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THE MESSAGES REVEALED THROUGH THE WAY THE MAIN CHARACTERS FACE THE CONFLICTS IN DAVID HENRY HWANG’S FAMILY DEVOTIONS

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

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

ANDRY GANI WIDJAJA

Student Number: 06 4214 071

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2013

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BBee PPoossiittiivvee && NNeevveerr GGiivvee UUpp!!!!!! ~~IImmmmoorrttaalliiffee WWhhyy SSoo SSeerriioouuss???? ~~JJookkeerr

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FFoorr MMyy BBeelloovveedd PPaarreennttss,, MMyy LLoovveellyy SSiisstteerrss aanndd BBrrootthheerr,, aanndd YYoohhaanness NNaannaanngg SSuurryyoo PPrraayyooggaa iinn HHeeaavveenn

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Above all, I would like to thank Jesus Christ and Mother Mary for blessing and guiding me in writing this undergraduate thesis. You will always be my guidance for now and forever.

I would also like to thank Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum., my advisor, for her guidance, suggestions, and time during the writing of this undergraduate thesis, and to Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum., my co- advisor, for reading, correcting, and giving me essential inputs in order to make this undergraduate thesis better. And I would also like to thank all my lecturers in

English Letters Department for fulfilling me with knowledges.

My deepest gratitude goes to my Dad whose way of teaching me to be a strong man can make me who I am today. To my Mom, who always says my name in her prayers, your spirit makes me stronger. To my two beloved sisters,

Lucy Gani and Linda V Budiman, I thank you for your unseen support that can push me to finish this undergraduate thesis as soon as possible. I love you all.

Finally lots of gratitude go to all my friends in English Letters, especially

Damay, Juleha, Lusi, Chatter Box Groups, and all my 2006 friends for their spirits to finish this undergraduate thesis, thank you from my deepest my heart.

Andry Gani Widjaja

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ...... i APPROVAL PAGE ...... ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...... iii MOTTO PAGE ...... iv DEDICATION PAGE ...... v STATEMENT PAGE ...... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... viii ABSTRACT ...... x ABSTRAK ...... xi

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...... 1 A. Background of the Study ...... 1 B. Problem Formulation ...... 5 C. Objectives of the Study ...... 5 D. Definition of Terms ...... 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ...... 8 A. Review of Related Studies ...... 8 B. Review of Related Theories ...... 11 1. Theory on Character and Characterization ...... 11 2. Theory of Conflict ...... 13 3. Theory of Message ...... 15 C. Theoretical Framework ...... 16

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...... 18 A. Object of the Study ...... 18 B. Approach of the Study ...... 20 C. Method of the Study ...... 21

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ...... 25 A. The Characteristics of the Main Characters in Family Devotions ...... 25 1. The Characteristics of Ama ...... 25 2. The Characteristics of Popo ...... 29 3. The Characteristics of Di-Gou ...... 31 B. The Conflicts Revealed in Ama, Popo, dan Di-Gou ...... 38 1. The Main Characters External Conflict ...... 39 2. The Main Characters Internal Conflict ...... 46 C. The Messages as Revealed by the Main Characters and Conflicts .... 48

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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...... 54

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 56

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ABSTRACT

ANDRY GANI WIDJAJA. The Messages Revealed through the Way the Main Characters Face the Conflicts in David Henry Hwang's Family Devotion. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.

The object of this study is a drama by David Henry Hwang entitled Family Devotions. The drama was first published in 1989. The purposes of this study are first, explaining the main characters, Ama, Popo, and Di - Gou; second, explaining the conflicts revealed by Ama, Popo, and Di - Gou; and third, showing the messages as revealed by the main characters and their conflicts. This study applies the formalistic criticism as the approach to analyze this novel. This approach emphasizes literature that is seeing it from the intrinsic elements. This study analyzes the messages that can be taken from the intrinsic elements are the main characters and the conflicts. The dominant theory that was used in analyzing this study is theory of character and characterization, because by knowing the characteristics of the character, it will be easier to find out the conflicts and the message inside the story. The findings of the analysis are as follows. There are three main characters of the story written by David Henry Hwang. They are Ama, The Eldest, Popo, The Second, and Di – Gou, the youngest brother. Ama and Popo, Chinese women, who emigrated to Philiphines, then to America, and their little brother Di-Gou who is a resident of the People’s Republic of China. The extended families of Ama and Popo are waiting the arrival of Di-Gou whom they have not seen for thirty years. They really want to hear Di-Gou’s testimony and confession of miracles done by evangelist See-goh-poo. Unfortunately, when he arrives he disavows ever being Christian and it makes his sisters disapointed and furious. Hence, the conflict begins to appear in this family. Then, Di-Gou tells his sisters the truth about the evangelist See-goh-poo, but with a great shock, Ama and Popo finally collapse and die. By analyzing the drama, the writer can find some messages; first; everything that is too much is not good and second, fanaticism can bring a family downfall.

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ABSTRAK

ANDRY GANI WIDJAJA. The Messages Revealed through the Way the Main Characters Face the Conflicts in David Henry Hwang's Family Devotion. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.

Objek dari studi ini adalah drama karya David Henry Hwang berjudul Family Devotion. Drama ini pertama kali diterbitkan pada tahun 1989. Tujuan dari studi ini adalah pertama, menjelaskan karakter tokoh utama, Ama, Popo, dan Di- Gou; kedua, menjelaskan konflik-konflik yang ditampakkan dalam diri tokoh utama, dan; ketiga, menunjukkan pesan-pesan yang dinyatakan dari karakter dan konflik-konflik tokoh utama. Studi ini menerapkan kritik objektif sebagai pendekatan untuk menganalisa novel ini yang menekankan pada karya sastra itu sendiri, yaitu dari unsur-unsur intrinsik. Studi ini menganalisa pesan-pesan yang dapat diambil dari unsur-unsur intrinsik yaitu tokoh utama dan konflik-konflik. Teori yang dominan digunakan dalam menganalisis studi ini adalah teori sifat dan pelukisan watak, karena dengan mengetahui sifat dari karakter tokoh, akan memudahkan untuk menemukan konflik dan pesan di dalam cerita. Temuan analisis adalah sebagai berikut. Ada tiga karakter utama dari cerita yang ditulis oleh David Henry Hwang. Mereka adalah Ama, kakak pertama, Popo, kakak kedua, dan Di - Gou, adik bungsu. Ama dan Popo, wanita Cina, yang beremigrasi ke Filipina, kemudian ke Amerika, dan adik mereka Di-Gou yang merupakan penduduk dari Republik Rakyat Cina. Para keluarga besar dari Ama dan Popo sedang menunggu kedatangan Di-Gou yang sudah selama tiga puluh tahun mereka tidak saling bertemu. Mereka ingin mendengar kesaksian Di-Gou dan pengakuan mukjizat yang dilakukan oleh penginjil See-goh-poo. Sayangnya, ketika ia tiba, ia membantah pernah menjadi Kristen dan itu membuat saudara- saudara perempuannya menjadi kecewa dan marah. Oleh karena itu, konflik mulai muncul dalam keluarga ini. Lalu, Di-Gou mengatakan saudaranya kebenaran tentang penginjil See-goh-poo, kemudian dengan mendengar berita itu, Ama dan Popo akhirnya jatuh dan mati karena mengalami shock berat. Dengan menganalisis drama, penulis dapat menemukan beberapa pesan, pertama, segala sesuatu yang berlebihan itu tidak baik dan yang kedua, fanatisme dapat membawa kejatuhan sebuah keluarga .

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is divided into four parts of discussion that are very useful to understand this study. The first part is the background of the study, which discusses the reason of writing this study. The second part is the problem formulation that contains three problems that are discussed in the analysis and it can also lead the writer to find the objective of the study. The third part is objective of the study that conveys the goals of the study that the writer wishes to obtain here. The last part is the definition of terms. It will be very helpful because it includes some definitions of related studies that contain the meaning and several important terms used in this study.

A. Background of the Study

Literary works often become an expression of reality that happens in human life because they have some similarities to the real life. Its characters, settings, and conflicts are the reflection of life showing the realities of human’s conditions, problems, feelings, and relationships. Abram states that “a work of art is the imitation of nature” (1985:36).

Reading literature gives us amusement and utility. Wellek in his book

Theory of Literature (1962:31) noted that literature is useful because it contains an aesthetic seriousness of perception. Moreover, it also gives us knowledge. It enriches our knowledge about love, hatred, ambition, failure, and idealism. John

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Thibant in his book An Approach to Literature (1931:1) emphasized that literature really helps us to connect ourselves to the cultural context that we have never known. It enables us to struggle in a different society. As the result, our cross cultural understanding will be improved.

The existence of a literary work cannot be separated from the author because a literary work is a reflection of the author’s opinion about life. Through his work, an author tries to make the readers get the feeling of its characters.

There are many things, including pleasure and lesson, which the readers can get by reading drama.

Drama itself means a literary text that depicts action through dialogues of its acting characters and authorial notes. For example a description of physical action of actors, place and time circumstances, etc (Závodský, 1966:4).

