Structuralism argues that there must be an underlying structure or system of patterns in any text that helps experienced readers interpret it. The document analyzes the novel "Woman at Point Zero" using a structuralism approach. It summarizes the plot, which follows a poor village girl named Firdaus who is forced into prostitution. It outlines the major characters of Firdaus, her uncle, and Sharifa. The analysis identifies themes of surveillance, power, and respect, along with motifs of sexual pleasure, choice, and captivity. It also notes symbolic representations of money and books in the novel.

1. WOMAN AT POINT
ZERO
STRUCTURALISM
APPROACH
Arranged by:
Mardiatun nisa
(2223141568)
Maya putri Amelia
(2223141606)
Nur fauzi ahmad
(2223141820)

2. STRUCTURALISM IN
LITERARY
In literary theory, structuralist criticism relates literary
texts to a larger structure, which may be a particular
genre, a range of intertextual connections, a model of a
universal narrative structure, or a system of recurrent
patterns or motifs. Structuralism argues that there must
be a structure in every text, which explains why it is
easier for experienced readers than for non-experienced
readers to interpret a text. Hence, everything that is
written seems to be governed by specific rules, or a
"grammar of literature", that one learns in educational
institutions and that are to be unmasked.

3. STRUCTURALISM ANALYSIS
As structuralism is so broad a theory with such extensive
ramifications, there will be different ways of doing
structural analysis. Here are some possible approaches:
Proairetic
Semic
Hermeneutic
Symbolic
Reference
Diegetic

4. WOMAN AT POINT ZERO
ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO
STRUCTURALISM
PLOT OVERVIEW
MAJOR CHARACTERS
THEME, MOTIFS, AND SYMBOLS

5. PLOT OVERVIEW
In this novel, the protagonist Firdaus, a poor village girl, was
forced to choose between the 'proper' way to prostitute
herself as a wife, condemned to a life of performing menial
labors and services and getting beaten by whichever old man
her relatives chose for her. Or make a living as an actual
prostitute where she had a brief period of freedom from
want and a choice on which clients to take, before she was
terrorized once again by a local pimp who forced her to give
him her profits or be sent to jail or killed by his circle of
corruption extending into the police, the courts, and the
government. What's especially sad is that Firdaus had a
secondary school certificate that indicated some years of
education of which she was especially proud of, with which
she tried repeatedly to find a respectable job, only to be
turned down, or to be tyrannized by superiors who used
poor female employees as a cheap source of sexual favors
and awarded them with meager pay raises or job security.
The novella portrays these stark "choices" that constantly
seek to undermine poor women's sense of dignity to the
point of zero, and the grim consequences that await those
who dare strike back.

6. MAJOR CHARACTERS
Nawal El Sadaawi
Firdaus
Uncle
Sharifa

7. THEME, MOTIFS, SYMBOLS
THEME
- The Connection between Surveillance and Ownership
- The Nature of Power
- The Importance of Attaining Respect
MOTIFS
-Sexual Pleasure
-Choice
-Captivity
SYMBOLS
- Money
- Books