Meanwhile, Javanese women are properties of men. They must be

perfect in front of the society, in fact in front of men. Patriarchy is stronger in

Javanese society than in Western society.

4.2.2 Religion

According to Murniati (1992: XXI), religions and rituals are one of seven

aspects that are called culture. Hornby (2005:1279) describes religion as the belief

in the existence of god or gods, and the activities are connected with the worship

of them. In this analysis, we will talk about two religions. They are Catholic and

Islam. Murniati (1992:2) also states that human create various rules to maintain

their relationship with God. Therefore, we will find it logical that there are rules in

a religion that influence humankind. Human creates spiritual rules as a part of

cultural structure (Murniati, 1992: 5).

According to the tradition, holy bible and theology is done, written, and

learnt by men (Murniati, 1992:12). Therefore, all of those things, which are

written and learnt, come from the language and the point of view of men. This fact

creates injustice for women. Society tends to interpret the teaching from holy

bible with men point of view. Even though the teaching may be addressed to both


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sexes, men and women, society, with men point of view, emphasizes only on

men’s important. Opposing it means a sin.

Lorna leaves among the Catholic society. She and her family go to church

every Sunday. “The Sunday morning ritual at Rose Point Cottage began with

breakfast at eight, followed by church at ten. (33)” Lorna also experiences going

to a Catholic Abbey during her pregnancy. “Your father and I don’t like sending

you away, but we saw another way…he found a Catholic abbey of Benedictine

nuns… (275)” Living in Catholic society, Lorna interfaces rules that bound

women. Those rules are spiritual rules.

Buckler (1983: 537) says that the early reformers had urged study of the

Bible as the means of improving human conduct. He (1983: 538) also says that

the spiritual study, however, tended to revive Saint Paul’s notion that women are

the source of sin and vice in the world. Therefore, to conduct a better life, men

must have the total control to women.

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God (I Corinthian 11:3). In the late of nineteenth century, society interprets the teaching differently.

They emphasize only on women’s position as the subordinate of men, and that

men have the right to rule women. As a part of the society, Lorna interfaces the

condition. As a woman, she must agree to be controlled by men, in this case her

father. When she has not married yet, Lorna is controlled by her father. If her

father gives her orders, she must agree to do so.


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“You know he is about us girls. We’re nothing to him but fluffy empty-headed matrimonial material to whom he gives orders which he expects to have obeyed without incident… (75)”

From the evidence above, we can see that a woman should obey her father

and her husband when she is married. Men have the control to women. They

conduct women behaviour as they please. This is a part of conducting a better life.

By controlling women behaviour, men set up a good future (Buckler, 1983: 537).

This is unfair because women are considered as a lower being whose behaviour

may cause problems. Women are regarded as human who are not as wise as men.

Women even considered as not quite so human because they are the source of sin

that need to be totally controlled to prevent worse life.

In The Natural Superiority of Women, Montagu (1953: 28) mentions that

women are forced to be much more sedentary than men because women bear

children and nurse them. Woman is the cricket on the hearth, man is the eagle on

the wing. Women stay at home to nurse and care for their children, to prepare

food. Men leave the hearth for the hunt. Society believes in this interpretation.

They agree that women’s place are in the house for house things.

Genesis 11 and 12 tells us the story about Sara and Abram. Sara is

infertile, so she gives her slave, Hagar, to give Abram a son. Instead of realizing

Sara’s effort, as a woman, to support her husband, society believes that baring

children, nursing them and preparing husbands’ needs are the duty and the only

activity of women. Lorna, as a woman, is directed for the same thing by her

parents. She cannot attend any college, or travel to Europe as she wishes, because

she needs to focus on her marriage.


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“… Just once, Tim, just once I’d like my father to look at me as if he knew I had a brain in my head, as if he knew I has wishes and aspirations that go beyond catching a husband and running a house and raising children the way Mama’s done… (75)”

Murniati (1992: 33) states that Catholic church strongly preserves the

tradition. From the Holy Bible, we can see that Jews tradition really influences

church tradition. According to the Jews tradition (Murniati, 1992: 33), men are

thankful because they were born as men. They consider women as teasers, and sin

makers which are, later, connected with the first sin. It explains why there are one-

sided spiritual rules for women.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety (I Timothy 2: 11 – 15).

The Old and New Testaments bring a tremendous influence upon the

attitude of men toward women in the societies. Women must remain in silence,

and have no authority above their husbands. This obedience is considered as a

faith and sobriety that save women from their fault. The evidence shows us that

religion put a big influence to women inferiority.

.., when Mr. Charles Dana Gibson himself had been a guest at Rose Point Cottage, and had indulged her with long interludes of conversation about the personification of his “girls” and the message they conveyed: that woman could have freedom and individuality while remaining feminine. In the wake of Gibson’s visit, Lorna had not only changed her hairstyle, she had eschewed her elaborate skirts, which she wore tonight (4).


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However, Western society develops them selves. The evidence above

shows us women freedom through the life of Lorna. Lorna is allowed to have her

own style that she adopts the style from other women. This style comes from the

new development of the society. As Hinsley (1967:197-200) mentions in A

History of Western Society, there are feminists who struggle for gender

equality. They bring new perspectives and develop society’s point of view

about women position.

Lorna’s fashion style is the smallest example of women freedom as

the effect of the development. Later, Lorna can make her own decision to

marry Jens. “Will you marry me?” “Yes.” “When?” “Right now, tomorrow,

as soon as the law will let us (391).” This evidence shows us that women

inferiority in Lorna’s society develops step by step.

In Javanese society, women inferiority is also influenced by religion.

Mas Nganten comes from a family who do not have any religion yet.

“…About ten years ago, I visited your village. It was dirty, the people were

poor, and nobody prayed…(35).” Then, when she married to Bendoro, she

lives among Moslems. She learns to read the Arabic, and sholat. Her life in

Bendoro’s house is greatly influenced by the religion.

Murniati (1992: XX) states that every holy bible of every religion is

younger than the human existence it self. She (1992: XX) also states that what is

written in the bible is influenced by the human civilization. Therefore, this is

logical if Koran, Islamic holy bible, write the teaching according to men point of


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view. The writing process of the bible is done by men (Murniati, 1992: 12). It is

also logical if society interprets the teaching in men point of view.

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other (women),… (An Nissa:34).” According to the verse above, men is the leader of all. They have the duty

to responsible to rule. The same teaching is written in other verse. In An Nissa

verse 11. it is written: “Allah mensyiratkan bagimu tentang (pembagian pusaka

untuk) anak-anakmu. Yaitu: Bagian seorang anak lelaki sama dengan bagian dua

orang anak perempuan.” Society interprets the teaching as women are lower than

men. Society starts to create rules that bound women and keep them inferior. Like

what happens in Western society, Javanese society creates one-sided rules and

labels those rules with verses form the holy bible.

“You belong to me, and I will determine what you can and cannot do and also what you must do... (133)” Mas Nganten is considered as the property of Bendoro. She belongs to

Bendoro. Bendoro will decide what she must and must not do, and Mas Nganten

can only follow his words. This is considered as a part of a wife’s obedience to

her husband. As what happens in Javanese society, opposing the rule means sin. It

seems that even religion does not provide love and life for women. Society

strengthens their one-sided rule with religious evident.

Mas Nganten is not allowed to go anywhere unless the Bendoro tells her

so. “After three months, you’ll be able to go wherever you want, as long as it’s

with the Bendoro’s permission. …(48)” This is a part of the obedience. As

Montagu (1953: 23) mentions in her book, woman’s place is in the home. Women


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devote their entire life to their husbands as stay inside the house as their husbands

want them to. Although they give the total devotion, they cannot hope to have the

same thing. This obedience is a duty in which women do not deserve for rewards.

..— and those lonely nights, the especially empty Thursday nights, the beginning of all good Muslim’s day of rest, when her husband would never come to her room and the other nights of the week when she waited for him as well, stretched out in front and in back of her, like two sections of a silent path on which there were no other passerby. No one else was on it, just she, herself alone (241)

Montagu (1953: 23) also mentions that women have been conditioned to

believe that they are inferior to men, and they have assumed that what everyone

believed is a fact of nature. Mas Nganten is also conditioned to believe that she is

inferior to her husband. She gives herself to serve her husband, but the Bendoro

do not have the duty to always visit her. He may do as he wishes to, and Mas

Nganten cannot complain. Even though Mas Nganten feels so lonely and needs

her husband’s existence, she cannot ask for it. Men do not have any duty to

women. It explains why women must treat their husbands well while men seem to

be ignorant.

Your wives are a filth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how you will…(Al Baqarah: 223).

This situation, of course, emerges desperation on women so as Mas

Nganten. She often feels so lonely and desperate with the condition. “What now?

the girl screamed silently. Haven’t I suffered enough? But she had no rights now,

she had come to realize, not even the right to scream from fear or pain (61).”


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Unfortunately, complaint is not welcomed. This is a part of wives’ obedience to

husbands.

Divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for three monthly periods… So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably) he cannot, after that, re-marry her until after she has married another husband and he has divorced her… When you divorce women,… When you divorce women, and they fulfil the term of their…(Al Baqarah: 228 – 232). According to the verse above, it is men who have the rights to divorce

their wives. In Islamic rules, men can give what is called talak to their wives

whenever they think it is needed. Talak can only be given to women by their

husbands, and women has no right to give talak or divorce to their husbands. This

is unfair, because men domination often creates discomfort in marriage, and

women suffer from the condition. Therefore, women actually deserve for right to

divorce their husbands too. It seems that, after being ignorant, husbands can

divorce their wives anytime whenever they think their wives do not serve them

well anymore, even though the wives actually have tried the best to serve their

husbands.

“Just get ready to go home,” he snapped. “This isn’t your place anymore.” “What are you saying, Papa?” “What do you think I’m saying? You’ve been divorced.” The girl’s body started to tremble. She was going to swoon. Her father quickly put his arm around her, keeping her on her feet. “Be strong,” he told her, “be strong (259).” After her first childbirth, Mas Nganten is divorced by her husband. It

also happens to the former of Bendoro’s consorts. He divorces her wives

after their first childbirth. Mas Nganten is shocked by the incident. She never

thought that her husband would divorce her after her long serving, and

especially after the birth of their first child. However, this is the rule, and


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Mas Nganten, once again, must face the pain. Bendoro, who is a Moslem,

believe that it is his right to divorce his wife. Therefore, he did not

acknowledge Mas Nganten about the divorce. He tells it to Mas Nganten’s

father when he asks Mas Nganten’s father to take her wife home after the

divorce.

Here, we can see clearly how religion influences the inferiority of

women. Mas Nganten, who live among Moslems, is treated and conditioned

as inferior, because society believes that Islamic law put women in lower

level. She must accept that she is not more than property because society

interprets the Islamic teaching one-sidedly that women are the subordinate of

men.

Other than what happens to Lorna who finally reach what she wants,

that is to make her own decision to marry Jens, Mas Nganten still have to

face her inferiority. Javanese society has not so much developed them selves.

Even though it is mentioned in the novel that Mas Nganten live during the

life of R.A. Kartini, a feminist heroine, the movement of women brings no

significant result yet, and women inferiority remains the same.


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CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS

This chapter consists of two parts. The first part is the conclusion of the

study. I draw the conclusion based on the problem formulation that is formulated

in chapter one and also based on the analysis in chapter four. The second part of

this chapter is suggestions for further researchers and English teacher who apply

this study in his or her teaching- learning activity.

5.1 Conclusions

After analyzing November of the Heart and The Girl from the Coast, I can

draw conclusions of this thesis. By applying the theory of character and

characterization, feminist literary criticism, and the sociocultural-historical

approach, I can analyze Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority, their cultural

background, and the influence of the cultures in their inferiority.

Lorna is described as an inferior woman. She lives among American

society who believes that women are lower than men. Lorna cannot make any

decision for her own self. She must follow her parents’, especially her father’s,

will and decision. She cannot also show and do everything she is interested to.

She must behave as other women do. She must satisfy with ladylike activities that

bore her. This is because Lorna may not interfere men’s world. She cannot also

express every of her feeling and idea. Women expression is limited even though

they sometimes have the chance to express their feeling. Mas Nganten also


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experience the treatment as inferior. She cannot decide anything. She must obey

her parents and her husband after the marriage. She cannot also do her interest

because in Javanese, women existence is aimed to serve the men. Mas Nganten

also suffer from lack of chance to express her feeling and idea. Mas Nganten, just

as other Javanese women, is not even allowed to express her feeling and idea,

because in Javanese society, women are not more than property.

Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority is crucially influenced by their

cultural background. Their inferiority is influenced by the patriarchy culture that

provokes ladylike image they have to acquire, and also by religion. Cultures

influence society’s treatment to women. Cultures emerge rules and attitudes to

women that make women inferior.

In conclusion, women inferiority is crucially influenced by the cultural

aspect. Even though Lorna and Mas Nganten are treated as inferior, Lorna’s

condition is better than Mas Nganten’s condition. In American society, the

patriarchy culture and religion is more liberated and opened for changes.

Meanwhile, Javanese culture is stricter and not developed yet. Therefore, Mas

Nganten is more inferior than Lorna. It explains the contradictory ending of the

two stories. Lorna is finally able to live in her own way, but Mas Nganten remains

inferior.

5.2 Suggestions

This part consists of two parts. They are the suggestion for future

researches and suggestion for English teachers. The first section concerns with


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future researchers who are interested in literary works. Considering that literary

work can be the mirror that shows the condition of society, there are a lot of

aspects on the novel that will be very interesting to be analyzed. Intensely, culture

is an interesting and challenging subject to be explored and analyzed. It reveals

story beyond the story of the novels. However, there are still many other elements

of novel that can be interested to be analyzed, and each of them has speciality.

The next section concerns on the implementation of literary work in

teaching- learning implementation. Literature brings benefits for language

teaching- learning process because of the language in use. It provides the chance

for students to explore the language for academic purposes and needs. The context

may develop students’ mastery of the language. Besides, literature provides the

readers with knowledge, pleasure, and the value of life.

5.2.1 Suggestions for Future Researchers

The main discussion of this study is to see the effect of culture in women

inferiority. Through his or her writing, an author reveals cultural value. The

cultural value deals with the related society’s civilization that may influence the

life of characters in the story. Studying a society’s cultural aspect does not only

learning about the shape of it but also the practical of the culture. Learning the

cultural aspect inside of a novel is the same with understanding the existence and

the influence of culture in the society.

The novel November of the Heart and The Girl from the Coast are

interesting and challenging to be discussed. My analysis is limited to Lorna’s and


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Mas Nganten’s inferiority, and the influence of culture in their inferiority. There

are aspects in the two novels that have not been discussed yet. This is an

advantage for the future researchers. Besides, these two novels are rich with

conflicts, issues, and values of life that are very interesting to be discussed.

I suggest future researchers of literature to consider Spencer’s and Toer’s

works, because both of the authors provide stories with conflict which is very real.

Both shows life as full of many aspects that influence someone’s life in their

stories that makes their stories really rich and real.

