Background of the Study
Recently, the western culture has evolved and has been widespread in the world. The western culture is gained and adapted more easily by people through
the media transformation and technology. Undeniably, the western culture starts changing and shifting the eastern culture. It is a tragedy when our descendants
tend to learn western culture than their own culture. How they can transfer their culture to their next generation if they do not know about their own culture
deeply. The United State of America is a multicultural country with many ethnic
groups and races. Most of the citizens in the country are immigrants. They come from many different countries. Although they come from different countries, races
and ethnics, they can live together. Their main purpose to come to America is to get a better life in the country. Chinese is one of the ethnics that live in America.
Many Chinese and their generations have stayed for centuries in America. They are called Chinese-American.
Nevertheless America is a multicultural country. American Culture is categorized as Western Culture which takes a great influence in some aspects of
life including the human characteristics. Americans tend to be individualistic. Self-reliance and independence are stressed and valued. Personal freedom is
highly desired. They believe that people can alter nature and determine their life, not the destiny. They tend to be more concerned with material than spiritual
matters. Chinese Culture, which is categorized as Eastern Culture based on the
geographic aspects, has different human characteristics. Chinese Culture applies 2
the collectivist principles to live in the primary group. Family is the smallest unit of survival. The survival and success of the group ensure the well – being of the
individual. They regard other’s needs and feeling. Harmony and interdependence of group are stressed and valued. Tradition must be preserved in the beliefs, rituals
and customs. They believe in the destiny as the result of their attitude in life. Therefore, spiritualism is very important to guide the people to the good destiny.
While the American Culture is widespread and influences other cultures, the Chinese Culture can still exist. Some Chinese, who become the immigrants in
other countries, bring their culture. They can still preserve their culture even though they live in America as Chinese-Americans.
Belief as one of the culture’s invisible dimensions should also be preserved to support the preservation of Chinese Culture. Belief is a concept of a
way of life and work, which people feel obliged to follow for the sake of proving their worth. It guides people to organize their life. Belief is applied in the visible
dimension behavior. Belief that contains universal behavior is easier to be preserved rather than particular behavior. When the behavior can be conducted for
every generation in the group of people, it becomes a tradition. Preserving the Chinese Belief means preserving the Chinese Culture.
Hockett quoted in Byrne’s book, English Teaching Extracts 22 points out that literature is undisputedly a vital part of a nation’s culture. According to
the statement above, literature can be a solution in gaining to know the culture along with learning the language. In literature, we can also perceive a portrait of
life, a portrait containing values of truth and a process with all its problems. 3
One of the literary works that can portrait the values of culture in life is The Kitchen God’s Wife
. This is a novel written by Amy Tan that wants to tell about a Chinese immigrant who lives in America, who brings her identity and
culture along her life. The novel was written in 1900s. It was the era of pre- communism. The Communist party in China expanded their authority. The story
told that some Chinese had to go to the Formosa Island. They stayed under the democratic authority that was led by Chiang Kai Sek. In 1949 the communist
party attacked the democratic authority. The Democratic could not stand against the communist expansion. Finally, they had no choice and had to flee from the
communist party authority. It was stated in the Winnie Louie’s conversation
obviously. Eh,Mrs. Chiang Kai Sek, your husband finally knows how to solve all our
problems. So simple, get foreign help. Hey, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr.Chuchill, here is my begging bowl. Amy Tan 334
When the Communists came in 1949. He was too scared to run away, too scared to stay. He became so confused he walked with his own two feet all
the way to the port at the north edge of the island, and there he sat down to think about his choices. Amy Tan 72.
They had to go to the Formosa or Taiwan Island. Some of the Chinese went to other democratic countries, one of them was America. There were many
Chinese immigrants who wanted to save their life from the communist. In that era, the Chinese still struggled to get a better life in America as immigrants. They
lived in a community, called Chinatown. They built their business and kept their relation among other Chinese immigrants. Winnie Louie had also to go to
America and opened a flower shop with her family in the Chinatown. In her daily 4
life, Winnie Louie believed in Chinese traditions and beliefs. She used the principles of Chinese Culture in deciding what she should do in her life.
My mother and Auntie Helen co-own Ding Ho flower Shop on the Ross Alley in Chinatown Amy Tan 7.
She traces her finger down one, then the other. “Iye shiang ru yi”. The first word is “luck” this other is an other kind of luck, and these two mean’all
that you wish.”All kinds of luck, all that you wish Amy Tan 58.
Based on the novel, it was revealed obviously that Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American could still preserve Chinese Beliefs as a part of Chinese
Culture in the States. The valuable things that can be observed are the ways of how Winnie Louie preserves Chinese Beliefs as a Chinese-American. Having
finished analyzing the question about the ways of how Winnie Louie preserves Chinese Beliefs, it can be used as a basis for analyzing the aims of this study to
find out what motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Culture as a Chinese American.
As stated by Hockett quoted in Byrne’s book 22, we can learn the aspects of life including culture from the portrait of life revealed in the literary
works. By conducting this study, we can learn and use this study to enrich our knowledge of how Chinese-Americans preserve their culture. Without any doubt,
the globalization era is happened in this country. Our responsibility as the future generations is to preserve our culture as identity and heritage in our life. This
study can also be used as a comparative study and guideline of our thought, behavior, and effort to preserve our valuable culture; Indonesian Culture.
5 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI