FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
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FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO
Student Number : 104214025
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
By
Theresia Anna Saputro
Student Number: 104214025
Approved by
Dra. A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
Advisor
September 12, 2014
Maria Ananta Tri S., S.S., M.Ed.
Co-Advisor
September 12, 2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
By
Theresia Anna Saputro
Student Number: 104214025
Defended before the Board of Examiners
on September 29,2014
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name
Signature
Chairperson
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
_________________
Secretary
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
_________________
Member 1
: Harris Hermansyah Setiajid M.Hum.
_________________
Member 2
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
_________________
Member 3
: Maria Ananta Tri S., S.S., M.Ed.
_________________
Yogyakarta, September 29, 2014
Faculty of Letters
Sanata Dharma University
Dean
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text of the undergraduate thesis
Yogyakarta, September 29, 2014
Theresia Anna Saputro
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama
: Theresia Anna Saputro
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 104214025
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF CHINESE
PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S ALL THE
FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya
maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 12 September 2014
Yang menyatakan,
Theresia Anna Saputro
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Your story may not have such a
happy beginning, but that doesn’t
make you who you are. It is the
rest of your story, who you choose
to be…….
(Soothsayer –Kung Fu Panda 2)
So, who are you pals?
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to:
My Beloved Parents
Brothers
Sister
Nephew
Niece
And My Lovely Teddy Bear
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ.
Without all the blessings, opportunities, and guidance I will not be able to finish
my thesis successfully. Furthermore I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dra.
A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D. for the useful comments, and remarks through the
learning process of this thesis writing. I thank my co-advisor, Maria Ananta Tri
S., S.S., M.Ed. for reading my thesis and giving me the needed corrections.
I am also thankful to my academic advisor, Anna Fitriarti, S.pd., M.Hum.,
all lecturers and officials of Sanata Dharma University English Letters
Department for the guidance during my years of study here.
I am especially grateful to my parents, who supported me emotionally and
financially. I always knew that they believed in me and wanted the best for me.
Also, I would like to thank my brother for his advice and my sister for giving me
inspiration. To my classmates and roommates, thank you for listening, offering
me advice, and supporting me through this entire process. Finally, to my
significant other, thank you for encouraging me in all of my pursuits and inspiring
me to follow my dreams.
Theresia Anna Saputro
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .....................................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE ...........................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .....................................................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ..
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ..................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ..................................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .......................................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...............................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................
ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................
ABSTRAK .........................................................................................................
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ix
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xi
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................
A. Background of the Study ...................................................................
B. Problem Formulation ........................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .....................................................................
D. Definition of Terms ...........................................................................
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5
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CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ....................................................
A. Review of Related Studies ................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ..............................................................
C. Theoretical Framework .....................................................................
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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................
A. Object of the Study ............................................................................
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................................
C. Method of the Study ..........................................................................
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS (RESULT AND DISCUSSION) .........................
A. Description of the Main Character ....................................................
B. The Practices of Chinese Patriarchal .................................................
C. The Struggles against the Practice of Chinese Patriarchal ................
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ........................................................................
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................
APPENDIX ........................................................................................................
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ABSTRACT
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO. FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE
PRACTICES OF CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN
JEPSON’S ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University, 2014.
This thesis discusses All the Flowers in Shanghai written by Duncan
Jepson. This novel is a historical novel. This novel tells about the life of Feng, the
main character, under the patriarchal system in China. The writer wants to find out
the struggles of the main character against the practices of Chinese patriarchal
culture in Duncan Jepson’s novel.
From the topic, the writer formulates three problems which become the
objectives of the study. The first problem is how Feng, the main character is
described. The second is the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture experienced
by the main character in the novel. The third is the struggles of Feng against the
practices of Chinese patriarchal culture in the novel.
This study uses library research method. The primary source is the novel
itself. The secondary sources are collected from books, articles, papers, reviews,
dictionaries, and internet related to the topic. In answering the problem, some
theories on literature are applied. There are theory of character and
characterization, theory of patriarchal culture, and theory of feminism.
The result of the study shows that the characteristic of Feng, the main
character is an obedient and a dutiful person. She comes from a middle class
family. She is also a silent person and a confined person. There are some practices
of patriarchal culture such as performing the duty as a good daughter, accepting
the arranged marriage, dropping the education, serving and obeying the husband
and the laws. The struggles of the main character against the practices of
patriarchal culture are depicted through reading and writing, facing toward her
laws when she bears imperfect baby boy, and running away to another country to
live with her love and to get her own happiness.
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ABSTRAK
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO. FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE
PRACTICES OF CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN
JEPSON’S ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING.
Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata
Dharma, 2014.
Skripsi ini menganalisis novel yang ditulis oleh Duncan Jepson berjudul
All the Flowers in Shanghai. Novel ini adalah novel sejarah. Novel ini
menceritakan kehidupan wanita China yang bernama Xiao Feng di bawah sistem
patriarki di China. Penulis ingin mencari tahu perjuangan tokoh utama dalam
menghadapi praktek budaya patriarki di China dalam novel Duncan Jepson.
Dalam skripsi ini, penulis merumuskan tiga persoalan masalah. Persoalan
pertama adalah bagaimana Feng, sang tokoh utama didiskripsikan. Rumusan
kedua adalah bentuk praktek budaya patriarki yang dialami Feng. Rumusan
masalah yang ketiga adalah perjuangan Feng melawan praktek budaya patriarki
tersebut.
Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Sumber utama yang
digunakan adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber kedua diambil dari buku-buku, artikel,
naskah, resensi, kamus, dan internet yang berhubungan dengan topik. Dalam
menjawab rumusan masalah, beberapa teori tentang kesusastraaan diaplikasikan
dalam skripsi ini. Teori tersebut meliputi teori tokoh dan penokohan, teori budaya
patriarki dan teori feminisme.
Hasil analisa novel ini menunjukkan bahwa karakter dari tokoh utama
adalah penurut, pendiam, terkekang, dan berasal dari keluarga menengah. Ada
beberapa praktek patriarki yang dialami oleh Feng seperti memiliki kewajiban
untuk menjadi seorang anak yang baik, menerima perjodohan, keluar dari sekolah
untuk menikah, melayani dan mematuhi suami serta keluarganya. Perjuangan
yang dilakukan tokoh utama dalam menghadapi budaya patriarki digambarkan
lewat membaca dan menulis, menghadapi mertua dan para ipar ketika dia
melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki dengan tubuh yang tidak sempurna, dan
melarikan diri menuju kota lain untuk hidup bersama dengan orang yang
dikasihinya serta untuk mendapatkan kebahagiaanya sendiri.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.
Background of the Study
Literature is the way for human to express their creativity in paper through
their experience using their senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and
feeling). There are 2 forms in literature, fiction and non – fiction. Fiction is a type
of literature which is not true or not real. The “real” one is called non – fiction. It
means the works based on true story. Novel is one of the most well known forms
in literary works. Most people love to read novel because it has an entertain effect.
Mysteries, romance, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction are the
types of novel.
Mysteries is about a crime, usually a murder, and the process
of discovering who committed it. Science fiction is fiction that
imagines possible alternatives to reality. Fantasy is about
imaginary worlds. Horror is focused on creating emotions of terror
and dread in the reader. Thrillers are designed to make the reader’s
pulse race, to keep him or her turning pages. Romance fiction is
about love and passion. Historical fiction are set in a past time
period, normally at least fifty years before they were written. They
combine a made-up story with realistic details of that time period.
(http://www.creative-writing-now.com/types-of novels.html) (1
September 2013).
All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson is a historical fiction which
sets in Shanghai, the largest city in China. China itself is located in East Asia.
China has varied and interesting culture to be studied. Chinese culture has existed
for a long time ago and the Chinese still keeps their tradition to honor their
ancestors.
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In Chinese culture, men are considered more powerful than women.
Nanquin and Rawski in Chinese Society in the Eighteenth Century state that the
woman in China is inferior to man (1987: 80). It means that China has patriarchal
system in their society. Based on Lois Tyson, Using Critical Theory: How to
Read and Write About Literature, a patriarchy is any society in which men hold
all or most of the power (2011: 141).
In China, man and woman were not created equal. The younger sister of
the great historian Ban Gu, prescribed the conduct appropriate to a virtuous
woman.
