WEST AND EAST IN VEIL OF ROSES NOVEL BY LAURA

FITZGERALD

A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
the Strata One Degree (S1)

NAVITA AL ANNISA
109026000167

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
JAKARTA
2013
 ABSTRACT

Navita Al-annisa, West and East in Veil of Roses Novel by Laura

Fitzgerald. A Thesis : English Letters Department. Adab and Humanities
Faculty. State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2013.
The study on this research focuses on the main character’s opinion in Veil
of Roses novel by Laura Fitzgerald which defines the position of America as West
and Iran as East. The main character’s name is Tamila Soroush, an Iranian who
pretends that being American is much better for her future. This research analyzes
the main character’s point of view on America and Iran.

The data are non-numeric and collected by some books and they are
analyzed by reading, underlining, classifying, and identifying. This analyses also
explains certain events which relates to other events. Therefore, the method used
are descriptive and qualitative. The theory used in this analysis is orientalism
theory by Edward W. Said which reveals about the relationship between West
and East. The West in the novel Veil of Roses is occupied by America and the
East is by Iran where America seems superior and Iran is inferior.

The study analyzes some traits of the main character, Tamila Soroush, and
her perception about America and Iran. After collecting the data revealed about
the character’s traits, the writer relates them with her perception. The superiority
of America and inferiority of Iran also play the role in changing the character
traits. When Tamila lives in Iran, she is a desperate, shy, depressed and
responsible woman. However, in America, she changes her character to be
adventurous, envious, rebellious, ambitious, and stubborn.

i
'r

a
APPROVEMENT

WEST AND EAST NT WN OF ROSESNOVEL BY LAURA

FITZGERALD

A THESIS

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor

The StrataOneDegree(Sl)

NAVITA AL ANNISA
109026000167

Approvedby:

Advisor

(DaylDate:l0^ -f - 20 ty )

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTME,NT

FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

JAKARTA

2013
r

LEGALTZATION

Name : Navita Al Annisa

NIM :109026000167

Title : West and East in Veil of RosesNovel bv Laura Fitzserald

The thesis entitled above has defendedbefore the Letters and HumanitrEs

Faculty's Examination Committeeon December27th,2013. It has alreadybeen

acceptedas a partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the degreeof strataone.

Jakarta,December27r', 2013

ExaminationCommittee

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2. Elve Oktafi)'ani"M. Hum.

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to be the best of
my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written
by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for
the award of any other institute or degree or diploma of the universuity or other
institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in
the text.

Jakarta, June 2 2013

Navita Al-annisa

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The writer would like to thank to Allah SWT, the Most Gracious and Most

Merciful for all the favor to complete this thesis. Many salutation and benediction

to the Greatest Prophet Muhammad SAW for his covenying the words of God,

the light of humanism and peace.

The writer would like to deliver her deepest thankful to her beloved

parents, Agus Mulyadi and Tati Hartati for the support, prayer, motivation and

strength they have been giving to the writer. The writer also would like to thank

to her beloved uncle, Selamat Riyadi, who has been financially supporting the

writer to complete her bachelor degree.

Many words of thanks are also addressed to her advisor Ahmad Zakky,

M.Hum, for his time, guidance, kindness, and motivation to finish this paper. The

special thanks is also dedicated to :

1. Dr. H. Abdul Wahid Hasyim, M.Ag., the Dean of Faculty of Adab and

Humanities, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

2. Drs. Saefudin, M.Pd., the Head of English Department.

3. Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum., the Secretary of English Letters Department.

4. The Lectures and the Staffs of Faculty of Adab and Humanities.

5. All staffs of Library Center of UIN.

v
6. The writer’s big family : Muhammad Fauzi, Annas Ulul Azmi, Umarlina,

Rauf, Didi, thanks for the support.

7. The writer’s best friends : Eki, Ethika, Fitria, John, Gita, Tiwi, Ani, Lilis,

Ii, Syifa, Anisa, Fida, Raden, Nopi, Echa, Talita thanks for the support.

8. The big Family of E Class 2009.

9. The big Family of Literature Class 2009.

10. For those the writer cannot mention the name either directly and indurectly

helping the writer in finishing the thesis. Hopefully, this writer’s work

will be useful for those who are interested in it. May Allah blesses us.

Amen.

Jakarta, June 2013.

The Writer

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ i
APPROVEMENT ................................................................................................. ii
LEGALIZATION ................................................................................................ iii
DECLARATION .................................................................................................. iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .....................................................................................v
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................ vii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of The Study......................................................1

B. Focus of The Study.................................................................8

C. Research Question..................................................................8

D. Significance of The Study......................................................8

E. Methodology of The Study.....................................................8

1. Method of Research..........................................................9

2. Objective of Research.......................................................9

3. Technique of Analysis.......................................................9

4. Instrument of Research...................................................10

5. Unit Analysis...................................................................10

6. Time and Place................................................................10

CHAPTER II THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character and Characterization.............................................13

B. Postcolonial Theory...............................................................15

1. Orientalism Theory..........................................................16

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS

vii
 A. Characters.................................................................................22

B. East and West in The Main Character’s Perception.................34

1. Iran as The East....................................................................34

2. America as The West...........................................................41

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

A. C onclusion............................................................................48

B. Suggestions............................................................................49

BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................52

APPENDIX...........................................................................................................55

viii
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of The Study

Islamic Republic of Iran or Iran, in short, is a Middle East country that the

capital city is Teheran. It is located between Turkey and Iraq on the west and

Afghanistan and Pakistan on the east. It borders the Persian Gulf and Gulf of

Oman in the south and Armenia, Azerbaiijan, the Caspian Sea, and Turkmenistan

in the north.1 Iran becomes one of the most well-known countries not only

because of its strategic position but also its great Islamic revolution.

In 1979, there was a revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini’s2 that aimed

to overthrow Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlevi3 in Iran. The revolution, itself,

fought for eliminating westernization which had been growing well in Iran.4 The

revolution appeared as the result of people’s anger at Mohammed Reza Shah

Pahlevi who never took care of his citizens. When Mohammad Reza Shah

Pahlevi led Iran, he let the country to be dependent on America and he only

focused on armament expenditures. America provided more weapons for Iran to

strengthen the army forces in Iran.

1
Anonymous. Country Profile: Iran. Accessed on 6.16 pm May 20th, 2013.
https://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Iran.pdf.
2
Revolution figure of Iran. Born in Khomein, Markazi Province, September 24th, 1902
and died in Teheran June 3rd, 1989.
3
The last Shah of Iran from September 16th, 1941 and overthrown by Iran Revolution on
February 11th, 1979. Born in Teheran October 26th, 1919 and died in Cairo July 27th, 1980.
4
Op Cit., http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Iran.pdf.

1
 2

The good relationship between Iran and America grew westernization in

Iran. However, the westernization was not a matter which public of Iran needed.

Because Iran acted according to America’s policy. It caused enmity of America

because the ordinary Iranians and the poorest section did not get any benefit in

modernization and progress done by Shah hence public thought that regime of

Ayatollah Khomeini would be better leading Iran.

“In 1963, the Shah initiated his “White Revolution,” a series of far
reaching reforms intended to modernize and Westernize Iran. While these
reforms produced rapid economic growth, they also led to social
dislocation, rapid urbanization, and the adoption by the ruling elite of
Western habits and customs that alienated traditional and religious
elements in Iranian society. The reforms also threatened to undermine the
economic base and influence of Iran’s clerical establishment, alienating
the clergy from the regime. The Shah’s modernization plans required a
large foreign presence, including 9,000 U.S. military technicians and
advisors and 60,000 foreign workers and businessmen (most of them
American). The pervasive presence of these foreign workers—who often
were paid much more than their Iranian counterparts—fostered resentment
and offended the nationalist and religious sensibilities of some Iranians.”5

Right after Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlevi was declined and changed by

Ayatollah Khomeini, instability condition in Iran was not over. Not all public of

Iran agreed with the new policy practiced in Iran. Those who did not agree were

sure that the policies are conservative, and inappropriate hence they preferred

Iran to be westernized. They pretended that western culture is much better to be

practiced in Iran. The westernization brought by Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlevi

is more appropriate than the original culture of Iran. This matter later leads an

5
Michael Eisenstadt. Iran’s Islamic Revolution : Lesson for the Arab Spring of 2011?.
Accesed on 11.35 May 31st, 2013.
http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/documents/NDU_IransIslamicRevolution_Lessonsforthe
ArabSpringof2011.pdf 11.35
 3

issue between West and East that West culture is considered as more appropriate

to be practiced than East.

The issue between East and West is also clearly described in one of

literary works like a novel. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a novel

is a fictitious prose narrative or tale of considerable length (now usually one long

enough to fill one or more volumes) in which characters and actions

representative of the real life of past or present times are portrayed in a plot of

more or less complexity.6 The Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Literature states that a

novel is extended fictional prose narrative, usually between 30,000 and 100,000

words in length, that deals imaginatively with human experience through the

psychological development of the central characters and their relationship with a

broader world.7

Besides, a novel has some elements that can be analyzed by readers in

order to catch a deeper meaning of a novel creating aim. A novel has many

elements such as plot, character, point of view, and many others. Though, by its

complexity and many elements of novel, Laura Fitzgerald8 could ease reader to

grasp the condition of Iran after revolution through her novel with the title is Veil

of Roses. However, on this analysis, the writer only focuses on one element of the

novel which is the main character whose opinion will demolish the position of

East towards West.

