Actant a Actant and Functional Structure
continues ‗becoming’. The identity of person leans like a liquid consists of the elements which will accustom in the surrounding culture and not consist of the
clumsy characteristic which prevent from the little of change. According to Frank Parkin’s theory of ‗meaning system’,
34
there are three responses to the culture; they are dominant, negotiable, or oppositional. First, a dominant is disposed to
totally accept one of his or her identity. For instance, if person prefers to be an American, he or she would run all activities based on American culture, ethnic,
and society. Second, a negotiable would not accept the whole of two cultures, such as Indian or American identities but rather negotiate about. Third, an
oppositional is disposed not to respond and to reject one of the identity he or she run in which he or she is not comfortable to present the identity. That is why the
problem of identity crisis appears. Identity crisis is characterized by the presence of in search of identity which includes a kind of ‗project’ over one’s body.
That is why the intergenerational conflict occurs. Lata and Supriya are more interested with the western culture than their original culture, eastern
culture. They have life styles who adapted with western culture. “We had a Ganesha that hung on our threshold, and an ample liquor
cabinet to welcome a steady stream of friends that came for late-night parties and weekend brunches or dropped by after work. We had so
convinced oursel
ves that we were free and American, …” Reddi, 2007: 67
However the characteristic of Lata and Supriya is different. Lata refuses her original culture clearly, although she loves to dance. But Supriya accepts her
34
http:www.aber.ac.ukmediaDocumentsS4Bsem08c.html , accessed on 30
th
April 2011, 07:13 pm.
original culture by negotiating; she does not entirely eliminate or even rejects her original culture.
“I‟d be even more of a rebel because I felt this connection to classical dance, whereas Su was mostly a model daughter and all the uncles and
aunties thought she did everything a good Indian gir l was supposed to.”
Reddi, 2007: 71 Crisis identity of Lata is also seen as she remembers herself with Luke
together. Lata wants to be American but she realizes that she has Indian identity which appears on her. We can see from the excerpt below.
“… suddenly the faces of my family would materialize out of the shadowy corners of the ceiling. I saw us as they would‟ve seen us Lata and Luke
with his white hands on my dark body, and realized that it was hopeless. What I‟d been trying to give my lover was not mine to give anyway; it
belonged to them, to those faces on the ceiling, …” Reddi, 2007: 84 Because of there are two characters in this story, so this story has two plots
which differ. The main plot contained by describing of Lata who tries to get her love with American man, Luke O’Malley back to her. This plot narrated dowdily-
forward, backward and flash back- because this plot refers to Lata’s remembering.
On the other hand, the subordinate of plot describes the love story of Supriya who marries with Sameer. This plot narrated by linear from the beginning to ending.
Both of two plots run in parallel because the narration of Supriya’s character overlaps with the memory of Lata’s character.
1 The Actantial Schema
letter Refusal of arranged marriage
Supriya
Lata Supriya
Parents
Schema of Actant 1
As an Indian woman, Supriya’s parents consider that she has had a certain time to get married. So, her parents send a letter to her about arrange marriage
35
with Sameer Murthy who is a smart man and a graduate student at California Technology Institute. So, letter as a sender which is an activator of the story.
“… The letter came from her father about arranging her marriage… Reddi, 2007: 67
Supriya makes a planning to refuse her parents obligation because she wanted to do many things before getting married. According to her, marriage is
the most important thing. She assumes that her parents are still traditional who believe the Indian tradition. Supriya as a subject who tries to get an object, refusal
of arranged married. “Why can‟t they see? I‟ve told them already. There‟re so many things I
want to do before I get married.” Reddi, 2007: 69 But, she did not have a choice to refuse this obligation because she is a woman
who bounds with an Indian women tradition. Besides that, she is a good girl who always obeyed her parents. To get an object, Supriya faces with the opponent, her
parents. “Women have certain urges, Gopal Uncle had written. These are natural
and part of life”Reddi, 2007: 67
35
People of India basically follow the arranged marriage system, and they consider it as something great. Dating is a taboo in that country. However, it has its own merits and demerits. Indian people
give much importance to family relationship. The system seems to protect the family. The parents take care of their children, and the children obey their parents. Parents find suitable spouses for
their children from appropriate families. So, there is no chance of marrying outside their own religion, caste, social status or economic class. This system originated when child marriage was
the custom in India. Children at an early age, even before their puberty, were given in marriage. The purpose of child marriage was to prevent those children from seeking by themselves when
they become adults somebody from lower caste or lower class for marriage.
http:berchmans.tripod.comarrange.html accessed on 30
th
March 2011, 12:39 pm
Supriya was scared to go to the meeting with Sameer, and then she asked Lata to ride her to the meeting. She hopes Lata helping her to stay connected with
her real life that is American life style. She does not want to get married by this way. And then Lata becomes a helper who helps Supriya’s effort.
