Exploring Women Discrimination As A Gender Stereotype

In The Film Little Woman 2019

Aldhita Dzakiyyah Adnan diteadnan@gmail.com

Wafiq Azizah azizahikhsan09122002@gmail.com

Arbi Irwansa arbiirwansyah2043@gmail.com

Nabila nabillanasyirah20@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study wanted to learn more about how women are treated unfairly
just because they are women. They were watching a movie called Little Women
which is about four sisters who live in a time when girls were not treated as well
as boys. In this study, we looked at the movies to see if they showed unfair
treatment of women. We watched the movies and took notes on things like how
women were treated, what they said, and how they were shown in the pictures.
Then, we put the information into groups to understand what situations in the
movie show discrimination against women. The study looked at the movie Little
Women (2019) and found that the movie shows some ideas about boys and girls
that may be unfair. For example, it shows boys and girls doing certain things
that people think they should do, instead of letting them choose what they
want. It also shows that girls may not have the same opportunities to study and
work as boys. People in the movie also treat boys and girls differently, and that's
not right. This study looks at how girls and boys are shown in movies and how
they are treated unfairly. The results of this study can help us learn more about
treating boys and girls equally and being fair to everyone. It is hoped that these
results will make people present girls in a better way in movies and in real life.
1. 1NTRODUCTION

Literature is simply a means of expanding our experience, taking us to new

places, and allowing us to imagine doing things we might never have the
chance to do otherwise.
Language—oral and written—is the source of literature—an art. It differs
in three ways: first, it is focused and meaningful, second, its purpose is not
just to explain, argue, or make a point; rather, it is to give readers a sense of
pleasure in discovering new experiences, and third, it requires readers to pay
close attention. Poetry, novels, plays, films, and other kinds of literary works
are among them.

One indisputable fact of life is the perpetuation of gender stereotypes.

Because films can have a significant impact on audiences, gender stereotypes
in films merit investigation. People's attitudes can be influenced and shaped
by gender stereotypes shown in a movie. Even though gender stereotypes can
change over time, the majority of movies show their male and female
characters as they are. Women are typically depicted as powerless, dependent,
and emotional, whereas men are typically portrayed as strong, brave,
adventurous, and independent.

According to Brannon (2016), gender stereotypes are beliefs about the

characteristics and activities that are appropriate for men or women. In the
writing, this term has frequently been stood out from the term sex. However,
according to Stoller (1990), while gender refers to the behavior and cultural
practices of men and women, sex refers to the physical differences between
men and women. According to Krahn (2015), gender stereotypes can also be
defined as the characteristics of the genders that distinguish them from the
typical "masculine" and "feminine" in society. According to Brannon (2016),
there are four distinct aspects to gender stereotypes: traits, behaviors,
occupations, and physical characteristics. First, physical characteristics refer
to an individual's physical appearance. Second, a person's job is linked to
their occupation. Thirdly, traits are a person's personality, wisdom, and
behavior are their actions toward something.

Discrimination means treating someone unfairly because of their gender,

race, or other characteristics. It is thought to be a barrier to achieving the
goals of equality, progress, and peace. All over the world, discrimination is
recognized as a form of inequality and a problem for women. It hinders
women's ability to fully and freely participate in society and has negative
psychological effects. Women make up half of the world's population, and
despite differences among nations, religions, societies, and ethnicities, a
significant portion of them continue to face discrimination in various life
stages, either directly or indirectly. Women and men both view discrimination
as a social value and accept it as a cultural tradition.

The purpose of film theory is to investigate the essence of cinema and

offer conceptual frameworks for comprehending how cinema interacts with
reality, the other arts, viewers, and society as a whole. In addition, the
purpose of films is to impart significant meaning and a social message to the
audience. A film's messages frequently relate to the social phenomenon of the
setting and the time period. Many people's lives have been influenced by
movies. A film, on the other hand, does not have a clear definition. Kolker
(2000) emphasizes that it is difficult to define film because films appear to
have become a taken-for-granted part of the lives of the majority of people,
despite the fact that Arnheim (1957) believes that film is similar to literature,
painting, and music in the way that it is used to produce artistic results. He
emphasizes that that movie is just that: Film exists solely for enjoyment.

