FEMINISTIC LOVE STORY: FRIDA

FEMINISTIC LOVE STORY: FRIDA

Gender is a complicated discussion. Talk about gender is just like talk about never ending story, full of contradiction, complicated and debatable. One of hot discussion relate with gender is talk and discuss about feminism.

1. Feminism

Hornby (1995: 428) says that feminism is belief in the principle that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men. Although this belief grows as the development of the era but the core of feminism is still same, woman demand that they have the same right and opportunities just like man.

So many kinds of feminism were born, radical feminism, Muslim feminism, Christian feminism etc. the wave of feminism comes from all over the part of the world and every feminist has their own argument of what feminism is. Just like stated above, the core is same “no gender diversity”.

One of reason of the born of feminism is Ancient Greek gender’s discrimination. Aristotle in Bressler (p. 180) states that the male is by nature superior, and the female inferior, and the one rules and the other is ruled. The protest against that opinion comes from all over part of the world and Simone de Beavoir is one of women who reject that opinion.

Beavoir feminism was born as a protest of Patriarchal construction in French and western. The other reasons are woman is controlled by man and women as the secondary. Beside that the existence of women is under the man even in major institution just like in church, government and also in educational system. Everything are controlled by male because male is dominant in society. It is just like Bressler stated in Literary Criticism (p. 182):

Beavoir’s text declares that both French and Western societies are Patriarchal, controlled by male…Beavoir believed that the male in these societies defines what it means to be human, including, therefore, what it means to be female. Because the female is not male, she becomes “the other”, an object whose existence is defined and interpreted by the male, who is the dominant being in society.

Against the condition above a women have to life independently, get out from the Patriarchal construction. It is just like Beavoir stated in Bressler. Beavoir in Bressler (p. 182) states that a woman must break the bonds of her Patriarchal society and define herself if she wishes to become a significant human being in her own right and defy male classification as the other.

There are six points of Beavoir feminism. They are as follows:

a. Woman’s independent

b. Equality with man

c. Woman is a subject instead as an object

d. Woman is not man’s subordinate and must not be marginalized

e. Woman has the equal right to actualize herself / to have a self fulfillment (self meaning)

f. Women has the right to choose / decide

The equality with man becomes the core of the feminism. A women’s character in a literary work often shows feminism inside. There are so many literary works which consist of feminism inside. One of the literary works which can be analyzed feminism is Hayden Harrera’s Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. But later this work is made being a film with the title Frida.

2. Frida

Frida is a biographical film which is made in 2002. This film stories the professional and private live of a Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Frida is adapted from Hayden Harrera’s Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. On the age of 18 Frida has an incident. The effect, Frida is impaled by a metal pole and the injuries she sustained plague her for the rest of her life. Painting is the way Frida through her suffer during her sickness. Frida knows Diego by painting also.

The marriage of Frida with the painter Diego enters Frida into long suffer of love. Loyalty is the only one expectation of Frida to Diego Rivera. During their marriage Diego hurts Frida by betrayed her with so many women even with Frida’s sister Christina. The death of Frida’s mother brings her into deep suffer. Frida has her own way to face her suffer. Frida trapped into alcoholism, bisexual relation, cropped her hair and outfit like a man. These are the way how Frida escape from her suffers. Frida tries to eliminate her women image and expresses her anger.

Frida’ suffer stopped when Diego asks her to remarry him. Sorrows stopped and happiness begins when Frida comes back to Diego. Before her death, Frida have her solo exhibition successfully. Then Frida die in peace with the reach dreams on her hand.

Frida’s characters in general are attractive, naughty and curious, brave and responsible, easy going and free, respectful, passionate, ambitious and obsessive, courage / dare, smart, high self confidence whole hearted. Frida is an ambitious girl in reaching her dreams becomes a good and famous painter. She paints with her whole of her heart and this becomes her different with the other painter. Her feministic is shown when she is still teenager.

3. Feministic Love Story in Frida

Frida is the main character in Frida film. The way Frida faces her life shows her feminist side. Frida is an independent women, she faces her suffer strongly even in her love story and her marriage. Frida is strong character, improve her ability in painting in order to reach her dream and make a beautiful happiness to her family. Frida is still painting although she is sick and she still works hard to make her dream comes true until her death.

Bases on the theory which is stated in the previous part, the major character of Frida film can be analyzed by using feminism. There are six points of Beavoir’s theory of feminism:

a. Woman’s independent

Hornby (1995: 604-605) states that independent is not dependent on other people or things; not controlled by other people or things. When a women work or tries alone to reach her dreams it means that she is independent women. Woman’s independent can be seen in Frida’s character.

During the sickness of Frida because of her accident, Frida stay in bed and she starts to paint although she cannot stand. Frida still has dreams although she is stay in bed because of her sickens. Her ambition makes strong and begin to paint. Frida’s dream is shown from the dialogue between her and her father.

Father : what is your plan Frida

Frida : self sufficient crippled one day

From the Frida statement above it can be seen that although the she will be a cripple girl because of the accident, she want to be independent girl in order to get work and can sufficient her necessity by herself. Frida is very interest in painting. Frida is very eager to paint and her sickness cannot make Frida stops to paint. It can be seen from her interesting when her father gives her painting tools.

