Marginality in Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini

Thera Widyastuti

Literature Department, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia

Keywords: Culture, Inferior, Marginal, Patriarchy, Women

Abstract: The culture of patriarchy is practiced by almost all nations in the world. Women become the people who are

harmed. They are treated differently from men. Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini depicts women who are

living in Bali, and Balinese still adhere to customs and traditions, where women become inferior. The writer

describes how women face their bodies, religion, culture and society. This research is a descriptive

analytical study with intrinsic and extrinsic approaches. Critical theories of feminist literature, gender, and

sociology of literature are used as tools to analyze. The research finding is that women became marginalized

due to patriarchal culture.

1 INTRODUCTION

Literary works are part of people's lives. Activities

and events that occur in the society are recorded in

literature. The writer wrote it, published, then read

by the readers.

One of the functions of literature according to

Poe (Wellek, 1977: 25) is to entertain, and at the

same time teach something. Readers feel entertained

when reading literary works and also contain values

that provide education to the society.

Forms of literary works such as prose, drama and

poetry are favored in society. One of the various

types of prose is a novel, which is a long story that

has a variety of events and more than one main

character. The novel is made by building elements

which are intrinsic and extrinsic. Both are combined

in one work. A novel is totality, which is artistic by

combining the two elements.

The novels that appeared in Indonesia have a

long history, starting with the establishment of Balai

Pustaka in 1920-1950. In this period Indonesian

romans and novels were very well known, such as

Azab dan Sengsara (Merari Siregar, 1920), Siti

Nurbaya (Marah Roesli, 1922), Salah Asuhan

(Abdul Muis, 1928), and Tenggelamnya Kapal van

Der Wijck (Hamka, 1938). The development of

Indonesian literature continues with the emergence

of some periods: Pujangga Baru, Angkatan 45,

Angkatam 50-60, Angkatan 66-70, Angkatan 80-90,

Angkatan 2000, and Angkatan Milineal.

In the 80-90 period, the emergence of female

writers, such as NH. Dini, Mira W, Marga T, and

Oka Rusmini. They are very famous for works that

show women as the main characters. The presence

of female writers who brought up the themes of

women's daily lives gave rise to different colors.

Their work became a best seller. Concern for

women makes female authors favored by female

readers in particular.

Oka Rusmini is an Indonesian female writer

known for poetry, short stories and novels. Aside

from being a writer, she is also a journalist. Her

concern for the lives of women made her raise the

theme around women's issues. Oka Rusmini is from

Bali, and she described a lot about Balinese customs,

and her life as Brahmins. She was born in Jakarta,

on July 11, 1967. Her works include Earth Dance

(2000), Sagra (2001), Kenanga (2003), Tempurung

(2004). She was awarded the Equator Kusala

Literature award in 2004 for her poem titled Saiban.

This research discusses Oka Rusmini's novel

Tempurung. It was first published as a serial story

in 2004 in Media Indonesia Daily. This novel tells

the life of Balinese women in Bali with all the

problems surrounding their role, their bodies, and

Balinese society. More than one female character

presented, and each woman has problems with the

surrounding society, and also the culture that

surrounds them.

Balinese women are bound by culture, and

norms that are very binding, especially the caste

they adhere to, so women are helpless, and become

468

Widyastuti, T.

Marginality in Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini.

DOI: 10.5220/0009001604680473

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Language and Society (ICELS 2019), pages 468-473

ISBN: 978-989-758-405-3

marginalized. The problem in this research is about

the lives of marginalized women. And the purpose

of this research is to find out the lives of

marginalized women.

The research method used is descriptive analysis,

with literature studies. Descriptive method is a

research method used to investigate circumstances,

situations, which are then presented in the form of

research reports. This is done to achieve the desired

goals (Endraswara, 2003:146). Intrinsic and extrinsic

approaches are used to analyze problems in this

study. Figures and settings are intrinsic approaches

and the criticism theory of feminist literature,

gender, and sociology of literature is an extrinsic

approach used to answer research questions.