To be humble, yielding, respectful and reverential; to put herself
after others… these qualities are those exemplifying woman’s low
and humble estate. To retire late and rise early; not to shirk
exertion from dawn to dark… this is called being diligent. To
behave properly and decorously in serving her husband; to be
serene and self-possessed, shunning jests and laughter… this is
called being worthy of continuing the husband’s lineage (common
descent groups). If a woman possesses the above mentioned three
qualities, then her reputation shall be excellent (Eastman, 1988:
19).
Talking about women’s discrimination, oppression and opposition is
interesting because it is an old issue that still happens in some societies. All the
Flowers in Shanghai written by Duncan Jepson is the example of Chinese theme
which shows the practice of patriarchal culture. Women do not have chance to
speak and express their feeling, including marriage. Women do not have choice to
select their men but their parents.
By the time a girl reached the age of seventeen or so, she was ready
for the major turning point in her life: marriage. Despite the
importance of this event to her personally, she might be never be
consulted about it. Ideally the prospective bride and groom did not
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know each other, and had not even seen each other, before the day
of the wedding (Eastman, 1988: 24-25).
Women in China have been treated as an object since they were young.
They can not choose what they want. Besides, the men can do everything they
want, they have freedom to do something and they were born as a miracle. It is
very contradictive between the treatment of men and women in China. Eastman in
Family, Field and Ancestors states that
Event a birth, a girl generally brought little joy to the hearts of her
parents, for the dictates of familism demanded sons to perpetuate
the family line. A girl, by contrast, was a burden and an expense;
she would have to be fed and clothed until she was seventeen years
old or so, she would at considerable expense be married out to be
given in marriage to a stranger’s family. Conventional wisdom was
summed up in the adage “The birth of a girl child is like a thief in
the night” (1988: 20-21).
Discussing the position of women and relations between men and women,
Kenneth Scott Latourette also agrees with Eastman that women’s position is
inferior to men. Latourette mentions that male progeny has been necessary if these
were to be continued. For this reason boys have been regarded as more valuable
than girls (1951: 678).
The yin and yang concept also contributes to the doctrine of relation
between men and women. “Yin and yang are two sides of dualism. It is the tail and
the head of a coin. The tail is yin, and the head is yang. A Woman is yin, and a
man is yang. Sadness is yin, while joyfulness is yang.” (http://tao-in-you.com/yinyang.html) (3 May 2014). Yin and yang has different color of element. Yin has
dark element and yang has light element. The light is symbol of men, the dark is
symbol of women. It means that men have higher position than women. It is also
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described by Latourette in The Chinese, Their History and Culture. Latourette
explains that yin and yang has different element which reflects men and women
position in the society. He said that
The centuries old doctrine of the yin and yang has made for the
higher status of men, because the yang, associated with good
fortune and all that is desirable, has been identified with the male,
and the yin, the element of darkness and evil is female (1951: 678).
All the Flowers in Shanghai tells about the hard life of women and the
relationship between a Chinese mother and daughter who lived under the
patriarchal culture. There was a still strong patriarchal system in China in the
twentieth century. Males were very dominant. Men hold the position of power.
They were the leader of the family unit, social groups, workplace and government.
This thesis shows the idea of woman in China in the twentieth century
who is inferior to man. In that era, patriarchal system still strongly existed. In this
study, the writer uses one of Duncan Jepson’s All the Flowers in Shanghai
because this novel is a historical fiction which tells the Chinese life in the
twentieth century. The topic is chosen because the writer wants to make an
attention the struggles of the main character in the harsh condition under
patriarchal system in order to get her own freedom.
B.
Problem Formulation
These three questions are formulated in order to help the writer analyzes
the novel and to understand this novel better.
1.
How is Feng, the main character, described?
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2.
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What are the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture experienced by the
main character in the novel?
3.
What are the struggles of Feng against the practices of Chinese patriarchal
culture in the novel?
C.
Objectives of the Study
This study is intended to answer those three problem formulations. The
first objective is used to describe the main character in the novel. The second
objective is used to see the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture in that novel.
The last objective is used to find out the struggles of the main character against
the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture.
D.
Definiton of Terms
Patriarchy literally means the rule of the father in a male dominated
family. According Madsen in Feminist Theory an Literary Practice, patriarchy is
“an ideological system that privileges men and all thongs masculine, and a
political system that places power in the hands of men and thus serves male
interest at the expense of women” (2000: xii). Meanwhile the definition of
patriarchy based on Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick’s Cultural Theory: The
Key Concepts is the un-equality between men and women in society so that
creates oppression of women. The term “patriarchy” literary means “the rule of
the father”. It has been adopted by the majority of feminist theories to refer to the
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way in which societies are structures through male domination over, and
oppression of women (2005: 269).
According to Light, Keller, and Calhoun in Sociology, culture is “all the
learned customs, beliefs, and symbols that are constantly communicated among a
set of people who share a common way of life” (1989: 79). Culture consists of
patterns, explicit and implicit, and for behavior acquired and transmitted by
symbols. Culture is the sum of total of the learned behavior of a group of people
that are generally considered to be the tradition of that people and are transmitted
from
generation
to
generation
(www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture)
(1October 2014).
Based on Lizbeth Goodman in Literature and Gender, feminist refers to “a
person who has recognition of the historical, and cultural subordination of women
(the only world-wide majority to be treated as a minority) and resolve to resist the
oppression and subordination of woman” (1996: x).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A.
Review of Related Studies
All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson is a historical novel which
tells about Chinese attitudes toward motherhood, children and family. The
dynamic in a Chinese family between father, mother, son, and daughter is
complicated. Mother has to deliver a baby boy rather than a baby girl which
represents patriarchal structure in China. Feng, the main character, in this novel
shows the issue of patriarchal culture and presents the idea of woman movement
through her decision to leave Shanghai and start a new life in other city.
The author of All the Flowers in Shanghai, Duncan Jepson, is a Eurasian,
Chinese-English and has travelled around Asia since 1980s and learned Mandarin
in Beijing in 1987. His mother inspired him in writing this novel. He got praise
from some authors because of his poetic writing and his success to write the novel
through female first person (www.alltheflowersinshanghai.com) (3rd March 2014).
In this study, I want to show the comments on Duncan Jepson’s novel, All
the Flowers in Shanghai. Based on Qiu Xiaolong, the author of the Inspector
Chen mysteries, Jepson wrote the novel based on the situation in China in the
twentieth century. He could write beautifully and enthusiastically to describe the
changes of China in the twentieth century through the main character.
The life of this novel’s main character is splintered into thousands
of pieces, each of them reflecting the changes of Chinese history,
yet all of them coming out in Duncan Jepson’s poetic, passionate
writing (Qiu Xiaolong, author of the Inspector Chen mysteries).
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Hong Ying, the international bestselling, author of Daughter of the River
also agrees with Qiu Xiaolong that this novel describes the history of China,
primary in Shanghai. “This story is breathtaking. Like a poem or a painting, it
reveals the old Shanghai. It’s a great work that will move its readers.” (Hong
Ying, international bestselling author of Daughter of the River).
Besides the comments, the writer wants to review Agatha Piscesia
Paskalin’s thesis titled Male Domination in the Footbinding and Secret Writing of
Nineteenth Century Chinese Women as Seen in Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the
Secret Fan. Paskalin’s thesis has similar topic with the writer’s research. The
topic is about a historical fiction which shows male domination or patriarchal
system appears in China. Paskalin stated
Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a historical fiction
which tells about the lives of Chinese women in the nineteenth
century which was still in the era of pre-modern China where
women’s position was inferior to men’s position… In this study,
the writer is going to reveal how footbinding and women’s secret
writing in nineteenth century China portrayed in the novel and how
male domination relates to footbinding and the women’s secret
writing well. Both will formulated in sociological scoope (2012:
viii; 9).
Based on Paskalin’s analysis, it has a different form with the writer’s
study. Paskalin uses sociological scoop but the writer uses feminist approach. The
other thesis that the writer uses to review is from Aninditya Putri Arumsari. Her
thesis is The Responses of Chinese Women toward the Practices of Patriarchal
Culture as Seen through Adeline Yen Mah’s Falling Leaves. The similarities
between Arumsari’s and the writer’s thesis can be shown through the practices of
patriarchal culture reflected through the main character. Arumsari uses five female
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characters to describe the patriarchal system. Meanwhile, the writer only used the
main character to describe the patriarchal system. Arumsari will analyze five
female characters inside Falling Leaves; they are Adeline, Aunt, Baba, Grand
Aunt, Grandmother, and Lydia (2011: 26). It proves that this study is different
from other studies.
In this study, the writer wants to make an attention in the struggles of the
main character in the harsh condition under patriarchal system in order to get her
freedom using feminist approach. Thus, this study is different from the other
writers.
