CHAPTER2
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
In this chapter, the writer will provide some theories which support the analysis
of the thesis. The theories will be given about identity, homosexual, character and queer
theory.
2.1 Identity
Identity is a term to describe one's personality and expression of their
individuality or groups, such as national identity and cultural identity.
The primary
essence of these different kinds of identity reflects a person's ways of thinking and
acknowledgment of their behaviors.
There are two characteristics in comprising self-
identity. Both of them are connecting to one another, which are social and personal.
Weeks (1990) stated that to achieve a person's identity is not an easy journey,
seen from the conflicting issues among one another.
Furthermore, the variation in
problems such as the beliefs needs, and desires are frequently arising in the community
between individuals but also outside that community.
In this life, there are so many
varieties of potentially contradictory identities, which battle within us for allegiance; as
men or women, black or white, straight or gay, able-bodied or disabled, 'British or
European' and so on. Usually those identities are often against each other. Each person
can behave differently from another person. '·
6
Appiah (2005) describes how a person can behave differently from another
person in showing their identities:
In constructing an identity, one draws, among other things, on the
kinds of a person available in one's society. Of course, there is not
just one way that gay or straight people or blacks or whites or men or
women are to behave, but there are ideas around (contested, many of
them, but all sides in these contest shape our options) about how gay,
straight, black, white, male, or female people ought to conduct
themselves. (p.39)
Based on those opinions and theories, the characterizations of gay people will
not be the same as the other people with the same sexual orientations.
To gain an
identity, a person can get involved in a community. An identity can be identified in
communities; not only the identity but a person can build connections, and emotional
with each other. Communities act to connect individuals with the social.
Kirsch (2000, p. 122) agrees that communities exist because of the different
needs from the complexity of society. He believes that social change starts to develop
in communities. Moreover, Kirsch notes "Social and emotional health are promoted by
active participation with others in community. The community is where 'safe space' is
created". People who are queer seem to get unfair treatment from the society and the
sexual identity is getting more concern in modern societies as following:
With sexuality and sexual identity being regarded, in modem
societies, as so central to self-identity, issues in this area take on a
profound level of importance.
The question of one's sexual
orientation, for instance, is of much more fundamental concern to us
than taste in music or preference for C'ertairt· kinds of food. Gauntlett
(2002, p. 256)
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Vivienne Cass (1979) has developed a sexual identity development named 'The
Cass Identity Model' which is written in a journal by Nam Cam Trau and Hartel, 2004.
Cass describes
that sexual
identity have six stages: identity confusion, identity
comparison, identity tolerance, identity acceptance, identity pride, and identity synthesis.
Identity confusion is a stage when a person gets confused with his/her own
identity.
The second stage is identity comparison, this stage means that he/she has to
deal with any negative emotions from other people. The next stage is identity tolerance,
this stage means that the person that have sexual identity orientation has a possibility
that his/her existence could be tolerated but not accepting it. The fourth stage is identity
acceptance, where there is one accept his newly found identity but does not let the
outside world accept him.
The last stage is identity synthesis, this stage which is a
combination of identities.
As the time changes, people are changing and they starting over to build new
identities for their selves. This statement supported by Gauntlett (2002, p. 256), "people
are changing, building new identities founded not on the certainties of the past, but
organized around the new order of modem Jiving, where the meanings of gender,
sexuality and identity are increasingly open." Everybody may change and it could be
affected by their environment.
2.2 Homosexual
According to Edgar and Sedwick (1999) in Kirsch's (2000), the question of
sexuality is the centre of concern of queer theory, so to analyze the queer theory,
sexuality should be understood first. Weeks (Weeks, 1986) said that sexuality is the
8
it is the basis for some of our most passionate feelings and commitments.
Weeks (1986) adds that with sexuality, we experience ourselves as real people;
it gives us our identities, our sense of self, as men and women, as heterosexual and
homosexual, 'normal' or 'abnormal''natural' or 'unnatural' (p.3). Sexuality is the key for
human's happiness. A person may find his/her happiness when they live with their real
identity and being open-minded with their sexuality.
Sexuality has been an object
of moral concern, but the concept of sexual life has not been the same.