Frida never see her sickness as an obstacle to reach her dreams as a good painter. The independent of Frida can be seen when Frida start to earn money by selling her paints. Frida does that in order to help her parents to overcome the family financial problem. The family financial problem is caused by Frida’s sickness after her incident. It can be seen when when Frida comes to Diego to ask Diego’s opinion about her work. It is based on the dialogue between Frida and Diego:

Frida : I just want your serious opinion

Diego : what do you care about my opinion?

Frida : I have to work to earn my own living. So I don’t have no

time to go around for funny thing. If I’m not good enough,

I have to do something else to help my parents.

From the dialogue above seems that Frida will do anything to earn money for her living and to help her parents. Frida’s independent is very clear here. Her cripple is not the reason to do nothing.

The next prove of Frida’s independent is can be seen when her husband Diego start busy of his job and becomes famous. Frida has to find her happiness by herself and kill the time by herself. It is just Frida states “I have to find way to entertain myself”. It shows Frida’s independent although she is ignored by Diego because of the busy of diego.

Frida’s moving to France is to ignore Diego and to forget Diego because of his betrayal. Frida lives in France and she finds her success there. Frida proves that she can pursuit her dreams without Rivera on her side. Frida argues that Franc is the most potential in art works and also Paris has been good for her. These statements just like Frida writes on her letter to Diego. People know Frida well in Paris and Frida and her works become famous there.

b. Equality with man

Equality means being equal and equality with man means being equal with the man. The masculinity of Frida can be seen since she is teenager. Frida often outfit like a man especially when Frida’s family takes family’s picture. When her family takes family picture, Frida uses coat and also trousers and also necktie. Seeing her outfit like a boy the photographer says to Frida’s mother “she always wanted to be a son”. Frida takes herself as just like a boy.

The equality is also shown when Frida joins with Diego and other people down to way and she is being woman participant in demonstration. They demonstrate for imperialism. As a woman, Frida have a bravery to join with man and being the participant in demonstration. Frida takes herself equal with man.

During Frida’s career, she often looked by people as the wife of a good painter Diego Rivera not as a good painter too. Frida can prove that she can be as good as her husband. She gives comment in every Diego’s painting and people start to know Frida from Diego. Inspite of people know Diego before Frida, Frida’s work is more famous than Diego’s.

In Frida’s love story, Frida proves that not only man who can have affair in marriage. Frida proves that by having sexual intercourse with so many women and also having affair with Leon Trotsky. It can be seen from the dialogue between Frida and Rivera after Trotsky leaves their house. From the dialogue can be seen that Frida can does what Rivera does, it means having affair. It based on the dialogue:

Diego : you lost your mind Frida?

Frida : go to hell Diego

Diego : you know the consequences of this could be?

Frida : he’s not scare what it could be

Diego : why Frida why?

Frida : because we wanted to

Diego : you broken my heart

Frida : its hurt does it?

But why you just fuck?

From the dialogue, Frida says “because we wanted to” it means that Frida enjoys the affair. “Its hurt does it?” like Frida said means that Frida can does what Diego does. Frida can do just like Diego does with so many women. Frida can do affair just like Diego’s affair. Frida seems to show that she is equal with man, nothing differences.

c. Woman is a subject instead as an object

Feminist argues that woman is not the object especially for men. Woman can do something like a man. Women can be the subject not the object anymore. Frida proves it by her paint. Frida is a good painter and she can paint as good as man. Frida does it double, Frida can be the subject of her paint and also can be the object of her paint. It can be seen from the painting of Frida. Most of works of Frida reflect Frida’s life, she paints herself by herself. Frira is a good and famous Mexican painter.

Beside that Frida’s bisexual prove that she can be the subject of sex rather than the object of man’s sex. Frida’s sexual intercourse with women can be seen that Frida enjoy as the subject of her sex. Frida enjoys dancing erotically with a woman in her wedding party. The next is Frida’s desire with Diego’s women in New York. Ever in Paris Frida enjoys having sexual intercourse with a Paris singer. These bisexual behaviors show that Frida can be the subject of sex not only the object of the sex.

d. Woman is not man’s subordinate and must not be marginalized

Women are not the small part of the society. Woman cannot be subordinated by man because woman has power to reach whatever they want. Woman must not also be marginalized because woman is not in marginal. In Frida the existence of woman is counted. It can be seen when Frida starts to paint. She proves that the works of a woman can be as good as a man and perhaps better than a man. Her painting is also has deep meaning. It can be seen in by Frida’s solo exhibition before she passed away. Frida prove that women are not man’s subordinate successfully by her solo exhibition.

Frida is a strong women, she cannot controlled by Rivera. When Rivera has affair with wide array of women include Christina Frida’s sister, Frida doesn’t give Rivera’s apologize. Rivera cannot make Frida gives her apology to him even Rivera persuades Frida. Frida is not crying but she does something more important, she cut her hair, she dress like a man and she paints to reflect her sadness. Her attitude is the reflection of her betrayal of her destiny. Frida choose to go away from Diego rather than comes back to Diego after Diego’s betrayal. Frida cannot be controlled by man who is hurting her.

e. Woman has the equal right to actualize herself / to have a self fulfillment (self meaning)

Not only man can work and success to pursuit their dreams, women also. Frida can fulfill her life necessity and pursuit her dream to be a famous painter. Frida can earn money and fulfill her and her family’s necessity by painting. Frida earn money by herself and fulfill her necessity. It can be seen from the dialogue when Frida comes to Diego to ask Diego’s opinion of Frida’s painting. Frida says to Diego:

Frida : I have to work to earn my own living.

