Dawan Fights for Her Own Freedom to Study by Asking Support
45 support from outside then she can find support from herself to talk to her father
about her freedom to choose her own path just like a free bird. Bao asks Dawan to free a bird in the cage. Dawan begins to understand that clue - that being free is
the right for everyone. It means that she can stand on her own choice. Here is Bao’s statement to let her friend realize that her life does not belong to anyone
else but to herself. “You’ve earned your chance for flying to a bigger world, to pursue your
own ideals. Don’t yield to your brother now. You have to push forward and struggle if you want to be free, and equal to your brother” p. 79.
There is something that Dawan needs to know. Bao wants her friend to know about the meaning of freedom. Everyone has his or her own right to move
or to do something without being ruled by other or family. This is the natural right everyone should have. In this case, the rights mean the right of liberty. According
to Cranston 1973, the right of liberty is freedom of movement and freedom of speech. Freedom of movement is the condition where Dawan is free to go
wherever she wishes or to choose her own destination wherever she wants. Dawan thanks Bao for what she has done for her. Here, Bao plays an important role to
assure Dawan to rise against all the obstacles that seem to coop her up in a cage. The disapproval of Dawan’s father forces her to fight for her right to have
better education. The old custom and beliefs towards women’s roles in education and society make her father doubts about her capability. Through this case, the
researcher finds that Dawan lacks of esteem need. Dawan does not get her father’s appreciation of her achievement. According to Maslow 1970, esteem needs are
the need for achievement, respect, and approval. In this study the need that Dawan
46 wants to fight for is the need of esteem need. Based on Maslow’s fourth layer of
human need, Dawan wants to develop her competence trough studying, to achieve her goal to have better education, and to be free to choose her path. Above all, she
wants to get her father’s recognition of her achievement by giving her a chance to continue her study in Bangkok.
The surface meaning of Dawan’s struggles for her rights to study in Bangkok can be
concluded trough Dawan’s effort in fighting for her esteem needs. It shows that she wants to be an independent individual who is able to
determine her own path to get the goals of her life.