6
Jeremy Hawthorn, Studying The Novel. (New York : Hodder Education, 2005), P. 1.
7
Anonymous, The Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Literature. (Abingdon: Helicon
Publishing, 2006), P. 886.
8
Laura Fitzgerald, a native of Wisconsin, lives in Arizona with her husband, who is of
Iranian descent, and their two children.
 4

Veil of Roses is written by an American author, Laura Fitzgerald. This is

the story of one Iranian family in 80’s and it also shares the condition of Iran after

revolution. The family consists of four members, they are Baba Joon, Mama Joon

and their two daughters, Maryam and Tamila. The story itself focuses on the

youngest daughter, Tamila Soroush, with her love story and passion.

Tamila Soroush is a twentyseven-year-old-woman and unmarried. She

lives in Iranian family and works as a teacher for young girls in Iran. Because of

her weak condition which then leads her to quit from her job, Tamila feels that her

life is going into ruin. She has no destination and no plan to do living under

conservative regime that binds herself in getting her dreams.

In her twentyseven birthday party, her father, Baba Joon, gives her a

passport and an airplane ticket to America as her gift. The aim of giving those

surprises that Tamila is expected to meet a candidate of husband in America,

marry him, and get American citizenship. The candidate must be an Iranian but he

has a legal citizenship to live in America. Then he is wished to sponsor Tamila to

be a legal citizen of America and they both can live happily ever after. Tamila

believes that living in America will facilitate her reaching what she has wished for

long time. She thinks that America will be more friendly in treating her as its

citizen by letting Tamila does what she wants to. In her opinion, America has

anything that she needs much more than she can get in Iran.

Though the novel consists of many characters and some of them also

deliver their opinion about America and Iran, the writer just chooses Tamila

Soroush to be analyzed. As the main character in the novel Veil of Roses, Tamila
 5

Soroush always shares her opinion about America and Iran. She also compares

the customs and the people. Based on her opinion and comparison between

America and Iran, the writer would like to make a limitation of analysis only to

the character of Tamila Soroush and her opinion about imbalance position of Iran

towards America.

Some evidences of imbalance condition are firstly when Tamila seeking

for her husband. In traditional custom of Iran, it is a shame for woman marries

late, hence Tamila is insisted to marry soon by her family. Though Tamila is in

the shame condition of unmarried, her family still declares some requirements for

those who want to be Tamila’s husband. The main requirement is that Tamila’s

husband must be Iran descent but he holds American citizenship hence he can

sponsor Tamila to get the same citizenship. Tamila and her family strongly

believe that living in America will be much more promising to establish future.

Even though Tamila wishes the same as what her family wishes to get married

soon, Tamila is quite fed up with traditional custom of Iran about arranged

marriage which a couple never knows or loves each other and suddenly comes to

marriage. Because in America, only those who fall in love with each other can go

to marriage.

The next evidence that is in Iran, women must wear their hejab9 when they

are in public areas. They are not allowed to swing their beautiful hair. Their

beauty must be covered by hejab and it is restricted for women to appear

9
A headscarf worn by Muslim women; conceals the hair and neck and usually has a face
veil that covers the face.
 6

beautifully without hejab. It is believed that it will draw men’s attention to harass

them. Besides, it is the government’s policy that focuses to practice the Islamic

norms in Iran. A woman who does not wear a hejab, can be taken into jail.

Hejab is not the only reasonable thing why Tamila prefers to be an

American citizen. Because the government’s policy is not only limiting women in

Iran physically but also their right to act and do as they wish. Talent of women

means nothing in Iran. American also does not need to wear any hejab and it is

free for women to establish their career in any field. In Iran, women are restricted

to build their talent. Woman’s freedom is limited by the government’s policy

which is believed that it does not make any sense. By those evidences, the

suitable title of this research is “West and East in Veil of Roses Novel by Laura

Fitzgerald” because the novel shares the position of America as the West and Iran

as the East. In this novel, America represents the position of West which

according to the main character always looks superior in civilization matter. In

another side, Iran is mentioned as the East because the main character believes

that the characteristic of Iran is not better than America. Furthermore, the

position of America and Iran in the Veil of Roses novel can be seen in similar way

as Said sees the position of West and East in his theory of orientalism.

Orientalism theory by Edward W. Said serves the revised form of Michel

Foucault's historicist critique of discourse10 and it is a steady explanation of two

sides. These two sides are called West and East, and they have different power.

10
Peter Childs and Roger Fowler, The Routledge Dictionary of Literary Terms (New
York: Routledge, 2006), P. 162.
 7

The West is believed more superior than the East in many aspects. Besides, West

functions as a masculine pole, independent, and civilized. In other side, East

tends to be feminine, dependent, and uncivilized. The term West and East, raised

as an impact of colonialism done by colonizer to its colonized country.

Colonialism was one form of eastern’s decline. Colonialism is not a

modern phenomenon. The World History is a real example of colonialism where

colonizer expands its territory by incorporating adjacent area to its territory. The

term of colonialism refers to European project in dominating in politcal matter

from sixteenth to twentieth century. It is then ended by liberation movements of

1960s. Later, the term of Post-colonialism appeared to describe the transition

from political dependence to sovereignty.11

However, to learn how colonization progress influenced countries both the

colonized and colonizer, it will be easily studied in some literary works such as

novel, film, drama, and many others. In postcolonialism, there is another example

of colonization which created to dominate and used in literary works, namely

orientalism. This term is more vague but acceptable in colonization process. This

is a sufficiently functional method for orientalist to spread their opinion about the

East. Orientalism theory was created by Edward W. Said in order to deconstruct

the position of East towards West. According to Said, orientalism is a group of

ideas from superiority and imperiality and shared into theory and practice.12

11
Anonymous, Colonialism. Accessed on 6.24 pm May 21st, 2013.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/colonialism/.
12
Chris Barker, Cultural Studies,Theory and Practice (London: Sage Publications,
2000), P.218.
 8

Because the novel of Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald is one example of

orientalism practice which the author can freely define the position West and East

through the main character, the writer chooses the theory of orientalism to analyze

the novel where Iran occupies as the East and America as the West.

B. Focus of The Study

Reffered to the background above, the research will be focused on main

character’s opinion in what she feels concerning the position of Iran as the East

towards America as the West. By focusing and quoting her opinions, we might

clearly grasp how Iran is being described in the novel.

C. Research Question

In making the research becomes easy to analyse, the writer developes two

research questions related to the focus of research field :

1. How is Tamila Soroush as the main character described in Veil of Roses

novel by Laura Fitzgerarld?

2. How does Tamila Soroush as the main character view the relationship

between Iran as the East and America as the West in Veil of Roses novel

by Laura Fitzgerald?

D. Significance of The Study

Generally, the significance of this research is to enrich our knowledge

about condition in Iran after revolution. Furthermore, the writer tries to reveal
 9

domination of America towards Iran by using orientalism theory by Edward W.

Said.

E. Methodology of The Study

This research comprises three important aspects, namely: the method of

research, data analysis, time and place of research.

1. Method of Research

In order to complete the research, the writer takes two sorts of research.

Related to acquired data which collected by some text books, the writer takes

qualitative research. Qualitative reasearch is the research which relies on verbal

and others non-numeric data.13 Another sort of research which is taken by the

writer is descriptive research. The writer chooses descriptive research because the

research explains about one phenomenon which has a correlation with the recent

incidents.14

2. Objective of Research

The objective of this research is to get clear explanation of Iran’s

description beneath the domination of America by using the orientalism theory by

Edward W. Said.

3. Technique of Analysis

13
Muhammad Farkhan, Proposal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra (Jakarta: Cella, 2007), p.
2.
14
Ibid, p. 4.
 10

In data analysing, the writer chooses some literary theories that firstly

explains about one literary field namely novel and its elements. However, the

only element that will be deeply disscused is character. The next theory is

orientalism theory by Edward W. Said to figure out how deep this theory works in

the novel Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerarld. After collecting some related data in

library, the writer studies them more deeply hence the technique of analysing in

this paper is using library research.

4. Instrument of Research

The research consists an instrument only and that is the writer. The writer

analyzes the characterization of the main character, Tamila Soroush. Later on, the

writer considers about Tamila’s perception about the position of Iran as the East

and America as the West.

5. Unit Analysis

The unit analysis of this research in a novel Veil of Roses by Laura

Fitzgerald which published by Bantam Dell in 2007. Besides, this research uses

quotations of the main character’s explanations and opinions that later on bring

readers to clear description of Iran.

6. Time and Place

The research, itself, is held in 2013, specifically in March until May. It is

also taken place at the writer’s campus, English Letters Department of State

Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, especially at the library. Besides,

 11

the writer collects some relevant data from different library at some universities.

They are the library of Gunadarma University, the library of Atmajaya University

and the library at University of Indonesia.

