ALIENATION AS THE RESULT OF SOCIAL DISPARITIES SEEN FROM RAM MOHAMMAD THOMAS’S CHARACTER IN VIKAS SWARUP’S SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Q A) AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
ALIENATION AS THE RESULT OF SOCIAL DISPARITIES SEEN FROM RAM MOHAMMAD THOMAS’S CHARACTER
IN VIKAS SWARUP’S SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Q & A) AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Sastra in English Letter
By
INDRIANI RETNO PALUPI
Student number: 044214083
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY 2011
Kantan ni ikanai kara ikiteyukeru (Since things aren’t easy, that’s why I can live)
~Yui Yoshioka This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to My late Dad, my beloved Mom,
A. Indarto, B. Indrawan, and my beloved man, Johan.
Thank you for your supports, patience and love……
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In the very first place, I would like to thank and praise my Lord, Jesus Christ, for His blessing, guidance and miracles in finishing this thesis. I would be nothing without Him.
I send my gratitude to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S. S., M.Hum for her valuable guidance, time, contributions, ideas, help, patience, and SMS during my undergraduate thesis writing. My deepest appreciation goes to my co- advisor, Dr. F. X. Siswadi, M. A. for his suggestions and correction that help me improving this writing. I am also indebted to my examiner, Tatang Iskarna, S. S., M. Hum who gave me questions and critics for the sake of my work.
To my Mom, M. Th. Masita, I can hardly find the right words to thank you. Your unlimited love, supports and prays make me strong in this upside down life. To my brothers, Mas Datong and Mas Wawang, you are rock, guys! To my beloved F. X. Johan Wisnu Indrianto, I really thank you for all the things you have done for me in finishing this thesis. I love you. And to my twin sister, Ririto Hikari, I am thankful for all her supports in the very bad times.
My gratitude also goes to my best friends, Shinta and Rio who always encourage me in every single day. I also would like to thank my hilarious friends in Menur 15; Loi, Nophe, Poetri, Nina, Efin and Esther. I thank them for all incredible times in boarding house.
My special appreciation goes to my friend, Rahul Gaikwad, in Spicer Memorial College in Pune, India who has helped me much in translating and understanding the Indian words in the novel. I owe so much to you, Sunny.
Finally yet importantly, I thank all the people in English Department; the lectures, the secretariat staffs, and the friends for all the helps have been given to me. I also thank others whose names cannot be mentioned one by one.
Indriani Retno Palupi
TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE
1. Review on India‟s Social Condition in the Late of 21
3. Theory of Alienation………………………………………. 14
3.1. Qualities of an Alienated Person…………………....... 15
3.2. Kinds of Alienation…………………………………… 16
3.2.1. Man‟s Alienation to Himself…………………… 16
3.2.2. Man‟s Alienation to Other People and to His Community…………………………………...... 17
3.3. Trigger Factors of Alienation…………………………. 17
4. Theory of Social Class…………………………………….. 19
C. Review on India‟s Economic and Social Condition in the Late of 21
st
Century………………………….………………………. 19
st
1. Theory of Character and Characterization………………… 10
Century…………………………………………………..….. 20
2. Review on India‟s Economic Condition in the Late of 21
st
Century……………………………………………………… 21
D. Theoretical Framework…………………………………………. 22
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
……………………………………... 24
A. Object of the Study……………………………………………… 24
B. Approach of the Study…………………………………………... 25
C. Method of the Study…………………………………………….. 26
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS
2. Theory of Literature and Society………………………….. 13
B. Review of Related Theories…………………………………….. 10
……………………………………………………………... i
…………………………………………………. vii
APPROVAL PAGE
……………………………………………………….. ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE
………………………………………………….... iii
MOTTO AND DEDICATION PAGE
…………………………………… iv HALAMAN PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
……………. v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
......………………………………………….. vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
A. Review of Related Studies……………………………………… 8
……………………………………………………………….. ix
INTISARI
…………………………………………………………………. x
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
………………………………………... 1
A. Background of the Study………………………………….......... 1
B. Problem Formulation……………………………………………. 5
C. Objectives of the Study…………………………………………. 5
D. Definition of Terms……………………………………………... 6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW
……………………………. 8
………………………………………………. 28
A. The Depiction of Ram Mohammad Thomas in Vikas Swarup‟s
Slumdog Millionaire (Q&A)
…………………………………….. 28
B. Social Disparity in India‟s Society in Vikas Swarup‟s Slumdog
Millionaire (Q&A) through Ram Mohammad
Thomas………………………………………………………….. 37
C. Alienation as the Result of Social Disparity Seen from Ram Mohammad Thomas…………………………………………….. 45
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION
………………………………………….. 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY
………………………………………………………… 61
APENDIX
…………………………………………………………………. 64
ABSTRACT
INDRIANI RETNO PALUPI. Alienation as the Result of Social Disparities
Seen from Ram Mohammad Thomas’s Character in Vikas Swarup’s Slumdog
Millionaire (Q&A). Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of
Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2011.This thesis discusses Vikas Swarup‟s novel entitled Slumdog Millionaire, originally published as Q&A. The writer analyzes the alienation that is undergone by the main character in the novel, Ram Mohammad Thomas which is caused by
st
century. The stratification the social disparity that happens in India‟s late 21 rooted from the application of caste-system in India at that time results in social disparity among classes of society that trigger alienation.
