A contradictory view of racism seen through the character George Dawson in Dawson and Glaubman`s Life is so good - USD Repository
A CONTRADICTORY VIEW OF RACIS M SEEN THROUGH
THE CHARACTER GEORGE DAWSON IN DAWSON AND
GLAUBMAN’S LIFE IS SO GOODAN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra In English Letters
By
FARIZ
Student Number: 014214077
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
A CONTRADICTORY VIEW OF RACIS M SEEN THROUGH
THE CHARACTER GEORGE DAWSON IN DAWSON AND
GLAUBMAN’S LIFE IS SO GOODAN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra In English Letters
By
FARIZ
Student Number: 014214077
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
L IF E IS G O O D T H E W A Y IT IS (G eorge D awson) This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to My beloved parents My dearest brother My dearest family all over the world
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma : Nama : FARIZ Nomor Mahasiswa : 014214077
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
A CONTRADICTORY VIEW OF RACISM SEEN THROUGH THE CHARACTER GEORGE DAWSON IN DAWSON AND GLAUBMAN’S LIFE IS SO GOOD
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, me- ngalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Yogyakarta, 11 September 2008 Yang menyatakan
( FARIZ )
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Allah SWT for everything I’ve achieved in my life. I would like to give my deepest thanks to my beloved family; my mother, my passed away father (Miss u so dad!), and brother for their everlasting love. I would also like to thank my beautiful Nurul for all the love and support which really encouraged me to finish my study.
I would like to thank Miss Enny for all the kindness and patience in guiding me through the process of finishing my thesis. I would also like to thank my academic advisor Miss Dewi and Miss Tata for all the guidance in my years in Sanata Dharma University. Finally, I really thank all the lecturers in the English Letters Department for all the knowledge they gave me.
My special gratitude goes to all of my beloved friends in English Letters Sanata Dharma University Imbik, Wawan, Oseph, Iksan, Garry, Deny, Petrus, Sigit, Sandi, Bertus, Vanny, Maria, Farrah, Mila, Yongki, Tito, Ian, Obed, Wisnu, Bimo, Ayu, Sinda, and Erna. You guys mean a lot to me, thanks for the memories.
Last, but certainly not least, I thank all my friends out side my college life. Big thanks to PSS (my pride) and all the boys at Ultras (Fight for Glory!). I would also like to thank everyone that I cannot mention here who had been a big help for me in finishing my study.
Fariz
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ………………………………………………………….. i APPROVAL PAGE ……………………………………………………. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………………………………………………… iii MOTTO PAGE ………………………………………………………… iv DEDICATION PAGE …………………………………………………. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………. vii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………. viii ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………… ix
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study …………………………………… 1 B. Problem Formulation ……………………………………….. 5 C. Objective of the Study ……………………………………… 5 D. Definition of Terms …………………………………………. 6 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies …………………………………. 7 B. Review of Related Theories ……………………………….. 9 1. Theory of Character and Characterization ………………. 9 2. Theories of Racism ……………………………………… 11 3. Theories of Social Psychology …………………………... 14 C. Theoretical Framework …………………………………….. 16 CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study ………………………………………… 17 B. Approach of the Study …………………………………….. 19 C. Method of the Study ……………………………………….. 20 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. Racism towards the Black Americans …………………… 22 B. George Dawson’s Reaction towards the Racism Act He Receives ……………………...…………………… 34 C. How George Dawson’s Reaction towards Racism Reflects a Contradictory View of Racism ………………… 46
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ……………………………………… 59
BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………….. 62
ABSTRACT
FARIZ. A Contradictory View of Racism Seen through the Character George
Dawson in Dawson and Glaubman’s Life is so Good. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra
Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.Humanity against racism had been an issue for years throughout the world. The racist people would be the antagonist and the oppressed people as the protagonist. It would be a very interesting fact if there is an oppressed black American who does not regard racism as an enemy. This is one point of view which is revealed in Dawson and Glaubman’s Life is so Good. This thesis will reveal how George Dawson’s reactions towards racism can be seen as a contradictory view of racism.