So I don’t have no time to go around for funny thing.

If I’m not good enough, I have to do something else to

help my parents.

From what Frida said to Diego it can be seen that Frida want to fulfill her necessity by herself by selling her painting. Diego asks Frida to come back home and paint the other. The result is Diego confess the talent of Frida in painting. It can be seen from the dialogue between Frida and Diego on the next meeting:

Frida : do you actually believe that I should continue to paint?

Diego : yes

The nest self fulfillment of Frida is on sex. Frida can also fulfill her sexual desire although Rivera too busy and ignores her. Frida enjoys her intercourse with a women of Diego when Frida and Diego in New York. Diego doesn’t jealous because of this. When Frida and Rivera get divorce Frida still can fulfill her sexual desire by having sex with woman. Frida enjoys having sex with a singer when Frida is in Paris. Frida enjoys her bisexual attitude.

Frida is also can handle her feeling and her sadness when she knows that her husband has affair with her sister Christina. She kills her sadness and suffers in love by drinking, singing and painting. By does these, Frida’s feeling can be better and normal again.

f. Women has the right to choose / decide

Women has right to choose or decide in whole field. In Frida it is shown lot. Frida has her own choice and decision. It is shown when Frida choose as the painter beside the other profession. She is mocked by Rivera at the beginning she is being a painter but she proves that a woman has right to choose the profession that she wants. It can be seen when Frida comes to Diego to ask Diego’s opinion of her works. Frida’s interest of painting makes Frida choose painter as the profession.

Frida has right to choose her own husband although her mother doesn’t agree with her choice. Frida keeps move on and marries Diego. Frida accept Diego’s proposes to marry Frida. It can be seen from the bed dialogue between Diego and Frida.

Diego : we have to get married you know

Frida : What?....

Loyalty is important to me. Can you be a loyal?

Diego : to you? Always

Frida : Good, because I love you.

I accept

From the dialogue above it can be seen that Frida accept Diego as her husband. Frida accepts Diego although Frida’s mother do not like to Diego because Diego had children and Diego is a communist. The bravery of Frida to accept Diego shows Frida as the brave character.

The other decision of Frida is when she is decides to move to Paris leaves Rivera. Frida develop her paint and her works become famous in Paris. Frida have a bravery decision to move to Paris although she still loves Diego. She has to do that to do that in order to develop her career and also to forget Diego. It is based on the Frida’s statement in her letter to Diego Rivera. Just like the excerpt of Frida’s letter to Diego:

….Paris is good to me but without you is nothing.

It is clear that Paris is good for Frida’s career although her decision is hurt her on the other side. Move to Paris means get separate from Diego, the man whom she loves.

Next, Frida’s remarriage with Rivera is also her brave decision. Rivera hurts Frida so deep and Frida still can accept Rivera back to her. It can be seen when Rivera comes to Frida’s house to ask Frida to marry with him and Frida accept it. It is based on the dialogue between Diego and Frida.

Diego : I’m here to ask you to marry me

Frida : I don’t interest you Diego

Diego : I do

Frida : I lost my toes of a foot, my back is useless, I smoke,

I drink, I can’t have children

Diego : I accept your recommend

I miss us

Frida : they say don’t ever believe in down of the tears of a

woman

Diego : they wrong

It can be seen from the dialogue above that Frida says “they say don’t ever believe in down of the tears of a woman”, it means that Frida accept the purposes of Diego. She agrees to remarry Diego.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bressler, Charles. E. ____ . Literary Criticism An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Second Edition. New Jersey: Practice Hall.

Hornby, AS. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press.

COMPARING CHAIRIL ANWAR’S PRAJURIT JAGA MALAM WITH EMILY DICKINSON’S HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS

COMPARING CHAIRIL ANWAR’S PRAJURIT JAGA MALAM

WITH EMILY DICKINSON’S HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS

A. INTRODUCTION

There are so many kinds of literary works, there is novel, poetry, and prose etc. poem is one kind of literary work which is defined as a composition written in verse (although verse has been equally used for epic and dramatic fiction). Poem has its special and unique language. Every person has different interpretation in reading the same poem. Every author also has his own style of language that they use in writing a poem. An author usually writes a poem based on his own experience or the setting of his life. Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam can be used as the example of the poem which is written based on the Chairil Anwar’s setting of life. Emily Dickinson also wrote a poem based on her setting of life, it is called Hope is the Thing with Feathers. Chairil Anwar and Emily Dickinson have their own character in writing their poem. Especially their gender will differentiate them in writing a poem.

B. DISCUSSION

1. Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam and Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers.

