Self Destruction as a Form of Resistance Toward Gender-Based Stereotypes of Female Characters in Oka Rusmini’s Sagra

Juniartha, I Wayan
Putra, I Gusti Bagus Wahyu Nugraha
Erawan, Dewa Gede Bambang
Juliartha, Komang Rama

Lingua Cultura
Vol. 20 No. 2 (2026): Lingua Cultura (In Press)

This research aims to analyze the contexts and the meaning of forms of self-destruction as a representation This research is a social constructivist study of literature to explore the correlation between the context and meaning of actions against female stereotypes. This research focuses on the context of resistance to stereotypes of women by society, especially related to women’s bodies, such as: women’s body ownership is belongs to their husbands or lovers. These are manifested in acts of self-destruction related to women's bodies. In more detail, this research analyzes forms of self-destruction through text and text’s descriptions. The approach in this research is a qualitative research with literary analysis. The library and deep reading method, utilizing note-taking techniques, was employed to identify correlations between the contexts and the meaning of self-destruction as a manifestation of resistance to stereotypes. The problem is analyzed based on Mead’s Symbolic Interactionism theory, supported by Kenney’s theory of conflict and Thomas and Killman’s Conflict Management strategy theory. The research result shows that self-destruction conducted by female characters is not an act of giving up or desperation toward oppression, but instead a coping mechanism to manifest their body ownership. This form of self-destruction is contextually addressed through both actual meaning and metaphor, particularly in relation to self-actualization. It is somehow achieved since these women characters have no power to openly resist the patriarchal oppression related to their body ownership.