Drama also can be designed as a type of an artistic literature that depicts action and conflicts (i.e. actions that encounter resistance). Unlike a poet who states his emotions naturally, the author of a theatre play expresses his intentions via acting characters. A novel includes depictions of nature and ways of life as well as socially – psychological conflicts. A drama, on the other hand, develops the action in the form of dialogues of the characters and notes, describing the actions and events. As a piece of art work, drama describes society and has certain goals, conveying a message of society’s values, shows the social and political condition of society when the dramas or plays are made, and shows the background and the thought of the author. Dramatic dialogue is thus a bridge

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between two actions; it is a result of one action and cause of another (Volkenštejn,

1963, p.3).

In order to make the story become interesting and seem lively, there are many aspects needed to set up the story. One of them that become the important aspects is character. It is important because it is the main part of the story. The characters generally express the actions and the dialogue from the beginning of the story until the ending parts.

By this thesis, the writer wants to discuss the character of the story in the drama or play titled Family Devotions by David Henry Hwang. It is a 1981 play and Hwang's third play which depicts the clash of West and East within three generations of an Americanized Chinese family living in a Los Angeles suburb.

The discussion emphasizes on the description of the main characters through their dialogues and their conflicts to reveal the message.

There are three main characters in the story written by David Henry

Hwang, they are Ama, Popo, and Di-Gou. They are brothers and sisters who were born in China and first generations immigrants to America. Ama, is the eldest, and the second is Popo, and the last one is Di-Gou. They are the first-generation

Chinese Americans in the story. Ama is a very religious, family bound, emotional, and stubborn person. Popo is just almost the same with Ama, but wiser than her sister. Other than his sisters, Di-Gou is a person who love his family especially his sisters, wise man, respect to his cultures, and he prefers not to believe to God, but do the good things.

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Ama and Popo are awaiting the arrival of Di-Gou whom they have not seen for thirty years. As they wait, the women discuss the atrocities of the

Communists that affected their little brother. The family descended from the great

Chinese Christian evangelist See-goh-poo and they anticipate hearing Di-Gou repeat his fervent testimony. However, when Di-Gou arrives, he disavows ever being Christian. He confides to Popo’s grandson, Chester, that to establish a true

American identity, he must believe the stories “written on his face” and these stories reflect many generations.

Ama and Popo organize a family devotional and invite him to witness for

Christ, but then the family argument appear. They physically force him to believe in God again. The scene changes something like the Chinese opera where Di-Gou rises up speaking in tongues, the gas grill bursts into flame, and Chester, Di-Gou’s nephew, interprets the revelation.

From the main characters of the story and its content, the writer chooses

Family Devotions as the object of his thesis because the writer can get and learn something valuable more than the work itself that is, by the possible messages appear in the story. The second reason for choosing David Henry Hwang’s Family

Devotions is the story offers the realities of human beings, the value of a family such as we have to remember and take a good care our own family. Therefore, this story can open the writer’s mind toward world and life.

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B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background above, the writer formulates three problems presented in this study that lead to the further discussion of the topic. Dealing with the characters of the story, the problems can be formulated as follows:

1. How are the main characters described?

2. What are the conflicts faced by the main characters?

3. What are the messages revealed through the way the characters face the

conflicts?

C. Objectives of the Study

This study is intended to answer the questions stated in the problems formulation. Related to the questions, the aims must be stated as follows:

First, it is to explain how the main characters are described - Ama, Popo, and

Di-Gou. Second, to find and explain the conflicts that faced by the main characters. And the last, it is to discover the messages revealed through the way the characters face to conflicts.

D. Definition of Terms

To understand the study of revealing the possible messages through the main characters and the way they face their conflicts, it is important to give a clarification of the terms used in the discussion. The clarification is needed to avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity and to obtain a clear understanding on the study.

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1. Character.

According to Abrams, in A Glossary of Literary Term, the character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work that are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogue and what they do – the actions (Abrams, 1981:

20). It means that the character in a story should have moral and natural qualities of mind and it can be found out in their dialogue and action. The characters will have particular personalities and physical attributes that distinguish them from other characters.

2. Conflict

In A Handbook to Literature, Holman and Harmon define conflict as:

“The struggle that grows out of the interplay of the two opposing forces in the plot. Conflict may be an argument between opposing forces, like man against man, nature, fate, society or perhaps the internal one between the two opposing parts of man’s personality” (1986: 107).

It can be said that conflict is a state of discomfort cause by someone’s ideas, desires, wishes, or will that are incompatible between individuals, society, or someone’s external and internal demands. The situation can happen because of someone’s hope that are incapable of existing together in agreement or harmony with a person or a society.

3. Message

Message is defined as an idea that someone tries to communicate to people. It is also the meaning, thought, or idea that is intended to express

(Sinclair, 1956 : 490).

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Kenny (1966:89) says that message can be seen as one form of the theme in simple form, but not all themes are considered a message. Message becomes one of the elements that makes or form a theme. The example of message can be informed of valuable of words, advice, and God’s commandment as guidance to give advice and the like.

Another definition of message comes from Beaty and Hunter in New

World of Literature as they said that message is the real meaning or some easy conclusion that can be simply stated or summarized inside a work of art

(1989:889). In this study the author thinks that the second opinion of messages from Beaty and Hunter is more suitable to the analysis.

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

In this chapter the writer focuses on various studies and theories related to the literary work discussed. It includes the reviews from many critics and theory of character and characterization, theory of conflict, and theory of message.

A. Review of Related Studies

The first study comes from In Marta Nelly’s minor thesis, “Symbols that

Reflect the Main Character Named Coco in Wei Hui’s Shanghai Baby”. In her thesis, Nelly tries to analyze the symbols that reflect the main character, Coco, in

Wei Hui’s Shanghai Baby. There are three objectives of this study, namely to describe how Coco is described as the main character in the novel, to describe how a cat, Coco’s novel, and the yin yang are depicted in the novel, and to identify how the cat, the novel, and the yin yang symbolize Coco.

In the analysis, she finds out that Coco is described with five main characteristics, namely strong, having both good and wild sides, independent, romantically active, and strongly connected to her loved ones. These descriptions are shown in her life since she was in university until now. As the answer to the last problem formulation, the cat, the novel, and the Yin Yang are depicted as symbols that reveal Coco as the main character.

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The cat is the only animal mentioned constantly, both as a pet cat kept by

Tian Tian, Coco's boyfriend, and in Coco's dreams. It symbolizes Coco, because they are both depicted as strong, found unexpectedly by Tian Tian, having a combination of good and wild sides, and independent.

Novel is an important part of this story because Coco, the main character, is a novel writer. Coco starts writing her novel in the beginning of the story and finishes her novel in the end of the story. The novel symbolizes Coco’s romance life. Coco is not yet satisfied with her previous novel and her previous romance life; Coco writes her novel and lives her romance life with great love and dedication; both Coco’s novel and her romance life contain some problems and obstacles, and both Coco’s novel and her romance life are finally finished at the end of the story.

Yin and Yang are depicted as black and white or dark and light images in

Shanghai in the evening, in some characters’ eyes, in Tian Tian’s pet cat’s fur, in

Coco’s dream, and in Shamir's movie. Yin and Yang symbolize Coco’s relationship with her loved ones, namely her family and boyfriend. The contrasting characteristics of Yin and Yang resemble the contrasting characteristics of Coco and her loved ones; both the Yin and Yang as well as

Coco and her loved ones are strongly connected and cannot be separated; both the

Yin and Yang as well as Coco and her loved ones must be balanced. If they are not balanced, it will result in some problems.

From Nelly’s study, the writer knows that their studies are related as both use intrinsic element as the main focus of the study. The difference is Nelly

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explained the symbols as the reflection of the main character in the story, while the writer uses the main character to see the conflicts and the message revealed through them. However, both the studies are viewed through the formalistic approach. Since Nelly’s study used the intrinsice elements of the story to support her analysis, her study helps the writer become more understand about the formalism. Her study is related and important to help the writer analyze and complete his work.

The second related study is based on a study written by Rendy Yoewono titled “The Messages Revealed through the Main Character’s Ways to Survive in

Yann Martel’s Life of Pi”. In his thesis, Yoewono aims to examine the messages that are revealed through the main character’s ways to survive in his struggle for life.

Life of Pi is a novel which depicts the topic of struggle for life and against death in an emergency situation. It tells about the struggle of an Indian boy who spent 227 days with a fierce tiger in the Pacific Ocean as the sole survivor in a shipwreck that killed his family. There are three problems formulation in this study. The first one is about the description of the main character, Pi Patel, in the novel. The second problem examines the ways through which Pi Patel manages to survive. And then the third problem examines the messages revealed through Pi

Patel’s ways to survive.

The analysis of the study shows that Pi Patel has some dominant characteristics: he is intelligent, open-minded, spritual and has srtong determination. Those characteristics are shown throughout the novel through Pi’s

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past life, speech, thoughts, mannerism, and reactions to the situation arround him.

