Gender spheres and gender roles

assumes physical powers to be the basic essence of man. She expects to get a good harvest as the farm work is done by a man, there will be a huge difference among man’s work, woman and children’s work. Chizuko finds it hard and exhausting for a woman to do plowing alone, therefore she needs a man whom she believes was born as a worker. CHIZUKO. I’ve been thinking ... ah, wondering how you would feel about ... what you think about staying on ... on this farm, I mean. With us. she waits; Kaoru is silent I mean, share profits ... a partnership. KAORU. I don’t have money, Chizuko-san. CHIZUKO. quickly Oh, you pay nothing. I mean a joint venture. More or less. This farm is too much for a woman alone and I ... Yamauchi, 1996 : 427 She thinks of Kaoru as a man who is physically stronger than woman and expects a better result from the work of a man. She assumes that it will be much easier if there is a man who can help her run the farm. Chizuko expresses how actually she tired of her life, showing that she requires a partner to work, somebody to share and to discuss many things. In addition, eventhough Chizuko Sakata seems to be a tough and independent woman, there is a moment when she really need someone who is reliable during the hard times. In act two scene two, for instance, Chizuko asks Kaoru whether they should irrigate the farm p. 432, it implies that Chizuko also sees man as a primary decision-maker, she feels like she has to ask for Kaoru’s consideration as if she cannot decide it by herself. From this finding, it is obvious that Chizuko also perce ives ‘decision-maker’ is one of male traits. Moreover, it also depicts her state that is still colonized by patriarchy even though she is now far away from Japan. She does not feel objected about that and does not even think that she is being oppressed because she might get used to such culture since she was still in Japan. Furthermore, it is also important to examine how Chizuko treats her sons and daughter in her her to perpetuate her native culture. Chizuko distinguishes the chores between her sons and daughter which shows she admits the labor division that is very patriarchal. CHIZUKO. to Kaoru My boys spent summer here —flooding, plowing, getting ready for planting. It was hot. Hundred ten degrees. CHIZUKO. to Ichiro You and Tomu clean the tool shed. Aki, get blankets and sheets for Kawaguchi-san. Yamauchi, 1996: 409 AKI. Then why do I have to go bed so early? CHIZUKO. The boys have to go to bed early because they work on Saturday. It’s not fair to them. Yamauchi, 1996: 436 The dialogue above shows that Chizuko is a woman who once lived in a patriarchal society, therefore, her way of thinking is influenced by patriarchal culture as well. She perceives domestic sphere is a proper place for women while the outside world is for men. Chizuko introduces her sons, Ichiro and Tomu to the role of men, it is a man’s nature to be a worker and they supposed to work harder than woman out of their physical features. Meanwhile, Chizuko habituates Aki to do woman’s chores. She is told to take care household chores, for instance in this play, Chizuko asks Aki to set a bed for Kaoru. Chizuko Sakata’s characteristic and struggle support the idea of ‘constructedness’ in feminism. She proves that actually gender identity is constructed from the way she differentiates the chores for her children. Chizuko reveals t hat ‘constructedness’ is applicable on male identity, that being masculine is also culturally constructed which indicates the equality between men and women. Her act depicts a feminist movement regardles of she is aware of it or not because it is not her intention from the beginning to struggle for women’s right. But, in fact, her attitude shows that gender roles are cultural product which become acceptable habitual acts in society.

2. The Struggle to Establish Identity

a. “American” Identity

In The Music Lesson Chizuko Sakata is also depicted as a traditional woman and mother and it is revealed through her role on daily basis when she interacts with her children. First, she does a labor division among her children that men are workers while women are doing household chores. Chizuko seems to play upon their common sense as if such division is the true value of their culture. Second, Chizuko scolds Aki for staying too long in a grown man’s room, she also express her distaste when Aki starts arguing her. It shows that actually for Chizuko, a woman should always maintain a good image so that people will not spread a bad talk among them and she finds it is inapropriate for a woman to argue or talk too much. Chizuko has been living in Imperial Valley, California for years, she, of course has assimilated with American culture which causes her to have another identity , an ‘American’ identity. Speaking of Chizuko’s role as a mother, she is not a type of mother who looks like spoiling her children. Instead, the way she talks to them is slightly rigid and flat. AKI. That’s all you think about: work, work, work CHIZUKO. warning Aki... AKI. Well. It’s true. You’re always telling me what to do and how to do it. You’re always trying to tell everyone what to do around here. CHIZUKO. I’m not trying to tell everyone... AKI. You’re going to drive Kaoru-san away from here—bossing him like you do. Yamauchi, 1996: 437 CHIZUKO. That’s what I mean. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. You don’t care how anyone else feels. AKI. You mean you ? she turns back Yamauchi, 1996: 438 From the conversation above, it can be concluded that Chizuko somehow shows her role as a mother who holds the ultimate authority at home. As Kato cited in her journal that parental authority is the American ideal of child-rearing practice. Chizuko in The Music Lesson is seen as a mother who always arranges everything on her own and everybody has to follow her order regardless of they like it or not. By doing so, Chizuko seems to ignores Japanese principle that is intimacy in a family, she tends to create a gap between her and her children and it causes Aki to start assuming that there is no bond between her and Chizuko. Aki insists that Chizuko is the one who never cares how other people feel as she is always busy to work and think how to survive. Because of living a really tough life, Chizuko sets aside her feeling and suggests to herself that working hard is now become her first priority. Chizuko realizes that possessing traits which belong to women will just aggravate her condition. Meaning to say, if she continues being feminine all the time during her settlement in California, then she will never be able to make a living for her family. She proves that she can be