THE MEANING OF BEING A FAMILY REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY

ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN (1868): SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

RESEARCH PAPER

Submited as a partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

For getting the Bachelor Degree of Education

In English Department

By

ASRI WULANDARI

A320100233

TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY

MUHAMMADIYAH UNIVERSITY OF SURAKARTA

2014

ii

APPROVAL

THE MEANING OF BEING A FAMILY REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY

ALCOTT’S”LITTLE WOMEN” (1868): SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

RESEARCH PAPER

By

ASRI WULANDARI

A320100233

Approved to be Examined by Consultant

Consultant I Consultant II

Dr.M.Thoyibi,M.S. Siti Fatimah ,S.Pd, M.Hum.

NIK .410

iii

ACCEPTANCE

THE MEANING OF BEING A FAMILY REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY

ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN (1868): SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

By

ASRI WULANDARI

A320100233

Accepted and Approved by the Board and Examiners

School of Teacher Training and Education

Muhammadiyah Univeristy of Surakarta

On June……., 2014

Team of Examiner:

1. Dr.M.Thoyibi,Ms. ( )

(Chair person)

2. Siti Fatimah ,S.Pd, M.Hum. ( )

(Member I)

3. Dr.Phil.Dewi Candraningrum,S.Pd,M.Ed ( )

(Member II)

Dean

Prof.Dr.Harun Joko Prayitno,M.Hum.

NIK.196504281993031001

iv

SUMMARY

Asri Wulandari. A320100233. THE MEANING OF BEING A FAMILY REFLECTED IN

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN (1868): SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH.

Research Paper. Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.2014.

This research paper is Knowing that the problem is the most important part of research,

the writer purposes the problem as “what is the meaning of being a family are reflected in Louisa

May Alcott’s Little Women. So they writer makes title “the meaning of being a family reflected

in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1868): Sociological Approach. The writer use The

objectives of the research are : (1) To analyze Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women novel based on

its structural elements (2) To analyze the meaning of being a family in Louisa May Alcott’s

Little Women based on sociological approach.

This research applies descriptive qualitative method research. The object of this research

is Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women novel, and the writer is going to analyze it by using

sociological approach.

The outcome of the study reveals the relationship between the novel and the social reality

in American Society especially at the second half of nineteenth century. In Little Women by

Louisa May Alcott describes about the meaning and importance of being a family. The issues is

clearly related with social condition of America at the second half of nineteenth century.

Keywords :Little Women, Sociological Approach, Meaning and important.

v

TESTIMONY

Herewith, I testify that in this research paper, there is no plagiarism of the previous

literary work which has been raised to obtain bachelor degree of a university, nor there are

opinions or masterpieces which have been written or published or others, expect those in which

the writing are referred in the manuscript and mentioned in literary review and bibliography.

Because it, later, if it is proven that there are some untrue statements in this testimony, I

will hold full with responsibility.

Surakarta, June 2014

Asri Wulandari

vi

MOTTO

Hidup itu kaya rumus Bahasa Inggris, ada past tense, present tense dan future tense

Masa lampau, masa sekarang dan masa yang akan datang. Mungkin apa yang kita

jalani sekarang ini adalah hasil dari usaha kita di masa lalu. Dan usaha lah di masa

sekarangmu untuk masa depanmu pula.

Untuk apa bermimpi, bila kau tak melangkah

(Bondan n Fade2black)

vii

DEDICATION

This research paper is proudly dedicated to :

Her beloved father and mother,

Her beloved brother and sister,

Her beloved lecturer and

Her beloved friends.

viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Assalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb

Alhamdulillahirobbil’alamin. Praise to Allah SWT the Almighty God for blessing and

guiding the writer in conducting this research paper. THE MEANING OF BEING A FAMILY

REFLECTED IN LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN (1868): SOCIOLOGICAL

APPROACH, as a partial fulfillment of requirement for getting bachelor degree in English

Department in Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.

The researcher would like to express the sincere gratitude for all people who give the

contribution to make this research paper more completely. Without their contribution the

researcher is impossible to finish it. In this opportunity, the researcher would like to express the

gratitude and appreciation to:

1. Prof. Dr. Harun Joko Prayitno, M.Hum, the Dean of the School of Teacher Training and

Education of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta,

2. Mauly Halwat Hikmat, Ph.D, M.Hum, the Head of English Department for the permit of this

research,

3. Dr. M. Thoyibi, M.S, the first consultant who has guided and advices during the arrangement

of this research from the beginning until the end,

4. Siti Fatimah ,S.Pd, M.Hum, the second consultant who has guided and adviced during the

arrangement of this research from the beginning until the end,

5. Agus Wijayanto, Ph.D, as the academic consultant who has given guidance during the study

6. Her beloved parents, “Slamet and Supri Hati” for giving love, support, motivation, prayer and

expense. So, the researcher can finish this research,

ix

7. Her beloved young brother, “Khabib Ikhsanuddin” and my little sister “Anis Kurniawati"

thanks for giving support

9. Her best friends, “Erni, Luluk, Dian, Nana, Erwin, Wiwik, Ika, Tunjung, Winda ” for laugh,

companies, help and support. The writer never forget for all of the memories,

10. Her beloved friends in English Department University of Muhammadiyah Surakarta, “Ika,

Subariah, Wiwik, Erwin, Gilang, Mey, Indah, Risa, Ratna” for happiness and togetherness,

