ABSTRACT
Gender and class oppression are experienced by women because women are seen to be the second ones from their gender division in whichever class they are from. From gender perspective, men are considered strong and powerful, while women are weak and powerless. From class perspective, upper class people have more privilege and power to control others, while the rest do not have the same power with the upper class people.
There are two objectives of the study. The first is how the two main characters, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, are presented in terms of gender and class difference in E.L. James‘ Fifty Shades of Grey. The second is how sexual assault experienced by Anastasia Steele and conducted by Christian Grey is viewed as gender and class oppression in E.L. James‘ Fifty Shades of Grey.
As the primary source, the library research method is applied to find the appropriate theory and to review other related studies. Not only from the library, but also from the reliable internet website the writer collects the data to support the findings of the final project.
The writer finds the main female character, Anastasia Steele, is described as a woman who brings gender stereotype. She is portrayed as devoted and submissive to Grey. Meanwhile, Grey is portrayed as powerful and controlling man. His masculinity is shown through his total control over Steele, using sex and punishments in the relationship. Besides, both of them are portrayed in class difference. While Grey is a successful entrepreneur employing a thousand employers, Steele is a college student working part-time as an employee. The difference is also portrayed through their lifestyle and money, showing Grey‘s superiority and Steele‘s inferiority. It makes Steele‘s condition become powerless because she does not have power to oppose him. Grey, as the upper class man, takes benefit from the relationship which is sex. It is emphasized more by the BDSM contract he offers to Steele as a symbol of his power to legalize him in exploiting her sexuality and controlling her life. It is done by the support of his gender power and class power. Thus, what Grey has done to her is called sexual assault because it is never done with Steele‘s direct consent.
