The major character`s intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict experiences in dealing with culture shock in Lee`s China Boy.

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ABSTRACT

Septiantari, C. S. (2015). The Major Character’s Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Conflict Experiences in Dealing with Culture Shock in Lee’s China Boy. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

Lee’s China Boy tells about Kai Ting, a seven-year-old boy who is plunged into two different cultures. He is an American-born boy who is originally a Chinese. Being plunged into two different cultures, he experiences difficulty in adjusting his way of life. The difficulty Kai experiences portrays a culture shock phenomenon.

Based on the culture shock phenomenon, the objectives of this study are to find the major character’s characteristics and intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. From those two objectives, the researcher formulated two research questions. Those are (1) how are the major character’s characteristics described through the way he responds to the culture shock experiences? and (2)how does the major character experience intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts in dealing with his culture shock experiences?

To answer the formulated research questions, the researcher studied a novel entitled China Boy as the main source of this study and some related books to help analyze the novel as the secondary sources. The method used in this study was library research, which followed three main procedures including reading the novel, underlying the important information, and relating the theories in the analysis. Besides, the researcher used psychology and sociocultural approaches in this study.

The first finding shows that Kai possesses seven characteristics. Five characteristics possessed before learning in Y.M.C.A are untalented, obedient, antisocial, inferior and weepy and coward. Besides, two characteristics possessed after learning in Y.M.C.A are adaptable and forgiving. The second findings present the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. The intrapersonal conflicts include whether to stay in Panhandle and to believe in social beliefs, and confusion over his identity. On the other hand, the intrapersonal conflicts occur because of his stepmother, and Big Willie and the Bashers in relation to language, the way of life, and Western manner adjustment. Finally, the researcher gave implication and suggestion based on the findings of this study.

Keywords: character, major character, intrapersonal conflict, interpersonal conflict, culture shock

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ABSTRAK

Septiantari, C. S. (2015). The Major Character’s Intrapersonal and

Interpersonal Conflict Experiences in Dealing with Culture Shock in Lee’s China Boy. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

China Boy karangan Guss Lee menceritakan tentang Kai Ting, seorang anak lali-laki berumur 7 tahun yang dihadapkan pada dua kebudayaan yang berbeda. Dia adalah seorang anak keturunan Cina yang lahir di Amerika. Dihadapakan pada dua kebudayaan yang berbeda, Kai mengalami kesulitan beradaptasi dengan gaya hidupnya. Kesulitan yang Kai hadapi mengambarkan tentang gegar budaya.

Berdasarkan kejadian gegar budaya, tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menemukan karakteristik pada tokoh utama dan konflik degan diri sendiri dan konflik dengan orang lain. Dari kedua tujuan tersebut, penulis merumuskan dua masalah. Keduanya adalah (1) bagaimana karakteristik dari tokoh utama digambarkan melalui cara dia merespon gegar budaya? (2) bagaimana tokoh utama mengalami konflik dengan diri sendiri dan orang lain di dalam mengatasi gegar budaya?

Untuk menjawab kedua masalah diatas, penulis menggunakan novel berjudul China Boy sebagai sumber utama dari skripsi ini dan beberapa buku terkait sebagai sumber kedua untuk membantu analisis. Metode yang digunakan adalah studi pustaka yang mengikuti tiga prosedur utama meliputi membaca novel, menggaris bawahi informasi yang penting, dan menghubungkan teori-teori dalam analisis. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan psikologi dan sosial budaya.

Penemuan yang pertama menunjukan bahwa Kai mempunyai tujuh karakteristik. Lima Karakteristik yang dimiliki sebelum belajar di Y.M.C.A adalah tidak ahli, patuh, antisosial, minder dan cengeng dan pengecut. Dua karakteristik yang dimiliki setelah belajar di Y.M.C.A adalah mudah adapatasi dan pemaaf. Penemuan yang kedua menunjukan konflik dengan diri sendiri dan orang lain. Konflik dengan diri sendiri meliputi apakah harus meninggalkan atau tinggal di

Panhandle, percaya atau tidak percaya pada kepercayaan di Panhandle, dan kebingungan identitas. Sebaliknya, konflik dengan orang lain muncul dari ibu tirinya, Big Willie dan the Basher yang berhubungan dengan penyesuaian bahasa, gaya hidup, dan penyesuaian tatacara. Pada akhirnya penulis memberikan implikasi dan masukan berdasarkan penemuan-penemuan studi ini.

Kata kunci: character, major character, intrapersonal conflict, interpersonal conflict, culture shock

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THE MAJOR CHARACTER’S INTRAPERS

ONAL AND

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT EXPERIENCES IN DEALING

WITH CULTURE SHOCK IN LEE’S

CHINA BOY

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

Cl. Sinta Septiantari Student Number: 111214052

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

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THE MAJOR CHARACTER’S

INTRAPERSONAL AND

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT EXPERIENCES IN DEALING

WITH CULTURE SHOCK IN LEE’S

CHINA BOY

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

Cl. Sinta Septiantari Student Number: 111214052

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

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I dedicate this thesis to:

My Mom My Father My Family

΂

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s

mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due

time.

΃

Cast all your anxiety on him because

he cares for you.

1Peter 5: 6-7

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STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and references, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, October 13, 2015 The writer

Cl. Sinta Septiantari 111214052

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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 : Cl. Sinta Septiantari

Nomor Mahasiswa : 111214052

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

THE MAJOR CHARACTER’S INTRAPERSONAL AND

INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT EXPERIENCES IN DEALING

WITH CULTURE SHOCK IN LEE’S

CHINA BOY

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 mempublikasikan di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta izin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya selama mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenar-benarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Pada tanggal: 13 Oktober 2015 Yang menyatakan

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vii ABSTRACT

Keywords: character, major character, intrapersonal conflict, interpersonal conflict, culture shock

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viii ABSTRAK

Septiantari, C. S. (2015). The Major Character’s Intrapersonal and

Interpersonal Conflict Experiences in Dealing with Culture Shock in Lee’s China Boy. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.

Kata kunci: character, major character, intrapersonal conflict, interpersonal conflict, culture shock

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Jesus Christ for giving me love and blessing so that I can finish this thesis in order to graduate from Sanata Dharma University. I realize that it is realized because of the helps of other people. Firstly, I give special gratitude to my thesis advisor, FX. Ouda Teda Ena, S. Pd., M. Pd., Ed.D., for spending his extra time checking my thesis and giving comments and suggestions on it. Without him, this thesis would have not been successfully done.

Secondly, I dedicate this thesis to my family, especially my parents, T. Sukarno and F. Sri .R. for providing all my needs during the time I study in PBI. Thank you for the daily prayers that can strengthen me while I am finishing this thesis. I thank my brothers Mas Donny and Mas Pieter, and my sisters Mbak Emmy and Mbak Denny for the joy, affection, motivation, and caring that you give to support my study. I truly understand that the support from all of them make me achieve this state. I thank Mbak Cindy for encouraging me while I was busy with this thesis so that I did not get stressful. I want to share my joyfulness was to my grandmother, Pairo. In her sickness, she always asks some questions related to my graduation, which encouraged me to finish this thesis quickly. I thank Grandma for mentioning my name in each of your prayers even hard to say.

