Cover Slavery And Injustice In America As Portrayed In Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years A Slave
SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON
NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE
A THESIS
BY:
GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA
REG.NO.110705059
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN2015
Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of
Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis of The SarjanaSastra Examination.
Head,
Dr. H. MuhizarMuchtar, MS.
Secretary,
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D.
Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial Fulfillment of requirement for the
degree of SarjanaSastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural
Studies University of Sumatra Utara, Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatra Utara on Tuesday June16, 2015.
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatra Utara
Dr. H. SyahronLubis, MA
NIP.19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners
Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS.
..........................................
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D.
..........................................
Drs. ParlindunganPurba, M.Hum.
.........................................
Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S.
.........................................
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA, DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE
AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE
TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL
PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM
A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER
DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS
THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER
DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.
Signed :
Date
:June16th, 2015
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION
NAME
: GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA
TITLE OF THESIS : SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE
YEARS A SLAVE
QUALIFICATION
: S-1/SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT
: ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
REPRODUCTION AT
DEPARTMENT
THE
DISCRETION OF THE
OF ENGLISH,
LIBRARIAN OF
FACULTY OF CULTURAL
STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW OF
THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.
Signed :
Date
: June 16th, 2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to say thank to my God Almighty, Jesus Christ for His
mercy, grace, love and blessing so that I can through all of my process in making a
thesis from beginning to the end. He gives me strength, provides me the best ways and
things that smoothen in making a thesis. This is like a miracle. I do thank to my Savior,
Jesus Christ who never leaves me alone and stands by me.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Martha
Pardede, M.S. and my co-supervisor, Drs. SiamirMarulafau, M.Hum. for help, support,
guide, and give me inspirations, suggestions to accomplish this thesis.
I also would like to say thank you to the Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies,
University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. SyahronLubis, M.A., the Head of Department of
English, Dr. H. MuhizarMuchtar, M.S., and the secretary of Department of English
RahmadsyahRangkuti M.A., Ph.D. and all of the lecturers in Department of English who
have teach me from the beginning up to the end of my study.
My deepest gratitude is addressed to my beloved parents, WahidinSinaga and
SurawatiPasaribu, my sisters and brothers, KakSanti, Bang Jeffry, Bang Roxy, Kak Eva,
and Kak Lydia for their cares, loves, advices, materials, encouragements and supports
through prayers so that I could accomplish my thesis at the time, in a good result.
I would like to thank to my best friends in English Department, Martha (Maru),
Evcis (Ecis), Renatha (Rere) and also Illa, Rinnah, Raja, Elvi, Anggi, Febi, Ecak, Lita,
Indri, all of my friends in English Department 2011 who have supported and helped me
directly and indirectly in making this thesis from beginning to the end. I am so sorry that
I can not write down all of your names here, but, seriously, you guys are so meaningful
to me. Thank you so much, guys.
I also would like to thank to my seniors especially Kak Petra, KakRomina,
KakDhini, Kak Laura, KakTari for giving me information, inspirations, supports and
help in making this thesis.
The last but not the least, I would like to say thank you to Tiberias Choir Medan,
KakFransisco (KakPiko), Bang Bismark, KakDebo, David, and all of my church friends
that I can not mention you one by one for your sincere supports, encouragement, and
prayers so that I can accomplish this thesis very well. Thank you very much, guys. God
bless you.
The Writer,
GreaciaFebrianisSinaga
Reg. Number: 110705059
ABSTRAK
Skripsiiniberjudul “SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE”
yangmenganalisistentangperbudakandanketidakadilan
yang
dialamioleh
orang
kulithitam yang terjadi di Amerikapadaabad ke-19. Dalam novel tersebut, Solomon
menceritakankisahnyatahidupnyasebagai orang kulithitam yang bebas yang diculik di
Washington
DC,
dandijualkedalamperbudakanselamaduabelastahun.Melaluipengalamannyasebagaibudak,
diamenunjukkanbetapamengerikanperbudakanitudanketidakadilan yang diterima orang
kulithitamsebagaibudak
di
Amerika.Olehsebabitu,
skripsiinibertujuanuntukmenunjukkanbetapaburuknyaperbudakanbagimanusiakarenahali
tumelanggarhakasasimanusiadanharusdihapuskan
di
dunia.Metode
yang
digunakandalampenulisanskripsiiniadalahkualitatifdeskriptif,
danteori
yang
digunakanadalahsosiologisastradanpendekatanhistoris.
Kata Kunci: perbudakan, ketidakadilan, orang kulithitam
ABSTRACT
This thesis entitled “SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE” which
analyzes about slavery and injustice which is experienced by black people that is
happened in America in the 19th century. In the novel, Solomon tells about his true life
story as a black freeman who is kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve years.
