Crisis in the 1970s New York City as seen in Colum McCann`s Let The Great World Spin.

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CRISIS IN THE 1970s NEW YORK CITY
AS SEEN IN COLUM McCANN’s LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in
English Letters

By
MATIAS SRI ADITYA
Student Number: 084214040

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013

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CRISIS IN THE 1970s NEW YORK CITY
AS SEEN IN COLUM McCANN’s LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in
English Letters

By

MATIAS SRI ADITYA
Student Number: 084214040

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2013

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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
Nomor Mahasiswa

: Matias Sri Aditya
: 084214040

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
CRISIS IN THE 1970s NEW YORK CITY
AS SEEN IN COLUM MCCANN’S LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN.
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 utuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun
memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai
penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta.

Pada tanggal: 30 Agustus 2013
Yang menyatakan

(Matias Sri Aditya)

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STATEMENT 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 the references, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, August 30th, 2013.
The Writer,

Matias Sri Aditya
084214040

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“And unto Adam He said, “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, ‘Thou shalt not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.”
[Genesis 3:17]

Everybody loves you when you are
six foot under the ground. [John Lennon]

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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to my dad and mom,
and also Christiana Megastra Cendrawasih.
I will not become a sitting turkey.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank The Maker at first for his grace has inspired me to
finish this undergraduate thesis. He who is the truest and the purest has become a
great ally in the past one and a half year. So many things happened when I was in
the progress of finishing this undergraduate thesis.
I also would like to thank my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.
who guided me through the darkest hours of my presence. Without his helping
hands, I would be numb and did not know what to do.
In this chance, I also thank my co-advisor, Adventina Putranti, S.S.,
M.Hum. for her guidance during the most decisive weeks of my progress. Her
comments and corrections are the dims of light in the darkness.
A bunch of thanks to my father and mother who have been very patient
waking me up every morning to chase the opportunities. I also owe Christiana
Megastra Cendrawasih a lot for building up my mood again and again in writing

this undergraduate thesis.
Good friends are the best painkiller. I would like to thank the boys of
Summer in Vienna, Dimas, Latan, Gisa, Dadan, and Wipti for the great nights
during our gigs together. I would also like to thank my fellow friends in English
Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University year 2008 for the days of
struggling together in classes.

Matias Sri Aditya

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL PAGE ........................................................................................... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ..................................................................................... iii
LEMBAR PENGESAHAN PUBLIKASI ILMIAH ........................................ iv
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................. v
MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................. vi
DEDICATION PAGE...................................................................................... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................. ix
ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... xi
ABSTRAK ......................................................................................................... xii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1
A.
Background Of The Study ............................................................ 1
B.
Problem Formulation .................................................................... 5
C.
Objectives The Study .................................................................... 5
D.
Definition of Terms ...................................................................... 6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW...................................................... 7

A.
Review of Related Studies ............................................................ 7
B.
Review of Related Theories ........................................................ 11
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ............................. 11
2. Theory of Setting ................................................................. 15
3. Review on the 1970’s New York City ................................... 16
4. Theory of Relation between Literature and the Society.......... 20
C.
Theoretical Framework ............................................................... 21
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 22
A.
Object of the Study ..................................................................... 22
B.
Approach of the Study ................................................................ 23
C.
Method of the Study ................................................................... 24
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ............................................................................ 25
A.
Depiction of New York City through Characters ......................... 25
1. Claire .................................................................................... 26
2. Gloria.................................................................................... 30
3. Solomon Soderberg............................................................... 34
4. Tillie Henderson ................................................................... 38
B.

Depiction of New York City through Setting .............................. 41
1. Setting of Place ..................................................................... 42
2. Setting of Time ..................................................................... 47

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C.

