36 capability in receiving the materials, giving meaningful input, improving
erroneous thing, and applying all materials studied in education. Those are called by Kwai as a responsibility. The quotation below stated it.
„But what can you do to bring them about? You‟re only a girl. You won‟t be able to fight, or to argue loudly, or to lead people in times
of crisis. All you‟re good at is studying – that‟s how you got the
scholarship in the first place ‟. p. 51
From the quotation above, it is clear that her father and brother hesitate Dawan‟s ability in getting education. Facing this situation, she talks to her father
and her brother that she can do more. They do not need to worry of her ability to get better education. She promises to her father and brother if a chance to study is
given to her, she will try to do the best in education. Dawan says, “Only that I hope you will be as fair and kind towards me as my brother has been, Father”
p.105. From the quotation above, Dawan knows well that as a girl, she is
underestimated by her father and brother. However, she hopes that her father and brother appreciate her as an individual who has right, dreams, and will to realize,
who is able to shoulder responsibility same as a man. The women are not second class people in society but they have to be regarded as same as men at any levels.
4.2.1.4 She wants to Play a Significant Role in Society
As a girl in family, Dawan has not much chance to actualize herself in the society. She does not want to be like ordinary women in her village who work as a
householder, stay at home, get pregnant, and give birth. They really have no right and chance to fight and gain their right in order to live properly. She wants to
37 change the image of the women by getting education which gives her much
opportunity to play a role and advance her village. Indeed, a girl can realize her dream to her society and play a significant role for this world.
According to Maslow theory of need as cited by Petri 1981, playing a role in society is the picture of individual who has sympathy toward humankind.
This desire, to play a role in society, is can be categorized as one of the Self- Actualization characteristics p. 309. Dawan has many dreams to realize, for her
family, for people outside and for the world. Education is the way out to make it come true. This statement shows it.
„After a while, you get so discouraged that you‟ll learn to shrug it off and just live with things the way they are.‟
„I don‟t think I will ever learn just to shrug it off,‟ Dawan objected. Noi muttered something under her breath, but her husband silenced her and
told Dawan to go on. The young girl hesitated, then continued, „I mean,
that‟s why I want so badly to go to school in the City. As it is now, all we ourselves know about are the little bits and pieces of unfairness that we
have experienced. It‟s hard to change things, even the smallest thing, without changing the overall pattern that these things are a part of. I
keep thinking that there must be a whole order to this, a system with rules and laws all mapped out in it. And I want to study how the system
works and moves, and then I
think I could help to find a better one.‟ pp. 42-43
Another quotation shows Dawan‟s will to help others. Dawan says, “I just meant that I wanted to know how to cure sick people, or how to help set up a new
order where farmers would own their own land.. ”p.72. This quotation is based
on the conversation between Dawan and a monk. In this conversation, Dawan hopes that, someday, she can give herself to cure the sick people or to help the
farmers with new order.
38
4.2.1.5 She w ants to Change Villagers’ Mind about Women