To analyze this thesis, three problems are formulated. The first problem is to identify the qualities and the characteristic of the main character. The second problem is to find out the alienation caused by social disparity seen from the
st
century. The last one is to reveal social and economic condition in India‟s late 21 the effects of social disparity toward the main character.
The writer employs the sociocultural-historical approach to conduct this study. The library research method is applied in this study. The Theory of Character and Characterization, Theory of Relation between Literature and Society, theory of Alienation, Theory of Social Class and the review on India‟s
st
Economic and Social Condition in the late of 21 century are needed to answer the problems.
The result of the study shows that the caste-based stratifications —lower, middle and upper
—bring the sense of social disparity. Alienation occurs among the social class, especially between the upper class and the lower class. The people from lower class of society are underestimated by the people from the upper class. Therefore, the main character in the novel undergoes the alienation from himself, other people, and the society. The alienation that is experienced by the main character brings some changes to his way of life and point of view of thinking. In this case, Ram Mohammad Thomas becomes an individual who craves for acceptance and conformity, depends on the approval of others, and lacks selfhood. Furthermore, he also feels lonely and he has so much guilty feeling.
INTISARI
INDRIANI RETNO PALUPI. Alienation as the Result of Social Disparities
Seen from Ram Mohammad Thomas’s Character in Vikas Swarup’s Slumdog
Millionaire (Q&A). Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra,
Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011.Skripsi ini mengkaji novel Vikas Swarup yang berjudul Slumdog
Millionaire, yang terbitkan secara resmi dengan judul Q&A. Penulis menganalisis
keterasingan yang dialami oleh tokoh utama di dalam novel, Ram Mohammad Thomas, yang disebabkan oleh adanya kesenjangan sosial yang terjadi di India pada periode akhir abad ke 21. Pembagian kelas sosial masyarakat yang timbul dari adanya penerapan sistem kasta di India pada saat itu menimbulkan adanya kesenjangan sosial diantara masyarakat sehingga memicu terjadinya keterasingan.
Terdapat tiga masalah yang dirumuskan dalam skripsi ini. Masalah pertama adalah analisis mengenai kualitas dan karakteristik dari tokoh utama. Masalah kedua dirumuskan untuk mengetahui keterasingan yang disebabkan oleh kesenjangan sosial dilihat dari kondisi sosial dan ekonomi India pada tahun periode akhir abad ke 21. Permasalahan terakhir dimaksudkan untuk mengetahui pengaruh kesenjangan sosial terhadap tokoh utama.
Dalam sripsi ini, penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosial budaya dan sejarah. Metode kepustakaan digunakan untuk memperoleh data. Untuk menganalisis skripsi ini, penulis menggunakan teori karakter dan perwatakan, teori hubungan antara literatur dan masyarakat, teori alienasi, teori pembagian kelas, serta gambaran mengenai kondisi sosial dan ekonomi masyarakat India pada periode akhir abad ke 21.
Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa pembagian kelas sosial masyarakat berdasarkan sistem kasta menjadi kelas atas, menengah dan bawah menyebabkan kesenjangan sosial. Keterasingan terjadi diantara masyarakat, khususnya antara kelas atas dan kelas bawah. Orang-orang yang berasal dari masyarakat golongan kelas bawah biasa diremehkan oleh orang-orang yang memiliki golongan yang lebih tinngi. Oleh karena itu, tokoh utama di dalam novel mengalami keterasingan dari dirinya sendiri, dari orang lain dan dari masyarakat. Keterasingan yang dialami oleh tokoh utama menimbulkan beberapa perubahan pada gaya hidup dan pola pemikiran tokoh utama tersebut. Dalam hal ini, tokoh utama berubah menjadi individu yang sangat ingin bisa diterima di dalam masyarakat, ingin memperoleh pengakuan dari orang lain dan merupakan tokoh yang kurang percaya diri. Tokoh utama juga mengalami kesepian dan memiliki perasaan bersalah yang besar.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This thesis is the study of Alienation as the Result of Social Disparities Seen from Ram Mohammad Thomas's Character in Vikas Swarup's Slumdog Millionaire (Q & A). This chapter consists of several parts namely; background of
the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, and the last is definition of terms.
A. Background of the Study
This world does not only consist of two or three societies. There are thousands even more that cover this earth. A society may consist of different kinds of individual characteristics, and it represents different kind of race, gender, culture, ethnicity, language, religion, social status, education, etc. When we further talk about a society, then we have to look closely at what is inside the society. If we think logically from the fact that a society represents different kind of aspects such as race, gender, culture, ethnicity, language, religion, social status, education, etc., then we will think that there must be a differentiation among the societies. For example, from the gender point of view we may find men and women, from the race point of view we may know the whites and the blacks, and from the social status view side we can find the rich and the poor, the majorities and the minorities or the upper class and the lower class.
The illustration above takes us to a term called a social stratification. Sociologists use the term of social stratification to refer to the organization of inequality in a society. There are a lot of kinds of social inequalities that we may find in our surrounding. Perhaps there are numerous bases for stratifying a society, and each of us might have different ways of determining the people. According to Earl Babbie in his book titled A Context for Action Understanding Sociology, he argues that regardless of whether people are created equal, they typically live in a state of inequality. Indeed, in every society some people are more powerful than others, some have more of the good things than others, some can do things others cannot, and some can be what they want to be whereas the others cannot (1982: 191). In Earl Babbie
‟s book, he and also Max Weber have stratified the society into several dimensions. Babbie divided the society based on the dimensions of kinship, economy, politics, education, religion, and also age, race and gender (1982: 194). On other hand, Weber stratifies the society into three dimensions; economic, social and political (1982: 194).
Based on the fact above, the writer realizes economic inequality as the most crucial issue that people often experienced in the surrounding society. Since thousand years ago, economic inequality and social disparities have become a serious problem in almost all countries in the world, especially in countries where there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor.
In this case, the writer tries to focus on India‟s social life for social gap is common in that country. The social and the economic disparities are clearly seen in India, since the people of India belong to thousands of castes and caste-like groups, named groups into which members are born. Furthermore, the castes affect their social status. Caste is essentially hereditary. Babbie also cited that according to Max Weber this hereditary character was not merely the result of monopolizing and restricting the earning opportunity to a definite maximum quota. Such quota restriction existed, and still exist in part, among the occupational castes of India; but restriction is strongest not in the cities but in the villages, where a quota restriction of opportunities has had no connection with a guild organization and no need for it. In India, the access to wealth and power varies considerably, and vast differences in socioeconomic status are evident everywhere. The poor and the wealthy people live side by side in urban and rural areas. It is common in city life to see a prosperous, well-fed man or woman chauffeured in a fine car pass gaunt street dwellers huddled beneath burlap shelters along the roadway. In many villages, solid cement houses of landowners rise not far from the flimsy thatched shacks of landless laborers. Even when not so obvious, distinctions of class are found in almost every settlement in India (Indianchild, 2000:.
A lot of Indians and also non- Indians tried to describe the India‟s social life, not only the glamorous one but also the unfortunate lives that the society deals with everyday.
One who concerns oneself on India‟s life is Vikas Swarup. He is an Indian diplomat who is presently serving in Pretoria, South Africa. He tried to depict the India‟s social life by writing a debut novel, Slumdog
Millionaire, originally published as Q & A. His framing written novel has been
translated into thirty-four languages and adapted into a major motion picture. The novel is about Ram Mohammad Thomas, an 18 years old boy, who tells the story of his life which is ups and downs in all sorts of Indian unfortunate fates. In the novel, he became the first contestant to answer all twelve questions correctly and take the price. However, the television producers charged Ram that he must have cheated and they should not have to pay up just because Ram works as a servant.