 CHAPTER II

THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Character and Characterization

Characters are the life of literature: they are the objects of our curiousity

and fascination, affection and dislike, admiration and condemnation. 15 Looking

up X. J. Kennedy’s book, a definition of character is presumably an imagined

person who inhabits a story.16 Meanwhile, Robert Diyanni states on his book that

a character posseses the kind of reality that dreams have, a reality no less intense

for being imagined.17 It can be concluded that a character is only a creation of an

author to do anything as the plot goes.

As it has been explained before that a character is one of novel’s element

which functions to make readers understand the context. A character is also an

unreal thing in the novel but it can take its readers to “lose themselves” and get

involved into the plot of novel. Additionally, a character is an element of fiction

that is unseparable with the plot. But sometimes, readers only focus to “what

happened” instead of “what happened to him/her”.18

X. J. Kennedy added that in some literary works, a character is a person.

Though several of literary works are using animal or plant as a character, the

15
Andrew Bennet and Nicholas Royle, An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and
Theory (United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited, 2004), third edition, p. 60.
16
X. J. Kennedy, An Introduction to Fiction: Third Edition (United States of America:
Little, Brown and Company, 1983), p. 45.
17
Robert Diyanni. Literature Approaches to Fiction, Poetry and Drama (New York:
McGraw Hills, 2004), P.54.
18
Ibid.

12
 13

character still describes human personalities.19 The way to approach a character

is same as how we approach a human. Furthermore, if we also want to analyze a

character, we can focus on how a character acts, speaks, and by the character‟s

physical details.

In analyzing the characters, what we can do at first is by classifying them

into their classsifications. There are two classifications of characters based on

Robert Diyanni‟s book. They are major and minor character. Major character is

an important figure at the center of the story‟s action or theme. It is the main

character which is described more detail by the author in order to grasp readers‟

sympathy. Minor character which the function is partly to illuminate the major

character.20 Therefore, its presence helps to define clear function and explanation

of major character.

Diyanni added that in major character, there are two another sorts of

character, they are protagonist and antagonist character. Protagonist is a character

whose conflict with an antagonist may spark the story‟s conflict. 21 The term of

protagonist refers to the main or central character in fiction. 22 It is the central of

sympathy because of its characterization which is usually round and developed to

grasp most attention from its readers.

19
Kennedy, Op. Cit., pp. 45-46.
20
Diyanni, Op. Cit.
21
Ibid.
22
Jane Barchman Gordon and Karen Kuehner, Fiction The Elements of The Short Story
(United States of America: McGraw Hills, 1999), p. 96.
 14

In the opposite of protagonist, there is antagonist character. Just same as

protagonist, an antagonist character may be a round character though sometimes it

can also be a flat character. An antagonist character usually has a conflict with

protagonist character that the conflict will spark in the story and it will guide

readers moving into the plot.23

In another book, character is classified into round and flat character. A

round character is three-dimensional character complex enough to be able to

surprise the reader without losing credibility.24 The description of this round

character is quite complicated to be understood because it exhibits many

characteristics. In other hands, a flat character is one incapable of surprising the

reader.25 Unlike, round character, flat character only has some simple

characteristics and it is easy to grap its motivation in the plot.

To recognize characters in a fiction, an author does many efforts to bring

readers into the story and it will ease readers, later, to catch personalities of

characters. This effort of author called characterization. When an author

characterizes the characters, he reveals some descriptions by using physical details

or describing on how a character speaks and acts. It will bring readers to a sense

as if the characters are true and alive.

Characterization, itself, has two methods, both are direct and indirect

characterization. In direct characterization, the narrator or a character summarizes

23
Diyanni, Op. Cit.
24
Gordon and Kuehner, Op. Cit., p. 95.
25
Ibid, p. 96.
 15

or tells readers what another character looks like or what kind of person he or she

is.26 Readers will feel easier to understand personalities or traits of characters

because they do not need to analyse by themselves. A narrator or a character in

the story will state directly to readers.

Besides, some fictions does not reveal bluntly about personalities of

characters in the story. The author lets readers to analyse, figure out and conclude

by themselves about a character in the story they read. This kind of

characterization is called indirect characterization. Indirect characterization,

narrators and characters describe, without comment, a character‟s appearance or

dress.27 It seems more difficult to catch personalities of characters. However,

after reading deeply insight, readers can also get clear description.

B. Postcolonial Theory

The term Post refers to everything happens after something hence the term

Post-Colonial implies a period after colonialism. The postcolonialism covers all

colonial era including everything after it.28 Colonial discourse becomes a sub-key

of the postcolonial study in order to learn more about inherited power which is

remained by colonialism. It also deconstructs the subjugated people and other

effects of nineteenth-century European imperalism on societies and cultures.

“A critical theory that explores the condition of postcoloniality, that is,

colonial relations and their aftermath. The term „postcolonial‟ might be
understood to refer only to a time period since the colonization processes

26
Gordon and Kuehner, Op. Cit., p.98.
27
Ibid.
28
Chris Barker, The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies (London: Sage Publications,
2004), p. 148.
 16

of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, within cultural

studies it is commonly taken also to include the colonial discourse itself.
Thus, the concept „postcolonial‟ alludes to the world both during and after
European colonization and as such postcolonial theory explores the
discursive condition of postcoloniality. That is, the way colonial relations
and their aftermath have been constituted through representation.”29

Even though the first aim of postcolonial theory is to deconstruct effects of

colonialism, the firts aim of postcolonial theory was a tool for cultural interaction

in colonial societies on literary circles.30

However, by using the term of “post”, it is not impossible that the

continuation of colonial era still exists. Many countries which have reached their

independence are still being oppressed and colonized in economic, social-culture

and ideology sides. In postcolonial theory, there are some concepts contrasted by

each other like East (Orientalism) versus West (Occidentalism), colonized versus

colonizer, and self versus other.31

1. Orientalism Theory

Orientalism is a theory relates to relationship between West and East.

This theory was invented by Edward W. Said32 and it started during latter part of

eighteenth century and early years of the nineteenth when colonialization term

was finally changed to be more vague and acceptable. Orientalism theory emerged
29
Ibid
30
Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, Helen Tiffin, Key Concepts in Post Colonial Studies
(London, Routledge: 1998), p. 186.
31
Akhyar Yusuf Lubis, Dekonstruksi Epistemologi Modern: Dari Postmodernisme,
Teori Kritis, Poskolonialisme Hingga Cultural Studies (Jakarta: Pustaka Indonesia Satu, 2006),
P. 209.
32
Edward W Said is a Palestinian, born in Jerusalem in 1935 and is a member of the
Palestine National Council (the Palestinian parliament-in-exile). In United States, Said is well
known as literary critic, writer, spokesperson, and activist for the Palestinian cause. In late 1950s,
Said came to United States and took education at Princeton and Harvard. Later on, he became Parr
Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. His great masterpiece in
literary wolrd is his theory of Orientalism.
 17

as an idea of European to help them defining their domination over Asian. This is

a synthesis of Gramci‟s theories of hegemony and Foucault‟s theories of

discursive.33

Gramci‟s theories of hegemony works through subjugation and ideological

condition. Moreover, hegemony is the practice of the material and the ideological

reproduction of values.34 Besides, Foucault‟s approach to power involves in part

the study of discursive formations, that is to say, the mechanism via knowledge is

produced and delimited as a practice.35 As a conclusion that orientalism is

western knowledge hegemony in order to construct and oppress „Orient‟.

Orientalism was made by western in the name of knowledge to define its

position and domination over the East. According to Peter Barry, orientalism is a

dissection of Euro-centrism which then justifies the superiority of Europe or

western and the inferiority of non-Europe or non-western. It is also the ancient

method to identify East as the inferior.36 Besides, orientalism is a Europe‟s

symbol of power over the orient or East. It is only western‟s strategy for

dominating and restructuring East. Richard J. Lane said “Orientalism is a form

of “executive” knowledge that can be used to gain information on native people in

33
Richard J. Lane, Fiftty Key Literary Theorists (New York: Routledge, 2006), P. 235.
34
Ibid.
35
Ibid.
36
Peter Barry, Beginning Theory Pengantar Komprehensif Teori Sastra dan Budaya.
Translator, Harviyah Widiawati & Ev, Setryani (Yogyakarta: Jalasutra, 2010), P. 224-225.
 18

order better to control them. It is also archivel in nature, for its ambitions are to

gain total knowledge about these people and their cultures.”37

The term of orientalism, in Said‟s opinion, can be defined by three ways.

First is by viewing orientalism as a mode or paradigm to differ West and East by a

certain epistemology and ontology. Next, orientalism can be also understood such

a kind of West institution which focuses on East people and tradition as its topic.

The last, orientalism essentially is the official institution of Western that takes its

care into East.38 In other words, orientalism is likely the institution created by

West to spread an understanding of East which its truth was blown away or

sometimes group of lies and myths.

As the western institution, orientalism refers to some subjects. It changes

the relationship between West and East or Europe and Asia historically and

culturally, it specializes in various oriental cultures and traditions, and the

ideological supposition, images, and fantasies about a currently important and

politically urgent region of the world called the orient.39

The aims of orientalism discourse is, hopefully, West could grasp much

information about East, about its strengths and weaknesses. It will, next, ease

West to dominate East. By some certain aims of West, there are many literary

works made but the objectivity of them is not a totality. It is because the literary

works, mostly created by westerns hence the point of view is from the western.

