Education About The Concept of Love Relationships in Djenar Maesa Ayu's Fiction Entitled Don't Play With Your Genitals

Volume 7, Issue 8, August – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Education About the Concept of Love Relationships in

Djenar Maesa Ayu's Fiction Entitled "Don't Play with
Your Genitals"
Imayah
17070956014
Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia
S3 Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia
Abstract:- Humans are social creatures who need other work is considered one of the best works of Djenar Maesa Ayu
people to complete their lives. Humans with their existence which is full of value. Therefore, the researcher chose this short
need other people's roles to make them exist. Existence in story as the object of the study to examine the symbols of sex
the sense that its existence is recognized, valued, and education in Djenar Maesa Ayu's work.
considered. In addition to humans as social beings, humans
are also figures who have many needs and one of the needs II. PROBLEM FORMULATION
that needs to be fulfilled in humans is sex. In everyday life,
sex is often considered something taboo, cannot be discussed This research focuses on several problems that are defined
openly, and is considered trivial. In fact, sex requires as the formulation of the problem, namely:
education, openness, and a mature mindset. This study will 1. How is the symbol of sex education presented by Djenar
find and describe a pattern described by Djenar Maesa Ayu Maesa Ayu in his work entitled “Don't play with your
in one of his works entitled "Don't play with your genitals". genitals”?
This researcher found that sex education can start from 2. What is the interpretation of the educational symbols
symbols that are considered negative but are rich in values presented by Djenar Maesa Ayu in his work entitled "Don't
and messages. play with your genitals"?
I. INTRODUCTION III. LITERATURE REVIEW
Humans are created with various needs and those needs At the time of Greek philosophy two thousand years ago
will bring humans to a point called self-quality. Self-quality already thought about the function of signs and in the Middle
talks about how much the subject in humans acts, behaves, Ages the meaning and use of signs was alluded to. The term
talks, and thinks. Quality humans are humans who are able to semiotics was then widely and systematically discussed in the
understand themselves and make peace with themselves. There 19th century by several figures such as Roland Barthes, Julia
are many things that happen in people's lives while they are Kristeva, Umberto Eco, Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand
busy pursuing what they need. Saussure.
Humans and their needs are two things that cannot be The birth of modern semiotics recognizes two major
separated. Of the many human needs, there is one need that figures in the originator of semiotics, namely Charles Sanders
humans have that needs other people as partners to get those Pierce and Ferdinand Saussure. The two characters lived in the
needs and that need is sex. Sex in eastern culture is often same era but did not know each other. Pierce has a logician
considered a taboo to talk about. Eastern society considers that background and Saussure has a linguistic background. Bring up
sex is not a topic or theme or something that deserves to be differences in the use of terms. Pierce uses the term semiotics
discussed in public or many people. Sex is a desire, desire, lust, and Saussure uses the term semiology. There is no essential
biological need that is able to release a hormone of happiness difference between these two terms, the difference only refers
called estrogen and progesterone. Sex releases feelings of to the orientation of the term user, namely the Pierce camp and
pleasure, happiness, when done with a complementary partner. the Saussure camp.2 The term semiotics is more popularly used
by many thinkers, including the Saussure side.
In the work of Djenar Maesa Ayu, almost all of his works
raise sex as a topic or discussion that is presented in detail and Semiotics comes from the English language semiotic
depth. One of the works that is rich in sexual description is a while the Greek word semeion is sign, which means the theory
short story entitled "Don't mess with your genitals". The work of signs. Examine signs to find the meanings behind them.
“Don't mess with your genitals” was published in 2018 in a According to Saussure, semiotics or semiology is the study of
book containing a compilation of eleven short stories. This signs in social life. Umberto Eco said that in principle Semiotics
IJISRT22AUG321 www.ijisrt.com 1229

ISSN No:-2456-2165
is a science that studies everything that can be used to lie. Or Jansz (1999) (in Sobur 2009: 68-69) explain the second order
often called the theory of lies. of the system of meaning built on the denotation system. This
second order system by Barthes is called connotation.
Semiotics as a theory of lies put forward by Eco becomes Connotation is a signifier which is simultaneously a denotative
a meaning that implicitly explains the opposite meaning. If sign consisting of a signifier and a signified.
semiotics can reveal a lie, it automatically knows the truth
behind it. Semiotics emphasizes reading signs to find out the Connotation is a term used by Barthes to describe one of
meaning behind them. Saussure stated the importance of a the three ways signs work in the second stage of sign
science of signs in the introduction to his book. The signification. Connotation describes the interaction that occurs
development of semiotic theory is getting more detailed from when the sign meets the feelings or emotions of the users and
the analysis of signs and at the same time the wider discussion their cultural values. For Barthes, the main factor in connotation
of signs that exist in everyday life. John Fiske suggests that is the signifier in the first order. The marker in the first order is
semiotics has three main studies, namely: a connotative sign (Fiske, 2014: 141)
a. Signs are human constructions that can only be understood
by their users. There are many differences between the signs A connotative sign is a sign whose marker has an implicit,
themselves and the sign conveying meaning. This is then indirect, and uncertain openness of meaning or meaning,
divided into the terms signifier and signified which will meaning that it is open to new interpretations. In Barthes'
always be present in the semiotic discussion. semiology, denotation is a system of first order signification,
b. Code is the organization of various signs that have meaning while connotation is a second level signification system.
for the convention or agreement that is built. The code Denotation can be said to be a fixed objective meaning, while
includes paradigmatic and syntagmatic choices and connotation is a subjective and varied meaning (Vera, 2014:
relationships. 28).
c. Culture is where signs and codes operate. The meaning
obtained depends on the use of signs and codes that are An initial description of the two orders of Barthes'
understood together. As Saussure stated, signs have life in signification can be seen in the following chart:
society.
Semiotics for the study of mass media is not only limited