In fact, Ram really knows the answers for sure because the questions raised in the quiz were connected to his life.
Even though Slumdog Millionaire (Q & A) is not the only novel describing the poor Indian society, but this novel precisely shows the representation of reality in India. Swarup made the narrator, Ram, conveys the story in twelve frames as the twelve questions that presented on the television show Who Will Win a Billion which sent Ram tortured by the police and be alienated from society. A review written by Becky Hazlett on stated that Q & A is so visual, vivid and teeming with life like a New Delhi bazaar. The first person narrative draws you in and takes you on an action-packed adventure.
The focus of this thesis will be on Ram Mohammad Thomas‟s sufferings because of the alienation he experienced, covering the alienation toward himself and the alienation in his community and society. Here the writer tries to figure out the alienation itself as the result of social disparity based on the novel. The writer believes that what Ram has experienced might be also faced by many people in the other parts of India and other countries in this world. Therefore, through this thesis the writer tries to give a clear depiction on social disparity that truly exist in our surrounding society so that people can distinguish what the best for their own life in a society.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to specify the thesis‟s scope, the writer has formulated three questions deal with the alienation caused by the social disparity based on Vikas Swarup‟s Slumdog Millionaire (Q&A). The questions are following:
1. How is the main character, Ram, depicted in Vikas Swarup‟s Slumdog
Millionaire (Q&A)?
2. How is the social disparity revealed through the presence of Ram in the novel?
3. How is alienation as the result of social disparity reflected through Ram?
C. Objectives of the Study
Since this thesis discusses about alienation which is undergone by the character of Ram Mohammad Thomas as the result of social disparity in India, the primary objectives of this study will be divided into three parts according to the questions formulated above.
The first objective of this study is to identify Ram Mohammad Thomas‟s characteristics and qualities depicted in the novel. In the discussion, the writer will analyze Ram‟s characteristics and qualities as an alienated boy by using the theory of character.
Secondly, the situation and the condition of India‟s social inequalities will be described by the writer accordingly to the novel discussed. The depiction of the social disparities in the novel can be seen from the main character, Ram Mohammad Thomas, events, and economic situation and also the social background of India described in the novel.
Finally, the last objective of this study is to see the effect of social disparity in India from what has been through by Ram Mohammad Thomas in the novel. In the discussion, the writer tries to give a clear depiction on how the social and economic conditions can influence the lives of individual in a society where Ram lives in, especially after Ram is successfully answer all the questions and take the prize in a quiz, Who Will Win a Billion. This part will also explain the effects of
Ram‟s alienated experience as the result of social disparity that exists in India as storied in the novel.
D. Definition of Terms
There are some terms that the writer wants to define in order to avoid confusion and differences in understanding about certain terms used in this thesis, they are:
1. Alienation
According to Allan G. Johnson in his book titled Human Arrangement, alienation is a feeling of isolation and loneliness as a result of social changes in modern complex society, where the value of speed, control, oppression, production and obedience are more appreciated than those of happiness and satisfaction (1986: 238). In short, alienation is a feeling of isolation and loneliness that caused by social changes in a society and it covers alienation toward society, nature, other people and him or herself.
2. Social Disparity
Social disparity is also understood as social inequality. Allan G. Johnson in his book titled Human Arrangement stated that social disparity is an inequality among the member of social classes that occurs as the result of their differences in power, wealth or status (1986: 320). Generally, social disparity is the growing inequality between the rich and the poor (Answer Corporation, 2011: .
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies Social disparities have become a crucial issue that people often
experienced in our surrounding society, both in a developed country and in a developing country. It can be influenced by power, wealth, social class, etc.
(Johnson, 1986: 320). As stated in a study titled Comparing Brown Era Racial
Disparities to Today published by Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and
Ethnicity, it is claimed that disparities exist in many levels; individual group, neighborhood, city, metropolitan area and nation (Douglas S. Massey & Nancy A Denton, 2004: 31). This study is also described that though America is a developed country, the social disparity still becomes a serious problem in that country. It is clearly depicted that the social disparity in America is mainly caused by racism between the blacks and the whites (2004: 29).
