36
a. Pessimism
Dawan is so pessimistic about her own capability to get the scholarship. Then Kwai understood, and sat down next to her again, Is it because
today that marks come in and we find out who won the scholarship that you dont want to go? Sister, are you afraid of finding out? p. 11.
From Kwai‟s statement, it can be inferred that Dawan does not want to move and go to school because she does not want to find out the winner of the
scholarship to continue the school in the city. She looks worried and afraid of the announcement because she is not sure that she can win the scholarship.
After a while, she glanced at her brother and asked, “What if you did do best in our village, Kwai? You will go, won‟t you?” p. 11.
Dawan‟s pessimistic attitude is shown in this statement where she responds her brother‟s question. She is very sure that her brother, Kwai, will win the
scholarship because he used to be the best in their village and he can go to the city without thinking further or facing any obstacles. When her brother assumes that
she is afraid to face the result, she cannot answer it quickly because she needs a few minutes to give response. However, she does not give any answer towards her
brother‟s question. She states another questions that show her uncertainty of her capability to win the scholarship.
“He likes you more,” she insisted in a low voice. “Especially today, when you will receive the government scholarship.”
“ Stop talking as if I had already won that scholarship” Kwai interrupted. There are plenty of other students in our village who might get
it, you kow.” “ Like who?” Dawan challenged.
Kwai fell silent, as if he was mentally considering every member of his class who might win. Finally he blurted, “How about you, Sister? You
could win.” “Me?” Dawan flushed. “But I‟m a girl.” p. 13 - 14
37 In Dawan‟s statement, „he‟ refers to their teacher at school. According to
Dawan, their teacher focuses on Kwai more than the other students. The teacher often talks about many problems that appear in their village with Kwai. Dawan
thinks that the teacher really wants Kwai to get the scholarship. Moreover, Dawan also makes her own gender schema when she states that she will not go to the city
and win the scholarship because she is a girl. For her, the one who deserves the scholarship must be a boy. She underestimates herself as a girl compared to Kwai
who has more chance to win the scholarship. “You know why,” Dawan said without looking at her brother, her hand
clenched tight over the edge of the wooden bridge. “I‟m a girl, Kwai.” p. 14
At the end of Chapter One from
Sing to the Dawn
novel, Dawan once again gives a statement about how she underestimates herself. She creates her
own schema about a girl‟s right. For her, she is just a girl who should not go to the city and get a better education there. She believes that her teacher will choose
Kwai instead of her because she thinks that it will be easier for a boy to be sent to the City. In this case, Dawan realizes that eventhough she always gets good marks
in the class and studies harder than Kwai does, there is still no possibility to get the scholarship. This schema influences her way of thinking.
38
b. Optimisim
The teacher tells the whole class about the winner of the scholarship. The one who gets the scholarship is Dawan which is a surprising news for everybody.
That cheerful voice seemed to ring in her ears now, as her bare feet trailed along the path, toward home. “Kwai already knows the „good news‟,” she
thought to herself uneasilty, “and he hates me for it.” p. 25 Dawan knows that Kwai is so disappointed because he cannot win the
scholarship. While Dawan is surrounded by a crowd of curious and chattering classmates, she saw her brother, Kwai, is standing alone in the doorway and
silently watching her in the middle of her admirers. Seeing him standing there, Dawan thinks that Kwai is not happy for her. Once again, she feels she does not
deserve the scholarship. Her heart sank: her father would be in an even worse mood than usual,
making her news that much harder to break. She tried to speak, but the fear in her heart chained down her words p. 27-28.
At that time, Dawan is afraid of telling her father about the news. She
knows that her father will be angry when he knows that the one who wins the scholarship is herself and not her brother. Her father has many expectations
towards Kwai because Kwai is a boy. This condition creates a schema in Dawan‟s self that she cannot get her father‟s support to go to the City to get a better
education, unless she is a boy. As a girl, it is frightening to speak to her father, especially when the news that she wants to share is a „bad‟ news for her father.
She looked up at him appealingly, and continued, “How can I give up my one chance? You know Father has already said that this will be the last
year he will pay for my school- fee. If I don‟t use this scholarship I won‟t
be able to get any more schooling. But you‟ll have many more chances yet. He said he‟ll send you to school as long as you want to go on
studying.” p. 50 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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