to a theoretical framework, but at the same time can also be a
method of analysis (Sobur, 2012: 114). This study uses Roland
Barthes' semiotics method which was developed from
Saussure's view. Kurniawan (2001, in Vera, 2014: 26) reveals
that semiology (the term semiotics for Barthes) according to
Barthes wants to study how humanity (humanity) interprets
things. Interpreting, in this case, cannot be equated with
communicating. Meaning means that objects not only carry
information, in which case the objects want to communicate,
but also constitute the structural system of signs. Barthes, thus
sees significance as a total process with a structured Sumber: Paul Cobley dan Litza Jans (1999) (dalam Sobur,
arrangement. Significance is not limited to language, but also 2009: 69)
to other things outside of language. Barthes considers social life
as a signification, whatever its form is a sign system of its own. As previously explained, connotation is a signifier which
is simultaneously a denotative sign consisting of a signifier and
Barthes then designed a systematic model with which the a signified. The map above shows that the denotative sign (3)
negotiation process, interactive meaning ideas could be consists of a signifier (1) and a signified (2). But at the same
analyzed. The essence of the theory is two stages of time, denotative signs are also connotative markers (4). As
significance. The first order of significance is the study stated by Vera (2014), that learning from Saussure's view,
conducted by Saussure. This order describes the relationship Barthes believes that the relationship between signifiers and
between the signifier and the signified in the sign, and between signifieds is not formed naturally, but occurs through social
the object it represents (its referent) in its external reality. convention agreements (arbitrators). Improvements made by
Barthes calls it denotation. Denotation refers to what is believed Barthes in developing a marking system at the connotative
by common sense, the observed meaning of a sign (Fiske, 2014: level, departed from Saussure's marking which was emphasized
140). at the denotative level.
The Barthes method as described above is the role of the

reader. The connotation which is the original nature of the sign
still requires the activeness of the reader to function. Cobley and

ISSN No:-2456-2165
IV. DISCUSSION of a partner or other people. My character who initially
plays games, gets married, then wants to determine his own
There is some data that shows that in Djenar Maesa happiness, shows the flow or human process of humans who
Ayu's work entitled "Don't mess with your sex" there is sex want themselves to be loved, appreciated, sincerely and
education. The following are excerpts and explanations of honestly. Researchers found that not only sex education is
each data found in the object of research. in Djenar's work but also exposure to human needs for their
sense and value.
I was surprised, during the five years they were in a
relationship, not once did they think of marriage. But if I say V. INVENTION AND CLOSING
their relationship is just a game, let alone just a sexual
desire, they will firmly refuse. They really know the rules of This research concludes that not all works that are
the game. For them, it only takes a few hours to play games, considered full of sensuality, open and candid language style,
from flirting to sex. Imagine! How much messing can I do have a negative impact on the reader or give a negative
in five years? sensation in the reader's mind. If we explore there are many
things that the author wants to convey to the reader through
The symbols used in the data above are "gender" and negative things that he deliberately packs in his work so that
the word "main". The quote above explains that sex should readers know that his work is not just any work. Literature is
be done after marriage, but the character says that rich in value. This study also found that women in many
"marriage" is not in his mind yet. He also revealed that he's countries around the world, including Indonesia, are often
been messing around with things he shouldn't have been underestimated, especially in terms of love or relationships.
doing all this time. The researcher found that the character Women are often used as objects of trouble, scapegoats,
“I” had amazement or confusion with himself. He wanted to helpless and have no freedom. All problems in relationships are
know what was in him that wasn't interested in marriage. On mostly delegated to the woman, not the man. Through his work,
the other hand, the “I” character thinks that marriage is a Djenar wants to stimulate women in Indonesia to change their
sacred and switch bond and requires readiness to do so. mindset that women are people who are rich with values and
freedom and deserve to be respected.
I wonder. Turns out I was pregnant. Even though he
rarely touched me. Really only once in three months, REFERENCES
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Volume 7, Issue 8, August – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

Education About the Concept of Love Relationships in

I. INTRODUCTION III. LITERATURE REVIEW

IJISRT22AUG321 www.ijisrt.com 1229

Semiotics for the study of mass media is not only limited

The Barthes method as described above is the role of the

IJISRT22AUG321 www.ijisrt.com 1230

IJISRT22AUG321 www.ijisrt.com 1231

IJISRT22AUG321 www.ijisrt.com 1232

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