“You‟d help stay connected to my real life, Lat. You‟d help me hold myself together.”
“How could I Lata say no to a request like that?” Reddi, 2007: 74 In the meeting supriya successfully says to Sameer that she refuses this
arrange marriage and Sameer agrees about that. Then, she is happy that she has solved her problem clearly.
“We both agreed that the other seemed nice, but that you don‟t mary every nice person y
ou meet, and that we didn‟t want to get married this way.” Reddi, 2007: 80
But, this agreement makes her parents feeling sad and regret, especially
Supriya’s mother; Amruta expresses her regret feeling by calling Lata. After that, Supriya and her parents never talked again about an arrange marriage.
telephone Meeting
Supriya
sweater Supriya
Lata
Shema of Actant 2
After there is no talking about Sameer Murthy, suddenly Sameer calls Supriya because he wants to r
eturn Supriya’s sweater which left in the starbucks café where she and he met. Sameer’s calling is not only first time even though he
calls Supriya every night and Supriya feels comfort and happy. Then, Supriya feels something heart to Sameer and decides going to Los Angeles to meet him.
So, the calling from Sameer is a sender that makes Supriya, subject, wants to meet with Sameer, object.
“She was holed up almost every night in her bedroom with the phone to her ear for more than an hour.” Reddi, 2007: 83.
That is causes that Lata became feeling lonely and lost her friend. Lata asks to Supriya that her going is not only to meet her childhood friend but also to
meet with Sameer. And then, Supriya says that she only wants to take her sweater from Sameer. So, sweater becomes a helper who helps Supriya to pass the
opponent, Lata. And then, Supriya is also a receiver who receives her struggle to get an object.
“Sameer. He‟s got to get my sweater back to me, doesn‟t he? …” Reddi, 2007: 83
love getting married
Supriya
Ø Supriya
Lata
Schema of Actant 3
Supriya comes back to her apartment after she has been in Los Angeles for a week. In her apartment she explains to Lata that she falls in love with Sameer and
decides to get married with him. Thus, Love is a sender who makes Supriya, subject and receiver, decides to marry with Sameer, object.
“I‟m in love with Sameer, and we‟ve decided to get married.” Reddi, 2007: 85.
Lata shocks after she heard Supriya’s decision which is so soon. She thinks that Supriya accepts an arrange marriage. Supriya becomes angry with
Lata’s judgment because she naturally falls in love with Sameer without compulsion or arrangement love. After that, Supriya moves to her parents’ home.
Thus, Lata, who is an opponent, obstructs Supriya marrying with Sameer. “You don‟t even know what love is, Lata, okay? If you did, you‟d still be
with Luke.” Reddi, 2007: 86
guilty feeling Plann to attend Supriya’s
engagement and appologize Lata and
Supriya
Mature Lata
Parents Supriya’s comment
Schema of Actant 4
Lata feels lonely in her apartment after Supriya leave. She realizes that she has judged to Supriya’s decision and becomes feeling guilty to her. All along in
the night before Supriya’s engagement ceremony, Lata thinks about Supriya and she wants to accompany her during her engagement ceremony and apologize. So,
Lata’s feeling guilty becomes a sender. So, the guilty feeling sender, makes Lata subject planning to attend Lata’s engagement and to apologize object.
“I realized that she thought I was judging her; she was right…” “I wanted to be with her during the formal engagement… so I wanted to
apologize.” Reddi, 2007: 87 But she gets the problems in her mind that is she does not want to meet her
parents who will come there too. Her relationship with her parents is not good because her parents still feel angry with her decision that is she has refused her
arranging marriage. Besides that, Lata also feels hurtful when she remembered the comment of Supriya about her love with Luke. These problems become opponent
for Lata to get her object.