37
Gregory Castle, The Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory (United States: Blackwell
Publishing, 2007), p. 137.
38
Akhyar Yusuf Lubis, Op. Cit., p. 216
39
Edward W. Said, Orientalism Reconsidered. Literature. Accessed on 3.40 pm April
10th 2013. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1354282, p. 90.
 19

There will be cultural bias so that West will still be the West but East will be

much further from the East.40

Said added that deconstruction of colonial study is important to make

West realizes that East discourses are full of cultural bias. It is also for

eliminating the belief and myth that West is dynamic while East is static. Because

it has been known well that orientalist discourse is to invest West hegemony into

East. Western, in its discourses, describes itself as a masculine side while East is

feminine. West intends to spread this view in order to damage power of East.

If Said might describe, orientalism is described as a lens which this lens

operates for West viewing East. On one side of lens is the authority of the West.

West uses this lens to view its object, the East. After viewing its object, West will

define the orient. Moreover, Orientalists borrowed three principles of European

imperialism to make this lens. First, imperialist viewed colonial subject as an

inferior. Second, the illustration of the East would be spreaded through literary

works. The last, it would put East far from West. The term which usually used

for considering occident for the West and the East is orient.

Occident is position for Europe or West and orient is a term for East or

usually Asia. Recently, the area range of occident is identified as Europe, United

States, and now Japan. Orient, is covering Asia, Africa and Latin America. 41

Besides, occident call themselves as “West”, “The First wold”, “Self”, and “The

40
Nyoman Kutha Ratna, Teori, Metode dan Tekhnik Penelitian Sastra (Yogyakarta:
Pustaka Pelajar. 2007), P. 209.
41
Ibid, pp. 52-53.
 20

Center” while orient call themselves as “East”, “The Third World”, “The Other”,

and “Periphery”.42

Occident is depicted as a colonizer and orient is as a colonized. Because

the relationship between occident and orient is as colonizer and colonized, it is

impossible to discuss one side only. These two sides have different power and

characterizations and both are in contradiction. Though they are contrastive, they

have same function which is to define the power of each other.

Furthermore, occident and orient are two groups in forming the

orientalism theory. Occident is a group with high superiority and great in any

aspects. As opposite side, orient is an oppressive group and inferior. Occident is

a subject of colonialization and orient is the object. The relevance of these two

sides not only in politic but also in hegemony practice. Characters of occident are

always positive that it is masculine, independent, civilized, educated and modern.

Meanwhile the orient is in negative side that it is feminine, wild, uneducated, and

primitive. No matter how characterizations of both orient and occident are, they

are a result of human‟s creation. Their presence helps each other to define their

position :

“I have begun with the assumption that the Orient is not an inert fact of
nature. It is not merely there, just as the Occident itself is not just there
either. We must take seriously Vico's great observation that men make
their own history, that what they can know is what they have made, and
extend it to geography: as both geo-graphical and cultural entities—to say
nothing of historical entities —such locales, regions, geographical sectors

42
Fernando Coronil, Beyond Occidentalism: Toward Nonimperial Geohistorical
Histories, Cultural Anthropology. Accessed on 11.12 am April 22nd, 2013.
http://www.jstor.org/about/terms.html, p. 52.
 21

as "Orient" and "Occident" are man-made. Therefore as much as the West

itself, the Orient is an idea that has a history and a tradition of thought,
imagery, and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence in and for
the West. The two geographical entities thus support and to an extent
reflect each other.”43
As a colonizer, the occident or the colonizer always practiced many

methods in dominating its colonized country. In colonialization era, the occident

bluntly imperialized to extend its domination area. However, in the era after

colonialization ended, colonizer still practices many methods in dominating.

Later, the term of orientalism appeared as a substitution of colonialism term.

There is no more weaapon but new hegemony is created through literary works.

43
Edward W. Said, Orientalism (London: Penguin Books, 1977), p. 4-5
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH FINDINGS

A. Characters

In this chapter, the writer starts to reveal some related data to explain

about result of the analysis. The first thing the writer does is to describe the data

stated in the novel as the corpus. The data, itself, depicts about characterizations

or traits of Tamila Soroush as the main character in the novel Veil of Roses by

Laura Fitzgerald. The next step is explaining the position of Iran and America

viewed from the main character’s perception.

Tamila Soroush is a twentyseven-year-old woman whose job was a young

girl teacher in conservative regime of Iran. She is the youngest daughter of Papa

and Mama Joon. In her twentyseven years old, Tamila is still single with no

prospect of her future. Revolution of Iran creates unstable condition for Tamila

staying in her home country. The chaos in Iran draws her to new life in promising

country, America. Her unmarried status and the chaos of Iran itself initiate her to

seek for a decent man to be her husband in America.

As the main character, Tamila Soroush is classified into a major character

like Diyanni states that it is an important figure at the center of the story’s action

or theme.40 Because the entire story in Veil of Roses only focuses on her life and

efforts to pursue her dream in America. Besides, she is also classified into a

round character that is a three dimensional character and complex enough to be

40
Diyanni, Op. Cit.

22
 23

able to surprise the reader without losing credibility. 41 Tamila Soroush has a

complex character and she changes her characteristics as soon as she lives in

America. She surprises the readers through her changing traits and attitudes. It

will be clearly revealed on some point of her traits below:

1. Desperate

Tamila Soroush is a teacher for young girls in Iran. As her health is going

to be diminished, she decides to quit from her job. She is almost twentyseven

years old but no dreams and destination. The quotation above cleary states that

Tamila is a desperate woman. She explains herself what kind of woman she is

now in her almost twentyseven years old. A woman who lives under conservative

regime in Iran where a woman is forbidden to have a dream.

“Once I resigned, my physical ailments diminished, but so did my world.

I rarely left home; the streets were hostile and I had no destination, no
dreams, to carry me forward. Not yet twenty-seven, I felt the weariness of
someone who‟d lived one hundred joyless years.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 3)
At Tamila‟s twentyseven birthday party, there are many relatives and

closest friends coming to celebrate the party. The party, itself, will indirectly tell

the world that now she is twentyseven years old and the twentyseven-year-old

woman in hopeless condition. Besides, Tamila is unreasonably sure that she will

marry to a son of her father‟s friend, someone she does not ever know, in order to

rescue herself from desperation. In this situation, it can be concluded that Tamila

is desperate of facing life. There is no more way out for Tamila‟s problem. Her

41
Gordon and Kuehner, Op. Cit., p. 95.
 24

future is going into ruin. Even in her age, twentyseven years old, she does not

exactly know what she must do for her future.

“I felt Minu and Leila‟s eyes on me, but I averted my gaze from them and
smiled politely at Homa Khanoum. I tried to hide my heavy heart, tried to
suppress my instant realization that this, then, is how it would happen. I
no longer had to wonder. I was cocooned in my father‟s house with no job
and no other marriage prospects. My parents loved Agha Reza as if he
were their own son.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 4)

2. Shy

Tamila has many dreams to reach in America and it is so surprised when

she gets a passport to America as her birthday gift. When she arrives in America

and be welcomed by her sister, Maryam, she cannot believe why Maryam is so

adorable. Maryam asks Tamila to wear a beautiful dress for Tamila is going to

meet her husband candidate in a party. Maryam asks Tamila to change her clothes

in public toilet and it is quite shocking thing to do for Tamila. She cannot do

something private in public toilet but Maryam insists. Tamila feels that it is weird

thing that she never used to do when she was in Iran.

“ „Here?You want me to change my clothes here, in a public toilet?‟ I

think back to all the times I was forbidden from using the filthy ones back
home.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 18)
One day, her sister, Maryam, asks her to go shopping for purchasing

Tamila some underwears. Tamila is shocked with the situation of shopping center

in America, too open. Even the saleslady is too frontal asking about the size of

bra which Tamila usually wears. Tamila feels quite bothered when the saleslady

is eyeing herself especially in some parts of her body. The part of conversation

among Tamila, her sister, and a saleslady of underwears shop reveals that Tamila
 25

is a very shy girl. She does not let any strangers or unknown ones eyeing herself

especially in some parts of her body. She cannot believe that American is that

open and frontal. Because in Iran, a woman must cover her body with long and

loose apparels hence no woman could let herself being eyed by others especially

at some certain parts of woman‟s body.

“ „I don‟t feel so good,‟ I say to her in a low voice. „Can we do this

another day?‟. The saleslady eyes me up and down, mostly up. „You‟re
what, a 34-C?‟ I bite my lip and feel the tears welling. I shrug like a
child. „Can you believe it?‟ Maryam exclaims to the saleslady. „A
natural 34-C!‟.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 36-37)
“I look pleadingly at Maryam. „Go on.‟ She nods toward the dressing
room. „I‟ll find some things I think you might like. She‟s very shy,‟ she
tells Bonnie.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 37)

3. Adventurous

As her wish to be an American, Tamila realizes that her English skill is not

sufficient. That is why she joins an English class in America. Besides, Tamila

utilizes her time going to school also for wandering her new environment in

America.