Chairil Anwar is a famous Indonesian poem writer. Chairil Anwar was born in Medan and he mastered three kinds of languages, English, Dutch and Germany. Chairil Anwar life when Indonesia was colonilez by Dutch and then Japan. Chairil Anwar loved to read book and write poem and then he became a good writer. He published his outstanding work which are Deru Campur Debu (1949); Kerikil Tajam Yang Terampas dan Yang Putus (1949); dan Tiga Menguak Takdir (1950). One of his awesome poems is Prajurit Jaga Malam.

Prajurit Jaga Malam

Waktu jalan. Aku tidak tahu apa nasib waktu ?

Pemuda-pemuda yang lincah yang tua-tua keras,

bermata tajam

Mimpinya kemerdekaan bintang-bintangnya

kepastian

ada di sisiku selama menjaga daerah mati ini

Aku suka pada mereka yang berani hidup

Aku suka pada mereka yang masuk menemu malam

Malam yang berwangi mimpi, terlucut debu......

Waktu jalan. Aku tidak tahu apa nasib waktu !

While Emily Dickinson is was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence. Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime. One of her famous work is Hope is the Thing with Feathers.

Hope is the Thing with Feathers

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land

And on the strangest sea,

Yet never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

Chairil Anwar and Emily Dickinson have different character in writing their poems. It is because Chairil Anwar and Emily Dickinson live in different period of time, different country and the most basic things is they are different in gender. Chairil Anwar is a male and Emily Dickinson is a female. It is become the basic thing why they are different in writing their work. The differences include in theme and language style.

2. THEME

Prajurit Jaga Malam was written on 1948. Chairil Anwar chose struggle and heroism as the theme of Prajurit Jaga Malam. It is because when Chairil wrote this poem Indonesia got the freedom from colonialism of Dutch and then Japan. He wrote Prajurit Jaga Malam still in struggle situation although Indonesia got its freedom and celebrated Independence Day in 17^th August 1945. Struggle and heroic theme of this poem can be seen from the interpretation of some lines of that poem as follows:

Pemuda-pemuda yang lincah yang tua-tua keras,

bermata tajam

Mimpinya kemerdekaan bintang-bintangnya

kepastian

Those lines show that whoever old or young man, they still dream about freedom and they believe of it. They never give up to do some struggle, they are blend with the other to struggle the freedom and they are so heroic. No matter what will happen, they are still doing so many effort and struggles to their country, old and young. They still awake till the sun rise again in order to get full freedom for Indonesia and for themselves.

The bravery also appears in this poem. To get full freedom, they need to do so many efforts and struggles and to also the bravery to fight the colony. They struggle to stay alive for Indonesia, they sacrifice their rest time to get freedom for Indonesia and they are brave to face everything in front of them to get freedom for Indonesia. Those braveries are can be seen in these following lines:

Aku suka pada mereka yang berani hidup

Aku suka pada mereka yang masuk menemu malam

Malam yang berwangi mimpi, terlucut debu......

It is clear enough that the themes in Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam are struggle, bravery and heroic. Day and night are passed to get freedom for Indonesia. The title also reflects the loyalty of the guards to save Indonesia and to struggle the freedom of Indonesia. They don’t care and they don’t afraid of what will happen which is shown in the line:

Waktu jalan. Aku tidak tahu apa nasib waktu ?

Struggle and fight the colony to get the freedom of Indonesia, bravery and heroic are theirs. The freedom of Indonesian is based on the bravery of the Indonesians and the guards. Even sick, even night, even die they will fight the colony to get freedom for Indonesia. Those are the theme of Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam.

Male is described as strong, brave, and physic struggle. But female is described as something smooth and strong in the inside. Perhaps this is the differentiation of the theme chosen by Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam and Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. Chairil Anwar chooses physic struggle in his poem and it is different from Emily Dickinson’ poem.

The theme of Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers is the enduring deathlessness of hope. It is shown in the title of this poem and the line three and four of the first stanza:

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all,

The title of this poem is Hope is the Thing with Feathers, it is clear that it is about hope just like in the first word of the title of this poem “hope”. But then the third and fourth line of the first stanza describe the another kind of hope. It is described as deathlessness of hope. It can be seen from the sentence “and sing the tune without the words”. How people sing the tune without the worlds, it is difficult and hopeless. Then the fourth line of the first stanza describes the long lasting deathlessness of hope. It is shown in this sentence “and never stop at all”.

From the explanation above, it can be seen that the theme of Chairil Anwar’s poem is different from Emily Dickinson’s poem. It can be caused by the different gender, the life setting of them, the interest, and the experience etc. The differences of Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam and Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers are not only in the theme, but it also in the language they used and also the symbol they used.

3. LANGUAGE STYLE

The language that is used in the Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam is different from the language used in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. The language that is used in Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam is easy to be understood and easy to be interpreted. There is no deep meaning in the language that is used in the poem. The language that is used is clearly being understood. When people read this poem, they will be understood easier that this poem is about struggle, heroic, bravery and the loyalty to their country. It can be seen from the words such as “prajurit”, “mimpinya kemerdekaan”, “menjaga daerah mati” etc. The languages that are used in Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malama are so male. There are “tentara”, “menjaga”, “pemuda-pemuda” and “terlucut debu”. Those languages refer to male.

