CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
Because there are two problems formulated, this analysis is divided into two sections. The first part will reveal the difficult conditions of living under Chinese
patriarchal culture depicted in the life of the main characters – Lily and Snow Flower. The second part will analyze how the friendship between the main
characters contributes to their survival in the difficult condition of living under Chinese patriarchal culture.
A. The Difficult Conditions of Living under Chinese Patriarchal Culture
Depicted through the life of the Main Characters
The theory of characters is used to understand the characters which are presented as the persons who even have the moral qualities in a literary work through
what they say and what they do. In this novel, Lily and Snow Flower are included in what is meant by M.H. Abrams as characters. The researcher makes an overview of
the characters through what they say or they do and their conversations with others. Therefore, through the characters, through what they say and what they act, the
researcher finds out that they talk about the difficult conditions of women living under Chinese patriarchal culture. As an example of the dialogue that shows the
difficult conditions of women living under Chinese patriarchal culture is found in
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Lily’s words. Women in China are considered worthless, even their birth was never expected because they will become burden of a family.
I was a third child, a second worthless girl, too little to waste time on until it looked like I would survive my milk years. She looked at me
the way all mothers look at their daughters–as a temporary visitor who was another mouth to feed and a body to dress until I went to my
husband’s home. I was five, old enough to know that I didn’t deserve her attention, but suddenly I craved it. See, 2005: 12
The other example is from the action that shows the difficult conditions of women living under Chinese patriarchal culture. Chinese women should follow the
tradition of footbinding. They should experience the painful process of getting a pair of tiny feet. As experienced by Lily,
I wanted to run to the lattice window and peek out, but already my feet ached as the pressure on my bones built and the tightness of the
bindings blocked my blood’s circulation. See, 2005: 27
Therefore, by analyzing what is said and what is experienced by the characters, the life of the main characters can be found. These characters talk about
their difficult conditions of living under Chinese patriarchal culture. The patriarchal system that happened in China is influenced by Confucianism.
Confucianism is like a system of social ethics that rules the live of people in society. There are so many doctrine that Confucianism had. However, the main doctrine of
Confucianism is Li the rules of propriety. As Fang Hong states that “The rules of propriety is important to control the social roles. By using the rules of propriety, men
and women act according to a hierarchy of social roles.” Hong, 1997: 5. The rule PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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