Thirdly, I give special appreciation to my boyfriend, Bonaventura Estu for loyally giving me his leisure time to support me in the process of finishing this thesis. I thank him for his meaningful advice, love, patience, and kindness. I thank him for his everyday grumbling when I felt upset to write this thesis and when I did not dare to take the thesis defense. Because of the grumbling, I dare myself to take it. I also thank Bapak FL. Sumidi and family for the prayer and the motivation. It really works.

Fourthly, I thank my classmates Linda, Hani, Tiara, Almira. I thank Linda for encouraging me to finish this thesis as soon as possible. I thank Hani for reminding me to always check the thesis guidelines. I thank Tiara for the togetherness in all processes during finishing this thesis. I thank Almira for her

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advice. I thank them for the wonderful togetherness that we usually spent together during the study in PBI. I thank my close friends Dini, Silva, and Karin for the great support and the help. I thank all of PBI students, especially PBI class A that I cannot mention one by one.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

DEDICATION PAGE ... iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v

PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi

ABSTRACT ... vii

ABSTRAK ... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xi

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xiii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ... 1

A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 4

C. Objectives of the Study ... 5

D. Benefits of the Study ... 5

E. Definition of Terms ... 6

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 9

A. Review of Related Theory ... 9

1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 9

2. Critical Approach... 14

3. Theory of Psychology ... 15

4. Theory of Culture ... 19

B. Theoretical Framework ... 23

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY ... 25

A. Object of the Study ... 25

B. Approach of the Study ... 26

C. Method of the Study ... 26

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS ... 28

A.The Description of Kai Ting’s Characteristics as a Response to Culture Shock Experiences ... 28

1. Kai Ting’s Characteristics Possessed before Learning in Y.M.C.A ... 29

a. Untalented ... 29

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xii

c. Antisocial ... 30

d. Inferior ... 31

e. Weepy and Coward ... 32

2. Kai Ting’s Characteristics Possessed after Learning in Y.M.C.A ... 33

a. Adaptable ... 33

b. Forgiving ... 34

B. Kai Ting’s Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Conflicts in Dealing with Culture Shock ... 35

1. Different Social Values... 36

2. Different Beliefs ... 38

3. Different Way of Life ... 38

4. Different Language ... 39

5. Different Interest ... 40

6. Lack of Socialization ... 40

a. The Intrapersonal Conflicts ... 42

1) Staying or Leaving Panhandle ... 42

2) Believing or Disbelieving in Social Beliefs ... 44

3) Confusion on His Identity ... 46

b. The Intrapersonal Conflicts ... 47

1) Language Adjustment Process ... 47

2) Way of Life Adjustment Process ... 49

3) Western Manner Adjustment Process ... 54

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS 55 A. Conclusions ... 54

B. Implications ... 58

C. Suggestions ... 59

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xiii

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDICES ... 63

Appendix A: Summary of the Novel ... 64

Appendix B: Biography of the Writer ... 66

Appendix C: Lesson Plan ... 68

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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of five sections, namely the background of the study, the problem formulation, the objectives of the study, the benefits of the study, and the definition of terms. The background of the study is meant to give a short description about the study. The problem formulation consists of the research problems of this study. The research objectives are also explained to give insight about what the main objectives of the study. In the fourth section, the researcher also explains the benefits of the study. In the last section, the definition of terms is also explained to avoid ambiguous meaning.

A. Background of the Study

Each group of people has its own culture that makes one culture differ from another. Culture is the framework of beliefs, expressive symbols, and values in term of which individuals define their feelings and make their judgments (Geertz, 1957). People set culture as guidance of life so that it creates what so called as behavior. Culture is transmitted through a language and the modeling of behavior when conditions permit humans to communicate through shared language, by living in the same historic period, and when they are sufficiently proximal to influence each other (Haviland, 1993). Therefore, culture is a series of beliefs among groups of people which are realized through language and behavior.

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People will be isolated when they stay in an unfamiliar place and meet other people who come from a different geographical area. This situation will enable people who live in a certain place to meet other people who possess different attitudes. These people will respond differently when being taken in a strange and unfamiliar place. Obreg (1990) calls such condition as culture shock (as cited in Lonner and Malpass, 1994). People will experience culture shock when they move to a new environment. Culture shock will happen when people who have already set their own cultural identity stay in a new environment and they have to adjust to the new existing culture. Mostly, this is experienced by individuals in a foreign country. For some people who do not belong to the same beliefs, norms, values, and behavior, they are likely to face and experience culture shock. As a result they will be in condition of awkwardness, confusion, and anxiety.

Gouran, Wiethof and Doelger (1994) state that culture shock is a failure in adjusting oneself to different culture or the disability to successfully perform basic social task in different setting. Nevertheless, a person who is able to adjust to the new environment will go through some processes to react to culture shock conflicts. According to Alder and Peter (1975), the process of culture shock has been specified into five stages and these are honeymoon, disintegration, reintegration, autonomy, and reciprocal interdependence (as cited in Pedersen, 1995, p. 3).

The phenomenon of culture shock can be portrayed in a literary work such as novels. This kind of culture shock is described in a novel entitled China Boy, written by Guss Lee. It describes the major character’s experiences regarding a culture shock phenomenon. Kai Ting. The major character is an American

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protagonist in Lee's novel. He is not only young, but also physically small and ignorant of the American culture.

Kai Ting is a seven-year-old boy. He is originally a Chinese since his parents are Chinese heritage. However, his family moving to America during the cataclysmic war causes him to be born in California. Despite his living in America, his mother treats and educates him about the Chinese beliefs, values, and language, which makes him ignorant of the American culture. When Kai’s mother passed away, his father marries to a woman named Edna Madalyn McGurk. She often forces Kai to be an American and to forget his past experience. However, his past identity makes him find difficulties to deal with a new environment where he lives now, Panhandle. This condition makes him experience culture shock when he is treated to be an American boy by the society. According to Pedersen (1979), experiencing new culture is a sudden and sometimes unpleasant feeling causing a person to reevaluate both the new host and their own home culture.

Living in Panhandle, he needs to throw away his Chinese identity. As a result, Kai finds some difficulties to socialize and gather with his friends. Everything in Panhandle is different and none of the children on the city cares about him but they bully him. He is not good at English and his accent is special, which makes it difficult to communicate with the society. The presence or degree of culture shock depends on prior intergroup relationship, cognitions, and situational factors (Pedersen, 1995). The relationship between individuals and the society takes a role to determine the degree of culture shock that is experienced. The relationship between Kai and the society is not good. With all characteristics he possesses, he

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has to be a good fighter and has proficiency in English to be accepted as an American boy. Thus, all of things that happen to Kai make him face intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts. The intrapersonal conflict appears when he has to deal with himself to adjust to the new culture and the interpersonal conflict appears when he is expected by his stepmother and the society to be an American boy. Discussing the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts is interesting because it presents the difficulties to be a stranger in a foreign country.

