The Struggle of Three Generations Chinese Women for Claiming Identity Against Political Backdrop in Lian Gouw’S Only a Girl

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THE STRUGGLE OF THREE GENERATIONS CHINESE WOMEN FOR CLAIMING IDENTITY AGAINST POLITICAL BACKDROP IN LIAN GOUW’S ONLY A GIRL

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

AJENG ANGGRAENI PUTRI

Student Number: 134214002

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2017

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THE STRUGGLE OF THREE GENERATIONS CHINESE WOMEN FOR CLAIMING IDENTITY AGAINST POLITICAL BACKDROP IN LIAN GOUW’S ONLY A GIRL

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

AJENG ANGGRAENI PUTRI

Student Number: 134214002

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2017

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations~

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less-traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

~ Robert Frost

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

~ Paulo Coelho

“Life ain’t always beautiful but it’s a beautiful ride.”

~ Gary Allan

“I might only have one match but I can make an explosion.”

~ Rachel Platten

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To my beloved parents, brothers, and sister with whom I share loves and hopes – one and only my

destination

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to say my gratitude to the only Almighty one, God. I believe, without His blessing and guidance, I might not have motivation, strength, and faith to struggle on every tough obstacle during writing this undergraduate thesis.

Second, I would like to express my gratitude to my thesis advisor, Sri

Mulyani, Ph. D. , who gave me a lot of references, lessons, open discussion, and supports. In addition, I would like also to thank my life-lesson teacher, mam Tata, who gives me many precious opportunities and advices in my life. To Rm. Banar who gives me this novel as an object to write this undergraduate thesis.

Furthermore, I would like to say many of thanks to my one and only destination, my family; who always supports and reminds me for everything that I can do and encourage me to keep believing in finishing this undergraduate thesis.

Last, I would like to thank all my friends especially Dian Kristina Sari, Dian

Windriani, the A class English Letters 2013, Students Council of Sanata Dharma

University batch 2014/2015-2015/2016, UKM Seni Karawitan, Jipoltingtokmbar,

Cah Butuh Gosip YK and Domawa who give me so many love and support, my best companion in sharing opinions and experiences in life.

Ajeng Anggraeni Putri

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ...... ii APPROVAL PAGE...... iii ACCEPTANCE PAGE...... iv LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ...... v STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY...... vi MOTTO PAGE...... vii DEDICATION PAGE...... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... x ABSTRACT...... xii ABSTRAK ...... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION...... 1 A. Background of the Study ...... 1 B. Problem Formulation ...... 4 C. Objectives of the Study ...... 4 D. Definition Terms ...... 4

CHAPTER II:REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...... 6 A. Review of Related Studies ...... 6 B. Review of Related Theories ...... 9 1. Society in the Novel ...... 10 2. Theory of Identities ...... 13 3. Gender Studies ...... 15 4. Radical Feminist Perspectives ...... 16 a. Radical-libertarian Feminist ...... 16 b. Radical-cultural Feminist ...... 17 C. Theoretical Framework ...... 19

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY...... 21 A. Object of the Study ...... 21 B. Approach of the Study ...... 21 C. Method of the Study ...... 22

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ...... 24 A. The Concept of Identity of Three Generations Chinese Women Based on Their Experiences in Gouw’s Only a Girl ...... 24

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1. The First Generation: Nanna, as the Matriarch in Her Family ...... 25 2. The Second Generation: Carolien, a Mother who Adopts Dutch Lifestyles ...... 29 3. The Third Generation: Jenny as Only a Girl ...... 34 B. The Struggle for Claiming Identity of Three Generations Chinese Women ...... 39 1. Nanna, Chinese Traditional Values, and the Political Backdrops ...... 39 a. Nanna and Men’s Dominance in the Family ...... 40 b. Nanna’s Family and Dutch’s Influence ...... 41 c. Nanna’s Struggle in Preserving Chinese Traditional Values ...... 42 d. Nanna’s Chinese Identity as a Matriarch...... 44 2. Carolien, Gender Roles, Identities, and Political Backdrops ...... 47 a. Carolien who Breaks Chinese Traditional Values ...... 48 b. Carolien and the Practices of the Dutch Lifestyle in Her Household ...... 49 c. Carolien, Dutch Lifestyle, and the Political Backdrops ...... 51 d. Carolien’s Identity: “In Between” ...... 55 3. Jenny, a Girl Raised in Dutch Way of Life ...... 57 a. Jenny in Seeking Her Identity ...... 58 b. Jenny and Her Identity Against Political Backdrop ...... 61 c. Jenny’s Struggle in Facing Discrimination and Reshaping Identity ...... 63

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...... 66 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 69

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ABSTRACT

PUTRI, AJENG ANGGRAENI. The Struggle of Three Generations Chinese Women For Claiming Identity Against Political Backdrop in Lian Gouw’s Only a Girl. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2017.

This study analyzes three generations Chinese women who struggle for claiming identity against political backdrop based on their experiences in Lian Gouw’s Only a Girl. Each woman faces different experiences, conditions, and situations that influences the concept of identity in their lives. The conditions and situations refer to political backdrops. The political backdrops set three generations Chinese women to have different thoughts, roles, and positions in their lives. From the experiences depicted in the story, this study tries to show that each of them struggles for claiming identity through their own way. The objectives of this study is divided into two problem formulations. The first is to find and reveal the experiences of three generations Chinese women described in Only a Girl. The second is to identify the struggleof three generations of Chinese women for claiming identity against the political backdrop based on their experiences. Theory of society in the novel is used in order to reveal how society can influence someone’s identity in certain condition and place. This theory supports the study to see that society can construct the position of someone in society. In addition, the writer uses the theory of identities, gender studies, and radical feminist perspectives to support the idea and argument in the analysis. In writing the analysis, the writer uses library research as the method of the study. The primary source of this study is Only a Girl, which is written by Lian Gouw, and other other sources are taken from printed and electronic books, and also the previous undergraduate theses and article discussing the similar topic to this undergraduate thesis. From the anlaysis it can be concluded that the three generations Chinese women experience different political backdrops which lead them to have different concept of identities. It can be seen from their experiences depicted in the story that each of the Chinese women has different thoughts, roles, and positions in the society. Consequently, three generations of Chinese women in Lian Gouw’s Only a Girl have different way for claiming identity against the political backdrop. Here, the political backdrops become important medium that shape their identity. Each of them begins realizing their own identities so that they have different thought, roles, and positions in the society.

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ABSTRAK

PUTRI, AJENG ANGGRAENI. The Struggle of Three Generations Chinese Women For Claiming Identity Against Political Backdrop in Lian Gouw’s Only a Girl. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2017.

Studi ini menganalisa tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa yang berjuang untuk mencari jati diri pada situasi politik berdasarkan pengalaman ketiga wanita tersebut dalam novel karya Lian Gouw, Only a Girl. Setiap wanita Tionghoa mengalami pengalaman, situasi, dan kondisi berbeda yang mempengaruhi konsep jati diri dalam kehidupan mereka. Kondisi dan situasi dalam analisa ini mengarah pada latar politik. Latar politik menyebabkan tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa memiliki perbedaan pola pikir, peran, dan posisi dalam hidup mereka. Melalui pengalaman yang tergambar dalam cerita, studi ini mencoba menunjukkan bahwa setiap wanita Tionghoa berjuang mencari jati diri melalui cara mereka sendiri. Tujuan studi ini dibagi menjadi dua rumusan masalah. Pertama, studi ini ingin menemukan dan menunjukkan pengalaman tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa yang tergambar dalam novel Only a Girl. Kedua, studi ini ingin mengidentifikasi perjuangan tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa dalam mencari jati diri pada situasi politik berdasarkan pengalaman mereka. Pendekatan society in the novel digunakan untuk menunjukkan bagaimana lingkungan masyarakat dapat mempengaruhi jati diri seseorang pada kondisi dan tempat tertentu. Pendekatan ini membantu studi ini untuk melihat bahwa lingkungan masyarakat dapat menciptakan posisi seseorang. Sebagai tambahan, penulis menggunakan pendekatan identitas, studi gender, dan radikal feminisme guna mendukung ide dan penjelasan dalam analisa. Dalam menulis analisa, penulis menggunakan studi pustaka. Sumber utama skripsi ini adalah Only a Girl, karya Lian Gouw, dan sumber-sumber lain yang diambil dari buku cetak dan elektronik, serta skripsi-skripsi terdahulu dan artikel yang membahas topik serupa dengan skripsi ini. Dari analisa, dapat disimpulkan bahwa tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa mengalami latar politik berbeda. Hal ini membawa mereka memiliki konsep jati diri yang berbeda. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari pengalaman yang tergambar dalam cerita bahwa setiap wanita memiliki pola pikir, peran, dan posisi yang berbeda dalam masyarakat. Akibatnya, tiga generasi wanita Tionghoa dalam novel karya Lian Gouw, Only a Girl, memiliki cara yang berbeda untuk memperoleh jati diri pada situasi politik. Dalam hal ini, situasi politik menjadi sarana yang membentuk jati diri mereka. Masing-masing dari mereka mulai menyadari jati dirinya sehingga mereka pun memiliki pola pikir, peran, dan posisi dalam masyarakat.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Political backdrop is a situation or condition that involves a political system and government policy in a country. Political backdrop is usually engaged with the process of how a country builds and develops, such as in the World

Depression, World War II, and the Indonesian Revolution. However, political backdrops have its own characteristic in influencing people‘s life.

Those political backdrops influenced the people‘s way of life in terms of their culture in society. The concept of their culture actually was based on the political backdrop occurred at that time. Some people tend to maintain their own culture and some struggle to adapt and imitate another culture.

Identity is one factor that influences the people‘s way of life. When people try to maintain their culture, they have to keep their identity. According to Stets and

Burke, identity is ―each of the different positions or role relationships the person holds in society‖ (2003: 8). Identity here shows a personality of someone and what characteristic they have. Yet, identity leads to the concept of people‘s culture in certain condition. Identity is very important because identity is rooted from certain social system that influences the culture of a society.

Furthermore, terminology ―identity‖ according to Judith Kegan Gardiner, is

―paradoxical in itself, meaning both sameness and distinctiveness, and its contradictions proliferate when it is applied to women‖ (1981: 347). There is

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confusion about women‘s identity because women‘s identity is related to male- identified; women itself failed to take her identity from men (Gardiner, 1981:

347).

Women‘s identity, specifically the identity of Chinese women, focuses on their role and image in domestic domain, such as their role as a good mother, wife, and daughter. Besides, it is also their role to maintain the culture in their lives. Chinese women tend to follow the common sense of their society rather than adapt other cultures. It is very difficult for Chinese women in accepting any other kind of cultures and, they will try everything to maintain their culture. In addition, Chinese women have different experience and struggle in claiming their identity because they have to face different situation and condition in certain place.

Only a Girl (2009) is the study in which gender study is used as the means of the analysis. The writer focuses to reveal the struggle of Chinese women who try to claim their identity against political backdrop. According to Ross C. Murfin, gender is ―a construct of an effect of language, a culture, and its constitution‖

(2005: 237). In other word, gender examines the ―culturally produced‖ or social constructed instead of biological categories (Goodman, 1996: vii). Culturally produced means there is a culture or social condition that is influenced by the stereotypes about men and women. However, as the writer stated above, identity as the concept of culture people in certain condition relates with culturally produced which leads people have some concepts of behavior which exists in society. Therefore, using gender study, the writer tries to identify the struggle of PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

women for claiming their identity during the political backdrops depicted in the story.

Only a Girl is written by Lian Gouw, a Chinese – American author who was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, but does not have Indonesian descent. She was raised with a Dutch education and cultural values. Although Lian Gouw is a Chinese raised in a Dutch education and cultural values, she successfully blends character motivations to a rich historical background (Dharmowijono, 2011: 106).Through her literary work, Lian Gouw describes how three generations of Chinese women have to struggle in facing the gap of each political backdrop. Consequently, these three generations of Chinese women have different concept for their own identity.

The political backdrops force them to fight each other so that they can achieve the idea of their own identity and remain in a stable condition.

Gouw‘s Only a Girl is considered as a diaspora novel because the literary work was written by author who lived outside the native land

(www.bibleodyssey.org). In other word, diaspora novel tells about a story that written by a person who was born in native land but then moved to another place.

However, this novel is mainly about the struggle of three generation of Chinese women in facing the political backdrop of the World Depression, World War II, and the Indonesian Revolution. There are many parts of the story that show how these three generations of Chinese women try to maintain the concept of their own identity against political backdrop. Hence, the aim of this study is to reveal the struggle of three generations of Chinese women that have different concept of identity. This study tries to focus on their personal experiences in finding their

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own identity where they also have to face the political condition in their own generation.

B. Problem Formulation

From the background of the study above, the writer then formulates two problems that need to be analyzed:

1. What and how are the three generations Chinese women‘s experience

described in Gouw‘s Only a Girl?

