Maria Kristina Pingkan – 1021150015
Yurica – 1021150004
Gender in Literature and Society
Gender
is characteristics and social differences that distinguish between masculinity
and femininity, male and female, men and women. Thus, gender tends to roles and
social systems while sex is more on biological things. Gender has social
expectations such as woman usually demanded to nurturing while men supposed to
be a leader.
There is a concept of gender that
influences our daily lives. First of all concepts of women, in society, women
have three roles which are as daughters, wives and mothers. So, women have
boundaries to men in patriarchy system. As daughters they have their father names.
As wives their responsibilities to obey their husbands and be passive in taking
families decisions because they have their husbands’ last name. That is why
wives being oppressed in marital lives. Then, as mothers they have to take care
of their family members. Therefore, during their life, they have no own life,
because they have to dedicate they lives to men. Those are called femininity.
In society, men also have three
roles, such as son, husbands, and fathers. As son, they are educated to be a
leader, strong, independent, brave, bold, and not soft and they are forbid to
cry, because usually cry is for girls, and being a son is also a pride of their
family. As husbands, they must be taking control of their family, to protect
them and make decisions to their families. As fathers they tend to be a role models
for their sons and to be a shelter to their families. They also have to work,
to provide their family. Those called masculinity.
These concepts has rooted in our
daily lives, especially for some cultures having strict rules about this. In
some of Indonesian cultures’ perspectives, marriage life tends to patriarchy
systems indicating women should be the second class while men are the first
class in their positions. It is a part of social-construct still occurs in
small villages. For example, in a marriage, a woman should be “perfect” or
“ideal” for man. She is demanded to be patient and soft, can cook and put make
up. She has to be “flawless” for society means that she should be still virgin
before marriage and come from a good family if she will married a man from
higher class than him. On the other hand, for man, the society never asked for
his “virginity” because it can be directly seen and known. Well, this society
is really unfair because it is not too important for a man to be “flawless” too
as long as he has a good job and earns much money (in some cultures, man can
“buy” his chosen woman with a large amount)
However, in big cities such as Jakarta, it is
not really matter anymore because both men and women should be active and independent to earn money.
Working is a must and there is no gender distinction to have a job, excluding
some jobs needing more energy and should be done by men. Even though there is
difference in salary for men and women, a chance to get job still same
according to personal’s test result, competencies , and abilities of the
worker.
Nowadays, these images are not really
suitable with the fact, because men should be masculine and women should be
feminine. However, these situations often are turned over. From example, some
men are feminine and some women are masculine. In this case, some men do
woman’s works and they are not ashamed to do it. They also have women’s
characters, such as, they care to their body, their face, and they can nurture,
and do the house chores. On the other hand, some women can be independent, have
career, be a leader, can do men’s works, such as engineering, wrestling, repair
electronic stuff, and be a chauffeur.
Literature leads us to understand the issues of gender,
then we can related the issues in real life because literature talks about
human kinds and values. Literature helps to spread gender issues to the world
and also influence either women or men about the equality for woman right.
Through literature, women can voice what they feel and have, such as
oppression, discrimination and other unfair treatment as the effects of society
demand in patriarchal systems. As seen in the
God of Small Things where Roy brings some facts about Indian women that
strive and stay in those “illogical” rules by religion and culture. This novel
can help world understand Indian women’s suffering and drive (or perhaps
continue?) women’s movement in India. This struggle will never stop until they
have their rights as a human. Thus, literature is a window for a person and
world to see the reality and then involved to do something for a better future.
In my opinion
(Yurica) the issues related to gender has changed because between male and
female everything they both have or do must be balance, for the example in the
house, the male should help do the house chores because they lives together and
even if they both work, but in the house they must be work together to keep the
balance in the house. Then, the identity of male and female is also changed,
now some male are more ‘feminin’ than female, even they are more keep their
looks.
I am personally (Maria) do not really
agree with what society forms about gender although I have to follow this
system whether I like it or not. As a woman, I prefer to do the best in my life
not for being a “good” future wife or mom but more on being a good woman for
myself. If I can cook it is all for myself and people I love not because it is
my duty. If I can dress up or put make up on my face it is not because I have
to be beautiful for a man, but it is more because I want it for myself. I want
myself to be independent and responsible. I do not want society to limit my
love for my future family because taking care of my family and obey my (future)
husband, for me, should be done as an expression of love not a burden. I can do
those things with all my heart but no one can force me to be what they want (my
future husband, mother in law, etc) If I love my family, I will do anything for
them but it does not mean I am their assistant, slave, or chef.
Therefore, this course has
strengthened my beliefs of being a “tough” woman related to gender, race, and
identity. Honestly, it is hard to against this system but it must. In my
opinion, women should be treated equally by society because women give birth
and educate their children. Furthermore, woman in marriage has a role as a
“pillar” that supports her husband in every aspect of life, such as in
religious and work life. It all comes from women, as a quote says that behind a
success man, there is a success woman either she is a mother, wife or perhaps a
sister. It is not always about marriage, but for a women it is about being
good, better, and the best for ourselves from the first.
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