There are three problems revealed from the topic. The first problem is how racism towards the blacks is depicted in the novel. The second is how George Dawson reacts towards the racist act he receives. The third is how Dawson’s reaction towards racism reflects a contradictory view of racism.
In answering the problems, this study uses library research. Theories of racism are the basic theory to answer the problems, while theories on characters and characterization are also used to answer the second problem. This study uses the sociocultural- historical approach. This approach is applied in this study since the study needs some evidences about the American society.
The result of this study shows that racism had been a great problem in America during the segregation era in the southern states of America. The black Americans were racially discriminated economically, educationally, and institutionally. George Dawson as the main character of the novel, and a young black American living in the segregated state, also experienced the racial discriminations but showed a unique way in dealing with it. George never allowed anger and hatred control him. He always had a decent reaction to deal with all the injustices he faced during his life. Through his reactions towards the racial act he received, there is a very different and contradictory view of racism in it. Related to humanity, racism would be view as something evil, and worth of hating. In any point of view people would view racism as an enemy. George gave a quite different look of racism. From George’s point of view, we can see racism as something that is dealt with, it is something that had already existed before he was born and had been a part of George’s life. George never viewed racism, no matter how bitter it was, to be a set back for him in living his life. The fact is that George would not allow himself to let others have a negative impact on his life. He would always overcome the injustices he receives. Through his view of racism, George triumphs over it.
ABSTRAK
FARIZ. A Contradictory View of Racism Seen Through the Character of
George Dawson in Dawson and Glaubman’s Life is so Good. Yogyakarta:
Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008 Kemanusiaan melawan rasisme sudah menjadi persoalan selama bertahun-tahun di seluruh dunia. Rasisme akan berperan sebagai antagonis dan sebaliknya para korban sebagai protagonis. Akan menjadi sangat menarik apabila ada seorang warga Amerika berkulit hitam yang tidak menganggap rasisme sebagai musuh. Hal ini adalah salah satu sudut pandang yang terungkap dalam novel Life is so karya Dawson dan Glaubman. Skripsi ini akan mengungkap bagaimana
Good
reaksi George Dawson terhadap rasisme, bisa dilihat sebagai pandangan kontradikftif terhadap rasisme.
Terdapat tiga masalah yang terungkap dari topic. Pertama adalah bagaimana rasisme terhadap orang kulit hitam digambarkan dalam novel. Kedua adalah bagaimana reaksi George Dawson terhadap rasisme yang Ia alami. Ketiga adalah bagaimana reaksi dari Dawson terhadap rasisme merefleksikan pandangan yang kontradiktif terhadap rasisme.
Dalam menjawab permasalahan diatas, penelitian ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Teori tentang rasisme adalah teori dasar yang digunakan dalam menjawab permasalahan yang ada, sementara teori tentang karakter dan karakterisasi juga digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan kedua. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan pendekatan sosiokultural-sejarah. Pendekatan ini diaplikasikan karena penelitian ini memerlukan beberapa bukti tentang kondisi social di Amerika.