B.
Review of Related Theories
1.
Character and Characterization
In drama, prose, novel, or other kinds of literature, character and
characterization are important in literary works. Character is usually the main
subject. M. H. Abrams states in A Glossary of Literary Terms that
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative
work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with
moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in
what they say – the dialogue – and by what they do – the action
(1985: 23).
Robert Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction describes the term of
“character” as
The term “character” is commonly used in two ways: it designates
the individuals who appear in the story, as in “How many
characters are there?” and it refers to the mixture of interests,
desires, emotions, and moral principles that makes up each of these
individuals, as in “How would you describe his character?” (1965:
17).
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He also adds that character in a story can be classified into two different
types. They are major character and minor character. Major character is a
character that may dominate the whole story and is frequently presented in it.
Meanwhile, the minor character is presented in order to explain and help the other
character, especially the major character (1965: 17-18).
Characterization is the way the character is created by the narrator so that
the reader will understand about the character (Gill, 1995: 127). Baldick in The
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms says “Characterization refers to the
representation of person in narrative or dramatic works by means of character’s
actions, speech, or physical appearance” (1990: 34).
According to Murphy in Understanding Unseens, there are nine methods
that an author can use. The goal is to make the character understandable to the
readers. The nine methods are personal description, character as seen by another,
speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment, thought, and
mannerism (Murphy, 1972: 161-173).
2.
Chinese Patriarchal Culture
The discussion about patriarchal system has interested a lot of writers all
over the world. Madsen said in Feminist Theory an Literary Practice
Patriarchy is a cultural (ideological) system that priveleges men
and all thongs masculine, and a political system that places power
in the hands of men and thus serves male interest at the expense of
women (2000: xii).
Meanwhile the definition of patriarchal culture based on Andrew Edgar
and Peter Sedgwick’s Cultural Theory: The Key Concepts is the unequally
between men and women in society so that creates oppression of women. The
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term “patriarchal” literary means “the rule of the father”. It has been adopted by
the majority of feminist theories to refer to the way in which societies are
structures through male domination over, and oppression of women (2005: 269).
It means that patriarchal system is the rule of male domination which creates the
superiority of men. In other words man is very dominant.
Adrienne Rich in Madsen’s book, states that the term of patriarchy is
therefore justified by this fact, that of the “universal” oppression of women by
men.
Patriarchy is the power of the father: a familial-social, ideological,
political system in which men by force, direct pressure, or through
ritual, tradition, law, and language, customs, etiquette, education,
and the division of labor, determine what part women shall not
play, and in which the female is everywhere subsumed under the
male (Madsen, 2000: 3).
Sylvia Walby in Pilcher and Whelehan’s book, defines a patriarchal
culture as a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate,
oppress and exploit women (Pilcher and Whelehan, 2004: 95). It means there is a
social and ideological construct which considers men as superior to women.
Maggie Humm also states in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory that “patriarchy
has power from men’s greater access to, and mediation of, the resource and
rewards of authority structures inside and outside the home” (1990: 200). This
access gives power for men to humiliate and to control women who are weakness
than them because they believe that they have natural right to control women.
Ashley Montagu in Natural Superiority of Women explains that
Women have been conditioned to believe that they are inferior to
men, and they have assumed that what everyone believes is a fact
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of nature. Because men occupy the superior positions in almost all
societies, such superiority is taken to be a natural one (1953: 23).
This condition makes women accept the rule of male domination. They are
aware or not if they are driven by men. The power that men have is the tool to
oppress women. It leads the male domination because it already lives in the
society as a permanent rule.
In a Chinese family, each member has their own functions. Men are the
breadwinners, women are better in domestic activities, and children are the focus
of family life. It means Chinese women had been second class citizen, and very
far for having equal opportunities with men. It proves that there were position
hierarchy that determined the rank and the responsibility. Daughters were
expected to obey their parents’s authority and assist their mother in domestic
tasks.
Eastman states that “a woman confined to the household had no need for
learning; she acquired no experience of the outside world; and she was thus kept
ignorant and palpably inferior to men” (1988: 24). He also mentions the treatment
of Chinese children.
In China, children were not cherished as individuals whose destiny
was to fulfill their own unique potentials, but were valued because
they and especially the sons would help with work in the fields,
produce sons who would carry on the family name, and provide for
their parents in their old age (1988: 15).
Hsu agrees with Eastman about how Chinese children are treated. She
describes that “children are not trained to develop as children, but at every turn
they are encouraged to imitate and to participate in the ways of the adults, which
are, in turn, ways of the ancestors” (1948: 239).
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Gallin also explains the ideal of Chinese family works in China: Social
Life and Custom. He states
The structure of this ideal family was hierarchical, according to
generation, age, and sex. It was headed by the eldest male, who
wielded complete power over all the family members. The
headship usually passed to the eldest son, or sometimes to the son
adjudged most worthy. Wives, brought into the husband’s join
household through family rather than individual decision, were
subservient to the husband’s mother and to other family members
(1978: 501).
Based on that quotation, it describes that Chinese family system is
patriarchal, patrilocal, and patrilinieal. Patriarchal means the eldest male is the
legal lead of the family. Patrilocal means marriage women have to follow their
husband and stay in their husband’s house. Patrilienal means the decline is count
through the male bound line.
The Chinese family system is patriarchal, patrilocal, and
patrilineal. Patriarchal means that the oldest male in a family is the
legal head and responsible for all aspects of the family, including
finances and behavior of the other members. Patrilocal means that
the family centered in the male's home location; women were never
permanent members of the family but came and went into this
stable male family as they married, divorced, were widowed and
remarried. Patrilineal meant that descent was counted only through
the
male
line.
(http://asia.isp.msu.edu/wbwoa/east_asia/china/culture.htm)
(6
January 2014).
The social order in Chinese family also supports the patriarchal system in
Chinese family. The social order creates a belief that good or bad in something is
determined by family behavior. Eastman states
so important was the institution of the family that the term
“familism” has been coined to characterize Chinese social values
and organization. Familism was “the basis of a kind of society
distinctive from any other kind in the world” a system in which all
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ideas and behavior were judged by whether or not they contributed
to the well-being of the family (1988: 15).
The husband – wife relationship is strictly held to be supplementary and
subordinate. “Marriage is male centered. The woman is obliged to produce sons,
which are her indispensable contribution to matrimony” (Hsu, 1948: 107). The
obligation to deliver a baby boy shows the emphasis of woman’s duty to her
husband and especially her parents in law and do not show the partnership
between man and his wife itself.
In China, old age means enjoyment of authority. The younger members of
the family, sons, and daughter in law are the object of authority. Authority itself
has meaning “centered in father son identification, express itself freely in
relationship between the sexes, big family ideal, and education and is backed up
by the wishes of dead ancestors” (Hsu, 1948: 242). Most of suffering happened to
women because if they do not obey their ancestors rule they will be thrown away
for their society. “Woman have to respect their husband, fathers, older brothers,
and other related senior males, if they do not, they will find themselves becoming
social outcasts” (Hsu, 1948:207).
It proves that there is an unequal relation among father, son, daughter in
law and other family members. “However, equally important in the culture is the
factor of competition. Where there is authority there is no equality” (Hsu, 1948:
242).
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3.
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Feminism
Crawford in Talking Difference on Gender and Language explains the
different way of acting of men and women is influenced by a way of creating
difference.
When men and women are treated differently in ordinary daily
interactions, they may come to behave differently in return. Thus,
gender can be conceived as a self-fulfilling prophecy- a set of
processes by which gender difference is created, the observed
differences are conflated with sex, and belief in sex difference is
confirmed (1995: 14).
The difference between sex and gender also be found by Millet. Millet ’s
idea in Sexual Politics about the difference between sex and gender as follows.
A female is born and a woman is created. In other words, one’s
sex, be that male or female, is determined at birth. One’s gender,
however, is a social construct, being created by cultural ideas and
norms. Consciously and unconsciously women and men conform
to the cultural ideas established for them by the society. Little
boys, for example, must be aggressive whereas little girls must be
passive, meek and humble (1989: 193).
The statement above makes clear the difference between a person’s sex
and gender. Gender and gender-determined role are often determined by the
society so that feminist struggles to break the stereotype of sex class.
Feminist according to Goodman is “a person who has recognition of the
historical and cultural of women (the only world-wide majority to be treated as a
minority), and resolve to resist the oppression and subordination of woman”
(1996: x).