11. All her friends and all participants that cannot be mentioned one by one.

This research paper is far from being good and perfect, because the researcher has limited

capability. Therefore, the researcher would like to say thanks for the opinion, suggestion and

criticism to make this research paper better. The researcher hopes this research paper would give

benefit for the readers.

Wassalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb

Surakarta, June 2014

The researcher

Asri Wulandari

x

APPENDIX

Little Women is a novel written by an American author, Louisa May Alcott. It was first

published in 30th September 1868. Little Women is a novel about the struggle of the four March

sisters named Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy in facing their life in a family by the absence of father

figure. And the four Child of March Family have different characteristics each other which

make their life more colorful. We can see the characteristic of four child of March family. The

first is Meg, the oldest, is beautiful, adult and rather vain. Jo, the second, is tomboyish and

temperament. And major character of the novel is Jo. Beth, the third, is the shy. Amy, the

youngest, is the little artist and immature.

Alcott’s story begins with the four March girls—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, lamenting

their poverty. The fist chapter tells about when they celebrate Christmas. They decide, they will

each buy themselves a present in order to brighten their Christmas. Marmee comes home with a

letter from Mr. March, the girls’ father, who is serving as a Union chaplain in the Civil War.

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Page

TITLE ............................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................... ii

ACCEPTANCE .............................................................................................................. iii

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... iv

TESTIMONY ................................................................................................................. v

MOTTO .......................................................................................................................... vi

DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................. viii

TABLE OF CONTENT .................................................................................................. xi

CHAPTER I :INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1

A. Background of the study ............................................................... 1

B. Literature review .......................................................................... 5

C. Problem statement ........................................................................ 6

D. Limitation of the study ................................................................. 6

E. Objective of the study ................................................................... 6

F. The benefit of the study ................................................................ 7

G. Theoretical approach .................................................................... 7

xii

H. Research method .......................................................................... 8

I. Paper organization ....................................................................... 9

CHAPTER II : UNDERLYING THEORY .............................................................. 11

A. Sociology of literature ................................................................. 11

B. Type of sociology of literature .................................................... 12

C. Structural Elements of the novel ................................................. 14

D. Theoretical application ................................................................ 22

CHAPTER III : SOCIAL HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AMERICAN

SOCIETY AT THE SECOND HALF OF NINETEENTH

CENTURY ....................................................................................... 23

A. Social Aspect ............................................................................. 23

B. Economic Aspect ........................................................................ 27

C. Political Aspect ........................................................................... 29

D. Science and Technology Aspect ................................................. 30

E. Cultural Aspect ........................................................................... 31

F. Religious Aspect ......................................................................... 38

CHAPTER IV : STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS .......................................................... 40

A. Structural Analysis ...................................................................... 40

1. Character and characterization .............................................. 40

a. Major character ............................................................... 40

b. Minor character ............................................................... 47

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2. Setting ................................................................................... 50

a. Setting of time ................................................................. 50

b. Setting of place ............................................................... 51

3. Plot ........................................................................................ 52

a. Plot structure ................................................................... 52

1) Exposition ........................................................... 52

2) Complication ....................................................... 53

3) Climax ................................................................. 54

4) Resolution ........................................................... 55

b. Causality ......................................................................... 56

c. Plausibility ...................................................................... 57

4. Point of view ......................................................................... 58

5. Style ...................................................................................... 59

a. Diction............................................................................. 59

b. Grammatical structure ..................................................... 60

c. Imagery ........................................................................... 62

d. Symbol ............................................................................ 62

e. Sentence construction ..................................................... 63

6. Theme ................................................................................... 65

B. Discussion ................................................................................... 65

CHAPTER V : SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ...................................................... 68

A. Sociological Analysis .................................................................. 68

1. Social aspect ........................................................................... 68

2. Economic aspect ..................................................................... 71

xiv

3. Political aspect ........................................................................ 73

4. Science and technology aspect ............................................... 74

5. Cultural aspect ........................................................................ 76

6. Religious aspect ...................................................................... 78

B. Discussion.................................................................................... 80

CHAPTER VI : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ........................................... 83

A. Conclusion ................................................................................... 83

B. Suggestion ................................................................................... 84

C. Pedagogical Implication .............................................................. 85

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX