Chapter I introduction background to the study

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1. 
   Background to the study
   

The rights between men and women are different because generally women are considered as weak, such as governmental, or leader is dedicated to the men, and they are restricted the women and even prohibited to do activity as men do. This condition is constructed by patriarchy system. According to Bhasin patriarchy literally means the rule of the father or ‘patriarch’ (2006:3). It is assumed that the father or men have more chance to control women. Patriarchy system makes the discrimination between women and men, because men have more power than women. Hence, that discrimination emerges the oppressions toward women. One of women’s oppressions is the sexual oppression as depicted in the novel I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (2015).
This novel raises the phenomenon of sexual oppression that is experienced by Marguerite Ann Johnson or Maya as a black woman. Her mother’s boyfriend, Mr. Freeman, raped her when she was taken by her mother to St. Louis, and then she could not tell others because Mr. Freeman threatened her.
Maya’s oppression becomes the topic of this research because the effect of patriarchal system that affects Maya of being raped and emerges the triggers of her sexual oppression. Sociological, biological, ideological, economic and anthropological are base aspects which become the triggers of her oppression. Hence, this research relates to sexual politics. According to Millet (1976), the aspects are divided into eight aspects which construct the sexual politics: Ideological, Biological, Sociological, Educational and Economic, Anthropological, Psychological, and Force. In order to analyze the data in the novel, several aspects of sexual politics which is related to the data are taken. In order to support the research, the writer uses two researches.
First research was made by Lady Sekar Mayang (2013), which is discussed the women’s rights in ‘The Scarlet Letter’ from radical feminist point of view. She applied four aspects in sexual politics, they are biological, sociological, economic educational, and anthropological aspects. Which focused on women in puritan era. Second research was made by Rika Agustin (2011) entitled ‘Belenggu-belenggu Patriarki yang Dihadapi oleh Tokoh Utama dalam Novel The Bell Jar karya Sylvia Plath’. Rika discussed about the main character in The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and showed the patriarchal experienced by the main character. Due to analyze the main character, Rika applied two aspects in sexual politics which is Biological and Sociological focused on woman subordination is caused by women’s reproduction causing an argument of virginity between man and woman.
The differences of both researches are Rika focused on Marriage life and Woman Reproduction as the main cause of Patriarchy and using two aspects of sexual politics which is Biological and Sociological while Lady used four aspects of sexual politics there is Economical, educational, and Anthropological aspects that refer to Women’s right in Puritan. Both of the research have gaps in certain issues, one of which is not discussing all aspects in sexual politics. In order to complete and increase the aspects of sexual politics, the writer will add Ideological aspect that have not been discussed in both researches.
This research focuses on sexual oppression caused by patriarchal system, and also emerges the triggers of sexual oppression that related to the aspects of sexual politics. Therefore, this research was entitled Maya’s Oppression in “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sing” by Maya Angelou.