Crisis in the 1970’s New York City as Reflected by the Characters
and the Setting ........................................................................... 49
1. Vietnam War......................................................................... 50
2. Watergate Scandal ............................................................... 52
3. Social and Economic Crisis in New York City ...................... 54

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ....................................................................... 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................ 61

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ABSTRACT
Matias Sri Aditya. Crisis in the 1970s New York City as seen in Colum
McCann’s Let the Great World Spin. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
History is essential to mankind. Our past determines what we are today.
The questions of our past are kept revolving since there are several things remain
hidden. The knowledge of our past really makes us understand more about what
and where we stand in today’s world. Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin
reveals a happening in the 1970’s New York City. What really happened at that
time is presented by the intertwining characters with the relevancy of setting in
the novel.
There are three problems formulated as the cue of this undergraduate
thesis. The first problem describes the potrait of characters who deal with the
crisis. The second problem tends to reveal how the setting of the novel portrays
the crisis in the story. The third problem formulation tends to connect the first and
the second problem to reveal the relevancy between the findings in the novel and
the actual happenings at that time.
This undergraduate thesis applies library research. Quotes in this
undergraduate thesis are gathered from books, others’ undergraduate thesis, and
web articles. Sociocultural-historical approach is applied in this undergraduate
thesis. The approach is used as this undergraduate thesis exposes the actual
conditions of the 1970’s New York City as seen in the novel.
The analysis focuses on the characters and the setting to reveal what
actually happened at a certain time. This setting coincides with the characters
which represent what the society is or how a society works. The characters and
the setting deal with the crisis that happened in the 1970’s New York City. Four
characters in the novel are used in this study: Claire Soderberg, Gloria, Solomon
Soderberg, and Tillie Henderson. Each character portrays different aspects of
crisis in New York City. Claire and Gloria share similar grief of losing their
children in the war. Tillie and Solomon portray life in the streets of New York
City. The setting also takes part in describing the crisis in the seventies New York
City. It can be seen through several happenings presented in the novel such as
coincidences with the raging Vietnam war, Watergate issue, and crime rate level.
Characters and the setting are bound together to portray the crisis that happened in
the 1970’s New York City.

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ABSTRAK
Matias Sri Aditya. Crisis in the 1970s New York City as seen in Colum
McCann’s Let the Great World Spin. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
Sejarah merupakan hal yang esensial bagi manusia. Pertanyaan tentang
masa lalu kerap terlontar karena masih banyak hal yang tidak terungkap.
Pengetahuan tentang apa yang terjadi di masa lampau membuat kita lebih
mengerti tentang dimana kita berada pada masa kini. Let the Great World Spin
karya Colum McCann berkisah tentang suatu kejadian yang terjadi di kota New
York pada tahun 1970-an. Apa yang terjadi pada masa itu digambarkan oleh
karakter yang saling bertautan dan hubungannya dengan setting.
Ada tiga rumusan masalah yang menjadi acuan pada skripsi ini. Rumusan
masalah yang pertama berfokus pada gambaran karakter yang berhadapan dengan
krisis di dalam novel. Rumusan masalah yang kedua membahas bagaimana setting
turut menggambarkan suatu suatu krisis. Rumusan masalah yang ketiga berfokus
pada kaitan antara rumusan masalah pertama dan kedua yang kemudian merujuk
pada temuan dalam novel dengan kejadian yang sebenarnya terjadi.
Skripsi sarjana ini menggunakan penelitian pustaka. Kutipan yang terdapat
dalam skripsi ini diambil dari buku, skripsi milik orang lain, dan artikel di
internet. Pendekatan sociocultural-historical diterapkan pada skripsi ini.
Pendekatan ini digunakan karena mengekspos kondisi nyata di kota New York
pada tahun 1970-an.
Analisis tertuju pada karakter dan setting untuk mengungkap apa yang
terjadi pada suatu rentang waktu. Setting berhubungan dengan karakter yang
menggambarkan sebuah keadaan masyarakat. Karakter dan seting ini pula-lah
yang berurusan dengan krisis yang terjadi di New York pada tahun 1970-an. Ada
empat karakter yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini: Claire Soderberg, Gloria,
Solomon Soderberg, dan Tillie Henderson. Tiap karakter menggambarkan aspek
krisis kota New York yang berbeda. Claire dan Gloria memiliki kesedihan yang
sama akan kehilangan putra karena perang. Tillie dan Solomon menggambarkan
kehidupan jalanan di kota New York. Setting juga turut berperan dalam paparan
akan krisis di kota New York tahun tujuhpuluh-an. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari
beberapa kejadian di novel yang erat kaitannya dengan perang Vietnam, isu
Watergate, dan tingkat kriminalitas yang tinggi. Karakter dan setting erat
kaitannya dengan gambaran krisis yang terjadi di kote New York pada tahun
1970-an.

