Feminist Perspective in Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada

Bayu Andika Prasatyo,S.S.,M.Pd

Abstract

Novel become the exciting entertainment that can enjoyed with the all circle. Within the novel the writer can analyze the part of intrinsic novel even the extrinsic novel. In this research the writer analyze about feminist perspective in the Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. The writer took Miranda Priestly character as a viewing of feminist perspective in this modern era. The writer made a problem formulation to found the hypothesis. The questions are: 1) How are the characters and characterization of Miranda Priestly in the story? And 2) What are feminist perspective in the character of Miranda Priestly. In analyzing the research, the writer used feminist approach. This approach was really appropriate with those being analyzed about women. Besides, the writer also did a library research which are the novel itself and some books or journal that we can found in the internet which related with the character, characterization and feminism. There are nine characterization of Miranda Priestly that shows in analyzing. The characterization that the writer analyze is Jewish, Fashionable, Hectic, Demand, Power, Influence, Discriminate, Smart person, And Also she was too care to her children. The Feminist perspective of Miranda Priestly as women in this modern era, the writer found the three points that she analyzed which are: Appearance, Experience, and Psychology.

Introduction

Nowadays so many females novel author in the world, which give contribution against the women worlds through her thoughts that visualization into the words become interesting story. Because of the story that occur in the novel is the part of pure imagination to describe about the environment life or the factual life that occurred in the females life that represent the interesting character. Because in the novel we can find several characters with different characterization, for the other side represent the unusual plot and we can find some place that visualization through the words. So, all of things can dragged the reader to read the novel. One of the most females author, which the novel become the best seller in the world and have been filmed with the title is “The Devil Wears Prada” written by Lauren Weisberger.

In this novel Andrea Sachs is the main character, there are so many narrative from the main character but in here the writer think that Miranda priestly is the unique character and she show off about the feminism. Even though the character in this novel is almost the female and perhaps the author is the female too. But, the writer has seen the interesting in the character of Miranda priestly. Because of the description above, finally the writer takes the title for the research “Feminist Perspective in the Novel entitled “The Devil Wears Prada” by Lauren weisberger”

Theoretical Review

Character become as the essential elements that makes the novel be attractive and interesting for the readers. So that, why the author always developing imagination to appear all of the character in the novel and invite the readers to enjoy the dialogue and action played by each character.

According to Subhan (2003) there are two groups of the characters: major or main character and minor or subordinate character. A major character is an important figure at the center of the story’s action or theme. The major character sometimes called a protagonist whose conflict with an antagonist may spark the story’s conflict. Minor characters whose function partly to illuminate the major characters. The major character can be analyzed into three groups: (1)The protagonist, the very central character, or the hero (the heroine); (2) The antagonist or the enemy (or the challenger) of the protagonist, and (3) The companions or the supporter of the protagonist. Based on the theory above that character in the novel has a role of each that function is not only play a story however to convey the idea, motive, theme and play the role that appropriate with the storyline.

In this novel Andrea Sachs is the main character, there are so many narrative from the main character but in here the writer think that Miranda priestly is the unique character and she show off about the feminism. Feminism emerged because there are feminist movement started by some of groups advocating justice for women caused by oppression committed by men who feel that they are perfect to able control all the work. This approach also analyzes the differences of race, ethnicity, social class, sexual preference and other that experienced by women and how they face that problems.

Feminist approach is one of the well-known approaches in analyzing literature. All forms of literary work can analyzed with this approach as long as it relates with life and women‟s issues. In this case can be a male author who created the character of women or female authors who created the female figure. And can be the female authors who created the male figure in the literary work. The feminist perspective will be visible from literary work that described how the women face her problem in every condition and situation. Besides that, analyze biology, psychology, the role and their place it can be influence some of feminist perspective.

Objectives

Based on the description in background of study above, the writer wants to formulate some problems to be analyze in this thesis. They are:

1. How are the characters and characterization of Miranda Priestly in the story of The Devil Wears Prada?
2. What are feminist perspectives in the character of Miranda priestly?

Method

In analyzing this thesis, the writer used feminist approach. This approach usually used to analyze the literary work whereas within the story that depicts life and issue of the women. The writer also limit the approach in getting the data and the write used the point of biology, psychology and experience for getting the feminist data which focused on Miranda‟s life character and characterization.

Beside the feminist approach, the writer also used content analysi as the method of research in analyzing this thesis. As Fraenkel and Wallen (1990) said that content analysis is a technique that enables researchers to study human behavior in an indirect way, through an analysis of their communication. So, in this case the writer would analyze the problem with reading and assessing each conversation expressed by each character in this novel and found the data in the form of dialogue that shows the behavior between the characters to strengthen the analysis of the writer in the making of this thesis.