Hasil penelitan menunjukkan bawa rasisme telah menjadi sebuah permasalahan yang besar di Negara bagian wilayah selatan Amerika pada masa segregasi. Warga Amerika kulit hitam didiskriminasi secara ras baik di aspek ekonomi, pendidikan, dan institusional. George Dawson sebagai pemeran utama dalam novel dan sebagai pemuda Amerika kulit hitam yang tingal di daerah segregasi, juga mengalami perlakuan rasis namun menunjukkan cara yang unik dalam menghadapinya. George tak pernah membiarkan kemarahan dan kebencian mengontrol dirinya. Dia selalu memilki reaksi yang baik dalam menghadapi semua ketidakadilan dalam hidupnya. Melalui reaksinya, ada pandangan yang berbeda dan kontradiktif terhadap rasisme. Bila dihubungkan dengan humanitas, dari sudut pandang manapun rasisme adalah sesuatu yang jahat dan pantas dibenci. Tapi dari sudut pandang George, kita bisa melihat rasisme sebagai sesuatu yang memang harus dihadapi, seusatu yang sudah ada sebelum Ia lahir dan menjadi bagian dalam hidupnya. George tak pernah memandang rasisme sebagai halangan dan menjadi sebuah dampak negatif dalam hidupnya. Melalui pandangannya ini, George meraih kemenangan atas rasisme.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study People say that human are created equal. Everyone from any race or sex
have the same rights in life. Success in life depends not on one’s origin but from how they achieve it. It is all about commonsense. People today with their similar idea of morality would produce the same idea. It sounds very cliché but many do not ha ve the same idea. For many years discriminations had haunted powerless people. As a result, class in society would become a major factor in life.
Racism and class distinction ha ve always been big issues in the world. Colored people being segregated, lower class people being oppressed, and poor people not having opportunities are just some examples of oppressions towards the weak. Racism itself had always been an interesting topic for discussion. Racism is defined as treating differently a person or group of people based on their racial origins. We can see how racism does not specify a certain race, but in this work the writer wants to emphasize the racism between the white Americans and the blacks / afro Americans.
In America, racism could not be separated from the nation’s long history. In this case there are two major roles which create the system, they are the whites and the colored (mostly the blacks or afro Americans). The whites in America believe that they are more superior to other races especially the blacks. “Europeans and white Americans came to portray African society as primitive and uncivilized (in part to justify the enslavement of Africa’s people)” said Alan Brinkley in his book The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American
People . The blacks are considered as uncivilized people. One major reason why
the whites assume this is because the blacks first came to America as slaves. They were sold by Europeans from Africa to the Americans. The blacks worked as slaves mainly in plantations. After slavery was abolished in America, the blacks were finally free but still were not treated equally. This led to class distinction, where the whites were considered as the upper class.
In their book America: A Concise History Henretta and Dumenilis said “When reconstruction ended in 1877, so did the hopes of African-Amricans that thy would enjoy the equal rights of citizenship promised the by the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments. Schools were strictly segregated. Access to jobs, to justice, and to social welfare was racially determined and unequal.” After slavery, the blacks in America faced a different problem in undergoing their lives. Segregation became a new setback for the blacks to finally receive equality. This became a big issue for the blacks especially in southern states. Not having the same rights as the whites in doing anything, made them no different from a slave. This explains why the social status of the blacks was stagnant, which made them face great difficulty in living the ir lives. Class distinction is a problem for people of the working class or people of the lower class. The social problem appears as the dominant class with their ideologies controls and oppresses the working class and will arouse class conflict. In their book, Class in a Capitalist Society, John Westergaard and Henrietta Resler said “Residual poverty was seen as the product of old age, physical and mental handicap, high fertility, social incompetence – also it was added later, of discrimination against women, against coloured people, and against other minorities.” (Westergaard and Resler, 1975: 32) Black people were considered to be the weaker class in the American society. They were oppressed and dominated by the Whites which therefore trapped them in their own circle of life. They could not release themselves from the situation of being caught in their social status. Social mobility was not possible for them, as they didn’t have any opportunity to move up the scale.
In their novel Life is so Good, Dawson and Glaubman reveals how racism was felt and dealt with from the black Americans point of view through the character of George Dawson. George Dawson is the main character of the novel. He is an African American who lived in Marshal, Texas, which is located in the southern part of America. During his life in Marshal, George Dawson had received much racial discrimination. As a grandchild of a slave and a colored boy living in a racist nation, George learned how to act and behave as an inferior human being. Like other colored boys, he faced much economic and racial adversity in his life, but was taught by his parents to always know how to act and behave as a black. Always look down when you talk to a white man, do what you are told, never contradict or show up a white man, stay out of trouble, do not speak out when cheated, be ever vigilant to appear obedient, etc.