Whereas previous research on the same problem,

among others, was stated by:

(1) Feminist Literary Criticism in the Novel

Imraáh Inda Nuqthah Al-Shifr by Nawal Al-

Saadawi. Minyatul Ummah. 2009. The results of the

research show that women in Arabia experienced

violence, and a double burden which caused them to

experience gender injustice. (2) The Image of

Women in Novel Surga yang Tak Kurindukan by

Asma Nadia: A Review of Feminist Literary

Criticism. Ria Rahayu Candraning Tyas. 2017. The

research conclusions is women who have experience

violence, but can rise to become independent

women.

The presence of characters are very important

role in the novel. The characters according to

Abrams (in Nurgiyanto 2007: 165) are people who

are displayed in a narrative work, or drama that the

reader interpreted as having moral qualities, and

certain tendencies such as those expressed in speech

and what is done in action.

A novel shows the setting as an illustration

where events or events occur so the reader gets an

idea of the situation and conditions in which the

character is located.

Social and cultural settings have a big role in helping

readers to understand society and culture in a certain

period of time. Setting becomes the concrete basic of

the story and clearly. Readers can feel and assess the

truth, accuracy, and setting actulisation that is told

so that they feel familiar. It's as if the readers find in

the story something that is part of them.

Feminist literary criticism emerged as an impact

of the awareness of academics who had views about

women who had been harmed in society. The goal is

to deconstruct the system of society assessment of

the position of women in society. (Djajanegara in

Widyastuti, 2015: 23).

Then gender theory described women who are

different from men. Gender is different from sex,

where gender can be changed, and based on the

culture in which people are located. Whereas sex

cannot be changed. Many conditions change the role

of women and men in the society. The term sex is

generally used to refer to reproductive problems, and

sexual activity, the rest are used by the term gender

(Kessler and McKenna, 1977: 7). Sex is more about

the biological aspects of a woman or man,

concerning the number of chromosomes, genetics,

and reproductive organs.

Whereas the sociology of literature helps us

understand how society is related to literature, which

influences our perspective on certain societies. The

definition of sociology is focuses on the general

aspects of society, and seeks to get the general

patterns of people's lives (Soekanto, 2007). Literary

work is a product of society. The writer produces

literary works that are influenced by the place where

he lives and the relationship that exists between the

writer and the people who live in the environment.

Ian Watt in Damono (1978: 3-4) said there is a

reciprocal relationship between writers, literature,

and society, such as (1) the social context of the

writerr that relates to the social position of writers in

society, and its relation to the reading society; (2)

literature as a mirror of society that describes society

to know the state of society, and (3) social functions

of literature that see the extent to which literary

works are influenced by society.

2 DISCUSSION

Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini is a story about

women in Bali, and their bodies, as well as their

problems being women. The female characters are

present very interesting to analyze. Each character is

portrayed as a woman who is confronted with

culture, customs, and society that adheres to the

prevailing norms, rules, and values.

The story begins with the presence of the

character Ida Ayu or commonly called Dayu. She is

from the Brahman caste which is highly respected in

the Balinese community. Dayu is always greeted

with respect by people who know her.

People still call me Dayu, short for Ida Ayu. The

name of the greatness I have to bear because I was

born to a Brahmin family. My father, who has the

title Ida Bagus, married a woman, Ida Ayu. It is said

that my position is very high because I was born

from a woman's womb with the title Ida Ayu. (p. 6)

Marginality in Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini

469

Dayu made a bold decision by marrying a man who

was not of her caste and religion. She gave up all

privileges in Balinese customs. Even so, the people

around her still call her Dayu.

That woman sometimes likes to call

me atu, short for Ratu An honor call

for Balinese women in Brahmin caste.

I often say to her, don't call me that,

because now I'm no longer an Ida Ayu. I

was married to a man outside my caste and

religion. (p.16)

Dayu's husband is a writer who has strange

habits. Sometimes he leaves home a week without

notifying his wife. Suddenly he sent news by e-mail

to his family to inform that he had left for the

purpose of writing. Not long after returning home,

then left again to look for writing inspiration.

The next characters is Ni Luh Putu Saring. She is

a young woman who has a unique name, given by

her parents. Saring has a beautiful body shape and

beautiful face. Because of her name, she often

complained about her name which was considered

unusual.