“Maryam‟s house is east of university, in a neighborhood called El

Encanto Estates. There is very little traffic, no sidewalks, and lots of
cactus and desert landscape. Her house is at the end of Calle Splendida, a
dead-end street with a roundabout right in front. I hardly ever see anyone
outside and so today I am eager to walk through university campus on my
way to downtown library, where my English class meets.” (Fitzgerald,
2007: 42)
The quotation above explains that Tamila is an adventurous woman that

she prefers to take a walk to her English school. She refuses her sister‟s offer to

drive her to school. At her walk, she can learn much about the condition of

America. In iran, it is not allowed for any woman including Tamila to have a
 26

walk in public area without her mahram.42 There will be many bad guys appear to

harass a lonely woman even in public.

A sort of adventure that Tamila has, is not only about wandering her new

environment in America, but also the American custom, the custom of freedom.

At her way home after joining her English class, she meets her new American

boy-friend, Ike, who insists herself to get on his scooter. Tamila knows that it is a

forbidden thing to get on the scooter together with unrelated man in Iran. Tamila

convinces herself that she is now in America, no one will take her in jail because

of this trivial moment. She proves herself that she deserves to be American with

its freedom.

“I think of Maryam. I know what she would say. Stay away from all men.
Yet I know, too, that I have what is a much bigger game ahead of me:
Will Tami be able to convince a modern Iranian-American man-one who
does not forbid joy-that she is worthy of marriage? To win that game, I
must learn to flirt. I must learn to make myself fun to be around. I must
learn to convince a man that it is more fun to be with me than without me.
He must choose me above all the American girls. To win that game, I
must first win this one.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 64)
This is another explanation which characterizes Tamila as an adventurous

woman that she is eager to try something new, something that is considered too

risky for her when she is in Iran. Because in Iran, a woman and an unrelated man

live apart. It is very possible for a woman going into jail if she is too brave and

crazy getting on a scooter with an unrelated man together.

42
Any man with whom a woman has a relationship (of blood or fosterage) that precludes
marriage.
 27

4. Envious

Tamila‟s arrival to America is welcomed by her lovely sister, Maryam,

who has not been met Tamila for many years. Maryam is married to a rich

Iranian-American surgeon, Ardishir. Tamila is impressed with Maryam‟s

apperarance that she believes much more beautiful than she has ever seen before.

“ „You are so beautiful! How did this happen?!‟ Her black eyes sparkle,
delighted. „Everyone is beautiful in America, Tami Joon.‟ It is all I can
do not gape at her. Maryam has always had appealing features, but she
has a beauty I have not seen before. She has lost her baby fat and toned
her muscles and grown her hair long. It falls halfway down her back in
perfect shiny waves.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 16)
“She wears bright pink lipstick, gold eye shadow. Copied from a
magazine model, most likely.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 16-17)
Tamila‟s way in describing her sister‟s appearance shows that Tamila is

envious with the life her sister can get in America. She wants to be like her sister

who can appear as she wishes to be. Her sister truly beautifies herself.

“But it is not to be. He sits at the table facing the directions from which I
approach. He gives a big wave from a distance and stands to wait for me.
At the table with him are two other Starbucks employees, both women. It
still astounds me, and makes me envious, to see how men and women can
sit together so freely and talk. They have no idea what a luxury this is.
Freedom, I am beginning to realize, means not even being aware you‟re
free.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 63)
When Tamila goes home after she completes her english school, she looks

at some women having chat with a man freely on coffee table, in public area.

Tamila wants to be like those women who can make many friends whether they

are men or women. After Tamila knows how free living in America is, she is

comparing her previous life in Iran. She is totally envious with the freedom that

women in America get. The freedom to make many friends without minding the
 28

gender and have a chat with them. Men and women in America are free to be

friends.

5. Ambitious

Once Tamila and her sister come to Ardishir‟s office to bring him some

Iran cookies, there is a receptionist. As the cookies made by Tamila are delicious,

the receptionist suggests Tamila to open Middle Eastern Bakery. Tamila

considers the receptionist‟s suggestion. If her first purpose going to America

cannot be reached, Tamila intends to make a change for women in Iran. She

never lets other women in Iran having unfortunate destiny as she has. She will

encourage and facilitate them to be better generation in any aspects of life,

especially for freedom. Tamila‟s intention to make a school for girls defines that

she is an ambitious one to reach a real freedom. She does not want other girls

having same destiny as hers.

“But as Maryam drives to Sabino Canyon, I considered her suggestion. If

I didn‟t have to get married right now, if I really had the freedom to
choose my life‟s path, I think maybe I would like to open a school for
girls. I would teach them to think for themselves. I would teach them to
look inside their hearts to recognize the right way to treat others. Their
hearts know what is kind and just, better than any book or government. I
would teach them that they are not better than anyone else, but they are not
worse, either. They do not veil themselves from the world. They are not
the cause of all corruption in the world. I would teach them it is okay for
girls and boys to be friends. I would teach them it is okay to sing. Go
ahead, I would urge them. Go ahead, it will make you happy.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 74)
Tamila‟s ambition to have a better future in America is clearly declared when Ike

proposes her to marry. She agrees to marry to an American man, Ike, though she

declares some requirements to Ike. The requirements mentioned above represent

 29

that Tamila is incredibly ambitious in getting her dreams in America. Her dreams

in career and right of freedom.

“ „I want to make my own money and not to have to ask anyone‟s

permission to go on trips with my friends. I want to maybe buy my own
red scooter. And I want to live with you someday, when we‟re ready.
When I‟m ready?‟.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 306)

6. Responsible
The freedom which Tamila has dreamed of, can be reached soon after she

arrives in America. In her walk to English school, Tamila meets one gorgeus

American man whose name is Ike. Ike works at a coffeeshop and he tries to

flatter Tamila. Unfortunately, Tamila‟s responsibility to get an Iranian descent

husband, as her parents wish in America, is bigger than her wish to make many

American friends. In three months, Tamila must find a descent man to be her

husband hence he can sponsor herself for a greencard. Tamila does not want to

lead her family into disappointment. The statement declared by Tamila above

states that she is responsible with her family. She refuses Ike‟s good intention to

have a chat and directly declares her refusal. I have responsibilities to my family.

I do not have time for socializing, only for going to my English class. (Fitzgerald,

2007: 94)

When her American boyfriend, Ike, gives Tamila some flowers, she

almost cannot hide her real feeling to Ike. However, Tamila‟s family wants her to

marry to an Iranian-American man who later can sponsor herself for citizenship.

Her sister, Maryam, has arranged Tamila to marry to an Iranian-American man

whose name is Haroun. Tamila always tries to remember her family‟s

 30

requirement of her husband candidate, hence she does not want to get closer to

any American man. Instead, she realizes that Ike is the most gorgeus man she has

ever met. Fortunately, Tamila is a kind of responsible girl who tries to avoid any

American man.

“Maryam. This is my first thought. He‟s so beautiful. This is my second

thought. Careful, Tami. The engineer, Tami. This is my third thought.
„Oh, but I don‟t think I can accept them.‟ I cannot meet his eyes. I look
instead at the window of the coffee shop. Two girls behind the counter
who have been staring at us turn quickly away. (Fitzgerald, 2007: 87)

7. Depressed

Tamila‟s sister, Maryam, is a tough and stubborn woman who always

insists Tamila to do as her wish. Tamila realizes that her sister wants the best for

herself but her sister is always in her opposite side. Once Tamila does not do

what her sister advises, Maryam leads to anger. In avoiding Maryam‟s anger,

Tamila tries to always obey and listen to what her sister wishes to be. Even the

thing that Maryam asks Tamila to do is disappointing later. One day, Maryam

asks Tamila to marry a freak man whose name is Haroun, Tamila is depressed.

Tamila and her brother-in-law know exactly that Haroun is not a mentally healthy

man. Tamila‟s depression is revealed after she meets the candidate to be married,

Haroun. She enters her room and does not want to see her self in the mirror. She

thinks that her life is cursed and she does not deserve to get happines.

“I let out big sigh and rearrange the hejab that hangs over the corner of my
mirror so it covers the whole things, so I am hidden from seeing myself. I
light my Perpetual Light candle, turn on my Googoosh music, and smear
cream all over my face. I rub it off viciously, cursing my fate, hating that
all my choices are bad ones.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 109)
 31

Tamila is getting more depressed when she is in her third failure marrying

to an Iranian-American man whose name is Masoud. Masoud is a gay who wants

to marry and have a baby in order to make his parents proud of him.

Unfortunately, the agreement between Tamila and Masoud is different with the

first agreement they have arranged before. The second agreement which Masoud

wants Tamila to sign is that Tamila must have a baby. After Tamila delivers the

baby, full custody must be given to Masoud. The quotation above states Tamila‟s

anger which represents her depression facing her marriage obstacles. She cannot

hide her depression and shows it in front of Masoud in great anger.

“ „Do you think I can‟t read?‟ I demand. „You say one thing and your
contract says another. You get everything you want! You will get married
and have children and make your parents proud. They will die happy.
Then you can divorce me anytime you want and keep full custody of the
children, and I will be left nothing. Nothing!‟.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 279).