Another related study on social disparity Poverty, Inequality and Social
Disparities during China’s Economic Reform done by David Dollar said that
different kinds of disparities increase in China, especially after the government introduced a new market system; decentralized fiscal system. The result is social inequality occurs among China‟s citizens (qtd in Dollar, 2007: 1). In this case, Dollar tried to show how the government takes a huge power to control the people.
In India, there exist several dimensions of economic and social disparities of development in the country. N. J. Kurian in his article Widening Economic and
Social Disparities: Implications for India stated that India suffers from acute
economic and social disparities (2007: 374). He divided disparities in India into four parts; regional, rural-urban, and social and gender. There is a wide gap between the societies live in the city and in the rural-urban area. However, their social class is also defined by their caste they belong to. The higher the caste the higher the social class they have, and this is the point that Kurian tried to explain:
The caste system practiced by the Hindu society did not allow social mobility across the classes (Kurian, 2007: 378).
The idea mentioned above means that their mobility is limited only in their caste they have, and usually the society with a lower caste will be just discriminated and rejected by the society with a higher caste.
Furthermore, Rohit Mutatkar in his study Social Group Disparities and
Poverty in India tried to depict the profile of social group disparities and poverty
in India, where social groups are classified as scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other social groups. He found that social group disparities in levels of living are the result of historically rooted „social disadvantages‟ for scheduled caste by way of social exclusion which continue to operate in contemporary Indian society (2005: 1).
Vikas Swarup‟s Slumdog Millionaire (Q & A) is considered as the novel revealing the India‟s life which presents an alienated character, Ram Mohammad Thomas as the character who is influenced by the social disparities that happen in India. Sandra McLean in a website mentioned that Swarup's novel takes us into the harsh reality of Indian life, but never forgets to entertain. Q and A is absolutely embedded in India with its chawls, or slums, Bollywood obsession, starving street kids, alcoholism and glistening monuments to love, and it is also a story of everymen
The writer agrees with the discussions mentioned above. However, this undergraduate thesis is also trying to develop and to find out the trigger factors contributing to Ram Mohammad Thomas‟ alienation. The writer also tries to give a clear depiction on how the social and economic conditions can influence the lives of individual in a society he/she lives in.
B. Review on Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Theory of Character and Characterization is needed in this study since the characters are the person who will convey the ideas in the story. There are several theories in analyzing characters and characteristics. The first is a theory proposed by E. M. Forster through a book titled Aspects of the Novel. He stated that there are two types of characters, round and the flat characters. Round characters are usually the heroic or the major character in the work, while the flat characters are the characters that are undistinguishable from their groups (Stallybrass, 2005:12). Moreover, Robert Stanton states that the main character is figure that is relevant to every event in the story and usually the events cause some changes either in him or in the reader‟s attitude toward him (1965:17).
Furthermore, M. J. Murphy in his book Understanding Unseen explains on how an author conveys to the readers the characters and the personalities of the people he writes about. Those ways of characterizing the characters are mentioned as follow (1972: 161-173).
1. Personal Description The author describes the characters through the details of his appearance, which are shown in the physical appearance of the characters. This personal description helps the readers both to visualize the person and to understand the characteristics.
2. Characters as seen by other The author describes a certain character through the eyes and opinion of other characters. The other characters will give explanation about what a character is like. The readers can also use their point of view to describe a certain character.
3. Speech The author gives the readers an insight into the character in the work through what a person says. It can be seen whenever a person speaks, whenever he is in conversation with other characters, whenever he puts forward an opinion we can see his characteristics.
4. Past life The readers learn to know the character‟s personalities by learning something about a person‟s past life. This can be done by direct comment by the author and through the person‟s thought, his conversation or the medium of another person. The character‟s past life is always closely related to his present life. The pictures of the character‟s life can trace the motives of his recent actions.
5. Conversation of other The author gives the readers clues to a person‟s character through the conversation of the other people and the things they say about him. The conversation of the other characters can be used by the readers to support their judgment on a certain character.
6. Reaction The author can also gives the reader a clue to a person‟s character by letting them know how a certain character reacts to various situation and events.
This means that the character shows his or her personality from his or her actions. These actions are related to his or her inner motives and thoughts.
7. Direct comment The author describes or gives comment on a person‟s character directly.
This comment will let the readers know about the character ‟s description.