My name is Ni Luh Putu Saring. All

young people today must laugh at my

name. I was called Saring. That name

often bothers me. Nothing I can do to

change my name, my parents are proud

of the word Saring attached to me, a strange

name that I always carry wherever I go. (p.25)

Saring married his beloved man named Barla, a man

with curly hair and sharp eyes. Many people did not

approve it when she married Barla, a man who

worked as a guide with uncertain income. Shortly

after marriage, Barla betrayed her by marrying a

woman who was much younger than Saring.

You're beautiful, Saring. Don't waste

your beauty. Don't torture yourself. Enjoy

your youth. You're still young now. You can

choose another man who is better. (p.52)

Saring never listen any comment from other

people. She alredy made decision to marry a man

who she loves so much.

Next is Ni Made Arsiki Wulandari. She is a

woman who grew up in Denpasar, the provincial

capital of Bali, so she felt she had no homeland. Her

parents came from Denpasar. She always felt sad

when her friends told her about their hometown.

My name is Ni Made Arsiki

Wulandari. I grew up in Denpasar. My

father is from Denpasar, and my mother is also a

Denpasar person. I don't have a country

home like everyone else. I am often jealous

of some friends who often tell stories about

their fathers and mothers countries home (p.183)

Another female character featured by the writer

is Ni Luh Wayan Rimpig. She is an emaciated old

woman. Villagers consider Rimpig is very strange

because her attitudes and behavior are more silent.

A thin body. Rimpig stepped forward.

She wants to see more clearly.

Straightened up. Two lumps of

withered flesh lay a little strange above

her heart.

Her eyes keep seeing her body. This

time she look her stomach. Flat and

not interesting. Two her hips look clearly.

Also flat, and do not make she feel like an

art on her body. (p.117)

Rimping is married to I Wayan Pasung, and has

three children, two sons I Wayan Ribeg, and I Made

Rabug, and one daughter, Ni Luh Nyoman Songi.

Her husband, Pasung never gave her money to

support their household needs. He was lazy, and

jobless. Therefore, they live in poverty.

Marginalization of Women

Marginalization occurs in women since long ago,

both at home (domestic) and outside the home

(public) where there were discrimination against

women by men. Therefore, marginalization of

women can be seen from the role of women in

society.

There are general conditions that make women

the same as men. But there are also special

conditions that women have to make them different,

but not to distinguish them (Arivia, 2006:5)

Women have tools and reproductive processes

that are bestowed with nature, where when women

are pregnant, giving birth and breastfeeding will

have gender stereotypical implications (Megawangi,

1999: 88).

Marginalization occurs because the society

relates it to the patriarchal that they adhere to. The

emerging gender role makes people treat women

differently from men. The role is related to gender,

and not sex. The definition of sex is associated with

male-female, which is determined conditionally and

biologically, while the masculine-feminine gender is

determined by the prevailing culture in the local

area.

ICELS 2019 - International Conference on Education, Language, and Society

470

Female characters in Novel Tempurung

experience life that is socially problematic for

themselves, and also the people around them.

Patriarchal gives the women more suffering because

it made rules and values which are not at women

side.

According to Dayu, is the body of tiang

not attractive anymore? Is it a man who tiang

has marry who has broken tiang body?

Please Dayu try.. try see the photo of tiang when

tiang was young. Beautiful, slim and sexy

body. (p.57)

The above quote explains that in a patriarchal

society, the socio-cultural construction of a woman's

body is used as a tool to maintain the power and

dominance of men over women. Domination can be

seen from the attitude of the people who put female

sexuality as a satisfying male sexual desire.

Meanwhile, Arsiki was sad because she had to

face a tribulation, her parents' house was confiscated

by the court because her father mortgaged the house.

Her father owed a lot money, and can not pay it.

Finally, Arsiki and her mother had to leave house

without money and anything. The spoiled Arsiki

must be transformed into an independent and mature

girl. She needs money, and look for a job bacuse

she has to feed her mother and herself.