Pi manages to survive through several ways: by recognising and using his strength, which is made possible by his intelligence; by being realistic about the situation which is facilitated by his spirituality and strong determination. The messages that are revealed through Pi’s ways to survive are that the mind is human’s greatest strength that it is essential to adapt to the current situation and that one must not give up easily.

Since this second study tries to examine the messages that are revealed through the main characters, the writer used this study to help him to develop and enrich his study. If Yoewono examined only the characterization of the main character of the story, the writer will be further explain about the conflicts of the main characters of the play in order to find the message revealed through them.

The characterization and message issues and some detail significances of formalistic approach appeared in Yoewono’s study that is why this study is very related with the current study.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

Character and characterization are related and cannot be separated from each other. In the real life, human sense of character varies with their ability of preception and understanding. Character is one of the important elements of a story. It can be considered as a person who has a role in a story. The reader interpret the characters as having certain characteristic in the way they play in

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their roles that are expressed by what they say or their dialogue and what they do or their action (Abrams, 1981: 20).

According to A Handbook to Literature by Holman and Harmon (1986:

81), character means a complicated term that includes the idea of the novel constitution of the human personality, the presence of moral uprightness and the simpler notion of the presence of creatures in art that seem to be human beings of sort or another.

Sylvan Barnet in his book Literature for Composition: Essay, Fiction,

Poetry and Drama (1988: 712) explains that there are some ways to understand the characteristic of a character, it is through: a. What the character/figure says

How the character says will help the readers interpret her/his characteristics. b. What the character does/acts

The readers can learn the attitudes or behaviors of a character and they may guess how actually the author creates the character. c. What other characters say about the character

A character interacts with other characters. They share their opinion and gives comments about that character. Such opinion and comment may reflect the characteristics of the character drawn.

In Reading and Writing about Literature by Mary Rohberger and Samuel

Woods, when a protagonist is involved in a conflict with other character, the other character is called antagonist. Whereas, conflict is not confined to a struggle

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between people. The protagonist maybe in conflict with fate or the environment, or his struggle may be an inner one whereby he battles with a part of himself or with conflicting value system or desires, or his inner conflict may be objectified in a conflict with someone or something outside himself (1971: 20-21).

There are two methods of characterization, they are showing and telling.

In showing method, the author only presents his character’s conversation and action and leaves the reader to infer what motives and dispositions lay behind what they say and do. In telling method, the author himself becomes a land of narrator in order to describe and evaluate the motives and dispositional qualities of the character (Abrams, 1981: 21). Perrine in his book Literature: Structure,

Sound and Sense says:

“Characterization must follow three principles in order to be convincing. Firstly, the characters in the story must have consistency in the way they behave. This consistency might be broken if only there is a sufficient reason to explain this change of behavior. Secondly, whatever the characters do, they must have clear motivation especially when they break the consistency of their behaviors. Finally, the characters must appear life like or plausible” (1974: 69).

2. Theory of Conflict

Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature, explain that conflict is the struggle that occurs between the protagonist and antagonist, fate or environment, or within the protagonist or with the conflicting value system. It is also called complication. The existence of difficult choices within an individual’s mind may also be presented as conflict (1971: 180).

Conflict does not only show the struggle of protagonist against someone or something, but also shows some motivations and aim that wants to be achieved

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(Holman and Harmon, 1986: 108). Moreover, this conflict also implies a theme that the author wants to convey. Conflict may also help the readers to know the central idea or the theme of the story.

To analyze the conflict, certain basic human relationship which is important in the playwright is needed to explore as stated in the book How to

Analyze Drama, some of the common themes are the man and nature, man and society, universal theme of an abstract nature, and family relationship.

Internal conflict refers to a struggle that happens inside the heart and mind of the protagonist (Redman, 1962: 363). This conflict usually does not show any physical struggle.

According to Redman in his book A Second Book of Plays, conflict has an important role in literary work because it always deals with the plot. Conflict appears from central character’s action in dealing with other forces. Central character or protagonist has a responsibility to bring the conflict to the end.

Conflict is resolved when protagonist succeeds or fails in overcoming the other forces. Sometimes the protagonist gives up when the struggle is too difficult or worthless (1964: 363).

Abrams also mentions that many plots deal with conflict. In addition to the conflict between individual, there may be the conflict of a protagonist against fate, or against the circumstances that stand between him and a goal he has set himself, and in some works, the conflict is between opposing desires or values in a character’s of own mind (1981: 128).

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Holman and Harmon desribes conflict as the struggle that grows out of the interplay of the two opposing focus in the plot. They also state that conflicts may occur in the struggle against nature, against another person, against society, and the struggle for mystery. Conflicts may be an argument between opposing forces, like man against man, man against nature, man against fate or perhaps an internal one between the two opposing parts of man’s personality (1986: 107).

3. Theory of Message

Beaty and Hunter in New World of Literature states that message is “the real meaning or some easy conclusion” that can be simply stated or summarized inside a work of art (1989: 899). It brings to simplification and gives the illusion that a work of literature exist for its statement that tempts the readers through the story, drama, poem, etc. to get the real meaning.

Message can also be defined as an idea that someone tries to communicate to people. For example in a play, speech, or the meaning, the thought or idea that is intended to express ( Sinclair, 1988 : 490)

The form of literary communication is the author implies a message that the readers receive or the author see a great truth that he teaches the readers by example. Message in a work of art usually reflects the way of related author. He wants to convey his opinion about the values of truth.

Message in a story is considered as a suggestion related to practical moral lesson that can be taken through the story. They are also having a close relation to problems in life, such as attitude, behavior or action. The readers can find them in

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the real life, in the same manner as they are reflected in the story through its characters.

C. Theoretical Framework

The topic that the writer wants to discuss and expose by this thesis is the messages that are reflected in characters and conflicts in Family Devotions. To find out or discover the messages, the writer used some theories that considered important to the topic, such as theories on character, theories on characterization, theories on conflict, and theories on messages.

The writer used the theories on character and characterization because they are essential to help the writer understand the character in the play before we learn more deeply about the messages. Through the characters, the writer wants to say something, such as wisdom, honesty, patiently, knowledge, forgiveness and understanding others, sympathetic, etc.

Theories on conflict are considered important since the writer takes the messages in the story based on the conflicts and experiences that happens in the story. This story gives a lot of conflict that makes it more interesting. The main characters have the conflict with their little brother.

To reveal the messages, the writer applies theories on message. Through the dialogue, the description of the characters, including what the character’s experience and conflicts are, what the characters do, say, and respond, are taken as examples or suggestion that are reflected in the messages of the story. Theory

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of message is used by the writer to obtain better understanding of the messages that the author wants to rise and say.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

In this study the writer analyzes a drama by David Henry Hwang entitled

Family Devotions. David Henry Hwang was born in Los Angeles, California in

1957. He is an American playwright who has risen to prominence as the preeminent Asian American dramatist in the U.S. He was educated at the Yale

School of Drama and Stanford University. His first play was produced at the

Okada House dormitory at Stanford and he studied playwriting with Sam Shepard and María Irene Fornés.

Hwang's early plays concerned the role of the Chinese American and

Asian American in the modern day world. His first play, the Obie Award-winning

FOB, depicts the contrasts and conflicts between established Asian Americans and

"Fresh off the Boat" newcomer immigrants. The play was developed by the

National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center and premiered in 1980 Off-Broadway at the Joseph Papp Public Theater. Papp went on to produce four more of Hwang's plays, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama “The Dance and the Railroad”, which tells the story of a former Chinese opera star working as a coolie laborer in the nineteenth century, and “Family

Devotions”, a darkly comic take on the effects of Western religion on a Chinese

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family. Those three plays added up to a "Trilogy of Chinese America" as the author described.

Hwang’s third drama Family Devotions was first published in 1989 by

Penguin Books Canada Ltd, Canada. This book consists of 51 pages and built of 2 acts. The analysis of the study will be focused on the character development. The analysis searches for the message from the author so that the readers could grasp the meaning of them. The summary of the study is given as follows.

It is about the main characters Ama and Popo, Chinese women, who emigrated to Philiphines, then to America, and their little brother Di-Gou who is a resident of the People’s Republic of China. The play is set in an idealized house with an enclosed patio and tennis court, representing a shallow, materialistic

American Dream. The extended families of Ama and Popo are waiting the arrival of Di-Gou whom they have not seen for thirty years. They really want to hear Di-

Gou’s testimony and confession of miracles done by evangelist See-goh-poo.

Unfortunately, when he arrives he disavows ever being Christian and it makes his sisters be dissapointed and furious. Hence, the conflict begins to appear in this family.

The reason of choosing this play as the object of the study because there are some moral reason (message) that can be found inside. The writer decides to focus only on the main character’s description, by their act or attitudes, dialogue, and the conflicts in order to reveal the message.

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B. Approach of the Study

In this research, the writer uses the formalistic approach to analyze the work. The approach would focus on the formal patterns and technical devices of literature (Abrams, 1981: 102). The approach also views literary language as

“self-focused”, which functions to “offer the reader a special mode of experience by drawing attention to its own ‘formal’ features—that is, to the qualities and internal relations of the linguistic signs themselves” (1981: 103).