Using concepts from feminist theory to understand literature means to
comprehend the ways to decrease or to remove women oppression in society,
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economy, politics, and psychology. Lois Tyson states in Using Critical Theory :
How to read and write about literature
Feminism , therefore, seeks to understand the ways in which
women are oppressed-socially, economically, politically, and
psychologically in order to reduce, if not eliminate their
oppression. Ideally, feminism would like to achieve a society in
which women and men are encouraged to fulfill their full potential
as human beings regardless of the extent to which their abilities
and inclinations differ from traditional (patriarchal) definitions of
femininity and masculinity (2011: 139).
Feminism according to Maggie Humm is “the ideology of women’s
liberation since intrinsic in all its approaches is the belief that woman suffer
injustice because of the sex” (Humm, 1990:74). This opinion creates and makes
the society judge that women are weak, less valuable than men and second class in
the society because of the sex.
According Peter Barry in Beginning Theory: An introduction to literary
and cultural theory states:
In feminist criticism in the 1970s the major effort went into
exposing what might be called the mechanisms of patriarchy that
is, the cultural “mind set” in men and women which perpetuated
sexual inequality (Barry, 2002: 122).
It means that in the 1970s, female characters created by male to show the
stereotype of women should be and constructed by patriarchal system. So that
patriarchal system and feminism are hard to be separated because patriarchal
system is in the side of men and feminism is an idea that struggle for women’s
rights and equalities.
The idea of sexual inequality describes the condition of women as the
most oppressed class in society and the cause itself comes from the society.
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Inequality means “that punishment for sexual offense is much more stringent for
women than for men” (Hsu, 1948: 237).
Radical feminist theory begins with the assumption that women form a sex
class. They claim that the condition of women not just as a class but as the
fundamentally oppressed class. The New York Radical Feminist Manifesto claims
in Madsen’s book, Feminist Theory and Literary Practice.
Radical feminism recognizes the oppression of women as a
fundamental political oppression wherein women are categorized
as an inferior class based on their sex. It is the aim of radical
feminism to organize politically to destroy this sex class system
(2000: 153).
In radical feminist, gender oppression is the most fundamental form of
oppression and precedes the economic structure of patriarchal societies. In
Leclerq’s compilation, the feminist author Charles Poisson states his thought’s on
the liberty that women should as follows
The woman has quite as well as the man, right to live, work, and
liberty. The man has been a lord and a master , long enough; the
woman had all too long been a bondwoman in the household. The
woman can no long put up of being dependent, with being treated
as a minor, with being supported and maintained. We claimed to be
human beings like the men; responsible autonomous, able to decide
what we wish to do with our activity (Leclerq; 1942: 32).
Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick in Cultural Theory: The Key Concept
also state about liberation of women. They said that
The core of feminism is the belief that women are subordinated to
men. Feminism seek to liberate women from the subordination and
reconstruct society in such a way that patriarchy is eliminated and a
culture created that is fully inclusive of women’s desires and
purposes (2005: 143).
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The goal of feminism according to Guerin in A Handbook of Critical
Approaches to Literature is to break the stereotyped of unequally between men
and women. Feminists struggle the same rights of men and women so that they
will be no superiority and inferiority in society. Women will be treated as men do
and they will create new atmosphere that women are also valuable.
to change this degrading view of women so that all women will
realize that they are not a “nonsignificant Other” but that each
women is a valuable person possessing the same priveleges and
rights as every men (2004: 180).
C.
Theoretical Framework
There are several theories which applied in this thesis. They are theory of
character and characterization, theory of Chinese patriarchal culture and theory of
feminism. Theory of character and characterization is used to answer the problem
formulation number one which is how Feng, the main character is described.
The second theory is Chinese Patriarchal Culture that is used to answer
problem formulation number two which is identifying the practice of Chinese
patriarchal culture in the novel.
The third theory is theory of feminism. This theory is used to analyze the
struggles of Feng against the practice of Chinese patriarchal culture in the novel
which appears in problem formulation number three.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A.
Object of the Study
This object of the study is a historical novel entitled All the Flowers in
Shanghai. This novel was written by Duncan Jepson. His first novel, All the
Flowers in Shanghai was a bestseller. He also co-storied the graphic novel,
Darkness outside the Night with Xie Peng. Duncan Jepson’s current novel,
Emperors Once More, the first in a crime series, publishes in March 2014.
All the Flowers in Shanghai was published by HarperCollins publishers in
New York in 2012. All the Flowers in Shanghai consists of 302 pages and it is
divided into 26 chapters. The novel, All the Flowers in Shanghai, by Duncan
Jepson has many praises by some bestselling authors like Janice Y. K. Lee, New
York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher, Hong Ying, internationally
bestselling author of Daughter of the River, Qiu Xiaolong, author of the Inspector
Chen mysteries, and Geling Yan, author of the The Banquet Bug for his excellent
way to create a story of a young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai who attempts
to stop the cycle of history in Chinese tradition.
Duncan was the editor of the Asia-based culture and fashion magazine
WestEast and one of the founders and managing editors of the Asia Literary
Review. He is a social commentator on Asia and writes for The New York Times,
The Daily Telegraph, Publishing Perspectives, South China Morning Post and
Hong Kong Tatler. He is also an award-winning editor, writer and producer of
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five feature films and has produced documentaries for Discovery Channel Asia
and National Geographic Channel. He is also a lawyer and lives in Hong Kong.
All the Flowers in Shanghai is Jepson’s stunning debut novel. It is set in
1930s Shanghai, the Paris of the East. The tradition of paying respect still takes
precedence over personal desire in that era. This novel shows us the struggles of
woman under patriarchal culture.
B.
Approach of the Study
The writer uses feminist approach to analyze the problems in this study.
Bressler in Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, states that:
Feminism’s goal is to change this degrading view of women so that
all women will realize that they are not a “non significant Other.”
But each woman is a valuable person possessing the same
privileges and rights as every man. Women, feminists declare,
must define themselves and assert their own voices in the arenas of
politics, society, education, and the arts. By personally committing
themselves to fostering such change, feminists hope to create a
society where the male and female voices are equally valued
(1999: 180).
This approach is relevant because this study is about the life of Chinese
woman in the patriarchal system in the twentieth century. Feminism taught the
idea that women should speak up and stand up against oppression and
marginalization by men. By using feminist approach the writer is able to show the
struggles or the ways of Feng, the main character in the novel against the
patriarchal system.
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C.
21
Method of the Study
The method of this study was library research. Most data were collected
from books, articles, papers, reviews, dictionaries and internet.
The primary source that the writer used in this study was the novel itself
which is All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson. The secondary sources
were taken from related books, articles, papers, reviews, and dictionaries.
The writer applied some steps in doing the research. The first step was
close reading. The writer did it for several times to understand the novel deeply.
The second step was searching the suitable theories which support the analysis.
The third step was applying the approach for the study which used to analyze the
problem formulation. The last step was drawing the conclusion from the analysis.
It also answered the problem formulations briefly.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
A.
Description of The Main Character
Character is important in literary works, without characters the story can
not be created. In this chapter, the writer analyzes Feng, the main character in
Duncan Jepson’s All the Flowers in Shanghai. Characters in the novel or literary
works can be described through their said, dialogue, and action (Abrams, 1985:
23).
According to M. J. Murphy they are nine ways to characterize the
character in a literary works (1972: 161-173). They are personal description,
character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction,
direct comment, thought, and mannerism.
In order to answer the problem formulation number one, the writer uses
Abrams’s theory on character and uses some of Murphy’s theory on
characterization to describe Feng, the main character, in the novel.
Feng is a young woman of seventeen years old. She is described as a
dutiful and obedient person. She lives with her parents, sister, and grandfather.
She has grown up in the shadow of her sister as a secondary daughter. She also
holds no importance in the family. “Their devotion to the first child was simply
greater than it was to the second, and they could not help that. I could neither win
more love from them nor alter their devotion to the eldest” (Jepson, 2012: 50).
She comes from a middle class family. She has servants and cook in the house.
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Her sister has her servants for herself. She is prepared to marry a rich man to
increase the social status in the society. Her sister is taught how to be a good wife
and law. Meanwhile, Feng loves walking in the garden with her grandfather. She
knows a lot of flowers’ name because her grandfather teaches her. She also loves
walking in Shanghai’s Old Town and bu
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FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO
Student Number : 104214025
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
By
Theresia Anna Saputro
Student Number: 104214025
Approved by
Dra. A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
Advisor
September 12, 2014
Maria Ananta Tri S., S.S., M.Ed.