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature has become a part of everybody’s life since the beginning of
mankind’s existence. It’s a work of art that represents the life itself by the
depictions in word-playing and letters. The main aspect in literature, comparing
with other works of art, lies on the imagination generated by the brain in
responding the experience of reading. This experience of reading produces
understanding or interpretation, which is very subjective or personal depending on
the reader’s past experience, background, and culture. That is why the
interpretation of a novel, for example, may vary from one person to another.
Due to the fact that literature can be very subjective in the thinking realm
of its readers, it is common that literature is very subjective in the realm of its
author. When a work of literature is produced, it can not be separated with the
world that surrounds it. It means that it might have something to do with the life
of the author, or even the actual events where and when the story takes place.
Rene Welleck stated in his book, Theory of Literature, that the most common
approach to the relations of literature and society is the study of works of
literature as social documents, as assumed picures of social reality. It can not be
doubted that some kind of social picture can be abstracted from literature (1956:
102). It can be concluded that a work of literature is actually extracted from the
reality, or in other words, a mini reality that comes from the reality.

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A novel, as what the writer has said before, forms a seclusive reality that
comes from actual events in the real life. It is a miniature of the outside world that
has conventions of its own but still based on the world itself. It has the power to
create, influence, or heal the wounds of the society by exposing events.
Happenings in a novel can be understood as an imitation of the ‘real world.’
Aristotle, Plato’s famous pupil, defines poetry as imitation in his book, Poetics.
‘Epic poetry and Tragedy, and also Comedy, Dythrambic poetry, and most
flute-playing and lyre-playing are all, viewed as a whole, modes of
imitation’; and ‘the objects the imitator represents are actions …’ (1953:
9).
Plato’s thought about imitation gives comprehensive understanding about
how a work of art actually works. A ‘work of art’ itself can refer to any works
produced by an artist such as sculpture, paintings, music, poetry, and even a
novel. He thinks that every ‘work or art’ can be viewed as modes of imitation. It
imitates the real natural form by producing another form, a work of art.
For centuries, the United States is well known as ‘land of opportunity.’ It
is a place where people can start everything from zero to eventually be something
or somebody. No doubt, it attracts people from across the globe to give it a try;
especially those who live in the old country, or in Europe continent. According to
Harlow in his book Story of America; the discovery, exploration, and colonization
of America also greatly affected the world history, just like how they were
affected by the world history. America offered opportunities for nations to expand
through colonies, trade, and exploitation. More important, America offered

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individuals a chance to escape from crowded Europe, and find riches, adventure,
and freedom in a new land (1953: 19).
One of the most important colonies in newly-formed United States was
New York. It is located in the east coast of North America so that it is quite
accessible for immigrants to come. The capital of New York state is New York
City, or formerly known as New Amsterdam, which was acquired by the duke of
York from the Dutch. Centuries after that, we can say that everybody knows New
York City. This capital city of the east coast has established itself as one of the
world’s most famous city right from its culture, lifestyle, and its eccentricity. It
sets people’s standard of living and it makes people want to live, or at least, live
like New Yorkers.
The novel discussed in this undergraduate thesis is Let the Great World
Spin by Colum McCann. The unique aspect lies on its theme which portrays the
social conditions of New York City in the 1970s. The decade is important in the
United States’ history timeline since it shaped the modern America. The writer
sees that the 1970s era was fundamental, since it determined the way where the
nation goes. Several stories are bound and intertwined one to another, with each
character can represent issues which became major concern at that time.
McCann portrays the American life in the 1970s. Based on this fact, this
undergraduate thesis discusses the depiction of social conditions in the 1970s New
York City. This novel tells several stories that are bound by one major event, the
tightrope walking between the World Trade Center building. There are plenty

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characters introduced in the novel which tells their own perspective towards the
society of New York City in the 1970s. Each character represents actual people
and its stories in the city. The characters in the novel are fictional, but they are
more likely to face the issues that broke out at that era.
The 1970s was probably one of the most crucial eras that formed the
modern history of United States of America. It was the time after the-post-worldwar-II economic boom and the cold war crisis; which also brought new problems
up to now. It was also the time when a great nation came alive to face both
internal and external challenges. Hopefully this undergraduate thesis can help the
readers to understand more about what really happened during that era. It flashes
back the intertwined memories, so that our generation shall not repeat the same
mistakes made by their elderly. Besides, nobody has never conducted one in the
same topic. This undergraduate thesis discusses about the relevancy between the
novel and the actual events in the real life through the emergence of its characters
and its setting. By analyzing this, the writer wants to show that McCann’s Let the
Great World Spin is actually a novel that portrays the real society of the United
States. The setting of time and place is limited into the span of the 1970s New
York City, just as the events in the novel takes place.

