field of social and cultural context and historical aspect. The researchers can rely on this approach since it is the appropriate one that can locate and relate the
references from the civilization in the real world. According to Rohbreger and Woods, “No one, of course, can deny their
assertions, first, that literature is not created in a vacuum, and second, that literature embodies ideas significant to the
culture that produced it” Rohbreger and Woods, 1971: 9. The culture in the reality turns into background knowledge
of the author in producing literary work. The researchers can use the approach to analyze a literary work that uses the references in social, cultural and historical
aspects and covers the story with those aspects. The writer chooses this approach to analyze
The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The novel itself is constructed by the social structure in society, surrounded by the
cross cultural conflicts and told about the cultures and histories. The approach is used in order to analyze deeper the cultural conflicts because of the cultural
differences that are faced by Ruth as second generation who learns about American values. The approach also helps the writer to see the reaction of Ruth
Young after knowing the social, cultural and historical context of her immigrant mother.
C. Method of the Study
The writer used the library research method in conducting this study. The primary source was Amy Tan’s work, The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The secondary
sources were several books and websites related to the theories and approach that were used to analyze the problem formulation.
There were some steps taken in the order to analyze this novel. The first step was a close reading. It was used by the writer to understand the novel. The
next step was determining the topic, title and problem formulation. The third step was collecting several books and websites about the related theories, studies, and
approaches. After the data were collected, the writer used those data to answer the problem formulation.
The writer had to analyze three questions in the problem formulations. First, the writer analyzed the woman major character. Second, the writer described
the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. Third, the writer explained how Ruth Young reconciles herself with the cultural conflicts in The
Bonesetter’s Daughter. The last step was the conclusion in the general statement of the analysis in this study. The general statement was aimed in order to
summarize the analysis of the questions.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter is divided into three parts and aimed to answer the problems formulated in the first chapter. The first part is the description that describes the
characteristics of Ruth Young in the novel. The next part is the explanation about the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. The last part is the
analysis that shows what acculturation strategy that she chooses to reconcile with the cultural conflicts around her.
A. The Characteristics of Ruth Young
The characteristics Ruth Young are used by the writer to reveal the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth and how she undergoes the conflict
to reconcile . Ruth’s characteristics are analyzed by using the theory of
characterization by M. J. Murphy. According to M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens: An Introduction of English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas
Student , there are nine ways to explain the characters. However, not all of the
ways of explaining the characters are used in this part. The writer only uses some of them, which are speech, reaction, conversation, direct comment, and thought.
In the first part, the writer describes the characteristics of Ruth Young as the main character in
The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The characteristics are divided into three according to Ruth’s social role. The first one is her role as a second
generation daughter, the second one is as an employee, and the last one as a lover.