Co-Advisor
September 12, 2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF
CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S
ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
By
Theresia Anna Saputro
Student Number: 104214025
Defended before the Board of Examiners
on September 29,2014
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name
Signature
Chairperson
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
_________________
Secretary
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
_________________
Member 1
: Harris Hermansyah Setiajid M.Hum.
_________________
Member 2
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
_________________
Member 3
: Maria Ananta Tri S., S.S., M.Ed.
_________________
Yogyakarta, September 29, 2014
Faculty of Letters
Sanata Dharma University
Dean
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text of the undergraduate thesis
Yogyakarta, September 29, 2014
Theresia Anna Saputro
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama
: Theresia Anna Saputro
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 104214025
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE PRACTICES OF CHINESE
PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN JEPSON’S ALL THE
FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya
maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 12 September 2014
Yang menyatakan,
Theresia Anna Saputro
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Your story may not have such a
happy beginning, but that doesn’t
make you who you are. It is the
rest of your story, who you choose
to be…….
(Soothsayer –Kung Fu Panda 2)
So, who are you pals?
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to:
My Beloved Parents
Brothers
Sister
Nephew
Niece
And My Lovely Teddy Bear
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ.
Without all the blessings, opportunities, and guidance I will not be able to finish
my thesis successfully. Furthermore I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dra.
A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D. for the useful comments, and remarks through the
learning process of this thesis writing. I thank my co-advisor, Maria Ananta Tri
S., S.S., M.Ed. for reading my thesis and giving me the needed corrections.
I am also thankful to my academic advisor, Anna Fitriarti, S.pd., M.Hum.,
all lecturers and officials of Sanata Dharma University English Letters
Department for the guidance during my years of study here.
I am especially grateful to my parents, who supported me emotionally and
financially. I always knew that they believed in me and wanted the best for me.
Also, I would like to thank my brother for his advice and my sister for giving me
inspiration. To my classmates and roommates, thank you for listening, offering
me advice, and supporting me through this entire process. Finally, to my
significant other, thank you for encouraging me in all of my pursuits and inspiring
me to follow my dreams.
Theresia Anna Saputro
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE .....................................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE ...........................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE .....................................................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ..
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ..................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ..................................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .......................................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...............................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................
ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................
ABSTRAK .........................................................................................................
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
vii
viii
ix
x
xi
xii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................
A. Background of the Study ...................................................................
B. Problem Formulation ........................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .....................................................................
D. Definition of Terms ...........................................................................
1
1
4
5
5
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ....................................................
A. Review of Related Studies ................................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ..............................................................
C. Theoretical Framework .....................................................................
7
7
9
18
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................
A. Object of the Study ............................................................................
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................................
C. Method of the Study ..........................................................................
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS (RESULT AND DISCUSSION) .........................
A. Description of the Main Character ....................................................
B. The Practices of Chinese Patriarchal .................................................
C. The Struggles against the Practice of Chinese Patriarchal ................
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ........................................................................
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................
APPENDIX ........................................................................................................
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ABSTRACT
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO. FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE
PRACTICES OF CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN
JEPSON’S ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma
University, 2014.
This thesis discusses All the Flowers in Shanghai written by Duncan
Jepson. This novel is a historical novel. This novel tells about the life of Feng, the
main character, under the patriarchal system in China. The writer wants to find out
the struggles of the main character against the practices of Chinese patriarchal
culture in Duncan Jepson’s novel.
From the topic, the writer formulates three problems which become the
objectives of the study. The first problem is how Feng, the main character is
described. The second is the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture experienced
by the main character in the novel. The third is the struggles of Feng against the
practices of Chinese patriarchal culture in the novel.
This study uses library research method. The primary source is the novel
itself. The secondary sources are collected from books, articles, papers, reviews,
dictionaries, and internet related to the topic. In answering the problem, some
theories on literature are applied. There are theory of character and
characterization, theory of patriarchal culture, and theory of feminism.
The result of the study shows that the characteristic of Feng, the main
character is an obedient and a dutiful person. She comes from a middle class
family. She is also a silent person and a confined person. There are some practices
of patriarchal culture such as performing the duty as a good daughter, accepting
the arranged marriage, dropping the education, serving and obeying the husband
and the laws. The struggles of the main character against the practices of
patriarchal culture are depicted through reading and writing, facing toward her
laws when she bears imperfect baby boy, and running away to another country to
live with her love and to get her own happiness.
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ABSTRAK
THERESIA ANNA SAPUTRO. FENG’S STRUGGLES AGAINST THE
PRACTICES OF CHINESE PATRIARCHAL CULTURE IN DUNCAN
JEPSON’S ALL THE FLOWERS IN SHANGHAI: A FEMINIST READING.
Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata
Dharma, 2014.
Skripsi ini menganalisis novel yang ditulis oleh Duncan Jepson berjudul
All the Flowers in Shanghai. Novel ini adalah novel sejarah. Novel ini
menceritakan kehidupan wanita China yang bernama Xiao Feng di bawah sistem
patriarki di China. Penulis ingin mencari tahu perjuangan tokoh utama dalam
menghadapi praktek budaya patriarki di China dalam novel Duncan Jepson.
Dalam skripsi ini, penulis merumuskan tiga persoalan masalah. Persoalan
pertama adalah bagaimana Feng, sang tokoh utama didiskripsikan. Rumusan
kedua adalah bentuk praktek budaya patriarki yang dialami Feng. Rumusan
masalah yang ketiga adalah perjuangan Feng melawan praktek budaya patriarki
tersebut.
Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Sumber utama yang
digunakan adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber kedua diambil dari buku-buku, artikel,
naskah, resensi, kamus, dan internet yang berhubungan dengan topik. Dalam
menjawab rumusan masalah, beberapa teori tentang kesusastraaan diaplikasikan
dalam skripsi ini. Teori tersebut meliputi teori tokoh dan penokohan, teori budaya
patriarki dan teori feminisme.
Hasil analisa novel ini menunjukkan bahwa karakter dari tokoh utama
adalah penurut, pendiam, terkekang, dan berasal dari keluarga menengah. Ada
beberapa praktek patriarki yang dialami oleh Feng seperti memiliki kewajiban
untuk menjadi seorang anak yang baik, menerima perjodohan, keluar dari sekolah
untuk menikah, melayani dan mematuhi suami serta keluarganya. Perjuangan
yang dilakukan tokoh utama dalam menghadapi budaya patriarki digambarkan
lewat membaca dan menulis, menghadapi mertua dan para ipar ketika dia
melahirkan seorang bayi laki-laki dengan tubuh yang tidak sempurna, dan
melarikan diri menuju kota lain untuk hidup bersama dengan orang yang
dikasihinya serta untuk mendapatkan kebahagiaanya sendiri.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A.
Background of the Study
Literature is the way for human to express their creativity in paper through
their experience using their senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and
feeling). There are 2 forms in literature, fiction and non – fiction. Fiction is a type
of literature which is not true or not real. The “real” one is called non – fiction. It
means the works based on true story. Novel is one of the most well known forms
in literary works. Most people love to read novel because it has an entertain effect.
Mysteries, romance, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction are the
types of novel.
Mysteries is about a crime, usually a murder, and the process
of discovering who committed it. Science fiction is fiction that
imagines possible alternatives to reality. Fantasy is about
imaginary worlds. Horror is focused on creating emotions of terror
and dread in the reader. Thrillers are designed to make the reader’s
pulse race, to keep him or her turning pages. Romance fiction is
about love and passion. Historical fiction are set in a past time
period, normally at least fifty years before they were written. They
combine a made-up story with realistic details of that time period.
(http://www.creative-writing-now.com/types-of novels.html) (1
September 2013).
All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson is a historical fiction which
sets in Shanghai, the largest city in China. China itself is located in East Asia.
China has varied and interesting culture to be studied. Chinese culture has existed
for a long time ago and the Chinese still keeps their tradition to honor their
ancestors.
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In Chinese culture, men are considered more powerful than women.
Nanquin and Rawski in Chinese Society in the Eighteenth Century state that the
woman in China is inferior to man (1987: 80). It means that China has patriarchal
system in their society. Based on Lois Tyson, Using Critical Theory: How to
Read and Write About Literature, a patriarchy is any society in which men hold
all or most of the power (2011: 141).
In China, man and woman were not created equal. The younger sister of
the great historian Ban Gu, prescribed the conduct appropriate to a virtuous
woman.