It is quite different from the language that is used in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. There are so many sign and it is difficult to be understood. The language in the Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers is difficult to be understood and interpreted. There are some sign and implicit language. As the example the third line of the first stanza “and sing the tune without the words”, it’s really need deep thought and difficult to be interpreted. The language in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers sounds to be so female, there are “sweetest”, “birds” etc that are often used by women. There is no physical struggle or relate with something strong and course in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. So it is quite different with Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam.

4. SYMBOL

Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam uses small number of symbols if it is compared with Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. The first symbol is the word “prajurit” which refers to a strong people and loyal people. The words “daerah mati” means areas which are taken away by the Indonesian from the colony. So the lone six means the guard preserve the areas that they have taken from the colony in order not to be retaken by the colony from Indonesia. The word “malam” in the eighth line means danger and difficulty.

So only a few number of symbols found in Chairil Anwar’s Prajurit Jaga Malam. But there are a lot of numbers of symbols in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. The “bird” is characterized as having feathers and perching in the soul; its tune is “without words,” which attributes to the fact that hope is essentially personal to each and every individual and no one’s sense of hope is similar to that of another. The other symbol is in the first line of the second stanza “And sweetest in the Gale is heard“means a strong juxtaposition of images presented by the author. The author that hopes is “sweetest,” meaning that one’s hope is positive and uplifting, even through adversity such as “in the Gale.” However, the choice of using the word “Gale” is particularly interesting because of the play on words of the name Gail, which is a Hebrew name for “joy.” While “sweetest” and “joy” are very similar adjectives and images, “sweetest” and “forceful winds” do not seemingly complement each other, thus introducing a rich, contrasting image. The loyalty of hope makes it so seemingly nourishing and beneficial to its host; yet, it is still perceived to be “small” since it is perched within one’s soul. However, it is arguable that one takes something so important for granted, and hope’s presence may appear to be small but, in actuality, is foundationally crucial.

Chairil Anwar setting of life influences him to takes some symbols just like “tentara”, “daerah mati” etc. When Chairil Anwar wrote Tentara Jaga Malam poem, Indonesia was on the transition era from the colonialism to the freedom. It influenced Chairil Anwar to write a poem about bravery, heroic, struggle and loyalty to the country. Chairil Anwar also used some symbols which relates with the transition era of Indonesia in 1948’s. It is different from Emily Dickinson. Emily Dickinson was an American poet. She was born in America. Newton likely introduced her to the writings of William Wordsworth, and his gift to her of Ralph Waldo Emerson's first book of collected poems had a liberating effect. Much or less those influence Emily Dickinson in writing her poem. Because of that she graft so many difficult symbols in her poem include in Hope is the Thing with Feathers.

C. CONCLUSION

Each author has its own character in writing poem. Chairil Anwar and Emily Dickinson have different style and character in writing their poem. Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam has struggle, bravery, loyalty and heroic theme. The theme of Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam sounds so male. It is different from Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers. In Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers the theme is the enduring deathlessness of hope. It looks like so female, so weak and hopeless. Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam is so easy to be understood and it doesn’t have deep meaning but the language used in Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers is difficult to be understood. Emily Dickinson used a lot of symbols in her poem but Chairil Anwar used only a small numbers of symbols.

The differences between Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam and Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers in writing their poem are influenced by the difference of gender, the difference of setting of life, the difference of culture, the difference of experience. It is not only happen in Chairil Anwar’s Tentara Jaga Malam and Emily Dickinson’s Hope is the Thing with Feathers, but it can happen in every author.

REFERENCE

Emily Dickinson. Accessed on 9^th November 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_dickinson

Hope is the Thing with Feathers. Accessed on 9^th November 2009. http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/Hope_IsTheThing.htm

Puisi-puisi Chairil Anwar. Accessed on 9^th November 2009. http://chairil-anwar.blogspot.com/

SOCIAL CLASS DIFFERENTIATION AND DISCRIMINATION IN WALTER LORD’S A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

SOCIAL CLASS

DIFFERENTIATION AND DISCRIMINATION

IN WALTER LORD’S A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

A. Introduction

Hornby (1995: 792) defines novel as an invented story in prose, long enough to fill a complete book. Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember is one of great novel which tell about the sinking of RMS Titanic. Titanic is a glamour ship which is it maiden voyage is from Southampton to New York. Titanic passengers come from different social background. Because of that titanic compartment is divided into three classes depend on the price. There are first class, second class and third class.

The facilities and service of each class is different. First class passengers get the best facilities and best services. The differentiation and discrimination social class in Titanic appear especially when Titanic in trouble and sink. Walter Lord describe the discrimination and differentiation those social class in A Night to Remember.

Discussing about social class often relates in Karl Marx theory. Marx in Bressler (212) states that a society progresses from feudal system as its economic mode of production to a more market based economy, the actual process for producing, distributing and consuming goods becomes more complex. Accordingly, people function within economic system becomes differentiated. And it is the differentiation that inevitably divides people into different social class.

A social class defines as a system for classifying the population according to social status. The most basic class distinction is between the powerful and the powerless. Social classes with a great deal of power are usually viewed as elites, at least within their own societies. Because the social class differences and discrimination appears in Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember, the writer uses Marxism approach to analyze Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember.

