33 he has hit Kai once. On another day Kai meets Toussaint, he tries to explain Yuing
Chi, the responsibility of future to him. Even if Toussaint becomes his friend, Kai does not have any bravery to stand against the kids who are considered as
fighters. Therefore, it can be said that he is coward. Based on Webster’s
Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, coward is defined as “lacking courage;
very fearful or timid”. I was so anxious to explain that fighting was wrong, would cause later pin,
but winning this inarticulate debate was as difficult as prevailing in its subject matter p.107.
2. Kai Ting’s Characteristics Possessed after learning In Y.M.C.A
After learning in Y.M.C.A, he possesses some characteristics. His characteristics can help him survive to the new culture. The characteristics are
described as follows.
a. Adaptable
Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, adaptable is
defined as “able to adjust oneself readily to different conditions”. Kai is
considered as an adaptable child. What he believes in his culture, he carries it on himself. No one can force him to approve that fighting is a part of his life. For
several times, he says that fighting is unacceptable. It means that he still does not value the meaning of fighting. As a consequence, he is sent to Y.M.C.A by his
father and Edna, a place where he can learn boxing. His father and Edna send Kai to Y.M.C.A because they think that the Y.M.C.A will teach him to fight and
protect himself. After learning how to fight the other fighters or kids, he thinks
34 that it is the correct decision has to be chosen in order to fix his identity in the
place he lives. Fighting was a metaphor. My struggle on the street was really an effort to
fix identity, to survive as a member of a group and even succeed as a human being p. 3.
This successful adaptation that Kai presents can lead him to the correct decision in term of surviving in the new culture. In other words, his being adaptable is seen
from Kai’s thought about fighting. As proposed by Murphy 1972, a characteristic can be seen from the author’s thought.
b. Forgiving
Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, forgiving is
defined as “disposed to forgive; indicating forgiveness”. He is a forgiving child.
According to Murphy 1972, one method of characterization is seen from the author’s speech. Therefore, from Kai’s speech when he learns the theory of
boxing in the Y.M.C.A, it can be inferred that he is a forgiving child. He is taught from the very basic of boxing theory. When his instructor in the Y.M.C.A
describes boxing faculty and his lesson by wild pantomime, he asks him to practice the expression of an anger face. He has to imagine the kids that often hit
him in the block. However, he still cannot hate the kids on the block even they often hit him. This quotation bellow shows that Kai is a forgiving child.
“I tried, but I really didn’t hate the kids on my block” p.181. Even the kids in Panhandle bully him, he never allow himself to hate the other
kids. Y.M.C.A teaches Kai many things that can build good personality. One of the characteristics that Kai successfully grabs is forgiving.