To be humble, yielding, respectful and reverential; to put herself
after others… these qualities are those exemplifying woman’s low
and humble estate. To retire late and rise early; not to shirk
exertion from dawn to dark… this is called being diligent. To
behave properly and decorously in serving her husband; to be
serene and self-possessed, shunning jests and laughter… this is
called being worthy of continuing the husband’s lineage (common
descent groups). If a woman possesses the above mentioned three
qualities, then her reputation shall be excellent (Eastman, 1988:
19).
Talking about women’s discrimination, oppression and opposition is
interesting because it is an old issue that still happens in some societies. All the
Flowers in Shanghai written by Duncan Jepson is the example of Chinese theme
which shows the practice of patriarchal culture. Women do not have chance to
speak and express their feeling, including marriage. Women do not have choice to
select their men but their parents.
By the time a girl reached the age of seventeen or so, she was ready
for the major turning point in her life: marriage. Despite the
importance of this event to her personally, she might be never be
consulted about it. Ideally the prospective bride and groom did not
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know each other, and had not even seen each other, before the day
of the wedding (Eastman, 1988: 24-25).
Women in China have been treated as an object since they were young.
They can not choose what they want. Besides, the men can do everything they
want, they have freedom to do something and they were born as a miracle. It is
very contradictive between the treatment of men and women in China. Eastman in
Family, Field and Ancestors states that
Event a birth, a girl generally brought little joy to the hearts of her
parents, for the dictates of familism demanded sons to perpetuate
the family line. A girl, by contrast, was a burden and an expense;
she would have to be fed and clothed until she was seventeen years
old or so, she would at considerable expense be married out to be
given in marriage to a stranger’s family. Conventional wisdom was
summed up in the adage “The birth of a girl child is like a thief in
the night” (1988: 20-21).
Discussing the position of women and relations between men and women,
Kenneth Scott Latourette also agrees with Eastman that women’s position is
inferior to men. Latourette mentions that male progeny has been necessary if these
were to be continued. For this reason boys have been regarded as more valuable
than girls (1951: 678).
The yin and yang concept also contributes to the doctrine of relation
between men and women. “Yin and yang are two sides of dualism. It is the tail and
the head of a coin. The tail is yin, and the head is yang. A Woman is yin, and a
man is yang. Sadness is yin, while joyfulness is yang.” (http://tao-in-you.com/yinyang.html) (3 May 2014). Yin and yang has different color of element. Yin has
dark element and yang has light element. The light is symbol of men, the dark is
symbol of women. It means that men have higher position than women. It is also
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described by Latourette in The Chinese, Their History and Culture. Latourette
explains that yin and yang has different element which reflects men and women
position in the society. He said that
The centuries old doctrine of the yin and yang has made for the
higher status of men, because the yang, associated with good
fortune and all that is desirable, has been identified with the male,
and the yin, the element of darkness and evil is female (1951: 678).
All the Flowers in Shanghai tells about the hard life of women and the
relationship between a Chinese mother and daughter who lived under the
patriarchal culture. There was a still strong patriarchal system in China in the
twentieth century. Males were very dominant. Men hold the position of power.
They were the leader of the family unit, social groups, workplace and government.
This thesis shows the idea of woman in China in the twentieth century
who is inferior to man. In that era, patriarchal system still strongly existed. In this
study, the writer uses one of Duncan Jepson’s All the Flowers in Shanghai
because this novel is a historical fiction which tells the Chinese life in the
twentieth century. The topic is chosen because the writer wants to make an
attention the struggles of the main character in the harsh condition under
patriarchal system in order to get her own freedom.
B.
Problem Formulation
These three questions are formulated in order to help the writer analyzes
the novel and to understand this novel better.
1.
How is Feng, the main character, described?
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2.
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What are the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture experienced by the
main character in the novel?
3.
What are the struggles of Feng against the practices of Chinese patriarchal
culture in the novel?
C.
Objectives of the Study
This study is intended to answer those three problem formulations. The
first objective is used to describe the main character in the novel. The second
objective is used to see the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture in that novel.
The last objective is used to find out the struggles of the main character against
the practices of Chinese patriarchal culture.
D.
Definiton of Terms
Patriarchy literally means the rule of the father in a male dominated
family. According Madsen in Feminist Theory an Literary Practice, patriarchy is
“an ideological system that privileges men and all thongs masculine, and a
political system that places power in the hands of men and thus serves male
interest at the expense of women” (2000: xii). Meanwhile the definition of
patriarchy based on Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick’s Cultural Theory: The
Key Concepts is the un-equality between men and women in society so that
creates oppression of women. The term “patriarchy” literary means “the rule of
the father”. It has been adopted by the majority of feminist theories to refer to the
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way in which societies are structures through male domination over, and
oppression of women (2005: 269).
According to Light, Keller, and Calhoun in Sociology, culture is “all the
learned customs, beliefs, and symbols that are constantly communicated among a
set of people who share a common way of life” (1989: 79). Culture consists of
patterns, explicit and implicit, and for behavior acquired and transmitted by
symbols. Culture is the sum of total of the learned behavior of a group of people
that are generally considered to be the tradition of that people and are transmitted
from
generation
to
generation
(www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture)
(1October 2014).
Based on Lizbeth Goodman in Literature and Gender, feminist refers to “a
person who has recognition of the historical, and cultural subordination of women
(the only world-wide majority to be treated as a minority) and resolve to resist the
oppression and subordination of woman” (1996: x).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A.
Review of Related Studies
All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson is a historical novel which
tells about Chinese attitudes toward motherhood, children and family. The
dynamic in a Chinese family between father, mother, son, and daughter is
complicated. Mother has to deliver a baby boy rather than a baby girl which
represents patriarchal structure in China. Feng, the main character, in this novel
shows the issue of patriarchal culture and presents the idea of woman movement
through her decision to leave Shanghai and start a new life in other city.
The author of All the Flowers in Shanghai, Duncan Jepson, is a Eurasian,
Chinese-English and has travelled around Asia since 1980s and learned Mandarin
in Beijing in 1987. His mother inspired him in writing this novel. He got praise
from some authors because of his poetic writing and his success to write the novel
through female first person (www.alltheflowersinshanghai.com) (3rd March 2014).
In this study, I want to show the comments on Duncan Jepson’s novel, All
the Flowers in Shanghai. Based on Qiu Xiaolong, the author of the Inspector
Chen mysteries, Jepson wrote the novel based on the situation in China in the
twentieth century. He could write beautifully and enthusiastically to describe the
changes of China in the twentieth century through the main character.
The life of this novel’s main character is splintered into thousands
of pieces, each of them reflecting the changes of Chinese history,
yet all of them coming out in Duncan Jepson’s poetic, passionate
writing (Qiu Xiaolong, author of the Inspector Chen mysteries).
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Hong Ying, the international bestselling, author of Daughter of the River
also agrees with Qiu Xiaolong that this novel describes the history of China,
primary in Shanghai. “This story is breathtaking. Like a poem or a painting, it
reveals the old Shanghai. It’s a great work that will move its readers.” (Hong
Ying, international bestselling author of Daughter of the River).
Besides the comments, the writer wants to review Agatha Piscesia
Paskalin’s thesis titled Male Domination in the Footbinding and Secret Writing of
Nineteenth Century Chinese Women as Seen in Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the
Secret Fan. Paskalin’s thesis has similar topic with the writer’s research. The
topic is about a historical fiction which shows male domination or patriarchal
system appears in China. Paskalin stated
Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a historical fiction
which tells about the lives of Chinese women in the nineteenth
century which was still in the era of pre-modern China where
women’s position was inferior to men’s position… In this study,
the writer is going to reveal how footbinding and women’s secret
writing in nineteenth century China portrayed in the novel and how
male domination relates to footbinding and the women’s secret
writing well. Both will formulated in sociological scoope (2012:
viii; 9).
Based on Paskalin’s analysis, it has a different form with the writer’s
study. Paskalin uses sociological scoop but the writer uses feminist approach. The
other thesis that the writer uses to review is from Aninditya Putri Arumsari. Her
thesis is The Responses of Chinese Women toward the Practices of Patriarchal
Culture as Seen through Adeline Yen Mah’s Falling Leaves. The similarities
between Arumsari’s and the writer’s thesis can be shown through the practices of
patriarchal culture reflected through the main character. Arumsari uses five female
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characters to describe the patriarchal system. Meanwhile, the writer only used the
main character to describe the patriarchal system. Arumsari will analyze five
female characters inside Falling Leaves; they are Adeline, Aunt, Baba, Grand
Aunt, Grandmother, and Lydia (2011: 26). It proves that this study is different
from other studies.