“my parents would be there and I didn‟t know how they would act. … the comment she made about Luke and my not knowing what love is and I got
angry again…”Reddi, 2007: 88 Finally, she realizes that she must not blamed others people for anything.
So, she decides to attend Supriya’s engagement ceremony because she is her best friend and she wants to with her during her ceremony. So, Lata’s mature helps
herself to get an object. “… I decided that I would do the thing for which I couldn‟t be blamed by
anyone for anything…” Reddi, 2007: 88
attending Apologize
Lata and Supriya
mature Lata
Self-conscious Childhood friend
Schema of actant 5
Lata attends Supriya’s engagement by wearing her fanciest chalwar kameez
36
. She wants to apologize with her. When she arrives in the ceremony, she gets the problems which makes her feel self-conscious because there is only a few
of her childhood friend in the ceremony, she also feels uncomfortable with her short hair which is not suitable with her Indian cloth. Then, she thinks that she
should not attend in this ceremony and she wants to come back to her apartment. Thus, Lata’s attending in Supriya’s engagement as a sender that makes Lata,
subject, ask for apology object. To get an object, Lata faces problems, her self- conscious feeling and her childhood friend as the opponet for her.
36
Chalwar Kameez or Salwar Kameez is the most popular traditional attire worn by the women in India. The shalwar is a baggy pajama type of trouser, which has legs wide at the top and narrow at
the bottom. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic, which often reaches up to the knees. http:dances.iloveindia.comnatraja.html
accessed on 30
th
March 2011, 01:26 pm
“I realized that very few of my childhood friends would attend, … My short hair looked ridiculous against the regal violet sweep of my Indian
clothes, …”Reddi, 2007: 89 But, she cancels her wanting because she must be brave to face her
problems and she enters to the engagement ceremony. Finally, she finds Supriya and walks toward her. Lata begs pardon to her but she does not apologize in
return. This matter making Lata becomes feeling annoyance with her. Lata hides her angry feeling because she respects her. So, it becomes a helper to her getting
the purpose. “I felt a surge of annoyance that she didn‟t apologize to me in return,
then our eyes met and it didn‟t matter. I couldn‟t be mad at her…” Reddi, 2007: 88- 92
News Refusal of arranged marriage
Lata
Ø Lata
Parents
Schema of Actant 6
Lata’s parents explain that they get the good news about Santosh, is a Canadian doctor and his family from an old line of land-holding zamindars
37
in rural Andhra Pradesh accepts to marry with Lata. After she heard about that, she
immediately refuses a marriage. She considers that an arrange married will be an appropriate marriage to her parents because she was from the correct subcaste and
37
Zamindar is a holder or occupier dar of land zamin. The root words were Persian, and the resulting name was widely used wherever Persian influence was spread by the Mughals or other
Indian Muslim dynasties. The meanings attached to it were various. In Bengal the word denoted a hereditary tax collector who could retain 10 percent of the revenue he collected. In the late 18th
century the British government made these zamindars landowners, thus creating a landed aristocracy
in Bengal
and Bihar
that lasted
until Indian
independence 1947. http:dictionary.reference.combrowsezamindar
accessed on 30
th
March 2011, 09:09 pm
her father was a doctor too. Thus, News becomes a sender which makes Lata, subject, to refusal of arranged marriage, object. Lata is also a receiver.
“I was from the correct subcaste, … my father was a doctor, so it would be an appropriate marriage.” Reddi, 2007: 75
“I „m not interested. I mean no,” Reddi, 2007: 76 But her parents, especially her father gives her an offering that is she can continue
her dance lesson if she get married with him because Santosh is an succses man and has a good earning. So, her parents become opponents that obstruct Lata to
get an object. “But with his earning capacity you can continue on with your dance as
long as you want.” Reddi, 2007: 76 Lata who does not have a helper, becomes angry and go out from her parents’
home. After that, her parents never talk with her again. “I‟ll dance in my own time and in my own way, thanks Dad. And you can
tell his family I said no.” Reddi, 2007: 76-77
Luke Telling Lata’s relationship
to her parents Lata and
Luke
Ø Lata
Parents and tradition
Schema of Actant 7
Lata remembers her past time, when she was in relationship with Luke. Luke asks her to tell their relationship to her parents in order that their relationship
getting a progress. So, Luke as a sender who has an object, telling relationship to Lata’s parents and Lata is a subject. Luke and Lata is a receiver.