5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teacher

Literature reflects human life. Readers can learn about the value of life

through it. Literature is also able to bring a lot benefits to the teaching- learning

process. As a teaching- learning material, literature will be very motivating and

provides students with good context in which students develop their

understanding. Students can expand their language awareness and acquisition, as

well as improving their interpretative abilities.

By combining the pleasure of reading literary works and the knowledge

we can gained through it, literature will support teachers’ effort in helping the

students to reach the goal of the learning process. However, beside assisting

students’ intelligence development, the teacher should also encourage the students

to responsible on their own learning development.


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5.2.2.1 The Teaching Learning Activity in Prose II Class Using November of

the Heart

In this section, I suggest the procedure to present the teaching- learning

activity in the Prose II class using November of the Heart.

1. The teacher reviews the previous topic.

2. The teacher gives warming-up questions to get students’ attention.

3. The teacher asks the students to make a group of five or six.

4. The teacher asks the students to discuss and answers comprehension

questions

5. The teacher discusses the answers of the comprehension questions in

front of the class.

6. The teacher asks the students to write their personal appreciation on

the novel.

5.2.2.2 The Teaching-Learning Activity in Prose II Class Using The Girl from

the Coast

The Girl from the Coast can also be used as a source for teaching- learning

activities in Prose II class as it reveals the culture of our country that may

provokes different opinion that encourages the students to share their opinion. The

procedures are suggested as follow:

1. The teacher draws out the students’ knowledge on the passage.

2. The teacher divides students into groups and asks them to make a short

play about the passage.


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3. The teacher asks a group to perform the short play.

4. The teacher gives the students a chance to criticize their friends’ play

and share their understanding about the passage.

5. The teacher asks the students to answer comprehension questions

individually.


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Buckler, McKay Hill. 1983. A History of Western Society. Massachusetts:

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Conley, Tom. 1988. The Writing of History. New York: Columbia University

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Dr. S. De Jong. 1976. Salah Satu Sikap Hidup Orang Jawa. Yogyakarta:

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Humm, Maggie. 1994. A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Feminist Literary

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Levin, Harry. 1966. Refractions: essays in Comparative Literature. New york:

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Kebijaksanaan Hidup Jawa. Jakarta: Gramedia

Montagu, Ashley. 1953. The Natural Superiority of Women. New York: The

Macmillan Company.

Mulders, Niel. 1989. Individual and Society in Java. Yogyakarta: GM University

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Murphy, M. J. 1972. Understanding Unseen; an Introduction to English Poetry

and the English Novel for Overseas Students. London; George Allen and

Unwin, Ltd.

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Literature. New York: Random House.

Rush, James R. 1990. Opium to Java: Revenue Farming and Chinese Enterprise

in Colonial Indonesia. New York: Cornell University Press.

Showalter. Elaine. 1985. The New Feminist Criticism: Essays on Women,

Literature and Theory. New York: Pantheon Books.

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Introduction to Nineteenth-Century Javanese Culture. New York:

Cornell University Press.

Internet Sources

www.barnesandnoble.com/novemberoftheheart. html/ (accessed on January

8th, 2006)

www.bookreporter. com/reviews/0786868201.asp (accessed on September

7th, 2006)

http://www.shvoong.com/books/novel/1728699-girl-coast/ (accessed on February 29th, 2008) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVyrle_Spencer (accessed on February 29th, 2008)

http://users.skynet.be/network.indonesia/ni4001b1.htm (accessed on February

29th, 2008)

Http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0515118230 (accessed on February 29th, 2008)


94


95

APPENDIX 1

The Portrait of LaVyrle Spencer


96

APPENDIX 2

The Portrait of Pramoedya Ananta Toer


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APPENDIX 3

SUMMARY OF NOVEMBER OF THE HEART

Lorna was tired of playing the role of “good girl” that her mother always

had lived, and that high society prized. It wasn’t until she met Jens Harken that

she realized she yearned to be cherished for herself. Although Jens was a servant,

his strength and intelligence put all the society men she’d met to shame.

Jens knew their love was forbidden—but he couldn’t keep away from the

spirited, headstrong girl who’d stolen his heart. His boat-building skills were his

one way to break into society, and when he designed his first boat for Lorna’s

father, it seemed that perhaps they could make a life together.

Then their love bore fruit that could not be ignored—one that made the ir

love evident to the world, and threatened to keep them apart forever. Unless Lorna

could find a way to make a stand for the man she loved—and defy the society she

lived in.

While Lorna is away, Jens struggles to become a rich man so that he can

marry Lorna. When Lorna comes back to her family’s summer retreat in white

Bear Lake, she is lifeless because Jens does not acknowledge her because Lorna

does not defy her parents for him. Lorna is drifted away. The happiness she wants

never comes to her side as lomg as she is not acknowledging Jens and her baby.

Lorna once visits her baby in her old kitchen cook’s house, but Jens

stubbornly deny it as long as she does not defy her parents and living a life with

him. Phoebe, Lorna’s bestfriend, inspires her to get a bravery to make her own


98

decision to get the happiness she wants. Lorna shows her parents that they must

accept the man she chooses or they are out of her life forever. Finally, Lorna is

gaining what she wants for long, and that is Jens and her baby, Danny.

Adapted from November of the Heart by LaVyrle Spencer


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APPENDIX 4

SUMMARY OF THE GIRL FROM THE COAST

By B. Budoyono

This story is a portrayal of the poor fate of a village girl under Javanese

feudalism. The main character is just called Gadis pantai (the girl from the coast),

who represents girls from poor and uneducated families in villages. She came

from a poor fisherman village in the regency of Rembang in north coast of Java,

Indonesia.

One day at the age of fourteen, a local government official that she did not

know married her. What she knew was that she had to obey and respect her

husband whom she addressed Bendoro (an honorific title for Javanese nobility).

She never had any personal relationship with her husband. In her husband’s

house, there were parts that she never set foot. Even there were rooms where she

never saw forever. Once she saw several babies who had no mother. Their

mothers had been divorced so the maid took care of them.

Then Mardinah, a new maid, came. She was a daughter of a low rank

official. She was arrogant. Her attitude to the girl from the coast was very

impolite. Eventually when she accompanied the girl from the coast came home to

village, people revealed that she had a mission. She was sent by regent’s wife of

from Demak to persuade Bendoro to marry her daughter. If Mardinah succeeded,

she would be married as the fifth wife. Besides disappointment, the girl from the

coast enjoyed financial and social advancement. When she came home to see her


100

parents everybody in the village warmly welcomed her. She held a party and gave

presents to the elderly people.

Until one day, she was pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl. But Bendoro

disappointed by her gender. Before long, her parents came to see them. Bendoro

called her father to get in his house. When he got out from the house, he was

downhearted. His daughter was divorced. Bendoro gave him some money but he

had to take her daughter home immediately, while the baby must stay. Maids

would take care of her. When she got home, she did not want to stay. She

immediately left. For the next one month she passed by Bendoro’s house

everyday. But only one month.

Taken from http://www.shvoong.com/books/novel/1728699-girl-coast/ (accessed on February 29th, 2008)


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APPENDIX 5

LaVyrle Spencer’s Biography

LaVyrle Spencer (born 1944 in Browerville, Minnesota) is a

U.S.American best-selling author of contemporary and historical romance novels.

She has successfully published a number of books, with several of them made into

movies. Twelve of her books have been New York Times Bestsellers, and

Spencer was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame in

1988. She retired from writing in 1997.

LaVyrle Spencer was born and raised in Browerville, Minnesota. Shortly

after her high school graduation Spencer married her high-school sweetheart Dan

Spencer. The two have since had two daughters, Amy and Beth (who died in

1990), and are grandparents. They live in a Victorian house in Stillwater,

Minnesota, where Spencer enjoys gardening, cooking, playing bass guitar and

electric piano, and photography.

Although she showed a flair for writing during high school, Spencer didn't

begin her first novel until she was in her thirties, working as a teacher's aide at

Osseo Junior High School. Spencer decided to try transferring to paper a recurring

dream she was having about a story based on her grandmother's lifestyle on a

Minnesota farm. She awoke at 4:00 a.m. one morning, and quickly began writing

down her story in a three-ring notebook. This story became her first novel, The

Fulfillment.

Spencer's novels were highly successful, consistently selling over 1.5

million copies in paperback and over 400,000 copies in hardcover. In 1997, she


102

released her twenty-third and last novel, Then Came Heaven. Spencer is known

for creating realistic characters and stories that focus on families rather than only

the relationship between a man and woman.

In the 1980s and 1990s Spencer wrote 12 New York Times Bestsellers.

Her books have been sold to book clubs worldwide, and have been published

around the world. Condensed versions of many of her novels have appeared in

Reader's Digest and Good Housekeeping magazine.

Spencer has won five Romance Writers of America RITA Awards, the

highest award presented to romance novelists. Four of her wins came in the

category Best Single-Title Contemporary Romance, and were for the novels, The

Endearment (1983), Hummingbird (1984), The Gamble (1988), and Morning

Glory (1990). She also won a RITA Award in 1985 for her contemporary romance

Twice Loved. Because she won three RITAs in a single category, Spencer was

inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame in 1988, becoming one of only nine women

(as of July 2007) to have been so honored.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaVyrle_Spencer (accessed on February 29th, 2008)


103

APPENDIX 6

Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Biography

Pramoedya Ananta Toer, (born Feb. 20, 1925, Blora, Java, Dutch East

Indies [now in Indonesia]), Indonesian- language novelist and short-story writer,

the preeminent prose writer of post- independence Indonesia.

The son of a schoolteacher, Pramoedya went to Jakarta while a teenager

and worked as a typist there under the Japanese occupation during World War II.

When the Indonesian revolt against renewed Dutch colonial rule broke out in

1945, he joined the nationalists, working in radio and producing an Indonesian-

language magazine before he was arrested by the Dutch authorities in 1947. He

wrote his first published novel, Perburuan (1950; The Fugitive), during a two-year

term in a Dutch prison camp (1947-49). This work describes the flight of an anti-

Japanese rebel back to his home in Java.

After Indonesia gained independence in 1949, Pramoedya produced a

stream of novels and short stories that established his reputation. The novel

Keluarga Gerilja (1950; "Guerrilla Family") chronicles the tragic consequences of

divided political sympathies in a Javanese family during the Indonesian

Revolution against Dutch rule.

Mereka Jang Dilumpuhkan (1951; "The Paralyzed") depicts the odd

assortment of inmates Pramoedya became acquainted with in the Dutch prison

camp. The short stories collected in Subuh (1950; "Dawn") and Pertjikan revolusi

(1950; "Sparks of Revolution") are set during the Indonesian Revolution, while

those in Tjerita dari Blora (1952; "Tales of Bora") depict Javanese provincial life


104

in the period of Dutch rule. The sketches in Tjerita dari Djakarta (1957; "Tales of

Jakarta") examine the strains and injustices Pramoedya perceived within

Indonesian society after independence had been achieved. In these early works

Pramoedya evolved a rich prose style that incorporates Javanese everyday speech

and images from classical Javanese culture.

By the late 1950s Pramoedya had become sympathetic toward the

Indonesian Communist Party, and after 1958 he abandoned fiction for essays and

cultural criticism that reflect a left-wing viewpoint. By 1962 he had become

closely aligned with communist-sponsored cultural groups. As a result, he was

jailed by the army in the course of its bloody suppression of a communist coup in

1965. He was not released until 1980, but during his imprisonment he wrote a

series of four historical novels that further enhanced his reputation. Two of these,

Bumi manusia (1980; This Earth of Mankind) and Anak semua bangsa (1980;

Child of All Nations), met with great critical and popular acclaim in Indonesia

after their publication, but the government subsequently banned them from

circulation, and the last two volumes of the tetralogy, Jejak langkah ("Steps

Forward") and Rumah kaca ("House of Glass"), had to be published abroad. These

late works comprehensively depict Javanese society under Dutch colonial rule in

the early 20th century. In contrast to his earlier works, they are written in a plain,

fast-paced narrative style. Pramoedya was confined to the city of Jakarta after his

release from prison in 1980.

Taken from http://users.skynet.be/network.indonesia/ni4001b1.htm (accessed on february 29th, 2008)


105

APPENDIX 7

LAVYRLE SPENCER’S NOVELS

Then Came Heaven (1997)

Bitter Sweet (1990)

Bygones (1992)

The Endearment (1982)

Family Blessings (1993)

Forgiving (1991)

Forsaking All Others (1982)

The Fulfillment (1979)

The Gamble (1987)

A Heart Speaks (1982)

The Hellion (1984)

Home Song (1994)

Hummingbird (1983)

Morning Glory (1989)

November of the Heart (1993)

A Promise to Cherish (1983)

Separate Beds (1985)

Small Town Girl (1997)

Spring Fancy (1984)

Sweet Memories (1984)

That Camden Summer (1996)

Twice Loved (1984)

Vows (1988)

Years (1986)

Taken from: Http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0515118230 (accessed on February 29th, 2008)


106

APPENDIX 8

PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER’S NOVELS

Perburuan (Sebuah Tjeritera Chajali) (1950)

Keluarga Gerilja (1950)

Subuh (1950)

Bukan Pasar Malam (1951)

Mereka Jang Dilumpuhkan (1951)

Tjerita dari Blora (1952)

Korupsi (1954)

Midah - Simanis Bergigi Mas (1955)

Arus Balik (1979)

Bumi Manusia (1980)

Anak Semua Bangsa (1980)

Jejak Langkah (1985)

Gadis Pantai (1987)

Rumah Kaca (1988)

Taken from http://users.skynet.be/network.indonesia/ni4001b1.htm (accessed on February 29th, 2008)


107

APPENDIX 9

The Implementation of Teaching Prose II Using Some Parts of the Novel

November of the Heart for the Fourth Semester Students of English Language

Education Study Program

LESSON PLAN TO TEACH PROSE II

I. Course Identity a. Subject : Prose II b. Grade : IV c. Time Allocation : 2 x 50’ d. Materials : Chapter Four of November of the Heart (67 - 82)

II. Standard Competence Students are able to appreciate unabridged or original novels and to put forward their own opinions concerning the contents of them

III. Basic Competence

Students are able to understand the story and to state their opinion about the issue mentioned in the story

IV. Objectives At the end of the course students are able to:

a. To understand the whole incidents in the story b. To find the meaning of the story

V. Indicators • Students are able to retell the whole incidents which are described

in the passage • Students are able to answer the comprehension questions • Students are able to state their own opinion as the appreciation on

the story

VI. Learner Characteristics • well motivated • quite active • easy to be bored • talk active


108

VII. Learning Activities

Teacher’s Activity Students’ Activity Time Allotment

• The teacher greets the students

• The teacher reviews the previous topic

• Pre Activity: a. The teacher gives a new

topic and explains the objectives of the lesson and class activities

b.Teacher gives warming up session

• Whilst Activity: a. Teacher asks the

students to make groups of five or six.

b. Teacher gives comprehension questions to be discussed in group

c. Teacher assists students’ discussion

d. Teacher asks the students to share their answer in front of the class

• Post Activity: a. Teacher makes a

conclusion on today’s material

b. Teacher gives the students a homework to read the next chapter of the novel for next week material.