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B. Problem Formulation
In relations with the topic that is going to be discussed in this study, the
writer has prepared three questions as follow:
1. How is the 1970s New York City portrayed through the characters?
2. How is the 1970s New York City depicted in the story?
3. How do the characters and the setting reflect New York City in the
1970s?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study has three objectives that are covered in three questions as stated
in problem formulation. The first objective is to find the characterization of the
characters in the story. Character is one of the most important intrinsic element in
a story. Due to its importance, the characters discussed in this study is limited into
those who are more likely to deal with the emerging issues in the 1970s New
York City. The second objective is to reveal the condition of the 1970s New York
City as depicted in the novel and also tries to give the brief explanation about
significant events that happened in that era. The last objective is to reveal how the
the characters and the setting reflect crisis that happened in New York City during
the 1970s.

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D. Definition of Terms
Communication process will not run smoothly if some terms are not well
recognized. Therefore, it is good to understand the specific term that is used in
this study in order to get better comprehension, crisis.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
third edition, the term crisis refers to a crucial or decisive point or situation (1996:
42). This dictionary also states that crisis also means an unstable condition as in
political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive
change.

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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
This chapter consists of three parts that supports the analysis of this study.
The first part of this chapter contains reviews about the studies that have already
been done by other researcher towards Colum McCann’s Let the Great World
Spin. The second part of this chapter is review on related theories. It contains
theories that are used in this study to support the writer’s analysis in answering the
problem formulation. The last part of this chapter is theoretical framework. It
explains how the theory works and fits with the analysis of this study.
A. Review on Related Studies
There are many ways to respond a work of art. It depends on the person
who responds to it. In this part, the writer presents various studies that have been
previously conducted by other researchers. To be specific, the studies should have
close relations with this study; it can be the title, approaches, or the novel itself.
The study is taken from Sondang Maduma Simanjuntak’s undergraduate
thesis entitled A Potrait of American Urban Life in the Late 19th Century as seen
through Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. The approach used by Sondang Maduma
Simanjuntak is also used in this study, sociocultural-historical study. This
undergraduate thesis is seen to be closely related from its approach and matters
that deal with a society. In Sister Carrie, the society that affects the story takes
place in Chicago around the late of 19th century. Meanwhile, Let the Great World
Spin spans around the 1970s in New York City. From her undergraduate thesis,
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she focuses the analysis on the important role of the setting of the story. It deals
with three kinds of setting: time, place, and social circumstances (2011: ix).
It is normal to have an opinion of their own. Therefore, the writer
appreciates others’ opinion corresponding with the issue as a way to obtain brief
understanding. That is why, in this section, the writer presents articles and studies
conducted by other researchers in correlation with this topic. Another Cookie
Crumbles website stated that this novel has connection (in any sense) with the
9/11 tragedy.
In the wake of 9/11, the significance of this walk seems so much greater.
Everyone stood up and took notice of this marvelous feat, and in spite of
all the grief in the world, on that fateful day, Petit’s act was what was on
everyone’s mind, and they all came together to witness that… and then
there was 9/11, which, for completely different reasons, brought the city
together again, and showed just how resilient, brave, strong and heroic the
people are – in spite of the horrors that life brings in its wake.
The statement above was meant to say that actually Let the Great World
Spin has something to do with the World Trade Center tragedy on 9 September
2001. Although the events in the novel happened in circa 1974, the spirit is still
relevant for American society nowadays. It reminds them the grief, pain, and
agony of a tragedy – fragile but makes them stronger. They see it not only as a
devastating blow to mankind that will knock them to the ground, but also a reason
for them to grow stronger than ever. Among of those, believe it or not, keep
marching on after suffering a great tragedy will always be a hard thing to do. At
that point, somehow, this novel binds people back with the tragedy shared
together within them and teaches them not to weep too much.