“He felt strongly that I should tell my parents about us, …” Reddi, 2007: 79.
But, Lata does not have a braveness to be honest to her parents and she is afraid with her parents’ obligation that forces her to obey the Indian marriage
tradition which is Indian women always get arranged marriage and marries with Indian man. Besides that, she realizes that she does not match with Luke, an
American man, because they come from different culture. Thus, tradition and parents become opponent for Lata and she does not get a help. Then, Luke broken
their relationship and they never met again. As seen from the excerpt below, when Lata and Luke made love, she saw her parent’s shadow on the ceiling.
“What I‟d been trying to give my lover was not mine to give anyway; it belonged to them, to those face on the ceiling.” Reddi, 2007: 84.
fate Rebuild relationship
Lata Supriya
Lata Ø
Schema of Actant 8
Unconsciously, fate meets Lata with Luke. She feels happy and they talk about their life after break up. So, fate becomes a sender that makes a desire.
“After months of not seeing Luke, of dreaming about writing to him, of thinking that I saw him and being wrong, it finally happened in the
grocery store. …” Reddi, 2007: 93 Immediately, Lata says sorry to him, she thinks it can rebuild her
relationship again. Supriya’s comment about her love makes she realize her mistake so she changes her attitude and her sight, she tries to be wise and mature
and also brave to face all the problems which she get. After that, Luke responses her words which implies hope or regret to her. So, Lata as a subject who tries to
get an object, rebuild the relationship. She gets a help from Supriya. Although,
Lata does not face opponent but she does not appear the successful or failed to get an object.
I tried to read his answer. I tried to sense if his words had a tiny trace of hope. Or only regret, “I think it would‟ve been the beginning of
everything,” I said. Reddi, 2007: 94
b Bangles
38
In this story the conflict between the first generation and second generation begins when the first generation that starts to accustom in the second
generation country, is American life. Arundhati is a first generation who lives in America after her husband died. In accordance with Indian custom and duty,
Venu, her only son takes care of her and invites her to live together with his family. Arundhati feels confused with her new life in her new country and her
mind set different from the second generation who has lived long time in America
so she begins uncomfortable to live together with her son’s family.
This matter raises diaspora identity issue which happens on Arundahti. According to Stuart Hall, “diaspora does not refer us to those scattered tribes
whose identity can only be secured in relation to some sacred homeland to which they must at all costs return”
39
. He also says that , “diaspora defined, not by
essence or purity, but by the recognition of necessary heterogeneity and diversity; by a conception of identity which lives with and through, not despite, difference;
38
Bangles are considered to be traditional jewelry in India and are known as Chudi. They are worn by women of any age group irrespective of race, caste, religion, etc. Besides that, the bangle
becomes an important symbol of marriage and wedlock. A newlywed woman and a bride to be never leave their hands bare and wear either red glass bangles or a pair of gold bangles.
http:www.iloveindia.comindian-jewelrytypes-of-jewelrybangles.html acessed on 30
th
March 2011, 09:30 pm
39
Woodward, Kathryn. Identity and Difference, London: Sage Publication 1997, p. 57.
by hybridity”
40
. From Stuart Hall’s definition, it can be conclude that diaspora
identity produces and reproduces a person through transformation and diversity constantly. So, when a person is in the foreign country he she still keeps her his
original culture and tries continually to develop it by transformation. The groups of diaspora who experience transferring of place have feeling homesick to their
hometown. Their feeling homesick becomes bigger because they feel that they have lost their origin culture.
Arundahti wants to leave America and go back to India because she feels that the culture that she brings different from the culture that she lives now.
Before she wants to go back, she tries to adapt and internalization the values in the new culture. However, Arundhati still does not feel comfortable like in her
hometown. Diaspora identity which occurs to Arundhati differs from the second and
the next generation which experienced by Venu, Kamlesh, and their children. Arundhati as a first generation still has the values of her culture which is she
brings from her hometown, but her child and her grandchildren live in the new country with the new culture and they have adapted the culture in their living so
their identity change. This matter causes there is differentiate the diaspora identity between the first generation, the second generation and the third generation.