Based on the issues the researcher found in the novel, the purposes of this study are to describe Kai Ting’s characteristics as a response to a culture shock phenomenon and culture shock conflicts. The relation between Kai’s characteristics

and the culture shock conflicts can indirectly give readers certain understanding of what characteristics should and should not be possessed in responding to culture shock experiences as a way to successfully address them. The researcher also conducts this study to give readers understanding about the novel. Moreover, by describing Kai’s experience on the intrapersonal and interpersonal culture shock conflicts, the researcher hopes that readers can understand the sources of the conflicts and the strategy to deal with them. Furthermore, this study is expected to be essential knowledge for readers who want to avoid and prepare for possible causes of culture shock. Those are the underlying reasons why the researcher conducts this study.

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B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background of the study, the researcher formulates two research questions below to specify the aims of this study.

1. How are the major character’s characteristics described through the way he responds to the culture shock experiences?

2. How does the major character experience intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts in dealing with his culture shock experiences?

C. Objectives of the Study

In relation to the two formulated research questions, the researcher focuses on the major character’s characteristics in responding to culture shock experiences. By finding out the responses that can be perceived from thoughts, utterances, and actions, the researcher can identify the major character’s characteristics when dealing with culture shock experiences. Moreover, the second focus is to discover the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts faced by the major character in dealing with culture shock experiences.

D. Benefits of the Study

This study is expected to have some benefits for readers, development of English Education, and future researchers. Through this study, readers will have better understanding of the novel entitled China Boy. By understanding the story including the characteristics and culture shock experiences of the major character, readers can avoid and prepare for culture shock. The second benefit refers to the

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development of English Education. Learning a language means learning a culture. Thus, this novel is a good source to learn about the culture as well as the language. In addition to learning the language, the researcher believes that it can be used to design reading materials for students regarding the culture shock experiences. Therefore, it can be a good material to teach students about Cross Cultural Understanding. The third benefit is directed to future researchers who will conduct the same study. This study can give some inputs or ideas when conducting their study in terms of characterization and culture shock.

E. Definition of Terms

In this section, the research gives some definitions of frequently-occurring terms in this study. This section aims to provide clear definitions of some terms in order to avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity. Therefore, there are some definitions that are described, which include character, major character, conflicts, and culture shock.

1. Character

Abrams (1993) states characters are the persons presented in a dramatic, or native work who have moral, natural tendencies, and emotional qualities presented through their speeches and actions. Beside, Holman and Harmon (1986) note that a character is a complicated term that includes the idea of the moral condition of the human personality, the presence of moral virtue, and simpler concept of human presentation as the creatures in art. In other words, characters are the persons who are included in a story and have different qualities of human presentation.

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2. Major Character

Major characters are important in the story as the center of the story (DiYanni, 2001). Thus, the major character will be the focus of the story because it dominates the story. According to Perrin (1998), there are two types of major characters, namely protagonist and antagonist (as cited in DiYanni, 2001). Henkle (1977) states major character is the figure of the novel that has the significant of the experience of the book. A major character has an important role in conveying the theme of the story by focusing on the major character’s experiences.

3. Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Conflict

According to Insenhart and Spangle (2000), conflict is an exposed struggle between at least two independent parties that perceive incompatible goals and inadequate resources and intrusion from another party in obtaining their goals. Beside, Hocker and Wilmot (1985) state conflict is a felt struggle between two or more interdependent individuals over perceived incompatible differences in beliefs, values, and goals, or over differences in desires for esteem, control, and connectedness (as cited in Borisoff, Victor, & David, 1989, p. 2). According to Ghaffar and Khan (2012), there are four types of conflict, two of them are intrapersonal and interpersonal. Intrapersonal conflict arises because of multifarious reason within the individual while interpersonal conflict occurs between two individuals (p. 333).

4. Culture Shock

According to Malpass and Lonner (1994), culture shock is the failure in adjusting oneself to a different culture or disability to successfully perform basic

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social tasks in a different setting. Another definition of culture shock is an initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment in which the psychological process of culture shock has been used to describe the adjustment process on its emotional, psychological, behavioral, psychological impacts on individuals (Pedersen, 1995). Commonly, culture shock happens because there is disability to adjust to the new culture. It is normal to experience culture shock when people stay in another country for the first time.

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9 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of two sections, namely the review of related theories and the theoretical framework. The review of related theories discusses the theory of character and characterization, the critical approach, the theory of psychology, and the theory of culture. The last section, which is the theoretical framework, explains why the theories described in the previous section are applied in this study.

A. Review of Related Theories

This section reviews four categories. Those categories are the theories on the character and characterization, the critical approach, the theory of psychology, and the theory of culture.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

This category reviews three parts. The theories to review are related to character and characterization. Those three parts include a) the theory of character, b) the theory of characterization, and c) the method of characterization.

a. Theory of Character

A character occupies a strategy to bring and convey a message, moral or something that is purposely conveyed. As mentioned in Abrams (1993), characters are the persons presented in a dramatic, or native work who have moral, natural tendencies, and emotional qualities presented through their speeches and actions (p. 23). Beside, Holman and Harmon (1986) note that a character is a complicated term

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that includes the idea of the moral condition of the human personality, the presence of moral virtue, and simpler concept of human presentation as the creatures in art (p. 81).

There are some types of characters. Froster (2002) divides characters into two types, namely a flat character and a round character (pp. 46-54). The flat character is the one who does not change. This type of a character is easily recognized and remembered because he/she acts the same through the whole story. A flat character enables readers to see one side of the character. Conversely, a round character is the one who makes readers surprised because of his/her actions. A round character is very complex as he/she often undergoes significant changes. Therefore, readers are able to see all sides of the character.

b. Theory of Characterization

The process of connecting information with a figure in a text is to provide a character in a fictional world with a certain property, or properties, concerning body, mind, behavior, or relation to the (social) environment (Eder, Jannidis, & Schneider, 2010, p. 32). Such a way of understanding a character through derived information in a story is named as characterization.

