The Representation of Women in N.H.Dini’s Pada Sebuah Kapal: The Reflection of Women Cultural Identity of the 1970s

Abstract

This study is aimed at finding how women is presented in N.H. Dini’s Pada Sebuah Kapal. This novel is written with the setting time in 1973, and therefore the story evolves by depicting the culture of the 1970s. By acknowledging the facts of the new order in Indonesia, it is particularly interesting to see how women in those years are depicted in the relevance of today’s women condition. This study reveals the facts that though women may seem to have a choice of her own regarding her life, they are subjected to the many limitations set by the society. There are standards that need to be met in terms of appearance, behaviour, and even thought if such women are hoped to be accepted within the society. Another point worth noted is the fact that being accepted by the society then is used as the parameter to define whether the women can be described as being happy or not.