When you were a child transformed

into an adult woman, many problems

came. First, the problem with your

body. Second, problems with the

environment. As your body grows older,

various rules are made by the society

in our bodies. This can't be, it can't be. This is

taboo, this is forbidden. Basically there are

many rules. All punish. All insulted. (p. 188)

Women become subordinated in society.

Patriarchal society makes women inferior, and men

become superior. Women have dependence on men,

and therefore men control women. When Arsiki's

family wealth is lost, the mother does not know what

to do because she relies on her husband. She is

domestic person.

Marriage

When a men and women become adulth, they

will continue their life journey into the marriage

stage. Marriage is a sacred moment carried out by

man and woman in a sacred bond. Those who are

united in marriage will live a family life. Kate Millet

(in Prabasmoro, 2006: 32) said that marriage/family

is the main instrument of patriarchy, which regulates

the attitudes and behavior of its members in such a

way that there is a perpetuation of patriarchal

ideology.

Patriarchal society provides a favorable position

for men, especially in personal relations, and also

power relations in day-to-day bases, maybe even

minute-to-minute,second-to-second bases. Wife in

sub-ordinate position, and husband in dominant

position. The following is a quote about the

marriage that was thought by Arsiki and her

girlfriend.

Marriage is also a tedious thing. First year,

you start learning to know his family, its

nature. You have to deal with a lot of big

problems. Today's women also have to think

about household economic affairs. (p.192)

Women not only think of household needs, but

also social needs. According to Benston (in Tong,

2004: 157), women were initially producers, and

were only secondary consumers. Women are a class

of people who are responsible for the production of

simple use values in activities associated with home

and family. Just because women do not sell products

from their work does not mean that their work is

easier than that produced in the marketed product.

Whereas Ida Ayu saw that her father's marriage

to her stepmother made her grandmother, her father's

mother furious because her child was asked to help

with housework.

"Your male authority will fall. You will no

longer be a real man. You marry a foolish woman.

Can't respect men. The point is that men must

be respected. And the authoritative man

is a man who never touches domestic

work. ( p. 235)

Men as leaders, and heads of households must be

respected. Men may not be told to do homework by

women in the household. Women do housework

while taking care of their children all day long. The

husband doesn't help her. The position of men over

women has been going on for a long time. The

domestic and public dichotomy has been going on

for a long time, where women are in the domestic,

and men in the public sphere, and this situation

creates gender inequality.

The culture of Bali places men upheld, and

women serve it. This situation makes Balinese

women become oppressed. They are marginalized

and cannot complain for the condition. These

marginalization is the attitude of the society as a

result of society social development. Dayu asked

about the situation of women who cannot complain

Marginality in Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini

471

of anything, and cannot be sick. This is unfair for

women.

Then, where is the man? Above the

crown of a woman. Women must not

show the pain after giving birth! Do

not rest before a man falls asleep! (p.

236)

The quote above is a situation that occurs in

patriarchal societies where women become objects,

and not subjects in the family. Therefore, women are

very disadvantaged because of their gender. The

female body continues to be an object, both objects

to be made "holy" and to be made "sexy".

Patriarchal culture prioritizes male interests, elevates

masculine values, and fosters women's interests, and

undermines feminine values. The implication is the

low appreciation of domestic work.

Love makes blind women. She doesn't care about

the opinions of others. When love is lost due to

suffering caused by the man she loves, then she

realizes that she has been tortured. Saring husband's

betrayal her for other woman who works in the

Salon near their house. Since they get married,

Barla, her husband’s did not give his wife money,

even though as a guide he often brought many

foreign tourists. Saring and her two sons, I Wayan

Pasek and I Made Pasek had to endure hunger

because they did not have money to buy food. The

ideal life that Saring dreamed was lost, and had to

face the bitter reality.

Patriarchy is a social structure, and ideology or

system of belief that men have superiority. Every

social system or historical period raises its own

variations regarding how patriots work, and how

different social and cultural practices. But the

principle remains the same, that men control most of

their income and social, economic and political

institutions (Bhasin in Widyastuti, 2015: 4). The role

of women as wives, and also mothers who take care

of homes, raise and care for children, and are hard

work. Here is the opinion of Elshtain (in Tong,

2008: 54) that Mothering is not an equal "role" with

being an administrative employee, a scientist, or an

air force member. Mothering is an activity that is

complex, rich, ambivalent, fun, which is a

biological, natural, social, symbolic, and emotional

thing. The following is a quote about the mothering

that Ida Ayu experienced which caused a contra in

her.