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This assumption might be strengthened by McCann’s statement when
interviewed for the book that this novel has relations with 9/11 tragedy. When he
was asked whether his novel is somewhat called the 9/11 allegory, he replied that
9/11 is certainly part of the book’s construction, but it is not limited to that. But in
this sense it is very much book of hope and in some ways it’s an anti-9/11 novel
also.

The

fragment

of

above

conversation

t ha t

taken

from

www.colummccann.com shows that actually this novel has a wide range of view.
It can be viewed as merely 9/11 novel, or with the correlations with the actual
events in the real life.
Social and political conditions in the world, especially United States, in
the 1970s are very different comparing to conditions today. David Sasaki, an
activist, wrote a review about McCann’s Let the Great World Spin. In correlations
with that, he wrote that:
It is difficult to compare 1974 with today and not come away with some
sense of optimism. The world — or at least New York City — has become
a more tolerant, more respectful, safer place to live. I traveled to New
York, in part, to see if I could ever live there. I gave myself a full seven
days; from SoHo to Harlem, Newark to Brooklyn, all the way over to
Long Island. I wanted to consume and digest the entire city, to let it
envelope me, to make it my own, to see it from the eyes of a resident. But
quickly I realized that I came with a fundamentally flawed strategy. New
York City is too much of an experience for any one person to understand.
Residents quickly learn to break it down into its comfortable, component
parts. “You can’t treat New York City as a single entity,” one friend tells
me as I complain about sensory overload and exhaustion. “I’ve got my
weekly dinner friends and my community garden … you know, you learn
to find your spaces, your routine.” And by necessity, you begin to shut the
rest out, turn your senses off, hide in your iPod, magazine, and private
world of private thoughts (davidsasaki.name/2011/06/review-let-the-greatworld-spin).

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He describes that actually New York is a city that is too difficult to be
understood. As a non non-citizen, he even tried to explore the city further by
spending seven days wandering streets of New York alone. He wanted to know
whether he could ever live there or not. Later, it turned out to zero result after all;
and he realized that perhaps it is impossible to live there the way other people
lives in it. The only thing to do there, in order to find coziness, is strike through
everything and quickly goes to his comfort zone. In spite of that, New York City
has grown into such a different place from the way it was in the 1970s. It is more
tolerant, respectful, and even safer.
Back in 2009, Reuters once made a headline story about the condition in
New York City at that time was similar to the condition in the seventies. The
article was posted with the title of New York City Fears Return to 1970s. The
writer assumes that the condition in the seventies was beyond what the New
Yorkers have today, or in other words, it is far worse that what it is today.
The 1970s were a low point in city history as a fiscal crisis almost pushed
it into bankruptcy, crime rates soared, and homeless people crowded
sidewalks as public services crumbled. Almost a million people fled New
York's Mean Streets during the decade for the safer, more stable suburbs, a
population decline that took more than 20 years to reverse
(http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/01/27/us-newyork-economyidUSTRE50Q6IH20090127).
The report stated that New York City in the 1970s was at its lowest point
and took approximately twenty years to recover. Its bankruptcy affects massive
exodus and soaring crime rates. This is the condition that the writer aims to
conduct a study on. The conditions are more likely to be found in the novel,
dealing with crime and other commencing social conditions at that time.

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B. Review on Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Every story has its own characters. It determines the author’s point of view
towards something. It is impossible not to have a character in a certain story. M.H.
Abrams, in A Glossary of Literary Terms stated that,
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed by moral, dispositional,
and emotional qualities that are expressed in what the say – the dialogue –
by what they do – the action. (1985:23).
This excerpt states M.H. Abrams’ definition of character. It is said that a
character’s is judged and expressed by its acts and what they say in the story. This
indicator defines whether a character is considered to be good or bad, nice or rude,
friendly or hostile, et cetera. In relations with this matter, E.M Forster, in his book
Aspects of the Novel and Related Writings, defines characters more deeper and
divides it into two major classification: flat and round characters. He said that flat
characters, in their purest form, are constructed round a single idea and quality. If
there is more than one factor in them, then it may start to curve towards round
character (1974:47). In other words, flat character is the simplest way to depict a
character, without any corners to make it more complicated to be understood.
Meanwhile, round characters are on the contrary. It has more complicated
ways of characterizing comparing to flat characters. E.M. Forster also explained
several indicators which can be used to differ whether one is flat or round
character. It is said that round character has capabilities of surprising in a
convincing way. If it does not surprise, then it can be considered as flat; if it

