MATERIALISM IN JOHN PASOSS’S THE BIG MONEY AND
MOCHTAR LUBIS’S TWILIGHT IN JAKARTA: A
COMPRATIVE LITERATURE.
A THESIS
BY:
AVIANDANI AULIA NASUTION
140721024
DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2017
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Materialism In Jhon Pasos’ The Big Money and Mochtar Lubis’ Twilight In
Jakarta: A Comparative Literature
A THESIS
BY
AVIANDANI AULIA NASUTION
REG. NUMBER: 140721024
SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR
Dr. Martha Pardede. MS Drs. Siamir Marulafau. M.Hum. NIP.195212291979032001 NIP. 195805171985031003
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara
Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana
Sastra From Department of English.
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
MEDAN 2017
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra
Examination.
Head, Secretary,
Dr. Deliana, M.Hum Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D
NIP. 195711171983032002 NIP. 19750209 200812 1 002
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of
Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural
Studies University of Sumatera Utara on 25 July 2017
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies
University of Sumatera Utara
Dr. Budi Agustono, M.S. NIP. 19600805 198703 1 001
Board of Examiners
Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D.
Dr. Martha Pardede, MS ______
Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum ______
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, AVIANDANI AULIA NASUTION, DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE
AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE
IN THE TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO
MATERIAL PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE
OR IN PART FROM A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR
OR AWARDED ANOTHER DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK
HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN THE
MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN
SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE IN ANY
TERTIARY EDUCATION.
Signed : Aviandani Aulia Nasution
th Date : July 25 , 2017
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION
NAME : AVIANDANI AULIA NASUTION
TITLE OF THESIS : MATERIALISM IN JHON PASOSS’ THE BIG
MONEY AND MOCHTAR LUBIS’ TWILIGHT IN
JAKARTA: A COMPRATIVE LITERATURE
QUALIFICATION : S1/SARJANA SASTRA
DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER
THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.
Signed :Aviandani Aulia Nasution
Date : July 25th, 2017
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank and praise to Allah SWT, the Almighty
God who has given grace and ease to complete this thesis in the Bachelor S1 degree in Department of English Literature in this University of Sumatera Utara. I would also like to thank to my beloved mother who I love about most, Dra. Sri
RosidaPulungan.A supermom who always care and give the support to me and also always give prayers to me.
And also thanks to all the lecturers in this Department of English
Literature, all of which I obtained solely unlikely to be realized without the help some wonderful people who support me. Firstly, I am very thankful to the dean of the faculty of Cultural Studies, Dr. Budi Agustono, M.S. Then thank to Dr.
Deliana, M,Hum and Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A, Ph.D as the chairman and secretary In Department of English Literature. I wish to express the deepest gratitude and appreciation to my thesis supervisor Dr. Martha Pardede, MS and
Drs.Siamir Marulafau, M.Hum who have taken their precious time giving their dedication to guide, advice and fully supported me in completing this thesis properly. It has been my great pleasure to know and to be advised by them. I luckily also got your expertise, kindness and a bit of friendship for being my supervisors to bring me up finishing this thesis. May God bless you, Mam and Sir.
I owe special gratitude to all my friends at English Department. I will not forget the kindness of my gorgeous friends, who give a lot of positive supports for me, time, and energy. I would like to sincerely appreciate those unforgettable friends for their love, help, supports and suggestions in completing my study. I
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA learn from them many thing I‘ve never learned from anyone else. Thank you for all.
Medan, July 2017 The Writer
Aviandani Aulia Nasution
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ABSTRACT
This thesis entitled: Materialism In Jhon Pasoss’ The Big Money and Mochtar Lubis’ Twilight In Jakarta: A Comprative Literature. The writer is interested in analyzing the two novels because they have the same motive is materialism so that they can be compared. The purpose of this study is to find the similarities and the differences between them around the motive. Materialism is a phenomenon of human tendency to get excess in material and by doing an unsuitable and various ways to get what they want. The writer use Marxism theory to discuss kinds of materialism. The writer also uses the descriptive qualitative method and the library research so that the similarities and differences between the two novels can be found. From the analysis it can be concluded that there are three similarities and one differences kinds of Materialism in The Big Money and Twilight In Jakarta, similarities: moral degradation, try to get the better life and prostitution. different: corruption in activies party and corruption in the environment of senate.
Keyword: materialism, novel, comparative literature.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ABSTRAK
Skripsi ini berjudul: Materialism In Jhon Pasoss’ The Big Money and Mochtar Lubis’ Twilight In Jakarta: A Comparative Literature. Penulis tertarik untuk menganalisis kedua novel karena mereka memiliki motif yang sama yaitu materialisme sehingga mereka bisa dibandingkan.Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menentukan persamaan dan perbedaan mereka disekitar motif itu. Materialisme adalah fenomena kecenderungan manusia untuk mendapatkan materi yang berlebih dan dengan melakukan cara yang tidak sesuai dan beragam untuk mendapatkan apa yang mereka inginkan. Penulis menggunakan teori Marxisme untuk membahas jenis materialisme. Penulis juga menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif dan penelitian kepustakaan sehingga persamaan dan perbedaan antara kedua novel dapat ditemukan. Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa ada tiga kesamaan dan satu perbedaan jenis Materialisme dalam The Big Money and Twilight In Jakarta, persamaan: degradasi moral, mencoba untuk mendapatkan kehidupan yang lebihbaik dan prostitusi. Perbedaan: korupsi dalam pesta dan korupsi di lingkungan senat.
Kata kunci: materialisme, novel, sastra bandingan.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUTHOR DECLARATION ...... iv
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION ...... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...... vi
ABSTRACT ...... vii
TABLE OF CONTET ...... ix
CHAPTER I :INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Background of Analysis ...... 1 1.2 The Problem of Study ...... 8 1.3 The Objective of Study ...... 8 1.4 The Scope of Study ...... 9 1.5 Significant of The Study ...... 9
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Literature ...... 10 2.2 A Brief Description of Comparative Literature ...... 12 2.3 A Brief Description of Thematic Study ...... 18 2.4 Materialism ...... 21
CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH 3.1 Data Collecting Procedure ...... 26 3.2 Data Selecting Procedure ...... 26 3.3 Data Analyzing Procedure ...... 28
CHAPTER IV : ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 4.1 TWILIGHT IN JAKARTA ...... 29 4.1.1The Impact of Materialism on Personal Character ...... 37 4.1.2 The Impact of Materialism on Social Group ...... 40 4.2 THE BIG MONEY ...... 47 4.2.1 The Impact of Materialism on Personal Character ...... 51 4.2.2 The Impact of Materialism on Social Group ...... 55
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 5.1 Conclusion ...... 60 5.2 Suggestion ...... 64
REFERENCES ...... 66
APPENDIX i. Author’s Biography and Works
ii. Summary of The Novel
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1. The Background of The Analysis
Materialism is a phenomenon of human tendency to get excess in material and by doing an unsuitable and various ways to get what they want.How does a person look more fashionable when using the latest brand bag, how one looks more elegant by driving a brand new car and how one is seen only on the attributes of luxury they are wearing. Materialism promises that if you have more income, gain dream home, wearing nice clothes and can have fun with a luxurious holiday trip is a point of satisfaction for ourselves. But in reality, they are not harmonious family because of the lack of intensity of the meeting due to the parents who are bound hectic work routine for pursuing such material desires.
Material gives us things that are more fun than earned our parents when they were our age, but we have less time to enjoy it. Materialism also scored us to wear clothes that can support the success but actually our hearts are filled with doubts and questions about how to get more of what we've got now. Human beings by nature is spirited competition but often it causes people to forget the norms of humanity and the existence of God in this life because it considers that the material could save them.
Materialiasm is defined as a philosophy of life who are looking for basic everything, Including human life in the material realm solely to the exclusion of everything that overcome natural senses. This is in accordance with the rules in
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Indonesian. If there is a noun related to the word ism, the meaning is understood or stream.
Materialism has a tremendous impact for mankind. On the one hand, in our life that need the increasingly urgent, while in the other side can not meet the income requirement. This is what made not a few people take the easy way to justify all the way to all the needs and desires are met. In fact, it which will plunge the human secularism and dehumanization (losing the heart and identity). Values of humanity, honesty, justice and morality increasingly shrinking and losing control, because someone has been preoccupied by everyday problems so that mutual forget about the duties and responsibilities as a creature of his creation. Unconsciously, humans have succumbed to the power of his own passions. Less taste has guided human action diversion and abuse of personal interest lead someone away from the spiritual world.
The 1930s brought major changes to the American nation. This changes can be felt the social community can be felt by the middle class and upper class society.
This change shows that any form of success, wealth, and success realized by bringing concept of the American Dream, which became the ideology of the American people.
On the basis of The ideology of both the American public and newcomers are competing realize their dreams. The American society concept is known as The
American Dream, is actually an American ideology of the Trinity, namely, liberty, opportunity, and progress. The concept is reflected in the life of society, both in the social sphere and culture that flourished in the 1930s, when all forms of modern life begin to emerge rapidly. Like figure CharleyAnderson in The Big Money, a novel has written by John Dos Passos in 1936. A young mechanic who earned the Croix de
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Guerre during the War, Though Anderson starts out a simple mechanic, his longing for the American dream pushes him to a bigger and better career in aviation. Success, greed, and lust quickly intervening leat to Charley’s downfall.
