THE USE OF FASHION BRAND BY THE CAPITALIST IN

HEGEMONIZING WOMEN AS DEPICTED IN THE NOVEL THE

DEVIL WEARS PRADA BY LAUREN WEISBERGER

THESIS

Submitted to Meet a Part of the Requirements for Sarjana Sastra

Degree from English Department Faculty of Cultural Sciences Sebelas

Maret University

By:

ERNI NUGRAHA DIWATI

C0310021

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES

SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY

SURAKARTA

2016

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PRONOUNCEMENT

Name : Erni Nugraha Diwati

Number : C0310021

I announce that the thesis entitled The Use of Fashion brand by the Capitalist

System in Hegemonizing Women as Depicted in American Women’s Novel

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger is my own work. It is not

plagiarism nor written by others. Any materials and theories used as references in

this thesis are written in direct quotations and/or in paraphrase and contained in

bibliography. I would take the responsibility, if it is proved that I do cheating.

Surakarta, January 20th

, 2016

The Researcher

Erni Nugraha Diwati

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MOTTO

“Remember your Lord in yourself humbly and fearfully, without loudness

of voice, morning and evening. Do not be of the headless ones.”

(Q.S Al-A’raf : 205)

“It’s not the broken dreams that break us; it’s the ones we don’t dare to

dream.”

(Will Schuester ‘Glee’)

“In reaching your success, there will be a test to prove your

appropriateness. Walk through it. Face it. Enjoy the process. Hope Allah

SWT always guides you. Amen.”

(YIF, Kudus, July 29th

2015)

“Who can decide what they dream? And dream I do.”

(Amy Lee)

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DEDICATION

With all of my heart, I dedicate this thesis to:

My Beloved Family,

My Lecturers,

My Friends,

Myself,

and American Studies Scholars

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

First of all, I would like to give my best praise as the biggest gratitude and

blessing by saying Alhamdulillah to Allah SWT who gives me guidance for every

aspect in my life. I would also like to give my deepest thanks to those who

contribute in conducting and finishing my thesis. I would like to extend gratitude

to:

Prof. Drs. Riyadi Santosa, M.Ed., Ph.D as the Dean of Faculty of Cultural

Sciences, Sebelas Maret University Surakarta.

Drs. Agus Hari Wibowo, M.A., Ph.D as the Head of English Department,

Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Sebelas Maret University Surakarta.

Dra. Susilorini, M.A as my thesis consultant, I thank from the deepest of my

heart for the time, the suggestions, the precious knowledges, and the patience in the

process of my thesis arrangement. Thanks for giving me the great guidance so I

would not be lost in uncertainty.

Dra. Sri Kusumo Habsari, M.Hum, Ph.D as the head of examiners, Dra.

Rara Sugiarti, M.Tourism as the secretary, and Dra. Nani Sukarni, M.S as the

second examiner, I say thanks for the corrections, suggestions, and guidance during

my thesis defense.

Agus Dwi Priyanto, S.S., M.CALL as my academic supervisor, I say

thanks for the assistance during my study for years and always supporting me.

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Thank for being a very great academic supervisor and the kindness of being helpful

all the time.

English Department’s lecturers, especially American Studies lecturers (Drs.

Bathoro Moh. Sardjana, M.A.; Fitria Akhmerti Primasita, S.S., M.A.; Dra. Sri

Kusumo Habsari, M.Hum., Ph.D.; and M. Taufiq Al Makmun, S.S., M.A, Karunia

Purna Kusciati, S.S., M.Si) I would like to say thank for giving me meaningful

lessons and sharing the valuable knowledge when I study in English Department.

Thanks for always being great and magnificent lecturers in American Studies.

My beloved parents, Ir. Didik Nugroho P, S.P and Sutarni, thanks from the

deepest of my heart for always loving me, understanding me, supporting me and

praying for me in every single day. Thanks for always give me a ‘punch’ whenever

I am down.

My sister and my brother-in-law, Rani Nugraha Ningrum and Fatchur Rozi

thanks for always accompanying me and support me. Thanks for always being

patient whenever I become a mischief-maker. My life would be so much quiet

without both of their existence.

My first dearest brother, Yogie Arya, thanks for always giving me support

and motivation on how to be a tough girl. I would not dare to dream without his

support. Thanks for being my brother for years.