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surprises but does not convince, it is actually a flat character pretending to be
round (1974:54). His statement gives brief insight of how to differ flat and round
characters according to him. It can be simply understood that actually a character
is said to be flat if he/she does not have the quality to surprise and convince the
readers.
The ways of characterizing are also affected by the point of view chosen
by its writer. For example, a character can be judged as evil by other not-so-evil
characters. This point of view can determine readers’ judgment towards a
character. Moreover, it can also make people like or dislike the character. In this
case, E.M. Forster’s Aspects of the Novel and Related Writings refers to Percy
Lubbock’s statement in his book The Craft of Fiction,
The novelist, he says, can either describe the characters from outside, as an
impartial or partial onlooker, or he can assume omniscience and describe
them from within; or he can place himself in the position of one of them
and affect to be in the dark as to the motives of the rest; or there are certain
intermediate attitudes (1974:54).
According to the statement above, we can learn that actually there are
three ways of characterizing a certain character in novel. It can be described from
outside, either fully or partially. A character can also be described using
omniscient point of view, the way that the novelist describes a character from
inside and knows everything about it. There is also another way of characterizing
when the novelist places himself in the position of another character so that
everything remains dark and hazy.

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There are also plenty other ways to describe a character. M.J. Murphy, in
his book, Understanding Unseens: an Introduction to English Poetry and the
English Novel for Overseas Students formulated nine ways to describe a character
so that it can be understandable for the readers.
a. Personal Description.
A character can be described easily by stating several physical data. It includes
a person’s appearance and clothes; not what inside his/her mind (1972:161).
b. Character as seen by another.
In this way, a character is described indirectly. Instead of describing a character
using direct expression, the author can describe a character through the eyes
and opinions of another. It produces a reflected image to the readers
(1972:162).
c. Speech.
Everybody can be judged by what he/she says. A character can also be
described by what the person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he is
in a conversation with another, whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is
giving the readers clue to his character (1972:164).
d. Past life.
Experience builds the character. By letting the readers learn something about a
person’s past life, the author can give a clue to events that have helped to shape
a person’s character (1972:166).

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e. Conversation of others.
People do talk about each other. It is also a way of the author to give clues to a
person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things
they say about him (1972:167).
f. Reactions.
Sometimes people are said to be cowards if they do not respond properly
towards a crucial situation. This is also a way how to describe a person’s
character, by letting us know how he/she reacts to various situations and events
(1972:167).
g. Direct comment.
Instead of describing a character indirectly, the author can also describe or
comment on a person’s character directly (1972:170).
h. Thoughts.
Deep down in a character’s mind, the author can infiltrate and give the readers
direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. It can even tell what
different other people are thinking (1972:171).
i. Mannerisms.
The author can use a person’s mannerism to describe his/her character. It has
something to do with habits and unique features that can be found in a certain
character (1972:173).
It is now clear that a character can be described in several ways, depending on the
author. These indicators play a crucial role in character description.

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2. Theory of Setting
No work of art can be produced without its surroundings, or setting. M.H.
Abrams in his book A Glossary of Literary Terms states that setting is actually the
general locale, historical time, and social circumstances in which its location
occurs. Hence, the setting of a single episode or scene within a work is the
particular physical location in which it takes place (1985:192). His statement
conveys that there are three types of setting. First of all, there is setting of place. It
determines where the events in the story take place. Second, there is setting of
time. It determines when the events happen. It always refers to a certain period of
time. Lastly, there is setting of situation. Abrams called it as ‘social
circumstances’ or social situation. It can be understood that actually this type of
setting refer to a certain rules or values that are applied in the society.
Similar opinion is also stated by Holman in his book A Handbook to
Literature. He infers that setting is the background against which action takes
place (2009:508). Furthermore, he also stated several elements that made up a
setting:
a. the geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical
arrangements as the location of the windows and doors in a room;
b. the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters;
c. the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, epoch in history
or season of the year;