• The students answer the greeting

• Students review previous topic

• Pre Activity a. Students listen to the

explanation b. Students join the warming up session

• Whilst Activity a. Students divide

themselves into group of five or six

b. Students read the comprehension questions

c. Students are involved in

group discussion to answer the comprehension question

d. Some students give their answer, other students share their opinion about the answers

• Post Activity: a. Students listen to the

explanation b. Students take note on the

homework

1’ 4’

10’

70’

15’


109

IX. Evaluation: The students’ competence is evaluated through the answer

given by them and their participation on the group and class discussion.

X. Reference

Spencer, LaVyrle. 1994. November of the Heart. New York: A Jove Book.


110

MATERIAL

A. Comprehension Questions

Work in group and answer the following questions!

1. What are Lorna real inspirations or interests for her activity? Give the

evidence!

2. Lorna cannot do her interests. Why? Give your evidence!

“I don’t want you doing anything that will give Taylor the idea you don’t

want to marry him.”

3. Why does Gideon Barnett tell Lorna that way?

4. What is the meaning revealed in the Gideon Barnett’s sentence above?

5. What is the message of this chapter?


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APPENDIX 10

The Implementation of Teaching Prose II Using Some Parts of the Novel The

Girl from the Coast for the Fourth Semester Students of English Language

Education Study Program

LESSON PLAN TO TEACH PROSE II

IV. Course Identity a. Subject : Prose II b. Grade : IV c. Time Allocation : 2 x 50’ d. Materials : Chapter One of The Girl from the Coast

page 23 -68

V. Standard Competence Students are able to appreciate unabridged or original novels and to put forward their own opinions concerning the contents of them

VI. Basic Competence

Students are able to understand the story and to state their opinion about the issue mentioned in the story

IV. Objectives At the end of the course students are able to:

c. To understand the whole incidents in the story d. To find the meaning of the story

VI. Indicators • Students are able to perform the whole incidents which are

described in the passage • Students are able to answer the comprehension questions • Students are able to state their own opinion as the appreciation on

the story

VI. Learner Characteristics • well motivated • quite active • easy to be bored • talk active


112

VII. Learning Activities

Teacher’s Activity Students’ Activity Time Allotment

• The teacher greets the students

• The teacher reviews the previous topic

• Pre Activity: a. The teacher gives a new

topic and explains the objectives of the lesson and class activities

b.Teacher gives warming up session

• Whilst Activity: a. Teacher asks the

students to make groups of five or six.

b. Teacher asks the students to make a short play about the passage based on their understanding on the story.

c. Teacher asks a group or two to perform their short play

d. Teacher asks the students to share their opinion about the short play and their understanding

• Post Activity: a. Teacher makes a

conclusion on today’s material

b. Teacher gives the students a homework to read the next chapter of the novel for next week material.

• The students answer the greeting

• Students review previous topic

• Pre Activity a. Students listen to the

explanation b. Students join the warming up session

• Whilst Activity a. Students divide

themselves into group of five or six

b. Students make a short play about the passage based on their understanding on the story

c. Some students perform their short play, some others watch their friends

d. Students criticize their friends’ play and share their understanding about the story

• Post Activity:

c. Students listen to the explanation

d. Students take note on the

homework

1’ 4’

10’

70’

15’


113

IX. Evaluation: Students’ achievement is measured through their

participation in group discussion, in class discussion and / or in the short

play

X. Reference

Toer, Pramoedya A.. 2002. The Girl from the Coast. New York: Hyperion.


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APPENDIX 11

Material to Teach Prose II Using November of the Heart Chapter Four

The moonlight sail was rained out, forcing Lor-na to postpone the talk

with her father until Saturday night, when both she and Tim Iversen would be attending the dance aboard the steamer Dispatch.

She dressed in a gown of rich silk organdy in vibrant petunia pink. Its basque was trimmed with white point guipure lace and was shaped by graceful bretelles that erupted into billows upon her shoulders and met in points at the center waist, both front and back. The skirt, fitted in front, broke into pleats that fell behind and caught her heels in a miniature train as she crossed her bedroom to her dressing table.

The children's maid, Ernesta, was positively abysmal at dressing hair, especially at creating the new "Gibson girl" poufs, which Lorna herself had practiced for long hours before mastering, so Ernesta had been dismissed to see after Theron's supper while Lorna was preparing for the dance.

Jenny and Daphne had drawn up stools and sat flanking Lorna while she put the finishing touches on her hair. The younger girls watched, transfixed, while, with curling tongs, Lorna created a haze of fine corkscrews around her face and nape. She pulled at them, frowning as they sprang back, then with a wet fingertip touched a bar of soap and stuck two curls to her skin.

"Gosh, Lorna, you're so lucky," Jenny said. "You'll be allowed at the dances, too, as soon as you're eighteen." "But that's two whole years," Jenny whined. Daphne crossed her wrists over her heart and faked a swoon. "And who

will she drooool over when Taylor DuVal is already married to you?" "You just shut up, Daphne Barnett!" Jenny retorted. "Girls, stop it now and help me pin this in my hair." Lorna held up a

cluster of silk sweet peas trimmed with wired teardrop pearls. Jenny won the honors and secured it in Lorna's hair while Lorna donned pearl earbobs and atomized her throat with orange-blossom cologne.

The final results awed even Daphne, who crooned, "Gosh, Lorna, it's no wonder Taylor DuVal is sweet on you."

Rising, Lorna petted Daphne on both plump cheeks, nearly touching her nose to nose. "Oh, Daph, you're so sweet." The two younger girls adulated their older sister as Lorna made her taffeta-lined train whistle across the floor to the free-standing cheval mirror. Posing before it, she pressed her skirt flat to her belly and twisted to see what she could of her train.

"I guess that'll do."


115

Jenny rolled her eyes and crossed the floor, playfully aping her older sister, lifting an invisible skirt, dipping her shoulders gracelessly. "La-dee-da... I guess that'll do." Turning serious, she added, "You'll be the prettiest girl on that boat, Lorna, and don't pretend you don't know it."

"Oh, who cares about being pretty anyway? I'd rather be adventurous and sporting and interesting. I'd rather be the organizer of the first women's yachting club in the state of Minnesota or hunt wild tigers in the velds of Africa. If I could do that nobody would say, 'There goes Lorna Barnett, isn't she pretty?' They'd say, There goes Lorna Barnett, who sails as well as the men and hunts with the best of them. Did you hear she has a dozen loving cups on her mantel and the head of a tiger mounted above it?' That's what kind of woman I'd like to be."

"Well, good luck, because Papa would mount your head above the mantel if he found out you'd ever gone to Africa hunting. In the meantime, I guess you'll just have to settle for being Taylor DuVal's dance partner."

Lorna took pity on Jenny and petted her cheeks, too. "You're sweet, too, Jenny, and I'll tell Taylor that if you were eighteen years old you'd let him sign your dance card several times tonight, how is that?"

"Lorna Barnett, don't you dare tell Taylor such a thing! I'd positively die of mortification if you uttered one single word to him!"

Laughing, taking her ivory fan, waggling three fingers in farewell, Lorna swept from the room.

In the hallway she encountered Aunt Agnes just stepping out of her room. "Oh my, it's little Lorna. Stop a minute and let me have a look." She took

Lorna's hands and held them out from her sides. "Land, don't you look radiant. All grown up and off to the dance."

Lorna executed a twirl for her. "On the boat." "With that young man Mr. DuVal, I expect." Aunt Agnes's eyes grew

twinkly. "Yes. He's meeting me at the dock." "He's a handsome one, that one. I expect when he sees you he'll want to

fill every spot on your dance card." "Shall I let him?" Lorna teased. Aunt Agnes's expression grew mischievous. "That depends on who else

asks. Why, when I was being courted by Captain Dearsley I made certain I always danced with others, just to keep him guessing, though no one could dance like he." With a rapturous expression, she closed her eyes and tilted her head. One hand touched her heart, the other drifted into the air. "Ah, we would waltz until the room fairly spun, and the gold fringe on his epaulettes would sway and we would smile at each other and it would seem the violins were playing for us alone."

Lorna took Captain Dearsley's place and waltzed Aunt Agnes along the upstairs hall, humming "Tales from the Vienna Woods." Together they swirled,


116

smiling, Lorna's gown rustling, both of them singing, "Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum ... da daaa .. ."

"Oh Aunt Agnes, I'll bet you were the belle of the ball." "I once had a dress very nearly the color of yours and Captain Dearsley

said it made me look exactly like a rosebud. The night I first wore it he was dressed all in white, and I daresay every woman at the dance wished she were in my shoes."

They waltzed on. "Tell me about your shoes. What were they like?" "They weren't shoes, they were slippers. White satin high-heeled slippers." "And your hair?" "It was deep auburn then, swept up into side clusters, and Captain

Dearsley said at times it picked up the color of the sunset and shot it back at the sky."

Someone ordered, "Agnes, let that girl go! Her parents are waiting for her in the porte cochere!"

The waltzing stopped. Lorna turned to find her aunt Henrietta standing at the top of the stairs.

"Aunt Agnes and I were just reminiscing." "Yes, I heard. About Captain Dearsley again. Honestly, Agnes, Loma isn't

the least bit interested in your witless fantasies about that man." "Oh, but I am!" Aunt Agnes had clasped her hands as if about to wring

them together. Lorna commandeered them for one more squeeze. "I wish you were coming to the dance tonight, and Captain Dearsley, too. Taylor would sign your dance card, I'm sure, and just imagine—we could exchange partners for a waltz!"

Aunt Agnes kissed her cheek. "You're a darling girl, Lorna, but this is your time. You just run along now and have a grand evening."

"I shall. And what are you going to do?" "I have some flowers to press, and I thought I just might wind up the

music box and listen to a disc or two." "Well, have a nice evening. I shall tell Taylor that a little rosebud sent her

hello." She bowed formally from the waist. "And thanks ever so much for the waltz." As she whisked by Henrietta, who wore her perennially scolding expression, Lorna said, "When Aunt Agnes cranks up the music box, why don't you ask her to dance?"

Aunt Henrietta made a sound as if she was clearing her nostrils, and Lorna went down the stairs.

She rode to the dance with her parents in their open landau. The ride took mere minutes, for Manitou Island itself was a scant mile long and covered only fifty-three acres. It was connected to land by a short arched wooden bridge, three blocks beyond which began a string of stunning lakeside hotels, giving way to the town of White Bear Lake itself.


117

Crossing the Manitou Bridge, the horses' hooves created a melodious echo, which turned blunt as the carriage swung southwest onto Lake Avenue. The evening was glorious, eighty degrees and golden. Beneath the trees contouring the lakeshore winsome ribbons of shadow stretched eastward toward the azure water. Overhead, white gulls hung like kites, while out on West Bay sailboats skimmed.

Lorna was watching them when Gideon, in formal black, with his hands

crossed on the head of a brass walking stick, remarked, "Your mother tells me that she spoke to you about Taylor."

"Yes, she did." "Then you know our feelings regarding him. I'm given to understand

you're to be under Taylor's escort at the dance tonight." "Yes, I am." "Excellent." "But that doesn't mean I won't dance with others, Papa." Gideon glowered and his moustache bounced as he replied, "I don't want

you doing anything that will give Taylor the idea you don't want to marry him." "Marry him? Papa, he hasn't even asked me." “Be that as it may, he's an ambitious young fellow, and a good- looking

one, too, I might add." "I'm not saying he isn't ambitious or good- looking. I'm saying you and

Mother are putting words in his mouth." "The man has been dancing attendance on you all summer. Don't worry,

he'll ask." Since tonight was not the time she wanted to irritate her father, Lorna

prudently let the subject drop as they approached their destination. The Saint Paul Globe had recently reported that the village of White Bear

Lake was home to more wealth than any other town in the United States of America. When the Barnett landau pulled up, the scene that greeted them might well have illustrated the article. The members of the yacht club had chartered the steamer Dispatch for the dance. It waited beside the Hotel Chateaugay dock, where a crowd had already gathered beneath the roof of the dock gazebo^

Across the street the hotel itself reigned over Lake Avenue with its commanding view of the water. Turreted and gabled, it was painted white with green shutters and had a vast veranda that overlooked a finely shaded lawn dappled with hammocks'and iron benches. Tonight the scene was studded with the jeweled hues of ladies' frocks, while their escorts in penguin colors paid dotage at their sides. On the street liveried carriage drivers drew up matched pairs and set wooden carriage blocks on the cobbles for the alighting gentry. The sound of hoofbeats mingled with the measured burps of the Dispatch's engine, while liveried footmen hurried to scrape into their tin carry-aways any offensive nuggets dropped by the horses before the ladies' noses became offended or their trains


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tainted. From the upper deck of the Dispatch came the music of violins and oboes as a small orchestra struck into "The Band Played On," the signal for boarding.

Taylor spotted Lorna the moment she alighted. He left his parents and came from the shade of the hotel lawn wearing a broad smile.

"Lorna," he said, "how lovely you look." Taking her gloved hand, he bowed and kissed it. Like a proper gentleman, he immediately released it and greeted her parents.

"Mr. Barnett, Mrs. Harriett, you're both looking splendid this evening. Mother and Father are over on the lawn."

When the elder Barnetts had sashayed away, Taylor reclaimed Lorna's hand. "Miss Barnett." His eyes wore an especially appreciative light. "You look as delicious as an ice-cream sundae, all pink and white and smelling delectable, I might add."

"Orange blossom. And you're looking and smelling wonderful yourself." "Sandalwood," he rejoined, and they both laughed as he offered his elbow. He was an attentive partner, and undeniably attractive. As they boarded

the Dispatch Lorna noted more than one gaze returning to them. Taylor's dark brown beard and moustache were trimmed to perfection, little disguising his firm jawline and attractive mouth. His nose had a faint crookedness that seemed to disappear in bold sunlight, but had its own engaging appeal when hit by shadows from a certain angle. His eyes were hazel and his brown hair parted just off-center, combed back above well-shaped if extraordinarily large ears. He did look attractive tonight, in his dress blacks with a white winged collar pushing up firmly against his throat.

Lorna told him, "My aunt Agnes sends her fondest hello. She wishes she could be here tonight."

"She's a darling." "She and I had a waltz in the upper hall before I left." He laughed and said, "If I may be permitted, you, Miss Lorna Barnett, are

a darling, too." Arm in arm, they boarded the boat. Phoebe was already aboard with Jack Lawless and came to brush Lorna's

cheek and say hello. When Taylor took Phoebe's hand in greeting she pinkened but declared, "I swear you two do turn heads." She smiled briefly at Lorna, much longer at Taylor. "But even so, I hope you won't forget, Taylor, that the rest of us plain Janes would like a dance sometime tonight."

Taylor replied, "All I need is a sharp pencil." He caught the one dangling from Phoebe's dance card while Jack, in return, signed Lorna's and suggested they all repair to the upper deck, where the band had struck into "Beautiful Dreamer."