8. Stubborn

Although it seems hard for Tamila refusing all of her sister‟s wish in

everything, especially in marrying Haroun, Tamila is also a stubborn woman in

defining what she should do. In one occasion that Tamila insists to walk to

school, it burns a fight between her sister and her brother-in-law. Her sister,

Maryam, is afraid that if Tamila walks to school often, there will be many

American men who try to flatter and corrupt her but Tamila defends her wishes

opposing her sister. Tamila repeats her wish many times in front of her sister to

take a walk. She is brave to decide her wishes toward her sister. It aims to define

her characterization that she is a stubborn woman.

 32

“ „I know that,‟ I tell her sullenly. „Do you really think I don‟t know that?
All I am asking is to walk to school.‟ My voice catches in my throat. It
does not seem like this is too much ask. „I just want to walk to school‟.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 68)
Tamila has been arranged to be married to Haroun who she thinks is crazy

and abnormal. She knows exactly that Haroun is mentally unhealthy and her

brother-in-law also agrees with her opinion about Haroun. Because of her respect

to her sister, Maryam, Tamila tries to think positively that Haroun is the best one

to be married. Later, Tamila finds another man on a website whose name is

Masoud and she just cancels her engagement wih Haroun. Tamila has known

Masoud only several minutes but she is fully sure to marry him. Her stubborn

character to marry Masoud leads Maryam to her anger. She convinces her sister

that Haroun is mentally unhealthy for many times. Her way in convincing her

sister about Haroun, characterizes herself as stubborn woman whose

decisioncannot be broken by others.

“ „Haroun‟s crazy,‟ I remind her. „I don‟t want to be married to him.‟

„And who‟s going to tell this to Haroun?‟ „Ardishir,‟ I say firmly. „If it
weren‟t for him, I would already married and then we wouldn‟t be in this
mess. None of this would have happened.‟ „You can make it unhappen,
Tami.‟ „I don‟t want to. Masoud‟s great. He‟s normal and decent and
wants to be married. He understands the position. I‟m in and wants to
help me out. He‟s going to help me get my photography business
established‟.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 245)

9. Rebellious

Lucky Tamila, she is not alone in defending her wishes. She has a

brother-in-law, Ardishir, who is always in her side. Ardishir always agrees with

Tamila‟s perspective and helps Tamila coping with her sister anger. When her

sister insists herself to marry to someone she does not like, Tamila encourages
 33

herself to discuss it to Ardishir. It is different condition when Tamila is with

Ardishir. She is courageous to share what she feels and wishes. However, her

way in delivering her opinion to Ardishir, based on her quotation above, descibes

herself that she is a rebellious woman. She makes much noise in order to make

Ardishir pays his attention to herself and listen to her opinion.

“Alone now with Ardishir, I make as much noise with my silverware as

possible. I clink my teacup while stirring cream into my tea. I drop my
knife onto my plate twice. I clear my throat a few times. Finally he
lowers the newspaper.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 148)
At her first time Tamila arrives at Maryam‟s house, she always obeys what her

sister asks to do. Later on, Tamila changes her character into rebellious one. She

does not want to listen to her sister‟s command anymore and breaks her

engagement with Haroun, a friend of Tamila‟s brother-in-law. Now, Tamila is

brave to oppose her sister, Maryam, who is in great anger. By ignoring her

sister‟s advice and insisting to marry Masoud, it proves Tamila‟s character that

she is rebellious.

“ „What?‟ I demand. „We knew after ninety minutes that Harous was
crazy. And yet you thought it was fine for me to marry him. Just because
I found Masoud instead of you, you think it‟s a bad idea. If you‟d met
Masoud on the street earlier today, you would dragged him back here
yourself. You know you would have. Look at him. He‟s perfect‟.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 246)
Tamila‟s rebelling attitude shown not only at home when she is along with

her closest family. It is when Tamila in a bar with her English school friends.

She meets Ike, an American man who always tries to flatter herself. Tamila

cannot control her lust to kiss Ike when they are dancing together. She realizes

that it is another side of herself but it seems that she begins to get accustomed
 34

with American culture. The quotation above describes how out of control Tamila

is that she is brave to kiss Ike.

“I kiss his neck. It is warm and very soft and I feel him smile when I kiss
it and he smells so good that I kiss his neck again in exact same spot. And
then I realize what I have done and step back.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 213)
Besides her characteristics above, as the main character in this novel,

Tamila Soroush shares her perception about two countries. She believes that her

home country is full of negative matters. As the opposite, America with its

modernity and good civilization, in Tamila‟s perception, can facilitate herself to

reach her dream as a career woman.

B. East and West in The Main Character’s Perception

Veil of Roses novel by Laura Fitzgerald is using the main character‟s point

of view. As the main character in this novel, Tamila Soroush always shares her

perception explicitly through her speech to other characters and the narration. The

perception of Tamila Soroush considers to two different countries, Iran and

America that Iran occupies the East and America as the West. Some explanations

below will assist to define Iran in inferior position instead of America as a

superior.

1. Iran as The East

Iran, the Middle East country, where Tamila Soroush grows up, is

considered as a cruel country which is not a suitable country for women. As her

disappointment of its religious regime which limits her dreams, Tamila hates Iran
 35

and promises to herself that she is going to move to the land of opportunity,

America.

a. Marriage System

“In the Islamic Republic of Iran, marriages are often still negotiated
between families with a somewhat a businesslike quality.” (Fitzgerald,
2007: 2)
In Iran, there is a traditional custom of marriage that parents seek for a

husband or wife for their children and arrange them to marry, it is usually called

an arranged marriage.

“Mate selection in Iran has been traditionally a familial and tribal action
rather than a result of individual decision-making. Marriage by
arrangement has been a norm and continues in today‟s Iranian society with
modest variation from the past. Free-choice mate selection has been rare
and is uncommon. It is the family and the family elders who decide for the
prospective son or daughter who to marry.”43

Tamila believes that the system is unfair that people cannot decide the candidates

by themselves. Based on narration served by Tamila above, Tamila thinks that

arranged marriage is such a kind of business which can be negotiated. There is

no love-based. Though the main purpose of Tamila‟s come to America is for

meeting a husband who is already arranged by her family, Tamila is getting fed up

with the tradition she must obey. She realizes that the tradition cannot give her

any guarantee that she can get a good husband. It has been proven that the system

is useless when Tamila is failed twice to get good impression from her two

candidates. The first man who has been arranged to be Tamila‟s husband is too

43
Akbar Aghajanian. Family and Family Change in Iran. Accessed on 6.13 pm May
21st, 2013. http://faculty.uncfsu.edu/aaghajanian/papers/iraned2.pdf may 21st 2013.
 36

frontal refusing to be married to Tamila. The second man is mentally unhealthy

man who can possibly endanger Tamila if she gets married to him.

The point about marriage system above defines how irrational Iran culture

is. The traditional culture of Iran in arranged marriage is believed irrational by the

main character, Tamila Soroush, for there is no happiness guarantee. The

marriage is similar as a business which can be negotiated and done in order to get

certain benefit. Moreover, the irrational character of Iran leads it as the East

country.

b. The Wealthy

As she arrives at her sister‟s home, Tamila is astonished with Maryam‟s

wealth. Maryam has a broad parking area where her many cars are parked well.

Narration above is Tamila‟s perception about the wealthy‟s life in Iran.

Everything is limited and even forbidden in Iran. Their live depends on the

government‟s policy and for those whose wealth much are forbidden to show it

off to public. The wealthy in Iran does not have right to buy more and posses

more. Like it has been explained before that Iran is a dangerous country to show

off their luxuries. Much wealth will cause many crimes.

“In Iran, most people drive the same cars they had before the revolution
and can only dream of driving a new shiny-gold Mercedes-Benz like
Maryam‟s.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 22)
Tamila is envious with her sister‟s beautiful and glamour appearance.

Maryam‟s beauty in America is much more than she has been before in Iran.

Maryam in America, lets herself to be sparkled by much gold. In other sides, the
 37

wealthy in Iran is not allowed to show their wealth off in public because it will

cause a crime, it will draw attention of criminal. As it has been explained before

that Iran is insecure country where criminal is everywhere hence it is better not to

draw any attention by showing our wealth in public.

“In Iran, gold jewelry is how women show off, revealed at parties after
coming inside and shedding the headscarf – hejab- and manteau44 we must
wear when outdoors to keep the low- class bassidji goons from harassing
us.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 16)
The turbulent time of Iran after its great Islamic revolution describes this country

as an insecure one. Because the country is insecure, Iran is represented the East

country. It has no safe place in Iran for those who have much money for there are

many criminals in Iran.

c. Freedom of Woman

When Tamila gets her birthday gifts from her parents, she is surprised that

the gift is sand directly taken from beach in America. Tamila is excited and she

feels that she must bring back the sand to its place in America and reach her

dream there. Iran has no place for woman to develop her skill and talent and this

becomes a main reason why Tamila prefers to be an American.

“I felt my hope rising, and this frightened me, for Iran hope is seldom
fulfilled and nearly always suffocated. It is a dangerous thing, for an
Iranian girl to allow herself to hope.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 8)
“The primary roles of women in the Iranian family have been those of
motherhood and wife. Female children have been socialized to domestic
roles of home making and childbearing. Family context has always

44
A loose gown or cloak worn by women.
 38

provided support for the idea that women‟s primary role in society is
domestic responsibilities.”45
Old culture of Iran even limits woman to communicate to the world through better

job. It seems clear that if Tamila stays in Iran, she cannot be something she has

wished to be. She will only end as a housewife taking care of her children and

waiting for her husband at home. Because in Iran tradition, a married woman

must not be a career woman. She must focus on her family, her husband and her

children.