The above statement is strengthened by Guerin, he says in A Handbook of

Critical Approach to Literature that what the author did was to make the readers see that internal relationships gradually reveal a form, a principle by which all subordinate patterns can be accommodated and accounted for. When all the words, phrases, metaphors, images, and symbols are examined in terms of each other and of the whole, any literary text worth our efforts will display its own internal logic. When that logic has been established, the reader is very close to identifying the overall form of the work (Guerin,

2005: 95).

From the explanation above, the writer knows and understands the characteristics of the formalistic approach. Using the formalistic approach means to emphasize objective and literal interpretation which is in the internal elements.

The readers are not allowed to discuss the elements which are in outside, such as: the political or the historical issue or the opinion of the novel’s author.

In other words, when we apply formalistic approach, we analyze a literary work and look for elements that contribute to the unique quality of the work, such

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as structure, shape, interplay, interrelationships, denotations and connotations, contexts, images, symbols, repeated details, climax, denouement, balances and tensions, rhythms and rhymes that catch our attention, sounds that do the same, the speaker's apparent voice, a single line--or even a word--set off all by itself

(Guerin, 1999: 75-76).

According to Rohrberger and Woods, formalistic approach is an approach that assumes “total integrity of the literary piece” and “concentrates almost entirely on its aesthetic value” (1971: 3).

Since this study will discuss about the message and the conflict that are revealed thorugh the main characters of the play, the formalistic approach is chosen as the suitable approach. With this approach, the writer assumes the autonomy of the work itself and judges it by the intrinsic elements, instead of extrinsic elements like the author's biography, social condition at the time of its production, or its psychological and moral effects (Wellek and Warren, 1956).

In this study, the intrinsic elements are the characters, the conflicts and the messages which considerably make the work unique. The analysis in this study is completely based on the text itself.

C. Method of the Study

In completing this thesis, there were some steps that the writer took. The writer conducted library research to carry out this study. Library research means that the research based on the data which were entirely gathered from books on

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literature, criticism, dictionary, encyclopedia, undergraduate theses, or other writings that maybe helpful.

There were two kinds of sources that used in this analysis, the primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the play itself, David Henry Hwang’s

Family Devotions, while the secondary sources are taken from relevant books, theses, and online references. The secondary sources compromised the books that provided criticism on the play, the approach on the work, the theory of message, conflicts, and characterization which was important for the study, and some critical reviews taken from certain internet sites.

There were some steps that the writer did in analyzing the novel. Firstly, the writer read the main source that was Family Devotions, then re-read it so that the writer understood what actually the author wanted to say through the drama.

Secondly, the writer tried to figure out the interesting things in the drama, which made the drama different from other dramas.

As it had been achieved, the writer formulated the problems that were to analyze the character and the characterization to get the message from the main characters. To answer the first problem, the writer analyze from the primary book, which related to the characterization of the main characters - Ama, Popo, and Di-

Gou from the beginning to the end of the story and then analyze them one by one.

To answer the second problem formulation, the writer also analyzes from the primary book, to see the conflicts from the main characters and then analyze one by one.

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After the first and second problems were answered, the writer tried to answer the third question. The writer had different way to answer the third question, because the writer answer it by making conclusion and some message from the main characters based on the writer’s point of view. After the analysis part had been done, finally the writer drew conclusion. In making conclusion, the writer concluded all of the analysis; starting from how the main characters - Ama,

Popo, and Di-Gou, are described in the story, what the conflicts founded in the drama, and lastly the messages revealed through the main characters’ characterization and their conflicts.

This study uses theories of character, characterization, conflict and message in literary work. The theories of character were taken from Abrams’ A

Glossary of Literary Terms (1981) and Holman’s A Hand Book to Literature

(1986). The theories of characterization were taken from Murphy’s

Understanding Unseens (1972), Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense

(1974), and Little’s Approach to Literature (1981). The theories of message in literary work were taken from Beaty and Hunter’s New Worlds of Literature

(1989).

In addition, this study also refers to Rohrberger and Woods’ Reading and

Writing about Literature (1971) and Guerin’s A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature (1999) regarding formalistic approach employed in this study,

Dryden’s Selected Criticism (1970), Moody’s books Literary Appreciation (1968) and The Teaching of Literature with Special Reference (1971) regarding the

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nature and functions of literature. Wellek and Warren’s Theory of Literature

(1956) is used as a reference for both formalistic approach and literature.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter attempts to answer the problems formulated in the first chapter. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first thing to do is to answer the first problem which discusses the characterization of the main characters,

Ama, Popo, and Di-Gou. Then second part discusses conflicts faced by the main characters in relation to their characteristics. Lastly, the third part identifies the messages revealed through the conflicts.

A. The Characterization of Ama

Ama is one of the main characters in this drama. This section discusses the characterization of Ama both from the act 1 and act 2. This part is divided into three sub-sections based on the characteristics possessed by Ama.

1. Stubborness

Ama is described as a stubborn person. Stubborn means “imply fixity of purpose or condition and resistance to change”, as defined by Hornby (1995: 620-

621). Her stubborness is described through her past life, speech, thoughts, mannerism, and reactions to the situation around her, which will be discussed in detail below.

To analyse a character in the play, we can see him/her through his/her personal description. Ama’s characteristics in this part will concentrate on her personal description, mannerism, speech, other characters’ opinion, and reaction.

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In this context, the main character’s speeches can be the clues that can be used to analyze the characteristic of the main character. Ama is around 72 years old and stubborn person, and this story shows the evidence about the characteristics of

Ama that says:

AMA: Outside! POPO: This is his house. AMA: All heart must join as one- POPO: He may eat inside! AMA: -only then, miracles can take place. (Act 1, p. 192).

By seeing the example above, we can perfectly know that the characteristic of Ama here is stubborn. She disagrees that Wilbur, her Son in law, has to eat inside, although in fact that is actually Wilbur’s house. From the next conversation between Ama and Popo we know that just because Wilbur does not like family devotions and comes from Japanese family, Ama tells Popo that

Wilbur has to eat outside. Although Popo has already explained about the background of Wilbur, Ama still disagrees. No matter how reasonable explanation from Popo, Ama still dislikes Wilbur.

The stubborn characteristic from Ama is shown again in the conversation below still between her and her sister, Popo, when they are trying to gather some chicken on the tennis court.

AMA: When he kills Chickie, then he laugh! [They both grab the chicken; JOANNE enters, sees them.] JOANNES: Hi, Mom, Auntie. Who cleaned up the chicken? AMA: Huh? This is not Chickie? POPO: [To Ama] Tell you things, you never listen. Gong-gong-ah! [Idiot!] (Act 1, p. 194).

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Popo has already explained to Ama that the lone burnt chicken on the tennis court is not Chickie, but Ama is very sure it is Chickie, and she believes

Chickie killed by Wilbur. Ama shows his hatred toward Wilbur and continues to accuse him. She is still debating with Popo right until Joanne shows up and explains to them that the chicken is not Chickie. Even Popo as her sister admits that she never listen to other. Popo absolutely knows her sister’s personality. She knows that Ama does not want to listen to other people saying. She believe too much in her own opinion. What is in her mind is the most right thing for her, no matter how hard people try to convince her.

2. Fanatic

Besides being stubborn, Ama is also a fanatic about her religion. Her families are all Christians, but one to another in the member of family has different ways in trusting God. One of the examples that Ama is fanatic is shown in the conversation below.

AMA: Do-Gou, thirty year have pass. Do you still love God? DI-GOU: Thirty-three. AMA: Ah? POPO: 1949 to 1982. Thirty-three. He is correct. AMA: Oh. But you do still love God? Like before? (Act 1, p. 204).

The characteristic that Ama has here is fanatic about her religion. She has not seen Di-Gou, her brother, for thirty three years. Popo also realizes that.

Despite asking about her brother’s condition or life during all the time that has passed, the first question that Ama asks to him is about whether he still loves God like he did or not.

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The question that Ama asks to her brother shows that for her, religion is everything and is more important than anything else. She is curious if her brother still has his belief in God. It is the priority rather than other things. Even his brother’s life does not matter for her. She does not ask his family in China or other things that should be logically asked when we meet someone for the first time after long time never seen each other.

3. Dominant

Not only a Christian martinet, Ama is also a martriarch. It means that she is not only a good and obedient Christian but also a leader in the family, especially in the religious aspect. Her character in this play is described as a dominant woman. Dominant here relates to the term authority. Ama is a dominant woman who has an authority to control over her family. Her dominant character is seen almost in every part of her converstaions. One of example that proves her dominant character is when she commands others member of family to see and meet Digou no matter what they bussiness are. In page 198, act 1, Chester said that he cannot stay because he has to finish packing before he leaves tommorow.

Nevertheless, Ama tells him that he must stay in order to see Di-Gou. She does not care about her grandson’s businness. She just wants him to listen to her command.

Ama’s dominant character is also shown when she leads the Family

Devotion. In the quoatation below, Ama shows her dominant character by forcing other family members to give their testimony.