B. Discussion

1. Social Class and Marxism

A social class defines as a system for classifying the population according to social status. In feudal societies, Marx defines feudal societies into lord and serf. While in ancient societies, there are master and slaves. Marx argues that the main classes in capitalism are the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. However, other classes such as landlords, petty bourgeoisie, peasants, and lumpenproletariat also exist, but are not primary in terms of the dynamics of capitalism.

These classes can easily be defined as those who gain wealth (bourgeoisie) from the working class (proletariat). While the bourgeoisie class continues to gain wealth and power, the proletariat falls in a downward spiral of social and economic crisis. The bourgeoisie or capitalists are the owners of capital, purchasing and exploiting labor power, using the surplus value from employment of this labor power to accumulate or expand their capital. The proletariat are owners of labor power (the ability to work), and mere owners of labor power, with no other resources than the ability to work with their hands, bodies, and minds. Since these workers have no property, in order to survive and obtain an income for themselves and their families, they must find employment work for an employer. This means working for a capitalist-employer in an exploitative social relationship.

Bourgeoisie and the proletariat have their own characteristics. They are different in the way they dress, life style, occupation, education, and ever the properties that they have. High social class usually good in grooming and dressing, beside that the language that they use is different from low class. High social class is usually treated better than middle or lower class in society. High social class usually gets better facilities than middle or lower social class.

2. Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember

A Night to Remember is a 1955 non-fiction book by Walter Lord about the sinking of the ocean liner R.M.S. Titanic in 1912. A Night to Remember is a great documentary drama story of the new White Star Liner, the RMS Titanic; which everybody thought unsinkable. The R.M.S Titanic’s maiden voyage is from Southampton to New York. Everything seems to be going smoothly on the floating city until another ship, the Californian, reports ice. The message is received by the Titanic but it is disregarded. Then the Californian comes across more field ice and decides to stop and wait until morning rather than maneuver around the ice in the dark.

No more than forty minutes go by before the Titanic fatefully collides with the iceberg. As the Titanic settles more and more into the black Atlantic, it becomes mass chaos aboard the ship. About four hours after the ship collided with the iceberg the Carpathia arrives at the wreckage site and saves as many people as it can, ironically with the Californian not out of viewing distance throughout the whole ordeal. It is not certain how many people were lost; it is estimated at 1522.

3. Social Class Differentiation and Discrimination in A Night to Remember

In Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember, the class social differences appear and the discrimination of it is clear enough. It can be seen from the different facilities in every class. R.M.S Titanic is divided into three classes, first class, second class and the lowest class in the third class.

The differentiation among classes is can be seen from the differentiation of facilities given in R.M.S Titanic and the lifestyle shown by the first, second and third class passengers. The dividing of the class becomes the reason of the discrimination of social class. The discrimination also appears in the way the crews serve the passengers depend on the class. The most passengers of the first class are the important person and the bourgeoisie person. While the second and the third class passengers are the poor people or the proletariat. Money and authority can be used to discriminate the others. The social class differentiation in R.M.S Titanic can be shown in two ways, the facilities given and the life style. Those differences result the discrimination of the poor or the third class passengers.

a. Facilities

First, social class differentiation in Titanic appears on facilities for the first class passengers. First class passengers get glamour, elegant, complete and best facilities among the second and third class passengers. It is because the cost of the first class is the most expensive. It can be seen from page 3 of Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember:

First class passengers lavished in the great ship's luxurious surroundings. Her exquisite Grand Staircase, A La Carte Restaurant, Palm Court, Cafe Parisian, Smoking Room, Library, elegantly decorated Staterooms, elevators, state-of-the-art Gymnasium, Turkish bath and heated Swimming Pool were just a few luxuries Titanic had to offer her passengers. Some First Class passengers could be found in the lounge smoking cigars and drinking brandy, playing bridge and other card games (page 3).

Other description of first class facilities are can be seen from page 49:

It was right next to the Turkish Bath, a gloriously garish set of rooms that formed a sort of bridge between the Victorian and Rudolph Valentino eras of interior decoration. The mosaic floor, the blue green tiled walls, the gilded beams in the dull res ceiling, the stanchions encased in carved teak-all were still perfectly dry (page 49).

A luxurious restaurant and a gorgeous bath are fascinating the first class passengers. The elegant decoration and interior are reflect the high class taste perfectly. Every detail and stuff in the first class room satisfies enough the first class passengers. So they can enjoy the trip although in a ship. It is rather different from the second class facilities. The second class passenger’s facilities are not as good and glamour as the first class passengers facilities. The descriptions of it can be seen on page 10:

Many Second Class passengers enjoyed second class Library, Smoking Room and Dining Room. Even there is an elevator for the Second Class passengers. Such a thing was never heard of on another ship (page 10).

Second class facilities seem glamour good enough to be enjoyed, but there is no Turkish Bath for the second class passengers. There is no swimming pool and glamour interior for the second class passengers. But the second class facilities are better than the third class facilities.

The third class facilities are the most common facilities because the third class is the cheapest class. It can be seen from page 16 of Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember:

Even Third Class, with its Smoking Room, General Rooms and Dining Saloons, rivaled Second Class on much another ship (page 16).

There is no elevator in third class, no swimming pool, no large restaurant even less Turkish Bath. The third class facilities and interior are the most ordinary in the R.M.S Titanic.