For the Ancient Greeks, concern with the pleasure of the body was only one, not
necessarily the most important of the preoccupations of life, to be set alongside dietary
regulations and the organization of household relations.
quiet different too.
And the object of debate was
With his different perspective, Freud has his own opinion.
The
crucial parts that differentiate between the erotic life and antiquity based on the actual
fact that the ancients are based that focuses on the stress upon the instinct itself, that are
stressing on its object.
The most striking distinction between the erotic life of antiquity and
our own no doubt lies in the fact that the ancients laid the stress upon
the instinct itself, whereas wemphasize its object. Freud (1905; 149)
Weeks (Weeks, 1996, p. 5) argues that sexuality is a 'fictional unity', that once
did not exist and in the future may not exist again.
At the end of nineteenth century,
homosexuals become a new identity and in the early twentieth century, there were many
sexual types such as, the transsexual, the bisexual, the pedophile, the sado-masochist
9
terrain first mapped and barefully articulated by sexologists themselves.
Sociologists
like Adam and D'Emilio have said that there are so many factors have affected the
homosexual in this world and the factors are the existence oflarge numbers in the same
situation, geographical concentration, identifiable targets of opposition, sudden events
or changes in social position, and an intellectual leadership with readily understood
goals.
D'Augelli and Patterson (2001) assume that there are three kinds of common
sexuality, which are homosexuality, heterosexuality, and bisexuality.
Homosexuality is a sexual attraction to someone of the same
anatomical sex; heterosexuality is a sexual attraction to someone of
the opposite sex. Closely allied to sexual attraction is fantasy. If
someone has sexual fantasies about others of the same sex, then the
fantasies are homosexual; if someone has sexual fantasies about others
of the opposite sex, then the fantasies are heterosexual. If a person's
sexual attractions and fantasies are primarily homosexual, then that
person may be labeled "lesbian" or "gay." Conversely, if a person's
sexual attractions and fantasies are primarily heterosexual, then the
person may be labeled "heterosexual.'
When attraction and fantasy
are directed to members of both sexes, a person may be labeled
"bisexual." (p.27)
Bell and Valentine (1995) have their own opinions about this, they argued that
bisexual is grouped to homosexuals.
The fact that bisexuality has not been pathologied as a sexual identity
per se may be one reason for the contemporary claims that bisexuality
does not exist. It still considered (problematically) as a set of acts.
Yet there is a danger that in claiming an identity per se, bisexuals will
be categorized and contained in a similar way to homosexuals at the
end of the nineteenth century. (p.46)
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Many critics working with gender and queer theory are interested in the
breakdown of binaries such as male and female, the in-betweens do not exist. For
example, gender studies and queer theory maintains that cultural definitions of sexuality
and what it means to be male and female are in flux: "...the distinction between
"masculine" and "feminine" activities and behavior is constantly changing, so that
women who wear baseball caps and fatigues...can be perceived as more piquantly sexy
by some heterosexual men than those women who wear white frocks and gloves and
look down demurely" (Richter 1437).
Being a gay man is "not something that the gay man had himself chosen"
(Appiah, 2005, p.86). This kind of sexual orientation is not something that someone
can choose for his/her life and there is no one can control this change.
According to Appiah (2005, p.129), there are two kinds of homosexuals; they
are those who are openly gay and those who try to abuse their sexual identity. The
openly gay one is the people who enjoy their life and make their lives as a life "in which
relationships with members of their own sex will be central". The important thing in
their life is the relationship that they have in their community. And the other one who
try to oppress their sexual identity is the people who think their sexuality as a limitation.
This is what makes homosexual acts as a person who is not queer.
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According to D'Augelli and Patterson (2001, p. 272), homosexuals have to deal
with some problems when they are revealing themselves:
1. Homosexuality is disease, madness.
2. Homosexuality is gender inversion.
3. Homosexuality is self-hatred.
4. Homosexuality is de-individuation and giving up of the personal self.
Those statements makes homosexual have sexual orientation of themselves and
they are not feeling as complete as a man or woman. This is what makes homosexual
afraid of exposing his true identity.