Moreover, the difference between the first generation and the third generation can cause the third generation does a resistance toward the culture of first generation
because the third generation feels that it is not belonging to them.
40
Ibid, p. 58.
1 The Actantial Schema
status living
Arundhati
Venu Arundhati
Ø
Shema of Actant 1
Arundhati is a sixty-nine years old. After her husband died, Venu, her son, invited her to live in America with him and his family together. And then, she
goes to her new life and she must adaptation with the new tradition in the new country. Thus, Arundhati’s status who is a widow as a sender that has an object to
live with Venu, helper, in America. Arundhati also becomes a subject and a receiver.
“He might have said, “This is your new city, new country, new life,” because he was her only son, her only child and she was a widow
…” Reddi, 2007: 97- 98
Venu and Kamlesh take care of Rahul
Venu, Kamlesh and Rahul
Tara, Rina, Venu and Kamlesh
Arundhati Unaccustomed
and Rahul
Schema of Actant 2
After some days living together with Venu and his family, Arundati is requested by Venu and Kamlesh, his wife to take care of Rahul who is theirs son
and her youngest grandson. Rahul is a naughty boy, spoiled and bold. Arundhati feels that she has a duty to take care of her grandchild. So, Venu and Kamles as
senders who request Arundhati, subject, to take care of Rahul, object. And then Venu, Kamlesh and Rahul are receivers.
Venu and Kamlesh sat side by side on the sofa. “Can you take care of hi
m?” Reddi, 2007: 101-102 When Arundhati takes care of Rahul, she is confused and does not know
how to play with him. But, she gets a help from Tara and Rina, her granddaughters who have a holiday from their school. Then, she learns how
Tara’s way to take care of Rahul and how Rani’s way to make sandwich which is not Indian food. So, Tara and Rina become helpers who help Arundhati’s
assigment. “Don‟t worry, I‟ll take care of him,” said Tara. …
“I‟ll make sandwiches,” Rani said… Reddi, 2007: 102-103 After that, Arundhati gets the other problems when Rahul cries asking
some juice. And then, Tara decides to buy it but Arundhati who does not know about the condition in her new city forbids Tara to buy it because she feels
worried to her safety and she must protect her grandchildren, it makes Tara becomes angry. Few minutes later, Venu and Kamlesh go home, they know about
this condition after Rani told to them. Then, Venu invites Rahul to get some orange juice in the store and Kamlesh asked Tara to apologize with Arundhati.
Then, Arundhati realizes that she must become accustomed to small children again. Thus, the opponent is Arundhati’s self who unaccustomed to live in
America and then Venu and Kamlesh become helper too. “… Suddenly, Arundhati moved forward and hugged her, “I am sorry. I
do not know anything here.” Reddi, 2007: 104-105 religious
Puja Arundahti’s husband
Rukmini Arundhati
Brahmin and Venu’s family
Schema of Actant 3
Arundhati who is a religious Indian, a sender, has a desire to do a puja object. Pujas are performed by priest and lay Hindus through devotional songs
and prayer to express faith, gratefulness, love, and offerings to a deity.
41
A receiver is her husband who had died. Arundhati, a subject, asks Venu and his
family to go to the temple. “All of us. Let us go and do a puja for your father.” Reddi, 2007: 107
After arriving in the temple, the Brahmin said that he cannot do puja
because he and all the Brahmins in the temple are busy and also he does not have all the things that will need. Later, the Brahmin asks her to come back tomorrow
because he is free. But Arundhati realizes that Venu and his family are impossible to come back to temple again except today. So, Brahmin and Venu’s family are
the opponents. “Come back tomorrow. At ten o‟clock I am free.”
But Arundhati knew her family would not bring her again the next day. Reddi, 2007: 109-110
This situation makes Arundhati regrets but Venu introduces her to
Rukmini. Every Saturday, Rukmini goes to the temple so Arundhati can go to the temple with Rukmini without accompanied by Venu. Rukmini becomes a helper
for Arundhati to get an object. “Rukmini says she comes every Saturday. She‟ll pick you up. She lives
only ten minutes fro m us.” Reddi, 2007: 111
41
Sunil Bhatia, American Karma: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Indian Diaspora, New York: New York University Press: 2007 p. 235.