Materialism is influence culture of the Western world into the culture of
Indonesia. This culture gave birth to individuals who think only about clothing, food and shelter. Contention, strife and conflict that brought bloodshed, caused more by the seizure of the position, power, influence, authority, title, ownership rights to gain many followers. The number of followers give their own status and privileges in our culture.In Indonesia, The Leaders do more exploition to his followers, for increased power and wealth, as a result the gap of leadership and people getting in, the level of life of the rich and the poor are getting unbalanced. The imbalance in income and life opportunities for manipulation, and manipulation is most easily done is corruption.
This circle explained how corruption is one of the cultural impacts of materialism in
Indonesia may extend from the elite to the community under the whole life. Besides that, in Indonesia. A novel by Mochtar Lubis, Twilight in Jakartawas published in
1957. Tells about livelihoods are sociopolitical in a big city at the time became one of the major cities in Asia, namely Jakarta where in it explores how the social gap between the poor by the rich and how corrupt practices among govermant officials and rampant political alite that make the atmosphere chaotic political life marked by the rise and fall of govermant cabinet in Indonesia at the time.
The two novels are talking about materialism. It is natural that every human always desires wealth and possessions as the parameter of success and happiness. It can be thought of as a positive motivation and causes people to strive for material
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA perfection. But this material of success also can bring a bad effect to the human it self when human expects it more and never get enough. Greediness to attain material success obviously exists since human only care about material.
For the first, the writer wants to analyze the materialism in novel The Big
Money. John Dos Passos' The Big Money (1936) argues that the pursuit of the
American dream ends in corruption. No matter what good intentions the characters possess, the desire for big money tarnishes, and eventually destroys, their authenticity. Dos Passos illustrates this idea by detailing the personal journey of each character and providing a sketch of an actual public figure whose life parallels, frames, or comments on the fictional characters' lives. For example, Dos Passos tells the story of Charley Anderson, an upstanding young mechanic who earned the Croix de Guerre during the War. Though Anderson starts out a simple mechanic, his longing for the American dream pushes him to a bigger and better career in aviation.
Success, greed, and lust quickly lead to Charley's downfall. Dos Passos uses biographical pieces about famed inventors Henry Ford, Frederick Winslow Taylor, and Thorstein Veblen to put Charley's unhappy tale in context. The Big Money also showcases Dos Passos's subjective, stream-of-consciousness invention, the Camera
Eye. Expressing an autobiographical viewpoint of sorts, the Camera Eye offers a fluid, first-person look at the world.
John Passos is as an American novelist and active artist in the first half of the twentieth century. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he graduated from Harvard College in
1916. He was well-traveled, visiting Europe and the Middle East, where he learned about literature, art, and architecture. During World War I, he was a member of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps in Paris and in Italy, later joining the U.S. Army Medical Corps.
Second, the writer wants to analyze the materialism in novel Twilight in
Jakarta. This novel was written by MochtarLubis when he was a political prisoner of the Old Order regime. The criticisms constantly pointed at the Soekarno’s government kept him under arrest and the Indonesian newspaper he headed was closed for two years. Originally, the novel was planned to be titled "The Trampled and Against", but it was eventually given the title "Twilight in Jakarta" by
Hutchinson & Co publisher. In 1963, this novel is the first Indonesian novel to be translated and published in English. As a literary work that was born under the pressure of political power, the novel Twilight in Jakarta can be read in reaction to that pressure.
MochtarLubis is as an Indonesian journalist and novelist who co- founded Indonesia Raya.Twilight in Jakarta was the first Indonesian novel to be translated into English. He was a critic of Soekarno and was imprisoned by him. He has been described as a renaissance man par excellence.
We can also see the same style of writing in both the novel, such as competition, grouping and media advertising as a means to deliver the news to the rest of society. How does the author tell the gap between the rich and the poor, how someone's ambition to acquire wealth so that makes him greedy and forgets the norms of humanity and divinity and how Materialism destroys a person because of dissatisfaction and feel like to get more.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA In America, materialism, like capitalism, is a defining factor of the American way of life. As with all things, materialism has its good and bad points. It is a trend that paints the American picture. It gives a perception of wealth and prosperity.
However, it is commonly a shallow depiction of reality. The possession of things does not equate to financially stability. Regardless of how it is viewed, it defines us, motivates us, and moves our economy more than any other custom.Americans are made to feel that they absolutely must have certain things that had not even been invented just a few years ago. The increase in high tech, computerized, and digitized devices in the areas of electronics and household appliances has altered the landscape of the American home and family.
This increase in American materialism, unfortunately, exists along with other less fashionable increases; teen suicide, depression, divorce, the disintegration of the family, bankruptcy, and despair. It does not appear that those living by the law of materialism are necessarily happy or fulfilled. The increase in the pursuit of things is evident; satisfaction from possessing these things is suspect and spurious.
In Indonesia, the criminal act of corruption is very vulnerable in the ranks of government (bureaucracy) and legislative. Starting from the top to bottom provides opportunities for corruption. Widespread regional autonomy policy provides opportunities for regions to separate themselves from the center and form a new territory within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, Especially after the reformation.
The phenomenon of materialism developed in society had an impact on various aspects of life, including politics and government. The phenomenon of life
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA that promotes materialism also spreads to the political and social life so as to ignore the conscience and freedom of rights. Things like this we can see also in the political problems depicted in the novel Twilight in Jakarta.
In this case, the writer focuses to analysis how materialism can be a big problem in both the novel. Historical materialism does not subtitute itself in some mysterious way for the detailed work of investigators in specialised field, but it does reject those a-historical divisions between the different social sciences and between social sciences and humanties which obstruct a crictical and materialist analysis of society and culture. Materilism is an interesting theme in the study of literature, because materialism is a culture that occurs in almost all parts of the earth. The author chose materilism theme as the focus of discussion that will be used in comparing the two novels different cultural backgrounds. Through the novel, the author will see how the theory materilism by Karl Marx described in these two stories.
Through the above explanation, we can see that there is a difference between the phenomenon of materialism in America and in Indonesia which is the background of the country of the two novels is The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta. In literature, things like this we can refer to as comparative literature.
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistics, national, and disciplinary boundaries. The study of the literatures of two or more groups differing in cultural background and, usually, in language, concentrating on their relationships to and influences upon each other.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Comparative Literature looks at the interaction between literary traditions from different countries, and the relation between the literary object and other— similar—objects that result from such disciplines as theology, philosophy and history.
For example, when studying a figure of speech this approach will consider its effects within various historical and national contexts, as well as its role within the different disciplines in which it occurs.
1.2. Problem of The The Study
The problems of the study are:
1. How is Materialism portrayed and its impact in novelThe Big Money
2. How is Materialism portrayed and its impact in novelTwilight In Jakarta.
3. What are the similarities and the differences materialism in novel The Big
Money and Twilight in Jakarta.
1.3. Objective of The Study
The objectives of the study are:
1. To find out how materialism is portrayed and its impact in novel TheBig
Money by John Dos Passos.
2. To find out how materialism is portrayed and its impact in novelTwilight in
Jakartaby Mochtar Lubis.
3. To find out what are the similarities and differences materialism in novel
The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 1.4. The Scope of The Study
In doing this research, the writer has to restrict the fields that are going to be analyzed in order to make sure that the analysis still stays in track. The study is focused on how materilsm is reflected in novel TheBig Money and Twilight in
Jakarta.
1.5. Significance of The Study
The significance of the study is divided into two functions:
1. Theoretical Function
The study aims to make people know more about Comparative Literary
Study, and show that among literary works, which includes novels, that are
from the different language and culture, can be compared or contrasted.
2. Practical Function
The study is expected to provide the analysis of Materialism, so as to
realize that greed matter can be disastrous for himself. Everything was only
assessed on the money and objects is one characteristics materialism.
Materialism can also make man forget the norms of religion and humanity so
as to cause a commotion among humas or human grouping according to class
wealth.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1. Literature
Roberts and Jacobs (1993: 1) state that literature refers to compositions that tell stories, dramatize situations, express emotions, analyze and advocate ideas.
Through literature, everybody may not just get entertainment but also ideas contained in the literature itself. As generally known that literary works contain various aspects in human life such as culture, social or moral that readers may get some lesson and knowledge from them. Furthermore, literature brings many essential meanings for human’s life. It helps human to grow both personally and intellectually because literature lets human see and learn more about a lot of different points of view, ideas, culture and so many more which may open, increase their knowledge, grow their intellectuality and personality to be better. Literature makes human as a human.
Peck and Coyle (1984:38) basically divide literature into three genres, namely poetry, drama and novel. Poetry is dominated by the rhythm and melody; drama is the combination of dialogue and stage; and novel is a narrative kind of fictitious writing.
Meanwhile, Roberts and Jacobs (1995:3) elaborate the kinds of literature by stating that literature may be classified into four categories or genres: (1) prose fiction, (2) poetry, (3) drama and (4) nonfiction prose. Usually the first three are classified as imaginative literature. The genres of imaginative literature have much in common, but they also have their distinguishing characteristic. For instance, the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA distinguishing characteristic of prose fiction or narrative fiction is depicted by myths, parables, romances, novels and short stories.