8. Thoughts The author often gives the readers direct knowledge of what a person has in his or her mind. This though lets the readers know about the mental process of the character.
9. Mannerisms The author gives description on a person‟s mannerism, habit or idiosyncrasies which may also tell the readers about his or her characteristics.
Another theory of character and characterization is proposed by Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. In their book titled Fiction: an Introduction to
Reading and Writing, they define a character as an extended verbal representation
of a human being, the inner self that determines thought, speech and behavior (1986: 119). So, a character in fiction may have the characteristics of human being in a society since it is a representation of a real life. A character is also must be consistent in his/her behavior, clearly motivated and credible. Consistent means that a character can change if there is strong reason, for instance when somebody feels depressed in his poverty, he can change to become a thief or something similar. A character also to have clear motivation when he changes his minds, and the reason has to be acceptable (Kenney, 1988:67) Moreover, Roberts and Jacobs mentioned that there are four ways in determining the qualities of characters or what-so-called as characterizing the characters. Those are by examining what the character says, what the character does, what the other characters say about a certain character and what the author says about those characters (1986: 122-124).
2. Literature and Society Literature and society are two different things that cannot be separated.
Literary works such as novels and plays may be the representation of a real society. That is why the theory of literature and society is needed in this thesis. Rene Wellek and Austen Warren in their book Theory of Literature stated that literature represents life, and life is a social reality (1956: 94).
3. Alienation There are three main definitions of alienation used in this thesis.
According to a book titled Theories of Personality, Richard M. Ryckman defines alienation as feeling of powerlessness and aloness experienced by individuals who have rejected traditional values of society and are incapable of instituting a social and political system compatible with their own values and principles (1989: 167).
Whereas Richard A. Kalish describes alienation as an experience when people do not feel they belong to their community or when they feel that they cannot relate to a group (1973: 44-45). In line with Kalish, Gold argues that there are three interrelated meanings that have been suggested to alienation, they are isolation, feeling of powerlessness, an identity crisis (Kalish, 1973: 45). Therefore, from Ryckman, Kalish and Gold definition of alienation is a human experience which includes the feeling of loneliness, powerlessness, meaninglessness, isolation, and separation with himself, other people and the society they live in.
Furthermore, the writer is also trying to give a clearer depiction about alienation through several classifications; those are qualities of alienated person, kind of alienation, and the trigger of alienation. There will be more explanation on every subtitle below:
a. Qualities of Alienated Person
In order to be acquainted with the term of alienation the writer thinks that it is important to understand the quality of a person who is experiencing alienation. There are several qualities of an alienated person. Karl Marx explains that when people are alienated they feel powerless, isolated, and feel the social world is meaningless. They look at the social institutions as beyond their control, and consider them oppressive (Elwell, 1989:78). Furthermore, an alienated person is “out of touch with himself as he is out of touch with any other person”. One is emotionally distant with other people as well as with oneself. (Kalish, 1973: 44).
In addition, from the book The Sane Society, it is suggested that the alienated person lacks a feeling of selfhood and experiences himself in terms of a response to the expectation of others (Fromm, 1955: 193). Craving for acceptance is also a very characteristic feeling in the alienated person. The only safe thing to do for having a sense of identity is conformity (Fromm, 1955: 155). An alienated person tries as best as he or she can to be the same as other people. Being the same with other people makes one feels secure and accepted by other people. Alienated person feels secure in being as similar as possible to the others. He or she wants to be approved by others because to be different and to be a minority threatened his or her sense of security.
Therefore, he or she craves for limitless conformity. Any deviation from the pattern, any criticism, arouses fear and insecurity: one is always dependent in the approval of others, just as a drug addict is dependent on his drug, and similarly, one‟s own sense of self and self-reliance becomes ever increasingly weaker (Fromm, 1955: 197). Another characteristic of an alienated person is that an alienated person has so much guilty feeling. He feels guilty for being himself, and not for being himself, for being alive and for being automaton, for being a person and for being a thing (Fromm, 1955: 205).
b. Kinds of Alienation
Identifying the kinds of alienation might help the writer to get closer with the meaning of alienation itself, so that the writer can draw the characteristics of an alienated person.