Types of characterization are categorized into three distinguished factors. According to Eder, Jannidis, and Schneider (2010), characterization works directly and verbally, and indirectly (p. 32). The direct and verbal characterization ascribe a character certain traits which are not visible from the outside, particularly psychological traits. It enables readers to know the explicit name of traits. Besides, the indirect characterization ascribes traits not directly in words and it reports an

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action which can hint in at invisible states and properties. Indirect characterization includes all manner of activities, from habitual movement to a description of actions a character performs in his/her working life. Therefore readers need to observe the characteristics of a character from words, opinions, and actions in the novel until finally they can guess.

c. Method of Characterization

To describe a main character, the researcher uses the theory of characterization by Murphy and Card. According to Murphy (1972), there are nine ways of characterization (pp. 161-173). The first method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through personal description. He says that author describes a person’s characteristics through his/her appearance and clothes. Characteristics can be seen by looking at the wearing. The second method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through character as seen by another. A character is not only described through appearance and clothes but it is also described by other characters’ point of views toward him/her. Other characters will state their judgments about others. Therefore, it will be easy to understand someone’s characterization by considering other characters’ point of views. The third method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through speeches. The speeches can indicate a deeper understanding about the character when the character produces utterances to propose an idea. When the character utters an idea, what kind of person he/she is can easily be seen. Readers can know directly whether the character gives good or bad utterences.

The fourth method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through past life. The past life told in the story can help readers learn something about someone’s history and

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background. Telling about past life can be done in several ways through conversation, direct comment, and thought. One’s characteristics can be seen from the past life through experiences. The fifth method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through conversation of others. A character’ characteristics can also be seen from the conversation that happens among other characters. The way of the other characters talk about the intended character can describe his/her characteristics. The sixth method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through reaction. The characteristics can be seen from the way the character shows his/her reaction in various situations and events. The characteristics can be seen when the character reacts something. Through the reaction, readers can infer the character’s characteristics. The seventh method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through direct comment. The author can describe or give comments on a character’s characteristics through narration, especially in third-person narrator.

The eighth method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through his/her own thought. An author gives direct information about a character’s thought or even tells about what other characters think about a certain character. An author acts as he/she knows everything that is on a character’s mind. The last method proposed by Murphy (1972) is through mannerism. The characteristics of a character can be analyzed through a person’s mannerism and habit that tell about his/her characteristics. Most of characteristics are seen easily through the manners.

On the other hand, Card (1988) states other ways of characterization. He also proposes nine ways of characterization (pp. 5-13). The first way proposed by Card (1988) is through motive. Motive is what gives moral value to a character’s acts. In

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real life, motive cannot be understood fully. In fiction, however, an author can help readers understand a character’s motive with the clarity or even certainty. The second way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s past life. Knowing the character’s past revises readers understanding of who he/she is today. According to Card (1988), people are what they have done and what has been done to them. In creating a fiction character, telling about past can help readers understand the intended character at the time of the story. The third way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s reputation. Whether the reputation of the character is deserved or not, part of a character’s identity is what others say about her/him. When other characters gives personal judgment to a certain character, readers can use it to see his/her characteristics. Therefore, readers can conclude the characteristics from what others say.

The fourth way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s stereotype. The moment when people see a stranger, immediately they start classifying him/her according to the group they recognize where she/he belongs to. Similar to a fictional character, a character who fits with stereotype is familiar. Therefore, an author can use the stereotypes to make readers think that they understand her/him. The fifth way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s network. Network is also startling and effective devices in fiction to take out of character in one setting. Network puts them in another condition where difference of personality comes to the fore. The sixth way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s habits and patterns. A character’s habits and patterns of behavior are definitely a part of who a character is. Habits do not only make a character more realistic, but also open up

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story possibilities. A change in pattern shows the important changes of a character’s life.

The seventh way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’ talents and abilities. A part of who you are is what you do. Readers will perk up, if a character turns out to be unusually good at something. Someone’s talents and abilities show his characteristics including the weakness or the strength on something. The eighth way is through a character’s taste and preferences. A fictional character has preferences to make readers understand the character better. The last way proposed by Card (1988) is through a character’s body. It is a certainty important part of a character. Physical condition can force a character’s life; minority the physical problems can have powerful effect of how a person feels about the character and the others treat her/him.

2. Critical Approach

Rohrberger and Woods (1971) classify the critical approach into five types. These five types of critical approaches are a formalist approach, a biographical approach, a socio cultural-historical approach, a mythopoeic approach, and a psychological approach (p. 6-15). Formalist approach is regarded as only with esthetic value of a literary piece. Biographical approach is where the author’s background is used in appreciating his/her work. Sociocultural-historical concerns with references from social, cultural, and historical events when literary work is produced. Mythopoeic approach views that a literary piece consists of the theme of ancient myths and folk rite which are included consciously or unconsciously by the

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author. Psychological approach deals with identifying any aspect of psychology underlying a certain element of literary work.

3. Theory of Psychology

In the theory of psychology, the researcher includes the theory of conflict. This theory includes the conflict and the conflict resolution. The first part, which is the conflict, discusses the definition and types of conflict. Meanwhile, the second part, which is the conflict resolution, discusses the intrapersonal and the interpersonal conflict resolutions.

a. Conflict

According to Kasschau (2003), psychology is a scientific study of behavior and mental process (p. 9). When applied to humans, psychology covers everything that people think, feel, and do. Since the unconscious motivation and conflicts are responsible for human behavior, therefore, conflict can be considered as a psychological aspect of human being (Kasschau, 2003, p. 9). According to Insenhart and Spangle (2000), conflict is as an exposed struggle between at least two independent parties that perceive incompatible goals and inadequate resources and intrusion from another party in obtaining their goals. Conflict appears when there is a struggle between two independent parties because they cannot fulfill two or more mutual actions altogether. It happens whenever incompatible activities occur. Similarly, Wilmot and Hocker (1985) define a conflict as an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare rewards, and interference from the other parties in achieving their goals

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(as cited in Borisoff, Victor, & David, 1989, p. 2). The incompatible goals happen when the desires between two interdependent parties are different.

According to Gaffar and Khan (2012), there are five major types of conflicts including intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup, intergroup, and organizational levels (p. 333). From the five types of conflict, brief detailed information about the intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts is discussed further. According to Gaffar and Khan (2012), intrapersonal conflict arises because of multifarious reasons within an individual (p. 333). This conflict that happens within an individual indicates the presence of different ideas, opposing feelings, and activities. It causes stress, anxiety, uncertainty, hesitation, and depression. In contrast, interpersonal conflict represents conflicts between two individuals. In other words, this conflict occurs between two independent parties. Interpersonal conflict always presents in groups because individuals differ in terms of values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior. For instance, the interpersonal conflict appears because of disagreement to achieve their own goals.

b. Conflict Resolution

Conflicts often appear in human life. This condition makes people have to deal with conflicts. People have to develop strategies to deal with conflicts. McCollum (2009) states that conflicts can be managed in six ways ((p. 19). The first conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is avoidance. A person can use this strategy to steer clear of conflicts, for any number of reasons. The person can decide that the confrontation proves more troubles that are worth. The second conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is independent action. This

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approach involves the other sides starting a conflict with little or no effort to communicate with the other sides. It often involves violence, illegal acts, or both. Independent action is almost and always a bad idea. The third conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is negotiation. Negotiation consists of different sides talking one-on-one to try to work out resolution.