Through his experience as a slave, he shows that how awful slavery and injustice are
which are received by black people as slaves in America. Therefore, this thesis is aimed
to show how bad slavery towards human because it breaks human rights and should be
abolished from the world. The method that is applied in making this thesis is qualitative
descriptive and the theories that are used are literary sociology and historical approach.
Keywords: slavery, injustice, black people
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION……………………………………………………..v
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION…………………………………………………..vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.………………………………………………………..vii
ABSTRAK………………………………………………………………………......ix
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………….x
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………..xi
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION………………………………………….1
1.1
Background of the Study
………………………………..1
1.2
Problems of the Study
………………………………..6
1.3
Objective of the Study
………………………………..6
1.4
Scope of the Study
………………………………..7
1.5
Significance of the Study
………………………………..7
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………..9
2.1
Literary Sociology
………………………………..9
2.2
Historical Approach
……………………………….11
2.3
Social Issue
……………………………….12
2.4
Slavery
……………………………….13
2.5
Injustice
……………………………….15
2.6
Slavery in America
………………………………16
2.7
Treatments of Slaves in America
CHAPTER III
………………………19
METHOD OF RESEARCH……………………………....22
3.1
Data and Source Data
………………………………23
3.2
Data Collecting Procedure
………………………………23
3.3
Data Selecting Procedure
………………………………23
3.4
Data Analyzing Procedure
………………………………24
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS…………………………….25
4.1
Slavery in America and its Characteristics
………………26
4.1.1
The Disintegrated Family
4.1.2
The Fulfillment of Basic Needs
4.1.3
Labor
………………………………36
4.1.4
Slave Activity
………………………………40
………………………………28
………………29
4.1.5
Treatments of Slaves by Master in America ………………41
4.2
Injustice
4.2.1
The White People Double Standard of Value ………………50
4.3
Slave’s Respond to Slavery and Injustice…………………..53
CHAPTER V
………………………………49
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION…………………..56
5.1
Conclusions
.……………………………..56
5.2
Suggestions
……………………………...57
REFERENCES
……………………………………………………………...58
APPENDICES:
APPENDIX 1. Author’s Biography
APPENDIX 2. Summary of the Novel
NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE
A THESIS
BY:
GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA
REG.NO.110705059
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN2015
Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of
Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis of The SarjanaSastra Examination.
Head,
Dr. H. MuhizarMuchtar, MS.
Secretary,
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D.
Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial Fulfillment of requirement for the
degree of SarjanaSastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural
Studies University of Sumatra Utara, Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatra Utara on Tuesday June16, 2015.
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatra Utara
Dr. H. SyahronLubis, MA
NIP.19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners
Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS.
..........................................
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D.
..........................................
Drs. ParlindunganPurba, M.Hum.
.........................................
Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S.
.........................................
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA, DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE
AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE
TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL
PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM
A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER
DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS
THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER
DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.
Signed :
Date
:June16th, 2015
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION
NAME
: GREACIA FEBRIANIS SINAGA
TITLE OF THESIS : SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE
YEARS A SLAVE
QUALIFICATION
: S-1/SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT
: ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
REPRODUCTION AT
DEPARTMENT
THE
DISCRETION OF THE
OF ENGLISH,
LIBRARIAN OF
FACULTY OF CULTURAL
STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW OF
THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.
Signed :
Date
: June 16th, 2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to say thank to my God Almighty, Jesus Christ for His
mercy, grace, love and blessing so that I can through all of my process in making a
thesis from beginning to the end. He gives me strength, provides me the best ways and
things that smoothen in making a thesis. This is like a miracle. I do thank to my Savior,
Jesus Christ who never leaves me alone and stands by me.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Martha
Pardede, M.S. and my co-supervisor, Drs. SiamirMarulafau, M.Hum. for help, support,
guide, and give me inspirations, suggestions to accomplish this thesis.
I also would like to say thank you to the Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies,
University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. SyahronLubis, M.A., the Head of Department of
English, Dr. H. MuhizarMuchtar, M.S., and the secretary of Department of English
RahmadsyahRangkuti M.A., Ph.D. and all of the lecturers in Department of English who
have teach me from the beginning up to the end of my study.
My deepest gratitude is addressed to my beloved parents, WahidinSinaga and
SurawatiPasaribu, my sisters and brothers, KakSanti, Bang Jeffry, Bang Roxy, Kak Eva,
and Kak Lydia for their cares, loves, advices, materials, encouragements and supports
through prayers so that I could accomplish my thesis at the time, in a good result.