Upstairs, the seven P.M. sun was blinding. A forward bell clanged twice and a moment later a thump and lurch sent the boat under way. The stutter of the engine quickened. The smoky blue smell of naphtha exhaust lifted momentarily,


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then the craft eased away from shore and the air freshened. The breeze fluttered Lorna's curls and ruffled her skirt. She shaded her eyes and searched for Tim, spotting him finally when the launch turned eastward and eased the golden glare.

"Tim!" she called, waving and moving toward him. "Good evening, Miss Lorna," he greeted, removing the pipe from his

mouth, his good eye assessing her squarely while the other seemed to look out over the aft rail.

"Oh, Tim, I'm so glad you're here." "I told you I'd be here, didn't I?" "I know, but plans can change. We'll talk to my father tonight, won't we?" "My, you are impatient, aren't you?" "Please, Tim, don't tease me. Will you do it tonight?" "Of course. Jens is as impatient as you are to see what Gideon will say." "But listen, Tim, let's not speak to him until the sun goes down and it gets

cooler, because Papa hates the heat. And by that time he'll have drunk a couple of mint juleps, which will have taken the edge off his everlasting urge to dissent. Agreed?"

Tim leaned back from the waist, smiling at her specula- lively. "Do you mind if I ask, Miss Lorna, what stake you have in this? Because,

as I remarked earlier, you seem unduly impatient to reverse your father's opinion of young Harken."

Lorna's eyes took on the roundness of professed innocence. Her lips opened, closed, then opened again. She tried valiantly to remain composed and keep her cheeks from coloring. Finally she replied, "Suppose he's right and his boat beats everything on the water?"

"You're sure that's the only reason you're pursuing this?" "Why, of course. What other possible reason could there be?" "Could I be wrong, or did I detect a faint attraction between the two of you

on Sunday?" Lorna's cheeks most definitely flared. "Oh, Tim, for goodness' sake, don't

be silly. He's kitchen help." "Yes, he is. And I feel obliged to remind you of that, because I am, after

all, a friend to both your father and Jens Harken." "I know. But please, Tim, don't mention anything about the picnic." "I promised I wouldn't." “You know my father," she said, squeezing his sleeve in appeal. "You

know how he is about us girls. We're nothing— to him but fluffy empty-headed matrimonial material to whom he gives orders which he expects to have obeyed without incident Just once, Tim, just once I'd like my father to look at me as if he knew I had a brain in my head, as if he knew I had wishes and aspirations that go beyond catching a husband and running a house and raising children the way Mama's done. I'd like to sail. Papa won't let me sail. I'd like to attend college.


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Papa says it's unnecessary. I'd like to travel to Europe. He says I can do that on my honeymoon. Don't you understand, Tim? There is no way on this earth for a woman to gain an advantage on Papa. Well, maybe—just maybe—I might change that if he listens to Harken and finances his boat. And if it should win, might Papa not at long last consider me in a new light?"

Tim covered her hand on his sleeve with his own. The bowl of his pipe

was warm against her knuckles as he gave her hand a squeeze. "When you're ready to talk to Gideon, you give me a little whistle." She smiled and let her hand slide from Tim's sleeve, and thought what a

truly nice man he was. She danced with Taylor and Jack, and Percy Tufts and Phoebe's father;

with Taylor again, and once with Tim, and yet again with Taylor and with Phoebe's brother, Mitchell, who inquired how her sailing was coming along anfl offered to take her out for another lesson anytime she wanted. Though Mitchell was two years her junior, she detected an interest in her that went beyond nautical instructions, and found herself surprised by it, for she'd always thought of him as Phoebe's little tag-along brother, much as she'd thought of Theron. Mitchell had, however, grown tall, his shoulders had broadened, and he was doing his best to begin growing a beard, which presently had the appearance of a mouse with mange. When he released her and turned her over to Taylor, he gave her hand a secret squeeze.

The sun set behind a bank of violet clouds with brilliant pink and gold edges. The air cooled. The Dispatch cruised leisurely around all three petals of the clover-shaped lake, and the gentlemen's cigar coals burned red as lava against the fallen night.

Again Lorna danced with Taylor while her father observed with an expression of smug approval on his face. She smiled up at her escort for Gideon's benefit, wondering all the while if a flat-bottomed boat could keep upright, and how long it would take to build one, and if Jens Harken knew what he was talking about, and what he was doing at Rose Point Cottage at this moment, and if he had some young kitchen maid he was wooing, and where he might take her to do so.

Across Taylor's shoulder she noted that Tim Iversen had moved over to Gideon and struck up a conversation. When the dance ended she requested, "Leave me with Papa, would you, Taylor? And come back to get me after two songs or so?"

"Of course." As he walked her toward Gideon, under cover of darkness, his fingers rode the notch above her hip and his hand kneaded the shallows of her spine, alarmingly close to her right buttock. It shot blood to her cheeks and sent strange impulses racing along her spine. She started when he spoke close to her ear. "You don't mind if I ask his permission to drive you home, do you?"


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"Of course not," she replied, certain that this was some of the touching her mother had warned her about, and surprised that it had begun right under her father's nose. She had expected such things occurred only under the most dark and clandestine of circumstances.

"Mr. Barnett," Taylor said, delivering her to her father. "Do you have any objection to my driving Lorna home tonight?"

Gideon removed a cigar from his mouth and cleared his throat. "No

objection whatsoever, my boy." "I'll be back," Taylor said quietly, and disappeared. Tim told Lorna, "Your father and I were talking about next year's regatta." Bless your heart, Tim, Lorna thought. Gideon said, "It seems Tim here has got wind of that harebrained scheme

our kitchen handyman came up with about how to build a faster boat. Seems the two of them have done some sailing together."

"Yes, I know. Tim and I talked about it on Sunday." "So I heard. Clear across the lake you rowed." "It was such a heavenly day, I couldn't resist. And I had enough food for

two, so I shared my picnic with Tim and we got to talking about Harken's ideas." Tim took over. "The fellow says the scow will plane, Gideon. And it

makes a lot of sense to me that if it doesn't have to cut through so much water it'll be faster than the sloops by far. If I were you, I'd give Harken a listen."

"When everybody else laughed him away?" Lorna put in, "But supposing, after they did, that you were the only one

who'd listen, and Harken's scheme worked/You are, after all, the commodore of this yacht club. If his boat does what he says it will do, you could be immortalized.'^

Gideon puffed on his cigar and pondered. He loved being reminded he was commodore, except when being reminded as he'd been by last week's newspapers, which listed him as commodore of the losing yacht club. Those articles, accompanied by Tim's pictures, had undoubtedly been featured as far away as the East Coast, for the country was closely watching the heartland and following the formation of the Inland Lake Yachting Association, which was still in its infancy.

"Papa, listen," Lorna reasoned. "Look around you. There's more wealth on this very launch than can ever be spent in your lifetime. What good is all that money if you don't enjoy it? You won't even miss the piddling few hundred dollars it'll cost to finance the building of this boat. And if it capsizes, so what? Harken said—to Tim, that is—that it won't sink. It'll have a cedar hull instead of a metal-clad one, and the masts will be hollow, so they'll float. And he says that if she did go over, a five-man crew could right her like nothing, even without sandbags!"


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They let silence drift awhile before Tim added, "He says a thirty-eight-footer will go five hundred fifty pounds instead of the usual eighteen hundred. Can you imagine what a boat that light could do with a little wind, Gideon?"

"All we're suggesting, Papa, is that you talk to him." "He can explain it a lot better than I can, Gid." "And if you don't think his ideas have merit, don't put up the money. But

he's your best chance to win next year and you know it." Gideon cleared his throat, spit over the rail and flicked his ashes into the

water. "I'll think about it," he told the two of them, and whisked the air with his fingers as if brushing crumbs from his lap. "Now go away and quit pestering me, Lorna. This is a dance. Go on and dance with young Taylor."

She grinned and curtsied playfully. "Yes, Papa. So long, Tim." When she was gone, Gideon remarked to Tim, "That girl is up to

something, and I'm damned if I know what it is." The Dispatch docked at a quarter past eleven. Gas lanterns illuminated the

gazebo as the yacht club members disembarked and broke into smaller groups. Some of the older set decided to take aperitifs and desserts at the Hotel Chateaugay. Lorna's and Taylor's parents went off with them. Lorna bid good night to Phoebe, and Taylor took her arm.

"The carriage is over here," he said. "Do you have to come back and get your parents?" she asked. "No. We took separate rigs." They sauntered along the street beneath puddles of gaslight. Behind them

the chugging of the naphtha launch quieted for the night. In the yard of the hotel the hammocks hung empty like cocoons whose inhabitants had flown. The smell of the lakeshore mingled with that of horses as they passed the row of sleeping animals still hitched to their conveyances. Several rigs went past, hoofbeats fading into the darkness as Taylor handed Lorna into the buggy, stepped to the side of the horse and tightened her bellyband, then boarded the rig himself.

"It's a little cool," he said, twisting around and reaching behind them. "I think I'll put the bonnet up." A moment later the light from a half-moon was cut off and the scent of leather freshened as the bonnet spread above their heads.

Taylor took up the reins and flicked them, but the horse set off at a lethargic walk.

"Old Tulip is lazy tonight. She doesn't like being awakened from her nap." He looked down at Lorna. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. It's a heavenly night." They plodded back to Manitou Island at the pace Tulip herself set,

sometimes riding in deep shadow, sometimes turning into a plash of moonlight that turned Loma's bodice lavender. On the island itself they passed beneath an alle"e of old elms that cut off any wink of light from overhead. The single road bisected the island, dividing its properties into northshore and southshore sites,


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each with its grand cottage and surrounding lawns viewed from the rear side through deeply wooded backlots. They passed the Armfields' but turned off the road well short of Rose Point, into a trail so narrow the spokes of the carriage wheels fanned the underbrush.

"Taylor, where are we going?" "Just up ahead, where we can see the water. Whoa, Tulip." The buggy stopped in a small clearing, facing the moonlight, with a bit of

lakeshore visible through the willows ahead, and the backside of an outbuilding to their left. Somewhere in the nearby dark a horse whinnied.

"Why, we're out behind the Armfields' stable, aren't we?" Taylor set the brake and tied the reins around its handle. "Yes, we are. If we peered really hard through the trees we might even see

Phoebe's bedroom light." Taylor relaxed and stretched one arm along the back of the tufted leather

seat while Lorna leaned forward, searching for Phoebe's light. "I don't see it." Taylor smiled and brushed her bare shoulder with the back of one finger. "Taylor, there are mosquitoes out here." "Yes, I suppose there are, but there are no little brothers or sisters."

Indulgently he drew her back into the carriage, took her left hand and began patiently removing her glove. He did the same with her right and, when it was bare, held it in his own and searched her face.

"Taylor," she whispered, her heart racing, "I really should go home." "Whenever you say," he murmured and shut out the moonlight with his

head as his arms circled her and his mouth descended to take a first kiss. His beard was soft, his lips warm, his chest firm as he drew her against it. She put her arms around him and felt herself tipped and twined just so, until their fit became exquisite and Taylor opened his mouth wider. The heat and wetness of his tongue sent all thoughts of mosquitoes and Phoebe's light from her mind. He moved his head, slewing it in some canny motion that created magic within their joined mouths. Above her hip his right hand rested, kneading in counterpoint to his searching tongue. Somewhere in the distant rim of consciousness a bullfrog barked, and nearer, beneath the bonnet hood, the predicted mosquitoes arrived, buzzing, buzzing, landing, being brushed away while the kiss went on and on.

Its reluctant ending left them breathless, with their foreheads and noses touching.

"Am I forgiven for stealing you away into the woods?" he asked, nipping at her lips.

"Oh, Taylor, you've never kissed me like that before." "I've wanted to. I knew from the moment you got out of your father's

carriage tonight that I'd bring you here. How long do you think our parents will spend over dessert?"


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"I don't know," she murmured. His mouth descended once again, and hers lifted to meet it. With the

second kiss his hands moved over her ribs and back as if chafing her warm after a thorough chilling. This, she supposed, could be none of the touching her mother had warned about, for it felt sublime and left her with no desire to run into the house.

Taylor ended the kiss himself, upon a grunt of amiable frustration, while thrusting both arms around her waist and reversing their positions, so she cut off the moonlight from his face. Listing to one side, he sprawled across the buggy seat and bent her forward atop his breast. "Lorna Barnett," he said against her neck, "you're the prettiest creature God ever put on this earth and you smell good enough to eat."

He licked her neck, surprising her and bringing out a giggle. 'Taylor, stop that." She tried to shrug him away, but his tongue made a hot

wet spot and raised the scent of her orange-blossom perfume like a soft southern breeze through the soft northern night. She quit resisting and closed her eyes. "That must"—she struggled for breath—"taste awful." She tipped her head to accommodate him and felt a thrill shoot its warning from her middle. He bit her lightly, as stallions nip mares in the spring, and took her earlobe between his lips and suckled it before moving round to her lips again.

"Simply awful.. ." he murmured, transferring the taste of her own perfume from his tongue to hers. Where he led, she followed, opening her mouth to revel in exciting sensations. Kissing with open mouths . .. What a wondrous and mesmerizing convention. His hand on her side opened wide and his thumb moved across the silk of her bodice, its tip grazing the underside of her breast, sending delightful shivers everywhere.

She freed her mouth and whispered shakily, "Taylor, I must go home .. . please . . ."

"Yes. .." he whispered, pursuing her mouth with his own, his thumb clearly stroking the underside of her breast. ".. . So must I."

"Taylor, please . .." He was showing signs of resisting when a mosquito came and took a drink

out of his forehead. When he slapped it Lorna righted herself on the buggy seat, putting space between them though her skirt remained caught on his pantleg.

"I don't want my mother and father to beat me home, Taylor." "No, of course not." He straightened up and ran both hands over the sides

of his hair. "You're right." She drew her skirt aright and tugged her bodice down all around, touched

her hair and asked, "Am I mussed?" With his hand he turned her face his way. His gaze, wearing a likable grin,

went all around her hairline and came to rest on her mouth. "No one will guess," he answered. When she would have withdrawn, he held her as she was, swaying a


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thumb across her chin. "So very shy," he said. "I find that immensely attractive." He kissed the end of her nose. "Miss Barnett," he teased, "you may find me hanging around your doorstep a lot this summer."

She gazed up at him with the wonderment of a young woman led for the first time into the seductive realm of carnality, overcome by it and by him for being the first to teach her.

"Mr. DuVal," she replied without guile, "I certainly hope so."

Taken from November of the Heart by LaVyrle Spencer


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APPENDIX 12

Material to Teach Prose II Using The Girl from the Coast page 23-68

That night, as the clock struck twelve in the faraway central room of the main house, the girl was alone in her bed, surrounded by a silence that was broken only by the ticktock of the clock. Although the silence was torture for her, in the brief time she had spent in the Bendoro's house, she had come to enjoy the sensation of her body sinking into a soft mattress. The only feeling she could think of to compare it to was lying in a pool of warm mud.