The fourth conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is mediation. This strategy is similar to negotiation. The difference is that an outside party as a mediator takes part. The mediator makes no decisions, but helps smooth the communication between the sides of conflict. The fifth conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is arbitration. Arbitration involves an outside party taking part discussions. An arbitrator makes judgment about how the conflict should be resolved. The last conflict resolution proposed by McCollum (2009) is litigation. Litigation is the use of legal system to settle a dispute.

There are several ways to handle conflict based on its types that are faced. Kasschau (2003) proposes four types of intrapersonal conflict situation and how it is resolved (pp. 415-416). The first type of conflict proposed by Kasschau (2003) is an approach- approach type. An individual must choose between two alternatives. To deal with this type of conflict, one decides which one goal that he or she wants to approach. Such a conflict is generally easy to resolve. An approach-approach conflict is a conflict in name only. It does not produce a great deal of stress because both choices are satisfying. The second type of conflict proposed by Kasschau (2003) is an avoidance-avoidance type. The type occurs when an individual

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confronts two unattractive alternatives. Therefore, the most possible way to solve it is to either leave the conflict or choose one better alternative over the other.

The third type of conflict proposed by Kasschau (2003) is an approach- avoidance type. An individual who wants to do something but has fears or doubts or is repulsed by it at the same time is experiencing an approach-avoidance conflict. The resolution of this conflict is often very difficult and depends generally on the person’s finding added reason to choose one alternative over the other. The fourth type of conflict proposed by Kasschau (2003) is a double approach-avoidance conflict. An individual must choose between two goals or more alternatives, each of which has attractive and unattractive aspects. In other words, this type concerns with choosing one goal and as a consequence in giving up the other goals.

Adler and Towne (1990) propose three manners of taking the decision to do or not to do something in interpersonal conflict (pp. 376-380). The first manner proposed by Adler and Towne (1990) is a win-lose problem solving in which the party gets what she/he wants while another party is not. Therefore, there will only be one satisfied party. The second manner proposed by Adler and Towne (1990) is a lose-lose problem solving in which neither side is satisfied with the decision. The third manner proposed by Adler and Towne (1990) is a win-win problem solving. It aims to satisfy both parties. It does not involve compromise in which one should give up something or find the most correct solution for everybody with similar problem, but it works when the individuals can find the right answer to the problem.

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4. Theory of Culture

This category consists of four parts. Those parts are 1) the culture, 2) the Chinese and American culture, 3) the culture shock, and 4) the stages of culture shock.

a. Culture

The definition of culture varies. Geertz (1973) interprets culture as a historically transmitted pattern of meaning embodied in symbol, a system of inherited conceptions expressed in a symbolic form by means which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge and their attitudes toward life. In the different definition, culture is a group-related, learned perceptions (including verbal and nonverbal codes), attitudes, values, belief and disbelief systems, plus accepted and expected codes behavior taught by the groups with which we identify (Heine, 2008).

b. Chinese and American Culture

Chinese and American culture are dissimilar in values, attitudes, and beliefs. According to Xiao (2001), the value constructs found in the United States is not identical to those found in mainland China (p. 12). According to Xiao (2001) a fundamental reason for the variation of values is that values are deeply rooted in ideology. Thus, the different ideologies indicate the presence of the differences between China and America. According to Xiao (2001) in America, the ideology emphasizes self-reliance and individuals’ responsibility and dictates that individuals are personally responsible for their own progress. It can be concluded that in China, self-help and self-reliance are also much emphasized. According to

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Xiao (2001) the primary purpose of the emphasis is not to pursue personal happiness and success but rather to contribute to the glory of the family and the well-being of the society. Beside, according to Xiao (2001), while American is centered on the value of Judeo-Christians roots, Chinese culture is built upon a value system crystallized in Confucianism (p. 111). Chinese do the ancestors’ worship to maintain the family line. Chinese seem to have traditional point of views than American do. According to Xiao (2001) in China, people believe in karma about one’s behaviors always owned in later life and afterlife (Xiao, 2001, p. 138) According to Xiao (2001), in an American society, females are taught to be more submissive, passive, obedient, and nurturing than males (p. 12). On the other hand, according to Xiao (2001) in regard to socialization values, researchers seem to agree that, traditionally, Chinese patriarchy shapes the structure of authority and control of property in the Chinese family. It can be concluded that in this system, women's situations are most pitiable than men. On the other words, men occupy a higher class position than women do in China. According to Smith (1994), the boys in China are considered as crucial and important because they will continue the family line and maintain the ancestral sacrifice (p. 248). Therefore, it makes boys more crucial than girls and have better position in China.

According to Smith (1994), China is said to be a classless society in the sense that no person is better than any other in social ranking. Each individual is a full member of the big family; therefore, each member has the social responsibility of serving and cooperating with other members toward shared goals. It can be concluded that Chinese tends to be collective-oriented culture. According to Smith

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(1994), American culture is often considered an individualism-oriented culture, in contrast with Chinese culture, which emphasizes collectivism. In collective cultures, individuals are willing to subordinate their personal goals to the goals of various in-groups, such as the family, the tribe, or the work group. By contrast, in individualistic cultures, it is considered to be acceptable for individuals to place personal goals ahead of the group's goals.

c. Culture Shock

Culture shock is an initial adjustment to an unfamiliar environment in which the psychological process of culture shock has been used to describe the adjustment process on its emotional, psychological, behavioral, psychological impacts on individual (Pedersen, 1995, p. 2). On the other hand, Church (1982) states that culture shock is the feeling of being anxious, helpless, irritable, and in general, homesick that one experiences on moving to a new culture (as cited in Heine, 2008, p. 514). Furthermore, culture shock happens when an individual starts adjusting to an unfamiliar environment. The process of adjusting to the new culture has psychological impacts such being anxious, helpless, irritable, and homesick. Those symptoms will not exist through individual’s life unless the individual has a strategy in acculturation process. Heine (2008) states that one of the best predictors of acculturative success is language ability (p. 521). People need to master the language of the host country in order to get successful in acculturative. According to Heine (2008) there are other skills that need to be mastered in addition to learning a new language when one moves to new culture for example: people have to accomplish daily tasks such as making friends.

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Language plays an important role in the process of acculturation because it is used in daily interaction. While someone learns about language, the person has to present their success in daily tasks. The process of acculturation cannot leap from the name of strategies. Positive or negative attitudes towards one’s host culture or heritage culture yield four different strategies (Heine, 2008, p. 521). He distinguishes the acculturation into four types: 1) integration strategy, the strategy that involves attempts to fit in and fully participate in the host culture while at the same time striving to maintain the traditions of one’s heritage culture, 2) marginalization, the strategy that involves little or no effort to participate in the host culture or to maintain the heritage culture, 3) assimilation strategy, the strategy that involves an attempt to fit in and fully participate while making little or no effort to maintain one’s heritage cultures, 4) separation, the strategy that involves effort to maintain the tradition of the heritage culture while making little or no effort to participate in the host culture.

d. Stages of Culture Shock

Alder & Peter (1975) specify the stages of culture shock into five (as cited in Pedersen, 1995, p. 3). The first stage proposed by Alder and Peter (1975) is honeymoon stage. It is where the newly arrived individual experiences the curiosity and excitement of a tourist, but where the person basic identity is rooted in the back-home setting. The second stage proposed by Alder and Peter (1975) is disintegration stage. An individual is overwhelmed by the new culture’s requirements. An individual typically experiences self-blame and sense of personal inadequacy for any difficulties encountered.

