An Analysis of Black American's Social Problems as Reflected in Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin

  

AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS

REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES BY JAMES BALDWIN A THESIS BY ROMINA TINAMBUNAN REG. NO. 100705021 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2014    

  

AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS

REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES BY JAMES BALDWIN A THESIS BY ROMINA TINAMBUNAN REG. NO. 100705021 SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR (Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S ) (Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum) NIP. 19521229 197903 2 001 NIP. 19630216 198903 1 003

Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of SarjanaSastra from

Departmen of English DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2014

  

Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University

of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination.

   Head, Secretary,

( Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS ) (Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, MA. PhD)

NIP. 19541117 198003 1 002 NIP. 19750209 200812 1 002

  Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara, Medan. The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara on Saturday April, 19 2014 Dean of Faculty Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, MA NIP. 19511013 197603 1 001 Board of Examiners (Signature) Dr.

H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS ( )

  

Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, MA. PhD ( )

Dra. Redita Lubis, Dip. Appl. Ling,M.Hum. ( )

Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S ( )

Dr. Siti Norma Nasution, M.Hum ( )

  

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

  

I ROMINA TINAMBUNAN DECLARES THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR

OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT

OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED

ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A

THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR, OR AWARDED ANOTHER

DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT

DUE ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.

  Signed : th Date :

19 April 2014

  

COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

NAME : ROMINA TINAMBUNAN TITLE OF THESIS : AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES BY JAMES BALDWIN QUALIFICATION : S-1/SARJANA SASTRA DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH

  

I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR

REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES,

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT

USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.

  Signed : th Date :

19 April 2014

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  First of all, I would like to thank and praise to the Almighty God, Jesus Christ for His blessing and mercy so that I can complete this thesis as one of the requirements to get Scholar Certificate in English Department, Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara.

  From the beginning of my study until completing this thesis, I have got much help, guide and direct or indirect supports from many parties. On this occasion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those parting namely: 1.

   The Dean of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, MA who has authority in my academic years of learning.

  2. Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS the Head of English Department who has helped me with her leadership to finish my study and for Mr Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, MA. PhD as the secretary of faculty.

  3. Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S., as my supervisor and Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum, my co-supervisor, thank you for all the time, guidance, suggestions, effort, knowledge and corrections that is given to me in doing this thesis so I can complete it well. They have given me so much knowledge and made me find so much pleasure in doing this thesis. I would also thank all my lectures of Faculty Letters, University of Sumatera Utara 4. My hearties and deepest gratitude is due to my beloved parents, B.

  Tinambunan and L. Hasugian, who always give me love, care, support and their patience to help me in the life. Thank you for your offering prayers to God for my success in my life

  5. My huge thanks for my beloved brother Marhon Sarmono Tinambunan ST without you I will not be like this, all your support, your struggle I will always remember. I also want to say thanks alot to my sister N. R Tinambunan, Sarihon Tinambunan, who always give me love, affection and care. To my beloved brother E. Tinambunan and Pirhot Tinambunan thanks for your support. I love you all.

  6. My brother, my sister and my friends in my Small Group Gema juita Simare- mare, Uli Artha Simanungkalit, Kristin Novia and Grace Sibarani who always give me love and care, and also for K’Dortama, B’Bona and K’Ida.

  7. My special thank to all my friends who always give me spirit and advice and have become my best friends from my first day to the time when I finish my study at Faculty of Letters especially for NERO...

  8. I would like to thank to my friends in Coordinate of UKM KMK USU UP FIB University of Sumatera Utara, thanks for many precious experiences that I can get with you all and thank’s for all your pray sista and brother. I will remember you all. Finally I realize that this thesis is still far from being perfect and I welcome constructive criticism and suggestion.