2. How do the three generations of Chinese women struggle for claiming identity

through their experiences in Gouw‘s Only a Girl?

C. Objectives of the Study

This study consists of two objectives. The first aim is to find and reveal the experiences of three generations Chinese women described in Only a Girl. The second aim is to identify the struggle of three generations of Chinese women for claiming identity against political backdrop based on their experiences.

D. Definition of Terms

The term ―struggle‖, specifically, is ―to experience difficulty and make a very great effort in order to do something‖ (www.dictionary.cambridge.org). We focus on the experiences of three generations of Chinese women who try to claim their own identity in three different situations and conditions.

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In this study, the terminology of ―identity‖ is derived from Stets and Burke‘s book A Sociological Approach to Self and Identity (2003). Stets and Burke state that identity is ―each of the different positions or role relationships the person holds in society‖ (2003: 8).

Political backdrops refer to a situation or condition that involves a political system and government policy in a country. In Gouw‘s Only a Girl, political backdrop relates to, first, the Dutch colonization in Indonesia. The Dutch colonization influences and controls Indonesia longer than any other countries from 1602-1949 (www.imperialismindonesia.weebly.com). Second, the World

Depression which was an economic downturn happened in Western industrialized world, but then it influenced and spread to the other countries. Third, the World

War II, was the most widespread or a global war which occurred in 1939 – 1945.

Last, Indonesian Revolution was Indonesian‘s movement to declare Indonesia independence during Soekarno‘s regime.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

The objectives of this study are to reveal the experience of three generations of Chinese women and to identify the struggle of three generations of Chinese women for claiming identity against political backdrop based on their experiences in Gouw‘s Only a Girl. In order to compare and gain more understanding in this study, the writer provides three related studies.

As a diaspora novel, Gouw‘s Only a Girl cannot be separated from historical background. Several researchers have used Only a Girl as their object of the study in their article and undergraduate theses that the topic focused on the race of

Chinese in Indonesia and Chinese historical background. The article was written by Purwanti Kusumaningtyas entitled ―Chinese-Indonesians and Subalternity in

Four Novels‖ in The 2nd Literary Studies Conference: De/Reconstructing

Southeast Asian History through Literature. Moreover, the writer also provides two undergraduate theses. The first undergraduate thesis was written by Nanda

Putri Rahmawati entitled ―The Complicated Relationships of the Characters in

Only a Girl: A Post-colonialism Criticism‖, the second undergraduate thesis was written by Dyah Pramesti entitled ―A Multiculturalism Perspective: Identity-

Related Problems in a Plural Society As Experienced by the Protagonist of Lian

Gouw‘s Only a Girl‖.

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Purwanti Kusumaningtyas‘ article focuses on the subaltern of Chinese in

Indonesia. Actually, she analyzes Chinese-Indonesians and subalternity in four novels and one of her analysis is Only a Girl by Lian Gouw. In her analysis, she shows the experiences of three women of three generations who face and try to survive from the discrimination that happened in their lives. Yet, she also explores how the life of Chinese family in the story is determined by the governmental policy (2014, 116 & 118).

During the Dutch colonial time, Nanna’s children, Carolien, Chip, and Ting, get good Dutch education and the two boys can work in the government office. They are the family that gets good social status from the Dutch. On the contrary, Ocho’s family, is poor and they do bother with such status because they are happy living among the indigenous. The life of this family changes when the Japanese colonial occupied Indonesia. Their social status becomes nothing as the Japanese colonial did not implement race-based stratification … The experience of the family shares the life of the Chinese people which is dominated with the ruling group in Indonesia. The government’s policy decides the kind of life they have to have. What they can do is only to adjust with whatever situation they are subjected to (2014, 118).

Based on her studies, the life of Chinese-Indonesians was determined by the situation and condition that happened at that time. They could not build their own lives because they faced discrimination which it led to marginalization.

Nanda Putri Rahmawati‘s undergraduate thesis explores on how the Chinese characters in Indonesia at that time using Post-colonialism criticism. Post- colonialism examines the relationship between the subject and the marginalized.

In order to emphasize her study, she uses Homi K. Bhabha‘s theory in mimicry which examines how the marginalized mimic the subject. She explains how the

Chinese family in Gouw‘s Only a Girl, as the inferior, tries to adopt the Dutch tongue and culture, which the marginalized considers as the superior one. In

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addition, she also states that there is ambivalence, or a love-hate feeling that the

Chinese characters experience (2014: 1).

Only a Girl presents the experiences of Chinese who live in Indonesia in the Dutch colonial era where they are placed in the colonized position. The presence of the Dutch who create the portrayals of the Orient and the Occident, through the stratification system, make Nanna‘s family acknowledges their inferiority. Not only that, the Dutch also perform as good and civilized in front of people in lower position. That situation makes Nanna‘s family ashamed of their own culture to ‗survive‘ in Indonesia (Rahmawati, 2014: 51)

According to Rahmawati, the above statement shows that Nanna‘s family portrays their skills and abilities which can be equated with Dutch and affirms their identity which is different with the natives. However the process of mimicry is failed, thus, mimicry leads to ambivalent feelings that make Nanna‘s family use their experiences and knowledge to ridicule and mock the colonized as a form of fighting back (2014: 52).

Dyah Pramesti‘s undergraduate thesis focuses on how Jenny as the protagonist of Gouw‘s Only a Girl faces some identity-related problems and adapted to the situation in the newly – independent Indonesia. Furthermore, she gets inspired by inter – ethnic and interreligious conflicts in Indonesia, and she finds the easy intercultural encounters of globalization bring multiculturalism. In order to elaborate her studies, she uses a multiculturalism perspective which tries to reveal Jenny‘s identity – related problems and how the problems indirectly shape Jenny to be a multiculturalist (2014: 1).

The protagonist, Jenny, finally can solve her identity problems as a Chinese Indonesian girl raised in Dutch culture … Jenny also finally built a multicultural personality, which was portrayed in her eagerness and readiness to make friends with people who were different from her, especially in their

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backgrounds and cultures, and also in her willingness to learn Indonesian (Pramesti, 2014: 25).

Based on her studies, Pramesti emphasizes that the practice of multiculturalism can be encouraged in mono – cultural and plural society and multiculturalism is seen as the value to appreciate other cultures, but less applied by Indonesian societies. Thus, the value of multiculturalism is not applied by the individuals who encounter a new community, but also should be introduced and applied to the society (2014: 25).

From the three related studies, the writer positions this study as a new study of the previous studies. This study is a new study which discusses the role of three generations Chinese women who struggle for claiming their identity in different political conditions of Gouw‘s Only a Girl. Furthermore, this study provides how the political conditions lead them to have different concept of culture. Instead of discussing political conditions and culture based on three generations Chinese women‘s concept, the writer tries to reveal how the struggle of three generations

Chinese women for claiming identity is influenced by the political conditions at that time.

B. Review of Related Theories

In order to support this study, the writer provides four theories which are society in the novel, theory of identities, gender studies, and radical feminist perspectives.

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1. Society in the Novel

Human‘s life cannot be separated from society. Society becomes fundamental concept of human‘s life because society influences how human‘s life will be.

Then, society is a concept and a construction in fiction. In other word, society as an imitation of an outside world has tended to obscure the formal variety of social presentations in novels. However, society in novels does not depend on points of absolute fidelity to an outside world in details of costume, setting, and locality because a novel‘s society does not aim at a faithful mirror of any concrete, existent thing (Langland, 1984: 4-5).

Society, as the aesthetic and mimetic dimensions, is socially defined and conditioned. Elizabeth Langland states that the conflation between the aesthetic and the mimetic in the representation of society means that statements about the formal dimensions of society in a novel necessarily suggest statements about an author‘s ideas of society beyond the formal horizon of the novel (1984: 5). In addition, society in a wider sense comprehends as a medium. It is not merely discussing about peoples and their classes but also their customs, conventions, beliefs and values, their institutions – legal, religious, and cultural – and their physical environment (Langland, 1984: 6). As a result, this statement leads to the form of society in terms of values, roles and positions of society in the novel.

Hence, Elizabeth Langland also mentions, the basic form of novelistic is the individual‘s encounter with society. The individual‘s role is primary and society is secondary. As explained by Maurice Shroder, the subject of the novel is seen as an education for the protagonist ―into the realities of the material world and of

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human life in society‖ (1984: 7). Therefore, society plays essential formal role: antagonist to individual protagonist, a context to the characters‘ growth and self- realization (Langland, 1984: 7).

The possible roles of society depend upon form and structure in the novel. To speak form, we speak the value of the society. Form, as stated by Langland, is the embodiment of value which does not necessarily imply ethics. In contrast, structure uses the less comprehensive term which includes the elements of a work subject to deliberate manipulation within the text (1984: 8). In other words, the way society is structured. When we speak of the formal role of society, we speak of the ways in which structural elements of a particular depiction are combined and evaluated to make society itself an integral part of a novel‘s form, a significant element in the principles generating a particular work. We may say that society informs both the structural elements and the formal aspects of a fiction

(Langland, 1984: 9).

The protagonist, the perspectives created by the medium, and an evaluative framework that mediate between the other two are determined the particular formal role or function of society (Langland, 1984: 10). The protagonist or protagonist of a novel – the character, reveals its perspective and values through action, speech, and thought. In order to act and reflect the character‘s perspectives and values, it needs a medium. The medium is society that helps to respond and define a set of values distinct from that of the characters. Besides, the narrator also interprets the character within the medium, whether through explicit comment, point of view, or choice of language that provides an evaluative framework for the

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whole. The narrator‘s reliability will determine the adequacy of the evaluative framework because if the narrator is an omniscient, the perspective will be definitive in interpreting the interaction of character with medium. Meanwhile, if the narrator is the protagonist, the evaluative framework will emerge out of gaps, distortions, and contradictions in the teller‘s tale (Langland, 1984: 9).

Society undergoes a process of self – definition analogous to that of an individual hero, a process complete within the novel itself. This process leads to the quality of social order that moves the quality of individual lives. In one, the narrative distinction between society and individuals may be collapsed by allowing a social order to become a protagonist. To speak of society as formal protagonist is not to make the general claim that individuals act under society‘s dictates and influences. In other words, to notice that a social order is the central actor, a society functions as a human protagonist (Langland, 1984: 13). Besides, society and social convention also can function as yardsticks to measure individual moral growth and to make moral distinctions among individuals.

Society, in its relationship with character, can be flexible enough to accommodate the full realization of individual possibility.

Moreover, society also can be depicted as inevitably destructive of human possibility. In such a way, the sociological/naturalistic novels weight the conflict between individuals and society that the most admirable characters are most subject to destruction since their best qualities leave them more vulnerable

(Langland, 1984: 12). Although a social order or set of principles can act as protagonist, the basic relationships among protagonist, society, and narrator have

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altered in the twentieth century. Consequently, the line between objective and subjective has blurred. Reality is in doubt; the meaning or order discovered may be simply projections of characters‘ own minds, but premise is that some essential truth; essential truth that focuses on the ethical/social organization of a mankind.

Therefore, society functioned as an inner imperative given objective force in the characters‘ lives (Langland, 1984: 14).

2. Theory of Identities

In order to identify women‘s struggle in Only a Girl, the writer needs to analyze the women‘s thought and role. Therefore, this theory is provided to help the writer in analyzing the women‘s thought and role through their identity.

According to Sheldon Stryker, identity is understood as cognitive schema— internally stored information and meaning serving as framework for interpreting experience (2000: 5). In addition, Stryker states that identity is internalized role expectations which mean identity leads to social roles that attached to positions occupied in networks of relationship (2000: 5). In a result, society is seen as a mosaic of relatively durable patterned interactions and relationships, differentiated yet organized, embedded in an array groups, organizations, communities, institutions, and intersected by crosscutting boundaries of class, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, and so on (Stryker and Burke, 2000: 4).

Thus, identity is internalized meanings and expectations associated with role while role is linked to social positions, and part of social structure. However, social structure is made up of interconnecting positions and associated roles, each

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linked through the activities, resources, and meanings that are mutually controlled

(Stryker and Burke, 2000: 12). Furthermore, Stryker states that one has an identity means an ―internalized positional designation for each of the different positions or role relationships the person holds in society (Stets and Burke, 2003: 8). Hence, as stated by Stryker, identity has enumerated as underlying the structural interaction:

First, behavior is dependent upon a named or classified world and that names carry meaning in the form of shared responses and behavioral, expectations that grow out of social interaction. Second, among the named classes are symbols that are used to designate positions in the social structure. Third, persons who act in the context of social structure name one another in the sense of recognizing one another as occupants of positions and come to have expectations for those others. Fourth, persons act in the context of social structure also name themselves and create internalized meanings and expectations with regard to their own behavior. Fifth, expectations and meanings form the guiding basis for social behavior and along with the probing interchanges among actors shape and reshape the content of interaction, names, and meaning that are used (Stets and Burke, 2003: 10).