Originally, fiction means anything made up, crafted, shaped up but nowadays
‘fiction’ refers to prose stories based on the author’s imagination. The essence of fiction is narration relating or recounting of a sequence of events or actions. Works of fictions usually focus on one or a few major characters that undergo a change of attitude or character as they interact with other characters and deal with problems.
While fiction, like all imaginative literatures, may introduce true historical details, but not the real history. For instance, Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist which describes revolutionary era in 1834 when the child exploitation occurred but the character
‘Oliver Twist’ did not exist. Its main purpose is to interest, to stimulate, to instruct and to divert, not to create precise historical records.
Non fiction prose is the literary genre that consists of news reports, feature articles, essays, editorials, textbooks, historical and biographical works and the like, all of which describe or interpret facts and present judgments and opinions. Major goals of nonfiction prose are truth in reporting and logic in reasoning. Whereas in imaginative literature the aim is the truth to life and human nature, in nonfiction prose the goal is truth to the factual world of news, science and history.
Wellek and Warren (1997:1) stated, literature can be treated as a document in the history of ideas and philosophy for literary history parallels and reflects intellectual history. So it is clear that if someone wants to know further about the history or the real condition in certain era, it is better to look at the literary worksin
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the period itself because a literary work is a directly reflection of social structure, class struggle and others.
2.2. A Brief Description of Comparative Literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, and disciplinary boundaries.
Comparative literature "performs a role similar to that of the study of international relations, but works with languages and artistic traditions, so as to understand cultures
'from the inside'. While most frequently practiced with works of different languages, comparative literature may also be performed on works of the same language if the works originate from different nations or cultures among which that language is spoken.
ln principle, the discipline of Comparative Literature is a method in the study of literature in at least two ways. First, Comparative Literature means the knowledge of more than one national language and literature, and/or it means the knowledge and application of other disciplines in and for the study of literature and second,
Comparative Literature has an ideology of inclusion of the Other, be that a marginal literature in its several meanings of marginality, a genre, various text types, etc.
Historically, it is true that Comparative Literature demonstrated a focus on European literatures and later on European and American literature, and thus the current criticism of the discipline's Eurocentrism makes sense to a point (see Bernheimer). At the same time, however, the discipline paid more attention to "Other" literatures than any of the national literatures.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA As written in the book Sastra Bandingan, Ruang Lingkup and Metode by
Razali Kasim that the advent of comparative literature begins with the birth of the literatures of the world often describe the same motif with an explanation of the character figures are almost the same. We can compare two literary works when both literary works have different cultural backgrounds and have the same theme or motif.
Got in Kasim:
“Sastra Bandingan ingin menghilangkan kesan bahwa suatu kesusateraan nasional lebih baik dari satu kesusateraan nasional lainya. Semua kesusateraan dipandang sama dan setingkat.” (1996:8) The characteristically intercultural and transnational field of comparative literature concerns itself with the relation between literature, broadly defined, and other spheres of human activity, including history, politics, philosophy, art, and science. Unlike other forms of literary study, comparative literature places its emphasis on the interdisciplinary analysis of social and cultural production within the
"economy, political dynamics, cultural movements, historical shifts, religious differences, the urban environment, international relations, public policy, and the sciences.
RazaliKasim (1996: 16, 17) mentions that American movement shows a wider scope study on comparative literature. Comparative study is not only about
‘comparing’ literary works or the authors, but also talks about various other fields.
Broadly, comparative literature includes:
1. A study of comparing literary works as well as the authors.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 2. A study about the relationship between literary works and other sciences
(such as, philosophy, psychology, sociology, etc.), with religion and beliefs
as well as arts (such as paintings, music, architecture, and sculpture).
3. A study of theory, history, and literary criticism (more precisely ‘literary
criticism theory’) which covers more than one national literature
In the 20th century, comparative literary study is evolved. Comparative literature has wide significance. In this century, France School and American School has appeared. France School, which delegated by Jean-marieCarre, emphasizes the comparative literary study is as the study which deals with the literary work itself and its author, and also related to the fact. As Weisstein said that:
“A branch of literary history; is the study of the relation between international spirituality, the study of the factual relation between Byron and Pushkin, Goethe and Carlyle, Walter Scott and Alfred de Vigny, and among the works, inspiration, and even life of the authors from various literature.” (1973:3)
Mainly, the perspective of France School is comparative literary study as a branch of literary history that states among the literary works are influenced each other. In this school, the study of affinity is not included in comparative literary study.
American School has wider-scope. It is not only comparing between the literary work and the author, but also between the literary work and the other aspects.
American School points the comparative literature up as the comparative study of literary works and their authors; as the study of the relation between the literary
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA works and sciences, religion, and art; as the study of theory, history, and literary critics, which are applied in more than one national literary work.
Comparative literature is an interdisciplinary field whose practitioners study literature across national borders, across time periods, across languages, across genres, across boundaries between literature and the other arts (music, painting, dance, film, etc.), across disciplines (literature and psychology, philosophy, science, history, architecture, sociology, politics, etc.). Defined most broadly, comparative literature is the study of "literature without borders." Scholarship in Comparative
Literature include, for example, studying literacy and social status in the Americas, studying medieval epic and romance, studying the links of literature to folklore and mythology, studying colonial and postcolonial writings in different parts of the world, asking fundamental questions about definitions of literature itself. What scholars in
Comparative Literature share is a desire to study literature beyond national boundaries and an interest in languages so that they can read foreign texts in their original form.
Talking about the similar characteristics of literary works, it can be related to
Comparative Study of Literature. Comparative literary study is the study which concerns with comparing between one national literary work and another national literary work, based on certain aspects. Comparative literary study has been started in the 18th and the 19th century, with comparing among the literary works. In the 20th century, comparative literary study is envolved. Comparative literature has wide significance. Comparative literary study as a branch of literary history, that states among the literary works are influenced each other.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Comparative Literature is inherently a difficult term to define. The difficulty arises from the vast and uncertain territory the discipline is covering and from the already controversial nature of the two words constituting its name. The two (or more) elements of a comparison can be contained exclusively within the realm of literature, but some of them (not all) can also be part of another field of study.
Moreover, each scholar has his own understanding of “literary” and “comparison,” determining the final meaning of the concept. Our discipline never had a really unique, “standard” characterization. The most commonly accepted definitions evolved through time in function of the period’s norms and practices, generally following the outline recommended by one of the most influential figures in the field.
As Henry Remak said (1971):
“Comparative Literature is the study of literature beyond the confines of one particular country, and the study of the relationships between literature on one hand and other areas of knowledge and belief, such as the arts, the sciences, religion, etc., on the other. In brief it is the comparison of one literature with another or others, and the comparison of literature with other spheres of human expression.” The aspects of the comparative literary study are comparative study, historical study, theoritical study, and interdiscipline study. First, comparative study is concerned with comparison between one or two national literary works and the other national literary works. This study can be known as the start of comparative literary study. It is also assumed as the major aspect in comparative literary study.
This study can form influence study, affinity study, thematic study, and generic atudy. Second, historical study emphasizes in his historical point which be
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA background of relation between the literary work and another literary work, or between the literary work and sociology and philosophy. Third, theoritical study elaborates the concepts, criteria, boundaries, or the rules related some kinds of literary discipline, for example, studying what the genre, what the movement, what the theme, what the literary critics, and what in general, is. Fourth, interdiscipline study deals with relation between the content of literary work, and the other discipline such as science, religion, even art creation. In this study, the focus is exactly the literary works. The non-literary discipline is used to assist in understanding the meaning of the literary work itself, or the basic mind of the author.
The most common contenmporary understanding of theme is an idea or point that is central to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (e.g love, death, lonely). Typical examples of themes of this this type are conflict between the individual and society; coming of age; humans in conflict with technology. A theme may be exempliflied by the actions, utterances or thoughts of a character in a novel.
An exampleof this would be theme materialism in The Big Money and Twilight In
Jakarta. Wherein many of the characters seem to be materialism.
Comparative Study emphasizes in studying the exist of relation and connection between the literary work and the other literary work, between the literary work and the other discipline, between the literary work and the art creation. In general, Comparative Study has two study: affinity study and influence study.
Affinity study refers to study the similarities between a literary work and two or more literary work, or and the other discipline, or art creation which do not have the influence (in this case, historical-factual relation) each other. If any influence, it
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA happens to coincide. This study just focus on the affinity, not on the question, “Why the affinity appeared?”. In this case, the study is easier and simple, but it is criticised as a study that depends on the subjectivism of the critic (Aldridge, 1969: 5). Influence study is concerned with the influence that appeared implicitly in literary works. The influence study is more complicated and wider than the affinity study. The influence study is also assumed as the major aspect, as Ulrich Weisstein said (1973:23):
“The influence point must be viewed as the major concept incomparative literature, because this case indicates any diversitiesand be compared: which one the literary work influence, and towhich one be influenced.”
Beside that, there are 3 factors of appearing the influence, these factors of the influence are the progress of author’s career, the process of creating the literary works, literary tradition and cultural value of the author.
2.3. A Brief Description of Thematic Study
In this analysis, the writer compares two literary works applies thematic analysis which is focused on the theme as object of the study. Theme is an aspect of human experience which the author wishes to express in literary works. It indicates the object as the focus of literary work, and as the main meaning of the work itself.
Theme also includes the definition of motif inside.
