Description of Dawan The influence of gender schema towards Dawan`s mind development in Min Fong Ho`s sing to the dawn

25 “ If you‟d won, of course it‟d be different,” the father answered. “You‟re a boy, and more schooling would have been useful for you.” He paused, then added wi stfully, “And useful for me too. Why, you could come back and help me to...” p. 55. This statement goes to Kwai when the whole family of Dawan are eating dinner together. Dawan‟s father shows his disappointment towards the result. For him, it will be useful if the winner of the scholarship is Kwai, instead of Dawan. Kwai is seen as someone that can bring the change to the family‟s fate. Dawan‟s father hopes that Kwai can bring a better situation for the whole family if he gets the scholarship and goes to the city. He creates a schema that a boy will always be useful for the family instead of a girl because a boy is still seen as a superior. If a boy gets a better education, there will be a better life for the family, while a girl who gets a better education is believed as something useless. “But what right does your sister have? She‟s only a girl,” the peasant retorted roughly p. 103. This statement appears right after Dawan‟s father is angry because he finally knows that Kwai places at the second rank and Kwai does not tell him about that. In addition, he keeps forcing Kwai to take Dawan‟s chance because he thinks he has a power to forbid Dawan to go to the city. He knows that Kwai will go to the city if Dawan cannot take the scholarship because he places at the second rank. Dawan‟s father still thinks that Dawan has no right to get better education because a girl should not be smart and will always end up staying at home. For the society, a boy should be given more chance rather than a girl because he can bring the change and be more useful. Dawan hesitated, then retorted with a defiant, “Well, why not?” 26 “Why not” the big farmer shouted at her, “Damn it, I‟ll tell you why not” Dawan could see the veins on his neck as he shouted. “Because you‟re only a girl, because there‟s nothing you can do, even with a fancy education, because...” p. 105. Dawan‟s father still insists that Dawan has taken his brother chance to get the scholarship. He states that Dawan forces her brother to let her go to the City and get a better education while the fact is that she is only a girl. So, when Dawan asks the reason behind her father‟s rejection, her father states that a girl cannot do anything even if she gets more education rather than a boy. A girl is seen as a useless person and cannot do great things to bring the change for the family.

b. Dawan’s Mother

In this novel, Dawan‟s mother is a character that shows how women are inferior rather than men. Women can only follow what their husbands say and often times do not have their own point of views. “You should not encourage her so” Dawan‟s mother called from the veranda. “You know her father won‟t let her go. She‟ll be even more disappointed if you praise her now. At least spare her that.” p. 30. Dawan‟s mother actually cares of what Dawan feels toward her father‟s rejection. She does not want Dawan to expect more because she knows that her husband will not give permission for Dawan to go to the c ity. Dawan‟s mother creates a schema about women who will always follow their husbands‟ opinions. When her husband thinks that Dawan should not get the scholarship, she will have that thoughts too in her mind because all she can do is supp orting her husband‟s statement. She has no right to ignore or reject it. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 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