The above explanation means that identity does manipulating symbols and resources in order to create value, and through creating value, identity can increase the level group of commitment to groups (Stryker and Burke, 2000: 19).

In addition, identity is seen as a pivotal relationship to a politics of location which means identity as the centred author of social practice is the manifest difficulties and instabilities of places in its own point of view at the origin of all historicity. Identities are therefore constituted within, not outside representation

(Hall and Gay, 1996: 2&4). As a result, identities relate to the invention of tradition as much as to tradition itself, which they oblige us to read not as an endless reiteration but as the changing same (Gilroy, 1994). Hence, using Stuart

Hall terminology, identities refer to the meeting point of ‗suture‘ which means identities are the positions which the subject is obliged to take up while always

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knowing that they are representations, that representation is always constructed across a lack, across division, from the place of the other, and thus can never be adequate to the subject processes which are invested in them (1996: 5-6).

3. Gender Studies

Wilfred L. Guerin states, ―Gender studies examines how gender is less determined by nature than it is by culture‖ (2005, 236). As stated by Ross C.

Murfin, gender is a construct, ―an effect of language, a culture, and its institutions‖. In other words, masculinity and femininity constantly change, as

David Richter notes, ―women who wear baseball caps and fatigues, pump iron, and smoke cigars can be perceived as more piquantly sexy by some men than women who wear white frocks and gloves and look down demurely‖. Gender, not sex, makes an older man open the door for a young woman and gender makes her except it, resent it, or experience mixed feelings (Guerin, 2005: 237).

People who have been taught that there are values assigned to sex may believe that male relates to power and authority while female relates to passivity and compromise. In contrast, gender is seen as a pattern constructed in society which influences our views of ourselves (Goodman, 1996: 2). Hence, according to Judith

Butler, the distinction between sex and gender serves the argument that whatever biological intractability sex appears to have, gender is culturally constructed.

Gender is neither the causal result of sex nor as seemingly fixed as sex (Butler,

1999: 9-10).

The presumption of a binary gender system implicitly retains the belief in a mimetic relation of gender to sex whereby gender mirrors sex or is otherwise

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restricted by it. When the constructed status of gender is theorized as radically independent of sex, gender itself becomes a free-floating artifice, with the consequence that man and masculine might just as easily signify a female body as a male one, and woman and feminine a male body as easily as a female one (Butler, 1999: 10).

The above explanation implies that gender ought not to be construed as a stable identity of agency from which various acts follow. Gender is an identity tenuously constituted in time. Yet, gender is produced through the stylization of the body and must be understood as the mundane way in which bodily gestures, movements, and styles of various kinds constitute the illusion of an abiding gender self (Butler, 1999: 179). Therefore, gender is a social and cultural practices that constitute it over time.

4. Radical Feminist Perspectives

According to Rosemarie Tong, radical feminist proclaims that ―the personal is political‖ and that all women are ―sisters‖. Radical feminist insists that men‘s control of both women‘s sexual and reproductive lives and women‘s self-identity, self-respect, and self-esteem is the most fundamental of all the oppressions human beings visit on each other (2009: 49). In addition, Rosemarie Tong explains, there are two basic discussions of radical feminism perspectives:

a. Radical-libertarian Feminist

Radical-libertarian feminist claims that an exclusively feminine gender

identity is likely to limit women‘s development as full human persons. Radical-

libertarian feminist encourages women to become androgynous persons, that is,

persons who embody both (good) masculine and (good) feminine

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characteristics, good or bad, that strikes their fancy (Tong, 2009: 50). Besides, women can be masculine as well as feminine. Alice Echols mentions, ―Just because a woman is biologically a female does not mean she is destined to exhibit only feminine characteristics‖ (Tong, 2009: 50). As stated by Gayle

Rubin, a radical-libertarian feminist, the sex/gender system is a ―set of arrangements by which a society transforms biological sexuality into products of human activity‖ (Tong, 2009: 51). As an example, Rosemarie Tong explains:

Patriarchal society uses certain facts about male and female biology (chromosomes, anatomy, hormones) as the basis for constructing a set of masculine and feminine gender identities and behaviors that serve to empower men and disempower women. In order to accomplish the process, patriarchal society convinces itself its cultural constructions are somehow ―natural‖ and therefore people‘s ―normality‖ depends on their ability to display whatever gender identities and behaviors are culturally linked with their biological sex (2009: 51).

Hence, radical-libertarian feminist claims that the way for women to dispel men‘s wrongful power over women is for both sexes first to recognize women are no more destined to be passive (―affectionate, obedient, responsive to sympathy and approval, cheerful, kind and friendly‖) than men are destined to be active (―tenacious, aggressive, curious, ambitious, planful, responsible, original and competitive‖), and then to develop whatever combination of feminine and masculine traits best reflects their individually unique personality

(Tong, 2009: 51). b. Radical-Cultural Feminist

According to Rosemarie Tong, Radical-cultural feminist expresses the view that it is better for women to be strictly female/feminine. This explanation, as

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Rosemarie Tong mentions, means that women should not try to be like men. In contrast, she adds, women should try to be more like woman, emphasize the values and virtues culturally associated with women (―interdependence, community, connection, and emotion‖) and deemphasize the values and virtues culturally associated with men (―independence, autonomy, intellect, and wariness‖) (2009: 50-51).

In examining the origins of patriarchy, Marilyn French speculates that the first human societies were probably matricentric (mother centered), it was the mother who more than likely played the primary role in the group‘s survival- oriented activities of bonding, sharing, and harmonious participant in nature.

However, the development techniques and controls over nature gained by humans, resulting the separation of humans physical and psychology. Besides, as stated by French, there is a ―distance had opened up between humans and their environment as a result of increasing controls exercised over nature‖.

Consequently, humans become alienated from nature and create the negative feelings intensified men‘s desire to control not only nature but also women, whom they associated with nature on account of their role in reproduction

(Tong, 2009: 57).

Further, Mary Daly states, patriarchy has constructed both of the positive feminine qualities nurturance, compassions, and gentleness and the negative feminine qualities of pettiness, jealousy, and vanity. Therefore, women should reject seemingly ―good‖ aspects of femininity as well as the obviously ―bad‖ ones (Tong, 2009: 61).

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C. Theoretical Framework

This undergraduate thesis ―The Struggle of Three Generations Chinese

Women for Claiming Identity Against Political Backdrop in Lian Gouw‘s Only a

Girl‖ examines to see their struggle on how their experiences during political backdrops can affect the way they claim identity. In viewing the struggle of three generations Chinese Women in Gouw‘s Only a Girl, there are four theories that will be used in this study. Theory of society in the novel is provided in order to reveal how society can influence someone‘s identity in certain condition and place. This theory supports the study to see that society can construct the position of someone in society.

Theory of identity is used to analyze the characters identity in society. This theory helps the writer finding the characters roles, positions, and thoughts in the story.

Gender studies is used to analyze how the society can create someone‘s identity which influences someone‘s view in their lives. Besides, the theory helps the writer in identifying the characters roles, positions, and thoughts and how the characters struggle in maintaining their identity.

Radical feminist perspectives, in relation to the three related theories above, is applied in order to see how the characters perform their struggle in maintaining their identity against the conditions depicted in the story.

In summary, these theories are applied in order to help the writer in answering the problem formulation. Theory of society in the novel is used to identify how society can influence characters‘ identity in certain conditions and places. In

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relation to theory of society in the novel, it helps the writer in finding the roles, positions, and thoughts of the characters. Then, it leads the writer in analyzing the characters perform their struggle in maintain their identity against certain conditions in the story. Finally, the theories also help the writer to draw conclusion based on the analysis with the guidance of the applied theories.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

Only a Girl is a diaspora novel which is written by Lian Gouw, a Chinese –

American author. It is originally published in 2009 by Publish America and it is the first edition of her book. Lian Gouw is an active writer. Her short stories and poems have appeared in Quietus Magazine, Writing for our Lives, Voices and

Visions, The Highland‘s Low Down, and Reflections. Her Predicament, an earlier version of the novel‘s first chapter, was included in the 2006 anthology of the SF

Writers Conference, Building Bridges from Writers to Readers

(www.liangouw.com).

Only a Girl has been translated in Bahasa Indonesia entitled Menantang

Phoenix in 2010 by PT. Gramedia Pustaka Utama (www.dalangpublishing.com).

The novel tells about three generations Chinese women who struggle for claiming their identity in certain conditions.

B. Approach of the Study

Gender study is chosen as the way to analyze the object of this study. One of the significant ideas of gender study is ―it concerned with the representation, rights, and status of women and men‖ (Goodman, 1996: xi). The writer sees there is a connection between the experience of three generations Chinese women and their struggle for claiming their identity against political backdrop in Gouw‘s

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Only a Girl. Furthermore, Lizbeth Goodman stated that ―gender is a social or cultural category, influenced by stereotypes about female and male behavior that exist in our attitudes and beliefs‖ (1996: vii). The similar condition is depicted in

Lian Gouw‘s Only a Girl where the struggle of three generations of Chinese women was described through the story. Through the story, Gouw shows the struggle of three generations of Chinese women for claiming their identity during three different conditions.

According to Lizbeth Goodman there are two important terms of gender: first, gender refers to the way of seeing and representing people and situation based on sex difference; second, beliefs that exist in the society is often said to be

―culturally produce‖ (1996: vii). Thus, this study uses gender studies as an approach. By using gender studies, this study opens and discusses the experience of the three generations of Chinese women who struggle for claiming identity in certain situations and conditions.

C. Method of the Study

This study was conducted as a library research. The primary source of this study was Only a Girl, which is written by Lian Gouw. The novel told about the struggle of three generations of Chinese women for claiming identity against political backdrop. The other sources were taken from printed books, webpage, and also journals that the discussion similar to this study.

In order to answer the problem formulation, the writer consulted several books and studied that related to the study on struggle, women, and identity in certain

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conditions. Among those books were Literature and Gender (1996) by Lizbeth

Goodman and A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature (2005) by

Wilfred L. Guerin … [et al.].

In conducting the study, the writer used steps: first, closely reading and analyzing the novel Only a Girl; second, finding and beginning reading on some related studies; third, formulating the problems and framing the problems formulation; fourth, collecting all the data and analyzing the novel using related studies.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This study focuses in the three generations of Chinese women who struggle for claiming their identity in particular conditions. To identify their struggle, the writer sees on their experiences as Chinese women who live in three different conditions. Three different conditions in Only a Girl refer to the World

Depression, World War II, and the Indonesian Revolution. The writer tries to see that particular conditions depicted in the story leads the three generations of

Chinese women‘s concept of identity. Identity here refers to the concept of their role as a woman based on their own experiences. Each of their experience shows that there is a social construction happens in their society during three different political backdrops at that time. In addition, the writer identifies three different conditions as a political backdrop that becomes fundamental information about their experiences who struggle for claiming identity. Therefore, the analysis of this study aims to provide the evidences of the struggle of three generations of

Chinese women for claiming their identity through their different experiences in

Only a Girl.

A. The Concept of Identity of Three Generations Chinese Women Based on

Their Experiences in Gouw’s Only a Girl

In Only a Girl (2009), three generations of Chinese Women from one family has their own identity. Identity shows a personality of someone and what

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characteristic they have in society. It leads people to have a different concept of identity in certain conditions. As a result, identity influences the way of people‘s life because it is rooted from certain social system. The following parts of the novel are provided to show that social condition and culture lead the characters for having different concept of identities. Each woman in each part of the novel experiences different political backdrops; and through their experiences of political backdrops, each of them has different concept of identities as a Chinese woman.

1. The First Generation: Nanna, the Matriarch in Her Family

Nanna, the first generation of Chinese woman from the family, is described as the matriarch of the family. Here, matriarch means ―a woman who is the head of a family‖ (www.en.oxforddictionaries.com). She becomes matriarch after her husband died during a raid. As a matriarch of the family, she strives to preserve the family‘s Chinese traditional values. However, she finds that preserving the family‘s Chinese traditional values, as a part of her responsibility to it, is difficult because during her husband‘s life, the family has started to adopt Dutch lifestyle.

... Her father had fallen into the good graces of the mayor of Bandung in the early 1900s, when he helped close a major opium den. ..., and the Dutch official not only saw to it that her brothers, Chip and Ting, received a Dutch education, he also helped them secure positions in the colonial government (Gouw, 2009: 9-10).

The above narration shows that the process of assimilation begins because the leader of the family, Nanna‘s husband, let it be. According to Boyé Lafayette De

Mente, ―The head were responsible for making sure that every member of each family was properly registered, for ensuring that the members paid their taxes, and

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for seeing that they obeyed all of the other customs and laws of the land‖ (2000:

7). The family begins learning new culture because during at that time Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch and the head of the family accepts the process of assimilation. Consequently, the Dutch influence affects to the way of thinking of her children. After her husband died, she has a responsibility to raise the children and make sure they also keep Chinese traditional values.