There are two kinds of alienation; they are the alienation from oneself, and the alienation from other people, and from the world in which one lives. These two kinds of alienation are interconnected and explained as follow:
i. Man’s Alienation to Himself
Fromm describes the relationship of a man toward himself as “marketing orientation” (1955: 141). In this orientation, man experiences himself as a thing to be employed successfully on the market. His aim is to sell himself on the market. His sense of self does not stem from his activity as a loving and thinking individual, but from his socio-economic role. Man experiences himself, not as a man, with love, fear, convictions, doubts, but as that abstractions, alienated from his real nature, which fulfills a certain function in the social system. His sense of value depends on his success: on whether he can sell himself favorably, whether he can make more of himself rather than he started out with, whether he is a success. If individual fails in a profitable investment of himself, he feels that he is a failure; if he succeeds, he is a success (Fromm, 1955: 142).
ii. Man’s Alienation to Other People and to His Community
Fromm states that a person‟s relationship to other person is like “two living machine who use each other”. Human relations are based on their needs.
There is, rather, a superficial friendlineness, and a more than superficial fairness, but behind the surface is distance and indifference (Fromm, 1955: 139). Yet, man is a social being with a deep need to share, to help, to feel as a member of a group.
However, in modern man the individual is motivated by egoistical interest, and not by solidarity with and love for his fellow man (Fromm, 1955: 140).
Furthermore, Fromm also states that in the modern time, most of people see the value of one‟s life from one‟s possessions or status. This condition creates a hard competition between the people and makes the people forget that they have some needs as a social being. So, man is alienated from other people. The alienation between man and man results in the loss of those general and social bonds.
c. Trigger Factors of Alienation
There are several factors contribute to the alienation. The most prominent factor contributes to alienation is the society. It includes a complex changing society that presents an overwhelming number of hard choices to the individual, including, moving frequently from job to job and place to place, the high divorce rate, the loss extended family as an important support system, the tendency in some organizations treat people as replaceable units rather than as human beings with feelings and needs, and a high population density, which can make the individual feel small and powerless in the midst of torrents of social forces that are far beyond one person‟s control (2009: In a society where there is a wide gap between the rich and the poor or in a country where there is a high rate of poverty, such as India, alienation happens. Moreover, Norman Uphoff states that in India there is the special problem which few people are willing to talk about it. Even after 50 years, there is still strong residual discrimination against persons born into scheduled-caste or scheduled-tribe families. There are some exceptions, as some of these households have been able to climb up some rungs on the socio-economic ladder. But this is the one of the most glaring sources of poverty and inequality in India: the continuing effect of a caste system several thousand years old (Uphoff, 1974:14-15).
Generally, Julian Blackburn in her book The Framework of Human
Behavior said that most societies appear to possess the same form of class system,
though the degree of mobility between the different classes has varied enormously from the rigidity of a caste-system, including sex, age, conquest, birth and relationship, occupation, education, wealth, intelligence (1947: 121).
In line with the arguments above, Allan Fromme also argues that alienation cannot suddenly happen in a person‟s life. There are some factors contributing to alienation. There are two major factors contributing the alienation (Fromme, 1967:7). Those are society and family.
4. Theory of Social Class
According to Johnson, inhabitants can be classified based on several things. In traditional cultures, religion, genealogical background, and possession of means of production were the dividing elements on which the class division was based. As societies expand and become more complex, occupation, education and qualification, income and wealth, and wealth and properties are the new elements to divide people into some different classes. The more these qualifications people have, the higher the class they can obtain (1986:327). Furthermore, the concept of social class lies in the differences in life opportunities which are reflected in housing, education and health. Life opportunities will be greater if people can provide themselves with material goods and an appropriate of living, but people from the lower class will concentrate in how they can afford their basic necessities with their limited resources and abilities.
st
C. Review on India’s Economic and Social Condition in the Late of 21
Century stThe writer attaches the review of India in the late of 21 century because the author of Slumdog Millionaire (Q&A) uses that period of time and the society in India as his story‟s background. So, this part will provide some general depictions on India‟s economic and social condition for a better understanding that literature is a representation of social reality.
st Century i. Review on India’s Social Condition in the Late of 21
The Indian society is not a uniform one. This is a natural corollary to the fact that diversity is a part of Indian way of life. From region to region, diversity in the social structure is prominently seen. It is estimated that there are more than
2,000 ethnic groups in India According to Society and Culture Tour India, unity
.in diversity is best seen in India in a maze of seemingly disparate peoples.