Lying there, she inhaled the perfumed scent of her body and clothes. Before coming to the Bendoro's house, she had never dreamed there could be such a refreshing scent. In her village, no matter where one went, there was only one odor, that offish and the salty sea.

She recalled that her father had once rescued a man lost at sea. The people of the village had nursed the man to health. They had given him food and clothing and herbal medicines to speed his recuperation. What was his name? She couldn't remember now, but he had told her about flowers and how perfumes could be derived from them. But in her village on the coast she had never come across a flower that smelled so good.

The girl peered over the edge of the mattress and looked down at the floor at the foot of her bed, where the maidservant was sleeping soundly on a woven mat of pandanus leaves similar to the one she might now be sleeping on if she were at her parents' home in the village. Though she missed her mother's constant presence, she was thankful to have this woman here to watch over her. She was a good woman, that was easy to tell, and even in the short time that she had spent with her, she had grown fond of her. The woman had a way with words.

The girl smiled, thinking of the servant's retelling of the tale of Joko Tarub: One day, when sitting on the lakeside, the young man had spied a goddess who had descended from heaven to bathe in the lake's clear waters. Instantly falling in love with the goddess, Joko Tarub swore to do anything in his power as long as he could keep the goddess for his bride. First he stole the goddess's clothing so that she was forced to follow him home. And then, through a mixture of both guile and devotion, he somehow managed to convince the goddess to be his bride. Imagine how happy a goddess must be to inspire such longing, the girl had thought, to be everyone's ideal.

The night grew deeper, but still her eyes wouldn't close. She couldn't decide whether she was happy or not. From the central room of the house came the booming sound of a man reciting from the Koran. The man's voice was deep and strong, resounding like the echo of thunder from a mountain cave. She had never heard a person recite so beautifully before.


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The night air, which had felt cool and refreshing before, now began to grow cold as the ocean wind, having fought its way through the tops of the large trees that lined the coast, circled and entered her room through the gaps of the roof tiles overhead.

Two hours later, she was still awake when the Koranic chant ing ceased,

and with it, or so she felt, the world had stopped turning and her heart had stopped its beating. She heard the heavy slap of sandals, growing louder as they came closer to her room. She heard the door to her room open and then again the slapping of sandals, now with a more cautious gait. Through the lashes of her half-closed eyes, she watched the man she was to call her husband approach her bed. He was tall and of fair complexion, with a thin face and sharp nose. He wore a tunic of white silk and an expensive black Buginese sarong, the lower hem of which was circled with several thin white bands. On his head was a kopiah, the kind of rimless hat she had seen worn by men who had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. She continued to watch silently as he roused the maidservant with his foot, and then as the servant hastily rolled up her sleeping mat, with her pillow inside it, and crawled backward toward the door, where she rose in a stooped position and then disappeared through the doorway.

The girl quickly turned her body toward the wall. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating; her body was bathed in cold sweat. If it was fear she felt, then she no longer knew the meaning of the word. She was too afraid to think, too afraid to even cry.

Although she couldn't see the man, she could feel him open the mosquito net that surrounded her.

"My bride," he whispered. A prickling sensation spread across her body, as if it were covered by ants.

She couldn't reply. "My bride," he said again. Automaton- like, she turned her body toward the voice and then sat up, her

torso stooped at the waist, her head bowed, and her arms positioned at her sides with her palms resting on the mattress for support.

"Yes, Master," she whispered. "I am your husband," he told her. "Yes, Master," she repeated. "Say that for me." The girl didn't understand. "Say 'Praise be to God.' " "Praise be to God," the girl repeated. After that, she didn't know what was said. All she remembered was lying

back down, resting her head not on her pillow but now on her husband's arm, and feeling his soft, gentle hands kneading her own small hands.


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Then a soft voice said to her, "Your hands are rough." "Yes, Master," she whispered automatically. "You mustn't work," he told her. "Your hands must be as soft as velvet.

There must be nothing coarse about the principal consort of this house." "Yes, Master." She couldn't say how many times she repeated those two

words, but then, even if she had wanted to, she couldn't have kept count—she had never learned to count past fifty.

As dawn approached she heard the screech and hoot of an f owl on the rooftop; the sound made her body shiver, but with j her head close to the Bendoro's chest, she could also hear the beating of his heart, its pounding reminding her of the distant explosion of firecrackers on Chinese New Year's.

"Are you happy here?" "Yes, Master." "Do you like the feel of silk?" "Yes, Master." She felt his soft hand stroke her hair and ever so slowly remove her

worries, her feeling of claustrophobia, and her fear. Each stroke of his hand brought comfort and greater calm to her trembling heart. Such gentle hands they were: those of a scholar, whose only tools were books and a bamboo pointer to trace the lines as he read. His hands were not those of her father or even her mother, ever ready to slap some part of her body when she made a mistake. That said, while her parents' rough hands may have inflicted pain on her body, they had never ever brought pain to her heart. No sooner had an incident passed than her parents were nice to her again. But these gentle hands. . . She marveled at how they could still her heart and make her blood pulse.

After the Bendoro had fallen asleep, the girl lifted her head to study his features. His skin was so fair, a sign of high birth, she thought, the complexion of a person who had never had to work in the hot day's sun. And his skin was so soft, almost like that of a child, it seemed to her, with a thin layer of baby fat. She wanted to explore his skin, to feel its softness, as she used to do with her baby brother in the village, but she didn't have the nerve. She lay there silently, afraid to move, until the roosters at the back of the house began to crow. Immediately, her husband, the Bendoro, started to rise and she, too, with him.

"Time to bathe," he told her. In her village, she was used to waking at the first crowing of the. cocks.

She would wander out behind the house and look out at the ocean where, inside the veil of darkness that covered it, the lights of fishing boats flickered as they made their way to sea. One of those lights would be her father.

But to bathe, so early in the morning? That was not part of village life. She was afraid to go to the bathhouse alone, but fearing the Bendoro even

more, she left the house by way of the back steps and made her way toward the


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kitchen. Before she could enter, she was startled by the sudden appearance of her servant, who, in a reproachful manner, led her away from the kitchen and toward the bathhouse.

In the bathhouse, a small electric light illuminated the colored patterns of the floor tiles beneath her feet. They were eyecatching, as pretty as her favorite pieces of coral at home. She wanted to break offa section of the floor just to take it home with her and look at it and run her hand over its surface in her evening's free time. That's how beautiful it was.

Scented bathwater in a Chinese porcelain urn encircled by serpentine dragons was ready for her use. Just as the previous evening, before she had time to think, her servant was showering her with the fragrant water. What water remained in the urn would be saved for later use.

Following her bath, the servant demonstrated how to purify herself before the morning prayers. "You must always use holy water before you pray," the servant advised.

The girl was puzzled. "But with all the water I've used already, aren't I clean enough?"

"That's the way it's always been done." So, for the first time in her life, the girl ritually purified herself with holy

water, thereby making herself ready for prayer. The servant led the girl back to the bedroom where she combed her hair

and fixed it in place. She then escorted her out of the bedroom and across the back room of the house to a doorway in the room's back wall. Compared to the size of the room, with its high ceiling covered in cream-colored sheets of appliqued metal, the doorway looked very small.

The servant pointed toward the door with her thumb: "This is the khalwat." "Kal-wat?" the girl asked. "Yes, a room for prayer. But don't say it wrong. It's 'khalwat' with a 'kh.' " Without further correcting the girl's pronunciation, the servant opened the

door to the room. The prayer room was also large, a massive rectangular space made bright

by two electric lights hanging from a low cable that spanned the room. There was no furniture inside, just two carpets, one near the door where they had entered, the other on the room's opposite side.

From a storage closet in the corner of the room nearest the door, the servant removed a white prayer cloak with which she covered the girl's head and body.

"Sit here quietly," she advised. "And don't move. The Ben-doro will be sitting over there. You must pray with the Bendoro."

"But I can't." "Then just follow his lead." "I can't," the girl insisted.


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"The Bendoro's consort must know how to pray. She must be able to please the Master. You had best remember that."

The servant then slipped quietly away. Feeling like a mouse caught in a trap, the girl sat alone in the Prayer room,

the likes of which she had never seen before. It was eerie and frightening. From time to time, a swallow would fly into the room through the air vent at the top of the opposite wall and then, just as quickly as it had come in, fly back out again. The girl suddenly realized it was silence that made her afraid, and also sit-' I uations in which she was not allowed to move. With no one with J whom she could share her concern, she sniveled to herself.

The thick stone walls were heartless and mute. What's the use of my being here? she wailed silently. She might as well have been a part of the prayer room's wall for all the good she could do.

When the girl heard the Bendoro enter the room through a side door, she lifted her head to look at him. He had on his white silk tunic and black Buginese sarong, but now he was wearing a turban. An embroidered shawl was wrapped around his neck. His feet were bare. In his right hand, he carried a rosary, and in his left, a collapsible book rest on which to place the Koran. Without saying a word, without even pausing to see if anyone else was with him in the prayer room, he went directly to the carpet at the front of the room. There, he placed the book rest on his left side and, with his right hand telling the beads of his rosary, began to pray.

As if commanded by some mysterious force, the girl rose to her feet and, from her place on her own prayer rug, imitated the Bendoro's every action. Her mind, however, was on her village: the sea, her playmates, the children of the village—all of them naked and dirty, rolling about on the warm sand in the mornings. She had once been a member of that naked band. She found it difficult to say whether she now felt all that much cleaner for having been bathed in scented water. She still felt like the child she had once been, an imp running along the shoreline as far as the river's mouth and then scampering back home again, her feet coated with fishy-smelling mud.

Far from her, at the front of the room, the Bendoro bowed. Mechanically, she followed his actions. When he knelt, she knelt, too. When he sat, she sat, too. She had once had to carry, all by herself, a stingray that weighed at least sixty pounds; she had taken it not to the fish market for sale at the daily auction, but to the home of the headman as a contribution on behalf of her family for a village feast. She had been bathed in sweat that day, and the serrated tail of the fish, hanging down behind her back, had knocked against her legs until they were lacerated and started to bleed. She felt pain that day, but knowing that the fish would be a meal for the entire village, she had kept going. But now, merely having to imitate her husband's actions felt like an even greater burden for her/In the village, she had been able to say whatever she wanted to say, to cry when she


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wanted to cry, and to scream with delight when she felt happy. But now, in this house, she had to be silent; there was no one willing to hear the sound of her voice. All she could do was whisper. And in this prayer room, even her movements had to follow a prescribed script.

A cold sweat covered her entire body. In the days before she had come to this house, she had been able to look

wherever she wanted to look. Here, in this place, she could only stare at the floor because she no longer knew what she was permitted to look at or where her gaze must fall.

A shiver ran down her spine when the Bendoro altered his position to sit facing her. When he unfolded the book rest and took from the Holy Book a small bamboo place marker, she felt that his eyes were sending her a command. In all her life, she had never felt such a chill. Earlier thoughts of his soft hands and their gentle caress vanished.

She heard the sudden crowing of a rooster behind the house and prayed silently for the sun to rise, just as it had the day before. When the Bendoro uttered the final prayer—Bismillahirohmanir-rohim—he stared at her from his position on the prayer rug, but she was unable to repeat the phrase. She had never been taught ll- Without quite realizing it, she began to cry, her tears wetting the eyehole of her prayer gown.

Again she felt the Bendoro staring at her. The Bendoro re- " peated the prayer. When he coughed, she automatically raised her eyes; but when she caught his gaze and saw him raise his bamboo pointer and gesture for her to go, her heart shrank within her.

She knelt and bowed and then retreated, backward, toward the door. There she stopped momentarily and looked back across the room at the Bendoro. For the second time, she saw him gesture with the bamboo pointer for her to leave.

The girl's legs felt numb when she tried to stand. Her arm felt leaden as she tried to grip the door handle. But then the handle turned, as if by itself, and she was startled to find herself outside the prayer room, in her servant's arms. With what strength she still had, she broke free from the servant and ran to her bedroom where she threw herself on the bed.

"Mama, Papa," she whispered over and over as if her words could make her parents appear.

"Young Mistress," the servant said. "Take me to my mother," the girl demanded. "I want to go home, to the

village." "Don't cry," the servant soothed, but the girl was already foundering in

tears. "The Bendoro's consort must be wise. She must learn to paddle against the

current if necessary," the servant advised.


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"I want my mother!" the girl shouted. "Hush. In a moment, the Bendoro will be here." The girl suddenly fell silent. The stillness of that early morning held back

the sobs that rose and fell within her, that seemed to carry on their crests pieces of her very soul.

After a time, she regained some of her calm and asked in a more controlled voice: "Where is my mother?"

"She's in the kitchen." "If I can't go there, then bring her here," she told the servant. "She's still sleeping." "Not at this time of day; she'd already be awake." "Of course, you're right. In the village, she'd have been up long ago, ready

to send her man off to sea. Isn't that right? But here, it wouldn't be wise for the consort of the Bendoro to leave her room before the proper time. At this hour, Young Mistress, even the chickens are still in their coop."

When the sonorous sound of the voice emanating from the prayer room died, the girl heard the slapping sound of her husband's sandals. The sound grew louder as they came closer to her room, causing the girl to tremble. Again, it was fear itself that made her afraid. She sat silently on the bed, staring forward as the servant slipped her prayer gown over her head then smoothed the silk wrap she was wearing underneath. Just as the Bendoro arrived at her door, the servant stole quickly from the room.

"Come here, my bride," the Bendoro said to her. She recognized the tone of his voice—soft, gentle, and polite—and as if

drawn to its source by an invisible cord, she rose slowly, lifelessly, and walked somnambulantly toward the door. The Bendoro stretched out his hand and took hers in his own.

Together, they descended the set of stairs outside the back room. Turning to the right, the girl was suddenly able to see the free world once more—or at least as far as the high wall that surrounded the property. It seemed to her like ages since she had last seen a tree. In the dawn's murky light, beneath the pale moon still looming overhead, she saw a tree that towered above all others. She thought it looked like a sapodilla, but of all the sawo trees she had ever seen, none had ever looked like this one; there was something frightening about it. She tightened her grip on the Bendoro's arm while he, with his free hand, gently massaged her shoulders.

They breathed in the fresh morning air of the back garden, which was far larger in size than the whole of the village where she had been born and raised. But unlike her village, this garden and her new home were surrounded by a high wall.

The ground's sand cover, so soft beneath her feet, rose in tiny waves as she moved her feet forward. Mango trees stood in straight rows, like soldiers in


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formation, while lonely banana plants leaned against the wall as if aware of their own insignificance.

"Do you like going for walks?" "Yes, Bendoro, I do," the girl answered, thinking as she said it how, at this

time of the day, she would usually be stumbling back to her sleeping platform after having just seen off her father and watched his boat sail away until the light from its lantern was swallowed by darkness. Then she would nestle and doze in cozy comfort until her mother was forced to shake her awake: "My, my, what kind of girl are you? Have you fed the chickens? Wake up late in the morning, and a crocodile will find you snoring! So get a move on." And soon she would be on her feet, scattering feed for the chickens that were already scurrying about outside.