  Medan, 19 April 2014 The writer

  Romina Tinambunan No. Reg: 100705021

  

ABSTRACT

  The thesis is entitled ‘An Analysis of Black American’s Social Problems as reflected in Sonny’s Blues By James Baldwin.’ This thesis is an analysis of social problems which are faced by Black American who live in America, especially the people who live in Harlem and the impact of those social problems. The social problems which are discussed in this thesis are race discrimination, poverty, alcholism, criminality, and drug addict. The purposes of this thesis are to analyze and to provide that the life of Sony’s family in Sonny’s Blues short story is the symbol of Black American’s social problem. The method that is applied is descriptive qualitative method and the theory that is applied is sociology of literature. Based on this research, there is found that the life of Sonny in Sonny’s Blues is the symbol of social problems which are faced by Black American, especially the people who live in Harlem. Keywords: Social problem, Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin

   

  

ABSTRAK

  Judul skripsi ini adalah An Analysis of Black American’s Social Problems as reflected in Sonny’s Blues By James Baldwin. Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang masalah-masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh orang-orang kulit hitam yang tinggal di Amerika, khususnya mereka yang tinggal di Harlem serta dampak dari masalah sosial tersebut. Masalah sosial yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini mencakup diskriminasi sosial, kemiskinan, alkoholisme, kriminalitas dan kecanduan narkoba. Adapun tujuan dari penulisan skripsi ini adalah untuk menganalisa dan membuktikan bahwa kehidupan keluarga Sonny dalam cerita pendek Sonny’s Blues adalah perlambangan masalah-masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh orang hitam di Amerika terkhusus orang- orang yang tinggal di Harlem. Metode yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif dan teori yang digunakan adalah teori sosiologi sastra. Dari pembahasan ini ditemukan bahwa memang benar kehidupan keluarga Sonny dalam cerita pendek Sonny’s Blues adalah perlambangan dari masalah- masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh kulit hitam yang hidup di Amerika khususnya orang-orang yang tinggal di Harlem. Kata Kunci: Masalah sosial, Sonny’s Blues, James Baldwin

  TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES AUTHOR’S DECLARATION ................................................................... i COPYRIGHT DECLARATION ............................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................ iii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................. v ABSTRAK ................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................ vii

  CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

  1.1 _{............................................................................................... Backgrou} nd of the Study. ................................................................................ 1 1.2 _{............................................................................................... Problems} of the Study ...................................................................................... 5 1.3 _{............................................................................................... Objective} of the Study ...................................................................................... 6 1.4 _{............................................................................................... Scope of} the Study ………………………………………….. ....................... 6 1.5 _{............................................................................................... Significan} ce of the Study.................................................................................. 6

  CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

  2.1 Literature and Society ...................................................................... 7

  2.2 Social Problems ...................................................................... 11

  2.2.1 _{...................................................................................... Race} Discrimination..................................................................... 14

  2.2.2 _{...................................................................................... Poverty .......... 15}

  2.2.3 _{...................................................................................... Alcoholis} m ......................................................................................... 18 2.2.4 _{...................................................................................... Criminalit} y........................................................................................... 21

  2.2.5 _{...................................................................................... Drugs} Addiction............................................................................. 22

  2.3 Review of related Studies ................................................................ 24

  CHAPTER III: METHOD OF RESEARCH

  3.1 Research Design ..................................................................... 26

  3.2 Data Collecting ................................................................................ 27

  3.3 Data Selecting Procedure ................................................................. 29

  3.4 Data Analysis ................................................................................... 29

  CHAPTER IV: WHITE PEOPLE AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY

  4.1 White People History ....................................................................... 30

  4.2 African-American History ............................................................... 31

  4.3 The American Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction .......... 36

  CHAPTER V: ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

  5.1 _{............................................................................................... Harlem} As a Symbol of the Social Condition (trap) ..................................... 38

  5.2 _{............................................................................................... Race} Discrimination .................................................................................. 40

  5.3 _{............................................................................................... Poverty .......... 43}

  5.4 _{............................................................................................... Alcoholis} m ...................................................................................................... 45 5.5 _{............................................................................................... Criminalit} y ........................................................................................................ 47 5.6 _{............................................................................................... Drugs}

  Addiction .......................................................................................... 49

  CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

  6.1 Conclusion .............................................................................. 56

  6.2 Suggestion ........................................................................................ 57