"Now I know. Are you worried about

being pregnant? Because you know a

lot about various diseases that attack

the womb. If you just read, and read

on, without ever trying how it feels to

be pregnant, giving birth, breastfeeding,

raising children, you won't feel how

extraordinary and the torment of being

a mother, how pleasurable and painful it is. Sleep

becomes a luxury. (p. 66-67)

Patriarchal society thinks that women who are

pregnant their children, are the most appropriate

figure to care for and raise them. Myths about

motherhood state that all children need their

mothers. Marriage is united men and women in

bonds that make them unite in the home. The

differences from one another eventually merge into

one. The life journey makes marriage a story that

can end in happiness or sadness.

For Rimpig, at first her marriage to Pasung

was initially sprinkled with hundreds of

love. Thousands of dreams. Millions of

wishes. In fact, the man he married was a lazy

man. He works only drinking alcohol at the

edge of the village. Always go home

at night. Meanwhile, Rimpig, a simple

village woman who does not have any

skills, only cooking, cutting firewood,

and planting several pieces of

vegetables for daily food. She never

earn money. (p. 116)

Happiness Rimpig had never felt during her

marriage. She had a dream of a happy marriage and

an established family, but she never achieved it. But

instead, she experienced domestic violence. Her

body was always battered beaten by her husband.

Komnas Perempuan (2001) states that violence

against women is all acts of violence committed

against women resulting in physical, sexual and

psychological harm and suffering to women.

Women as victims tend to be passive, and harbor

their inner self.

Rimpig's body was always battered.

The man never knew how tired it was

to take care of children. If his lust

was high, Pasung did not hesitate to

drag Rimpig, lay her thin body on the

ground in the kitchen, forcefully entered his body

roughly. (p. 116)

Violence committed by a husband against his

wife can be triggered by social conditions. Berger

(1990) suggested that individual behavior is actually

a social product, where values and norms in society

contribute to individual behavior, meaning that if the

value of society is patriarchal, men become superior,

ICELS 2019 - International Conference on Education, Language, and Society

472

and women become inferior, where domination of

the husband towards his wife in the home. Violence

experienced by women is oppression, Jagger (in

Widyastuti, 2015: 12) explained about the

oppression experienced by women: (1) historically,

women were oppressed groups, (2) oppression of

women experienced in various layers, (3) oppression

of women was most difficult to eradicate (4) the

consequences of oppression cause misery, and (5)

oppression gives rise to other forms of other

difficulties.

Women as marginalized people in society are

unable to change the fact that they are inferior

groups controlled by superior groups. Gender roles

have a big influence on women because the culture

in which women live makes how women are treated.

3 CONCLUSIONS

Indonesian Literature presents female writers who

care about women and their problems. Novel

Tempurung feature female characters Ida Ayu, Ni

Luh Putu Saring, Ni Luh Wayan Rimpig, and Ni

Made Arsiki Wulandari with each of the problems

they face as Balinese women.

Marginalization occurs because women become

inferior, and men become superior. This condition is

detrimental to women because marriage makes

women do domestic work, all must be done without

complaining. Ida Ayu, and Ni Made Arsiki

Wulandari must experience a situation where their

living conditions fall at the lowest point because

society makes them unable to avoid the values and

norms that apply.

While Ni Luh Putu Saring, and Ni Luh Wayan

Rimpig faced problems with their spouses, who gave

them suffering. Barla and Pasung betrayed their

wives, and caused suffering that made Ni Luh Putu

Saring and Ni Luh Wayan Rimpig become

oppressed women. Their loyalty as a wife is not

appreciated, because of a betraying husband.

Women as marginalized people in society are

unable to change the fact that they are inferior

groups controlled by superior groups. Gender roles

have a big influence on women because the culture

in which women live makes how women are treated.

Women tried to make better life but its still needs

long time to achieve their goal.

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