THE REPRESENTATION OF BEAUTY DISCOURSE BY MEDIA TEXT IN TONI MORRISON’S THE BLUEST EYE

Abstract

This thesis uses theory of representation by Stuart Hall. The representation theory is used in this thesis as a frame before discussing further about encoding/decoding. Hall‟s concept of decoding is used to answer the first question; the data about beauty discourse by media text that lead to the black women‟s oppression will be categorized into three positions of decoder; dominant-hegemonic, negotiated and also oppositional position. In addition, Gramsci‟s hegemony also will be used to support the analysis of position of the characters. Then, the result of this analysis will lead to answer the next research question, about ideology. In this step, Althusser‟s ideology will frame the discussion to go beyond the text. Furthermore, since this research is a qualitative research, a documentary method is used to collect the data. The primary data are collected from information and facts that construct beauty discourse that lead to black women‟s oppression through the statements and narration in the novel. The secondary data are information and facts about beauty discourse in the United States in the 1960s taken from some books, articles and also journals. The result of this research shows that beauty discourse which is constructed through media text is the main cause of Afro-American women‟s oppression in the novel. Beauty discourse has set the ideal standard beauty for American women and also American black women. Moreover, not all the black women can imitate and accept the beauty standard because every black woman has a different perspective in understanding and interpreting the beauty standards. This different perspective refers to the Hall‟s conception about decoding, they are; dominant-hegemonic, negotiated and oppositional position. By this position, they can choose, whether they accept or reject the beauty standard.