Rahul take care
Rahul
Venu Arundhati
Rahul and Kamlesh
Schema of Actant 4
In the temple, Rahul does not look a good boy. Kamlesh, his mother, is not unaware of Rahul’s act. Arundhati looks Rahul who is disrespectful with the
goddess, he takes a coconut from the basket and he runs to the alcove then flings it to the seated devotees into the small chamber where the statue of goddess stood.
Immediately, Arundhati runs to him, and then she catches him and pulls him toward Venu and kamlesh. Thus, Rahul as a sender that makes Arundhati, subject,
to take care of him, object. Arundhati ran to her grandson and caught his arm with her right hand.
Rahul screamed. She pulled him toward Venu… Reddi, 2007: 111 Kamlesh who sees
Arundhati’s act becomes angry and she blames her because she thinks Arundhati has hurt Rahul. But, Venu forbids Kamlesh to blame
Arundhati and he asks rahul to be quite. So, Kamlesh becomes an opponent but Venu becomes a helper who support Arundhati’s act.
Kamlesh picked up her son. “Don‟t you think you‟re being little rough?” she said, looking at Arundhati.
“No, it wasn‟t rough,” Venu said. “He‟s screaming because he knows he acted so badly. Nobody hurt him.”… Reddi, 2007: 112
On the way home, Kamlesh does not look to her and speaks only when
Venu asked. After that, Kamlesh’s attitude changes to Arundhati, she shows her feeling dislike to her and never talks to her.
Rahul and Kamlesh go home
Arundhati
Rukmini Supriya
Venu
Schema of Actant 5
In the kitchen, Arundhati looks Rahul sitting at the counter with his coloring book and playing tulips which is in the heavy crystal vase. Then,
Arundhati forces him to lift him down from the counter. Unfortunately, Rahul’s hand catches the vase and then it fall down to the floor and break. All the people
who are in the home, includes Rukmini who has came to pick up Arundhati, go to the kitchen and look at Arundhati and Rahul. Immediately, Rahul points his finger
and kicks Arundhati’s leg, he accuses Arundhati who has done it. This situation makes Arundhati shames because her grandson shows disrespectful to her in front
of all Indian people in home. “She did it” Rahul swung his foot back and kicked his grandmother in the
leg. Reddi, 2007: 120-121
In the night, Arundhati talks to Venu that she wants to go back to India
and lives with her brother. But Venu forbids her because he is only her son who has a duty to care her mother in accordance with Indian custom and duty.
Arundhati feels that her attending is not expected by Kamlesh so she begs to Venu to allow her go to India. Venu still refuses Arundhati’s request. Then, Arundhati
feels disappointed because she realized that she cannot go back to India without Venu’s help. Thus, Rahul and Kamlesh as senders make Arundhati, subject,
feeling uncomfortable and decides to go back to the India, object. But Venu becomes an opponent who forbids her to get her object.
“But I am in the way here. I am not a help to either you or your wife. And she does not want me here, either,…”
Venu paused. “No,” he said…. “Your place is here.” Reddi, 2007: 123 During the week, Arundhati always thinks about how she can go back to
India without need a help from Venu. And then, she asks Arundhati who picks up her to the temple as usual on Saturday, to sell her bangles for her in order that she
can go back to India. Rukmini shocks with Arundhati’s request. But in the end, she understands with her condition and obeys her request. So, Rukmini is a helper
who helps a subject to get an object. … Rukmini opened her handbag and took out a tissue. Then she wrapped
the bangles, slowly, and put them inside her purse. Reddi, 2007: 124-125
c Devadasi
Devadasi story begins from Uma’s departure to India, her hometown.
After Uma is in America for sixteen years, she must go to India because her father asking her to attend her cousin’s wedding ceremony. Before she goes, she
requests her parents to give her a private dance lesson in India. This story took place in 1
992 when Hindus and Muslims’ riot
42
happened. Despite that Uma who has lived in America for long time feels
uncomfortable since arriving in India; she also feels that there is a distance which separates her with her family in India. Uma considers herself is not Indian but
American so she does not care with the problem or custom which is in India.