In this study, the writer wants to make an attention in the struggles of the
main character in the harsh condition under patriarchal system in order to get her
freedom using feminist approach. Thus, this study is different from the other
writers.
B.
Review of Related Theories
1.
Character and Characterization
In drama, prose, novel, or other kinds of literature, character and
characterization are important in literary works. Character is usually the main
subject. M. H. Abrams states in A Glossary of Literary Terms that
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative
work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with
moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in
what they say – the dialogue – and by what they do – the action
(1985: 23).
Robert Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction describes the term of
“character” as
The term “character” is commonly used in two ways: it designates
the individuals who appear in the story, as in “How many
characters are there?” and it refers to the mixture of interests,
desires, emotions, and moral principles that makes up each of these
individuals, as in “How would you describe his character?” (1965:
17).
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He also adds that character in a story can be classified into two different
types. They are major character and minor character. Major character is a
character that may dominate the whole story and is frequently presented in it.
Meanwhile, the minor character is presented in order to explain and help the other
character, especially the major character (1965: 17-18).
Characterization is the way the character is created by the narrator so that
the reader will understand about the character (Gill, 1995: 127). Baldick in The
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms says “Characterization refers to the
representation of person in narrative or dramatic works by means of character’s
actions, speech, or physical appearance” (1990: 34).
According to Murphy in Understanding Unseens, there are nine methods
that an author can use. The goal is to make the character understandable to the
readers. The nine methods are personal description, character as seen by another,
speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment, thought, and
mannerism (Murphy, 1972: 161-173).
2.
Chinese Patriarchal Culture
The discussion about patriarchal system has interested a lot of writers all
over the world. Madsen said in Feminist Theory an Literary Practice
Patriarchy is a cultural (ideological) system that priveleges men
and all thongs masculine, and a political system that places power
in the hands of men and thus serves male interest at the expense of
women (2000: xii).
Meanwhile the definition of patriarchal culture based on Andrew Edgar
and Peter Sedgwick’s Cultural Theory: The Key Concepts is the unequally
between men and women in society so that creates oppression of women. The
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term “patriarchal” literary means “the rule of the father”. It has been adopted by
the majority of feminist theories to refer to the way in which societies are
structures through male domination over, and oppression of women (2005: 269).
It means that patriarchal system is the rule of male domination which creates the
superiority of men. In other words man is very dominant.
Adrienne Rich in Madsen’s book, states that the term of patriarchy is
therefore justified by this fact, that of the “universal” oppression of women by
men.
Patriarchy is the power of the father: a familial-social, ideological,
political system in which men by force, direct pressure, or through
ritual, tradition, law, and language, customs, etiquette, education,
and the division of labor, determine what part women shall not
play, and in which the female is everywhere subsumed under the
male (Madsen, 2000: 3).
Sylvia Walby in Pilcher and Whelehan’s book, defines a patriarchal
culture as a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate,
oppress and exploit women (Pilcher and Whelehan, 2004: 95). It means there is a
social and ideological construct which considers men as superior to women.
Maggie Humm also states in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory that “patriarchy
has power from men’s greater access to, and mediation of, the resource and
rewards of authority structures inside and outside the home” (1990: 200). This
access gives power for men to humiliate and to control women who are weakness
than them because they believe that they have natural right to control women.
Ashley Montagu in Natural Superiority of Women explains that
Women have been conditioned to believe that they are inferior to
men, and they have assumed that what everyone believes is a fact
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of nature. Because men occupy the superior positions in almost all
societies, such superiority is taken to be a natural one (1953: 23).
This condition makes women accept the rule of male domination. They are
aware or not if they are driven by men. The power that men have is the tool to
oppress women. It leads the male domination because it already lives in the
society as a permanent rule.
In a Chinese family, each member has their own functions. Men are the
breadwinners, women are better in domestic activities, and children are the focus
of family life. It means Chinese women had been second class citizen, and very
far for having equal opportunities with men. It proves that there were position
hierarchy that determined the rank and the responsibility. Daughters were
expected to obey their parents’s authority and assist their mother in domestic
tasks.
Eastman states that “a woman confined to the household had no need for
learning; she acquired no experience of the outside world; and she was thus kept
ignorant and palpably inferior to men” (1988: 24). He also mentions the treatment
of Chinese children.
In China, children were not cherished as individuals whose destiny
was to fulfill their own unique potentials, but were valued because
they and especially the sons would help with work in the fields,
produce sons who would carry on the family name, and provide for
their parents in their old age (1988: 15).
Hsu agrees with Eastman about how Chinese children are treated. She
describes that “children are not trained to develop as children, but at every turn
they are encouraged to imitate and to participate in the ways of the adults, which
are, in turn, ways of the ancestors” (1948: 239).
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Gallin also explains the ideal of Chinese family works in China: Social
Life and Custom. He states
The structure of this ideal family was hierarchical, according to
generation, age, and sex. It was headed by the eldest male, who
wielded complete power over all the family members. The
headship usually passed to the eldest son, or sometimes to the son
adjudged most worthy. Wives, brought into the husband’s join
household through family rather than individual decision, were
subservient to the husband’s mother and to other family members
(1978: 501).
Based on that quotation, it describes that Chinese family system is
patriarchal, patrilocal, and patrilinieal. Patriarchal means the eldest male is the
legal lead of the family. Patrilocal means marriage women have to follow their
husband and stay in their husband’s house. Patrilienal means the decline is count
through the male bound line.
The Chinese family system is patriarchal, patrilocal, and
patrilineal. Patriarchal means that the oldest male in a family is the
legal head and responsible for all aspects of the family, including
finances and behavior of the other members. Patrilocal means that
the family centered in the male's home location; women were never
permanent members of the family but came and went into this
stable male family as they married, divorced, were widowed and
remarried. Patrilineal meant that descent was counted only through
the
male
line.
(http://asia.isp.msu.edu/wbwoa/east_asia/china/culture.htm)
(6
January 2014).
The social order in Chinese family also supports the patriarchal system in
Chinese family. The social order creates a belief that good or bad in something is
determined by family behavior. Eastman states
so important was the institution of the family that the term
“familism” has been coined to characterize Chinese social values
and organization. Familism was “the basis of a kind of society
distinctive from any other kind in the world” a system in which all
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ideas and behavior were judged by whether or not they contributed
to the well-being of the family (1988: 15).
The husband – wife relationship is strictly held to be supplementary and
subordinate. “Marriage is male centered. The woman is obliged to produce sons,
which are her indispensable contribution to matrimony” (Hsu, 1948: 107). The
obligation to deliver a baby boy shows the emphasis of woman’s duty to her
husband and especially her parents in law and do not show the partnership
between man and his wife itself.
In China, old age means enjoyment of authority. The younger members of
the family, sons, and daughter in law are the object of authority. Authority itself
has meaning “centered in father son identification, express itself freely in
relationship between the sexes, big family ideal, and education and is backed up
by the wishes of dead ancestors” (Hsu, 1948: 242). Most of suffering happened to
women because if they do not obey their ancestors rule they will be thrown away
for their society. “Woman have to respect their husband, fathers, older brothers,
and other related senior males, if they do not, they will find themselves becoming
social outcasts” (Hsu, 1948:207).
It proves that there is an unequal relation among father, son, daughter in
law and other family members. “However, equally important in the culture is the
factor of competition. Where there is authority there is no equality” (Hsu, 1948:
242).
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Feminism
Crawford in Talking Difference on Gender and Language explains the
different way of acting of men and women is influenced by a way of creating
difference.
When men and women are treated differently in ordinary daily
interactions, they may come to behave differently in return. Thus,
gender can be conceived as a self-fulfilling prophecy- a set of
processes by which gender difference is created, the observed
differences are conflated with sex, and belief in sex difference is
confirmed (1995: 14).
The difference between sex and gender also be found by Millet. Millet ’s
idea in Sexual Politics about the difference between sex and gender as follows.
A female is born and a woman is created. In other words, one’s
sex, be that male or female, is determined at birth. One’s gender,
however, is a social construct, being created by cultural ideas and
norms. Consciously and unconsciously women and men conform
to the cultural ideas established for them by the society. Little
boys, for example, must be aggressive whereas little girls must be
passive, meek and humble (1989: 193).
The statement above makes clear the difference between a person’s sex
and gender. Gender and gender-determined role are often determined by the
society so that feminist struggles to break the stereotype of sex class.