I would like to thank to my best friends in English Department, Martha (Maru),
Evcis (Ecis), Renatha (Rere) and also Illa, Rinnah, Raja, Elvi, Anggi, Febi, Ecak, Lita,
Indri, all of my friends in English Department 2011 who have supported and helped me
directly and indirectly in making this thesis from beginning to the end. I am so sorry that
I can not write down all of your names here, but, seriously, you guys are so meaningful
to me. Thank you so much, guys.
I also would like to thank to my seniors especially Kak Petra, KakRomina,
KakDhini, Kak Laura, KakTari for giving me information, inspirations, supports and
help in making this thesis.
The last but not the least, I would like to say thank you to Tiberias Choir Medan,
KakFransisco (KakPiko), Bang Bismark, KakDebo, David, and all of my church friends
that I can not mention you one by one for your sincere supports, encouragement, and
prayers so that I can accomplish this thesis very well. Thank you very much, guys. God
bless you.
The Writer,
GreaciaFebrianisSinaga
Reg. Number: 110705059
ABSTRAK
Skripsiiniberjudul “SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE”
yangmenganalisistentangperbudakandanketidakadilan
yang
dialamioleh
orang
kulithitam yang terjadi di Amerikapadaabad ke-19. Dalam novel tersebut, Solomon
menceritakankisahnyatahidupnyasebagai orang kulithitam yang bebas yang diculik di
Washington
DC,
dandijualkedalamperbudakanselamaduabelastahun.Melaluipengalamannyasebagaibudak,
diamenunjukkanbetapamengerikanperbudakanitudanketidakadilan yang diterima orang
kulithitamsebagaibudak
di
Amerika.Olehsebabitu,
skripsiinibertujuanuntukmenunjukkanbetapaburuknyaperbudakanbagimanusiakarenahali
tumelanggarhakasasimanusiadanharusdihapuskan
di
dunia.Metode
yang
digunakandalampenulisanskripsiiniadalahkualitatifdeskriptif,
danteori
yang
digunakanadalahsosiologisastradanpendekatanhistoris.
Kata Kunci: perbudakan, ketidakadilan, orang kulithitam
ABSTRACT
This thesis entitled “SLAVERY AND INJUSTICE IN AMERICA AS
PORTRAYED IN SOLOMON NORTHUP’S TWELVE YEARS A SLAVE” which
analyzes about slavery and injustice which is experienced by black people that is
happened in America in the 19th century. In the novel, Solomon tells about his true life
story as a black freeman who is kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve years.
Through his experience as a slave, he shows that how awful slavery and injustice are
which are received by black people as slaves in America. Therefore, this thesis is aimed
to show how bad slavery towards human because it breaks human rights and should be
abolished from the world. The method that is applied in making this thesis is qualitative
descriptive and the theories that are used are literary sociology and historical approach.
Keywords: slavery, injustice, black people
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION……………………………………………………..v
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION…………………………………………………..vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.………………………………………………………..vii
ABSTRAK………………………………………………………………………......ix
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………….x
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………..xi
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION………………………………………….1
1.1
Background of the Study
………………………………..1
1.2
Problems of the Study
………………………………..6
1.3
Objective of the Study
………………………………..6
1.4
Scope of the Study
………………………………..7
1.5
Significance of the Study
………………………………..7
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………………………..9
2.1
Literary Sociology
………………………………..9
2.2
Historical Approach
……………………………….11
2.3
Social Issue
……………………………….12
2.4
Slavery
……………………………….13
2.5
Injustice
……………………………….15
2.6
Slavery in America
………………………………16
2.7
Treatments of Slaves in America
CHAPTER III
………………………19
METHOD OF RESEARCH……………………………....22
3.1
Data and Source Data
………………………………23
3.2
Data Collecting Procedure
………………………………23
3.3
Data Selecting Procedure
………………………………23
3.4
Data Analyzing Procedure
………………………………24
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS…………………………….25
4.1
Slavery in America and its Characteristics
………………26
4.1.1
The Disintegrated Family
4.1.2
The Fulfillment of Basic Needs
4.1.3
Labor
………………………………36
4.1.4
Slave Activity
………………………………40
………………………………28
………………29
4.1.5
Treatments of Slaves by Master in America ………………41
4.2
Injustice
4.2.1
The White People Double Standard of Value ………………50
4.3
Slave’s Respond to Slavery and Injustice…………………..53
CHAPTER V
………………………………49
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION…………………..56
5.1
Conclusions
.……………………………..56
5.2
Suggestions
……………………………...57
REFERENCES
……………………………………………………………...58
APPENDICES:
APPENDIX 1. Author’s Biography
APPENDIX 2. Summary of the Novel