When a father in Chinese family died, it supposes to be the oldest son who replaces the position of a father as the head of the family.

―Do you know Ong Chip Hong?‖ the sergeant asked. ―Yes, he‘s my son‖ ... ―Who‘s the head of the household?‖ ―I‘m a widow. He‘s the oldest son living with me, so he is.‖ Nanna held the Japanese in a steadfast gaze (Gouw, 2009: 102).

The above conversation shows that it is a man who has the role as the head of the family. However, Nanna holds important role in the family. It is she who tries to maintain the Chinese traditional values rather than the oldest son, Chip. She is a woman who has two roles, as a mother and a father in the family. As a mother, she does everything related to woman‘s task.

Nanna and Mundi were working in the vegetable garden when they heard a horn blare (Gouw, 2009: 86).

Nanna made a food offering to the spirits of her parents and her dead husband, on the fifteenth day of the Chinese month, when the moon comes to a full around (Gouw, 2009: 92).

As a mother, Nanna‘s role in the family is important because in Chinese traditional values, woman is symbolized as earth that means woman representing the roof of a house (De Mente, 2000: 3). The roof of a house means that in

Chinese traditional values, woman is responsible to do the domestic affair. De

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Mente also mentions, based on Mao Zedung; in Chinese families women exercised considerable influence within the household and sometimes in public as well, most of their talents were misused and abused and the overall effect on society was profoundly negative (2000: 400). It is clearly described in the story that Nanna‘s role as mother is doing domestic affair. Although she has a job, it is clearly shown in the above description that what she has done is something related to domestic affair. Meanwhile, Nanna also holds position as a father. In above statement, the writer explains that the oldest son is supposed to be a person who can replace the position of the head in the family if the father is dead.

Nanna quietly presided over the family dinner from her seat at the head of the table (Gouw, 2009: 11).

―As long as you live under my roof, you shall respect your brother,‖ Nanna said as soon as Mundi had left the room (Gouw, 2009: 13).

She had allowed Carolien and her grandchildren to attend a Dutch school. She had permitted Carolien to work in a Dutch office (Gouw, 2009: 43).

The above narration indicates that Nanna also becomes the head in the family replacing her husband position. She is the one who determines what dos and don‘ts for each member in the family. Hence, she makes sure that Chinese traditional values exist in the family and she does do the Chinese traditional values even though her children adopt Dutch lifestyle.

Nanna lit a few bunches of incense sticks and placed them in the urns (Gouw, 2009: 12).

Then Nanna rose and walked to the altar. She lit a bunch of incense sticks and, handing them to Carolien, ... Her offerings at the family altar were a ritual prompted by Nanna, ... (Gouw, 2009: 20 – 21).

―For a girl‘s first moon tea, she gets pink rock candy that is scented with rose oil. It‘s to make her understand that if she drinks her bitter moon tea, she‘ll

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have sweet things to look forward to.‖ Nanna brushed Jenny‘s cheek with her index finger. ―A girl has to drink her moon tea if she wants to be a good woman and have her husband take pleasure in her‖ (Gouw, 2009: 173).

From some above evidences, it is obvious that Nanna‘s role as a father is to preserve the Chinese traditional values in the family. She does everything related to her belief based on her understanding about Chinese traditional values.

She never forgets her identity as a Chinese and as a Chinese woman. From the above discussion, the writer sees that Nanna‘a identity as Chinese woman leads to social roles attached certain position that important in the family. Her role in the family not only as a mother but also as a father, the head in the family. It is important for each member of the family to obey all of the Chinese traditional values. Nanna‘s roles in the family lead her to the concept of culture of their family. She tries to keep the tradition in many ways. It is described when the

World Depression happens during the World War I.

Severe, the World Depression also influences the concept of culture of their family. In this case is the ideal type in marriage based on Chinese traditional values. It is very important for the member of the Nanna‘s family marry a person who also Chinese. Specifically, in Nanna‘s point of view who strives to preserve the Chinese traditional values, the ideal of type of son or daughter in law is a person who comes from good family and good financial support. When her daughter insists to marry with the man she loves, Nanna is very strict to her daughter choice.

―I love him. I don‘t need a husband with a degree who‘d treat me like an exotic household fixture.‖ Carolien jutted out her chin. ―Do any of you know what it means to be happy instead of just financially secure?

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… but Nanna spoke. ―Happiness is peace. You won‘t find peace unless you are secure. And you won‘t find security in an unstable situation.‖ … Nanna turned to Carolien. ―What do you know of love?‖ she asked her daughter. ―Love is what stands through misfortune. There is love when a woman‘s loins have grown tired and a man still finds rest beside her‖ (Gouw, 2009: 12-13)

The conversation between Nanna and her daughter, Carolien, above indicates

Nanna does not believe to other tradition and tries to maintain the family tradition.

However, Nanna fails to maintain the ideal marriage in the family. Her daughter,

Carolien, decides to marry Po Han, a man who Carolien loves. Although Nanna fails to prevent her daughter marriage, she still shows the existence of Chinese traditional values in the family. It also can be seen that the World Depression which is an economic downturn, influences the concept of culture in the family, especially for Nanna.

When she always faces ups and downs in maintaining Chinese values in different political conditions, she tries to show the identity as a Chinese still exist in the family. From this point of view, the writer sees that political backdrops, the

Dutch colonization and the World Depression, bring big influences to the existence Chinese traditional values in Nanna‘s family. Although the tradition has already existed, the political conditions form the family in terms of values, roles, and position in the family.

2. The Second Generation: Carolien, a Mother who Adopts Dutch

Lifestyles

Carolien, the second generation of Chinese women in Only a Girl, is Nanna‘s daughter. Carolien is described as a Chinese woman who is eager to assimilate

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into Dutch colonial society. She gets Dutch education and adopts Western life style. Her background of Dutch, actually, appears because she lives during Dutch colonization in Indonesia. In addition, the head of the family also let Dutch lifestyle enters to their family. This condition influences Carolien to adapt Dutch culture and consequently, she does not agree with the concept of Chinese traditional values, especially in Chinese marriage and belief.

In the very beginning of the story, Carolien is described as a woman who complaints about her identity as a Chinese. It can be seen from the description of the narrator, ―Why had she been born into such a traditional family?‖ (Gouw,

2009: 9). From the narration, the writer sees that Carolien feels uncomfortable being a Chinese who still practicing traditional values. The feeling of Carolien‘s inconvenience appears because the Dutch‘s influent in the family. Besides, the writer finds that Dutch lifestyle gives big influent for Carolien‘s way of life in terms of physical appearance, we can see it from the following description,

―Carolien‘s slender figure, Western dress, and hairdo accentuated Sue‘s matronly figure and native dress‖ (Gouw, 2009: 43). From the description, the writer emphasizes that there is a conflation and representation of Dutch colonial society in Carolien‘s life. In other words, the Dutch colonization becomes a medium of author‘s idea in the story which the depiction informs the value of the society through the character, Carolien, perspectives.

Furthermore, the penetration of Dutch influences can be seen through

Carolien‘s thought. In Carolien‘s point of view, each person has right to decide something for his and her own lives without someone‘s intervention.

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Chip, the oldest, had moved the family into this exclusive neighborhood and made sure that Carolien received a Dutch education as well, but she chafed against his rule. Did being the oldest male in a traditional Chinese family give him the right to decide her life? (Gouw, 2009: 10).

The above description shows that Carolien does not really agree to Chinese traditional values. The writer sees that Dutch‘s influence affects to the way of

Carolien‘s thinking. The political backdrop, Dutch colonization in Indonesia, defines a set of values distinct from Chinese traditional values in Carolien‘s family (Langland, 1984: 9). As a result, the Dutch‘s influence forms Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman. The affect can be seen from the way Carolien thinks about marriage.

―Why do you now want to marry someone who has neither a degree nor comes from a wealthy family? ―I love him. I don‘t need a husband with degree who‘d treat me like an exotic household fixture‖ Carolien jutted out her chin. ―Do any of you know what it means to be happy instead of just financially secure? (Gouw, 2009:12).

In the above dialogue, she prefers to marry a man who she loves rather than follow the family‘s tradition about marriage. The most important about marriage in her point of view is love and happiness. As long as a couple loves each other and they are happy, all good things in life will follow. The writer finds that the influence of Dutch affects her way of thinking. In order to support the writer ideas, we can see through the following narration in the story,

Po Han was different from previous suitors. He was like the man in the romantic Dutch novels she borrowed from the library, he asked her to marry him, rather than asking her family (Gouw, 2009: 19).

―Do you mind having a Dutch meal mid-week and on Sunday?‖ Carolien searched Po Han‘s face (Gouw, 2009: 26).

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From the above description, it is obvious that Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman slowly disappears. Her identity as a Chinese woman slowly disappears because the political backdrop, Dutch colonization, functions as a society and becomes a fundamental element to measure individual moral growth and make moral distinctions from the others (Langland, 1984: 13). She believes that her marriage goes to be different from other Chinese couples and she wants to prove that her family‘s opinion about their marriage is wrong. In addition, she wants to practice the Dutch lifestyle in her new family. It means that Carolien assimilates the Dutch‘s influence toward her life despite practicing Chinese traditional values with Po Han.

At first, as a new family, Carolien and Po Han are a happy family. As time goes by, after her daughter born, Carolien starts to questioning about her husband job because the World Depression drifts to Indonesia and it leads the financial condition in their family getting worst.

On the wings of the winds that cross the Pacific, the World Depression drifted to The Netherlands‘ Indies. As the calender turned to 1933, most businesses were forced to shrink their operations. With money tight and rumors of an oncoming war, the demand for new typewriters dropped (Gouw, 2009: 34).

As a result, Carolien‘s husband, Po Han; lost his job and makes the situation and condition of the family financially unstable. In order to support the family‘s financial, Carolien has to find job and sell her jewelry,

Carolien decided to take in sewing supplement their sparse income (Gouw, 2009: 61).

Earlier that day, Carolien had taken her diamond pendant to a pawnshop. It was the only piece of jewelry she had ever bought for herself. It had taken her more than a year to save up for it. She hooked a finger around the now bare

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chain, wondering how long it would take before Po Han would notice (Gouw, 2009: 62).

The above narration indicates that the World Depression influences the marriage relation for Carolien and Po Han as a new family. Severe, the condition finally leads Carolien to divorce Po Han. The divorce leads her to the consequences that she has to raise her daughter by herself. As a woman who adapts Dutch lifestyle,

Carolien does find a job to support her daughter‘s lives and her lives. From this point, the writer finds that Carolien‘s roles as a mother gets influence from Dutch education that she learnt.

―We sent you to Dutch schools so you‘d be an asset to some decent man‘s household, said Chip. ―Your education would enhance his position and, in turn, secure yours (Gouw, 2009: 12).

From the above dialogue, it is obvious that Carolien gets official Dutch education in order to support her lives. The Dutch education she learnt brings her to hold position in the society. Before she gets married, she used to work in Dutch office and it can be seen from the below narrator‘s description in the story;

The next day Carolien left her office at noon (Gouw, 2009: 13).

Carolien spotted Po Han across the street toward the law office where she had worked as a secretary for over a decade (Gouw, 2009: 16).

The above narration indicates that the Dutch education forms Carolien as an independent woman. This also shows us that after she gets divorced with Po Han, she is described as a mother who fully independent. In addition, the writer finds that the Dutch education also leads Carolien in the way she raising her daughter,

Jenny. The way Carolien raising her daughter, Jenny; is seen as a mother who imitates Dutch lifestyle. Besides, she always consults how to educate her

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daughter, Jenny, based on the way Dutch thought even when she were not born yet.

..., ―Our son will have to go to Dutch schools and that will cost a lot of money‖ (Gouw, 2009: 41).

Carolien pursed her lips. She had no intentions of teaching her daughter subordinate behaviour or the traditional reverance for males. ―I‘ll make sure,‖ she said, ―that Jenny grows up to be independent‖ (Gouw, 2009: 75).

... Carolien wanted Jenny to have a prominent place in society, and a Dutch education was the first step (Gouw, 2009: 75-76).

For parenting advice, Carolien turned to a series of Dutch pedagogy books. The books said that when a girl was twelve her mother should discuss the ovulation process with her to prepare the girl for her first period (Gouw, 2009: 170).

Obviously, from the above description that the writer found, the Dutch‘s influent undergoes a process of self-definition toward Carolien. As a result, the process of self-definition leads to the quality of social order that moves the quality of individual lives. Here, the quality of individual lives refers to Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman. Her identity as a Chinese woman gets influence from the

Dutch lifestyle which acts and dictates within Carolien‘s identity. In other words, the Dutch‘s influent penetrates Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman and she does assimilate it. In addition, her identity as a Chinese woman manipulates the

Dutch in order to create value and increase the level of commitment to society.