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AMA: Now-Special Terstimony. Let us tell of God’s blessing!Who will have privilege? Special Testimony! Who will be first to praise? [Silence] He is in our presence! Opem His arms to us! [Silence] He is not going to wait forever-you know this! He is very busy! [ROBERT stands up, starts to head for podium. POPO notices that ROBERTS has risen, points to him.] POPO: No! Not him! AMA: [To ROBERT] He is very bored with certain people who say same thing over and over again. (Act 2, p. 215).

When no one wants to give their testimony, she insists them to do it but when Robert wants to give his testimony, she and Popo do not want to hear it. She does not allow them to speak their own words. She wants other family member to obey her words. Eventually, she commands Jenny to give her testimony. Although

Jenny does not want to do it, she insists her to come and speak her words. This shows how Ama dominates the family, even in their right to speak.

B. The Characterization of Popo

Popo’s characteristic is quite similar with Ama. She is as stubborn and fanatic as her sister but she is a little wiser than Ama. Popo rarely accepts’s other suggestion and criticism and she does not care of what people say. She dislikes

Japanese people and reveals it in her attitude toward her son in law, Robert. She accuses him for losing Digou in airport although he has tried to explain that it is not his fault and that the airport is very big and imposible to find someone that he has never met before. Nevertheless, she still blames him and suspects him about how he does not give a care to other people from other city besides his place,

Shangai. It can be seen from the dialogue below.

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POPO: [To ROBERT] See? You do not care about people from other province besides Shanghai. ROBERT: [To POPO] Mom, I care. It’s just that- POPO: [To ROBERT] Your father trade with Japanese during war. WILBUR: Huh? ROBERT: Mom, let’s not start that- POPO: Not like our family. We die first! WILBUR: What’s all this about? ROBERT: Hey, let’s not bring up all this other junk, right? POPO: [To ROBERT] You are ashamed. (Act 1, p. 201).

Not only on that conversation Popo has shown her characteristic. There are lots of sentences that can prove her similarity with Ama, especially in the way she asks Digou about his Christianity.

POPO: You are being difficult. AMA: You remember when you first become Christian? POPO: You traveled with See-goh-poh on her first evangelism tour? Before we move to Philippines and you stay in China? Remember? You speak in tounges of fire. (Act 1, p. 205)

She stands on her foot in the same way her sister does because they both are sure that they are always right, especially in the religion matter they would become fanatic. Popo does not realize that both she and her sister are wrong.

When Jenny tells the whole family about her testimonial, Popo and Ama think that she really means it. Even it is clear that Jenny is only pretending to be serious in her words but Ama and Popo believe it. Jenny implies insinuation to her grand mothers with her words, but they do not want to accept it. They only want to believe that their grand daughter says her feeling toward God. They are happy because they think Jenny really put her trust in God.

JENNY: [At podium, she begins testimony.] First, I want to say that I love you all very much. I really do. POPO: [To DI-GOU] That meaning is, she love God. JENNY: And I appreciate what you’ve done for me. POPO: [To DI-GOU] She loves us because we show her God.

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JENNY: But I guess there are certain times when even love isn’t enough. POPO: [To DI-GOU] She does not have enough love for you. You are not Christian. JENNY: And when you find that side, sometimes you have to leave in order to come back in a better way. POPO: [To DI-GOU] She cannot stand to be around you. JENNY: Please. Remember what I said, and think about it later. POPO: [To DI-GOU] You hear? Think! (Act 2, p. 216-217).

Although she is stubborn and fanatic but she is not as hard as her elder sister. She still shows some tolerance thoughts. When Ama insists that Wilbur cannot eat inside his own house, Popo tries to convince her (Act 1, p. 192). She said that Wilbur perhaps can eat in kitchen, at least it is inside the house. She knows that Ama is stuborn and will not allow Wilbur to eat together with other family members but she still tries to persuade Ama. When it seems that Ama cannot tolerate Wilbur because of his Japanese family background, Popo tells

Ama that they are very fortunate because their mother teached them in

Christianity, not like Wilbur’s family. Popo shows her pure opinion and positive thinking, it is contrast to her sister who always analyzes and comments something from the bad side.

C. The Characterization of Digou

1. Controlable

Digou is characterized as a controlable person. It means that he is able to control his behaviour because he is different with his two sisters. He is not a bad- tempered man and patient. It can be seen in his reaction to every words that his sisters said toward him. He always gives good words when answering their question.

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AMA: We will begin. How many rooms in our house in Amoy? DI-GOU: Eighteen. How many bedrooms? AMA: Ten. What year was it built? DI-GOU: 1893. What year was the nineteenth room added? AMA: 1923 DI-GOU: On whose instruction? AMA: See-goh-poh. DI-GOU: What year did See-goh-poh die? AMA: 1945. What desease? DI-GOU: Malaria. How many teeth was she missing? AMA: Three. (Act 2, p. 226).

When his sisters are angry to him because they think Digou does not speak the truth about See-goh-poh, he still explains to them with a gentle way. He does not let his temper interfere the atmosphere and make it worse. Digou’s controlled character is revealed when he tries to tell the truth to his sisters. He knows that they will not listen to his explanation but he still speaks to them in the right way in hope that they will accept the fact.

DI-GOU: You forced her to invent the stories. AMA: We demand nothing! DI-GOU: You expected! Expected her to convert all Amoy! AMA: She did! DI-GOU: Expected many miracles. AMA: She did! She was a great- DI-GOU: Expected her not to have a baby. AMA: She had no husband. She had no baby.This is demon talk. Demon talk and lie. DI-GOU: She turned away from God. AMA: We will never believe this! (Act 2, p. 226).

2. Obedient

Man is usually described as a central power who always leads the situation. However, in this play, Ama and Popo control everything. Digou obeys his sisters, even when they are arguing, he expressess his words in the right way.

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When Ama leads the Family Devotion, he follows her instruction athough he does not like it. He loves his sisters so much so that he does not fight altough he knows he has right and strength to do it.

DI-GOU: Chester, you are in America. If you deny those who share your blood, what do you have in things country? AMA: [From offstage] All right? Ready? CHESTER: Your face is changing, Di-gou. Before you know it, you’ll be praying and speaking in tounges. AMA: We begin! Family Devotions! [AMA flips a switch. A neon cross is lit up] JENNY: [To CHESTER] Looks like a disco. [Everyone is seated except DI-GOU. The rest of the family waits for him. He walks over and sits down. AMA bows down to pray. Everyone bows except CHESTER and DI-GOU, but since all other eyes are closed, no one notices their noncompliance. AMA begins to pray.] (Act 1, p. 213).

3. Honest

Digou has the quality of being honest. He does not like to tell a lie. He says what he knows and what he knows is true. It is not only shown in every single word that he says in their conversation, it is also shown in his tongue language. When Digou speaks in tongue, he does not know what he says. Chester then interprets it for the other family members. In the interpretation, Chester tells all about Digou’s experience with See-goh-poh starting from his evangelism tour when he was eight years old.

It is told that Di-gou and See-goh-poh were traveling through the summer heat to a small village in Fukien. He was sleeping in the straw next to See-goh- poh when he heard a sound which is like a human sound. It is exactly a cry in his

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sleep. Digou then looked up and saw a fire and See-goh-poh was naked and screamed at that time. She screamed with legs spread so far apart.

Digou tells his sisters about the fact of See-goh-poh, So far that a mouth opens up. A mouth between her legs. A mouth that is throwing up blood, spitting out blood. More and more blood” (Act 2, p. 224-225). It depicts a situation in which See-goh-poh give a birth to a baby. He even tells the detail of the story when See-goh-poh hits the blood baby to hear the baby cries until the baby sucks her breast. Digou tells the truth because he wants to open his sisters’s eyes in order to make them realize that during all this time they have been lied to themselves because See-goh-poh is not like they think. See-goh-poh was not in the mission trip when Digou accompanies her, she hides her pregnancy instead so that no one knows she has a baby out of marriage. At the end, he tells them about

See-goh-poh’s request before death.

DI-GOU: In her last moment, See-goh-poh wanted to be buried in Chinese soil, not Christian soil. You don’t know. You were in the Philippines. [Pause] I come to bring you back to China. Come, sisters. To the soil you’ve forsaken with ways born of memories, of stories that never happened. Come, sisters. The stories written on your face are the ones you must believe. [AMA rises from her chair.] AMA: We will never believe this! [She collapses back into her chair, close her eyes] (Act 2, p. 226-227)

For all this thirty two years, Digou keeps silent because he never meet them during the time. When he visits them for the first time, he should keep silent about the truth. He should not ruin the situation and make his sisters upset in the first day of their meeting. However, he cannot deny that he knows the truth and he is not able to act like he does know anything about see-goh-poh. He knows the

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risk and consequences that he will face if he tells them the truth about See-goh- poh but his courageous and wiseness help him to do it without any qualms. By telling the truth to Ama and Popo, he will make them depressed but he insists in doing so because he cannot deny himself. Therefore, he prefers not to tell any lies to his family.