There was something unique in George’s personality which made him quite special. Different from other people who receive racial discrimination, George never allowed anger and hatred control him. He always had a decent reaction to deal with all the injustices he faced during his life. His first lesson of racism came when he was a little boy, as he saw his best friend, Pete, lynched by the whites for a crime he never committed. From that moment, George had found out that life was unfair and cruel for him and his people. From year to year throughout his life, George would face many kinds of injustice; not being able to get education, having to work hard fo r his family since he was 8 years old, being cheated in payments, and always have to be inferior against the whites.
George’s reaction towards racism is amazing. He would always accept it and made the best of it. He would always put his fathers wisdom kept in his mind in dealing with racism. No matter how hard and bitter the injustice was for him, George would always feel just fine as he did not permit any kind of hatred control his heart and mind.
The writer in this study chooses the topic of racism because it is quite important to know about how the oppression and discrimination actually happened in the novel and in real American life. The writer will analyze the work by focusing on racism criticisms to reveal the discrimination towards blacks in the no vel and how it can be related with the society in America at the time. By knowing the history and how black people were being oppressed, one can open their mind on how one should appreciate another person’s life and should believe that all human beings sho uld be treated equally.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to have thorough analysis, this thesis will be focused on the problems stated below.
1. How is racism towards the blacks depicted in the novel? 2.
How does George Dawson react towards the racist act he receives? 3. How does Dawson’s reaction towards racism reflect a contradictory view of racism?
C. Objectives of the Study
There are three major aims or objectives of this study. The writer’s objective in writing this thesis is to know how racism can be viewed in a contradictory way seen through the characters and their problems in Dawson and Glaubman’s Life is so Good. The writer also wants to know how black people as the lower class are discriminated and oppressed in the novel. The novel is mainly about how the character deals and reacts towards the racist act he receives, so the writer wants to reveal in what way the main character is oppressed and discriminated, and what is his reaction towards it. Another objective of this thesis is to know how the main character’s reactions towards the racist acts he receives in the novel can reflect a contradictory view of racism.
D. Definition of Terms
According to International Encyclopedia of Ethics, racism is defined as a kind of belief that humanity is divided into stratified, genetically different origins, called races: for the people who support this idea, racial differences makes one group superior to another. Racism also becomes a support for imperialism, institution of slavery and for the denial of human and civil rights to people of color (Walker, 1995: 722).
According to Encyclopedia Americana, segregation is "the physical separation or isolation of races by law or custom. in The United States, Negroes have been most directly affected by such segregation, and it concerning their status that the great bulk of legislation, litigation, and controversy has centered" (1978: 523)
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW This chapter covers three main parts. The first part is the review of certain
studies related to the work and the topic of this study. Then, there is the review of several theories used in this study, including the explanation of the relationship between literature and society. The second part is the review of the related theories. This part contains the reviews of the most relevant theories for the study.
It discusses some theories of literature in which become a base for analyzing the study. They are the theory of characters and characterization and the theory of racism. The third part contains the biography of the author, George Dawson. It is quite important to know the author’s biography because the novel which the writer works on is a semi-autobiographical novel. The last part is the theoretical framework where the contributions of all previo us studies and theories stated are used to conduct this study.
