LINGUA LITERA Journal of English Linguistics and Literature

This study aims to analyze the independence of women based on the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The novel tells a life story of four female teenagers in the March Family with Jo March – the main character – who struggles to become an independent woman. The writers are interested in the characterization of Jo who dominates her three other sisters in take the initiative to do things and in deciding the best solution whenever they face problems in the situation of the absence of their father who is still in military duty. By applying feminist existentialism theory postulated by Simone de Beauvoir, the writers analyze the forms of women independence that trigger Jo to be independent from the perspective of objectivity and transcendence. This research is qualitative research from which the data are taken from the novel and other online supporting sources. All the data are interpreted by utilizing descriptive method that views a situation or phenomenon in the novel as something important to be described based on the research problems. In the end of the research, the writers found that the triggers that encourage Jo March to become independent are the limitation of freedom in women life and social rules that demand women to get married with rich men or any men of the established class to improve a family’s social class and living standard as well. Besides that, this research also found that the ways that direct women to be independent is obeying mother’s advice and guidance. Mother is a woman who always dreams the best future for her children. Jo’s mother does this role very well.


I. INTRODUCTION
Independence is a character trait that many people in society admire.

Objectivity
In the book that is entitled The Second Sex, the first ever explained was who is woman.  "In woman, on the contrary, there is from the beginning a conflict between her autonomous existence, her objective self, and her 'beingthe other'; she is taught that to please she must try to please, she must make herself object; she should therefore renounce her autonomy. She is treated like a live doll and is refused liberty"

IV. FINDING AND DISCUSSION
Objectification is a deliberate action done by a certain party in society to treat other human beings as object. In

Social Rules
Marriage is a sacred bond "No man would consent to be a woman, but every man wants women to exist. 'Thanks God for having 'created woman.' Nature is good since she has given women to men".
Beauvoir satirized the society no man will not agree to become a woman but all men are very grateful to God because of the creation of women to men's companions. Yes, merely as objects who accompany the life of men.
In this sense, the existence of women is a destiny for the satisfaction of men. "Economic evolution in woman's situation is in process of upsetting the institution of marriage: Woman is no longer limited to the reproductive function, which has lost in large part of its character as natural servitude and has come to be regarded as a function to be voluntarily assumed". It can be seen in the quotation below: "Not yet. I've something to say to you, and I must free my mind at once. Second, deciding to be active and productive woman for better future.

Following Mother`s Advice
Thoughts are something people have in mind in forms of opinion, concept, idea, or theory.
Beauvoir describes the concept of transcendence in thought is an early form of women's awareness of their existence. Women are aware that labels on themselves are always referred to as "object" or "the others".
This awareness forms opinions and discourses for women to transcend and to be independent. This can bring a beneficial consideration in society about women not to be seen as objects.
And many women admit that the one who usually make them aware about their existence is a mother. According to Beauvoir (1949:290-291), "The mother seems to be endowed with marvellous fairy powers. Many boys regret the lack of such a privilege; if, later on, they steal birds' eggs and trample down young plants, if they destroy life about them in a kind of frenzy, it is in revenge for their inability to bring' forth life; while the little girl takes pleasure in the thought that she will create life one day. But she is deprived of happy freedom, the carefree aspect of childhood; having become precociously a woman, she learns all too soon the limitations this estate imposes upon a human being; she reaches adolescence as an adult, which gives her history a special character".
From quotation above, Beauvoir highlights that the transcendence of a woman's thought occurs from childhood because of her mother. The biggest influence in a daughter`s life is from a mother. In the phrase "The mother seems to be endowed with marvellous fairy powers" show if mother's love and tenderness is a source of power in a family. Beauvoir describes that a daughter's character can be developed by the advice of a

Being Active and Productive
The existence of women is often ruled out rather than the existence of men although as human She excited the suspicions of public librarians by asking for works on poisons. She studied faces in the street, and characters, good, bad, and indifferent, all about her. She delved in the dust of ancient times for facts or fictions so old that they were as good as new, and introduced herself to folly, sin, and misery, as well as her limited opportunities allowed. She thought she was prospering finely, but unconsciously she was beginning to desecrate some of the womanliest attributes of a woman's character. She was living in bad society, and imaginary though it was, its influence affected her, for she was feeding heart and fancy on dangerous and unsubstantial food, and was fast brushing the innocent bloom from her nature by a premature acquaintance with the darker side of life, which comes soon enough to all of us. (p.539) The quotation above shows the effort of Jo to be transcendent by having for long time to be active as writer. By writing a book, she can put many thought that she cannot directly show off in public. The limitation of freedom for women is the main idea in Jo's writings. In the sentence:" As well as her limited opportunities allowed" shows that there are too many struggles that women have to go through