Even though Kolker (2000) asserts that film can be considered an art
form because it is, in fact, a text like other forms of art, he contends that film
differs in some respects. Kolker (2002) says that a text is a structure of
meanings that is easy to understand and is made up of complicated events that
are related to a context. In addition, Kolker (2002) stated that the physical
(photographic images), narrative (the experience of watching the film), and
economic and cultural (production, distribution, and consumption)
characteristics of film text distinguish it from text in other forms of art. In
addition, according to Wardaningsih (2017), the goals of film studies are to
reveal and also explain the methods that set films apart from other literary
works. In addition, Nelmes (2012) contends that film studies focuses not only
on the production process itself but also on how it affects the audience.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

The Discrimination as Seen in 8 Mile Movie, by Hudayana (2017),

describes a multicultural society that is prone to conflict because of its many
cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, social classes, races, sexual identities, and
religions. Based on Eminem's actual life as a rapper, this movie gives a little
insight into the United States of America. The study of how the movie 8
miles depicts discrimination is fascinating. Additionally, qualitative research
methods are utilized in this study. It analyzes discrimination based on the
film by employing D.M. Newman and Charles A. Gallagher's theory of
racism. Film theory is also used by researchers in this study to explain some
of the images. The researcher came to the conclusion that racism is rooted in
both theory and practice. This indicates that practices like racial treatment
arise as a result of their differing ideologies, which result in racial
discrimination. In addition, the primary causes of racial discrimination are
the environment (culture) and historical factors.

In the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, a study titled "Racial

Discrimination" was conducted by Nadiba (2016). Through stories and
characters, the novel discusses the social life of Africans who are subjected
to racial discrimination. The purpose of this study is to examine the
manifestation of racial discrimination in Africa by white people against
 black people. The researcher uses theories from Aristotle, Wellek and
Warren, and De Bonald to explain how racial discrimination is practiced in
Africa and how it affects those who are subjected to it. The findings indicate
that racism has a significant impact on the black population in Africa, which
is subjected to brutality and violence.

In Ernest J. Gaines' Before Dying, Naufal (2016) conducted a study titled

"Hegemonic Discrimination as Seen." His study aims to analyze "A Lesson
Before Dying," a book by Ernest J. Gaines about the lives of black people in
South America. The social interactions between white people and black
people in South America are the primary focus of this thesis. This study
employs hegemony theory as the primary theory for analyzing both study
problems because it is necessary for analysis. Due to the issue of
discrimination in the relationship between white people and black people in
South America, the theory of hegemony is utilized. In addition, the
sociology of literature method is utilized to link literary works to
sociological aspects.

The difference between the three previous findings and this scientific
paper is that it discusses discrimination in general and the impact of
discrimination, while this scientific paper focuses more on discrimination of
women and how women fight for their rights.

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

a. The Method of Research

This scientific paper uses a descriptive qualitative method, which means to

get new things and understand the true meaning of the subject. Developing
questions and processes are included in the research procedure. Sarah
mentioned that qualitative method is a general term for the process of
collecting, analyzing and interpreting information from research objects and
 written records to understand, characterize meaning, relationships and patter
(Sarah, 2013: 36). Qualitative research is the analysis, interpretation and
collection of narratives and data that are visually comprehensive to gain
insight into certain phenomena.
Descriptive qualitative means collecting data in the form of words or quotes
rather than numbers. According to Johnny, descriptive qualitative is a
method of basic information from data collection, study points or described
in an object as a measure of proving a finding (Johnny, 2013: 73).

b. Tehnicque Data Analysis

All about the datums that we found is from the movie with the tittle Little
Women is a 2019 American romantic drama film directed by Greta Gerwig
and produced by Amy Pascal, Denise Di Novi and Robin Swicord. The
film's script was written by Greta Gerwig based on the novel Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott. The movie stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson,
Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern and Meryl
Streep. Little Women is the second collaboration between Saoirse Ronan
and Timothée Chalamet after Lady Bird. The film premiered at the Rio de
Janeiro International Film Festival on December 9, 2019 and was released in
the United States on December 25, 2019.The film received positive
reviews from critics.

c. Instrumen of Research

We used a note taking technique as a research instrument, recording,

managing, or reviewing notes in an object to be analyzed. According to
Andrew, the method of taking notes is based on various strategies and
typical structural components of rhetorical objects (Andrew, 2017: 10-11).
 4. FINDINGS

This part will provide an overview and the valid data regarding woman
discrimination as a gender stereotype in the film “Little Woman 2019” by
Louisa May Alcott by explaining the form of stereotyoical discrimination of
woman using the theory of Yosphine Marcella (2016 : 2).