A. Review of Related Studies
There are already many reviews of the novel Life is so Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman. But those reviews mainly focus on the cruelty of racism towards the colored, especially the black Americans. In his review, a critic said that there is a powerful lesson for each of us to learn by following the life journey of a common man, a black man that grew up and grew old the last century. George Dawson, the subject of the book, provides the reader with a view of life, growing up, and survival in a place and time in America when the disadvantages of being poor and uneducated were significantly compounded by the fact of being a black man. <http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780141001 685&crvAll=1&crvStart=1&displayonly=CRV&z=y>
From the review above we can see how the critic wants to emphasize on how life was very unfair for the colored Americans. It is shown out that during a period of time, there were so many disadvantages for being black and living in America. Being black meant also being poor and uneducated. Those disadvantages are basically created by racism. The racism act which the black Americans receive is considered as something terrible. The maliciousness of the act itself is often condemned to be the main issue in why the black Americans are isolated in their own society. These opinions are the main concern from the critic.
Some other reviewers found a different twist in the novel. They tried to view the values in life which could be seen on the novel. From the characterization of George Dawson, one would simply find great knowledge in respecting life itself.
“George Dawson is a man everyone should get to know. The fact that he lived the first 98 years of his life without being able to read is remarkable. What is even more impressive is the fact that he lived his life happily. While being able to read is important, George Dawson proves it is not the only thing necessary to lead a happy life. George Dawson leads a life we should all want to lead. Live one day at a time, make the best of that day, and work as hard as you can. George Dawson is a hero. To have lived his life and still say that it was a good life is incredible. Then to want to improve it even more by learning to read and write is an inspiration. George, keep up the good work. Maybe the rest of us will learn from you.” <http://literacyconnections.com>
The review above is surely another interesting fact we can find behind the story. George Dawson is undoubtedly is a pure example of how people should act and react in life, a simple but yet rare role model for everyone. His willingness to learn to read at the age of 98 is astonishing and could give great inspiration for people that it is never to late to learn something.
In this analysis the writer wants to focus on the contradictory view of racism seen through the character of George Dawson. The study is mainly about how racism could be viewed in a different way than usua l. While other studies shows us how life was full of injustices for the colored people, for those who are uneducated, and for those who are not wealthy, the writer in this study will reveal how those racist acts could be viewed in a contradictory way through the character of George Dawson.
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theory of Character and Characterization
In a novel, especially in Life is so Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman, the roles of characters are very important in supporting the main topic of this analysis. There are many conflict of self- interest where the characterizations of the characters are the main aspect in getting to the conflict. The study itself is mainly analyzing on the main character of the novel and how the main character can reveal the idea which the writer wants to show, so the theories of character and characterization are needed.
According to Jacob Abraham in his book A Handbook of Literary Terms (1990:26), “Characters are persons, in a dramatic or narrative work. His dispositional and moral qualities are expressed in what he says and does. A character may remain ‘stable’ or unchanging in his outlook and dispositions from the beginning to end of work. He is, we may say, a ‘Flat Character’, while Characters that do grow me ntally and in their outlook to life are called ‘Round Characters”.
In Abrams’ A Glossary of Literary Terms, characters are the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say the dialogue and by what they do the action (1981:20).
We may also regard soliloquy as a means of characterization. The playwright finds it necessary to let us know the whole mystery of his contrivance, he is willing to inform us of this person’s thought; and to that end is forced to make use of the expedient of speech, no other better way being yet invented for the communication of thought (1958:197).
While Rohrberger and Woods have different opinion about characters, they explain that “character in a novel can be divided into major and minor characters. Major character is the most important character, the central character, the one to whom all the events in the story have relevance” (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 20).
Meanwhile Jones Yelland and Easton explain that characterization is the creation imaginary persons. In some literary works, the author pictures certain qualities of his own nature while in other works, he just presents the characters of the real or imaginary people and does not involve more than just in the background. Characterization is meant to help the reader in understanding the character’s reason for doing such thing. Moreover, the readers will be emotionally involved when they read the story (Yellend, 1953:30) 2.
Theories of Racism
As one of the main issue of the novel, it is important to understand about race and racism. The novel itself mainly discusses the lives of black American during their lives in the segregation era in America, so it very important to know about race and racism in order to gain an understanding about the main issue which the writer wants to state out. In the work it self, the understanding of racism is important to support the analysis where the writer wants to show how racism is depicted in the novel and how George’s reactions towards racism reflects a contradictory view of racism.