Findings and Discussion

The novel of The Devil Wears Prada was the novel, which almost all of the character was women. But, the writer only focused to analyze Miranda Priestly rather than Andrea Sachs as a main character. Because Miranda Priestly was represent the feminism too in this Global Era. The writer could see the feminist perspective in Miranda’s character. Based on the theories in chapter two, the writer could describe that Miranda Priestly was the antagonist character, one of the enemy of Andrea Sachs as a main character. Because, She always made pressure for Andrea Sachs. Although, she was a subordinate character, her role was very important to make the story alive and challenge for the other characters.

Miranda Priestly also had a round character. In this case, Miranda had two assistants for her, that they must serve her well in every condition. So, the writer found the data of antagonis that was dominant than protagonis. Because, in the middle of story, the writer found good speech when she talked to the main character. The following excerpts are the example of the antagonist character.

“Enough. The details of your incompetence interest me very little. Go get the car and the puppy and bring them here. I’m expecting we’ll be all ready to leave in fifteen minutes. understand?” (Chapter 1, P.7)

That statement showed that every one work for Miranda must had a good attention for all of her command. This action included the antagonis character because for Andrea this woman hallucinated to fixed the job only gave the fifteen minutes.

“Ahn-dre-ah, you know how I feel about excuses. I’m not particularly interested in hearing yours now. I expect something like this will never happen again, correct? That’s all.” She hung up (Chapter 6,P. 94)

The writer could explain about that statement, Miranda did not like excuses. So, whatever the junior assistant faced a problem when run a job. Miranda did not want heard any excuses. She just wanted that her command is clearly done and perfect.

“Where the hell is he?Why can’t you find him? Do you not know how to use a phone?”

It concluded what Miranda did for the two assistant with give the teasing word. It look that Miranda was antagonis person.

Beside antagonist character, the following excerpt is the examples of protagonist characters which can be analyzed.

“Ahn-dre-ah, come to my room immediately” (Chapter 16,p.306)

The condition of the text, when Miranda asked Andrea came to her room. But in here Andrea felt that the request sentence so kind, because she never did it before. It concluded that that statement supported Miranda as a protagonist character.

Beside analyzed the character, the writer also analyzed the characterization of Miranda Priestly. In this case, the writer found ninth characterization that could represented how Miranda looked like. The following are some characterization that could be found.

1. Jewish

“Hers was like all the other orthodox jewish families in the town, Stunningly poor but devout”

This statement appeared when Andrea tried to know more about the new boss by googled her and surprise. Because, Actually, Miranda had name in the Jewish was Miriam Princhek from London East. Her father just worked odd jobs, but mostly they reiled on the community spent the days to study Jewish texts. From the statement above, the writer saw that Miranda was include Jewish person. Actually, she came from the family poor but her family was so devout in family tradition.

2. Fashionable

“Just what does one wear to the first day working for the most fashionable fashion editor of the most fashionable magazine?” (p.34)

This text happened when Andrea felt confused and agonized to select what to wear for the next day. Whoever work for Miranda Priestly, that should be has a good taste of fashion. The writer saw in that text, whereas Andrea Sachs was the new junior assistant felt confused to choose the outfit of the first day working because she had a fashionable boss was Miranda Priestly.

3. Hectic

 

“She is too busy to worry about the details like that, so she didn’t say what material or color or style or brand she wants.” (p.44)

This statement occured, when Emily got a phone from her and asked to prepare skirt and other things, because the outfit will be travelled to the Dominican Republic. Then Emily and Andrea made cooperation with other department to provide what Miranda’s want From the quotation text above, the writer concluded that she was very hectic with all of her job, invitation, and appointment with some of her collegaeus. So that, why she needed two assistant to provide what she wanted that related to the job, sometimes with the personal life Miranda herself.

4. Demand

“Well, my deal is that I work for a rather demanding woman,…” (p.126)

This case is caused by Andrea that already known her boss, Because Andrea already several months in the Runway Magazine. So, she had the experience about Miranda’s demanding when she has been working in there. Therefore, Andrea accepted the demand condition. From the statement above, it showed what Miranda’s look like. This quotation text came from the junior assistant that felt how Miranda demanded all of employee within in job.

5. Power

“Of course, she is the powerful woman in fashion and publishing,…” (P.127)

This statement occured when Benji talked to Andrea and asked, about “which one do you work for?” Then she answered: “I work for Miranda Priestly”. She continued talk about Miranda and said from the bottom heart her opinion about her boss. From the quotation text above the writer concluded that Miranda had a power to run and publish a business of fashion because she had a good taste of fashion, inspired women to look pretty with the outfit.

6. Influence

“oh my god, are you kidding? You work for Miranda Priestly? And she drink our lattes? A Tall? Every Morning? Unbelievable. Oh yes,yes of course! I’ll tell everyone to help you right away” (p.137)

This statement as an evidence, that Miranda gave the influence to the junior assistant. In that text only heard her name of Miranda Priestly could changed some one and gave the best thing for her, through her junior assistant. In this case, Andrea Sachs was help by the people perception about Miranda.

7. Discriminate

“They know how discriminating Miranda is…” (p.206)

For the writer, this one of characterization the people known about Miranda who always gave a requirement such as everyone who wanted to work for her must be spoke French fluently. This rule prevailed for hire the nanny also. Whoever wanted to take care her daughter should speech in French as a daily activity.