Feminist according to Goodman is “a person who has recognition of the
historical and cultural of women (the only world-wide majority to be treated as a
minority), and resolve to resist the oppression and subordination of woman”
(1996: x).
Using concepts from feminist theory to understand literature means to
comprehend the ways to decrease or to remove women oppression in society,
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economy, politics, and psychology. Lois Tyson states in Using Critical Theory :
How to read and write about literature
Feminism , therefore, seeks to understand the ways in which
women are oppressed-socially, economically, politically, and
psychologically in order to reduce, if not eliminate their
oppression. Ideally, feminism would like to achieve a society in
which women and men are encouraged to fulfill their full potential
as human beings regardless of the extent to which their abilities
and inclinations differ from traditional (patriarchal) definitions of
femininity and masculinity (2011: 139).
Feminism according to Maggie Humm is “the ideology of women’s
liberation since intrinsic in all its approaches is the belief that woman suffer
injustice because of the sex” (Humm, 1990:74). This opinion creates and makes
the society judge that women are weak, less valuable than men and second class in
the society because of the sex.
According Peter Barry in Beginning Theory: An introduction to literary
and cultural theory states:
In feminist criticism in the 1970s the major effort went into
exposing what might be called the mechanisms of patriarchy that
is, the cultural “mind set” in men and women which perpetuated
sexual inequality (Barry, 2002: 122).
It means that in the 1970s, female characters created by male to show the
stereotype of women should be and constructed by patriarchal system. So that
patriarchal system and feminism are hard to be separated because patriarchal
system is in the side of men and feminism is an idea that struggle for women’s
rights and equalities.
The idea of sexual inequality describes the condition of women as the
most oppressed class in society and the cause itself comes from the society.
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Inequality means “that punishment for sexual offense is much more stringent for
women than for men” (Hsu, 1948: 237).
Radical feminist theory begins with the assumption that women form a sex
class. They claim that the condition of women not just as a class but as the
fundamentally oppressed class. The New York Radical Feminist Manifesto claims
in Madsen’s book, Feminist Theory and Literary Practice.
Radical feminism recognizes the oppression of women as a
fundamental political oppression wherein women are categorized
as an inferior class based on their sex. It is the aim of radical
feminism to organize politically to destroy this sex class system
(2000: 153).
In radical feminist, gender oppression is the most fundamental form of
oppression and precedes the economic structure of patriarchal societies. In
Leclerq’s compilation, the feminist author Charles Poisson states his thought’s on
the liberty that women should as follows
The woman has quite as well as the man, right to live, work, and
liberty. The man has been a lord and a master , long enough; the
woman had all too long been a bondwoman in the household. The
woman can no long put up of being dependent, with being treated
as a minor, with being supported and maintained. We claimed to be
human beings like the men; responsible autonomous, able to decide
what we wish to do with our activity (Leclerq; 1942: 32).
Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick in Cultural Theory: The Key Concept
also state about liberation of women. They said that
The core of feminism is the belief that women are subordinated to
men. Feminism seek to liberate women from the subordination and
reconstruct society in such a way that patriarchy is eliminated and a
culture created that is fully inclusive of women’s desires and
purposes (2005: 143).
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The goal of feminism according to Guerin in A Handbook of Critical
Approaches to Literature is to break the stereotyped of unequally between men
and women. Feminists struggle the same rights of men and women so that they
will be no superiority and inferiority in society. Women will be treated as men do
and they will create new atmosphere that women are also valuable.
to change this degrading view of women so that all women will
realize that they are not a “nonsignificant Other” but that each
women is a valuable person possessing the same priveleges and
rights as every men (2004: 180).
C.
Theoretical Framework
There are several theories which applied in this thesis. They are theory of
character and characterization, theory of Chinese patriarchal culture and theory of
feminism. Theory of character and characterization is used to answer the problem
formulation number one which is how Feng, the main character is described.
The second theory is Chinese Patriarchal Culture that is used to answer
problem formulation number two which is identifying the practice of Chinese
patriarchal culture in the novel.
The third theory is theory of feminism. This theory is used to analyze the
struggles of Feng against the practice of Chinese patriarchal culture in the novel
which appears in problem formulation number three.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A.
Object of the Study
This object of the study is a historical novel entitled All the Flowers in
Shanghai. This novel was written by Duncan Jepson. His first novel, All the
Flowers in Shanghai was a bestseller. He also co-storied the graphic novel,
Darkness outside the Night with Xie Peng. Duncan Jepson’s current novel,
Emperors Once More, the first in a crime series, publishes in March 2014.
All the Flowers in Shanghai was published by HarperCollins publishers in
New York in 2012. All the Flowers in Shanghai consists of 302 pages and it is
divided into 26 chapters. The novel, All the Flowers in Shanghai, by Duncan
Jepson has many praises by some bestselling authors like Janice Y. K. Lee, New
York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher, Hong Ying, internationally
bestselling author of Daughter of the River, Qiu Xiaolong, author of the Inspector
Chen mysteries, and Geling Yan, author of the The Banquet Bug for his excellent
way to create a story of a young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai who attempts
to stop the cycle of history in Chinese tradition.
Duncan was the editor of the Asia-based culture and fashion magazine
WestEast and one of the founders and managing editors of the Asia Literary
Review. He is a social commentator on Asia and writes for The New York Times,
The Daily Telegraph, Publishing Perspectives, South China Morning Post and
Hong Kong Tatler. He is also an award-winning editor, writer and producer of
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five feature films and has produced documentaries for Discovery Channel Asia
and National Geographic Channel. He is also a lawyer and lives in Hong Kong.
All the Flowers in Shanghai is Jepson’s stunning debut novel. It is set in
1930s Shanghai, the Paris of the East. The tradition of paying respect still takes
precedence over personal desire in that era. This novel shows us the struggles of
woman under patriarchal culture.
B.
Approach of the Study
The writer uses feminist approach to analyze the problems in this study.
Bressler in Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, states that:
Feminism’s goal is to change this degrading view of women so that
all women will realize that they are not a “non significant Other.”
But each woman is a valuable person possessing the same
privileges and rights as every man. Women, feminists declare,
must define themselves and assert their own voices in the arenas of
politics, society, education, and the arts. By personally committing
themselves to fostering such change, feminists hope to create a
society where the male and female voices are equally valued
(1999: 180).
This approach is relevant because this study is about the life of Chinese
woman in the patriarchal system in the twentieth century. Feminism taught the
idea that women should speak up and stand up against oppression and
marginalization by men. By using feminist approach the writer is able to show the
struggles or the ways of Feng, the main character in the novel against the
patriarchal system.
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C.
21
Method of the Study
The method of this study was library research. Most data were collected
from books, articles, papers, reviews, dictionaries and internet.
The primary source that the writer used in this study was the novel itself
which is All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson. The secondary sources
were taken from related books, articles, papers, reviews, and dictionaries.
The writer applied some steps in doing the research. The first step was
close reading. The writer did it for several times to understand the novel deeply.
The second step was searching the suitable theories which support the analysis.
The third step was applying the approach for the study which used to analyze the
problem formulation. The last step was drawing the conclusion from the analysis.
It also answered the problem formulations briefly.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
A.
Description of The Main Character
Character is important in literary works, without characters the story can
not be created. In this chapter, the writer analyzes Feng, the main character in
Duncan Jepson’s All the Flowers in Shanghai. Characters in the novel or literary
works can be described through their said, dialogue, and action (Abrams, 1985:
23).
According to M. J. Murphy they are nine ways to characterize the
character in a literary works (1972: 161-173). They are personal description,
character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction,
direct comment, thought, and mannerism.
In order to answer the problem formulation number one, the writer uses
Abrams’s theory on character and uses some of Murphy’s theory on
characterization to describe Feng, the main character, in the novel.
Feng is a young woman of seventeen years old. She is described as a
dutiful and obedient person. She lives with her parents, sister, and grandfather.
She has grown up in the shadow of her sister as a secondary daughter. She also
holds no importance in the family. “Their devotion to the first child was simply
greater than it was to the second, and they could not help that. I could neither win
more love from them nor alter their devotion to the eldest” (Jepson, 2012: 50).
She comes from a middle class family. She has servants and cook in the house.
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Her sister has her servants for herself. She is prepared to marry a rich man to
increase the social status in the society. Her sister is taught how to be a good wife
and law. Meanwhile, Feng loves walking in the garden with her grandfather. She
knows a lot of flowers’ name because her grandfather teaches her. She also loves
walking in Shanghai’s Old Town and bu