This condition happens because the Dutch colonization gives effect to social order in her family. Therefore, the writer finds that the Dutch colonization in Indonesia influences and forms Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman in terms of the way

Carolien‘s thinking and finally affects her to adapt the Dutch lifestyle.

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3. The Third Generation: Jenny as Only a Girl

Jenny, Carolien‘s daughter, is described as only a girl who raised in Dutch lifestyle. In the previous discussion, the writer has explained that the Dutch colonization in Indonesia penetrates Jenny‘s family lives. During the Dutch colonization, the head of the family, Jenny‘s grandfather, let the Dutch lifestyle enters into their lives. As a result, it affects to the way of the family, especially

Jenny‘s mother, raising Jenny. Yet, the way the other family members treats Jenny is adopting the Dutch lifestyle. It can be seen from the narration, ―At bedtime,

Eddie read Jenny stories. The family had adopted the Dutch habit of reading for pleasure‖ (Gouw, 2009: 75). From the narration, the writer finds that later the way

Jenny thought is determined by the Dutch‘s influent that enters in her family.

It is clearly proven, especially, in the way Carolien raises Jenny. Carolien,

Jenny‘s mother, is a mother who adapts the Dutch lifestyle. By the consequences,

Jenny is raised in the way her mother beliefs.

Carolien carefully filled out the application to enroll Jenny at the Christelijk Lyceum, an all-Dutch private high school not far from Nanna‘s house (Gouw, 2009: 117).

From the above narration, the writer sees that the Dutch school that Carolien enrolled for Jenny leads to how Jenny‘s identity formed. Besides, the writer also finds that the situation and condition in school affects to how Jenny‘s identity formed. As the writer mentioned before, the way the family, especially Jenny‘s mother, raises Jenny is based on the Dutch lifestyle; and it affects to the way

Jenny‘s identity formed. However, the writer also finds that the way Jenny‘s identity formed is because the Dutch education she gets at the Christelijk Lyceum.

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During her study at Christelijk Lyceum, she interacts with Dutch society. Her friends and teachers are Dutch. As a result, she always speaks Dutch. It can be seen from the narration in the story, ―Dutch was the only language Jenny knew, besides the little Malay she spoke to the servants‖ (Gouw, 2009: 155). The previous narration shows us that the Dutch lifestyle functions as the fundamental influence which forms her identity as a girl in Chinese family.

The Dutch lifestyle that Jenny adopted causes the lack of identity about

Chinese traditional values. As only a girl who born in Chinese family, she begins questioning why she has to follow the Chinese tradition. The Chinese tradition here, for example, refers to the things to do when a girl has her first period. In order to prove the statement, the writer provides the following narration to discuss,

―I noticed your moonpail in the bathroom. Are you getting along all right?‖ Carolien buttered her toast and reached for the marmalade. Jenny nodded. ―Nanna wants you to drink a cup of this herb tea every morning while you‘re using mooncloths, and three more days after you‘re finished.‖ Jenny stared at the small cup. It looked like the same as the ones that sometimes appeared by Els and Emma‘s breakfast plates. She remembered her cousins taking a deep breath and emptying the cup in almost one big gulp. ―There‘s a piece of rock candy on the saucer. You might like to suck on it afterward.‖ Carolien took a bite of her toast. Jenny stared at the dark liquid. ―Did Nanna say I‘ve to drink all of it?‖ ... Jenny looked away feeling guilty. ―Nanna, why do I have to drink that awful stuff?‖ (Gouw, 2009: 172-173).

From the description above, the writer finds that the Dutch lifestyle designs the identity of Jenny. Although she was born in Chinese family, the family itself assimilates the Dutch lifestyle. As a result, Jenny does not understand why she has to follow and believe in Chinese tradition. This condition happens because the political, social, and education practice in her society manifests the way of she

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thinks about the Chinese traditional values. By the consequences, she is no longer imitates the Chinese traditional values.

Interestingly, the writer finds that Jenny and grandmother have a close relationship. When Jenny‘s mother at work, she always comes to Nanna‘s house.

It can be seen from this description, ―Jenny loved to follow Nanna around while

Carolien was at work‖ (Gouw, 2009: 72). From the description, the writer sees that although Jenny adapts Dutch lifestyle it does not mean that she does not know anything about the Chinese traditional values because she has Nanna who practices the tradition.

Jenny looked at deep yellow petals of the sunflower. The raised paint gave them an almost meaty texture. She discovered a face in the dark round center of the flower, a laughing face. ―Nanna doesn‘t like to grow sunflowers. She says that if you grow them, you soon will have to move‖ (Gouw, 2009: 196).

Nanna had taught them to always treat rice with the utmost care. It was never to be wasted in any form and never, ever, to be stepped on. Nanna always said, ―You will shed a tear for every grain you waste. Treating rice with disrespect is inviting bad luck.‖ Jenny glanced at Els. Hopefully all the trampled rice would not cause her cousin any misfortune. ... Jenny shook her head and put a hand on Eddie‘s arm. ―Nanna says it‘s bad luck to waste rice, and it‘s very bad to step on it.‖ ... ―Nanna would not like to see us throw around rice,‖ Jenny jutted her chin and looked up at her cousin (Gouw, 2009: 214-215).

The above description gives the writer evidences to proof that the close relation between Jenny and Nanna, leads Jenny to learn about the Chinese tradition values.

Some part in the novel found by the writer gives an idea that Jenny actually does listen to what Nanna said and learn a little bit about the Chinese traditional values.

From the above description, the writer also sees that she learns how the Chinese traditional values exist in her life. The existence of the Chinese traditional values in Jenny lives means her identity as a girl who is born in Chinese family does not

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disappear at all. There is part of her that is constituted within her grandmother belief.

Surprisingly, the writer finds that Jenny also learns a little bit about the

Chinese traditional values from her mother and one of the members in her family.

Jenny learns how important a baby born in Chinese family. She definitely gets surprised by the fact that if a baby born and it is only a girl, the family will leave them.

―My God, you couldn‘t be all but three months old.‖ Folding the soaked diaper away she exclaimed, ―No wonder they left you. You‘re only a girl.‖ ... Alone with the baby, Jenny put her hands awkwardly on each side of the infant. Would she have been left if she were a boy? It was hard to believe that if it wasn‘t for her mother‘s Dutch way of thinking, she could have been left somewhere like the baby just because she was a girl (Gouw, 2009: 145).

―They have two other small children, both boys. They couldn‘t carry the boys, the baby, and their belongings. Something had to be left behind. The baby was a girl, so she wasn‘t important to them and they left her.‖ Eddie‘s voice trailed off (Gouw, 2009: 161).

Here, the writer wants to show that Jenny‘s family functions as medium that teaches Jenny about Chinese traditional values. Although her mother and her relative do not teach Jenny about Chinese traditional directly, the family becomes the medium which accommodates the values in Chinese family. At this point, she begins realizing the reason why a Chinese family would leave a girl baby. This reason leads Jenny to learn that a Chinese family does not see the importance for having a girl baby for their life. In addition, her experience shows that the Dutch way of thinking becomes a pivotal medium toward Jenny‘s identity as Chinese girl. From Jenny‘s perspectives, it is because the Dutch way of thinking that she would not have been left by her family.

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From the discussion above, the writer wants to emphasize that Jenny‘s identity is formed by the Dutch‘s influent. This condition happens because the family adapts the Dutch lifestyle and she studies in Dutch school. As a result, there is a lack of tradition in Jenny‘s lives. Although she is born in Chinese family, she does not really know about Chinese traditional values. In other side, the writer finds it is because the Dutch‘s influent that Jenny begins realizing and understanding the

Chinese traditional values.

B. The Struggle for Claiming Identity of Three Generations Chinese Women

In this part, the writer provides the discussion and analysis of the struggle for claiming identity of three generations Chinese women that they experience. Each of three generations Chinese woman experiences different political backdrops and the political backdrops show big influence toward their lives. It is political backdrops that lead three generations Chinese women to have different concept of identity through their experience. These differences can be seen from the narrations and the dialogues in the novel. The narrations and dialogues give the ideas to the writer in analyzing the struggle of three generations Chinese women.

This part is divided based on the experience of three generations Chinese women that shows their struggle in claiming identity against political backdrop.

1. Nanna, a Chinese Woman and Chinese Traditional Values

In Lian Gouw‘s Only a Girl, Nanna is described as a woman and a mother who tries to preserve Chinese traditional values in the family. It has explained in the previous discussion that the writer sees Nanna‘s role is not only as a mother

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but also as a father in the family. It is her nature as mother to take care of the children and do the household affair. However, at the same time, it is part of her responsibility to preserve Chinese traditional values in the family after her husband died. She has to replace her husband‘s role as a father for the family.

While she does her role as a mother, she faces how difficult it is to be a father in current political condition that occurs in Indonesia.

a. Nanna and Men’s Dominance in the Family

Dutch colonization in Indonesia leads a drastic assimilation in Nanna‘s

family. This assimilation happens because during Dutch colonization, Chinese

in Indonesia has been determined by the authority; hence, Chinese is

positioned as the second class whereas the Dutch and other European people

are in the highest class and the indigenous is in the lowest (Purwanti

Kusumaningtyas, 2014: 115). Hence, the Dutch colonization also affects the

dynamic tradition in her family. From the previous discussion, the writer

states that in Chinese family; it is man‘s role who has right to decide

everything in their lives. In this case, Nanna‘s husband is the one who let the

Dutch penetrates into their family; and as a result the family assimilates the

way the Dutch lives. The process assimilation leads Nanna‘s family to adopt

the Dutch way of life.

After her husband died, it is Nanna who has right to determine everything

because she replaces her husband‘s role in the family. Despite her husband

death, the writer finds that the dominance of man in the family still exists.

She faced west and lifted the burning incense high in prayer. ... This time, she also asked her late husband if he approved of his children‘s

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involvement in Dutch political matters. She asked him if she did well to support their sons (Gouw, 2009: 92).

As stated in the previous discussion, Nanna is described as matriarch in the family. On the contrary, the above description shows that the involvement of patriarchal system in Chinese family still appeared. Although Nanna has a right to give permission or decision in the family, Nanna emphasizes the values and virtues culturally associated with Chinese traditional values.

b. Nanna’s Family and Dutch’s Influence

Nanna‘s family gets special treatment from the Dutch because her late

husband let the penetration of the Dutch enters into the family.

Only Nanna called Carolien by her birth name. She had been named Ong Kway Lien at birth. According to Chinese custom her family name, Ong, came first. The teachers of the Dutch School for Girls had altered the name to suit their tongue and habit. Thus, Ong Kway Lien became Carolien Ong (Gouw, 2009: 12).

―They made an exception and accepted you in this all Dutch high school because of Youngest Uncle‘s position in the Dutch government and all that our family did during the war ...‖ (Gouw, 2009: 118).

... Before the war, the Dutch government issued equalization certificates to Chinese for a fee of one-and-a-half guilders. The certificate gave the holder access to Dutch schools, clubs, and establishments. No one in Nanna‘s family was an equalized Dutch citizen. Their status came from patronage of the former mayor of Bandung and the positions that family members held in the Dutch government. There was no need for them to purchase what had already been earned (Gouw, 2009: 180).

At this point, the writer finds that the penetration of Dutch colonization

makes such a drastically change in Nanna‘s family. The Dutch colonization

affects the identity of the family as a Chinese family. The family has to alter

their name in order to suit how the Dutch speaks. Moreover, it is because the

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penetration of the Dutch‘s influent, Nanna‘s family gets privilege during the

Dutch colonization. The above descriptions show that the process of

assimilation forms new identity into the family. It can be happen because as a

medium, the Dutch colonization undergoes a process of self-definition. The

self-definition of the Dutch colonization is linked to social positions in the

family. Thus, as a matriarch in the family, Nanna has to preserve the Chinese

traditional values which is the identity of the family.

c. Nanna’s Struggle in Preserving Chinese Traditional Values

The struggle of Nanna‘s claiming her identity as a Chinese can be found when Carolien decides to marry Po Han. After all, Nanna can not prevent

Carolien‘s marriage. It is because she has to dealing with the Chinese traditional values.

... ―Friday, July 22, 1932. I‘m thrity-one today and the laws says I no longer need permission to get married. I can marry anyone I want – and I‘m going to marry Po Han‖ (Gouw, 2009: 18).