42
Hindu and Muslim’s riot happen on December, 1992. This riot is caused by Hindu mobs who demolished the Babri Mosque in the town of Ayodhya, claiming it was built on the birthplace of
their god-king Rama. The demolition triggered religious riots that killed some 2,000. http:blogs.reuters.comfaithworld20100920ghost-of-hindu-muslim-riots-haunts-upcoming-
babri-mosque-verdict-in-india accessed on 30
th
March 2011, 11:46 pm
“She was American who did not care about the differences between Hindus and Muslims. She did not care about saris or Indian jewels, or that
women should not be too familiar with the company of men.” Reddi,
2007: 163 This difference of identity becomes the conflict between the western
values which has adapted by Uma second generation and the eastern values which is adopted by her family first generation seen as Uma talks with Hafeez,
her family’s driver. Uma’s parents feel angry because according to them, Uma’s attitude is not suitable with the Eastern culture. In Indian tradition, women and
men cannot talk familiarly and Indian family only shares with the person who has similar caste and religion.
“She thought of her parents, who shared the same religion and caste, whose marriage had been orchestrated by relatives. They were together
because everyone around them thought they should be together.” Reddi, 2007: 174
And then Hindus and Muslims’ riot make Uma realized that she oscillates in the Indian and American identity. In the fact, Uma cannot really escape from
her Indian identity. This matter showed with her hobby, Indian dance. Dance serves as a sense of Uma’s comfortable to move between in two of both identities.
As the result, in the ending of story Uma feels lonely and exiles from her own culture, so Uma faces identity crisis.
1 The Actantial Schema
Uma’s father go to India
Uma deal
Uma Uma and Karl
Horisson
The Schema of Actant 1
Uma is sixteen years old. Her father is a mere consultant who works out of home and gives money to VHP
43
party in India, which preserve the nation for the Hindus and become more Hindu. He takes Uma to go to India for the first time.
So, Uma’s father is a sender who has a desire to take Uma go to India, object. Uma is a subject and a reciver.
“The November that Uma turned sixteen, her parents took her to India for the first time….” Reddi, 2007: 159-160
To get an object, Uma gets the problems because she does not want to leave America. She is very comfortable to live in America and feels that she is
American. Besides that, she has found the boy who loves her, Karl Horrison. This is why Uma feels difficult to leave America and it makes opponent for her.
“… she had gone to a party at classmate‟s home and drank beer with her friend Karl Horrison, a senior soccer player.” Reddi, 2007: 160
Finally, she makes a deal with her parents to exchange for traveling to India with getting a private dance lesson. And then, her parents agree about that
and she will learn a dance with the dancer who recommended by her instructor in America, Amruta Auntie. Uma packs her suitcases and goes to India with her
parents. So, a deal is a helper. “With this deal in mind, Uma packed her suitcases and boarded the plane
with her parents before Thanksgiving, resigned to two weeks without Karl.“ Reddi, 2007: 161
43
In the book of New Roots in America‟s Sacred Ground: Religion, Race,. And Ethnicity in Indian
America explains that The Visha Hindu Parishad, founded in 1964 by leaders of Hindu nationalist
organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS and the Hindu guru Swami Chinmayanand, is a movement that simultaneously tries to reach out globally to all Hindus in the world and mobilize
Hindus in India for anti-Muslim politics. p. 213
Uma’s mother argument about India
Uma
Ø Uma
Indian’s attitude
The Schema of Actant 2
After a few days living in India, Uma’s mother asks Uma argument about India. Her mother hopes Uma likes living in India because India is her hometown
and her origin country. But Uma cannot answer her mother question. She does not like
Indian men’s attitude that stare her strangely and make Uma feeling uncomforted.
Thus, Uma’s mother is a sender who has a desire to know Uma’s argument and Uma is a receiver and also a subject. But she cannot get the object
because she faces the opponent, Indian’s attitude.
“So do you like India?” her mother asked suddenly. Uma could not answer. … she did not like their driver‟s furtive glances…
a man had hung his tongue out at her hungrily. Reddi, 2007: 165
dance performances Dance
Uma
Hafeez, Guru-ji and Raju’s voice
Uma Guru-
ji’s test
The Schema of Actant 3
Uma wants to performance at arangetram
44
sender, so she subject tries to learn a dance in Guru-
ji’s home object. To get Guru-ji’s home, Uma is driven by Hafeez, her family
’s driver helper. Upon arriving at the Guru-ji’s house, she gets
44
Arangetram or ranga pravesh means “entering the stage” which is a graduation performance or
debut of the dancer is performed when a dancer has completed her education in the discipline. It marks the beginning of a dancers life, when he or she may cross the threshold from student to
professional artist. http:www.umavasudevan.comhtmlarangetram.html
accessed on 30th March 2011, 10:13 pm
a test from Guru-ji showing her dance of allaripu
45
but she had forgotten about that opponent.
