The Woman’s Struggles in Searching for Gender Equality Depicted in the Novel “Bekisar Merah” by Achmad Tohari

Abstract

Currently, women on the island of Java have experienced extraordinary developments in social life so that they feel extraordinary freedom and are even considered excessive (overcapacity), giving rise to their own unrest in the gender struggle. Therefore, this research aims to discuss the representation of Javanese women and the struggle for gender equality in a patriarchal system in the novel “Bekisar Merah” by Ahmad Tohari. This research uses a descriptive method and uses a qualitative approach carried out by Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2018) in analyzing the data. The main data in this article are sentences, phrases and paragraphs of the novel. The research results show that in seeking gender equality, Lasi faces struggles in maintaining marital bonds, consistently maintaining identity and self-esteem, being free from sexual temptation, and the struggle to find true love in the real world. This research reveals that loyalty and integrity towards family is a priority in the struggle for gender equality. This research implies that to achieve gender equality requires steadfastness in good principles and values.