Description of Dawan The influence of gender schema towards Dawan`s mind development in Min Fong Ho`s sing to the dawn.
27 “I see what you‟re up to” she shouted to the grandmother, “You‟re going
to try and talk Noi into arguing for Dawan in front of her father, aren‟t you?” She brushed a wisp of hair away from her forehead, and Dawan
noticed small beads of sweat there. “You think that Noi will trot on over and convince my husband, just like that, to let Dawan go off to the City
school? There‟s no hope in that, old woman His heart was too set on his son going. He‟ll never think it right for Kwai‟s sister, a mere girl, to go in
his place.” p. 31 This statement appears while Dawan‟s mother is arguing with Dawan‟s
grandmother. Dawan‟s grandmother is going to go to Noi‟s house to talk to Noi so
that Dawan can get support from her while talking to her father. Noi is Dawan‟s cousin who has ever lived in the c
ity. Dawan‟s mother is very angry to Dawan‟s grandmother because she has already frustrated that they will not be supported by
Noi because her husband has already had his own view that cannot be changed easily. For her, a girl should not fight for her right because there is no use of doing
that. She thinks that Dawan‟s father cannot be convinced that Dawan should go to the city while the only thing that becomes his priority is his son, Kwai.
Finally her mother sighed heavily and muttered , “It is not my place to say
anything.” She turned her gaze back to the baby on her hip, avoiding Dawan‟s eyes. p. 32.
While stating this hopeless statement, Dawan‟s mother actually wants to help Dawan to get her father‟s permission. However, she thinks that she has no
right to decide whether Dawan can go to the City or not. A woman has no power to resist against her husband eventhough she wants to do it. She knows that
Dawan can still go to the city and should not be forbidden just because she is a girl. As a woman, she cannnot make any decision by herself and all she can do is
just following her husband command. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
28 At the end of Chapter Three in this novel, Dawan‟s mother finally decides
to accompany Dawan to get Noi‟s support. She still thinks that she cannot convince her husband by herself or by asking grandmother‟s support. She knows
that she needs Noi‟s support because Noi is the one from her family who had ever lived in the City before. She encourages herself to fight for Dawan‟s right to get a
better education because she believes that Dawan can also bring change to the family eventhough she is a girl.