4. Wise

Another characteristic that is reflected throught the characteristics of

Digou in this play is his wiseness. He tells his sisters that it is wrong to praise ancestors who were flawed and human just like common people. He asserts that

Americans of Asian origin have to realize that their ancestors has affected their contemporary identities.

The reason why he obeys his sisters words and does not angry to them when they accuse him for telling a lie is not because he is afraid of his sisters, but because he is too wise to see the situation. He knows when is the right time to speak to them about his true experience with See-goh-poh.

Another part that shows his wise characteristic is his dialogue with

Chester. There are some moments in which the playwright establishes a bond between Di-gou and Chester. It is clear from Di-gou’s speeches that him and

Chesters should be bonded together by a shared sense of what is Chinese. In the beginning of the play, Di-gou firstly appears as a viewer framed in the glass door.

Later he makes his entrance in the same way, first looking in on the scene through the glass.

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When Di-gou is beaten by his sisters, Chester watches helplessly through the same glass door. At the end of the play, Chester is framed by this glass as "his face begins to change." These moments explain the connection between Chester and Di-gou by suggesting that they are omniscient viewers as well as members of the family, standing both outside and inside the action.

Di-gou says to Chester that "The stories written on your face are the ones you must believe" (144). It means that through objective observation one can find the truth of one's own nature and own identity. Chester should take heed of what has come before him, that where he comes from matters, even if he has to do some works figuring out where he came from. All those things define who he is.

Digou wisely says this advice to Chester. He shares his idea of a collective past, of roots, of family, and of their “Chinese". By saying that to

Chester, Digou wants to tell him that there are faces back further than he sees.

Faces long before the white missionaries arrived in China. Digou wants him to understand how the faces of his own people, his families, and his roots in China.

This is a first good way to become one with his family before he can hope to live away.

CHESTER: Well, I hope you’re not disappointed to come and see your sisters, your family, carry on like this. DI-GOU: They are still my sisters. CHESTER: I’m leaving here. Like you did. DI-GOU: But, Chester, I’ve found that I cannot leave the family. Today look!-I follow them across an ocean. CHESTER: You know, they’re gonna start bringing you to church. DI-GOU: There are faces back further than you can see. Faces long before the white missionaries arrived in China. Here. [He holds CHESTER’s violin so that its back is facing CHESTER, and uses it like a mirror.] Look here. At your face. Study your face and you will see-the shape of your face is the shape of faces

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back many generations-across an ocean, in another soil. You must become one with your family before you can hope to live away from it. (Act 1, p. 212).

Digou also shows his wiseness when Robert asks him to live in American style, but Digou refuses him. It shows his wiseness in responding every conversation.

ROBERT: [To DI-GOU] Well, then, you must understand American ways. DI-GOU: It has been some time since I was in America. ROBERT: Well, it’s improved a lot, lemme tell you. Look, I have a friend who’s an immigrant lawyer. If you want to stay here, he can arrange it. DI-GOU: Oh no. The thought never even- ROBERT: I know, but listen. I did it. Never had any regrets. We might be able to get your family over, too. DI-GOU: Robert, I cannot leave China. ROBERT: Huh? Look, Di-gou, people risk their lives to come to America. If only you could talk to-to the boat people. DI-GOU: Uh-the food here looks very nice ROBERT: Huh? Oh, help yourself/ Go ahead. DI-GOU: Thank you. I will wait (Act 1, p. 208).

In the end of the play, Digou still shows his wisdom. After the sudden death of his sisters, Di-Gou seems to give himself over to the materialism of

America life, exclaiming that his only desire is to drive an American car very fast down an American freeway. It is surprising but positive because he does not show any kind of shock and deprressed expression. He does not blame himself or anyone in the family. He does not bring others to be involved in that bad situation.

He rather says a philosophy sentence that makes him aware of anthing that happens “Now that my sisters have gone, I learn. No One leaves America. And I desire only to drive an American car-very fast-down an American freeway.” (Act

2, p. 227).

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He is wise in the sense that he faces his sisters’ death as a reality. He does not force himself to be responsible at their death. By doing this, he does not only show his wiseness but also his rational and logical characteristic. He thinks and acts based on the reality that happens to him. His wiseness affect Chester’s way of thinking. Through his contact with his great-uncle, Chester begins to recognize his roots in China. In the end of the play, Chester stands where his great-uncle stood early in the beginning of the play, and the shape of his face “begins to change”, presumably to reflect his kinship to his great-uncle from China and his new-found ethnic connections.

B. The Conflicts of the Main Characters

In this part of the study, the writer will focus on the main characters’ conflicts, both Ama and Popo’s internal and their external conflict against their only brother, Di-Gou. According to Perrine (1974: 44) conflict is a clash of action, ideas, desires, or will between two individuals or among people in the society.

Conflict itself can be classified into physical, mental emotional, or moral.

Regardless to those types of conflicts, Perrine states that conflict in a literary work may consist of one conflict that is stated clearly and the readers are able to easily identify it (single and clear-cut conflict), and it may also consist of multi conflicts or more than one conflicts that are difficult to be understood by the readers. To be able to understand multi conflicts, the reader should analyze the conflicts one by one.

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By knowing the characterization of the characters and their conflicts, the writer can find the message inside the story. The writer will discuss the external conflict first and then the internal one. The purpose of this order is to make the analysis understable and clear because it is easier to understand the whole conflict by seeing the external conflict in advance.

1. Ama and Popo’s External Conflict

From the beginning of the play, the author shows the readers many conflicts that happen between the main characters and minor characters. However, the center of this play wants to tell us about the conflict between the three main characters, they are Ama, Popo, and their brother, Di-Gou because their conflicts are the most important things found in this story. Their conflict can be said as general conflict between a Christianized Chinese-American family and a pagan

Chinese relative who comes to visit them in their California home. Their conflict can be divided into two parts, those are the fanaticism of Ama and Popo that brings the downfall to the family and the loyalty of Di-Gou towards his sisters that makes them ignore the truth that Di-Gou tries to reveal.

Ama and Popo are Christian fanatics, they believe in Christianity but in the fanatic way. The two elderly and devoutly Christian Chinese sisters escaped with their family from China before the Communist revolution. They now in Bel

Air, California, with their daughters, Joanne and Hannah, and their daughters' rich husbands, Wilbur and Robert. Their grand children, Jenny and Chester are planning to slip away by one going to college and the other taking a job with the

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Boston Symphony Orchestra. However, their younger brother, Digou believed in the revolution, and returned to China.

At the beginning of the play, the whole family is waiting a visit from Di-

Gou, who Ama and Popo have not seen in over thirty years. They recall him as a child prodigy evangelist, but when he arrives it is clear that he is not the man his sisters remember. Now Di-Gou does not believe in God anymore. He turns out to be an elderly little stranger, neatly blue suited, who has left his childhood

Christianity behind.

Ama and Popo attempt to make Di-Gou remember about what their aunt,

See-goh-poh had done to them and then tell the story to other family members.

They do this because they respect and praise their long-deceased aunt, See-goh- poh who was according to the familty myth, brought Christianity into the family.

They believe that See-goh-poh was like a hero for their entire family and she has done a lot of miracles during her life. She is a kind of a true example for Ama and

Popo. Popo reminds him about their servant, Ah hong, who was helped by See- goh-poh by casting out his opium demon.

POPO: Ah Hong tell stories how he eats opium, then he can see everything so clear, like-uh-glass. He can see even through wall, he say, and can see- ah-all the way through floor. Yes! He say he can through ground, all the way to hell. And he talk with Satan and demon who pretend to be Ah Hong’s dead uncles. You should remember. (Act 1, p. 205).

At that time, Ah hong was bothered by the Demon which pretend to be ghost then show himself everyplace to Ah Hong. He always just sit there and never talk, neither move, just sit. Then, See-goh-poh came, called on God, and with only said two words: “Demon begone” and the demon left. No more ghost or

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opium. Popo even tells Di-Gou that he himself also cast out the Demon at that time.

Di-Gou knows that it is not the truth and he thinks he should tell them the right story about what happened at that time. Most plays, like Family Devotion, use the disclosure of a hidden truth as their central conflict. Firstly, Di-Gou choose to respond them by saying that they were all just children and do not know nothing, but Ama does not want to hear it. She insists him by saying that he has faith of a child. Di-Gous still refuses to admit her sisters story, he said that Ah

Hong did not stop eating opium and needed money, that is why he was fired two years ago.

Ama and Popo cannot believe that Ah Hong was fired, they believe that

Ah Hong died many years later before Di-Gou come to America for his college.

Di-Gou denies it and say that Ah Hong was fired before he came to college. They keep debating about things and memory that they each belief.

When Ama holds the Family Devotion, she tries to make one of the other members to give testimony about their faith so that Di-Gou can hear it. However, when Robert points himself to do it, Ama and Popo rejects him because they think

Robert is a boring person who keep repeating his story again and again. After a quite long debate between them, they decide that Popo will give them her testimony first and then, because of Hannah’s advice, Jenny will do it next.