In the previous discussion, the writer states that Nanna wants Carolien to

marry someone who has a stable financial support. There is a different

perception about marriage between Nanna and Carolien. From Nanna‘s point

of view, she sees that a man whose role is to support family has to have stable

financial support because the World Depression drifts in Indonesia at that

time. Aware of the condition, Nanna, as a matriarch who preserves Chinese

traditional values and the one who can give permission in the family thinks

that it is not enough for someone who wants to marry with one of her children

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comes from Chinese family. Nanna has to make sure that the family is in

good condition even it is in financial condition. In other hand, her daughter,

Carolien; thinks that marriage only needs love and happiness. At this point,

Nanna realizes that her daughter has adopted Dutch way of life. Nanna‘s

daughter, Carolien, decides to use the Chinese traditional values to get

married someone she loved. The above dialogue shows that, at the end,

Nanna gives up to Carolien‘s marriage because Nanna tries to keep and

follow the Chinese traditional values by letting her daughter gets married

according to the Chinese laws.

The penetration Dutch‘s influent in Nanna‘s family does not end in

Carolien‘s marriage. Once again, Nanna has to deal with marriage. It is her

grandchild‘s, Els, turn.

Jenny reached for a full deep-red rose. ―Nanna, where‘s Els?‖ she asked pulling off the fragrant petals. ...―She‘s gone.‖ Nanna shook the basket and petals tumbled in a colorful fluff. ... ―Where did she go?‖ Jenny stammered, ... ―She went to marry that Dutchman.‖ Nanna put the basket back on her lap and reached for another rose. ―What Dutchman?‖ Jenny stared at Nanna. ... ―He came to ask your uncle and me for her hand,‖ ... ―When he needed help we took him in, and now he returns the favor by bringing shame to our house.‖ Nanna‘s lips pressed together into a thin line. ... ―Who‘s he, Nanna? Where did he take Els? Why did he bring shame to us by wanting to marry Els?‖. ―Jenny, we are Chinese.‖ ... ―Our family doesn‘t have any other blood and that‘s the way it‘s going to stay.‖ Nanna picked up another flower. ―We don‘t mix blood‖ (Gouw, 2009: 209-210).

The above description indicates that the Dutch colonization changes the way of life in Nanna‘s family. As a matriarch in the family, Nanna tries to preserve the

Chinese tradition values. However, she once again failed to maintain the tradition. She fails to keep the tradition because the Dutch colonization shapes

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Nanna‘s family the way of life. The Dutch influences and creates a set of value to the family. As a result, Nanna faces difficulty in maintaining the family‘s identity as a Chinese.

Her difficulty in preserving Chinese traditional family is shown as a response in Dutch way of life. The Dutch penetration shows that Nanna wants to emphasize how important the values and culture associated with Chinese; where women play the primary role to connect the harmonious activity in the family, meaning to say woman should not try to be like a man,

―Is that what you married for, to support a man and a child?‖ Nanna gave Jenny another cookie and returned to stirring the beef stew (Gouw, 2009: 63).

The above dialogue shows that it is not supposed to be a woman who supports the life of the family. There must be a separation between physical and psychology over woman‘s nature.

d. Nanna’s Chinese Identity as a Matriarch

Surprisingly, the writer finds that Nanna also responsible to allow the

assimilation of the Dutch toward her family. The condition occurs because of

the domination of men in the Chinese family and Nanna has to follow it.

At the altar, Nanna lit a bunch of incense sticks and wondered where the supposed progress of Western ways would lead them. When her son had moved the family into this house and provided her with all the amenities a Dutch family enjoyed, she had seen the Dutch lifestyle as a way to make life easier, better. She enjoyed the electric lighting, running water and flush toilets, refrigerator and gas stove. She had allowed Carolien and her grandchildren to attend a Dutch school. She had permitted Carolien to work in a Dutch office. ...Was she being punished for allowing Dutch influences to penetrate her household? If so, what other misfortune would come to her and the family? (Gouw, 2009: 42-43).

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The above description shows that how important men‘s role in Chinese family.

Yet, the writer finds two contradictions in the above description. As a Chinese woman who preserves the tradition in the family, Nanna has to follow the rule in the family where everything happens in the family is determined by the men‘s dominance. Meanwhile, as a matriarch, Nanna also takes a part the

Dutch‘s penetration in the family. Meaning to say, Nanna plays role as a father who responsible toward the decision in the family; and it means Nanna‘s role is produced by the conditions at that time. By the consequences, Nanna has to struggle to claim her identity as a Chinese because the political backdrop, the

Dutch colonization, influences the family and Nanna‘s way of life.

Although she finds difficulty in preserving Chinese traditional values, the writer sees Nanna actually practices the tradition against the Dutch‘s influent that can be seen by the descriptions and dialogue depicted in the novel.

A few days later Nanna visited the Chinese temple. After making her offering incense sticks she asked the priest to select a boy‘s and a girl‘s name. The priest in turn looked to the gods for advice. After burning more incense sticks and shuffling a stack of red papers with names written on it, he folded two pieces and handed them to Nanna. She kept the sacred information on her altar until the time came for Carolien to give birth (Gouw, 2009: 44).

―For girl‘s first moon tea, she gets pink rock candy that is scented with rose oil. It‘s to make her understand that if she drinks her bitter moon tea, she‘ll have sweet things to look forward to.‖ ... ―A girl has to drink her moon tea if she wants to be a good woman and have her husband take pleasure in her.‖ ... ―Now that you‘ve started using your mooncloths, you should try behaving more like a girl and stop playing with boys so much. Especially Dutch boys.‖ Nanna gave Jenny a scrutinizing look. ―Perhaps you should wear dresses more often and let your hair grow‖ (Gouw, 2009: 173).

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Nanna‘s practices Chinese traditional values in the above description mean

Nanna express the view that it is better to keep and follow the tradition. Nanna aware that the Dutch colonization shapes and forms new values to the family.

In order to preserve the Chinese tradition Nanna stabilizes the condition by practicing it and presents the manipulation of the tradition in the family. The manipulation relates to the invention of the tradition that maintains her identity as a Chinese. It also indicates that Nanna‘s identity as Chinese woman performs a cultural practices that constitute the identity as Chinese. She shows the primary role by telling what to do in the family. This result a gap between cultural and social order that affects Nanna‘s identity.

To reach a stable condition in her family during the Dutch colonization,

Nanna allows her children to attend a Dutch school and also permits Carolien to work in a Dutch office. In contrast, she does not really realize the effect of the Dutch colonization that assimilates the family way of life. Nanna‘s decision leads her in the difficulty in maintaining Chinese traditional values in her family.

―Oh, Ma. Just look at the Dutch fashion magazines. Women are starting to wear slacks more and more,‖ Carolien laughed. ―Dutch this and Dutch that,‖ Nanna muttered. ―When will you see that not all the Dutch people preach is gospel?‖ (Gouw, 2009: 171).

―Ma, Els came to say goodbye. She‘s not on a Dutch tangent. She got married and left to live with her husband in Holland.‖ ... Nanna turned to Carolien. ―Maybe, someday, you‘ll stop promoting all these Dutch ideas. This isn‘t all oft it. They‘re not done. Just watch – ― ... (Gouw, 2009: 220- 221).

The above description shows that Nanna is not able to avoid the assimilation of the Dutch toward her family. The description implies that there is social order

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that shapes a set of values in Nanna‘s family. Social order designs Nanna‘s

family way of life. As a result, Nanna even cannot control the penetration of

the Dutch way of life into the family. Besides, Nanna thinks that the Dutch‘s

influence brings misfortunate condition to the family. It can be seen from

narrator description, ―Nanna … Was she being punished for allowing Dutch

influences to penetrate her household? If so, what other misfortunate would

come to her and the family?‖ … (Gouw, 2009: 43). The stated description

indicates that Nanna also takes responsibility for letting the Dutch way of life

penetrates into the family. In one way, she is a mother who do domestic affair.

In the other side, she is a father who takes responsibility to preserve and

struggles to claim the Chinese traditional values as their identity.

2. Carolien, Gender Roles, Identities, and Political Backdrops

The Dutch colonization brings big effect toward Carolien‘s lives. In the previous discussion, the writer states that Carolien is described a woman who adopts Dutch lifestyles. The Dutch lifestyle that she adopts affecting her way of thinking. Although she was born in a Chinese family, she has different thought about several things; such as tradition, marriage, and education. She prefers to adopt the Dutch lifestyle rather than practices Chinese traditional values.

Consequently, Carolien has to struggle to claim her identity because during unstable political condition, she faces ups and downs to define her identity.

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a. Carolien who Breaks Chinese Traditional Values

The Dutch education that she got during the Dutch colonization affects to the way she thinks about her identity as a Chinese woman. As the writer explains in the previous discussion, the Dutch education gives a set of new values in the way she thought about Chinese traditional values.

... Chip, the oldest had moved the family into this exclusive neighborhood and made sure that Carolien received a Dutch education as well, but she chafed against his rule. Did being the oldest male in a traditional Chinese family give him the right to decide her life? (Gouw, 2009: 10).

The above description implies that Carolien sees Chinese traditional values as

the formation of men‘s dominance. The writer finds there are two contraries

thought about Chinese traditional values and the Dutch way of life. The

narration implies that lives in Chinese family means Carolien has to follow

the rules. She realizes that in Chinese traditional values, it is men who

continue the family‘s lineage and whose task is to maintain the traditions and

the rituals (Dharmowijono, 2011: 106). Yet, based on Carolien‘s point of

view, the writer sees there is patriarchal system that limits Carolien in

deciding what she wants to do in her life. The decision that the writer meant

is she chooses to marry a man that she loved.

When Carolien wants to marry Po Han, she shows high determination to

break the family‘s tradition.

―I love him. I don‘t need a husband with a degree who‘d treat me like an exotic household fixture.‖ Carolien jutted out her chin (Gouw, 2009: 12).

Carolien rose. ―You have no right to prevent me from seeing anyone. I‘m thirty and you‘re not my father,‖ she shouted, holding back tears (Gouw, 2009: 13).

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From above description, the writer sees that Carolien fights against the family tradition. Carolien shows her struggle in choosing path for her life. By looking at the description, it can be seen that Carolien thinks the family‘s tradition constitutes woman as someone who always do the household affair. Besides, the description also shows that Carolien tries to break the man dominance in the family.

b. Carolien Practices Dutch Lifestyle in Her Household

After her marriage with Po Han, Carolien faces Po Han‘s grandmother,

Ocho, in dealing with the Chinese traditional values that Ocho believed.

No self-respecting Chinese family would allow a girl to work in a Dutch office. A girl like Carolien would never know how to run a household properly. ... How could they allow Carolien to leave the house and marry without permission? ... ―You had a choice of many girls. Good families. But you have to choose some useless woman whose head is filled with Dutch nonsense.‖ ... ―You‘ll regret marrying a woman who doesn‘t know when rice turns to porridge.‖ (Gouw, 2009: 21-22).

The above description shows the beginning of Carolien‘s struggle after she

gets married with Po Han. Ocho who believes in Chinese traditional values

sees Carolien as a woman who cannot do the domestic affair properly. Ocho‘s

perspective about Carolien indicates that the assimilation of the Dutch into

Carolien‘s family is a disrespecting toward Chinese traditional values. Here,

the writer finds a gap about the way of life between Carolien and Ocho.

Carolien who adopts the Dutch lifestyle is seen by Ocho as a woman who

cannot do the household. Meanwhile, Carolien practices the Dutch lifestyle in

her household.

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That evening, while they ate their dessert fruit, Carolien presented her housekeeping calendar to Po Han and Ocho. Peeling a mango for Po Han, ... ―There‘s nothing to it, especially now that you‘re earning good salary. Even when I had to sell pastries and do laundry for the Dutch soldiers, I managed. Only girls with a useless Dutch upbringing need a piece of paper to bring food to the table.‖ ... ―My grandson is not used to meals that are a mere snack of tasteless potatoes and a silver of meat.‖ (Gouw, 2009: 33).

―All you need to know is how to shop. And of course, you do need to know how to cook‖ (Gouw, 2009: 37).

The Dutch lifestyle that Carolien practiced in her household brings obstacles in her marriage. Ocho‘s belief shows the values and virtues culturally associated with woman in Chinese traditional values. In contrast, Carolien does not show the quality of Chinese woman. Here, she practices the Dutch way of life in her household.

Moreover, Carolien who shows the quality of woman with Dutch lifestyle also performs a woman who does not belief with the tradition that Ocho held.

―Look at all that hair! It needs to be shaved to get rid of the bad luck she brought with her,‖ Ocho said each time she saw Jenny. She subscribed to the native belief that the hair a child is born with represents its mother‘s evil and needs to be removed. True to custom, she insisted on calling a dukun to perform the cleansing ceremony when Jenny was seven days old. ―Why do you insist on conforming to some native superstition?‖ Carolien looked at Po Han for support (Gouw, 20009: 55).

The above description implies that the Dutch education leads Carolien to be a woman who shares the Dutch way of thinking. As a result Carolien is seen as a woman who does not belief in any kind of superstition in Chinese traditional values.

