The Representation of Women's Struggle to Fight Patriarchal Values in It Ends with Us

Abstract

Patriarchal society reinforces the perspective that men are considered as the superior gender group and women are considered as the inferior ones. To challenge the existence of that perspective, it is important for women to struggle to fight the values of patriarchy. The current research is an analysis of women’s struggle to fight patriarchal values in It Ends with Us. The novel It Ends with Us is a story about Lily who experiences domestic abuse and have struggled to escape her abusive marriage. This research aims to reveal the representation of women’s struggle to fight patriarchal values through the portrayal of the female characters of It Ends with Us and to reveal the critical position of the author. This research is a qualitative research using Hall’s representation theory to analyse Lily Bloom, Jenny Bloom, and Alyssa’s struggle to fight patriarchal values in It Ends with Us. The results of this research show that Lily, Jenny, and Alyssa have struggled to fight patriarchal values. Moreover, the author, Colleen Hoover, positions herself as a supporter of women’s struggle to fight patriarchal values.