Theme is the main idea or message of the work. It is a thought or idea the author presents to the reader. The theme of a work may be profound, difficult to understand, intended to teach a lesson or moral. Usually, readers have to figure out
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the theme of a specific work as they read it. Theme is important because it helps the reader understand part of the reason why the author wrote the novel.
In a literary work, a motif can be seen as an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme. In a literary piece, a motif is a recurrent image, idea or a symbol that develops or explains a theme while a theme is a central idea or message.
The concepts of motif and theme are very similar as literary devices. The key difference, however, is that a theme is abstract while a motif is concrete. The theme of a work is an idea or central topic, and can often be summed up in one abstract word or a short phrase, such as “love” or “good versus evil.” The theme is also generally not explicitly stated in the text. The definition of motif, however, is such that it is more obvious to the reader, such as the repetition of certain words or images.
Motif is a reoccuring object or idea in a work. A motif can also be something abstract, such as an emotion or quality like love, bravery or honesty. Motif is easily confused with theme. A theme is the main, overall idea or lesson the author is trying to teach in his book. A motif is a smaller idea that we see come up again and again in the book. A motif can be used to help develop the theme.
A motif is a recurring pattern in a writing work that helps to strengthen the main theme. It can be concrete or symbolic and keeps showing up reinforcing the ideas or underlying theme. A motif can be a subject, an idea, an image or event that the writer introduces at regular intervals to highlight certain events or ideas. In layman’s terms we may say that motifs are noticeably repeated hints pointing towards what is coming in the story.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA A story may have several themes. Themes often explore historically common or crossculturally recognizable ideas. Such as ethical questions, and are usually implied rather than stated explicitily.
Thematic study also can be called as thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is one of the most commonly used methods of qualitative analysis. Thematic analysis moves beyond counting explicit words or phrases and focus on identifying and describing both implicit and explicit ideas within the data, that is, themes. Taylor and
Bogdan said in quotation of The Qualitative Report, Volume2, Number 1, Spring,
1994 that:
“The next step to a thematic analysis is to combine and catalogue related patterns into sub-themes. Themes are defined as units derived from patterns such as conversation topics, vocabulary, recurring activities, meanings, feelings, or folk sayings and proverbs.” (1994: 87)
Thematology seizes ideas of mind, characters, plot, episode, setting, and expression. According to A Owen Aldridge (1969: 5), Thematic study which related to ideas of mind is named abstract ideas, that can be connected with social problems.
The literary works, science, religion, art creation, sociology, and the other discipline, can be compared each other to find out the thematic affinities inside. Thematic study which is concerned about characters is named personalitytheme.
It usually focuses on the protagonist character. It is also seen from the character who has special or unique character, in order to make interesting sense of comparing the literary work. Thematic study can be related to plot, episode, and setting. In this case, not all of these aspects can be appeared, for example, if any
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA affinities in episode, not all episode are similar, possibly only one episode. Thematic study also can be connected with expression. The expression, in this case, means the special words or phrases in the literary words which if compared, will appear the similar meaning of the sentence or the content.
2.5. Materialism
Materialism can refer either to the simple preoccupation with the material world, as opposed to intellectual or spiritual concepts, or to the theory that physical matter is all there is. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. Materialism can also refer to a doctrine that material success and progress are the highest values in life. This doctrine appears to be prevalent in western society today. Materialism can also refer to the term, Cultural
Materialism. In a book by Jock Young and Paul Walton;Marxism, Ideology and
Literarature said:
“Historical materialism does not subtitute itself in some mysterious way for the detailed work of investigators in specialised field, but it does reject those a historical divisions between the different social sciences and between social sciences and humanities which obstruct a critical and materialist analysis of soceity and culture” (1980: 57) Materialism as a philosophy is held by those who maintain that existence is explainable solely in material terms, with no accounting of spirit or consciousness.
Individuals who hold to this belief see the universe as a huge device held together by pieces of matter functioning in subjection to naturalistic laws. Since materialism
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA denies all concepts of Special Creation, it relies on the Theory of Evolution to explain itself, making beliefs in materialism and evolution interdependent.
As stated in Dictionary of social science (2002: 299), materialism is a philosophical position that states everything is material, or a state of matter. It means that philosophy of materialism holds the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance.
Materialism is a philosophy of life who are looking for basic everything, including human life in the material realm solely, to the exclusion of everything that transcends nature. Meanwhile, the people whose lives are oriented to the materials referred to as materialists. These people are the bearers of materialism or also people who are concerned with material alone.
Materialism is familiar in the philosophy that states that you can say really is material. Basically all the things that consist of materials and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. Matter is the only substance. As a theory, materialism including ontologimonistik understand. However, materialism is different from ontological theories based on dualism or pluralisme.
The young Karl Marx admired this idea of Hegel and convinced that Hegel had discovered something important. He especially admires Hegel’s dialectical account of human history into materialism by adapted Hegel’s idea by arguing that economic forces were basic to all social phenomena. According to Marx, production and distribution of life’s necessity should be equal to people, so there is no gap among society. He claimed equality is the most important thing in society to live
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA better. When Hegel focused on spiritual happiness and Karl Marx developed the idea of materialism more into economic purpose.
Every individual has to work very hard to fulfill their needs and get better living. It is nature of human being to do it, which is why human often called as an economic creature. The goal of economic efforts is the satisfaction of human needs.
Everyone requires at minimum of food, clothing and housing as the basic needs of human to survive. Those life’s necessities should be got by all people. The production of life’s necessities should be enough to all people and the distribution of it should be spread averagely. That is Karl Marx tried to emphasize.
The time is changing and so do the human’s needs. In the beginning, they just need food, clothes and shelter from the weathers. But by the development of human civilization, they need a lot of needs for their life such as variety flavor of food, lavish house, sophisticated vehicles to ride, or most fashionable clothes to wear. And to get those things, human need to have a lot of money to buy that. Based on those matters, many people try to get better life to fulfill their needs.
The material as the life’s necessities of human changes into prestige of the human himself. Material is no longer interpreted as the life’s necessities but it changes into money. It becomes the symbol of success and happiness. This shift process certainly brings a lot of change to the human nature. Material which at the beginning is considered as the life necessities turns into human obsession to reach the happiness.
Modern people started to think money has such a powerful function. With money, people do not only get anything they want but also they can do everything
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA they want to do. Even money involves a human status. Money is a magic power which control human and creates the essential social status (Ratha, 2003:27). It means that money is a human’s creation which controls them and also the society.
According to Marx in www.Marxist.com, a class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production. He obviously proclaimed that history is the chronology of class struggles, wars, and uprisings. Under capitalism, the workers, in order to support their families are paid a bare minimum wage or salary. In the process of it, the worker is alienated because he has no control over the labor or product which he produces. The capitalists sell the products produced by the workers at a proportional value as related to the labor involved. Surplus value is the difference between what the worker is paid and the price for which the product is sold.
In Marxism, Marxian class theory asserts that an individual’s position within a class hierarchy is determined by his or her role in the production process, and argues that political and ideological consciousness is determined by class position. A class is those who share common economic interests, are conscious of those interests, and engage in collective action which advances those interests. Within Marxian class theory, the structure of the production process forms the basis of class construction.
Marx's historical view which is considered important by supporters of the
Marxist school is the theory of class struggle. In the beginning of The Communist's work Manifesto (1972: 241), Marx has revealed the slogan:
“The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an interrupted, now
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended in a revolutionary reconstruction of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes”
According to Marx, these classes are a collection of social principles dragging the conflict within and giving the impression of change their economic sub-structures.
Because of that, one class is able to know for sure his interests in society as a whole through the revolutions has been in effect before this. Marx's reality illustrates the history of mankind colored by struggles or struggles between human groups. Marx
Itself acknowledges the class struggle or revolution that erupts not start as one Class society, but it serves as a representative to the community to express the demands and benefits of all experts in the community.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH
3.1. Data Collecting Procedure
The first procedure in doing this thesis is collecting the data. In this first procedure, library research is used. As quoted from Nawawi (1993:30):
“Penelitiankepustakaandilakukandengancarameng himpun data dariberbagai literature baik di perpustakaanmaupun di tempat-tempat lain.”
There are two steps in applying this procedure. The first step is collecting The
Big Money’s quotation and Twilight In Jakarta’s quotation which deal with materialism the source of data. The quotations are collected from the novel. After that, the quotation are read many times to understand what they are about and to find out the materialism ideas that are reflected inside them. The second step is collecting and reading another data about materialism, such as books that talk about materialism, materialism theory, or materialism criticism, and other supporting materials which are relevant to the topic of this thesis, such as articles, journals, notes, or essays about materialism. These sources of data are used to provide much information to understand the concepts and ideas of materialism itself. They also make the process of doing this thesis faster and easier.
3.2. Data Selecting Procedure
The second procedure is selecting the data. There are also two steps in applying this procedure. The first step is selecting the most related quotation which
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA will support the analysis of this thesis. There are novel of JhonPassos and
MochtarLubis that are going to be analyzed from the view of materialism, they are
The Big Money and Twilight In Jakarta. And the second step is choosing the quotation most related lines that will be later quoted to support the analysis of the thesis.
In conducting research literature can use qualitative research methods that do not prioritize the numbers but on the depth of understanding and appreciation of the interaction between concepts being studied. According to Atar Semi (1993: 24) in researching the literature qualitative methods more harmonious to use because the object is a literary work where published meaning and interpretation that requires intensity and inland.