From the description above, it is clear enough that the social class differentiation appears on the facilities that the ship offers to the passenger. More expensive passenger rents the class, more luxurious the facilities that they get. The rich will get good facilities and the poor will get ordinary facilities.

b. Dress, Clothing and Life Style

People can identify which is the have and which is the have not, which is the rich and which is the poor, which is bourgeoisie and which is proletariat from seeing the other people dress and people’s life style. The way the first, second and third class passengers in Titanic also have differentiation in the way they dress, grooming and life style.

The first proof is represented by Mrs. Lucien Smith Mr. Smith. They are the first class passenger. The way Mrs. Smith dress can be seen when Mrs. Smith wants to meet her husband Mr. Smith. It can be seen from page 35:

Slowly and with great care she dressed for whatever the night might bring – a heavy woollen dress, high shoes, two coats and a warm knitted hood (page 35).

Only a rich person can buy a heavy woollen dress, because it is very expensive. Mr. Smith occupation is captain of Titanic. The way Ismay dress also reflects the way first class passengers dress. The other description of the way the first class passengers dress is shown by Ismay. It can be seen from page 77:

Then Ismay walked down to the restaurant, immaculate in his dinner jacket, very much a first class passenger (page 77).

The way rich people dress depend on the event and situation that will they attend to. Dinner is a special moment for rich people and they usually wear special cloths. The way Ismay cloth represents the way rich people cloth. Those are very different from the way the second class passengers dress. It can be seen from the way a second class passenger dress, Miss Elizabeth Nye at a night in RMS Titanic:

Second class passenger Miss Elizabeth Nye wore a simple skirt, coat and slipper (page 38).

Miss Elizabeth Nye uses ordinary dress and it is very different from the way Mrs. Smith dress. So it is clear enough that the way people dress and grooming can chow the social background of a person. It is also shown is Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember.

The social background of a person is also can be seen from the life style of a person. A rich man or woman usually uses big ship to travel and they never use an open boat. It is different from a poor man or women. Uses and in an open boat is not something worried for poor person. They usually use open boat because it is cheaper than use a ship. This bourgeoisie life style is can be seen from the dialogue of a first class passengers and a ship crew. It can be seen from page 62:

A large fat woman stood crying near no. 13: “don’t put me in the boat. I don’t want to go into the boat! I have never been in an open boat in my life!”

Steward Ray brushed aside her protest-“You’ve got to go, and you may as well keep quiet” (page 62).

Travelling, take a long vacation by ship, shopping, gossiping while drinking wine and brandy, talking about expensive sport, talking about politic etc are the example of Bourgeoisie life style. While proletariat doesn’t have money and time to take vacation or even go for travelling. That is the small differences between bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Bourgeoisie is usual with their glamour lifestyle and the proletariat is usual with their ordinary lifestyle. Vacation, glamour ship, good dress, drinking are the example of the Bourgeoisie life style. The differentiation in facilities, dress and lifestyle above represent the class social differentiation in R.M.S Titanic.

c. The Social Class Discrimination

The social class discrimination start appears when the ship start to hit the iceberg and everybody panic. The crews ask the passengers to stay in their own deck, whereas the situation was getting worse and worse because of the iceberg. Why don’t all passengers gather in a place, in the centre of the ship for example. In such a panic situation like that, class classification still exists. The description is can be seen from page 39 in a panic situation because the ship hit the iceberg.

In the bitter night the whole crowd milled, each class automatically keeping to its own decks, first class in the centre of the ship, second a little aft, third at the very stern or in the well deck near the bow (page 39).

Although in a urgent and panic situation like that social class differentiation still exist and it was going so hard for the second and third class passengers to get out from the ship when the ship almost sink. That’s very unfair and because of that the most victim of the sinking of Titanic comes from the third class.

The clear discrimination exists for the third class passengers. When the water came into the ship, the crews of the ship guide and give the instruction for the first and second class passengers. But for the third class passengers, there is no guidance or instruction for them. So they just wait and wait, even they don’t know that the situation was worse that their imagination. It can be seen from the third class situation description in deck E on page 66:

There they stood waiting, nobody to guide or help them (page 66).

The third class passengers have to take a big risk of their life in facing such a dangerous situation. The class social discrimination becomes extreme when the situation in RMS Titanic was getting worse and worse. Everybody panic and there are chaos in the RMS Titanic. Everybody wants to get out from the ship and take into the boat but again and again the third class passengers have to wait for the first and second class passengers. So the third class passengers did some demonstration to get out from the ship and to be in boat to save their life. But, bad treatment had to be faced the third class passengers. The crews begin to shoot the third class passengers who don’t want to wait for their turn. It can be seen from a third class passenger’s scream in page 75:

“Oh, Mr. Man, don’t shoot, please don’t shoot the poor man!” (Page 75).

Everybody wants to life longer even for poor people. Everybody wants to be protected and saved ever poor people, but what happen in Titanic, it is very inhuman. Everybody has the same right, everybody deserves to get the same and good treatment and everybody deserve to be honoured. But not in R.M.S Titanic, the crews only give honour to the rich or to the first and second class passengers. The crews give major priority for the first class and then the second class; the third class passengers are always ignored.

