and the attitude while the character pronounces dialogue is also the important thing to characterize.
f. Character in Action
The last device is about the character’s act. This is to show the reaction that the characters give on a certain situation.
2. Theory of Racial Discrimination
There are many kinds of races in the world. According to McLemore races are subspecies of mankind 1980: 79. It can be said that race is the mankind’s
categorization which has certain distinctive physical traits. The difference of race in some place can be a serious problem if a person cannot deal with another who has
different race. “The problem of race and culture contacts in the modern world is essentially a
social problem because it involves the relations of peoples, not merely as individuals in their interpersonal relations, but people as members of groups,
which are differentiated because of both physical characteristics and cultural differences” Frazier, 1957:31.
This statement implies that racial problem occurs due to the people’s relation as a member of group, the differences of physical appearance between the individuals
and the cultural differences. Hanes in the book Prejudice in the Modern World stated that, discrimination means one group enjoys an undue or undeserved advantage over
another group possessing the same qualifications based on arbitrary, or random, standards, or criteria 2007: 26. It means that discrimination is an attitude of one
group that oppresses another group unreasonably and can cause the disadvantage to another group.
“Discrimination is an unfavorable action toward people because they are members of particular racial or ethnic group. Discrimination, similarly, is
used by some to refer only to certain forms of negative actions. For instance, it refers only to negative actions that spring from prejudice” McLemore,
1980: 108.
From this quotation it can be concluded that discrimination is an unpleasant action toward people because they have different race or ethnic. Prejudice can lead
people to discriminate. Prejudice is an unfavorable attitude toward people because they are members of a particular racial or ethnic group McLemore, 1980: 108.
Hanes also stated that prejudice is far more than simply a negative attitude. It often involves actions such as discrimination 2007: 26. It is understood that
discrimination may occur because of the existence of prejudice. Prejudice refers to an attitude, feeling, or opinion. To determine how prejudiced he or she is, can be known
by the extent of people accept stereotyping McLemore, 1980: 111. According to Hanes, stereotyping is an oversimplified prejudgment of others using physical or
behavioral characteristics, usually exaggerated, that supposedly apply to every member of that group Hanes, 2007: xxxiv. This quotation implies that stereotype is
an over prejudgment because of his or her physical or behavioral and apply to every member of the group.
Then it can be understood that discrimination is caused by the existence of prejudice, and to find out the level of prejudice of someone can be seen from how
people can accept stereotyping. From this point, it can be seen the relation between
discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping are really tight. These are the idea that people can be motivated to act in different ways and their actions are an indication of
the way they think or believe something. McLemore also stated three theories of the type of discrimination 1980: 126-
138, they are: 1.
The Situational Pressures This theory gives very important ideas, whether people discriminate or not
may depend more on the characteristics and demands of the social situation 1980: 127. From this quotation it can be said that the discrimination may occur in some
social situation or related to the society. “In fact people discriminate under some conditions. The specific social pressures is arising in particular situations and in many
instances, this is to outweigh personal prejudice as a cause of discrimination” 1980:127. This quotation explains clearly that this type of discrimination occurs in
certain situation and causes by a pressure from the superior person in the instances. It is not true that a person discriminates the other because he or she wants to, but there
are always pressures from somebody that leads a person to discriminate. 2.
The Group Gains The conflict between groups for the control of land and jobs, led to relatively
fixed social arrangements in which the members of the more powerful groups enjoyed greater privileges than those in the less powerful groups 1980: 130. To
illustrate, if minority- group workers are forced into the hardest, dirtiest, lowest paying jobs, then the majority- group workers may occupy the better jobs. From this
quotation, the more powerful groups get more advantages from the powerless one. It also can be said the minority get different treatment.
3. Institutional Discrimination
Institutional discrimination in employment arises because the members of a minority lack some ability or qualification intentionally denied them in the past
McLemore, 1980:137. This statement shows that discrimination occurs when the minority group did not get the fair treatment in their past in some institution that
affected in the future, they unqualified to have job and always be discriminated every single time. When an institution has requirements that the employer should have
formal education such as high school or diploma, the automatic result is to exclude those who do not have the requirements. If people have been subject to discrimination
in the schools, then they are less likely to have graduated and therefore to be less qualified for a job that requires a diploma McLemore, 1980: 137.
Based on International Encyclopedia of Ethics, institutional discrimination includes segregation between race, redlining by financial institution, and the
continuous practice of low paying job experienced by the minority groups Roth, 1995: 232. According to John K. Roth, discrimination is a differential treatment
based on physical and social affiliation. It has negative impact on just and moral behavior 1995:231. In the United States, various groups have experienced various
forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination. Discrimination is not limited to individuals.
C. Review on Discrimination Experienced by Mexican American