Atar Semi (1993: 26) gives characteristics of qualitative research on literary works namely:
1. The researcher is a key instrument and natural setting or natural setting which is the source of data.
2. Qualitative research is descriptive.
3. Qualitative research cites process not result.
4. Data analysis tends to be proven.
5. In qualitative approach the meaning is something important (essential)
Semi says (1993: 23) that the object of research is a literary work that is always associated with the human mind and human creativity and art. With a qualitative approach all humanities, including literature, can be answered and analyzed as well as possible.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 3.3. Data Analyzing Procedure
The last procedure in doing this thesis is analyzing the data. In analyzing the data, the descriptive analysis method is used. According to Ratna (2004:53), the descriptive analysis method is a method which describes facts which are followed by analysis. This method is not only to describe the facts, but also to give adequate understandings and explanations towards the facts.
Therefore, this last procedure is the process of describing the collected data and analyzing them. The data included are the significant things which are related to materialism portrayed in JhonPassos’ novel and MoctharLubis’ novel, such as materialism make person to be ambitious, money oriented and corruption to get more money.
Since mimetic and expressive theory, which will prove that the novel wants to imitate the real condition of the society and put it into the novels and which will also show that the novels are the results of the novel’s imagination and experience, are used in analyzing this thesis, all the collected data from the novels will be described and analyzed well. This is intended to support and prove what has been stated in the objectives of this thesis and finally the conclusions can be drawn from the analysis.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
4.1. Materialism in Twilight in Jakarta
Twilight in Jakarta is a vivid and compassionate dissection of the social and political life of Jakarta in the formative years after independence. This important book reveals the dark currents of poverty, corruption and vice which course just beneath the surface of one of the great cities of the Third World, where the lives of intellectuals, poets, essayists, sociologists, swaggering businessman and labor leaders are enmeshed with thugs, pickpockets, petty thieves, loan sharks, coolies and street people who live in grinding abysmal poverty.
The condition of society that tends to desire abundant material is a picture of materialism that can be found in this novel. Some people become more ambitious by making profit from many sources so that corruption is rampant to almost people’s mind.
Political life in the novel Twilight in Jakarta is also a condition of society that tends to be materialism because the relationship between human beings and the other become mutually beneficial relationship. The people involved in the party also have the opportunity to get excess material through the outcome of corruption.
In this novel, I found some characters who increasingly take the theme of materialism through their respective characters, for example: RadenKaslan, is a director of the largest company in Jakarta. Suryono is a very ambitious man and has a
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA college education to pick up his dreams and also some female figures such as Fatma and Hasna, who triggered the existence of materialism are involved in the novel.
RadenKaslan, a member of the Indonesia Party, is told by the party leader
HusinLimbara to raise funds for the next election. To do so, Kaslan creates fake companies to handle licensing of the import of goods with his second wife Fatma, son
Suryono and himself as a director. Through they are doing the found, they raise much money for themselves and making the party.
The author is really astute in describing 'naughty' dialog of officials who extort wealth for the sake of wealth from political view points. These three characters play a role in a big party that will lead the people and make Halim be considired as the owner of the media torch Merdeka coupled to a coalition. As proved in this following quotation:
“If the members of our party in positions o f authority will give their support it will not be too great a problem ,’ said Raden Kaslan. ‘Of all the economic sectors, the easiest to get money from is certainly the import sector.” (Twilight in Jakarta 1963: 70)
From the quotation above it can be seen that a party member can give great opportunities to be corrupt and get excess material. When high-ranking officials are busy to scrounge money by 'dirty' way, then it emerges the figures of Saimun and
Itam who are the rubbish collectors which their life getting dirty to get money every day. In this novel, the money is still in the cheap price. The author is familiarizing the reader with the rupiah currency. Five rupiah is as a salary of Saimun and Itam every day than a thousand rupiah is the officials' salaries.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA In another side, Suryono, a young civil servant, the son of RadenKaslan, a wealthy businessman and member of the ruling Indonesian Party has a very different way of life. Suryono does not need to work hard to comply with his hedonic lifestyle.
As he is trapped in the adventure of love with some women. He is free to make love with Fatma, her young stepmother, who is feel lonely left by RadenKaslan. He is also free to make love with Dahlia, a young woman who feels lovely caused by her husband, Idris going out of town to do his task.
Suryono grew up in a luxurious environment and he also inherited his father's ambitious nature. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“… also his son, Suryono. All they were out for was the money. One cannot blame people whose only aim is wealth so they can do what they like.” (Twilight in Jakarta 1963: 120)
The quotation can be seen that by desire to get the excess wealth, someone is willing to do any act and sometimes also violate the rules of the existing norms. It is obviously arises caused by natural ambition and desire by having a sense of dissatisfaction as the impact of man’s desire itself.
Because of father's urging, Suryono quits his job at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and soon becomes rich. He also becomes very promiscuous, having sex with high-class prostitutes, married women, and his own stepmother.
Meanwhile, honest government worker like Idrus is unable to compete. Idrus receives little compensation, and his materialistic wife Dahlia is having an affair with
Suryono. Dahlia can not get much money to buy her needs from her husband so that she has an affair with Suryono. As what has been should in this following quotation:
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA “From his wallet he took out two five-hundred-rupiah notes, placed them under the little plate which had served as ashtray and returned the wallet to the hip-pocket of his trousers.” (Twilight In Jakarta, 1963: 93)
The above quotation explains how Dahlia earned money after having sexual intercourse from Suryono until she can fulfill her needs. Money is considered a means of fulfilling the needs so that many people get whatever they want as long as they have a lot of money and they are also willing to do anything to get the money they want including selling their bodies.
Eventually, opposition newspapers uncover the corruption and fake companies used by the Indonesian Party. This causes the president to disband the cabinet and some members of the Indonesian Party join the opposition.
RadenKaslan is arrested, while Suryono and Fatma get into a car accident being escape till Suryono dies of his wounds and then the poor seem still suffer a lot.
Twilight in Jakarta begins with Saimun, Itam, and Neneng figures who are trapped by the harsh and cruel life of Jakarta. Theylive in hunger, ignored by the upper class. Despite the inequality, academics and cultural observers have nothing to do but they discuss the social woes; and never take action. As urbanists who are not armed with diplomas and skills, they can only work as garbage coolies with salary that is not enough to live a month. Though they are poor, they have dreams of a decent and happy life. Their perspective of happiness is very simple, as what has been should in this following quotation:
“….He bought himself one loose cigarette, feeling guilty and rather extravagant, but unible to resist the craving for
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the aroma of cloves from the cigarette. Calm now reigned in his heart and he felt at peace with the world and man, in his pocket were twenty-nine rupiah. He felt very rich.” (Twilight in Jakarta 1963: 22)
The above quotation explains how Saimun's condition there be can not, who stop smoking cigarettes though he knows that he is short of money. This is a condition of materialism shows that human needs depend on money to be able to buy the things they need.
Being adult, they also cannot forget the primitive instincts that must be channelled. Despite the poor life, Saimun and Itam could not escape from the temptations of lust. Neneng, is a young woman who lives in a garbage dump. How poor Saimun is, there to fulfill sexual passion, depicted by MochtarLubis from another point of view that seems far from the impression of pornography, although he is empahisized as poor as the superior recognition of a manas before. It can be seen in the following quotation:
“The more the woman moaned, the stronger he felt his maleness and power, and he was great and strong, and not a little garbage man of no significance.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 42)
The quotation above illustrates how the condition of materialism through the female side. They are willing to be paid with a certain price in order to gain the needs of their lives and it is an opportunity for men to show their power for they can easily choose which women can be invited to date according to their economic abilities.
This also shows the man’s confidence to economic fund chooses what types of women they want to fulfill their sexual desire.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Women become a means of satisfying the lust of a man even a garbage man who has only the least income can use the services of prostitutes to meet his sexual needs. There is no moral that can keep women from doing such unlawful work.
This condition of society is a very unfortunate to own the lives with the same, they should make money. Indicating the moral decadence to sell their bodies to the people they like.
The characters like Saimun, Suryono, Fatma, and Dahlia are involved in the affair, portrayed by the author as being, unabashedly, but not vulgar. They seem as if what they're doing was just a fun game, they do without love, and have a guilt feelings.
The affair occurred because of disrespecting in marriage, like Fatma who is married by RadenKaslan, potrayed as the one who is interested in money and luxury.
For Fatma, getting RadenKaslan is a way to stay alive and can get anything in the case of material that she needs while for RadenKaslan marries with Fatma is to achieve greatest prestige as a man showing that he is able to marry the woman whom he likes as what other men does. This illustrates how materialism makes a feeling of being empty in a person's heart even if he has earned a lot of money and marriage becomes unhappy because there is no longer love that should underlie the marriage.
Twilight in Jakarta seems to be an opaque portrait of Indonesian man, which takes the background of the early days of the finding of the Republic of Indonesia. As a new country, social, political, and economic life is in a state of chaos and uncertainty. The unstable conditions of government, the unresolved ideology of the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA state, and the arduous economy, ensnare the members of society to anarchy, and are urged to commit immoral acts.