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d. the general environment of characters, for example, religious, mental, moral,
social, and emotional conditions.
Another similar theory of setting is stated by Elizabeth McMahan in her
book Literature and the Writing Process:
The setting includes the location and time of the action in a story, novel,
play, or poem. Sometimes the setting conveys an atmosphere – the
emotional effect of the setting and events – that contributes to the impact
or to the meaning of the work (1986:91).
In the excerpt above, it is clear that she also gives her opinion that actually setting
does not stand alone as a mere setting. Somehow it produces beauty in the form of
atmosphere, something that she called as emotional effect of setting and events.
This atmosphere, according to her, contributes to the impact of the work of art and
even to its meaning. In short, atmosphere can determine the tone of the novel
itself.
3. Review on the 1970s New York City
Understanding the background situation is important to determine
judgment and the next action. It has to be done somehow to avoid unnecessary
misunderstanding towards a matter. Since this undergraduate thesis talks about the
life of immigrants in the New York City at a certain era, in order to meet that
certain condition, the writer feels that it is important to take a little peek on the
current situation in the 1970s New York City specifically, and United States of
America in general. In the book America: A Narrative History, it is said that the
sixties was a discrete decade. Some Americans might say that the decade ended in

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the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy. For others,
perhaps it ended in the scarcity of oil in 1973. Even so, many Americans would
agree that the Vietnam War was the dominant event of the decade (1984:1301). It
seems that the seventies still inherited several problems that occurred in the past
decades, including the horror of war, for it ended in 1975. Several other problems
also suffered by the United States, as U.S. History for Dummies also concludes it
in the statement:
The watergate scandal rocked the nation, which was already reeling from
the Vietnam disaster, economic troubles, assassinations, and all the social
unrest in the preceding 15 years. It fell to Nixon’s successor, Vice
President Gerald R. Ford, to try to bring back a sense of order and stability
to the nation. And no one had voted for him to do it (2009:308).
This statement was written coinciding with the resignation of President Richard
Nixon on 9 August 1974 in connection with his role in Watergate scandal. He was
then succeeded by President Gerald Ford in the same year. Later, President Ford
pardoned Richard Nixon from all his crimes to the nation. The writer has also
gathered more information from http://elcoushistory.tripod.com, accessed on 21
January 2013:
During 1974 the Watergate scandal erupted into the world as the media
took over. Nixon was so paranoid because he wanted to win a second term
as president. He had a for sure win for his second term but he was so
paranoid that he sent men called "creepers" to find out information. The
creepers broke into Watergate the first time undetected to gather
information on which the democrats are going to run for their ticket. The
second time the creepers broke in. the security guard caught them and
called the police. The creepers had turned their walkie-talkies off so they
had no chance of knowing the police were coming once the stakeout guy
tried to alert them. The creepers were caught and arrested while wearing
three-piece suits. Nixon would lead to his own downfall because he
recorded everything he did. He kept a file of tapes so he can write an
autobiography about his life. Ironically the tapes would be used against

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him and he would be charged with many crimes and felonies. Somehow
on some of the tapes areas of importance would be erased by "accident"
Nixon would hurt himself by always lying to the public and speaking halftruths (http://elcoushistory.tripod.com/politics1970.html).
The paragraph above explained why and how the watergate scandal happened. It
is said that Nixon was paranoid about his winning in presidential campaign and
because of that he sent men to gather information. Apparently those men got
caught by the security guard and the case broke out in the media in 1974, after
Nixon got elected as the US president for the second term. After everything
leaked in public, Nixon was proven guilty because he recorded every conversation
he had in the white house. Although he was proven guilty, he was then pardoned
from his crimes by President Gerald Ford, his successor.
The 1970s decade inherited the problems existed in the sixties. Among of
those were the Vietnam war and the emergence of Cold War across the globe. It is
indicated that the terror of these wars that spread across the globe were in the
minds of people at that time. Waves of protests were all in the streets, including
mass rally and pamphletes. Despite the horror, Americans were proud and happy
welcoming the new decade. At the end of the sixties, they have managed to land a
man on moon. American astronaut, Neil Armstrong, was then famous of his
quote, “This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” This
successful moon landing made USA won the aeronautics war against the USSR in
the late sixties.