The third class discrimination also occurs for the children. All of the children in the first and second class are saved, but only almost a half of the third class children are saved. The description can be found in page 105:

All 29 first and second class children were saved, but only 23 of 76 steerage children (page 105).

Not only adult, children in the third class are discriminated. They still know nothing but the crews treat them unfair. Why 0nly 23 children from the third class are saved, why the crews do not save them all just like children from the first and second class. 23 children are only the small part from the total of the children in the third class. It is totally children right castrated.

Actually the class social discrimination is not only for the third class passengers, but it also happens for the second class passengers. The crews always take major priority for the first class passengers. The second class passengers’ discrimination happens when the second class passengers try to set out from the ship and blend with the first class passengers. They try to use the first class passengers’ to save their life. But the crew saw them and shout them just shown in page 105:

It was better, but not perfect, in the second class. Lawrence Beesley remembered and officer stopping two ladies as they started through the gate to first class. “May we pass to the boats?” they asked. “No, madam; your boats are down on your own deck” (page 105).

The statement above shows that the social class differentiation still happens even in urgent situation. Even all people want to life and want to set free from the incidents. The discrimination still appears even the ship was almost sinking. The first and the second class get major priority for the deck and the boat. This fact is can be seen in statement page 107. This statement describes the third class assumption by seeing the fact in the ship. It is stated by Olaus Abelseth in page 107:

Olaus Abelseth, at least, regarded access to the Boat Deck as a privilege that went with first and second class passengers ... even when the ship was sinking (page 107).

From the fact above, it can be seen that the third class passengers can only give up accepting the faith as poor. Usually the poor are always ignored and the rich are always cared. It also happens to the third class passengers. Nobody care about them, no body give attention to them and nobody needs their statement. The statement like this is can be found in page 106. This statement appears when the investigation of the Titanic sinking is stated:

Nor did Congress care what happened to Third class (page 106).

The third class passengers are also human; they have the same right as the first and the second class. They deserve to be cared, they deserve to be treated well, and they deserve to be treated like another human. But the vice versa happens to them.

To save the passengers, the crews still organize based on the class of the ship. Each class has to be in their own class and blending of class if forbidden. The second class passengers are forbidden on the first class deck, and the third class passengers are also forbidden to be in the second class deck. It shown by the crews shout stated on page 107:

“Remember! Women and children go first; then the first cabin, then the others!” (Page 107).

From the proves above, it is clear enough that class social discrimination appears and happens in RMS Titanic like Walter Lord writes in A Night to Remember. The crews save the first class passengers, and then the second class passengers and the third class passengers is the last who are saved. The poor people have to pay expensive for their life. The third class passengers have to do a big struggle for their life. The social class discrimination in RMS Titanic discriminates them enough. Because of those discriminations, the most victims that are found of the sinking R.M.S Titanic are from the third class passengers. It can be seen from the proofs about Titanic that is written by Walter Lord in A Night to Remember on page 176:

For several hours after the sinking, debris continues to drift down and settle around the wreck. Of the 2,235 occupants, 1,522 met their death in those dark waters including most of the men, most of the third class, most of the crew, and the entire band. Only 713 people were rescued (page 176).

From the proof above, the discrimination for the third class passengers make them meet their death and insecure. Most of the victims of the sinking of R.M.S Titanic are from the third class passengers. It shows that social class discrimination is unfair and inhumane. Everybody is created equal with the same right and the same opportunity. Just because they are poor people or from proletariat, the right and the opportunity are seized. Money, political position and authority are badly influencing in that era.

C. Conclusion

Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember is a great novel. It tells about the sinking of a great and glamour ship Titanic. It happens in 1955. Titanic’s compartment is divided into three classes. The most expensive is the first class. The differentiation of the cost of renting the class makes differentiation in facilities and also birth social class discrimination.

The social class differentiation and discrimination is just like Marx theory about social class and Marxism. There are two classes in capitalist society, Bourgeoisie and proletariat or the rich and the poor. Often the proletariat or the poor is discriminated. This phenomenon appears in R.M.S titanic.

The class social differentiation in R.M.S Titanic is can be seen from the differentiation facilities for each class given by the ship. The first class passengers get the best and the most glamour facilities. The other differentiation is can be seen from the way the first class passenger dress and clothing. They wear expensive and glamour dress beside have glamour life style. The discrimination for the third and second class passengers become clearer when the situation was getting worse and chaos because of the ship hit the iceberg. The result of that discrimination is the most victims of the sinking of R.M.S Titanic come from the third class passengers. As human, that discrimination is very unfair.

REFERENCES

Bottomore, Tom, ed. 1983. A Dictionary of Marxist Thought. Cambridge: Harvard University Press

Bressler, Charles. E. ____ . Literary Criticism An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Second Edition. New Jersey: Practice Hall

Hornby, AS. 1995. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press

Lord, walter. 1997. A Night to Remember. New York: Bantam Book

Electronically Sources:

Marx's Theory of Social Class and Class Structure Marx on social class. Accessed on 26^th of July 2009. http://uregina.ca/~gingrich/s28f99.htm

Theories of Social Class: Marx, Weber and Bourdieu. Accessed on 26^th of July 2009. http://www.palioijayabiz.com/?p=37