The reason of party fundraising to prepare for elections, Indonesian Party people made a conspiracy by forming fictitious companies, with a 50% profit for the party and 50% entering a private enclave. This nefarious conspiracy originated from
HusinLimbara, the head of the Indonesian Party, who viewed the party as needing quick funds to face the election. The idea comes from RadenKaslan, a wealthy businessman who is also a member of the Indonesian Party. The creation of the fictitious business can come out thanks to Sugeng, a civil servant in the Ministry of
Economy.
Sugeng who is considered as an ordinary civil servant also wants a decent life for his family.Sugeng's involvement in the corruption practice is initially only to realize the promise to his wife that they already have their own home before their second baby was born into the world.The love and responsibility of Sugeng to make his wife happy and avoids to choose the wrong way. A costly life triggers his ambition to gain excess material by doing corruption as an option to get what he wants.
For him, corruption is the only way out to get a lot of material and to make his wife happy, Hasnah. As what can be proved in this following quotation:
“….I know that until now I have fought off every temptation with all my strength. But if Hasnah must have a house, and if the only way to get a house is corruption, then I will engage in corruption. For Hasnah, for the baby who will be born, my baby!” (Twilight in Jakarta 1963: 75)
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Through the quotation above we can see that materialism has been very bad forhumans since the corruption is the only option as a way of getting more material to meet the needs of mankind. A variety of ways that are prohibited precisely because of being achieved that can be taken to obtain maximum results.
In this section it is explained that Hasna thinks the measurement of happiness can be seen through the possession of a house, that’s why Sugeng who feels responsible for his wife's happiness decides to choose the path of corruption in order to immediately buy a home for Hasnah and his son. This is example of materialism because in materialism mentioned that when a person wants to get what he wants so he must do many things even though doing the forbidden and not considering the consequences of his treatment.
In this novel, the image of materialism is written through conflicts such as corruption, prostitution and adultery. This happens for reasons of economic urgency that trigger the nature of materialism in the characters present in this novel. An unhappy marriage because initially is seen from the material side makes a person feels empty and does not appreciate his marriage. There is also, a sense of love and responsibility to his family to take a part in doing to get happiness and to fulfill in the needs of his family quickly and easily. Then women become immoral and sell their bodies to rich men to get money for luxury. The writer then explains in more detail about the impact of materialism that occurred in the Novel Twilight in Jakarta.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 4.1.1. The Impact of Materialism on Personal Character
The author of novel Twilight in Jakartacan find some of the figures who have ambitious soul to get the excess material and also the more feasible lives than ever before. such as,RadenKaslan,Suryono, Saimun, Itam, and others.
Suryono as a child of a conglomerate members of the government party lives in luxury every day and all the amenities acquired easily because he has a rich parents named Raden Kaslan, a trademan and a member of a major party in Indonesia led by a man named Husin Limbara. As stated in this following quotation:
“Raden Kaslan worked as director of the trading company Bumi Aju and was a member o f the council of the Indonesian Party. Formerly he had been a government official, but after the transfer of sovereignty he withdrew from the bureaucracy which did not offer him the desired satisfaction.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 25) The quotation above shows that materialism makes people become more and more ambitious and do not feel satisfied. And this may be the factual identity of a person like Raden Kaslan, who is initially a Public Servant is not satisfied with his work so that he chooses to be a Member of the Board. Raden Kaslan is a figure who has a strong soul of ambition as other seen. Being rich and active as a party official, he has been successful and can have anything he wants including beautiful woman whom he wants and then be his wife as has been quotation in this following:
“….He was too ostentatious about what he could get with all his money. As though just having money let him do anything he pleased, even buy a person entirely.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 178)
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA From the quotation, we can see the impact of materialism in RadenKaslan’s life, a party member with a lot of money assumes that his money can buy whatever he wants including the women he likes. This is a negative impact because having a lot of money makes us no longer have feelings even assume the women can be bought with the money his have.
It is also elaborate how raden kaslan has a feeling by processing much he can do everything what he likes as to be his wife. This kind of attitude illustration the negative impact of an ambitious spirit that make a person becomes arogant and feels that he can ampanage everything he likes. In Fact, it is naturally if this will be a sample for man, who has been ambitious so as to make other people be more ambitious to gain the property as they wish in lives. In other quotation, it is seen the same thing as the quotation below:
“….The more I withdrew from him the more he longed to dominate me.He married me not because he loved me or cared for me, or because he really desired me passionately.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 178)
And we also can see from this quotation:
“….But it seems that your father gets satisfaction from having a young and good-looking wife, is pleased to hear his friends admire her beauty and to see how other men are trying to approach me. Your father is satisfied; he knows that he owns something that many others would enjoy having.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 178)
From the quotations above we can analyze that ambitious nature can not give a sense of satisfaction in getting things that they want. Raden Kaslan is willing to pay much for Dahlia, his wife. Dahlia also knows that Kaslan raden’s desire marries her
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA not for love but because of her beauty that used to be loved and liked by many people.
Materialism also creates a competition in the fight for the desired thing; it could be an object, vehicles and also women. We also can find it in character like
RadenKaslan who has a lot of money and he can get everything also can be buy a women by the money he has.
For man, he can add a sense of prestige and pride of being able to get a beautiful woman. Therefore, men usually want to spend a lot of money to get a woman that they want. This kind of case is the impact of materialism that we can find through women who no longer have feelings of love in having relationships because they only expect a lot of money from the men.
Every human is living in economic situation. The goal of economic efforts is to give satisfaction for human need. Every human requires at least a minimum of clothes, clothing and housing. All physical needs are basic for human's living. In the other word, every human is regared as materialistic since needs material as an important thing for survival.
On the other quotation it is found and comfortable shelter as well more ambitious caused dissatisfaction as has been proved in this following quotation:
“Well, there’re all sorts of people in the world. No one’s satisfied. The rich ones want more power, the rich ones want more wealth.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 152)
It is very sad if all humans are to be like that, some puts his own desires and never feels satisfied with what he has previously earned with hard work. Here is the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA bad impact of matrealism on the social life of the next. Human is no longer humanizing others because it concerns with his own desires and increasingly pursue what the do get.
Materialism can also make a person be more ambitious to get a better life. It can be realized through the treasures collected from the job. Workingharder will generate more material. The fulfillment of the needs leads man to many ways in order to get the money which can be used to buy the needs. No matter, whether it is right or wrong to get it well as long as it does not break the moral value. Naturally, they much mosly hurt and make others victim tograp money for the sake of their needs, and this will load to the lost in humanity.
After getting all what someone wants, he or she will become more money- oriented. So, they think that everything is more precious than the price they can pay.
So as to price how wealthy person they are and show their social class. As the rich existence to associate with other wealthy among where they live in.
Material is a certain need in human life. If they want it, they have to work, if they want to get another material, they can be bartering their material with another one who wants it. Money is an easy mediator to change the material. And money is out come from the result of working, and then it can be used to change with their material wanted.
4.1.2. The Impact of Materialism on Social Group
The chaotic of political and social situation in Indonesia in the 1950s is the reason why the author wanted to convey through this novel. Thus, it can be interpreted that Twilight in Jakarta arose from the influence of the chaotic of
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA economic and social conditions in Indonesia during those years. MochtarLubis is known as a journalist and an author who is able to elaborate his anxiety about the state of society through Twilight in Jakarta
In the novel Senja di Jakarta, corruption is materialism impact that is most commonly found. In figures Raden Kaslan and Saryono, we can see how the corruption occurs. For example, how Suyono do the corruption within the party or how Sugeng who ultimately chooses corruption as a shortcut to get more material for making his wife happy. Corruption is a matter that can cause adverse impacts because humans indirectly has been enslaved by the passions over the material of world so that choose the corruption as way of fulfilling their needs. As the following quotation in the novel Senja di Jakarta:
“….So it’s clear that capitalism directly enslaves the human soul, and that from such a system of production inevitably arise all sorts of crises,” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 53)
The outline of the story in the novel is corruption. It carried out by the main character in this novel, Suryono who is a worker at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with the other figures of such as Raden Kaslan, Suryono’s father and director of
"Bumi Ayu" and also a member of the Party of Indonesia and his colleagues. Husin
Limbara who serves as chairman of the Party of Indonesia.
Materialism causes people to think only material and worldly happiness.
There many ways so to get everything such as to work hard by doing corruption as a shortcut to get everything. Even some of them just think of themselves without knowing where the money comes from.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA “….Hundreds of millions were divided up at the Centre among the party big-shots for buying or setting up some large enterprises, but year after year a few pitiful tens of thousands for a small clinic ‘couldn’t be spared” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 192)
In the above quotation, we can see how materialism that causes corruption occurs everywhere precisely affects the greed and selfishness of some who do not think about the other side. In this case, it is explained how the disbursement of funds is not evenly or precisely stopped because of the development to raise the existing companies so as to forget the more important small things such as the development of polyclinics whose benefits are known and very useful for many people.
It is clear that corruption is started from people who are already in the party.