"What do you eat in the village?" The girl couldn't answer. The language the Bendoro used was

different, and not having been taught to speak the language that people in the city used, she was afraid to reply and thus refrained from speaking at all.

"Do you eat corn?" "Yes, Master." "Do you have rice very often?" "No, Master." "Well, you can be thankful there's always rice to eat here. Praise Allah,

God always provides." They continued their leisurely walk. The Bendoro spoke with a teacherly tone: "That mango tree is two years

old, planted at the same time the electricity was installed. But one doesn't plant a tree for one's needs alone. God is so beneficent. Even He did not create nature and humankind for Himself alone." Not hearing an assent, he looked at the girl and asked: "Are you still sleepy?"

"No, Master." "You're hungry." "No, Master." "Tell me something about yourself." Again, the girl was dumbstruck with fear; she felt as if she couldn't

breathe. Why couldn't she make herself open her mouth? If she were at home, she'd have no problem screaming at her pet chicken Kuntring or calling out for her playmates, or laughing along with Pak Karto, the neighbor man she always went to for help when she had something too heavy to carry.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I know about the villages on the coast, and they're all pretty much the same. About ten years ago, I visited your village. It was dirty, the people were poor, and nobody prayed. A person of faith would never approve of such filth. People who live amid filth incur God's wrath. Wealth does not come easily to people like that; they are condemned to be poor."

"Yes, Master."


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"Cleanliness is an important part of faith and is reflected in spiritual purity. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"Yes, Master." "Spiritual purity brings people closer to God." "Yes, Master." "So, what would you like to do today?" She didn't know what to say. In the Bendoro's eyes, she was one of those

villagers he had spoken of. That was it, she now I realized: She was one of those nameless villagers, just a girl from the coast. Is that what she would always be?

She suddenly felt incredibly tired and drowsy and wanted nothing more than to lie down on the soft mattress in her bedroom, alone. But she didn't have the courage to speak.

The Bendoro led her to a bench under a tree she didn't recognize. After sitting down, he removed from the pocket of his silk jacket a small parcel and then, without the girl quite realizing what was happening, slipped a ring onto her ring finger and a bracelet on each of her wrists.

A few minutes later they were back in the house and the two of them were seated at the dining table, an array of food before them: a sliced but still warm loaf of bread, newly delivered from the bakery; jars of marmalade; stoppered bottles of chocolate sprinkles and brown sugar crystals; a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice; a plate of shrimp crackers; and a tureen of cooked oatmeal. Steam rose from coffee in Japanese porcelain cups. The gloss of highly shined cutlery—spoons, knives, and forks, implements she hardly recognized—made the girl's head spin. The glare of a silver fruit bowl assaulted her eyes. The girl's mind reeled. She was hungry, but what were all these shining implements for? And why were there so many of them?

At the girl's side, her personal servant inquired, "What would you like to eat? Some porridge or bread? Or maybe you'd just like juice?"

Anything at all, the girl thought, as long as she could eat it without anyone watching. The servant spoke to her again: "Ask the Master what he wants and then serve it to him."

The girl glanced at the Bendoro, hoping that her eyes would speak for her, and then bowed her head again. When he then pointed at the bread, the girl rose and looked questioningly at the servant.

"Now ask what he would like on this bread: chocolate sprinkles, brown sugar, or marmalade."

Another shiver ran through the girl. She didn't know which items were which.

Her husband said softly, "I'll have the chocolate." The servant took the girl's hand and guided it toward the bottle of

chocolate sprinkles. She put the girl's fingers around the handle of a small butter knife—the shape of which seemed so strange to the girl—and helped her to lift the


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sprinkles from the jar and spread them across two slices of bread that were already gleaming with the rich yellow of Friesland butter.

That morning, the Girl from the Coast returned to her room with a hungry stomach. She had wanted to eat another slice of bread and chocolate, but as the Bendoro had eaten so little, she hadn't dared to take any more. Maybe it was just that the bread had tasted so good, she rationalized. That's why she had wanted more. She wasn't really hungry; it was just her stomach acting independent. But the hunger she felt kept gnawing away at he r insides, refusing to go away. Even two years ago, when most of the village had been swept away by a tidal wave, leaving the few surviving boats buried in mud, she had never felt such hunger.

She thought back to that time, hearing the boom of the bamboo clapper, as if it were just outside the door, that the headman had beaten until the last child was whisked away from the clutches of death that were set to strangle the village. She could see overhead the giant leaves from the coconut trees, flying through the darkness, their stems ready to puncture any human head that "got in the way. In the morning, when the inhabitants emerged from their hiding places and returned to the village, not a blade of grass was left standing. Trunks of palm trees lay crisscrossed, atop one another, forming a solid barrier on the beach. Of all her parents' trees, only one had not been uprooted, and it had been beaten down so low she was sure that a light tap of her finger would have severed the trunk. More surprising, the tree hadn't lost its fruit; but the once-green coconuts were now a dirty brown, and two weeks later they dropped from their sterns, rotten and inedible.

At that time, and during the week that followed, she had felt hunger, real hunger. The village's fishponds and even their embankments were gone without a trace. And even if they hadn't been destroyed, there were no young fry remaining with which to restock them. The hunger she had felt at that time was an empty feeling, caused by the absence of corn or rice. But the sea still gave her sustenance in the form of shellfish, crabs, and seaweed.

Now, in this house in the city, she found herself with plenty of food, far more than enough, in fact, but she couldn't eat any of it. Here, in this place, there were too many restraints, too many mysterious hands stopping her, a coven of all-powerful spirits that made her draw back in fear.

"Mama," she sighed, and as if in answer, she heard the voice of her servant reply, "Here she is."

Looking up to see her mother at the door, the girl leapt to her feet and ran to her mother, immediately throwing her arms around her. "Ma! Ma! I want to go home," she cried.

"Hush." At her mother's side, the girl's servant spoke in a whisper: "Your daughter

must remember that the Bendoro's consort has to be strong and to always wear a smile no matter what she might be feeling."


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"Yes, of course," the mother answered. "Please tell your daughter that," the servant insisted. "Of course, I will," she muttered before looking kindly at her daughter.

"It's all right. Be quiet now, my baby. There's no need to be afraid." "But, Ma, I don't like it here." "That's because you still have so much to learn. In time, I'm sure you'll

come to like it here." "Take me home, Ma." "What did she say?" It was her father's voice. The girl looked around to find her father suddenly standing beside her. "What did you say?" His voice was harsh and threatening. "You must never raise your voice to the Bendoro's wife," the servant told

him. The girl's father dropped into a chair. The strength that he used to fight

waves and strong winds dissolved instantly, of no use to him in this bridal chamber. His chest rose and fell; his hands lay helplessly on the arms of the chair.

"If the Bendoro's wife should like," the servant added, "she could have you removed from this room."

At this remark, the girl wailed and broke free from her embrace around her mother's chest. Sobbing, she knelt before her father and put her arms around his legs. "Forgive me, Papa, just take me home."

Two tears hung suspended from her father's eyelids. Weakly, he raised his right hand and stroked his daughter's hair. He then rose, pulling her along with him to her feet, and sat her down on the chair where he had been seated.

"Good luck to you," he whispered to her. "Say thank you to your papa," her mother urged. "Thank you, Papa," the girl repeated. The girl's father then left the room, not bothering to look back. For lunch that day, the Girl from the Coast ate alone in the dining room,

with her servant waiting and observing her from her position in one comer of the room. From time to time, she would approach the table to demonstrate the use of a particular knife, fork, or spoon. Such a fuss it was, the girl thought, for each of the trays and bowls to have their own serving utensil.

"The Bendoro won't be home for lunch," the servant remarked. "At this time of day, he's usually with the Regent."

"Why do you always have to be following me around?" the girl asked the servant.

"I'm not following you. It's my duty as your servant to help you." "Why do you talk about yourself that way?" The question both startled and impressed the servant. The girl was very

new to the ways of the house, but her voice already possessed a tone of command. "But I am your servant, Young Mistress."


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It was now the girl's turn to feel startled. At that moment, she had suddenly begun to understand that in the Bendoro's house, her new home, there would never be anyone she could address as her equal. A nearly unbridgeable barrier had been erected between herself and the servant. Here was this incredibly kind woman, who almost never slept for having to watch over and care for her; who was always ready to carry out whatever she might request and explain whatever she did not understand; who could tell her stories when her heart cried for entertainment; and who could stroke her shoulders so lovingly whenever she wanted to cry. Yet she could not call this woman her friend. Why was that? she wanted to scream. Why was this woman her servant? Who was she to deserve such a helpmate? And what had this woman done to deserve ending up working as a servant for her?

"You seem to be daydreaming," the servant remarked. "You should eat more, Young Mistress."

The girl stopped eating and put her utensils on the table. She then rose from her place and, without looking at the servant, went directly to her room and her beloved mattress, where she began to cry. She felt like a chick that had been removed from its flock, having to live alone, with no friends, among a group of strangers she would never get to know j She wasn't allowed to have friends. All she could do was give orders or wait for them to be given to her. Such a cold and silent place—colder than any weather she had ever known on the coast, even on mornings when the air was so chilly the palm oil for cooking congealed in its bottle. She cried until her tears had drained and she had fallen asleep. A soft shake from her servant finally woke the Girl from the Coast, and she was led away, once again, to the bathhouse for her bath and then back again to her room.

"I want to see my father," she said upon her return. "He hasn't been seen since this afternoon. No one knows where he's gone.

The Bendoro will be most angry if he finds out, and mad at us, too, for not knowing how to look after his guests properly."

"And my mother?" "Your mother seems to be very upset. She wanted to come here earlier, but

I forbade it since you were sleeping." "Please call her here for me," the girl requested. "Let's straighten yourself first, Young Mistress." "Please call her now," the girl insisted. The servant left, only to return a short time later with the girl's mother

beside her. A look of worry was on her face. "Where's Papa?" the girl asked, but her mother didn't reply. Instead, she

approached her daughter and helped the servant to dress her and apply her makeup. Kohl lined her eyelids. French rouge brightened her cheeks.


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"Look in the mirror," the servant urged. The girl stared at her reflection, then suddenly covered her face with her

two hands. "What is it?" her mother asked when she saw her daughter turn away. The girl lifted her left hand to the mirror and screamed: "That's not me! It's

the devil!" But then, just as suddenly, she remembered her mother's fears and forgot her own problems. "Where did he go?" she asked calmly.

"Back to the village, no doubt," the servant answered for her. The Girl from the Coast had never loved her father as much as she did at

that moment. Quite likely, she thought, her father was now inspecting the sails of his boat, making sure it was ready for him to go out to sea later that night or early the next morning, strong enough to confront the ocean's wind and pounding waves and safely return with the catch needed to feed his family.

What would she say to the Bendoro if he asked why her father had gone home without first saying good-bye?

As if reading the girl's mind, the servant provided an answer: "If you were to ask the Bendoro's pardon," she suggested, "I'm sure he would give it to you."

The girl's mother conveyed the same question with her eyes. The girl hesitated momentarily but then nodded her head. Even so, she was of two minds. Who was the Bendoro? Was he so powerful, more powerful than the sea, that her father felt he had to flee? He had lost two of his sons, two of her brothers, at sea, yet he had never attempted to leave the village. Why would he run away now? Even she wasn't afraid of the sea. Why then this incomprehensible fear of the Bendoro? Why? The Bendoro was tall and slender with a pale face and soft skin. Her father was muscular, much stronger than her husband. Why then was he, and everyone else, for that matter—even herself—so afraid of this man?

"What are you thinking of?" the servant asked. "I'm sure your father is safe at home."

The girl erased from her mind her thoughts of her father. He would be all right.

"Listen to me, let me teach you," her servant began. "You must speak to the Bendoro like this: 'Forgive me, Master . . .' That's all you'll have to say. And then the Bendoro will ask, 'What is it, my bride? Is there something you want?' "

The girl stared at the servant, not blinking. "And then you'll say to him, 'My father was forced to leave, Bendoro.

Forgive me and my family, Bendoro; he was in such haste that he forgot to ask your leave.' And the Bendoro will laugh. 'That's no problem, no problem at all,' he'll say. And then ..."

"And then what?" The servant turned the girl's head toward the mirror. "Look at that. That is

no devil. That is a goddess from heaven!"


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The girl studied her image in the looking glass but did not find herself there. No, that's not me, she said to herself. That face was not the one she had come to this house with; it was a mannequin's face, with no evidence of yesterday's child in it. She could see no childish glee in her eyes. The child there was gone forever.

Even the girl's mother was hard pressed to recognize her daughter's

reflection. No, that wasn't her child anymore. Only a few days had passed since they had set out from the village, yet the energy and liveliness that her daughter once possessed was no longer in evidence.

There suddenly came to the girl the sound of her own laughter, the waves of glee that a joke or something else humorous often produced in her. But that laugh was a child's laugh, something she had not heard in this building, the Bendoro's home, and something she suspected that she would never hear again.

"What man would not desire the woman you see here?" the servant asked. "Just look," she said to the girl's mother. "With her small body, no heavier than a cotton ball, and her tawny skin, as smooth as a flat iron to the touch. It's only her hands that need some work, but if we soak them in saltwater, they'll soon lose their roughness. And with her supple eyelids and almond-shaped eyes, she looks for all the world like a Chinese princess. Who . would not recognize such beauty?

"Tonight," she said to the girl, "I will tell you the story of the battle between the Chinese princess and Amir Hamzah. I can't tell you how many people I've seen break into tears when they hear how the princess was shot in the shoulder and rolled on the ground in her own blood and no one came to help her."

The servant began to hum the section of the song-tale where the Chinese princess falls from her horse on the battlefield, but then, just as suddenly, she stopped. "I'd better take your mother back to the kitchen," she pronounced. "You never can tell when the Bendoro will appear."

The two older women left the room, leaving the girl alone once more, standing dispiritedly before the mirror.

The mirror at her family's home was a simple one. In her village, the larger the mirror a family owned, the greater the family's prestige. Families placed their mirrors where other people would see them. Guests would invariably note the size and thickness of a mirror. Intricately carved frames were commonplace. Almost everyone in the village could carve; the skill was nothing special, just something to do in one's spare time. It was only out siders who noticed the frames. For the villagers, it was the mirror itself that counted.

But this mirror, the one before her, had no appeal for her; the image she saw in it aroused in her suspicion and antipathy. Here, in the city, everything was supposed to be better than it was in the village. But she was learning that it wasn't true. That finely adorned image she saw in the mirror was simply not the same face that she so often saw in the mirror at her family home. Maybe the mirror at


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her family home was simple and lacking a frame, but she knew it and could always be sure of its honesty. In that mirror she could clean the mucus from the corners of her eyes and wipe her cheeks clean of the soot from the kitchen hearth. But here, in this mirror, imported Arabian kohl darkened her eyes./People said her skin was soft and smooth and the color of lansium fruit. At home, when she wiped her face clean of sweat, that natural color was evident in the mirror. But here, in this mirror, a layer of rouge covered her skin, changing her natural color to the soft pink of a rose-apple. And here, too, a thin black line that looked to her like a fish spine ran through the center of her wide eyebrows. No, the face in this mirror was not her own. Here, in this house, she wasn't permitted to see her own face.