Craig Donnelan in his book Racial Discrimination issues for the ninties, states that racism is the attitude of treating one group of people less favorable than another because of color, religous belief, or etnic origin. Racism becomes the basic that some "Races" are superior and the others are inferior (1995: 1)
Robert Blaunner in his writing The Question of Black Culture, states that racism is crucial to the cultural process of Afro-Americans because a continuing racist social structure has served to fix rather that to race the distinctive experience of the past. He refers two key characteristic of American social structure. First, that (aside from age and sex), the division based upon colour is the single must important split within the society, the body politic, and the national psyche. Second, that values proceses and practices of exclusion and subordination based upon colour are built into the major public institution (Labor market, education, politics, and Law enforcements). With the effect of maintaining special privileges, power, and values for the benefit of the white majority (1970:124-125).
In his On Racism in America, Harvey Sarles points out that racism can operate on two levels: (1) Individual and/or group and (2) institutional. Individual racism simply means that one has racist views according to its definition. It is also supposed to be somewhat easy to eradicate so long as a “good” human relation approach is used to educate the racist and thereby prove to him that his fears and hostilities are unsound. However, institutional racism is far more subtle and very difficult to eradicate. It has been defined as the “operating policies, priorities, and function of an on-going system of normative patterns which serves to subjugate, oppressed, and force dependence of individuals or groups by establishing and sanctioning unequal goals, objectives, and priorities for blacks and whites, which forces inequality in status and in access to goods and services”(1970:49)
Merrill and Eldredge states in their book Culture and Society: An
Introduction to Sociology , racism comes from the attitudes which have arisen for
the physical difference, and it has separated some groups of human being (1952: 231). While Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language defines Racism as referring to any program or practice of racial discrimination, segregation, persecution, and domination, based on racialism ("a doctrine teaching, without scientific support, that claims to find racial difference in characters, intelligence, etc., that asserts the superiority of one race over another or others, and seeks to maintain the supposed purity of a race or races") (1991: 1170)
Another theory mentioned that Racial Discrimination is to treat differently a person or group of people based on their racial origins. Power is a necessary precondition, for it depends on the ability to give or withhold social benefits, facilities, services, opportunities etc., from someone who should be entitled to them, and are denied on the basis of race, colour or national origin. (http://academic.udayton.edu/race/01race/race08.htm)
According to The Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology Volume 3, Racism is a set of beliefs held by individuals about categorical superiority of inferiority of groups socially defined by physical characteristics (1996: 1055).
While Donald Light, Suzanne Keller and Craig Calhoun in their book, Sociology, states that Prejudice and Discriminations as the primary components of Racism, occur against the minority group members that are considered inferior and unsuited to higher-status occupation (1989: 352). Minority groups are people whose physical appearance or cultural characteristics mark them as being different from the dominant group as subject them to unequal treatment (1989: 350).
While in http://www.adl.org/hate-patrol/racism.asp, Racism is said to have existed throughout human history could be defined as the hatred of one person by another -- or the belief that another person is less than human -- because of skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes.
3. Theories of Social Psychology
The social psychology theory is needed in this work because the writer will later on discuss about the character’s surrounding factors which would influence the character’s reactions towards the racism act he receives. By knowing the factors, one would understand how people’s surroundings are very important in building their psychology. After knowing how the main character reacts to the racism act he receives, we can then analyze deeper to know how his reactions could be viewed as a contradictory view of racism.
According to Psychology in Action, social psychology is a branch of psychology that studies how an individual's behavior (thoughts, feelings, and actions) are influenced by other people. The society and culture into which we are born directly influence us from the moments of birth until the moment of death.
Our culture teaches us to believe certain things, feel certain ways, and act in accordance with these beliefs and feelings. These influences are so strong, and so much a part of who we are, that we find it difficult to recognize them (Huffman, 1997: 566).