So that it can more easily help profits that will be resulted from the import sector.As seen in the following quotation:
“As deserving activists of the party, you both are again entitled to the party’s support. You will find inside two hundred rupiah for each of you, brothers. (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 118)
One of materialism phenomenon that will we criticise is corruption. The word of corruption is deeply embedded in our minds. Hearing the word is automatically raises negative connotations or understanding in our minds. Corruption comes from the Latin is 'corruptio'. Transparency International translatse corruption as a form of behavior or the behavior of public officials, politicians or politicians, civil servants who are performed improperly or illegally with the aim to enrich themselves or anyone who close to them, by abusing public power which is entrusted to them
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA andthis can be seen in the Senja di Jakarta on Suyono’s character the son of Raden
Kaslan,a famous and rich man.As seen in the quotation:
“….Why didn’t I see how completely bourgeois someone like Suryono is? He goes on talking about the misery of the masses and the disintegration o f the state, but money’s really all he’s interested in. (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 165)
From the quotation above, it indicates that Suryono as if considering the interests of the people by creating new programs for the welfare of the people but the fact he wants the results of the excess so that it can be used as the increase of his personal wealth.
In this novel, it is also told that corruption is synonymous with government agencies. As an example, man can become rich by being a civil servant who is brave to corrupt and if he is seemed to be a honest he can not produce the material excess as in the quotation below:
“Of course! How true!’ said Suryono. ‘It’s silly for anyone to want to be a government official nowadays. But if he wanted he could get along nicely by accepting bribes.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 102)
The above quotation explains that social life being a public servant gives opportunities to do corruption and gets a lot of money in the wrong way. That's why at that time many people want to be a civil servant as written in the novel Twilight in
Jakarta.
In social life in the novel Twilight in Jakarta, corruption is the impact of materialism and the writer founds that many of the perpetrators of corruption are from the lower that’s why they choose corruption as a shortcut to get their wishes while
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA officials who have a lot of wealth still process excess material that never make them satisfied of what they have get and that is regarded as the greediest person of property.
Suryono also becomes more ambitious in earning money so that he can run the life well without thinking about price of the goods he wants to buy, as has been described in the following quotation:
“He felt very pleased. H e’d had m any such experiences since he had become an importer. But this time it was really exceptionally good. Usually there was preliminary haggling. Always these money negotiations. For him, the mention of money beforehand always spoiled the later pleasure. He much preferred to pay more afterwards, provided the woman did not start by discussing prices as if she were nothing but a trader.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 80)
The quotation above can explain that every human being is potential to be ambitious in pursuing his desires but often someone’s excessively ambitious soul can ruin their lives. The ambitious nature can also lead to loss of norms and values which areprevailing in every human being because of just thinking the world that makes them forget God and all religious norms. The loss of religious norms in this quote we can see through how women appreciate themselves with a lot of money and the man also fulfills it because of a sense of satisfaction to have the woman.
In another part, the novel also tells how materialism has had a major impact on the moral decline of women. Many passages tell how a woman chooses to be someone who sells her body for money and can live with all the demands of a
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA lifestyle that comes from the social environment. This kind of thing one finds in the quote below:
“….In one shop her chance had seemed almost within grasp. While she was examining some cloth, a m an, w ith the appearance of someone with money, was standing next to her.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 76)
The above quote explains how women get what they want even just by blinking their eyes at the rich man who is certainly very passionate to beautiful women and can "buy" the woman with the money. This is clearly the negative impact of materialism that occurs on someone who has lost religious norms and moral decline himself.
“….Believe me, a young and pretty woman has no trouble making money if she’s prepared to use her body and beauty.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 178)
The quotation above explains how women rely on their beauty and body to earn money without having doing a more worthy and noble job to someone. This section explains that money can cause people do anything to get it, including an inappropriate work. This is a reflection of the moral damages of the nation, especially women who do not keep themselves and good name to get money to continue their life.
Money oriented can also take a look at the character of Sugeng in the novel
Twilight in Jakarta. Sugeng is a very ordinary civil servant who is dreaming of a decent life for the happiness of his wife, Hasnah. It can be seen in the following quotation:
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA “Sugeng shook the hand of the bureau chief and quickly went out. He was very happy— his salary would be higher and the chance for getting a house, as head of a section, would be greater. How pleased and happy Hasnah will be, a real professional advance.” (Twilight in Jakarta1963: 48)
Through the quotation above we can conclude that happiness is measured from the nature of the material, such as a home and pay more. Therefore, Sugeng wants to get a larger salary than before so that he can make his wife happy. This is definitely shows one of the materialisms that can be seen in the novel Twilight in
Jakarta.
Money oriented tends to nature value on an object can help the rise of social class in society. In some quotations, we can see how the characters in Twilight in
Jakarta spend time together in banquets dinner with expensive foods and drinks.
Having a lot of money also makes a feel that they can have everything. When everything is measured with money and think of anything else or the feelings of others for the happiness that people gets.It can be seen in the following quotation:
“He felt with pleasure the weight of the wallet in his hand. Ah, this is a good life, went through his head. Plenty of money, plenty of women, no worries. What else could one wish?” (Twilight In Jakarta, 1963: 92)
Satisfaction is judged by how much money you have and can buy whatever you want, such as a good car, expensive clothes, dream house and the most beautiful woman. Women have also been appreciated as goods are traded and valued with a certain number so that people who have a lot of money can do anything he wants.
The picture of materialism that the writer can identify in this section is an important point because a family life is very supportive of one's development and the
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA need to live. This is clearly the impact of materialism that makes a person more ambitious to fulfill his or her needs. Thus choosing bad ways to fulfill everything including corruption indicate bad deeds. In addition, a sense of responsibility and love for the family is also one of the factors supporting someone to do something, including to make their family happy though it in regarded wrong way.
4.2. Materialism in The Big Money
The novel is about the story of materialism. The Big Moneyalso tells how a person is ambitious is also a thing reconsidering as a trigger materialism. So as to show, the figures like Charley Anderson a precedent ambitious character. Charley
Anderson, who is a mechanic has a dream to become richer and has abundant material. Therefore, the efforts he do in to realize his dream.
According to Oxford Learner’s Dictionary (1991:12) mentioned that ambition is strong desire to be successful. We are as a human being sometime had an ambition to achieve, but if we are too hopeful to get what we want whereas we are lacking of education or it is not suitable with our ability, it can influence the failure of our struggle in reaching our dream.
In this novel, Charley Anderson's life is a picture of materialism. As a means of having an ambition to gain a better life and a more secure job. In his family life, he is a character deals with others to gain profit used is from or mutual benefit.
Other people seem to judge the level of one's wealth through the goods used is from the branded of clothes, bags and vehicles. People become more inclined to think about appearance and prestige to gain recognition from their social environment. This
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA also resulted in the occurrence of social classes that grouped communities into groups based on the goods they used.
The Big Money deals with the bright illusion of the American dream: In this land of opportunities, everyone can have the lives they want. Jobs are plentiful, home is more than a roof and four walls, and every American can own a Tin Lizzie. World
War I had made people weary, wounded, and looking for a better future. Emerging victorious from battles overseas, "America the Beautiful" beckons. But the pursuit of big money does not lead to contentment, companionship, or consciousness.
Charley Anderson leaves the war as a hero and dies as a pathetic businessman after getting hit by a train. Richard Ellsworth Savage is a junior public relations executive looking to make the big money. For them, the American dream is not a possibility but a given. All work hard, sacrificing intimacy and love for success; they only have one goal: money. Unfortunately, money slips through their fingers as quickly as they can make it.
So when Charley Anderson arrived in New York and saw many buildings, ships as well as the progress of the country's development that offered success dreams for ambitious people until finally enslaved by money.Reflected to the problem is directed to Charley in The Big Money:
“Charley shook his head. “I got a long ways to go yet before I go home. I know what I’ll do when I get there.” (The Big Money, 1930: 30)
From the quotation above it is concluded that Charley is a character who has ambitions for success, in this case has much moneybecause mostly people assume
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA that successful is identified with having much money and he thinks that New York is the right place to realize all his dreams about success.
In this novel, New York is described as a place that offers millions of big dreams of people who want to success. The construction of luxurious buildings, rapid economic growth and technological advances are very helpful to people in realizing their big dream in New York.It can be seen in the quotation below:
“…. A red ferryboat crossed their bow. To the right there was a line of four-and-five masted schooners at anchor, beyond them a squarerigger and a huddle of squatty Shipping Board steamers, some of them still striped and mottled with camouflage. Then dead ahead, the up and down gleam in the blur of the tall buildings of New York.” (The Big Money, 1930:31)
And we also can see from this quotation:
“…. New York’s a great life if you don’t weaken. Here, I’ll show you where you can clean up.” (The Big Money, 1930: 81)
From the quotations above we can see that Charley Anderson's ambition to change lives was better when he arrived in New York and saw that the development of the area was advanced enough to make it easier for people to earn more money through the various jobs that were there.
Materialistic society is marked by competition. Competition is the biggest problem. Business pay attention to get profit as much as they can. They look for cheap human power to hire and this attitude lead to great competition among the worker. Charley Anderson actually apprises this problem. He move from one company to another company again and again for he want the owner pay him probably. He thinks as engineer he should be pay more than another worker.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Along the road ofachieves their dreams, the characters become sidetracked by lust, greed, and other vices. Dos Passos shows the gradual decay of the American dream such as ambition and selfishness that lead to bad decisions, tunnel vision, and a loss of direction. Alcohol and sex are used to erase feelings of emptiness and loneliness.It can be seen in the quotation below:
“He had to get some liquor for the girl to cheer up and that started him off again. Next day he woke up late feeling too lousy to go out to the plant, all he wanted to do was drink, so he hung around all day drinking gin and bitters.” (The Big Money, 1930: 221)
The quotation above describes how when a person witha lot of money but it can make a person feel alone and need sex and alcohol to repel all their saturation and loneliness. This is an example in materialistic condition because when someone is looking for a lot of money but they forget the best way to calm down after he has worked.