“… Can you show me now? You must know allaripu.” Uma froze. She had dance allaripu years ago, but she could not recall
even the first motion of the dance. … Reddi, 2007: 170-171 And then, Guru-ji helper shows her dancing movement and Raju sings
the rhythmic syllables helper. And then, Uma follows Guru- ji’s movement, she
immediately rememb ers all of the dance’s movement and she begins dance well.
While she dancing, she feels free, Indian men’s attitude who stare her strangely has lost in her mind.
Uma stepped forward and assumed the pose, following Guru-ji through the movements. … Then Uma‟s legs and hands and feet remembered, and
she began to dance… she felt herself command the space and air of the studio. The glances of men on the street,… they were gone. Reddi, 2007:
171- 172
feeling bored A friend
Uma
Ø Uma
Parents
The Schema of Actant 4
Finally, her cousin’s wedding arrived. Uma feels uncomfortable and bored. So, she goes outside from the wedding ceremony and finds Hafeez. She
comes near to him at the parking area and then, they talk together as if they are equals from the same caste and same family generation. After that, her parents,
45
Allaripu which literally means the blooming of a flower and this invocatory item is also purely nrittadance and consists of brisk eye, neck movements and movements of every limb of the
body. It is said to involve over 153 types of movements in the body and require extreme expertise to perform. In ancient India it was performed in the temple as an invocation to the Gods.
http:www.dancesource.netDanceSynopsis.html accessed on 30th March 2011, 10:00 pm
her grandmother and her aunt and also Rohini , her mother’s friend, with her
husband see them in the car. Her parents become angry but they hide their feeling because there are Rohini and her husband, her parents want to keep her reputation.
So, her parents forbid her sitting at the front seat. Thus, Uma’s feeling bores is a
sender that makes Uma, subject, to looks for a friend, object, for herself. But, Uma faces the opponet, her parents and she does not get a helper.
She knew instantly that they were very angry, and she knew too that they would try to hide it, because Rohini and her husband were there, …
Reddi, 2007: 181
Uma Dance
Uma
Hafeez Uma
Muslim and Hin du’s riot
The Schema of Actant 5
Uma wants to dance in her last dance lesson in india sender. As usual Hafeez picks up her in the morning. Before they go, he warns her that there is a
Muslim riots in the Guru- ji’s neighborhood. But Uma subject ignores him; she
only wants to escape to the dance studio object. “We shouldn‟t go to the Old City. Because of the Ayodhya issue, they have
called for a bandh and the stores have closed. … “ Reddi, 2007: 182-183 On the way to Guru-
ji’s home, their car blocked by Muslim community opponent so they becomes panic. Immediately, Hafeez helper asks her to
remove her bindi
46
then Uma obeys him, she takes the duppatta
47
on her shoulder
46
The holy dot or bindi also known as kumkum, mangalya, tilak, sindhoor and by other names is an auspicious makeup worn by young Hindu girls and women on their forehead. The term is
derived from bindu, the Sanskrit word for a dot or a point. Traditionally a symbol of marriage, it has now become a decorative item and is worn today by unmarried girls and women of other
religions as well. http:www.kamat.comkalrangawomenbindi.htm
ascessed on 29
th
March 2011, 12:47 pm
and veils herself as if she is a Muslim. Then Hafeez makes reason which helps him and Uma to run away from Muslim community.
Hafeez turned and looked at her directly for the first time. His face seemed angry. “Remove your bindi,” he said again. Reddi, 2007: 183
This incidents makes Uma confuses about her identity that she is not
different from Muslim and Hindu and she is not American because she is Indian, but she feels that she is not a part of India. Thus, she feels that she has lost her
place at home and in the world. “… she felt a surge of despair about her place at home and in the world.”
Reddi, 2007: 185