She looked at her necklace, bracelets, and ring, all of them made of gold and studded with gems. She thought again of the village and how everyone there detested Pak Kintang—a man who measured the value of everything in terms of its weight in gold, but when one of the village elders died, Pak Kintang hadn't contributed anything at all. In the village, gold and pretense went hand in hand.

The girl mused: Who else had talked to her about gold? She searched her memory until finally there came to her the face of a man—a man from the city with a sallow face, sunken cheeks, and a constant smile. He was a moneylender who had come to the village to convince the villagers to invest in gold. At the time, her father was out at sea and her mother had invited the man into the house. The girl remembered him taking a seat on the sleeping platform and saying to her mother, "You should buy some gold, Ma'am. No need to pay me all at once; credit will do. You have an unmarried daughter, don't you? That means you should be collecting gold. With gold, you can get anything, anything at all!"

She had been playing at her mother's feet when she saw the village elder, an ancient man, enter the house, walking unsteadily with the help of a cane. He coughed as he raised his cane and pointed its tip at the city man. "Was that gold you said we needed? Look at the boats out there, the ones without sails, the ones with leaks half-covered in water by the shore. Boats! It's boats we need. Don't listen to him," he told her mother. "Boats provide everything we need. Gold just takes it away." With his cane, he then began to drive the man from the house, and when the man with the sunken cheeks had reached the doorway, the village elder turned to her mother and raised his cane toward her: "If you listen to him, you'll ruin your husband. Do you understand? Remember this: Anyone who comes here to talk about gold has the devil inside him. Keep him away. We must keep this village safe."

And now, before her, on the dressing table, were gold and gem-studded pieces of jewelry, shining brightly beneath the light L of the lamp. She stared at them closely, until she was startled by a voice whispering in her ear: "Such things as these, most people can only dream of owning."

"You startled me," she said to the servant. "You like the jewelry, don't you." This was a statement, not a question.


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The girl had never owned any jewelry. She had to admit, however, she did admire their beauty.

"The workmanship is very fine," the servant continued. "They were specially made in Solo."

"If you want them," the girl told her, "then take them." The servant's eyes glowed brightly and she clutched her hands before her

mouth. Her voice trembled as she spoke: "Who wouldn't want such things, Young Mistress? But you shouldn't talk that way. It makes me afraid."

"What's there to be afraid of? It's only gold." "But I'm afraid, Young Mistress, afraid of doing something wrong. I am

who I am, and I am a servant. If there were no servants there could be no masters. This is God's will, my destiny. My grandfather wasn't a servant and none of his children were, either. But I am, for that is what I was destined to do—to serve the Bendoro and to serve you."

"Take them," the girl said again. "How could I? Even your own parents would be afraid to accept them." The girl was struck by this comment. But gradually, despite the burden

weighing on her mind, she began to understand that everyone was frightened, everyone except for the Bendoro, that is. Why was everyone afraid of him? He didn't seem to be harsh or cruel; in fact, he was gentle and polite.

The servant spoke more confidently now: "My sister once wanted a small chain of gold coins to use as a clasp. She was very beautiful, and one day she went to Lasem hoping to snare for herself a rich Chinese man who lived there. The front fence of the man's house was a long line of steel spears, and the house itself was huge, with blue roof tiles on a curved roof and serpentine dragons on its peak."

"Which house was bigger, that one or this?" "That one." "And which was better?" "That one." "What happened to her?" "She went into the house and never came out again." "Did she get the chain she wanted?" "Who knows? She never appeared again. And that was twenty years ago." What was the servant trying to tell her? The girl suddenly felt a rush of

panic and clutched the servant's hand: "Will I ever be able to leave? Here, take this jewelry away."

The servant opened a drawer in the vanity, took out a key, rand handed it to the girl. "After three months, you'll be able to go wherever you want, as long as it's with the Bendoro's permission. Put this jewelry in the armoire. I myself wouldn't dare touch them."


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"Why is it that people like gold?" "Because, well, what can I say? Because with gold, you don't look like

everybody else. You don't look like a servant." "Who do you mean by 'everybody else'?" "I don't know how to answer you. When I say 'everybody,' I guess I mean

everybody like myself." "But what's wrong with you?" "Well, people like me, they have to work hard and almost never eat." "Then why don't you take these things? Then you wouldn't be like

everyone else. You wouldn't have to work so hard. Sell them. Then you'd have plenty to eat. Or wear them if you wish."

"But, Young Mistress, they're for you to wear, for the Ben-doro to see." With her mistress acting so friendly toward her, the servant seemed at

ease, but this mood was cut short when they heard the call of a voice they knew so well: "Mardi!" It was the Bendoro calling someone.

"The carriage! Prepare the carriage for me." "Yes, Master," came the familiar reply. From somewhere at the back of the house came the sound of a commotion.

Only then did the Girl from the Coast realize that there were many more inhabitants in the house than she had first guessed.

"Who are all those people?" she asked the servant. "Relatives of the Bendoro, nephews mostly, who have been placed in his

safekeeping." "What do they do here?" "They work here, but in the afternoon they study." "Where have they been keeping themselves all this time?" "They spend most of their time at the prayer house." "Where's that?" "Outside, to the left of the house, that building is the prayer house. That's

where they study and where they learn to recite the Koran." "I haven't heard them practicing." "Their teacher was fired. He was a lazy and greedy man." "I hope that's not what he was teaching." "It might very well be for all the good he seemed to do, but I couldn't

really say for sure. Here, let me fix your hair." The girl, having been made aware yet again of their different stations, felt

her heart shrink; but she could say nothing as she watched the servant brush out her hair, thicken it with a fall, twist and braid it into a bun, and then finally fix frangipani flowers in its curve.

"In the village, no one puts flowers in the ir hair," the girl protested. "That may be, Young Mistress, but in the city a married woman is

expected to do so."


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Yet again the girl was reminded of her station: She was the wife of an important man.

"I like it better in my village," she pouted. "Isn't that the way everyone feels about their home?" "Why don't you go home?" "At my age? Who would feed me? Life is hard where I come from." "Why's that?" "Young or old, it's all the same; the only difference is that when you're

older, life's even harder. For a person my age, everything is difficult." "What, do people beat you?" The servant began to straighten the pleats of the girl's batik wrap. "Beat

me? Not really," she paused, "but just about anyone and everyone has the right to beat people like me."

They heard the Bendoro's voice again: "Mardi!" "Yes, Master." "Is it ready?" "The Master must be in a hurry to go somewhere," the servant whispered.

"I suppose the wedding of an official," she guessed. "Would they be using a dagger, too?" "No, it's only commoners who get married that way ..." The servant

stopped as if remembering something. "No, that's not right. That only happens when the groom can't be present. That's when a keris can be used in his place."

"Why do people have to get married?" the girl asked. The servant laughed and shook her head. "My, the things you say! For

most people, like me for instance, we get married just to make life more difficult for ourselves. But it's different for the priyayi. The upper class get married for pleasure."

"Why would you get married if it makes life harder?" "That's what you call fate, Young Mistress." She sighed. "My grandfather

told me that his father, my great-grandfather, was hanged when the Dutch Governor-General built the cross-Java Postal Road." She pointed her hand in the direction of the sea. "That's why my grandfather ran away. That's why he was never a servant."

"Why did they hang him?" "He was a foreman, I was told, and was ordered to build a section of the

road in just one week's time, but it was in a swampy area and most of the workers came down with fever. Anyway, a week passed and the Dutch came to inspect the work, and because the road wasn't done, they hung them all."

"No, that can't be!" the girl cried. "Oh yes, it can," her servant asserted. "And that' s what fate is for most of

us folks. When my grandfather ran away, he joined the rebels who were being led by Prince Diponegoro. Then, when Prince Diponegoro lost the war, my


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grandfather fled again, this time with a Javanese noble who had joined the rebels, too. When the nobleman finally surrendered, my grandfather surrendered, too. And when the noble was appointed to a government position, my grandfather became his retainer, no more than a slave really, just like me.

"Whenever the noble went out on patrol, my grandfather went along. One night, when they were on patrol, the nobleman was killed by a band of robbers. My grandfather managed to escape, but when he returned home alone, he was beaten and thrown into prison. Five years he spent there. When he got out, he couldn't work as a retainer any longer, so he started to farm. All of his children became farmers. None of them could be retainers."

The Girl from the Coast bowed her head, avoiding the servant's gaze. "You're lucky, Young Mistress, and should give thanks to Allah. Not

every woman has a chance to live in a house like this, unless it's as a servant." "I like my own home better." "That can't be true." "I'm not afraid there." Hearing the slap of a pair of sandals on the floor outside the room, the girl

took hold of the servant's arm. The older woman whispered, "Smile. You must learn to smile and always

be standing, ready to greet the Master, just inside the doorway." !( The servant led her to the door. Thus, when the Bendoro called out for her,

it was from there that she replied: "Yes, Master." "I won't be home tonight," he said, without looking inside. A moment

later, she listened to the sound of his sandals fade as he walked away. That night the Girl from the Coast asked the servant if she could sleep with

her mother, but the servant objected. "If I can't sleep in the kitchen," the girl suggested, "then let her sleep here

with me." "That wouldn't be right, not for the Bendoro's consort." "But she's my mother," the girl protested. "That may be true, Young Mistress, but she is a commoner and no more

than a servant in this place." "But that's not right. I should be a servant to her. In our village, I carry out

her orders; I do whatever she tells me to do." "That's what's wrong, Young Mistress. The ways of the nobility are

different, and besides, this is the city, not some fishing village." "Then what am I supposed to do here?" "Only two things, Young Mistress, nothing more: Serve the Master and

command the servants and other people who live here." "What must I do for the Bendoro?' "Whatever he wants you to do. You must follow his every wish "I can't. I don't know how."


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"In time you will, all in time." "You think so?" "It's very easy." "What am I supposed to tell the people here to do?" "Whatever you want them to do." "There's only one thing I want." "Then that should be easy." "To go back home with my mother." "That's the only thing you can't do." "But that's the only thing I want." The servant rolled out her sleeping mat beside the girl's bed. "Listen to me.

There's only one thing that Allah wants, and that's for people to be good. That's what religion is for—so that people can turn to Him. But that's not how it is in real life. There are lots of bad people in the world. Allah has just one wish, and we can' t even grant Him that."

"And so am I one of those bad people, too?" "Who's to say what's in a person's heart? Not even the devil knows,

especially not when we ourselves don't even know. If we could, we probably wouldn't have to live in this world at all. But enough of that; it's time for you to go to sleep."

"Tell me a story first." And so it was that, in this way, the servant woman began to calm the girl's restless nature and teach her the ways of a nobleman's consort. How many times had she told her stories before? She herself couldn't remember. Four women had preceded the Girl from the Coast as the Beridoro's consort, and she had told them all the very same tales. For every new mistress of the house, she always repeated her tales of princes who fell madly in love with village girls; of village girls who came to live in a palace and all about their rich lives and their many servants. She also told them about the sons they bore; about Allah's beneficence and His scorn for the wicked; about the Dutch Governor and his hangman's pole; about the mass graves along the coast; about Prince Diponegoro's uprising; about the homes of the city's nobility; about the marriage celebration of Kartini, who had established schools for girls, and about her burial only a few years later.

And when she had finished whatever tale she was spinning, the servant would rise from her place on the floor to look at her mistress. And when she saw her mistress fast asleep on her soft bed, she would give her thanks to Allah for having acquitted herself of her duties for the day with results the Master would find pleasing.

A week passed before the Bendoro returned home, and the Girl from the Coast felt happy during that time. Her servant felt happy as well for the opportunity his absence presented her: She needed time to tame this new wife's heart. From past experience, the servant knew that she needed at least a week to


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gain the new wife's friendship and to mold her for her new role as mistress of the house.

One evening, a recitation teacher came to the house to teach the girl how to pronounce the curvy letters from which holy words were formed. And she repeated these, one by one, after the man. She pronounced all the words and letters but wasn't taught their use or meaning.

One night, while lying on the bed and listening to the incessant buzz of mosquitoes outside the mosquito net, the girl rolled over, putting her back to the wall, and looked over the edge of the mattress onto the floor where her servant was lying, with her eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling.

"Have you ever been married?" she asked the servant. The question startled the servant, causing her to quickly sit upright. "Yes,

Young Mistress, twice, in fact." "Do you have any children?" "I should have, Young Mistress." "What do you mean? Did your husbands die?" "Yes, Young Mistress, but such is the tale of so many people like me. I got

married when I was very young, but because I was married, I was considered to be an adult. At that time, the Dutch • made all the villages contribute labor to government projects, so the village chief sent me and my husband to Jepara, where we worked on an estate planting cacao. Four months we were there, and I was pregnant at the time but lost my baby before he ever had a chance to breathe fresh air. It was the foreman who did it. He kicked me in the stomach.

"What happened is that I was feeling dizzy one day and had sat down to cool myself in the shade of a tree. That's when the foreman came and then, out of the blue, a Dutch official and some soldiers, too. The foreman kept pulling on my arm to try to get me to stand, but I was too weak. That was when he kicked me in the stomach. Then everything started to blur, but I could hear my husband running toward me, screaming like a crazy man. I blacked out."

"That's terrible." "That's what happens to people like us, Young Mistress." "Not in my village, it doesn't. Nothing like that ever happened there." "I've heard that. My husband once tried to get me to run away. He said we

could stay in a fishing village or go off to some island. But I told him I didn't think that would be the best thing for our child. And look what happened instead." She now addressed the girl: "Does your father own a boat?"

"Yes, he does," the girl answered. "That's what my husband wanted: to own his own boat. We were going to

sail away to one of those fishing islands off the coast. Did your father ever take you out to sea? Have you ever been to one of those islands?"

The girl thought for a moment, then answered slowly: "Yes. Three times, maybe more. I was very young."


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"So then, you've run away, too. Do you remember the times?" "I remember staying overnight on a small island and in the morning

finding the shoreline covered with jellyfish. I slit their sacks and took out the larger fish inside and grilled them on a fire. But my father never called it 'running away.' "

"I don't suppose he would, but it happens to most everyone, everyone like

us." Sadness and curiosity marked the girl's voice: "What happened to your

husband?" "I don' t know. When I came to, I was covered in blood— my blood, my

baby's, my husband's, and the foreman's." "Was there that much blood?" "I can only tell you what people said. I don't remember myself. People said

he ran amuck and stabbed the foreman in the stomach, slit it right open, and then fought off anyone who tried to help the man. The soldiers finally went after him, but he fought back, attacked them with his machete. Finally, after they had sur-rounded him, and he couldn't get close enough to stab anyone, he threw his machete at one of the soldiers. Hit him, too, they say, but the man didn't die. My husband was so thin he didn't have any strength left. All that was left of him was skin and bones; no meat on him at all. And his skin was covered with sores and welt marks where he'd been whipped."