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A photojournalist by the name of Allan Tannenbaum in his article in The
Digital Journalist, describes New York City in three D’s: Dirty, Dangerous, and
Destitute. He also states that the seventies in New York City was on the verge of
bankruptcy and in crisis.
... The 1960s were not yet over, and war still raged in Viet Nam, fueling
resentment against the government. Nixon and the Watergate scandal
created even more resentment, cynicism, and skepticism. Economically,
stagnation coupled with inflation created a sense of malaise. The Arab Oil
Embargo of 1973 delivered another blow to the U.S. economy, and
brought the misery of long lines to buy gasoline. Conditions in Harlem and
Bed-Stuy were horrendous, with abandoned buildings and widespread
poverty. The subways were covered everywhere with ugly graffiti and
they were unreliable. It seemed as if the entire infrastructure was in decay.
Political corruption, sloppy accounting, and the cost of the war were
killing the city. Times Square, the crossroads of the world, was seedy and
sleazy. Pimps, hookers, and drug dealers owned the night there. Crime was
rampant, and the police were powerless to stop it. Random killings by the
"Son of Sam" made New Yorkers even more fearful. The parks were in
decay, with and litter and bare lawns, and it was home to muggers and
rapists. When the proud City of New York had to beg the Federal
Government for a financial bail-out, the President said no. The Daily
News headline said it all: "Ford to City - Drop Dead"
(http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0402/at_intro.html).
Allan Tannenbaum stated briefly about the conditions in New York City in
the seventies. There are issues about war, fuel embargo, the Watergate scandal
involving Richard Nixon, and social lives specifically in New York City.
According to him, there are also the problems dealing with prostitution and drug
dealer. The bad social condition of New York City has made it uncomfortable to
live in.

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4. Theory of Relation between Literature and the Society
Literature and its society that surrounds it can not be separated. Both of
them are related, it even influences each other. The world and the society is
constantly affected by the work of literature, while a work of literature is
absolutely affected by the world that surrounds it and the author. Apparently,
Elizabeth Langland stated in her book Society in the Novel, stated that “I have
limited myself to character, society, and narrator/implied author, because these all
inhere in the novel and are the centers of judgment manipulated within the novel
(1984:11). Meanwhile, she also includes four basic arrangements of those centers
of value mentioned above:
a. Characters enmeshed in a social milieu are presented as being in conflict with
it. Individual potential meets social possibility, and the result is some personal
limitation or sacrifice.
b. The narrator may choose to become engaged in the world of his novel and by
his presence affect the narrative outcome.
c. Society can be depicted as inevitably destructive of human possibility. The
sociological/naturalistic novels weight the conflict between individuals and
society in such a way that the most admirable characters are most subject to
destruction since their best qualities, rather than setting them apart from society’s
inimical values, leave them more vulnerable.

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d. Society, despite its faults, can be flexible enough to accommodate the full
realization of individual possibility.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer will show the crisis in the 1970s
New York City as seen in Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin. Theories
and opinion stated by others are needed to solve the problems in this
undergraduate thesis. Review on related studies is needed to measure how far
others have discussed the topic that is chosen by the writer. It is important to
avoid misjudging or unwanted plagiarism. In simple words, the writer has to know
what others have already done to know where he stands before moving on.
Besides its function to support the writer’s opinion, review on related studies is
also a useful tool to estimate the contribution of this study.
Theory of character and characterization are used in this undergraduate
study to answer the first problem formulation. Character description which uses
the theory shows the portraits of crisis as seen through them. This undergraduate
thesis also uses theory of setting to reveal crisis in the seventies New York City. It
is used to answer the second question in the analysis. The findings using theory of
character and theory of setting will be bound together to answer the third question
of this undergraduate thesis. Its relevancy between characters and setting will be
connected to the actual events that happened in the seventies New York City.

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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object that is discussed in this study is a novel entitled Let the Great
World Spin by Colum McCann. It was first published on June 23rd 2009. McCann
himself is not a native American, although he writes a story about that country as
a background. He was born in Dublin, February 28th 1965. The novel itself
consists of 375 pages and divided into four major chapters; including Colum
McCann’s interview script and a readers’ guide. This study refers to the
paperback version published by Random House Publishing Company.
The novel opens with the story of a tightrope walker doing his stunt in the
heart of New York City. He swayed, lied, and even ran along the cable connected
between the two World Trade Center towers. The event connected people who
had never been in touch before. There are twelve major characters in this novel,
including judge’s spouse, artists, street hookers, nurses, and Irish monk. This
study discusses the whole characters in the novel, especially those who deal with
major issues in America in the 1970s.

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