Symbolic Violence and Women's Resistance Reflected in Legally Blonde Novel by Amanda Brown = Symbolic Violence and Women's Resistance Reflected in Legally Blonde Novel by Amanda Brown

The research analyses Amanda Brown’s novel entitled “Legally Blonde”. The novel presents the topic of symbolic violence experienced by several female characters named Elle, Sarah, and Brooke. The research aims to analyse the symbolic violence issue and women’s resistance reflected in the novel. Symbolic violence is represented in the form of the subtle way domination to manipulate the victim. The symbolic violence can be in the forms of a gift, act of service, or appreciation, body shaming, and hatred utterance with refined meaning (euphemism). This novel indicates a phenomenon happening in the community. The research is related to Pierre Bourdieu's theory called the symbolic violence. The research used the qualitative descriptive method. The research data were analysed using the theory of the symbolic violence proposed by Pierre Bourdieu. The research result indicates that the forms of the symbolic violence in “Legally Blonde” novel are the symbolic violence in the family, relationships, and academic affairs. The women’s resistance is as follows: Elle breaks the stigma about the images of beautiful women as inferior in academics affairs, Sarah breaks up with Warner, and Brooke is successful to improve her self. It can be concluded that the forms of symbolic violence in “Legally Blonde” novel are the symbolic violence in the family, relationships, and academic affairs. In addition, the novel indicates that a beautiful woman is perfect, kind, intelligent, and independent.

Key words: Symbolic violence, women’s resistance, euphemism