"Did you see him after that?" "No. When I woke up, it was all over. The only people there were three

women, friends of mine, who tried to help me but couldn't do much of anything, so they just waited there with me. When it was getting dark, an oxcart came, and some men got down from it. They kicked my three friends and ordered them to leave. And then the bunch of them—there must have been four men because there was one for each of my arms and legs—picked me up, said 'one-two-three,' and then threw me up in the air and onto the back of the cart. I don't remember after that."

As the woman finished her story, she saw that her mistress was crying. "What is it? Why are you crying?" she asked.

The girl couldn't answer. "Tell me why." "What, am I not supposed to cry?" "But why should you cry?" "I'm crying for you!" the girl wailed. In a flash, the servant was on her feet. She opened the mosquito netting,

put her arms around the girl's legs and kissed her feet. "Oh, my dear. I have so many bad memories. Outside this place, I tell you, there's only cruelty—cruelty to people like ourselves."


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"Where did the oxcart take you?" "Where else do they take commoners? To jail." "Was it bad in there for you?" "I couldn't walk for three months. Even so, they still chained my legs.

After they finally removed the chains, they took me away, I don't know where. I just remember being laid out on the cold floor and then three Javanese government officials taking turns asking me questions. There was a Dutchman there, too, watching me, but he didn't ask me anything. All he said was 'dog.' "

The girl didn't know what comfort she could give her servant. All she could do was speak: "Where I come from, the people say the sea can be mean. It gives us our food, but it can be mean."

"Maybe so, but it doesn't torture people on purpose." "No, it doesn't do that," the girl agreed. "It collects the debt that's owed to

it, nothing more. At least that's what my father says." The girl sat up. "Why do you sleep on the floor? Why don't you sleep here, beside me?"

"I am your servant. It would be a sin against the Master, and against Allah, too, to place myself higher than the Master's knees."

"But I never had a servant before I came here," the girl insisted. "I know that, Young Mistress." "I don't know what I'm supposed to do." "I know that, too." "And why am I even talking about myself after all you've had to go

through? How did you get out of jail?" "One morning they just kicked me out. That's all." "So what did you do?" "I set off on foot. I didn't know where I was going, didn't even know the

name of the city I was in. I couldn't go back to my village; I was afraid they'd put me on another work crew. The first few nights, I slept beneath the big banyan in the city square— yes, the one over there." The servant pointed in the direction of the city square. "In the morning, I'd hide in the market." She pointed toward the south. "It was here, in this city, that I had been imprisoned, but then I met a man, one of the Bendoro's drivers, and we got married. Five years we were married and lived here, but I never got pregnant again. And then one day, my husband fell from a coconut tree and died."

"But you stayed on?" "Yes, Young Mistress, I did. I liked taking care of children. I can't tell you

how many I've helped raise in the fifteen years that I've been here." Neither the girl nor her servant spoke for a moment as they listened to the

crashing of the waves on the shore. The steady whistle of the wind reminded the girl of her father. "Who's cooking for Papa now?" she suddenly asked.

The servant said nothing as the girl continued to speak: "It should be me. What with Ma here with me, Papa is alone."


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"Don't think about men," the older woman advised, "even your own father. Men can always take care of themselves, even in hell no doubt."

"But he is my father," the girl said. "But now, Young Mistress, you are the Bendoro's consort . and you live

here, in this big house. And nobody is going to bother your father, not even with him living out in that fishing village on the coast. None of the overlords; none of the soldiers, either. Your father will never have to run away again or to take his family to some small fishing island. Not now. Your father will have the respect of everyone in the village. Everyone will listen to what he has to say. Don't worry yourself needlessly, Young Mistress."

"How can you know all this?" the girl asked. "I know lots of things, Young Mistress, too many things." She smiled.

"Sometimes even the Master asks me questions." "Do you like me, Mbok?" The girl now used the familiar term of address

for an older woman. "More than you'll ever know, Young Mistress." "Then take one of my bracelets, or a necklace." "You must stop suggesting such a thing. I could be run out of this place for

that. And if that were to happen, I wouldn't know where to go. The world is wide, but where would I go? I just don't know."

"I love you, Mbok. I just want you to promise me to tell me if I do anything wrong."

"As long as you keep the Master happy, Young Mistress, you can do nothing wrong." She turned her pillow over, plumped it up, and slapped it down. “To do any wrong toward the Bendoro would be to invite trouble in your life. Do you understand what I'm telling you, Young Mistress?”

There was no answer. The Girl from the Coast was asleep. After the Master's return, days and then weeks went by without the girl's

servant visiting the girl's room again/Meanwhile, ( the girl's mother returned to the village, taking with her a gun-nysack of rice, several score rupiah, some used clothing of the Bendoro's for her husband, a kilogram of tamarind paste, and a number of tins of spices,

The Girl from the Coast wasn't able to see her mother until a few minutes before her departure. When the girl's mother came to her bedroom to say good-bye, the girl offered her her gold jewelry several times, but her mother feigned not to hear the offer and talked to her about other things: about the girl's father and his work in the village; about their need for a new net to replace the one they had, which was old and worn out; about the cost of sailcloth, which had fallen in price; about the rise in the price of resin, which meant that her father had to put off resealing his boat.

"Is there something you'd like me to tell him?" the girl's mother finally asked.


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"Just ask him for his blessings," she said. "Do you like living here?" her mother asked. "You and Pa want me to live here. I'd rather be home, in the village." "A woman must be with her husband. That's the way it's been for me," the

mother consoled. "It doesn't matter if you live in a rundown shack or whether or not you're happy; you have to learn to please your man."

The girl pressed on her mother two lengths of dress batik, which she accepted without comment. But then, finally, she said, "I have to go."

"But Ma!" "Don't raise your voice like that. You're not a little girl anymore." "Yes, Ma." "Now when you cry you must learn to cry alone. Nobody, else is going to

see or hear you. You have to stop thinking about yourself and learn how to make other people happy."

After watching her mother leave from her place beside the door to her room, the girl turned and went inside. Catching sight of her reflection in the mirror, she studied her features, and the look on her face, but then quickly averted her eyes and went to lie down on her bed. What now? the girl screamed silently. Haven't I suffered enough? But she had no rights now, she had come to realize, not even the right to scream from fear or pain. During the weeks since her arrival at the Bendoro's house, she had gradually been taught to understand that the one and only thing she could do—in fact, had to do—was to serve her husband,) the Bendoro. It's not that she wasn't accustomed to helping others.At home, in the village, she I had always helped her parents and lent a ready hand to relatives and fellow villagers. She herself sometimes had to gather her father's net, heavy with its metal sinkers, and hang it from the cross-beam in the house to dry; using a wooden pole for a lever, she would, all by herself, hoist the net onto a pulley and raise it to the joist. She also had to help grind the dried shrimp. Now her mother would be performing that task alone, all for the few cents that she would receive from the Chinese trader from town. That was work. But here, in this house, what did people actually do?

"We are here to serve the Bendoro, Young Mistress," the servant stressed. Was that work? Serving the Bendoro was work? This was something the

Girl from the Coast could not comprehend. A batik teacher was called to the house to teach the girl how Jtp transform

a piece of white cloth into a fabric of multicolored patterns; thereafter, mornings would find her with a pencil tracing intricate patterns on cloth. The calluses on her hands disappeared, and her skin grew soft from the lack of hard work. Once a week another teacher came to teach her cake making. And every third jiay, her religion teacher would come to tell her tales of mystery that had been handed down from some far-distant desert kingdom.


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In time, the girl's thoughts of home—of her mother and father, her younger siblings and her relatives—grew less frequent. But when she did think of them and her life in the village, she would ask her servant to repeat for her all the fisherman's tales she knew.

The Girl from the Coast gradually became accustomed to a way of life that was filled with tools to make work easier. She became familiar with the sound of Dutch being spoken by the young relatives of the Bendoro when they left the prayer house to the left of the main house. She could hear their voices through the wall of her room, and when they spoke in Javanese she learned of many things she didn't know before: One of their classmates, who had gone to school in Holland, had returned home, not with a degree but with a young Dutch woman on his arm; a Dutch warship was now anchored a number of miles offshore; the cliffs on the coast north of Lasem had caved in, resulting in a large flood; three pirate boats had attacked a fishing village near her home and wiped out more than a tenth of the population before carrying off all the gold, silver, and other items of value that were to be found; a number of young men from the city had joined the government army and gone to fight overseas.

"If you were to go back to your village now," her servant told her one day, "everyone there would think you were a princess."

The Girl from the Coast also took lessons in embroidery, knitting, and sewing. Her quick mind and apparent skill at most anything she set out to do excited praise in all her teachers.

Several times during the weeks she had been at the Bendoro's house, she had gone to the kitchen to try to help with the work there, but she didn't do that anymore. The looks the kitchen staff gave her told her that her company wasn't welcome.

"You'd best stay out of the kitchen," her servant advised. "The kitchen help are nothing more than servants, but you'd never know that from their attitudes, grumbling and griping-all the time. They can't see the good fortune in front of their own faces. They should live in their own shacks and see how they like it then."

During this formative time, the Bendoro did not visit the girl's bedroom.

"The Master is very busy helping the Regent," the servant told her. "They say that the Regent is now going to marry a princess from Solo. It's such a shame about Kartini's death. Just twenty-something and dead from childbirth! Now she was a person to look up to. Such courage! No one had more. She wasn't even afraid to speak her mind to the Dutch. All the important people respected her."

Even the Girl from the Coast had come to know of the young woman named Kartini. When she had visited the city several years ago, the girl learned, she had traveled in a royal carriage. All the people of the district had been ordered


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out to the highway to greet her, where they stood waving the Dutch tricolor paper flags with their dark brown hands. Now, she finally understood the story her father had brought back with him from the city several years ago when he and several other men from the village had gone there to represent the village at a gathering in the city's central square. All she knew at the time was that they had been there to witness festivities for an incredible young woman from Jepara who had married the Regent. That young woman, she surmised, must have been Raden Ajeng Kartini. And now she was dead. Such a short life, but she had managed to do so much in that time: acquiring an education and fluency in Dutch despite the many barriers; establishing schools for girls; setting up cooperatives for artisans. It was no wonder her name was now held with such respect.

The Girl from the Coast didn't particularly like hearing about the great wedding celebration that had been held for Kartini and the Regent. What did that say about her own marriage ceremony, with a dagger instead of a groom? But she marveled at the stories of Kartini's love for children, regardless of whose they were. Her servant had told her about the Bendoro's children; and what caused it, she wasn't quite sure, but/the more time she spent in his house, the more she wanted to take care of his children. But that, it seemed, was not to be; the children of previous consorts were intentionally kept away from her sight. Even the older child, the Young Master Rahmat, she rarely saw, though she did sometimes hear him speaking in Dutch to his teacher in the back room of the house. The days passed and the Girl from the Coast spent her time practicing her new skills. Her skin, no longer baked by a coastal sun, became reddish yellow in color; her young girl's features had disappeared and had been replaced by a more womanly expression.

As the wedding date of the Regent approached, the Bendoro spent less and less time in his own home. Months passed when she almost never saw the Bendoro; during this time, he never set foot in her room. The city was bedecked with colored flags and palm-leaf decorations. The princess from Solo, it seemed, was to be given an even greater welcome than the one that had been shown to Kartini.

The city arches, marking the official gateways of the regency, were decorated with palm leaves and banana trunks, as were the roadways into town. On the shore of the city's northern border, the masonry wall that surrounded the sacred anchor, symbol of the city, was being restored. And then one night, some six months and a few weeks after the Girl from the Coast arrived at the Bendoro's home, the city came alive with celebration. On that night, her servant escorted her from her room and out of the house across the central garden to a pavilion on the far right side of the compound. They went inside and climbed to its uppermost floor and there, from the open air vent, watched the festivities in the square below. The city was bathed in light and the


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square was filled with spectators. She wanted to join the party makers below, to be a part of the crowd of people she had known since she was just a baby. But now that was not possible, for she was higher than them all.

Late that night, she returned to her room, her mind awhirl. She thought of the Regent, a man much older than the Bendoro, and his Solonese bride, a woman greater in years than she, whose wedding celebration had been an event for all the city to see. But her own wedding to the Bendoro—how had that been celebrated? Certainly there had been no grand welcome celebration.

At three o'clock in the morning, she awoke to find the servant gone from the floor below her bed and .the Bendoro sprawled on the bed beside her.

At five in the morning, the servant came back to the room. Seeing her mistress still lying on the bed, she went closer and heard the young woman calling to her in a whisper, "Help me, Mbok, please ..."

The servant pulled back the mosquito net and placed the fo lds over a hook to keep the curtain aside. "Are you sick?" she asked.

The girl could only moan. The servant felt the girl's legs. "It's all right, Young Mistress. You don't

feel feverish." "But I feel sick," the girl told her. Lifting her arms toward the woman, she

said, "Please take me to the bathroom." The woman took hold of the girl's arms at her elbows and pulled her into a

sitting position. She fixed the girl's hair, which was now in complete disarray, and straightened the girl's blouse and batik wraparound cloth. She smoothed out the wrinkles in the bedsheet with her hand.

"You're not sick, Young Mistress," the servant said again as she helped the girl from her bed.

"But Mbok ..." she lamented softly. "It's all right, Young Mistress, it won't be like that again.". The girl's mind reeled with darkened images of the night before: her

husband coming into her room and lifting the cloth that - covered her lower body. "What happened?" she asked, for she herself was not completely sure. After the servant had helped her mistress to her feet, she pointed at the

bedsheet and several small reddish brown stains. "Don't worry. A little pain, a few drops of blood. You've been here over six months. That's nothing."

"But Mbok . . ." the girl moaned again. "Yes, Young Mistress." "I'm afraid." "Of course you are." "Take me to the bathroom." The servant helped the girl walk away. "Mbok?" "Yes, Young Mistress."


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"I want to see my mother. When can she come back?" They continued their slow journey toward the bathhouse. "Mbok?" 'Yes, Young Mistress." 'Do you think I'm pretty?" "You're beautiful, Young Mistress." "But weren't the others prettier?" "In this world, Young Mistress, when beauty passes, everyone steps

aside." At the inner courtyard, they rested momentarily. "But the others," the girl continued, "weren't they nice, too?" "You're much nicer, Young Mistress." "Mbok?" "Yes, Young Mistress." "Do you love me?" "Do you still have any doubt?' "No, I wasn't doubting you. But, what about. . . ?" She didn't have to

finish. "The Master loves you, Young Mistress. You don't have to worry about

that." "But..." "Yes, Young Mistress?" "I'm afraid." "What are you afraid of?" "Do you think I'll always be pretty?" "Of course you will. Why not?" "When you were young," she asked the servant, "were you pretty?" "I was never pretty, Young Mistress." "I'm so afraid." The two women vanished behind the door to the bathhouse.


Documents

THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN WOMAN INFERIORITY AS … · seen in LaVyrle Spencer s November of the Heart and Pramoedya Ananta Toer s The Girl from the Coast: A Comparative Study