In the discoveries segment answer the issue which is viewed as a type of

segregation in light of thr hypothesis of Yosphine Marcella (2016) in the
film Little Ladies by portraying how society connects soical builds to ladies
fans causing orientation unfairness due to these develop. In the movie Little
Women tells the story of a small family eith their four daugthers name; Jo
March, Amy March, Meg march and Beth March. All of the are siblings and
they have different hobbies and habits. Jo is who does not belive in love and
marriage and she determined to work to change the fate of their fate poor
family even though she is often understimated because she is a woman. A
woman cannot be as active as a man. Next, Amy who has always been
instructed by her aunt, that if she wants to have a good life she have to
marry with rich man. The third is Meg as the eldest child and married to a
poor man because of love rivalry. And the last is Beth, the youngest girl of
them with her life full of pain.
To understand the data, the researcher presents the data to explain and
answer the problem formulation using gender stereotyping theory. In this
theory there is how society attaches gender traits that cause injustice
between women and men. In the film Little Women explain about woman is
weaker than man, woman cannot make their own money and woman have to
married the rich man to get a better life.

1. Woman is weaker then man

Woman always been considered weak since the earliest time. In the movie
Little Women, it explained in several scenes that woman are weak creatures
 and woman cannot be equal to men. Next is the valid data tha we got in the
movie :
Datum 1 : Jo and Laurie in living room are talking about Jo’s father which is
in war area.
“I wanna be voulenteer for union forces. I wanna go figh with them. And
i’m disappointed being a girl” (Little Woman, 14:45).

The data above is one of conversation between Jo March and Laurie. It

show us how Jo wanna join the war but cannot because she is a woman, an
she hopes she birth be a man, and it is a form of gender stereotipes woman
is weaker than man.

Datum 2 : Meg March visits Laurie’s home to see her sister Amy because
Amy afraid to home because she got a punishman from her teacher.
“Yes, woman more appopriate study at home, only because the school very
lousy for women.” (Little Women, 39.35).

2. Woman cannot make their own money

Datum 3 : conversation between Amy March and Laurie in a studio art in
Paris, and the talk about the stereotype of women.
“I’m only a woman, and as a woman i can’t make my own money.”
“So, Don’t said that if a married not an economic strategy. Because is it.”
Said Amy March. (Little Women, 01.05.35-01.06.11).

The second data is one of conversation between Laurie and Amy Beth. The
are talking about the weakness of women are they can’t make their own
money because they not powerful enough to get a job like a man.

3. Woman have to married the rich man

Datum 4 : This conversation is the first scene in the movie little women, that
is conversation between Jo March and Mr. Dashwood when Jo bring her
work to printing office to publication her novel.
“If the main character is a girl, make sure she is married or dead, to
another way.” (Little Women, 03.55).
The data above is eventhough in novel or character fiction if the main
character is a woman she has to married with the rich guy at the end of story
or dead in another way, because the readers will not interest to read that
story or novel if the main character is a woman.

Datum 5 : Jo March and Aunty March are talking about how to be rich in
simple way or if you do not want to marry you have to be rich and
independent woman.
“No. one makes their own money, not really. Especially women. You need to
marry a rich man.” Said Aunty Marry.
“So, the only way to be unmerried is be rich?” answer Jo.
“But there is precious way to woman to make money. You have to married,
so you can get a better life than your poor mother.” (Little woman, 35.30).

The conversation about is simple way to woman to be rich, and Aunty

March compares Jo’s life and her poor mother. Aunty March Always said
you are a woman, to difficult make your own money. So, just do the simple
way to be rich that is married to rich man.

Datum 6 : Aunty March is the rich woman but she an old maid. She is
always giving a doctrine to Amy, so that Amy have to married the rich man
the change her poor life.
“So, you must to marry a rich man to safe your family.” (Little Women,
01.23.12)

Next conversation is about teh doctrine from Aunty March to Amy March.
Aunty March always though is married to rich man can change the life of
woman because woman cannot make their own money.

Datum 7 : Jo March comeback to Mr. Dashwood office to bring back her

new novel to publication her works.
“I feel married always being economic provision. Even in fiction.” Said Jo
March to Mr, Dashwood. (Little Women, 02.03.26).
 And the last data is about the fate of the woman in stereotype of gender.
Whatever in real life or fiction, women have always had their lives regulated
based on the stigma of society.