Once Tamila has a great chance to sing together with her English school

friends, she feels awesome. She never gets the opportunity to sing together with

unrelated man. Because unrelated man and woman live separately in Iran, it is

forbidden for woman drawing attention of unrelated man. Woman is not allowed

to sing because it will draw man‟s attention and cause a crime. A man will be

lustful to hear a woman singing.

“For many years, it was illegal for women to sing in public as it was
deemed to provocative. Now they may perform in concert, but for other
women only. And yet here we are, in a mixed setting, and none of the
men seems lustful and none of the women seems immodest, except for
Eva, and I suspect that has nothing to do with the singing. Mostly, they
simply seem happy.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 60)
The traditional culture of Iran, again, leads this country into backwardness.

Another example of backwardness done by Iran is the way this country treats

woman. Woman‟s role is only as a wife and a mother instead of a career woman.

45
Aghajanian., Op. Cit., http://faculty.uncfsu.edu/aaghajanian/papers/iraned2.pdf may
21st 2013.
 39

Woman with high dream has no equal opportunity to work out of home because

there are many criminals in Iran.

“Women lost the social gains they had made under the Shah, and were
forced to wear head coverings and full-body cloaks called chador.
Opponents were imprisoned and tortured as ruthlessly as under the
Shah.”46

d. Insecure and Inappropriate Country

After revolution in Iran held, the condition of country is very unfriendly at

night, especially for women. They must always cover their head by hejab and not

to draw any attention from strangers. Description of Iran at night cleary explains

that the condition of Iran is tumultous and dangerous. Crime is in every corner of

Iran. The quotation above occurs after Tamila‟s relatives and friends come to

Tamila‟s birthday party. They must completely remove their make up in order not

to draw stranger‟s attention that comes to harass them.

“Shortly before dawn, the party ended. The women rubbed off their
makeup, cloaked their coiffed hair under their headscarves. My mother,
my father, and I kissed each guest upon both cheeks. We warned them, Be
careful, watch for the roadblocks, and remember, please please remember,
if stopped by bassidjis47 do not say where it was you drank the home-made
beer. And do you think perhaps you should spend the night? But no, no.
It was time to brave their way from the safeness of our home into the dark
Tehran night, out onto the public streets, where bad thing could happen
and often did.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 5)
“In Tehran‟s concrete nightmare, the streets were permanently blocked
with traffic, overstuffed tower blocks groaned beneath the weight of
46
Roger Cohen. 1979: Iran’s Islamic Revolution. Accesed on December 30th, 2013.
8.16pm.http://teacherscholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/features/index/.asp?article=f0
91806_TP_Iran
47
Bassidjis - meaning literally "mobilized", are a paramilitary body created on an order of
Khomeiny Imam all at the beginning of Iran-Iraq war to organize a popular resistance.
 40

hundred families and the electricity grid regularly broke down for four
hours at a time.”48
When Tamila arrives in America and feels the air of America, she is so

excited. She never breathes as fresh air as in Iran. Iran is inappropriate country to

live as it is polluted and unclean. She even shares about the condition of Iran to

her friend in America. A sun never shines Iran as well as in America. Tamila‟s

explanation about the condtion of Iran above states that Iran is not a good country

to live where the air is full of dust. It states Iran as if there is no good civilization

taking care of Iran‟s condition and let Iran in polluting condition.

“The air in Tehran is bad to breathe. It is thick with pollution and dust.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 21)
The condition of Iran after revolution was like a nightmare for every single native

Iranian. Traffic was everywhere in the afternoon and crimes were in every corner

of Iran at night. As a conclusion, Iran is not an appropriate country to live

because of its tumultuous condition. The condition of Iran also describes this

country as a wild country instead of modern one.

e. Friendship

On Tamila‟s way to home after her English school, she stares at an

exciting moment when women and men are together having conversation and

make good friendship. Tamila imagines that she were in Iran. It would be banned

for women to have conversation with unrelated men. They may take in jail or be

whiplashed. Friendship in Iran is limited by the government‟s policy.

48
Dominic Sandbrook. After Revolution. Accessed on December 30th, 2013 20.38 p.m:
www.newstatesman.com/north-america/2009/01/iran-america-khomeini-shah
 41

“I come back to them. „I was just thinking what a great day it would be in
Iran if we were suddenly allowed to go to coffee shops and mix men and
women together. To openly be friends with each other, I mean. I think a
whole revolution could be prevented‟.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 127)
When Tamila explains a meaning of friendship in Iran to Ike that a woman

is not supposed to have a chat with unrelated man, Ike laughs loudly. Ike cannot

believe that Iran limits even simple things to be done. Woman and man in Iran

are separated. That is a why a man and woman in Iran cannot be good friends.

They are even not allowed to look at each other. Woman should look her gaze

down when she is in public.

“I laugh. „But it‟s not, of course. Men aren‟t even supposed to look at
women. To look at them is considered fornication of the eye‟.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 128)

2. America as The West

America is a land of opportunity. It is also a land of hope for Tamila

Soroush to rise and develop her talent as a photographer. America is described as

a country for everyone to pursue their dreams in any aspects hence America is

always called a land of opportunity for those who want to make their dreams

come true. Additionally, Tamila depicts America as a perfect country with no

negative matters. Being a citizen of America is a golden ticket for Tamila to get

and be anything she cannot in Iran.

a. Marriage System

If Tamila describes Iran with its many weaknesses in every aspects, she

does the opposite when she describes America. The first point she describes is

about marriage. When Tamila is walking around a playground in America, she

 42

meets some children are teasing each other. They are teasing about two children

who are in love, then they sing.

“First comes love, then comes marriage. A childhood chant, a cultural

expectation. Americans believe in falling in love with every fiber of their
being. They believe it is their birthright; certainly, that it is a prerequisite
for marriage.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 2)
“Jake and Ella sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-NG. First comes love, then
comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.” (Fitzgerald, 2007:
1)
Tamila is wondering that it would not possibly occur when they are in

Iran. Children cannot play gleefully at playgound and sing together about

marriage in Iran. Because in Iran, marriage is arranged.

In America, marriage is not like business that the whole family must

discuss and negotiate, the basic requirement for marriage is love. A man and

woman has their own right to marry to anyone they love without negotiating and

asking for permission. As West is more rational than East, West considers love as

an inportant thing to go to marriage. Marriage is about a man and a woman who

love each other.

“To westerners who put a lot of emphasis on love and marriage or shall we
say – love before marriage – love is the only thing you need to be happy.
But for societies who believe that arranged marriages will flourish and
endure forever, love, at least for the time being, can take the back seat.”49

b. The Wealthy

49
Anonymous. Love is in The Air. Accessed on 6.20 pm May 20th, 2013.
http://www.professorshouse.com/Relationships/Marriage-Advice/Articles/Arranged-Marriage-
Facts/.
 43

Tamila‟s amazement is not only because of America itself, but her sister,

Maryam, who has been living in America. In the airport, soon after her plane

lands in America, Tamila meets her sister who has not met for long time. Tamila

is surprised with her sister‟s appearance that is so different, so glamorous. In

America, the wealthy has their right to appear in style they like. Gold is

everywhere, every part of wealthy‟s body. They do not need to worry about

basssidjis.

“She wears gold, gold, and more gold- earrings, a necklace, and two
bracelets.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 16)
Maryam drives Tamila to her house in Tucson by her luxurious car. It is

unbelievable that Maryam‟s life in America is very different with her life before.

Everybody in America is deserved to live rich and it is not a forbidden thing to

show off what you got, what you have reached in carrier by purchasing many

symbols of status like a luxurious car.

“In Iran, most people drive the same cars they had before the revolution
and can only dream of driving a new shiny-gold Mercedes-Benz like
Maryam‟s. It is a pooldar car, a status symbol like none other.”
(Fitzgerald, 2007: 22)
The decsription of wealthy people in America through Tamila‟s sister, Maryam,

indicates how modern the country is. Not only a modern country, the quotation

above shares how people can reach their success in America.

c. Freedom of Woman

The quotation below is Tamila‟s perception in describing her sister,

Maryam. Maryam appears as if she is another Maryam that Tamila has not seen
 44

before. Maryam is extremely beautiful and adorable. It shows that woman in

America is completely different with they are in Iran. In America, women can

freely choose what kind of style they are like to be. They can beautify

themselves without covering with hejab. A beautiful woman in Iran is too risky

to live because men in Iran are lustful to see a beautiful woman. As a result,

according to a governement‟s policy of Iran, a woman must cover her beauty by

hejab and sometimes a chador50 for the religious ones.

“Here, Maryam openly wears her gold. Her face has laugh lines where
before was only smoothness. She wears bright pink lipstick, gold eye
shadow. Copied from a magazine model, most likely.” (Fitzgerald, 2007:
16-17)
At her second days joining her English school, Tamila decides to have a

walk again that she can see, learn, and adore much the condition of America. She

finds that her sister, Maryam, is not the only example of woman in America who

can drink real freedom. At her way to English class, Tamila is impressed by

many American women who can appear in their wished style. Tamila compares

women that she meets in America and Iran. She finds that in America women can

freely express their passion by appearing like they wish to be.

