ABSTRACT
Literature is an expression of society. It mirrors the events that happened in our social life. Hence, literary works are written based on the situation in real life or the experience of the author itself. Everything that happens in our life cannot be separated from our psychological aspects. Using psychoanalysis, this study attempts to see the impact of oppression toward women.
Oppressions, especially oppressions toward women, are not a new concern in our society. Opression has been a frightening scourge for women since a very long time, especially for women who live in a country with a strict patriarchal society like Afghanistan. Khaleed Hosseini, in his novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, and through the two women characters Mariam and Laila, portray the life of women living and surrounding with oppressions around them. Two formulated problems are discussed throughout this research. The first one is what oppressions do the two women characters suffer in Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. The second one is what impact do the oppressions give to the characters in Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns.
This research is a library research applying psychological approach with the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns as the primary source. The method used in this study is close reading to earn the characterization of Mariam and Laila, and also the oppression they suffered throughout the story. Then, some steps of analysis re used to identify the impact of the oppressions toward the characters. Using Iris Young’s concept of oppressions, it is found that both characters suffer some oppressions in the form of violence and powerlessness. In the further analysis, using Lois Tyson’s basic concept of psychological criticism, it is found that the characters show the indication of having three core issues as the impact of the oppressions they suffer. Furthermore, using Pablo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, it is found that there are characterization changes in the characters. From the analysis, it is concluded that oppressions give impact toward the characters of Mariam and Laila.
