Canting by Arswendo Atmowiloto: The Potrayal of Javanese Patriarchy and Women’s Challenge Towards the Patriarchal System

Abstract

Patriarchy is one of the phenomena that are found in the Javanese society, who believe and do the patriarchal practices. The inequality between men and women and oppression is the problem that women must face because of the idea of the men’s authority, and women should be subject to the authority of men. Canting, a novel written by Arswendo Atmowiloto, is one of very interesting novels which reflects the phenomena that happen in the society. It portrays how the patriarchal practices work in Javanese society and the effort from a woman character, Ni, to fight for her rights as the reaction to the oppression towards her. This study is aimed to analyze how the novel portrays Javanese patriarchy and how it challenges Javanese patriarchy through the characters in the novel. Feminist criticism is used to conduct this research and this novel is analyzed using characters analysis. The finding is that patriarchy is still a culture that is held by the Javanese society represented by the character Pak Bei. He becomes the head of the family and thus he rule over his entire family member, and has the power over his wife’s live to decide everything in her life. Bu Bei, is the victims of the patriarchal practices. Though, through the character Ni, it shows that within the oppression of the system, women can fight against the patriarchy, and struggle so that their lives are not driven by the men authority. Education becomes important factor that brings Ni to the point where she struggle and protest against the system, to open Ni’s mind to see the gender unfairness and redefining herself as an equal creature compares to men