“I marvel at the women, with their tanned skin and white teeth and blond
hair and sleeveless tank tops, walking along, talking on their cell phones
and eyeing the men just as much as the men eye them.” (Fitzgerald, 2007:
43)

d. Exciting and Civilized Country

50
A large piece of dark-colored cloth, typically worn by Muslim women, wrapped around
the head and upper body to leave only the face exposed.
 45

Tamila‟s impression at first time she arrives in America is amazing. She

does not even believe that America is that beautiful. Tamila compares America

with heaven which never be seen by herself before. The amazement comes

suddenly covering to Tamila‟s great impresssion of America. America is an

excited country where the view is adorable and the air is fresh.

“After we gather my luggage and step outside to the parking lot, I take my
first breath of air in what feels like forever. I look up at the sky in wonder.
Even the stars are different here. They are brighter and in formations I do
not recognize. I should have expected this, but I am startled to realize that
heavens here are not the same.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 20-21)
“Here, it is crisp, as we were high in the Alborz Mountains.” (Fitzgerald,
2007: 21)
Tamila expresses the air of America with a word “crisp” that represents

about extreme freshness. If in Iran, the air is so polluted and covered by dust,

Tamila feels as if she were in mountains in America.

At her first trip to a shopping center in America, Tamila feels excited with

the traffic condition that is so well regulated. The description of traffic in

America also depicts characterization of American itself. They are civilized and

do obey the rules. The condition will be much different when Tamila in Iran. All

drivers are controlled by emotion and those emotional drivers are driving car as

they wish.

“On the way to the mall, I cannot get over how relaxed the drive is. No
one honks at us or makes us swerve to the side. No men jump out of
their cars and argue with their fists raise. America is so very civilized
when it comes to driving. I fear for my life in the traffic of Tehran, and
this is true even when my mild mannered father drives. Behind the wheel,
he becomes as crazy as the rest. Every perceived infraction is an affront to
his manhood.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 35)
 46

The quotation above defines another characteristic of West that West seems more

civilized even in traffic. It defines how well-being the civilization in America and

also defines how lack of civilization Iran at the time.

e. Land of Future
When Tamila succeeds to leave Iran far behind, she is so excited. On her

flight to America, many other passengers look glad leaving Iran by putting off

their hejab. Their future is going to come as soon as they leave Iran and arrive in

America. The narration that mentioned by Tamila above defines that everyone

can only reach their future when they leave Iran and come to America. The

narration above clearly states that Iran is not a place for building a future but

America is.

“Women on the flight unbuckle their seatbelts and stand. They look
around. They yank off their headscarves and run their fingers throught
their hair. They have left Iran, and the future is theirs, to make of it what
they will.” (Fitzgerald, 2007: 11)
If in Iran, hope is suffociated by the conservative regime, America is the place for

those who want to establish their future. The quotation above is an explanation

about what passenger do in the plane after they leave Iran. It is Tamila‟s

explanation about how cheer the passengers while they are leaving Iran because

they know that a better future is waiting for them in America.

Tamila, as the main character of this novel, uses her point of view to

define the differences between Iran (East) and America (West). By mentioning

some points of Tamila‟s perception about Iran and America above, we can

conclude that Tamila, as the subject of West, views Iran as the East with its
 47

negative sides and America as the West which is always positive. Besides, by its

superiority, West describes East much further than the real East geographically.

That is to say orientalism is a human production using West point of view to

divide two different sides based on their power, culture, and history which West

describes itself with more power and East is decsribed by the West as weaker

side. It also creates more gaps between Orient (East) and Occident (West) by

creating a fictional geography border.

“As a department of thought and expertise, Orientalism of course refers to

several overlapping domains: firstly, the changing his-torical and cultural
relationship between Europe and Asia, a relation-ship with a 4000 year old
history; secondly, the scientific discipline in the West according to which
beginning in the early 19th century one specialized in the study of various
Oriental cultures and traditions; and, thirdly, the ideological suppositions,
images, and fantasies about a currently important and politically urgent
region of the world called the Orient. The relatively common denominator
between these three aspects of Orientalism is the line separating Occident
from Orient, and this, I have argued, is less a fact of nature than it is a fact
of human pro-duction, which I have called imaginative geography.”51

51
Edward W. Said, Op Cit.
 CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusion

A Veil of Roses novel by Laura Fitzgerald reveals about the position of

two different countries which Iran occupies as an inferior and America as a

superior. The emphasizing of inferiority of Iran and superiority of America is

clearly delivered by the main character itself, Tamila Soroush. Tamila Soroush is

a desperate, shy, envious, responsible, and depressed twentyseven-year-old

woman. However, not long after she moves to America, Tamila changes her

characters into adventurous, rebellious, ambitious, and stubborn. It is, then,

classifying Tamila into a round character that is a three-dimensional character

whose character is complex enough to be able to surprise the reader without

losing credibility.49 Moreover, the different condition between her home country,

Iran, compels Tamila to change her character when she is in America. However,

the transformation of her character in America facilitates herself to be what she

wishes. She can finally break the traditional culture of Iran about arranged

marriage system hence she can choose with whom she gets married to by herself.

In the end of this novel, it also tells that Tamila finally can be a photographer. It

is because of her new character that she is so ambitious and stubborn to make her

dreams come true. Besides, this novel uses Tamila’s point of view hence, as the

main character, she explicitly and bluntly shares her opinion about Iran and

America. Tamila’s perception about Iran, her home country which ocuppies as

the East, is a country which a woman is always being oppressed by unfair system
49
Gordon and Kuehner, Op. Cit., p. 95.

48
 49

and ridiculous rules. A woman must wear hejab that covers her beauty. A

woman is forbidden to beautify herself because it will lead her to harmful matter.

Because in Iran, a crime is in everywhere, it is an obligation not to draw stranger’s

attention. For a crime is everywhere, freedom of the wealthy in Iran is limited.

Even though someone has much money and jewelry, they must not show them off

in public or there will be many criminals coming to harass. Besides, Iran is a

dustful country and even the sun cannot shine. It is not an appropriate country to

live. In the opposite, America, as the West, provides many positive matters for

Tamila Soroush. She can be as free as she wishes. Tamila sees America as the

land for everyone that it serves huge opportunities building career. America also

gives a woman to succeed in career. As a result, a woman can also enhance her

social status and show the world her success. For those successful and wealth

citizens, in America, they can purchase all luxury stuffs. A woman, with her

wealth, can beautify herself by using gold on every parts of her body, even in

public. Besides, America deserves to be lived as its air is as fresh and crispy as

the mountains. Everything in America is well regulated because even in traffic

matter, it is so civilized. Therefore, the comparison between Iran and America

clearly defines that America is superior in civilization and its modernity leads

America to a perfect country to live.

Furthermore, character of Tamila Soroush and her perception about

America and Iran is related to each other. The condition of America which allows

anyone to do as they wish, creates Tamila to be an adventurous woman. She

wants to do a thing that she never used to in Iran. When she is challenged to get
 50

on a scooter along with unrelated man, she gets a chance to prove that she

deserves to be American instead of Iranian. Her adventurous character is more

suitable practiced in America where everything is allowed. America also creates

Tamila to be someone new that she becomes ambitious in establishing her career

in photography. Tamila realizes that a talent of woman in Iran means nothing

hence America is the place where she can reach her dream to be a profesional

photographer. Besides, Tamila’s perception about freedom in America leads her

to be a stubborn woman that she is brave to defend her opinion. She wants to be a

real American who can marry with whom she wishes to. She defends her opinion

to cancel her engagement and be married to another guy no matter how angry her

sister is. In other words, Tamila in America is a rebellious one who does not obey

her family rules anymore. The rules which obligates her to be married to Iranian

man. As a correlation that her perception about America and Iran also creates her

new characters.

Therefore, relates to orientalism theory by Edward W. Said about the

relationship of West and East where West is superior and East is inferior, it can be

concluded that Iran, as the East, is less developed country with its traditional

culture and thoughts than America. Besides, this Veil of Roses novel is one

example of orientalism practice to spread West domination over East which

America occupies as the West and Iran as the East.

 51

B. Suggestions

In analyzing a novel, a researcher should carefully and repeatedly read the

novel they choose to analyze. He should also consider about the elements of a

novel. Later on, a researcher should decisively define what a suitable theory and

learn it deeply. In this occasion, the writer chooses one element of a novel which

is the character. Besides, in analyzing Veil of Roses novel, the writer also uses

orientalism theory by Edward W. Said which reveals relation between West and

East.

Orientalism is a theory about how West views East that East is viewed as a

uncivilized, uneducated, traditional, and primitive. Orientalism theory aims to

define West position towards East that West seems more superior than East. It is

a western way to dominate and restructure the East. Therefore, for those who

want to analyze a relationship between West and East in literary works, they can

choose orientalism theory as well.

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Histories, Cultural Anthropology. http://www.jstor.org/about/terms.html.

Accessed on April 22nd, 2013.

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