| dc.description.abstract | Domestic violence is a very concerning issue that affects many people
nowadays. It is essential for all of us to do our part to raise awareness and take
action to prevent it from happening. It Ends with Us (2016) by Colleen Hoover is
a novel that raises the issue of domestic violence. The story follows the journey of
a young woman named Lily Bloom as she attempts to break free from an abusive
relationship. As Jenny’s daughter, Lily saw her mother suffer from domestic
violence perpetrated by her father, Andrew. That made her have many doubts
about men and serious relationships. Indeed, when she got married, she also
experienced domestic violence committed by her husband, Ryle. She tries to
leave and break the cycle of violence. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. Lily
experienced many obstacles and dilemmas before finally being able to break free
from the abusive relationship. As a victim of domestic violence, she has gone
through many things, including the effects of domestic violence, which affect all
aspects of her life.
In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complexities within
the novel, this research has employed theoretical frameworks, including Stuart
Hall's theory of representation, Michel Foucault's discursive approach, and
Jackson's domestic violence theory. The utilization of these theories has facilitated
new insights into the themes and messages conveyed and has enabled a more
profound level of analysis. The type of research used in this research is qualitative
research. The data are classified into primary and secondary data. The primary
data are taken from the novel, whereas the secondary data are taken from other
sources, such as journals, theses, and books that contain information about
domestic violence. The main goals of the research are to examine the
representation of domestic violence in the novel and gain insight into the author’s
critical position regarding the issue of domestic violence. It is imperative to
comprehend how literature can shape our perceptions of domestic violence and
impact societal attitudes toward it.
Based on the analysis and discussion in chapter four, this research revealed
two characters that experienced domestic violence. These characters are Lily
Bloom and Jenny Bloom. Lily and Jenny experienced domestic violence
committed by their husbands. In the novel, four types of violence appear,
including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, and
economic abuse. Lily and Jenny also experienced the effects of domestic violence.
They suffered physical injuries that ranged from minor bruises to severe wounds
that required stitches. Both of them also suffered severe psychological effects.
Jenny blamed herself for everything that happened, had low self-esteem, and also
she justified Andrew's actions. Meanwhile, Lily, who had been in an abusive
family environment as a child, was traumatized by domestic violence. She hates
men because of her father. Her trauma was exacerbated because Ryle also abused
her. Thus, she showed symptoms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder),
which made it difficult for her to be around Ryle.
Lily and Jenny, as victims, have different methods to overcome their
situation regarding domestic violence. Jenny, who does not have economic
stability, chooses to stay. Meanwhile, Lily made a different decision. She decided
to divorce Ryle. She did that to break the cycle of domestic violence. As the
author of the novel, Hoover explains that she wrote the novel to persuade and
educate, not just entertain readers. She believes that victims of any circumstance
should not be blamed for the decisions or actions that led to their situation.
Additionally, she opposes domestic violence in all forms and argues that
economic stability is essential for the victim. | en_US |