My second beloved brother, Yusril Ihza Fahrizal, thanks for the caring, the

‘punch’, the time, the support, the advice, and other things which you always give

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me. Thanks for always guiding me from the start. My life is complete when I have

him around and I hope that he will be my best buddy eternally.

My cousins, Skolastika Ellen Mada Ariani and Stefanus Yogi Aryanta Putra

Utama, I thank for their willingness of being ‘crazy’ with me. My life would not be

this complete without both of them.

My big guy, Pratama Dharmika Nugraha, thanks for accompanying me

passes the graduation in June. I really appreciate that. We walk through the process

together.

My friends of English Department 2010 and American Studies 2010 who

cannot be mentioned one by one, thanks for the fun time we had together. My

special thanks fall to Desi Nursita, Dian Ratna Sari, Alvin Dian Wardhana, Sheren

Hall, Qadriana Armaningtyas, Siti Fathiyatus, Dita Ikasari, Tyas Nuriska, Haikal

Pradana, Adhi Irnawan, Chandra Kartika, Culayla Ayu, Esty Diah Imaniar, Nadia

Rimadhani, Fitriana Wulaningrum, Siska Azari, Fariz Dheonata, and Cahyo Adi

Nugroho thanks for always standing next to me and support me. I really love all of

them.

In the end part of this acknowledgement, I know that the thesis is not fully

perfect. Nevertheless, I do hope that the thesis will be useful for all readers. All

kinds of suggestions and criticisms are welcomed.

The Researcher

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Erni Nugraha Diwati

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER .................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL OF THESIS CONSULTANT ....................................................... ii

APPROVAL OF BOARD OF EXAMINERS .................................................... iii

PRONOUNCEMENT .......................................................................................... iv

MOTTO ................................................................................................................. v

DEDICATION ...................................................................................................... vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................... vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... x

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1

Research Background ................................................................................. 1

Scope of the Research ................................................................................ 7

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

Research Objective ..................................................................................... 8

The Significance of the Research ............................................................... 8

Research Methodology ............................................................................... 9

Type of Research ........................................................................... 9

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Source of Data ............................................................................... 9

Technique of Collecting and Analyzing Data ........................................... 10

Theoretical Approach ................................................................................. 11

Thesis Organization .................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................... 17

A. Chick-lit: Genre and Its Formula .......................................................... 17

B. The Devil Wears Prada as a Chick-lit .................................................. 20

C. The Concept of Hegemony ................................................................... 23

D. Women and Fashion ............................................................................. 26

CHAPTER III: ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 32

A. Capitalist’s Exercise of the Concept of Working in the

Workplace in The Devil Wears Prada.................................................. 33

B. The Exploitation of Women’s Belief in Beauty and Power in

Producing Brand Image in The Devil Wears Prada ............................. 44

CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION .......................................................................... 71

A. Conclusion ............................................................................................ 71

B. Suggestion ............................................................................................ 73

BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................. 7

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THE USE OF FASHION BRAND BY THE CAPITALIST IN

HEGEMONIZING WOMEN AS DEPICTED IN THE NOVEL THE

DEVIL WEARS PRADA BY LAUREN WEISBERGER

ABSTRACT

This research was accomplished to explain how the capitalist used

fashion brand to hegemonize American women, which was represented by

the main character Andrea Sachs, as depicted in the novel The Devil Wears

Prada. The objective of the research was to analyze how The Devil Wears

Prada presents the exploitation towards women labors and the use of

fashion brand by the capitalist in hegemonizing women.

This research is a descriptive qualitative research. The source data is

a novel written by Lauren Weisberger The Devil Wears Prada which was

published in 2003. The main data are sentences, phrases, expressions,

atmosphere, plot, characters, and paragraphs in the dialogues, narrations,

and illustration in the novel The Devil Wears Prada. Also, the supporting

data are obtained from books, magazines, journal, and internet websites

about brand, fashion, women, hegemony, exploitation, and capitalism.

The research is conducted under American Studies as the

interdisciplinary studies. This research applies literary approach to analyze

the literary text, capitalism theory to analyze the strategies of the capitalist,

concept of hegemony to describe the domination of the power, and semiotic

theory to identify symbols in the novel.

The conclusion is that the capitalist has some strategies in

hegemonizing women through the fashion brand. The strategies aim to

secure its position and to influence the way of thinking of those women.

The fashion brand becomes the instruments to hegemonize women.

Keywords: Hegemony, Exploitation, Capitalist, Ideology, Women, Novel.