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c. Dutch Lifestyle’s Carolien Adopted and Political Backdrops during

Carolien Raising Her Daughter

The World Depressions brings difficulty in Carolien‘s household. Her husband, Po Hand, does not have stable job to support the family. In order to support the needs of the family, Carolien finds a job. It can be seen from the narrator‘s description, ―Carolien decided to take in sewing to supplement their sparse income‖ (Gouw, 2009: 61). The narrator‘s description that found by the writer indicates that Carolien is an independent woman who cannot be dependent on her husband. She is willing to work so that the family can fulfill the needs.

The World Depression leads Carolien divorce Po Han. The condition occurs because Po Han cannot fulfill the family needs. Thus, Carolien has to raise her child by herself. She raises her child by using Dutch pedagogy.

During raising her child, Carolien finds job to support their lives.

... Due to the depression, the job market was tight. War rumors had begun to escalate. Hitler had started his march through Europe and Japan was moving in on China. Wachter said that, given the economical and political situation, she‘d be better off with a government position (Gouw, 2009: 70).

The economical and political situation at that time becomes Carolien‘s

obstacle in supporting her lives. Besides, the political situation leads Carolien

to be an independent woman. A woman who tries to fulfill the needs of the

family. In other words, political condition, in one way, shapes Carolien‘s

identity as a Chinese woman who does not depend on man. As depicted in the

novel, ―Ill never again depend on a man, especially not when it comes to

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taking care of Jenny and me. Once is more than enough‖ (Gouw, 2009: 74),

Carolien is transformed as a masculine figure who has ability to support the family.

Moreover, in the way Carolien raises her child, she shows that woman needs to be independent. It can be seen from the following narrator‘s description,

She had no intention of teaching her daughter subordinate behavior or the traditional reverence for males. ―I‘ll make sure,‖ she said, ―that Jenny grows up to be independent‖ (Gouw, 2009: 75).

The writer finds that the Dutch lifestyle she adopted represents the constitution of her identity as an independent Chinese woman. Her identity as an independent Chinese woman is shaped because the construction of political condition and her Chinese family itself.

... Sometimes she wondered about Ting. Would he ever marry? What did he expect from a wife? Chinese girls brought up in traditional households bored him, but he didn‘t like her Western behavior either. Ting would be uncomfortable sharing his life with a woman who would defend her opinion and expect him to help with what were considered women‘s tasks. It was amazing how most Chinese men felt they were superior to women, yet were helpless without them (Gouw, 2009: 76).

The Dutch lifestyle brings Carolien‘s identity to rethink again about Chinese traditional values in the family. Carolien‘s point of view in above description represents her critical thought about the men‘s dominance in Chinese traditional values. The above description shows there is cultural construction in Chinese traditional values where women only do the women task. In other side, it is also seen in the description above how the Dutch lifestyle changes women‘s perspective in seeing women itself.

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The Dutch lifestyle becomes fundamental way in raising her daughter.

Even, Carolien chooses Dutch school as a place for Jenny to get education.

The reason why Carolien chooses Dutch school for her daughter is because she wants her daughter to have a prominent place in society. However, during

Carolien raising her daughter, Carolien fights some political conditions that threat their lives.

The Dutch colonization brings much easier life for Carolien‘s family.

Suddenly, the situation drastically changed when the Japanese invades

Indonesia. The Japanese occupation affects to the political even education system Dutch brought in Indonesia.

Across the country families bound together to get through the war. With the Dutch government shut down and no salary coming in, Ting and Carolien began trading on the black market. The tobacco store that Chip and Ting had set up as a front for their undercover work now also carried clothing and food-stuffs. Carolien took in sewing. Along with Eddie and Ting, she was active in the Dutch Underground. With the Dutch schools shut down Els took responsibility for Jenny‘s schooling, ... (Gouw, 2009: 106).

Based on the above narration, the writer finds that during the Japanese occupation, the political situation becomes unstable. Consequently, the Dutch way of life that Carolien and her family adopted brings difficulty for them.

The Dutch schools and the Dutch offices are deactivated. They have to adapt again to political penetration in Indonesia by hiding and doing underground movement. As an independent woman, Carolien keeps working and joining political movement in order to maintain the family condition. The political movement that she joined is seen as a way to maintain the Dutch‘s influent in her family; and the family lives in stable condition.

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After the Japanese leaves Indonesia, once again Carolien faces another political backdrop that leads unstable for her family. The political backdrop here refers to Indonesian Revolution.

The fire that burned down half of Bandung became an event of the past and the Dutch and Indonesia revolutionaries entered into lengthy negotiations. The Dutch planned to reinstate the colonial government in the Southern part of Bandung... The Underground approached Carolien for an assignment. She was to move into the home of an Indo family who had recently repatriated to Holland and turned over their belongings to the Dutch government. ... The authorities had assured Carolien that the job had little to no risk. Still, she was apprehensive about Jenny‘s safety. She accepted the assignment in the hope of earning privileges that would help secure Jenny‘s future. Her work for the Dutch government could make Jenny eligible for financial aid and scholarships for schooling in Holland (Gouw, 2009: 128).

The above description shows that when Indonesia Revolution starts to take control toward the Dutch government, Carolien barely supports the Dutch. At this point, the writer emphasizes that the Dutch lifestyle becomes an important element in Carolien‘s encounter in dealing with Indonesian

Revolution. Despite her identity as a Chinese woman, the writer finds that

Carolien is constituted within the Dutch way of life; and she has already taken part in the Dutch society. In other words, Carolien becomes one unity in the

Dutch society because she encounters the Dutch colonization and gets the

Dutch education. Then, her Dutch‘s background becomes the reason she supports the Dutch government, so that she can maintain the family‘s position in the society.

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d. Carolien’s Identity: “In Between”

The political backdrops that makes intervention toward Carolien lives, brings several questions to her. Some parts in the novel, the writer discovers that Carolien recollects again the existence of Chinese traditional values. Her encounters in many situations recall her identity as Chinese woman.

―Don‘t you want a son?‘ (Gouw, 2009: 27).

―The baby will be a boy‖ ... ―I will prove the old hag wrong‖ (Gouw, 2009: 41).

The above evidence implies there is a manifestation of Chinese traditional

values that constituted within Carolien. From this point, Chinese traditional

values create meaning that determines Carolien behavior when she becomes a

wife. Besides, the Chinese traditional values, indirectly, becomes internal

position for different roles and positions she held in facing political

backdrops.

Carolien wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands and placed the filled containers on a cupboard shelf. ―I hope he‘s looking for a better job‖ ... Carolien was silent. It wasn‘t too long ago that she had been a self-assured young woman who moved with confidence in the Dutch business world. Now she was no different from any other Chinese housewife, subject to her husband‘s whimps (Gouw, 2009: 63).

From the narration of Carolien, the writer wants to emphasize that the internal

position of Chinese traditional values that actually becomes manifestation in

Carolien‘s identity. As a manifestation, the Chinese traditional values plays a

role as a cultural practice of Carolien‘s difficulty and instability in facing

political backdrop. She refers the difficulty and instability to binary gender

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system where the cultural practices in Chinese traditional values construct man‘s and woman‘s task.

Indonesia Revolution leads Carolien to reflect her role as a mother too. It is when an abandoned baby found by Carolien, she begins reflect her nature as a woman and a mother who has to take care of the baby. The baby‘s presence during revolutionary tension reminds her to a mother‘s task, taking care and raising by giving a child love affection with light-hearted tenderness.

She had tried to break out of the subservient position of women in a Chinese family. She had even bucked tradition and gotten a divorce. But after Po Han left, her life had turned into a series of duties and obligation and she felt anything but free and powerful. Her hopes had let her down (Gouw, 2009: 167).

As a Chinese woman who adopts the Dutch lifestyle, Carolien begins realizing that her independent figure leads her to the existence Chinese tradition. Her struggle in raising her daughter makes her forgetting the important roles a mother.

Moreover, the political backdrop affects to the fundamental meaning of

Chinese traditional values within Carolien.

―You must try to understand Jenny, you do have a father and he is supposed to take care of you.‖ Carolien observed Jenny (Gouw, 2009: 185).

The above dialogue indicates Carolien refers support as a man‘s task. The writer sees that Carolien is constructed with the culture of society who sees it is a man‘s task to have a responsibility taking care of family by giving financial support.

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On the contrary, Carolien‘s recall of Chinese traditional values is shaped

by the penetration of the Dutch. Again, the writer finds that the Dutch‘s

penetration becomes a medium that constructs her belief toward the Chinese

traditional values.

Carolien remembered the tea being so bitter that it made her tongue curl. Nanna claimed that the herbs used in the brew had a cleansing and tightening affect on the female organs. Carolien never quite subscribed to that belief (Gouw, 2009: 170).

―Oh, Ma. Just look at the Dutch fashion magazines. Women are starting to wear slacks more and more,‖ Carolien laughed (Gouw, 2009: 171).

The above description is seen as the representation of Dutch lifestyle that

influences Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman. The Dutch lifestyle

constructs Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman that results the invention

in the way she thinks about the Chinese traditional values. Therefore, the

Dutch lifestyle is an important meaning linked to political backdrop that

transforms Carolien‘s identity as a Chinese woman.

3. Jenny, a Girl Raised in Dutch Way of Life

The assimilation of the Dutch way of life in Chinese family, specifically

Jenny‘s family, brings some consequences toward Jenny‘s lives. Although Jenny was born in a Chinese family, it does not mean she practices the family‘s tradition. Jenny‘s mother, Carolien, adopts the Dutch way of life even she consults the Dutch pedagogy in raising Jenny. However, Dutch way of life that she learnt brings problems for her when she faces Indonesia Revolution and pursues her dream.

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a. Jenny in Seeking Her Identity

Grow up in Dutch way of life brings Jenny as a girl who has less knowledge about Chinese traditional values. Consequently, when Indonesia

Revolution starts its movement, Jenny fights against political system that affects to the Dutch education system where she studies there.

..., the Indonesian Revolution had brought some drastic changes to the Lyceum. Hans Overbeek, the rector, announced in his opening address that the school had added Indonesian language and history to its curriculum (Gouw, 2009: 179).

The above description indicates that later, the Indonesia Revolution changes

the Dutch education system. This condition affects to social condition in the

school for Jenny. Because the political condition changes social condition,

there is a part in the novel that shows how someone else gives another

perspective about Chinese traditional values.

Jenny spotted two new students in the fifth year section, Grace Tan and Theresa Wong. ... ―She‘s got a boy‘s haircut.‖ Theresa giggled. ―Isn‘t her dress weird?‖ Grace whispered into her notebook. ―It isn‘t a dress, she‘s wearing a pants. Her mother probably doesn‘t know how to sew dresses.‖ ―She might as well be a boy.‖ (Gouw, 2009: 180).

The Indonesian Revolution influences the change of the Dutch education

system. There are adjustments in some aspects in the school; it is including

accepting new students in the school. When there are two new Chinese

students, they show the existence of Chinese traditional values in their life.

The narration above also shows that there is a culture‘s gap between Chinese

who is raised up in Chinese traditional values and the Dutch way of life. It

also indicates that based on Chinese traditional values, girls identically have

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long hairs and wear dress. By contrast, Jenny, who gets Dutch background, does not pay attention to her physical appearance.

The Indonesian Revolution leads Jenny to start realizing her identity as a

Chinese girl after her teacher asks her about her real name. She begins to learn Chinese culture in her family. Here, the writer emphasizes there is a cultural construction in Chinese traditional values. In one way, the above description shows that Jenny described as a girl who shows the quality of the

Dutch‘s culture. In another way, two Chinese girls above show a distinction between Chinese culture and Dutch culture that is represented in the Jenny‘s physical appearance. As a result, Jenny begins to recall again about her family‘s tradition, ―... For a moment she wished she‘d paid more attention to

Nanna‘s lectures about dressing‖ (Gouw, 2009: 180). The previous narration shows that Jenny is distracted by the way two Chinese girls in her class. She starts to get constituted by the stereotype of Chinese traditional values.

The influence of Indonesian Revolution in the Dutch education system does not stop there. The Indonesia Revolution forces assimilation in the

Dutch school. Slowly, the assimilation leads Jenny to find out more about her identity as a Chinese girl.

... ―Don‘t you realize, Jenny, that your name has already been changed?‖ Jenny looked up into Sardjono‘s white starched chest. ―What do you mean?‖ ... ―I want those of you who are Chinese or Indonesian to ask your parents if you can take a look at your birth certificate.‖ ... ―Most of you will notice that the name which appears on the document is different from the one you are using. To accommodate the Dutch, parents often changed the name they chose for their child to a Dutch call-name.‖ Sardjono raised his voice to override the whispers his comment started. ... (Gouw, 2009: 206).

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The change in Dutch education system during the Indonesian Revolution brings a great assimilation in many aspects. One of them is the change in names. It is a must for non-native to have another name. However, the change also opens a question about identity. Many of them do not know about owning double names, including Jenny. Thus, Jenny begins questioning about her identity.