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The third stage proposed by Alder and Peter (1975) is reintegration. It is an increased ability to function in the new culture. The emotions associated with this stage are typically anger and represent toward the new culture as having caused difficulties and being less adequate than the old familiar ways. The fourth stage proposed by Alder and Peter (1975) is the continuing of reintegration. It increases ability to see the bad or good elements in both old and new culture. The last is reciprocal interdependent. It happens when the person has ideally achieved biculturalism, has become fluent in both old and new culture.

B.Theoretical Framework

In the previous section, the researcher includes four categories of related theories to help analyze the novel and answer the research problems of this study. Those categories include the theory of character and characterization, the critical approach, the theory of psychology, and the theory of culture. The theory of character and characterization includes the theory of character and characterization and as well as the method of characterization. The critical approach includes some approaches that are used to underlay this study. The theory of psychology includes the theory of conflict. In the last category, the theory of culture is stated. Hence, in this theoretical framework, the researcher explains the contribution of those four categories of theoretical scope to this study.

Since one of the aims of this study is to find the major character’s characteristics, the researcher uses the methods of characterization by Murphy (1972) and Card (1988). The methods of characterization that are proposed by

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Murphy are personal description, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction, direct comment, thought, and mannerism. The other methods of characterization come from Card include motive, the past, reputation, stereotype, network, habits and patterns, talents and abilities, tastes and preferences, and body. The researcher includes the methods because those are appropriate to analyze the major character’ characteristics as seen and described in the novel. Those kinds of methods can be used to indicate the responses from the main character in dealing with culture shock experiences. It can show how Kai Ting’s characteristics are seen and described in the novel.

Besides, the critical approach is included as a reference since in analyzing the novel, the study employs psychological and sociocultural-historical approaches, which is the part of the five approaches by Rohrberger and Wood. Both approaches are in this study to avoid the subjectivity. The theory of psychology includes theory of conflict which consists of the types of conflict and the conflict resolution. Those theories aims to help reveal the conflicts that the major character experiences in dealing with culture shock. Besides, the theory of culture is used to widen the understanding about two different cultures; America and China. Since this study aims to find the influences of culture to conflict, the socio-cultural historical approach is applied. Therefore, it leads to the discussion of culture shock conflict experiences based on those related theories and specifically using psychological and sociocultural-historical approaches.

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25 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of three sections, namely the object of the study, the approach of the study, and the method of the study. The object of the study tells about the information of the novel. The approach of the study tells about the approaches used to analyze the novel. The method of the study provides the procedures taken in this study.

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is a novel entitled China Boy written by Gus Lee. It was the first novel published in 1991. Lee described his life in this best-selling autobiographical fiction. He also wrote some other novels after the year of 1991 such as Honor and Duty (1994), Tiger's Tail (1996),and Chasing Hepburn (2004). China boy is a fiction, which is rendered to the experience of family relationship, the perils of growing up in America of sharp differences and sharp humanity, and culture shock. It tells about Kai Ting, the only American-born son of an aristocratic Mandarin family that flees China to America in the wake of Mao’s revolution. Living and growing in Panhandle, he is caught between two different cultures, Chinese and American way of life. After the death of his mother, he suddenly takes into American culture by his stepmother, a Philadelphia society woman who tries to erase every vestige of China. It also tells about the situation of his being plunged into different ways of life in a different society.

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B. Approach of the Study

The researcher used the psychological and the socio-cultural approach in this study. These two approaches are taken from the critical approach proposed by Rohrberger and Wood (1971). This critical approach is divided into five, namely formalist approach, biographical approach, sociocultural-historical approach, mythopoeic approach, and psychology approach. In China Boy, there are conflicts that occur because of different values and the way of life between two cultures. Since conflict can be considered as a psychological aspect of human being, the researcher used the psychological approach. Moreover, the researcher also used the socio culture approach because this study examined how China and America are different in terms of cultural entity. Besides, since the focus of this study is on a culture shock phenomenon, the sociocultural-historical approach is the appropriate approach.

C. Method of the Study

Since the object of this study is a novel entitled China Boy, the method of this study was library research. According to George (2008), library research is an integral part of inquiry in any field, allowing researchers to determine what related work has already been done and how experts have assessed it (p. 21). It allows the researcher to identify and locate sources that provide factual information or expert opinions.

Therefore, the researcher applied reading and taking notes as the main procedures. Based on the main procedures, several procedures were taken in this

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study. The first procedure was reading the novel. The researcher read the novel several times to understand the whole story. Besides, the reading focused on the main character’s responses to cultures shock experiences and conflict experiences when he deals with culture shock. Those two focuses were important to be observed in order to answer the two research problems of this study. During the reading, the researcher also underlined and noted down some related information to help answer the research problems.

Having understood the story, the researcher quoted some relevant theories. The researcher began to read some books and journals that could give additional knowledge and direct contribution to the study. The reference theories that gave direct contribution were the theory of character and characterization, the conflict, and the culture, which were included on the review of the related theories. The next step was analyzing the novel by applying the theories on the analysis. In this step, the researcher tried to discuss the two research problems by using the selected approaches and related theories. In the last step, the researcher derived conclusions of the study. The conclusions included the drawing of the findings of the study, the implications, and the suggestions.

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28 CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter aims to answer the two the research questions of this study. It consists of two sections. The first section discusses the description of Kai Ting’s characteristics as a response to culture shock experiences. Besides, the second section discusses about Kai Ting’s intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts in dealing with culture shock experiences.

A. The Description of Kai Ting’s Characteristics as a Response to Culture Shock Experiences

A novel, which is a type of literary works, can represent a real life situation. It can be adapted from a real story of human life. It includes several elements in which one of them is a character. As stated in Abrams (1993), characters are the persons presented in a dramatic, or native work who have moral, natural tendencies, and emotional qualities presented through their speeches and actions (p. 23). There are several characters which are included in the novel entitled China Boy. The main character of this novel is Kai Ting, who is specially called as ‘China Boy’. The main character is regarded as a round character because he makes significant changes. In the very beginning of the story, Kai inherits Chinese beliefs and denies all about America. However, he can make changes by accepting American beliefs without erasing all the vestige of his Chinese beliefs. Therefore, the methods of characterization that are purposed by

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Murphy (1972) and Card (1988) are needed in analyzing and finding Kai’s characteristics. The characteristics will be revealed through his reaction, speech, mannerism, thought, body and talent and habit as seen in the novel. According to Eder, Jannidis, and Schneider (2010), indirect characterization ascribes traits directly in words and it reports an action which can hint in at invisible states and properties (p. 32). Thus, the description of Kai’s characteristics using indirect characterization are as follows.

