Chapter I introduction background to the study

1.2 Research Question
Based on issues above, the research questions are formulated as follows:
1. What kind of women oppression experienced by Maya?
2. What are the causes of Maya’s oppression?

3. 
   Objectives
   

Based on the research questions above, the objectives are formulated as follows:
1. To describe Maya’s oppression.
2. To identify the triggers of Maya’s oppression.
1.4 Significance to Knowledge
This study is expected to provide the clear explanation about Maya’s Oppression in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings novel by Maya Angelou and explains the causes of Maya’s Oppression, especially sexual oppression. Kate Millett “Sexual Politcs”(1970) Theory is applied, in order to learn the elements which raises patriarchal system that is constitute to study of feminist radical. Personally, the significance to knowledge of this study is to deepen the writer’s comprehension about the sexual politics theory. This study is also expected to develop knowledge about sexual politics to the reader.


1.5 Framework of Theory
One of the feminist radical used by the writer as the grand theory in this research was Kate Millett as the author of ‘Sexual Politics’ (1970). Radical feminism focuses on the sex and gender system. Valery Brison in her book’ Feminist Political theory’(2003) stated that radical feminist as radix of women oppression affected by the power of men and takes the form of men domination over women in all areas of life namely sexual domination. Millett (1970: 91) stated “sex is political. Male and female relationship is the paradigm for all power relationship” it means that politics emerge because of sex which become the paradigm, relationship between men and women constitute the power of patriarchal system. Millet divided 8 aspects which construct the sexual politics they are Ideological, Biological, Sociological, Educational and Economic, Anthropological, Psychological, and Force. Millett explains that the patriarchy occurs in society because the institution or the system constructs it. In order to analyze the data in the novel, several aspects of sexual politics which is related on the data, include the following aspects: sociological, biological, ideological, economic and anthropological, were chosen.
Millett stated that biological aspects is biologically the differences between men and women is the human nature. However the culture has constructed the differences, also that construct emerges the concepts which is the men are strong whereas women are weak, because of that concept mostly occurs the discrimination through the women (1970, 27). The concept itself created in patriarchal system there is masculine and feminine which also emerged women oppression.
Sociological is dispute domestic role of men and women because the beginning of patriarchal system begins from domestic life headed by men as the patriarch(1970,33). It means that Millet disputes families’ life, in that condition women are oppressed, because family is constitute patriarchal system.
In Ideological aspect Millett is disputes sex role between men and women, assures that man tend to be a masculine which have dominant role whereas the women mostly tend to be feminine and have subordinate role, All of them constructed by patriarchal societies(1970,26). Ideologically Millett explains feminine and masculine form the men superiority which have dominant role that it can be seen by their status. Women inferiority form because feminine which close to the women thus emerged the oppression.
According to Millett economic aspect is financially women cannot earn money especially after married and have the children. Women will be focused on domestic life(1970,39). It means that Millett clearly explains domestic life impede the women to have the job, and assumed that women cannot earn the money, occasionally, women can have the job but it is not as what they had expected because women should adjust their status and education.
In anthropological aspects Millett divided it into myth and religion. However the writer only took the religion aspect. Millet states the culture with the myth and religion made by men it is briefly described by Millett that woman are the sinful creature, and god is a father(1970,46). These ideas which shaped culture in regard to the women were also the men design. The image of women created by men and fashioned to suit their needs. Those five aspects above will be used as the indication to show the triggers of sexual oppression experienced by Maya. To discuss Maya as a main character, the writer uses Wellek and Werren “Theory of Literature”(1959) In order to do the analysis, characters and characterization will be analyzed by telling and showing method. The writer told the character’s name and showed the dialogue in the novel. Characterization is analyzed through Maya’s appearance in the novel. In order to make the research can be more clearly understood, here is the flowchart for the framework of theory:


Sexual Oppression

Maya

Kate Millett
Sexual Politics

Economic

Anthropological

Sociological

Biological

Ideological

Maya Angelou
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”