Robert A. Baron and Donn Byrne in Social psychology state that the basic aspects of self-concept develop within family through the social interactions that occur there. The Family's role in molding one's self-concept is very important (1997:273).
Scott Miller in Child Psychology state that the development of a child is influenced by the people surrounding him/her especially the parents. Social development, like every other aspect of the child's development, is influenced by the context in which it occurs. During the early years, the most important context is the family. This is where young children spend most of their time, acquire many important social and cognitive skills, and develop for better or for worse, various attitudes, beliefs, and values (Miller, 1995: 474)
Most people conform to the norms of their groups or societies much most of the time. Conformity means to fit in with the other people around you or going along with society's expectations about how we should behave in various situations (1997:319)
There are two types of social influences, which are normative social influence and informational social influence. From the earliest days, people learn that agreeing with the persons around us, and behaving as they do, causes them like us. Parents, teachers, friends, and others often heap praise and approval on us for demonstrating such similarity. One important reason we conform is to get the approval and acceptance crave. This source of social influence and especially of conformity is known as normative social influence, since it involves altering our behavior to meet other's expectation (1997: 326-327)
Meanwhile, in informational social influence, we have a strong desire to be correct about matters, such as, social views or questions relating to the physical world. That is why we must turn to the other people. We use their opinions and their actions as guides for out own. Obviously, such reliance on others can be another source of conformity, for in an important sense, other people's actions and opinions define reality for us. This source of social influence is known as informational social influence. It is based on our tendency to depend upon as a source of information about many aspects of social world. (1997: 327)
C. Theoretical Framework
To get a better understanding of the novel in order to be able to explore it deeper one should not disregard other people’s work on the play. It is important to recognize what has been done and what should be done to make the paper interesting. This is why the writer applies a review of related studies.
A review on related theories is also essential in analyzing the novel. By knowing the theories of characters and characterization is important because the writer wants to show how the George Dawson’s character will influence his reactions towards racism. The racism theory will be used because the writer wants to state out how racism is depicted in the story. Another theory which is quite important for this study is the theory of social psychology, which will be used to show how George Dawson’s social surroundings influence his behavior and reactions towards racism and in the process will reflect a contradictory view of racism.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY This chapter consists of three subtitles, namely the object of the study, the
approach of the study and the method of the study. The first subtitle covers the description of the object of this stud y. In the second subtitle, there is an explanation of the approach used in this study. The procedure of analyzing the work is explained in the method of the study.
A. Object of the Study
In this study, the writer uses Dawson and Glaubmans’s Life is so Good as the main object. Life is so Good is a novel written by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman.
The novel was written in Texas in the year 2000. It was first published by ‘Random House’ in 2000. The novel later won the Christopher Award. The novel which is used in analyzing this study is taken from the novel published by Penguin Books, Inc. in 2001.
Life is so Good tells the story of a black young boy living and growing up
in the segregated southern states of America during the segregation era in America. This novel explores the malicious effects of racism and class oppression from the point of view of an innocent young boy. It shows their efforts to raise their situation into a better one, spotlighting on their struggles and conflicts in achieving their dream which would finally reflect a quite different view of racism.
George Dawson, a 101- year-old man who learned to read when he was 98, reflects on the philosophy he learned from his father -- a belief that "life is so good" -- as he offers valuable lessons in living and a fresh, firsthand view of America during the twentieth century.
Born in 1898 in Marshall, Texas, the grandson of slaves, George Dawson tells how his father, despite hardships, always believed in seeing the richness in life and trained his children to do the same. As a boy, George had to go to work to help support the family, and so he did not attend school or learn to read; yet he describes how he learned to read the world and survive in it. "We make our own way," he says. "Trouble is out there, but a person can leave it alone and just do the right thing. Then, if trouble still finds you, you've done the best you can."