JENNY: [At podium, she begins testimony.] First, I want to say that I love you all very much. I really do. POPO: [To DI-GOU] That meaning is, she love God. JENNY: And I appreciate what you’ve done for me. POPO: [To DI-GOU] She loves us because we show her God. JENNY: But I guess there are certain times when even love isn’t enough.

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POPO: [To DI-GOU] She does not have enough love for you. You are not Christian. JENNY: And when you find that side, sometimes you have to leave in order to come back in a better way. POPO: [To DI-GOU] She cannot stand to be around you. (Act 2, p. 216).

Here we see that Popo tries to tell Di-Gou the meaning of Jenny’s words.

Even though Di-Gou has told her that he can understand her but she insists to do it. She blames him because he is not Christian and it is the reason why he will not undertand the testimony that Jenny tells them. Popo acts like an announcer at baseball game, but in this case, she acts like an announcer from God.

However, the way she translates Jenny’s words is wrong. It is not what

Jenny wants to say. Jenny’s words mean something that refers to her grandmothers, Ama and Popo. She tries to tell them what her feeling being in the family and that loves between them is not enough. She wants to admonish Ama and Popo but they misunderstand her because they are very fanatic. They think that Jenny wants to judge Di-Gou by saying that. It makes Popo interpret her words to Di-Gou in diferrent meanings.

In the play, Ama and Popo are shocked because everytime they talk about religion, Di-Gou shatters their illusions by revoking his Christian past and insisting that their aunt, See-goh-poh was not a Christian heroine, but rather a wretched outcast. Popo assumes him to have bad memory while Ama’s prejudice against the non-Christian, Communist regime makes her assume that Di-Gou has been brainwashed, laboring in a rice field, and being remotely controlled by the

Communist when he were in there: “wires in their heads....force them work all day and sing Communist songs”.

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Their fanaticism is worsen when it comes to physical abuse towards Di-

Gou. They do not only think that he is controlled by demon but they also think that they shoul beat Di-Gou anr tortures his physic to make the demon out of his body.

POPO: Di-gou, if we do not punish your body, demon will never leave. AMA: Then you will return to China. POPO: And you will die. AMA: Go to Hell. (Act 2, p. 222).

They really think that it will work and Di-Gou’s belief to God will back.

They do not care of Di-Gou’s body because they think by torturing his body will make the demon afraid and leave him alone. They keep forcing Di-Gou, with

Joanne and Hannah’s help, to make him give his testimony about God’s mercy to him when he was out of China and in trip with See-goh-poh which began his faith.

In fact, Di-Gou tells them that at that time he was only eight and he did not remember that. He insists not to tell them anything. However, Ama and Popo does not give up. They think they must punish Di-Gou’s body to drive out the demon and make him speak. They stated that the Lord was beat, nails drive through His body for human’s sin, that is why, Di-Gou’s body must suffer so that he can speak the truth and admit with his tounge that See-goh-poh was a great evangelist.

Their fanaticism is not only shown in that part but also in the whole conversation in the play. One more statement that shows their fanaticism is clearly depicted by Popo’s saying in Family Devotion : “if God has plan for us, we live; if not [She looks at DI-GOU.] we die. [She sits.] Okay. That’s all.” (Act 2, p. 216).

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When she says that she believes in God, she means it. She does not think about the free will that God has given to human. This sentence shows Popo’s real faith to God that she believes that all her life and death is determined by God, not herself. Nothing can change it. Ama definitely agree with Popo so she does not deny her sister’s saying. They believe without doubt that all of their life is in

God’s hand. Even when God said that He has plan for them to die, then they will die.

Despites the fanatic way that comes from Ama and Popo, Di-Gou shows his love and loyalty to his sisters. Firstly, he is coming all the way from China to

America just to meet them because he misses them so much.

When Ama and Popo sees him for the first time since many years, they do not ask him about his life or his condition so far or at least let him talk about his life during these times. They rather ask him if he still believes in God.

Di-Gou’s loyalty to his sisters is also shown by the way he treats them.

He is really happy when he meets his sisters, his nieces and their husbands, and his grandson and grand daughter. He never meet them for his whole life but he really treats them like his own family. He adapts with the house’s situation.

When her sisters force him to remember the thing that is untrue, he tries to tell them the truth slowly. He loves his sisters so much that he doesn’t want to hurt their pride. Not only forcing him to believe in See-goh-poh’s ministry, they also force Di-Gou to believe in God and Christianity. Then, when he refuses, they beat him and whip him with an electricical cord believing that his rejection of

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Christian is caused by a communist demon inside him, as revealed in the text below :

AMA: [To DI-GOU] Look up to God! [POPO and AMA force DI-GOU to look up.] DI-GOU: Please! [DI-GOU breaks away from the sisters’ grip, but they knock him down.] POPO: Now-is time to join family in Heaven. AMA: Time for you to return to God. HANNAH: [To JOANNE] Look-they’re converting Di-gou. POPO: Return. Join us for eternity. AMA: Pray now. [POPO and AMA try to guide DI-GOU to the neon cross.]

DI-GOU: Where are we going? AMA: He will wash you in blood of the lamb. POPO: Like when you are a child. Now! You bow down!

AMA: There is too much Communist demon in him. We must cast out demon. POPO: Now, tie him on table. DI-GOU: This is ridiculous. Stop this. (Act 2, p. 222).

He does not want to hurt them by the fact, that is why he does not force them back. He tries to make both his sisters know the truth but he doesn’t insist them. Even though he is beaten by his sisters, he just does nothing and is not angry with them. He just simply said that it it ridiculous and they should stop it.

Di-Gou’s loyalty to his sisters is the real good thing found in this story but it becomes a matter when he gives them his love and loyalty too much. He definitely knows that his sisters are religious and fanatic, if he does not come to

America to meet them, maybe this problem will never ever happened. Besides, if

He is a little strict to them and show his patriarchy power, maybe his sisters will respect him more.

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He does not need to be rude to them or dominate them to get honour, but if he can show at least his self-esteem and leadership as the oldest man in the family, his sisters will listen to him. He could fight back when they beat him and whip him with an electrical cord, not in physical way by beating them back, but by his attitude toward them. He deserves to be treated well as one of the family members and he has right to be served as the guess in the house. However, he does not defend his right. He lets them to tie him on the table, beat him and punish him just because of something that he believes as the truth. He lets them think that they are right. His loyalty to his sisters is shown in the wrong way. It leads to the whole conflict between him and his sisters.

2. Ama and Popo’s Internal Conflict

Inner conflict always confronted the characters’ thought with his feeling, as stated by Holman and Harmon, inner conflict always puts “two elements within the person” (1986: 107). Internal conflict also defines as a struggle that takes place in a character's mind. For example, a character may have to decide between right and wrong or between two solutions to solve a problem.

Sometimes, a character must deal with his or her mixed mind, feelings and emotions. As mentioned in the previous chapter about the conflict theory, the internal conflict happens within the character himself without outside forces. The conflict appears between the characters’ feeling and thought. In the play, Ama and

Popo’s internal conflict occurs at the end of the story when Di-Gou speaks in tongue about See-goh-poh.

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AMA: [Looking up from the ground] He is speaking in tongues! He has returned! [Everyone falls to their knees.] (Act 2, p. 224).

When Di-Gou rises up and starts speaking in tongues, the gas grill bursts into flame, and Chester is suddenly fulled with words so that he can interprets the revelation. Ama and other family members think that Di-Gou has returned to God, that the demon has gone and he would believe in God again as they thought he did. Di-Gou speaks in tongues but instead it tells different story with Ama and

Popo’s belief.

Di-Gou says that he went with See-goh-poh on her first evangelism tour when he was eight years old. They traveled together through the summer heat to a small village in Fukien. At that place, he witnessed their aunt, See-goh-poo gave birth out of wedlock to an illegitimate child whose birth she passed off as immaculate. Di-Gou even watched See-goh-poh breasfed the baby and heared the milk sucking.

Hearing this story, Ama and Popo spring up and deny all that Di-Gou has said. They cannot believe that See-goh-poh was a liar and that her evangelism was just a front, an excuse to travel and a cover-up of her illegitimate child. They assume that Di-Gou and Chester have demon and it is not from God.

Ama and Popo want to believe in their own faith and family stories so that they challenge Di-Gou to match his stories against theirs. And then, they begin a ritualistic battle. They give questions and answers to each other. Some of their questions have the same answers but some of them do not. In fact, they start to doubt their own belief, that is why they try to stop Di-Gou telling the truth.

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[POPO’s tounges become weaker; she starts to falter.] AMA: See-goh-poh was a great- DI-GOU: Only on her tours could she see both China and her baby. AMA: She was a great…a great evangelism…many… DI-GOU: Where is she buried? AMA: …many miracle… DI-GOU: She is not buried within the walls of the church in Amoy. AMA: …many miracle a great evangelist… [POPO collapses] DI-GOU: [Pause] I come to bring you back to China. Come, sisters. To the soil you’ve forsaken with ways born of memories, of stories that never happened. Come, sisters. The stories written on your face are the ones you must believe. [AMA rises from her chair] AMA: We will never believe this! [She collapses into the chair, close her eyes.] [Silence] (Act 2, p. 226-227).