Because of those things, there is a term called
homophobia. Homophobia is a fear of showing the sexual identity and also the fear of
someone that afraid of a gay or in other word, they hate gay people. D'Augelli and
Patterson (200I)
explain the two obstacles. of coming out: heterosexism and
homophobia.
The coming-out process takes place in a social context of
heterosexism and homophobia. Homophobia creates the negativity
that makes coming out so difficult while heterosexism creates a set of
roles, expectations, and social pressilres that must be discarded in
order to recognize same-sex desire and to identify as gay or lesbian.
(p.84)
According
to Malon
(2004),
every
gay person
seems
to struggle
with
homophobia. They live in a social environment which gives them negative messages
about being queer and discrimination to gay or lesbian people.
Many clinicians have noted that every gay person has an internal
12
lesbians and bisexual people are raised in a social environment that
abounds with negative messages and misinformation about being
queer. (p.l52)
Homophobia is an intense, irrational fear of lesbians and gay men, and the
hatred, disgust, and prejudice fostered by that fear. Based on Blumenfield (1992) there
are so many examples of homophobia that shows in the society as following:
Making assumption about a person being lesbian or gay based on
dress, behavior, or personality. Feeling repulsed by displays of
affection between same-gender couples, but accepting affectionate
displays between different-gender couples. Thinking of people who
are lesbian and gay only in terms of their sexuality, rather than as
whole, complex persons.
Being afraid of social of physical
interactions with people who are lesbian or gay.
Avoiding social
situations or activities where you might be perceived as lesbian or gay.
Assuming that lesbians and gay men will be attracted to everyone of
the same gender.
Homophobia can make a homosexual living a dotible life. The person will try to
live as a normal man or woman.
Such discriminations makes the gay person did not
dare to show his identity. They feel if they are too open with their identity, they will be
isolated from the family and the neighborhood. But Kirsch (2000, p.20) argues that "If
we do not 'come out'. We cannot identify our sexuality in the sense of knowing exactly
who we are." He adds the loneliness flaming inside the homosexuals if the persons
deny their true identities.
Denying a label or an identity is far easier than a fight for equity that
might fail, thus rendering the individual even more isolated. By
denying the identification and the material fact of labeling, shame is
thus avoided and no real resistance is actualized.
But in fact the
individual becomes even more alone. (p.92)
The process of coming out is not easy for them that have a different sexual
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different from others (i.e., not heterosexual); defining what it means to be lesbian, gay,
or bisexual; and exploring the meaning of being lesbian, gay, or bisexual (D'Augelli &
Patterson, 2001, p. 102).
Bell and Valentine (1995, p. 190) describes "The process of 'coming out' as a
gay, lesbian or bisexual person almost invariably involves an abrupt and painful
renegotiation of one's social and psychological contract with society." This statement
explains that everyone has their own way to express their identity depends on their
environment.
Kate Bomstein (1994) suggests "a transsexual cannot be described by the noun
of "woman" or "man", but must be approached through active verbs that attest to the
constant transformation which "is" the new identity or, indeed the "in-betweens" that
puts the being of gendered identity into question".
From all those theories given above, it explains that homosexual, especially gay
men are facing a lot of identity problems as they are trying to live with their sexuality.
The problems are coming from internal and external.
The internal problems are clearly
come from inside them.
Gay men tend to feel different among others straight people.
They also have to
deal with homophobia whether they are already out of the closet or not. Homophobia in
the society can cause problem to homosexuals. It is obvious that society still think that
gay is something weird or 'unnatural'. People who are homophobic will think that
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homosexuals are not good and it is often cause discrimination to the gay men. The other
external problem is environments. They have to face rejection from people around them
and also from their family.
2.3 Queer Theory
Queer theory is a field of critical theory that emerged in early 1990s out of the
fields of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) studies and feminist studies.
Queer theory is the theory that against the feminism theory to the idea that gender is
very important and relates to nature and highly influenced by the work of Hawa
Kosofsky Sedgwick(1990), Judith Butler (1990), and Lauren Berlant.
Those queer
theorists try to fight against the feminist writers with different levels of hostility, for
viewing sexuality only through a gaze of gender and patriarchy. They argue that gay I
lesbian are something that remains a question whether it was derived from nature or the
fact that gay or lesbian is not natural. Gay or lesbian is still considered as a taboo in
some circles.