1. Kai Ting’s Characteristics Possessed before Learning in Y.M.C.A

Before learning in Y.M.C.A, Kai Ting possesses some characteristics. The characteristics becomes the possible causes of his culture shock experiences. Thus, the description of Kai Ting characteristics before learning in Y.M.C.A are described as follows.

a. Untalented

Most kids in Panhandle play ball and fight. Kids who can play a ball but are chicken fighters do not belong to the block. Kai cannot play ball and fight.

I was ignorant of the culture, clumsy in the language, and blessed with body that made Tinker Bell ruthless. I was guileless and awkward in sports (p. 4).

It shows that Kai is not really talented and he has a low ability in playing a ball, a sport which must be mastered by Panhandle kids. He describes himself when playing a ball as a goat. Kai’s talent and ability on these matters indicate his untalented characteristic. Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, untalented is defined as “having no talent or special ability”. As mentioned in Card (1988), a part of who you are is what you do. Therefore, it can

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be concluded that he is a type of children who do not want to take a risk in trying things, which makes him untalented.

b. Obedient

Kai is an obedient child. It can be seen from his reaction when his mother asks him not to gather with the society. Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, obedient is defined as “obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority”. His mother does not give him permission to go outside and fight, but wants him to become a musician. Most of American children play outside and fight. In China, there is a belief that children who fight hurt their karmas. “Bad river spirits there; I can feel them, in command of the street and all those children that fight out there hurt their karmas.” (p. 31). When his mother said “There are fine musicians in America, you are to be one of them.” he smiled back to his mother (p. 32). He is also good in prediction. Kai thinks that his mother’s face tells that if he goes outside, he will lose the music and become a ruffian and the sun will bake his skin and make him the same as the urchins on the street. He obeys what his mother’s prohibition by smiling back at her and does not say anything to disobey his mother.

c. Antisocial

Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, antisocial is defined as “unwilling or unable to associate in a normal or friendly way with other people”. Kai’s mother used to teach him all about being a Chinese boy. She brings Chinese faith along her life which shapes Kai’s characteristics. Because of the faith that believes fighting and playing with other kids outside to be unacceptable,

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Kai becomes an antisocial child. Kai’s mother keeps him indoor until the age of seven. As a result, he knows nothing about other children in his age. All he knows is everything about what are believed in China. As a result, he becomes more antisocial.

Mother walked me to school on the first day of my first grade, my heart slugging with pounding anxiety. I wanted to go out, but I had been held out of kindergarten. I did not want to go to school. That lasted of hours. I wanted to see other children, not be with them (p. 36).

The quotation above shows that Kai wants to see his friends than play with them in the school. He does not want to be with his friends like he used to be kept indoor. He also does not have any interest in other kids in his childhood. A condition in which Kai is not accustomed to socializing makes him an antisocial child. It is shown from his manner in term of the rejection in socializing with other kids in Panhandle. Therefore, his being antisocial is inferred from his mannerism as what mentioned in Murphy (1972) that a character’s characteristic can be seen through the mannerism.

d. Inferior

Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, inferior is defined as “less important, valuable, or worthy”. Based on his thought, Kai is portrayed as an inferior child. He has different conditions from other kids in America, especially Panhandle. Therefore his conditions make him experience troubles when he struggles with his new American life.

I was seven years old and simpler, shorter, and blinder that most. I enjoyed Chinese calligraphy, loved Shanghai food, and heated peanuts and my own spilled blood. It was all very simple, but the results were so complicated (p. 4).

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The quotation above shows that his physical appearance and interests are different from most Panhandle kids. Kai has different conditions compared to others. It makes him feel inferior and helpless. The status of being different itself is the cause of all troubles that he experiences in dealing with his new life in Panhandle. e. Weepy and Coward

Based on Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, weepy is defined as “tending to weep; tearful; lachrymose”. Kai is described as a weepy child. This characteristic is derived from his reaction when he gets bullied. For several times, he cries because of being bullied by his friends. Instead of hitting back his friends who hit him, he tends to cry. He has been hit by two people when going to school. The first blow lands on his heart and the second has absently glanced off his arm.

I yelled as something incredibly hurtful hit my chest and I went backward on the step, hitting the back of my head. Shocked and feeling pain, I began to cry (p. 63).

Kai does not have bravery to protect himself from the beating. Even when trying to communicate with other kids in the school, he is hit by his friends again. This uncontrollable actions or utterances bellow happen when Kai experiences fear condition.

Something else hit me and now, convinced that death was calling. I wailed with all my might. I was calling to Janie, Megan, and Jennifer. I was so panicked that I forgot that none of them was home (p. 63).

In relation to a weepy person, Kai can also be seen as a coward person. It is shown by his reaction when he argues about fighting with Toussaint, the only kid who does not trap Kai during the beating. Toussaint becomes friendly to Kai even

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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

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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.

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B. Kai Ting’s Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Conflict in Dealing with Culture Shock

Based on the novel, it is described that Kai Ting finds difficulties to adjust to the host culture. Kai still holds the Chinese culture although he is already in Panhandle that carries different values and way of life. The feeling of being anxious, helpless, irritable, and in general, homesick that one experiences on moving to a new culture as proposed by Church (1982) shows a sign of culture shock (as cited in Heine, 2008, p. 514). This novel tells how Kai feels rejected by the culture, which makes him feel anxious, helpless, and irritable. In other words, these feelings show that he experiences culture shock.

I was special. I was trying to become an accepted black male youth in the 1950s- A competitive, dangerous, harshly won objective. This was more difficult because I was Chinese. I was ignorant of the culture, clumsy in the language, and blessed with a body that make Tinker Bell look ruthless. I was guileless and awkward in sports. I faced an uphill challenge with downhill set of assets (p. 4).

He feels helpless and irritable when he says that it is more difficult to be accepted as a black male youth and admits that he is ignorant of culture. He also reveals his feeling by exaggerating it. He describes himself as a Tinker Bell who has a small body and is ignorant of the culture. He also expresses that he has to survive from the condition of being ignorant with his weaknesses. However, to sum up all of his struggling between the existences of two cultures, Kai succeeds to adjust to the new culture. According to Heine (2008), Kai’s attitude toward the host culture is considered as an assimilation strategy. He attempts to fully participate in the host culture while making little or no effort to maintain one’s heritage cultures.