Di-Gou’s vision reveals that See-goh-poo was a fraud and she claimed her evangelicalism to deceive her family. Di-Gou proclaims that because they now know the truth, their stories are meaningless. Ama and Popo finally know the truth but this is too dificult to believe. Their senses can hear the real story from

Di-Gou’s revelation but their mind and heart do not want to accept the truth.

This situation brings them to the fact to deal with. It tows them through their internal conflict. They cannot confront the truth told by Di-Gou. The harder they struggle to reject his story, the weaker they defend themselves. Finally, Ama and Popo cannot stand still to defend anymore. They become weak and perplexed by the truth and then collapse, firstly Popo then followed by Ama.

C. The Messages Revealed by the Conflicts

In reading literature, as well as a play, the reader will be served some questions in their mind. The question could be about how the readers see the play,

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what the readers’ responses through the characters, plot, theme or symbols found in the play, and what the play’s author wants to say or what the implied messages that he wants to tell the readers by arranging the internal elements. These questions can encourage the readers to go deeper in analyzing each word or each element of the play. It will lead the every words and form special function and the meaning. This process of analysis supports the readers to feel close to the work

(Guerin, 2004:93).

From this part, the writer wants to show some messages which are taken from the main characters’ description and their conflicts. As Holman and

Harmon said (1986:108), conflicts can show motivation and goal that want to be achieved. Moreover, conflicts also imply something that the author wants to convey. Conflicts may help the readers to know the central idea or the theme of the story “ obviously the central conflict of the story is intimately related to this theme... (stanton, 1964 : 17).

Since the conflicts in the play have been analyzed previously, the writer can start analyze the message found in it. However, the writer also has to interpret the messages because there are some messages in the play which are indirectly implied since David Henry Hwang, as the author of the play, does not convey the messages directlty. As we know, the messages in the literature work like play can be seen from some elements, such as irony, symbol or sign, character and conflict.

There are some messages that the writer found in the play based on the previous conflicts that have been analyzed. The first one that the author wants to show the reader is about excessive. Everything that is too much is not good, for

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example: the fanaticism in religion that cause a fight, anarchy, and the worst is the family downfall. In other cases, it can bring an assasination, but in this play it causes the fight which edge is family downfall.

Ama and Popo have different belief with the whole family members.

They are all definitely Christians but their ways in trusting God are different from each other. Chester and Jennie believe in God just because their grandmothers and parents told them to do so. Jenni gives her testimony in Family Devotion just because she wants to look for Chester and see him soon. They both do not believe in God because they really want to believe or because they have encountered with

God’s presence. Willbur and Robert are not quite different, they believe in

Christianity because they follow their wives. In here we can see how a belief forced by the main characters to the minor characters.

Religious fanaticism comes not from deep faith, but from a lack of it.

Ama and Popo’s fanaticism leads them to a bizarre worship service or exorcism, staged in front of a neon and Lucite altar. His sisters try to force Di Gou to reembrace their religion. Hannah and Joanne help their mothers to tie and beat Di-

Gou. When Di-Gou reveals in a vision that See-goh-poo was a fraud and gave birth to an illegitimate child whose birth she passed off as immaculate, Ama and

Popo shock. They cannot believe what their ears hear.

Finally, they die because of shock and the family breaks apart. The play ends with Chester standing where Di-Gou first stood, showing that they are a viewer as well as the family member who stand inside and outside the action. The author depicts that the shape of Chester’s face begins to change which shows his

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link with his great uncle, Di-Gou, and also means a metaphor for the beginning acceptance of his Chinese heritage. It proves that a belief cannot be imposed to other because each people has a different view and way of life. Fanaticism just leads us to the downfall (shown by the death of two family members, Ama and

Popo. And as their daughters react in horror, Di-Gou leaves away and Jenny and

Chester also begin to make their exits).

Another message that we can find in this story is about the value of a family. The author wants to tell us that a value of family is very essential.

William. J. Grace in his Response to Literature (1965, 7) says that literature gives us a special knowledge of life that is not identical with that of real experience but provides a profitable supplement in terms of intellectual and critical values. It is actually possible for a well read person to make nature of life without having great deal of experience.

In Family Devotions, Hwang gives the reader a kind of religion experience that maybe has not happened in the reader’s personal life. First,

Hwang wants to show us about the bad effect of fanaticism that can bring the family downfall and then he tries to explain about the good value that should be had in a family. He focuses on the human relationship, especially those between family members. He implies that even though the other family members have the different opinion, belief, and characteristics with us or even if they do not respcet our existence, we should still realize that family is family and that an integrity and unity of family are the important things to have. Loyalty is also something that we need to have and show to our family members.

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In the play, the author shows that the whole family always respect Ama

& Popo as the oldests in the family. Although they have different point of view, they obey all of what Ama & Popo said to them. We can see that Ama and Popo disregard Robert and Wilbur even though they are their sons-in-law. Their hatred are shown in every part of their conversations, as shown below:

POPO: No. Not too good. Do not want to live in same part Heaven as you. ROBERT: Why not? It’ll be great, Popo. We can tell stories, sing- POPO: In Heaven, hope you live in basement. ROBERT: Basement? C’mon, Popo, I’m a celebrity. They wouldn’t give me the basement. They’ll probably recognize my diplomacy ability, make me ambassador. JOANNE: To Hell? ROBERT: Well, if that’s the place they send ambassadors. POPO: Good. You be ambassador. (Act 2, p. 217)

They hate them because of their different culture. When Robert asks to

Popo if God sometimes speaks through people or not, she answers him that God has good taste and would not speak through him. She further says “I cannot think of enough ways to shoot him! Riffle! Arrows!” (Act 2, p. 219).

Similar with Popo’s hatred to Robert, Ama also hates and despieses

Wilbur because of his Japanese origin. Ama cannot forgive the Japanese for various wars fought in the past. When a pet chicken goes missing, Ama assumes that Wilbur has killed and barbecued it : “very bad temper. Japanese man.” She also argues that classical music in an orchestra with Japanese conductor is a dangerous occupation: Ama states, “if musicians miss one note, they must kill themself!”. The irrationality of her prejudices is further underlined when Ama cites a novel explanation for Robert missed Di-gou at the airport: “your father trade with Japanese during war.”

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Nevertheless, Robert and Wilbur still know their position as children-in- law. They obey theirs mothers-in-law and never fight back when Ama and Popo humiliate them. Their characters show the good value of the family although Ama and Popo shows the bad side. Overall, they try to keep their family unity although there are too many differences between them.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

After analyzing the problems mentioned in the problem formulation, the conclusion can be deduced from the analysis. In this chapter, the writer tries to make a conclusion contains of a brief explanation about what has been explained in the previous chapter. The first, Ama is described as a stubborn, fanatic, and dominant person. It can be shown through her argument with her sister, Popo. She does not want to listen any explanations from Popo. Then, her fanatic can be shown through the first meeting since thirty two years ago with her little brother,

Digou. Instead of asking about her brother’s health and condition, she asks about the religion first. The dominant side of Ama can be shown through her leadership in every family devotions. Popo’s characteristics almost the same with Ama’s, but she is wiser than Ama. It can be shown through her understanding about Ama’s son in law, Willbur, who comes from Japanese family and does not so interested in family devotions that Ama does not like it. But, Popo explains to Ama that their mother teach them in Christanity, not like Willbur.

Different from others, Digou, the youngest brother, described as controllable, obedient, honest and wise. His controllable side can be seen through his good tempered, although his sisters angry and accuse him as a bad person, he stays calm. His obedient can be seen through the expression of his words in the right way, although arguing with his sisters. Digou is an honest person, can be

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seen through his statement about evangelist See-goh-poh, who admired by his sisters. Digou knows if he tells them the truth about the evangelist See-goh-poh, he might be hated by his sisters, but he still tell them the truth. Then, his wisdom can be seen through the sense that he faces his sisters’ death as a reality. He does not force himself to be responsible at their death. By doing this, he does not only show his wiseness but also his rational and logical characteristic.

The conflicts that happen in the story begin when the whole families are waiting a visit from Di-Gou, who Ama and Popo have not seen in over thirty years. They recall him as a child prodigy evangelist, but when he arrives it is clear that he is not the man his sisters remember. Now Di-Gou does not believe in God anymore. He turns out to be an elderly little stranger, neatly blue suited, who has left his childhood Christianity behind. Then, other conflicts appear from the act 2 until the end of the story. The final conflict happens when Ama and Popo’s fanaticism is worsening when it comes to physical abuse towards Di-Gou. They do not only think that he is controlled by demon but they also think that they should beat Di-Gou and tortures his physic to make the demon out of his body.

Then after arguing and telling the truth about evangelist See-goh-poh by Digou,

Ama and Popo finally collapsed and die.

Learning from the main character’s descriptions, through what they say and do, and from the conflicts appear, the writer can reveal some possible messages. First; everything that is too much is not good. Second, fanaticism can bring a family downfall. Third, family always comes first, if not, there are only bad things happen in a family.

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