As Bettie
(2003)
and
Schippers
(2000)
quite rightly pointed
out, the
representation of identities is an accomplishment of performance, but these identities are
also constrained by an array of institutional forces that contribute to the power of
heteronormativity.
The queer theory is working against power not seeking freedom
from power.
In queer theory, there are no clear membership criteria, like man or woman,
15
this queer theory, there are boundaries that more inclusively than the lesbian and gay
movement, this theory includes anyone, especially non-heterosexual and tradespeople,
who reject heteronormative concepts of sex/gender and sexuality.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender is a group that has different needs and
represents their own positions in our culture. Although they are differ in the presence of
the social ladder, but they also have characteristics that should be valued as in the
categories of race, ethnicity and class lines.
Communities within queer movements have been increasing rapidly and the urge
to fight it has been weakened. This community is accompanied by concepts of
differences, which means the difference has been strengthened by the turn of the
postmodemist and post-structuralism. (Kirsch, 2000 p. 115)
Barry (1995) adds that queer theorists identifY and discuss the event oflesbian or
gay in typical work such as the relationship between the same-sex. They also set up "an
extended, metaphorical sense of'lesbian/gay' so that it indicate a moment of crossing a
boundary, or blurring a set of categories" (p.l48). "All such 'luminal' moments"
represent "the moment of self-identification' as lesbian or gay, which need an act of
conscious struggle to "established norms and boundaries".
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2.4 Character & Personality
A culture and environment has a major influence of a person's character and
sometimes from a person's character, a particular culture and environment can be
assessed. According to Fromm's theory (1997), there are five character orientations that
are common in Western societies: receptive, exploitative, hoarding, marketing, and
productive.
Receptive personalities is a very passive character, they have an opinion that if
they want something, it will come by itself.
Exploitative personalities is an ambitious
character, they should get what they want even they have to sacrifice other people
needs.
Hoarding personalities keeps what they have and surround their lives with
strength security and maintain the distance in interacting with people.
Marketing
personalities is really like interacting with the public and very clever in using the
opportunities.
Productive personalities have a character that value and appreciate
themselves and others and they relate to the world with an accurate perceiving.
Characters are fictional, but Arp and Johnson (2006) has their own opinion, a
character must be conn cted to the reader even it is not real. That is the cause why so
many characterizations in a story reflected the real people's characteristic.
Different
with Kuppennan (1991), he shares that every characters is shown in the "day-today
quality of relationships with people to whom we have responsibilities or who have
responsibilities to us" (p. 12). In other words, someone's character could be known by
17
looking at the relationship of a person to another.
Arp and Johnson (2006) mentions that characters can be presented in two ways:
direct and indirect presentation.
Authors present their characters either directly or indirectly. In direct
presentation they tell us straight out, by exposition or analysis, what
are the characters are like, or they have another character in the story
describe them.. In indirect presentation the author show us the
characters through their actions; we detennine what they are like by
what they say or they do. (Arp and Johnson, p.l04)
The author comprises the characters of person into two areas which are direct and
indirect. With direct explanation, the authors directly explain by written description,
critics or by analysis, whereas with the indirect explanation, the authors clarify the word
'character' through actions and the authors decide what they are like by what they say or
what they do. In direct presentation, the writer explains the characters' behavior and the
feeling with her own opiQion. Reader can have their opinion after the reader read the
·.
.
'·
writer's opinion. Different from direct presentation, indirect presentation explain the
character through his daily life and people surrounds him.
According to Standford (2003), there are two common types of character, they are
flat and round. Flat character is a character that did not change from the beginning until
the end of the story and usually they are not complicated. Flat character only has one or
two characteristics of characters.
Otherwise, round
character is a very complex
character and developing throughout the course of a work.
Based on all the theories above, it is clear that queer theory analyzes the life
episodes of one individual who is queer in a society where homosexuality is considered
18
to be unnatural. By looking at the problems related to identity, queer theory tries to be a
medium for people who are considered strange in their neighborhood, especially the
homosexual community.