... ―Hi, mom. Can I please see my birth certificate?‖ ... ―Mr. Sardjono said that all Chinese and Indonesian children have a different name on their certificate than the one they go by. He said that the Dutch made people change names for their convenience. Did you change mine?‖ ... The birth certificate had been issued by the City Hall of Bandung with the specification Chinese Registy. The document stated that the daughter who was born to Po Han and his wife Ong Kway Lyn was named Siu Yin. The only name Jenny recognized was Po Han‘s. She knew her mother as Carolien Lee-Ong, and she had never thought of herself as anyone other than Jenny Lee (Gouw, 2009: 206-207).

The above narration shows how the Dutch colonization brings great effect for the society. In other side, the Indonesian Revolution represents a political movement in the sense of recognizing the position of someone held in the society. Jenny who raised in the Dutch lifestyle cannot believe for what happened to her. Her mother does not give any reason why she has two names.

Realizing the condition that brings difficulty to her, Jenny tries to find her real identity by asking to her father.

... ―Your mother and I picked the name Jenny because we liked it. The name seemed to fit you. No one put us up to it. Now, why were you named Siu Yin?‖ ... ―When you were on your way, Nanna went to Chinese temple and asked a priest to pick a name for you. After you born she told us that the priest said to call you Siu Yin‖ ... ―It‘s like all this time I wasn‘t me. If it wasn‘t for Mr. Sardjono, I still wouldn‘t know that my real name is Lee Siu Yin. And if something happened where I had to prove that I was Jenny Lee, I couldn‘t, ‗cause that name isn‘t even on my birth certificate.‖ Jenny

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rose. ―And now you‘re telling me that a stranger named me. Why didn‘t anybody ever tell me that I have two names?‖ (Gouw, 2009: 207-208).

From the above narration, the writer finds there is political power that constitutes someone‘s name. During the Dutch colonization, Jenny‘s family assimilates the Dutch way of life, the assimilation represents as the manifest of the political backdrop at that time. Jenny‘s identity is the positions which is obliged to take up while always knowing that her identity is representation of political construction that brings assimilation process toward her. Meanwhile, the Chinese identity that her grandmother gave represents internal meaning as framework for interpreting her experience.

b. Jenny and Her Identity against Political Backdrop

The Indonesian Revolution obviously brings many difficulties for Jenny.

One of them is the curriculum change in her school. She is raised in the Dutch way of life, by the consequences, she has to adapt again to the political backdrop that penetrates her lives.

... The posted faculty slate listed the addition of more Chinese and Indonesian teachers. ... Bahasa Indonesia replaced all of the periods previously allocated to Dutch. ... That day‘s lecture was The Assimilation Process. ... Jenny ... No one in her family supported the new Indonesian government or their plans to unify the various ethnic groups in the country. What was so wrong with the old system? (Gouw, 2009: 203-204).

At this point, the writer wants to emphasize that Jenny‘s Dutch background becomes fundamental social structure that is linked to the Dutch society; meaning to say the influence of Dutch is constituted within Jenny‘s family. As a result, the writer sees Jenny and her family do not agree with the idea of

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assimilation again because it affects to the new set of values in the family.

Jenny hardly denies the process of assimilation that occurs in her school.

..., ―How would you support the process, Jenny?‖ ... ―I won‘t,‖ she said. ... ―And what exactly do you mean by that?‖ Sardjono crumbled the piece of chalk between his fingers...... ―Name some of Bung Karno‘s suggestions to promote assimilation and describe how you would apply them to your own life.‖ ... ―In his recent speech, the president suggested that fifty percent of the executive board of any private company should consist of individuals who are warga negara asli, natives. ... The president also insists that the Indonesian language be used for all matters of importance.‖ Jenny paused (Gouw, 2009: 204-205).

From the above narration, the writer finds that the Indonesian Revolution becomes a medium in giving a set of new values by forcing Jenny to respond a distinction values that she has already experienced. However, the way Jenny‘s respond is seen as an opposition toward new culture. The following narration provides Jenny‘s response toward the political penetration in her lives,

... ―The president suggested that in order to prevent any kind of racial discrimination, all of those who have non-Indonesian names should take on Indonesian ones. He also suggested interracial marriages.‖ ―And what do you think of those suggestions? Which ones would you apply in your own life?‖ ―I don‘t think it‘s right to promote anyone just because he‘s Indonesian.‖ Jenny hesitated. ... ―And why should I change the name my parents gave me when I was born?‖ Jenny blurted out. ―It‘s my name and I will never change it to suit any cause.‖ She looked around the quiet classroom. ... (Gouw, 2009: 205).

Jenny‘s opposition toward Indonesian‘s assimilation implies how she maintains her identity as a Chinese girl. It is proven that the Dutch education system during the assimilation of Indonesian is under Indonesian‘s dictates and influences. In addition, Jenny‘s response shows how she represents the

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manifestation of Dutch society. Her identity related to social invention that is designed by the Dutch way of life.

c. Jenny’s Struggle Facing Discrimination and Reshaping Identity

The Indonesian Revolution is big obstacle for Jenny. Jenny who is raised in Dutch way of life finds difficulty in adapting the situation. She has to deal with new curriculum that totally different from the Dutch curriculum. While she struggles in pursuing her dream, at the same time she fights against discrimination.

The next period was Bahasa Indonesia. ... Jenny loved reading aloud during the Dutch, English, French, and German Classes, but she hated having to read in Indonesia. ... ―Why are you having so much trouble reading in the language you were born with, while you score very high in foreign languages?‖ Sardjono looked at Jenny. ―I can understand the Dutch kids having trouble with this class. But you?‖ ... ―Saja tidak mengerti ....‖ Jenny started to answer in halting Indonesian before, frustrated, she switched to Dutch. ―How can I read fluently if I don‘t understand most of it?‖ ... ―But I never had Bahasa Indonesia. I never went to an Indonesian grammar school. I –― ―Bichara Bahasa Indonesia, Jenny, speak Indonesian!‖ Sardjono interrupted. Jenny slammed her book shut. ―Why do you always pick on me? I can speak Dutch whenever I want,‖ she shouted. ―This is still a Dutch school!‖ (Gouw, 2009: 218-219).

From the above description, the writer finds that Jenny struggle against discrimination because the Indonesian Revolution influences the curriculum of the Dutch education system. The Dutch way of life that she learnt brings difficulty for her in terms of adapting new language in the school. In the previous discussion, the writer mentions that the language Jenny knows only

Dutch. Thus, when the Indonesia Revolution starts to change the language in

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the Dutch school into Bahasa Indonesia, she hardly understands the language; and she insists on keeping the Dutch way of life she chose.

Severe, Jenny‘s inability to adapt the situation leads her to disadvantage condition. She finds learning problem and discriminations.

―Bahasa Indonesia is different from Malay.‖ Jenny protested. ―There are many words I‘ve never heard. I don‘t understand anything anymore‖ (Gouw, 2009: 240).

―You don‘t understand – I don‘t mind work, Mom, but it doesn‘t feel good to being laughed at behind my back. Do you know the other students call me the abandoned Dutch dog?‖ Jenny ran out of the room, banging the door closed (Gouw, 2009: 241).

The above description indicates two interesting ideas that are found by the writer. First, the Indonesian Revolution is the manifestation of difficulties and instabilities for the Dutch way of life that Jenny chose. Second, the manifestation of difficulties and instabilities for the Dutch way of life that

Jenny chose is appeared because of social and political power. It leads to interchange among society and reshape the society‘s behavior.

Jenny recognizes that the situation and condition brings disadvantages for her. In order to lower the situation and condition, Jenny chooses to reshape her identity as a Chinese girl. Now, it turned she follows the situation and condition.

During the Dutch times, popularity had been based on athletic and scholastic achievements, now the economic status of one‘s family was the deciding factor. Lam‘s father owned the only car dealership in town. ... Under the new order, Lam Ching was winning the popularity competition (Gouw, 2009: 242).

The Chings were a prominent Chinese family, Nanna would be pleased if Jenny and Lam got together (Gouw, 2009: 253).

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―Nanna‘s happy you‘re dating a Chinese boy from a good family‖ ... (Gouw, 2009: 259).

―Tell me, girl, what is it you like about Lam?‖ Po Han‘s voice was gentle. ... She turned to look out of the window. ―The girls at school never tease me anymore. Mom never gives me a hard time when I am with Lam.‖ ... ―I think Nanna and Mom like it that I‘m no longer acting like a tomboy, that I wear dresses now and all that stuff.‖ ... (Gouw, 2009: 264-265).

The writer sees that Jenny wants to make everything easier. The above description shows the appearance of Lam gives two advantages for Jenny.

First, the way that she chose is manipulating the situation and condition. She follows the social structure so that she holds a position in society. Second, indirectly she examines the Chinese traditional values. Her examination in

Chinese traditional values is seen as a pattern constructed in the society, to be specific, Chinese society. In other words, Jenny gets influenced by the cultural construction where the society is determined by the nature of human. Yet, the above description also implies that the Jenny‘s behavioral changes, represents an evaluative condition that mediated between Chinese traditional values and the Dutch way of life.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis discussed in the previous chapter, the writer draws the conclusion of this study. In the analysis of the first problem formulation, the writer finds that the three generations Chinese women experience different political backdrops which lead them to have different concept of identities. First,

Nanna‘s identity is represented as a Chinese woman who preserves Chinese traditional values; second, Carolien is represented as a Chinese woman who adopts the Dutch way of life; and third, Jenny is represented as a Chinese girl who follows her mother‘s belief.

Nanna‘s identity is represented as a Chinese woman who preserves Chinese traditional values, her experience occurs during the Dutch colonization, the World

Depression, and the Japanese occupation. The Dutch colonization penetrates the way the family lives and the family assimilates the Dutch way of life. As a form of role, she tries to show the existence of Chinese traditional values in the family.

From her experience, she shows her roles as a mother and a father that stands important position for her family.

Carolien‘s identity is represented as a Chinese woman who adopts the Dutch way of life, her experience getting Dutch education during the Dutch colonization affects to the way Carolien‘s thinking about Chinese traditional values. The Dutch way of life becomes the medium that formed her identity as a Chinese woman and set a new values and position toward her lives. It leads her to practice the Dutch

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lifestyle and in other words Carolien is seen as the manifestation of the Dutch way of life.

The Dutch way of life that is adopted by Carolien affects Jenny‘s identity as a

Chinese girl. Jenny is represented as a Chinese who only knows about Dutch. The influence of the Dutch way of life causes the lack of culture toward Jenny. She does not really know about Chinese traditional values. Her experience during

Indonesia Revolution leads her, slowly, to understanding about Chinese traditional values.

The second analysis discusses the struggle of three generations Chinese women in claiming identity against political backdrops. Here, the second analysis is divided in three parts. Each part shows the struggle of each woman claiming identity with their own way. From the analysis, it can be concluded that each of them struggle to claim their own concept of identity against political backdrops.

In the first part of the second analysis, it can be concluded that Nanna struggles to preserves Chinese traditional values in the family. Her struggle is seen as her responsibility who also let the assimilation of the Dutch into the family. In one way, she has to keep the family survive during unstable political backdrop; at the same time she has to keep the existence of Chinese traditional family against the penetration of political backdrops (the Dutch colonization and the World Depression). The second part, Carolien struggles to break Chinese traditional values and define her identity as a Chinese woman who adopts the

Dutch way of life. The Dutch way of life brings her as an independent woman who does not want to depend on man. She shows the struggle of raising her child

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without man‘s involvement against economic downturn, the Japanese occupation, and the Indonesian Revolution. The third part, Jenny struggles fighting against the curriculum change in Dutch school during Indonesian Revolution. Raised in

Dutch way of life, she begins realizing there is a gap between the Dutch culture and Chinese traditional values. Her experience brings to disadvantage condition during Indonesian Revolution. She starts to adapt the new condition that brings discrimination to her. Therefore, Indonesian Revolution shapes her identity as a girl who starts realizing the existence of Chinese traditional values.

It can be concluded that each of Chinese women in Gouw‘s Only a Girl struggles through their different experiences against the political backdrops. The political backdrops become important medium that shape their identity. Each of them begins realizing her own identity so that they have different thought, roles and positions in the society. By analyzing their experience, the writer finds that the political backdrops influences the characters way of thinking.

However, the writer sees that their experiences are similar. The similarity can be seen through their struggle to claim their identities as Chinese women although they face it in different thought and way. At this point, the writer wants to emphasize that they cannot be separated from their identity as Chinese women.

Despite of The Chinese traditional values that leads them to see men domination in every aspect of their life, the political backdrops, strongly, set three generations

Chinese to have different perspectives in seeing their identity as Chinese women.

It is obviously seen on their experiences how the political backdrops indirectly form their identites as independent women who struggle to claim their identities.

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