5. DISCUSSION

In this part, researchers identified data obtained in the film Little Women
by- regarding cases of discrimination against women due to the influence of
gender stereotypes. researchers found some data that showed acts of
discrimination against Jo Marc, Amy March and Meg March as the main
character and also a woman who received discrimination either from her
environment or even the people around her. The act of discrimination
against women based on gender stereotypes is found in the theory of
Yosphine Marcella (2016), namely stereotypes about women who are
always considered weak compared to men, women who are always a burden
on men and are unable to make their own money because they are not as
strong as men, and the last is women who are always required to marry a
wealthy man to change their fate for the better because the attachment of
weak traits is always attached to women so that it becomes a stigma of
society that women are weak and cannot be equal to men. Because of this
stereotype, it causes discrimination against women because their space is
limited by the constructs of society so that women are unable to explore
themselves because they do not get support from the environment and even
their closest people.

The data 1th makes sense of Jo and Laurie's discussion, where Jo is

exceptionally unglued about being a lady who should continuously be
limited by society's generalizations that ladies are powerless and are not
permitted to take part in wars or assume a part. Jo doesn't lament being
conceived a lady, however she is vexed why ladies can't resemble men who
are allowed to work, allowed to become officers, allowed to do anything
without hearing social shame about their orientation.
 The data 2th explains Meg's remarks that are upset with Amy's teacher
who punishes her by hitting her, so Meg agrees and argues that public
schools are not safe for women because they are treated inappropriately
whether it is physical violence or verbal and non-verbal abuse.

The data 3th is a discussion among Amy and Laurie wherein Amy
demands wedding a rich man to change her life on the grounds that Amy
accepts that ladies can't work and bring in cash all alone to improve their
destiny. what's more, in this discussion making sense of about marriage is a
business system to further develop life.

The data 4th is a conversation among Jo and Mr Dashwood. Jo comes to

his office to carry her work to be distributed. in any case, the consummation
of the story isn't as she would prefer so she is hesitant to acknowledge the
work for distribution. she demands that the really female person in the novel
be bound to wed a rich man or even better be killed toward the finish of the
story. this connotes that even in the realm of fiction ladies are not bound to
be free and bring in their own cash to change their destiny.

The data 5th is the conversation between Jo and Aunty March. Aunty
March always gives advice to the March Sisters about women having to
marry wealthy men to change their lives. a lot of women's discrimination is
told in this film and it has become a stereotype of society in America or in
some states that think women are weak, women are a burden and always
depend on men. in this section also Aunty March compares her life with
march's mother's life who is poor because she married a poor man and has
no assets so she lives in poverty.

The 6th data is not much different from some of the previous data which
explains the emphasis on the stereotype that people must marry wealthy
men to change their lives for the better. this is clearly illustrated in several
 scenes of Aunty March who always gives doctrine to both Jo and Amy to
marry wealthy men to change their fate, again women are considered unable
to make their own money because of the stereotypes attached by society to
women.

The data 7th, as the last data is the conversation between Jo and Mr.
Dashwood. Jo returns to Mr. Dashwood's printing office to submit her latest
novel for publication but the novel she wrote received comments, that
women should get married. and Jo also thinks that marriage is indeed a
strategy to improve the economy even in fiction. whether real life or
fictional when the actress is a woman she will always get discriminated
against by society because she is a woman.

6. CONCLUSION`

Based on our findings, we can conclude that there was discrimination after
the war world II women due to societal stereotypes. and the conclusion that
can be drawn is:

1. In the problem we researched, it can be concluded that there is

discrimination against women in the film Little Women 2019 based on the
seven datums we listed, namely regarding; women are weaker than men,
women cannot make their own money and women have to marry the rich
man to get a better life.

2. Among the three problems above there is one thing that dominates the
problem of the description the most, namely women have to marry the rich
man to get a better life. based on the findings we have listed that Jo and
Amy are always forced to marry wealthy men to change their bad luck and
get a decent and better life. Amy and Jo's family are often looked down
upon by Aunty March because of her mother's poor life and marriage to a
poor man who is considered irresponsible for leaving his wife and children
to the battlefield. even until recent times it is not uncommon to hear the
words of our parents to marry a rich man so as not to live in poverty, but
rarely from society or parents who say 'there is no need to marry a rich man,
but you must become rich'.
REFERENCES