prostitute, including losing contact with the family, identity and independence. The main issue of this novel is the conflicts faced by Thai prostitutes in their life.
This study intends to reveal the conflicts faced by Reun and Samorn, Thai prostitutes, as portrayed in Surangkhanang’s The Prostitute through her way in
drawing the life of those main characters in the story. In this study the writer only reveals the conflicts, both interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts, faced by Reun
and Samorn in this novel as a portrayal of conflicts faced by Thai prostitutes.
B. Problem Formulation
After reading the novel for several times, the writer found that the main topic discussed in The Prostitute was the conflicts of Reun and Samorn, the major
characters of this novel. Then, the writer of this study came up to the idea to reveal the conflicts faced by the major characters.
The formulation of the problem of this study is: How are the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts of Thai prostitutes portrayed through the characters of
Reun and Samorn in Surangkanang’s The Prostitute?
C. Objective of the Study
The objective of this thesis is to reveal the portrayal of Thai prostitutes’ conflicts in the novel. The writer tries to reveal the conflicts that exist in the Thai
prostitutes’ life in the novel. After revealing those conflicts, the writer tries to analyze those as the portrayal of conflicts faced by Thai prostitutes by using some
theories.
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D. Benefits of the Study
The writer of this thesis hopes that this thesis gives the readers understanding about the life of prostitutes in Thailand especially the conflicts that
appear in their life. The writer also hopes that this thesis can be used as a reference for those who later have the similar topic with this thesis.
This thesis may be a good source for students of English Language Education Study Program to enrich their understanding about Asian literary
works. Hopefully students of English Language Study Program in Sanata Dharma University would also be interested in making Asian literary works to be more
worldwide known.
E. Definition of Terms 1. Prostitute
Based on a thematic paper entitled Exploitation on Children in Prostitution written by Judith Ennew 2008, “Prostitution is variously described in the
literature as ‘sex work’; ‘violence against women’, or ‘slavery’” p. 8. In this study, Reun, the major character is tricked into coming to Bangkok and then
forced into prostitution. She earns a living by being engaged in sexual work.
2. Prostitution Bindman stated that “prostitution is variously described in the literature as
‘sex work’; ‘violence against women’, or ‘slavery’. The frameworks used include trafficking, labour market participation, gender and human rights” as cited in
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Ennew, 2008, p.8. In The Prostitute, Reun as the major character is tricked into sex work which is a form of violence against women or slavery.
3. Conflicts The definition of conflict based on Christopher E. Miller 2005 in A
Glossary of Terms and Concepts in Peace and Conflict Studies, conflict comes from the Latin for ‘to clash or engage in a fight’, a confrontation between one or
more parties aspiring towards incompatible or competitive means or ends p. 21. In The Prostitute, Reun and Samorn who work as prostitutes have confrontations
towards incompatible or competitive means or ends.
4. Brothel Based on Concise Oxford Dictionary, brothel means a house where men
visit prostitutes. Reun, the major character of the novel works as a prostitute, lives in a house where men visit prostitutes owned by Ba Tath.
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6
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