8. Smart

“I vowed to look into this a little more and perhaps explore the possibility that miranda was smarter than all of this.” (p.217)

For the writer, this statement was clearly showed Miranda was smart person, because she controlled her business until success like this.  And, no doubt how Miranda did the job since she was a teen age in running this business.

9. Caring

“Make sure you speak to both caroline and cassidy each night and write out a list of their homework assignment and upcoming exams.”  (p.304)

In the writer opinion, even though Miranda had a successful in her life and of course a hectic person. She never forgot that she was woman, perhaps there was feminist side. And, the text above was a proof that she really cared about her daughters even in their education.

Feminism was the core of this thesis. There were some requirements on how a literary work can be included to feminist criticism. First, the novel had an author who was a woman whether it told about women or men’s life; second, the novel involved women’s life whether the author was a woman or man. The Devil Wears Prada included to feminist criticism, because the author was a woman and told about the woman’s life of Miranda Priestly.

In this reaearch, the writer analyzed character and characterization and the feminist perspective. In this case, the writer would like to analyzed point of view from Miranda as a feminist person that give affect for her character in this novel. In the novel, the writer found three points perspective that influence her life : first, the appearance of Miranda itself that the writer meant her biology; second, life experience affect the perspective as a woman who wanted a better life; third, the writer took a psychology as her perspective because she thought that psychology represented Miranda as woman. Here are some points of feminist perspective in The Devil Wears Prada that the writer discovered from Miranda Priestly and influenced the character.

1. Appearance

Appearance is something that visible and something we can touch. Appearance also reflected for someone personality whether to look feminine or masculine. All that could be seen through their appearance. In this case, Miranda had a good structure body as women and then strengthen with her outfit in every moment. Then it looked from the statement below.

“Since I’d never seen so much as a picture of Miranda Priestly, I was shocked to see how skinny she was. The hand she held out was small boned, feminine, soft.”

In this case Andrea Sachs feel shocked when she met her, because she never saw the woman with a perfect presentation in here Miranda had a good structure of her body such as fair skin, small bone, blond hair from her appearance look feminine and soft. The writer thought that the feminist perspective of Miranda Priestly could see from her appearance. And, from the statement above was clearly that Miranda was feminist person that prefer to wear the outfit of women. And this perspective has influential in her environment especially in her office. That made the other women wanted to be like her to look good in every condition.

2. Experience

Experience was an event in which a person exposed to an issue of life in good or bad condition. The episode that ever happened in someone life, it could be a perspective to decided to purpose of life. This was also happened in Miranda Priestly life which she was a young girl Jewish who has a poor life.

“Most of her brothers and sisters went on to work blue collar jobs like their father,with little time do anything but pray and work; a couple  managed to get themselves into and through the university, only to marry young and begin having large family of their own. Miriam was the single exception to the family tradition…Miriam promptly dropped out of high school upon turning seventeen-a mere three months shy of graduation- to take a job as an assistant to an up and coming British designer…”

From this quotation above, the writer thinks that experience life is an events in someone life which can create the perspective to get a goals of life. Here, ever happened to Miranda’s life that prefer to be different from their family tradition to obtain the good economic life and success of her life. With hard worked and effort that was unusual and finally reach Miranda’s desire to became a leader of the largest companies in the world. Therefore, the writer saw that it was a part of the feminist movement created a success and gave the best thing for herself and her daughters.

3. Psychology

The writer put psychology point showed how the perspective appeared in someone personality. So, in the last point that the writer wanted analyze was about one of behavior within in Miranda’s. Affection, caring and loving children were parts of behavior that the writer found. In this novel Miranda has twin child that she really loves and care. Even though Miranda was a woman who had full activities, it never changes the mother’s felt within Miranda. To proof the writer opinion, there were statements below to strengthen from the quotations in the novel.

“Make sure you speak to both caroline and cassidy each night and write out a list of their homework assignment and upcoming exams.”

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of Miranda’s character in this novel, the conclusion can be drawn that Miranda has a subordinate character. As a minor character Miranda is antagonist character sometimes in another condition she can protagonist character also then the writer can classify Miranda include round character. But, in this novel her existence is really important because it has connection to the main character. Even though Miranda is antagonist person, she has unique characterization such as Jewish person, demand, discriminate, hectic, fashionable, powerful person, influence, smart and the last caring.

The feminist perspective within Miranda’s character in the novel there are three points that the writer analyze. First, Appearance, in this novel Miranda shows the perfect feminist from her structure of the body and the outfit that Miranda wears. Second, Experiences, Miranda’s action represent as woman tough and powerful to achieve the purpose of life. Third, Psychology, Miranda shows that she caring and loving to her twins. It cause Miranda is mother who has the same feel with the other woman. Even though she is a hectic person, she always represent that behavior but in different ways. Here, the writer can see the perspective from the three points. It shows that Miranda is a feminist also.

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