At ninety-eight, George decided to learn to read and enrolled in a literacy program, becoming a celebrated student. "Eve ry morning I get up and I wonder what I might learn that day. You just never know."
In Life Is So Good, he shares wisdom on everything from parenting ("With children, you got to raise them. Some parents these days are growing children, not raising them") to attitude ("People worry too much. Life is good, just the way it is").
Richard Glaubman captures George Dawson's irresistible voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, and America -- eyewitness impressions of segregation, changes in human relations, the wars and the presidents, inventions such as the car and the airplane, and much, much more. And throughout his story, George Dawson inspires the reader with the message that sustained him happily for more than a century: "Life is so good. I do believe it's getting better."
B. Approach of the Study
In analyzing Life is so Good which the writer focus’ on how the main character reacts towards the race and class oppression he receives, the writer tries to explore the main character’s reactions and the factors which influence the main character in reacting in such way by using the psychological approach. “A psychological approach is, however, merely one way of evaluating characters; it is also possible to analyze character presentation in the context of narratological structures” (Klarer, 1999: 17).
To know the main character’s reactions and the factors which influence the main character in reacting towards the racism he receives, the writer tries to analyze the character based on what the main character experienced in the story. By understanding the main character and his thoughts, the writer can explore deeply with strong facts to analyze psychologically the characters or situations in the novel. The writer believes that psychologic al approach is the primary approach in analyzing the novel because the novel mainly describes about the main characters reactions towards the racial discrimination which is practiced in the story. And to analyze the reasons of the main character’s reactions in the novel
C. Method of the Study
In getting resources for analyzing the novel Life is so Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman, the writer used some methods of researches. The main method is by using a library research. The writer uses the novel Life is so by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman as the primary source. To
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support the analysis of the novel, books on literary terms and literature, racism, and books on American History are used by the writer. Some examples of those books are: A Handbook of Literary Terms by Jacob Abraham and Abrams’ A
, Robert Blaunner’s The Question of Black Culture and
Glossary of Literary Terms
by Harvey Sarles., The Unfinished Nation: A Concise
On Racism in America History of the American People by Alan Brinkley and America: A Concise History by Henretta and Dumenilis, and Class in a Capitalist Society by John Westergaard. These books are used as the secondary source of the study.
This literary study also employed some internet research to complete the materials needed in analyzing the novel. Useful data are found to support the study. Some websites that contain the data are as follow:
To know other peoples study on the work for comparison, the writer uses these links: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=97801410016 85&crvAll=1&crvStart=1&displayonly=CRV&z=y and http://literacyconnections.com http://academic.udayton.edu/race/01race/race08.htm and http://www.adl.org/hate-patrol/racism.asp is used to analyze the meaning and understanding of race and racialism.
In formulating this literary work, there were some steps that the writer accomplished. First of all, the writer collected data which would be used to analyze the novel. Data on literature, racism, and psychology was collected by the writer to support the analysis by applying the library and internet research. The second step was reading and understanding the collected data. The writer tried to find the mo st suitable data as the sources for the analysis. This step leads us to the third and final step which was analyzing and writing the study. The writer analyzed the novel with the support of the collected data and written this literary work as a result of the analysis.
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS The analysis will be divided into three subchapters. The first subchapter is
to answer the first problem. It is the description of how racism towards the blacks is depicted in the novel. It is important to discuss racism itself first, and how it is depicted in the novel. By knowing the types of racial discriminations, we will be led to answer the second subchapter. In the second subchapter the discussion goes to the description of how George Dawson receives racist acts and how he would react towards it. Based on the first discussion, the writer describes the types of racism act George Dawson receives and his reactions on it. The last subchapter is to answer the third problem. It discusses how George Dawson’s reaction towards the racism act he receives reflects a contradictory view of racism. From this discussion the reader will understand why George Dawson can be described as a person who triumphs over racism.