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Alder and Peter (1975) mention there are five stages of culture shock, which include honeymoon stage, disintegration stage, reintegration stage, the continuing of reintegration, and reciprocal stage (as cited in Pedersen, 1995, p. 3). Based on Kai’s experiences in dealing with culture shock, he has reached the continuing of reintegration stage by the end of the story. It happens when the person increases the ability to function in the new culture by considering both the good elements of Chinese culture and American culture. He realizes that fighting is necessary for him to fix his identity in the place he lives. Even though he loses his own language, he succeeds to survive from the fear of being an ignorant child in Panhandle. In addition, there are several causes that make him experience culture shock. It is important to discuss the causes of culture shock in order to give insight why the conflicts occur. Those causes are the different social values, beliefs, ways of life, languages, and interests, and the lack of socialization.

1. Different Social Values

The value constructs found in the United States is not identical to those found in mainland China (Xiao, 2001, p. 12). Each society carries their own values that make different values possibly exist. Thus, the values found in China are in contrast to that of in America. One will experience culture shock when moving to another country since the country does not share the same values. According to Xiao (2001), while American is centered on the value of Judeo-Christians roots, Chinese culture is built upon a value system crystallized in Confucianism (p. 111). In addition, the Confucianism describes the respect for tradition and reciprocity in social relations. The Chinese lends new meaning to the

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concept of interaction. Anyone can relate to other people, but traditional Chinese honors the dead. Chinese believes in Ching Ming, which means “shiny bright”,

the ritual of paying homage ancestors (p. 39). As what Kai used to do, every week he follows his mother to go to shrine to have an ancestor’s ritual. According to Smith (1994), the boys in China are considered as crucial and important because they will continue the family line and maintain the ancestral sacrifice (p. 248).

In contrast, Kai’s stepmother, Edna, is an eclectic adventurer in religion. Her present passion is Christian Science. When Kai lives with her as a stepchild, he is sent to a Holy Christian Church of Almighty God. As the characteristic of western people, they will go to church as regularly as going to movie once a week. Kai’s family as being a part of Chinese culture is also confused to mean the value of religion.

Now Jane Ming li had assumed that the role of conscience in our mother’s absence, and tried to find for Edna in every book in the Bible. We both were fascinated with Exodus. Megan Wai-la, abandoned by our mother and seemingly by the gods, was understandably drawn to agnosticism. Jenifer Sung- ah, like our mother, adored Mozart. Father was a Confucian, which nonsecular ethical faith and involves ancestor rituals inappropriate for dinner table (p. 80).

The quotation above shows that Kai and his family mean the religion differently. None of them carries Christian beliefs. Kai is a Confucian like his father used to. “And of course, I am Confucian; I respect my father.” (p. 27). As a result, Kai is confused when he is in the congregation because he never goes to church before.

An anxiety pressed on me as everyone under the roof sang their hearts out in mind-sweeping melodic majesty. When I first heard the rich, emotive singing. I did not realize that the people in the congregation were

producing it. Nor did I know the words, except for “Jesus” and “love” (p. 80).

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2. Different Beliefs

In Panhandle, boys do not beg, but fight. Mainly, most boys fight in the street. Street fighting was like menstruation for men, merely thinking about it did not make it happen; the imagined result were frightening; and rationale for wanting to do it was less than clear (p. 3). Thus, most Panhandle boys are fighting there. Differently, in China, people believe in karma about one’s behaviors always owned in later life and afterlife (Xiao, 2001, p. 138). China has a unique way to respect karma. Kai’s mother teaches him that fight can hurt karma, which makes Kai hardly accustomed to the way of the Panhandle kids’ life.

The jam was that I felt that hurting people damaged my yuing chi, my balanced karma. Panhandle kids described karma as, what go around, come around (pp. 3-4).

It shows that the meaning of karma in Panhandle and China is different. Kai carries the Chinese belief about fighting and karma. He does not like fighting as what he utters to his friend, Toussaint.

“I do not like fight. Don’t think Mother wants me to fight. She says bad for

karma. What you think?” I asked. (p. 95)

3. Different Ways of Life

According to Jandt (2006), cultures that place high values on masculine trait stress assertiveness, competition, and material success (p. 171). America is one of those type of cultures. According to Rojjanaprapayon (1997) Masculinity in all cultures is not the same as Hofstede’s Western concept of masculinity as assertiveness, aggressiveness, and goal orientation (as cited in Jandt, 2006, p. 172). In addition, men solve conflicts by fighting and arguing. Panhandlers mean their masculine through fighting.

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Blacks, for more hundred years, had been fighting and bleeding under their nation’s flag, hoping for a share of the fruits of victory. They had all the optimism of Dickens’s Mr. Micawber, with none of his chances (p.14). The reason why the kids in Panhandle fight is that it is how kids become a man later on. Kai has Toussaint as his guidance to American boyhood. Toussaint tells Kai about the reason of fighting.

“Now, ain’t no mo’ dat,” he said, smiling. “We kin fights, like men.” He was speaking very seriously. Fighting was a measure of citizenship. Of civilization. I didn’t think so (p. 98).

Due to Kai’s origin as a Chinese, accepting fighting as a part of culture is still difficult. It is proved from the debate that occurs between Kai and Toussaint. Kai does not think that fight is used to measure the citizenship.

4. Different Languages

The geographical distance between Shanghai and Philadelphia describes all the differences in the world, including the language used. Hence, Edna as a Philadelphia woman roles everyone in the house to speak in English. However Kai is lack of proficiency of speaking in English when he is plunged into American culture, he needs to practice speaking in English. As a result, the different language mastery creates misunderstanding between Kai and his mother.

“When tsow mien?” I asked. I was requesting for noodles, the food of the

gods.

“what is ‘sow men’?”.

Tsow-mien,” I said, louder. (p. 58).

From the conversation above, it can be concluded that he has a low performance in speaking in English. In some conversations with Edna, he tries to communicate with her using lexical-borrowing and mixes the language and still with a bad

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grammar. He fails to socialize with the other kids because of such language problem.

At first I thought I was being punished in a universal way for language incompetence. Stepmother Edna hated my dialect, which was at the me-Tarzan level, and it was unmistakably clear how the neighborhood children viewed my communication pattern (p. 64).

Heine (2008) states that one of the best predictors of acculturative success is language ability (p. 521). To be successfully integrated in the host culture he has to master the language.

5. Different Interests

Panhandle kids are talking about fighting and sport for nearly a year. The different interest can be the cause of culture shock. When Kai finds the kids talk about fighting and sport, he feels disappointed because he has different interest. He wants to talk about food and their mothers but no one talks about that.

I wanted to talk about food and hear their mothers. “Who ma’ fucken?” I asked.

“China Boy,” said one, tiredly. “Don be buttin in, fool. Don hurt yo mouf when ya’ll don know shit” (p. 90).

The second interest is about sport. The kid in Panhandle play a ball and fight. They run, they jump, and they argue. Kai meets his first ball at age of seven. Kai does not have pleasure to play it after the ball smack his face. The ball became my enemy and made me the Martin the kids already suspected me to be (p. 90). Thus, he experiences culture shock because of different interest.

6. Lack of Socialization

A child cannot learn the ways of socializing by being apart from people. Thus, socialization is a function of social interaction which allows to acquire other

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