The American dream deteriorates, as the quest for a happy ending makes a tragic turn. Like Dos Passos' repeated images of Florida, the American dream glitters like paradise, but is emotional chaos built on water and sand.
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals
(democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.
The American dream also make materialistic society. It is characterized when a person becomes money-oriented, controlled by money and judges someone from what they use.When this happens the dangers of materialism pose a great threat
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA because the people will not use their hearts and think of others in order to achieve their goals to do anything despite breaking prohibited rules.
Charley Anderson, an upstanding young mechanic who earned the Croix de
Guerre during the War. Though Anderson starts out a simple mechanic, his longing for the American dream pushes him to a bigger and better career in aviation. Success, greed, and lust quickly lead to Charley's downfall.
Dos Passos uses biographical pieces about famed inventors Henry Ford,
Frederick Winslow Taylor, and Thorstein Veblen to put Charley's unhappy tale in context. The Big Money also showcases Dos Passos' subjective, stream-of- consciousness invention, the Camera Eye. Expressing an autobiographical viewpoint of sorts, the Camera Eye offers a fluid, first-person look at the world.
4.2.1. The Impact of Materialism on Personal Character
Human needs have functioned to help the human survive and live. The time is changing and so are the human needs. In the beginning, they just need food, clothes and shelter from the weathers but by the development of human civilization, they need a lot of needs for their life such as variety flavor of food, lavish house, sophisticated vehicles to ride, or most fashionable clothes to wear and to get those things man needs to have a lot of money to buy those things. Based on those matters, many people try to get better life to fulfill their needs.
The materialism is a social phenomenon that we often encounter in daily life.
This phenomenon occurs because the human nature who want to obtain excess material. This should be supported also by other human characteristics such as
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA ambition. Ambition is a trait that basically exists in every human mind and not always be negative. Many people have interpreted ambition is coming through the negative sense besides considering as one's desire to achieve something. So as a matter of fact, many people take the wrong way to get what they want. As a result of negative impact.
“Boy seeking future offered opportunity, good position for bright, chance for advancement, boy to learn, errand boy, office boy.” (The Big Money, 1936: 52) The above quotation describes how someone is very eager to get a change of a better future by doing any work as messengers and others. This section clearly describes how a person's determination to get a better position than what he has got right now. This is a positive example that we can take from the one who has ambition in life.
“They were hard workers: in another years they had saved up money to preempt a claim on a hundred and sixty acres of uncleared land in Sheboygan Country.” (The Big Money, 1936: 115)
To be ambitious is also one of the characteristics of a hard worker who always try to get more than what is gained by someone and it is clearly stated in the above quotation about the hard workers try to keep their money in order to get things that theywant. In another sentence:
“But what i want to do is get mine as soon as possible, i have a proposition in the east i want to put some money in.” (The Big Money, 1936: 66)
The above quotation explains that the desire to get money is as example to show a person who is ambition so as to have a more abundant source of funds. This is
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA a positive example of someone’s ambition, who wants excess material. In materialism phenomenon, the nature of ambition is one factor supporting a person becomes materialism. Caused by the passion and a strong desire to get material thatabundantby doing wrong deeds.
In the other parts it is also told that Charlie had to provide amount of money to be handed to the landlady so that he could continue to live. In part of this, it is written that Charlie must have ten dollars. It is clearly writing about how money oriented obviously be important part of this novel, how to continue live we must have the money and handed it over to the landlady. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“….But now u’ve got to have ten dollars this week or the landlady will put me out and I don’t know what will become of me.” (The Big Money, 1936: 102)
In this section was made clearly how everything was oriented toward money and material. In character of Charlie is also described how to be a person who does not have a lot of money and had to survive in a social environment.It is also the impact of materialism because it creates competition to survive and get a decent place to live so it must have a lot of money to get it.
To get his needs, Charley performs various jobs. His ambitious also makes him dissatisfied with what he had got. Things like this can be found in the following quote:
“He'd worked at the repair shop for two weeks before he found out that the foreman run a poker game every payday in a disused office in the back of the building.” (The Big Money, 1930:97)
And we also can see from this quotation:
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA “I sure would like to get a job where I could keep my hands clean. (The Big Money, 1930: 99)
From the quotations above we can analyze that Charley Anderson Charley
Anderson was never satisfied with what he had found. He always wanted a better job in order to get a better life and earn more money.Charley did everything he could to earn a lot of money even sometimes he decided to play gambling to get a lot of money.As described in the quotation below:
“….He had a draft for three hundred bucks he'd saved out of his pay, for yellow backed twenties in the wallet in his inside pocket he'd won at poker on the boat.” (The Big Money, 1930: 37)
From the quotation above we can conclude that someone becomes willing to do anything as long as can get a lot of money. Someone also becomes more dare to do anything because wanting a lot of money. As noted in the above quote, Charley
Anderson plays gambling in order to earn a lot of money while gambling is a thing that is forbidden by religious and legal norms but money makes person forget the religious and legal norms so willing to do anything for the money.
Charley returns to New York. He runs out of money and needs to find something to "tide [him] over" until his big plans come to fruition. He dates Doris
Humphries and asks her to "hold off on the other guys for a little while" until he becomes financially secure. She declines. Charley joins a poker game at the repair shop where he works and saves some of his winnings. He also dates Eveline Hutchins
Johnson, Al's sister-in-law, and at the same time, receives a letter from Emiscah, who asks for money. Not wanting to commit to any of these women, Charley uses his poker winnings to "arrange meetings with agreeable young women."
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Basically every human being has the nature of ambitious, but some of them are already out of control so they cannot control themselves in pursuit of something and do everything in order to get what they want. This is what we call a negative impact,especially on materialism phenomenon due to get material abundance.
Someone justifies any ways in the process of getting what he wants
Human thinks that material can give them a lot of satisfaction. They can get popularity, achievement, prosperity and respect from other human with material success. Since human only focuses on material and the way how to get the material to get the happiness and success, and some people choose the wrong way against the moral values. It becomes no matter right or wrong as long as they get their purpose, in this occasion, material success.
4.2.2. The Impact of Materialism on Social Group
In The Big Money novel, materialism can also be found in the life of the main character family, namely: Charley Anderson. It was told that he had a conflict with his brother, Jim. In this section is told how the greedy nature of a person can lead to bad things even in the family environment. The seizure of inheritance after the
Mother passed away became the trigger of the strong soul of materialism in the character of this novel.
In this novel also found a conflict that triggered a fight within the family, it started from Charley who was angry because his rights were taken by his brother.
Through the passage, the authors analyze that greed in the matter of property in causing divisions within the family. This is clearly the nature of materialism that
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA desires to process and make much money in any way including taking away its rights.As described in the quotation below:
“Charley said he’s sign a power of attorney for Jim if he’d lend him five hundred dollars right away.” (The Big Money, 1936: 66)
The above quotation explains how cunningly Jim did to Charley. He did not even give Charley the right to get Charley to beg for a loan of five hundred dollars and replace it with a signature on the power of attorney that what Jim want.
Jim's cunning nature that exploits Charley is a negative impact of materialism occurring within their family. This certainly make Charley angry and finally chose to leave his family and went out of town to start a new life.
After Charley’s mother dies, Jim coerces him into signing a power-of-attorney deed to manage his share of the estate; Jim intends to use the whole estate to pull his dealership back into profitability. Charley, angry, takes a small lump sum and leaves for New York, where he is supposed to start a business for airplane parts with a wartime buddy.
Materialism also makenegative impact on Charley’s family life. Charley
Anderson felt alienated by his family, he did not feel part of the family. This is because Charley Anderson lost his job and became worthless in his family.As described in the quotation below:
“….First I lost my job and things have been so slack around here this summer. I haven’t been able to get another. The Family won’t do anything because they’ve been listening to some horrid lying stories too silly to deny.” (The Big Money, 1930: 102)
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA The above quotation explain how his disappointment to his family did not want to do anything or just sympathize with his disaster, such as the loss of work.
This is one of the impacts of materialism that is when a person is judged by how much money he have and what work he do. So, when a person is without money and loses his job make he becomes meaningless even in his own family.
In the novel, Charley has relationships with many women but it is not based on a love because women are no longer as a complement to the life of men but also a tool of satisfaction for desire then it tends to choose women based on beauty and pay the woman at an agreed price. As described in the quotation below:
“….There things you can’t get anywhere else in the world a good cocktail, a decent breakfast, an American Girl.” (The Big Money, 1936: 39)
From the quotation above we can conclude that women have also been judged as an object that can make their owners feel happy and satisfied, women are likened to cocktails that even the pleasure and the excess of women can only be found in certain areas, such as America.
The womensin this novel is a picture of the life of materialism. It makes them do anything to get much money. The spread of many places of entertainment and women is the cause of the increasing value of prostitution. The men seek pleasure through women by paying them and the woman gets the money from the men.
The novel The Big money can also be found a few quotes that could reinforce the notion that materialism can lead to prostitution to be easy. It can see in Charley’s figures contained in this novel.As described in the quotation below:
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA “….Look out for the women, Charley. If they think you’ve got anything they’ll hold on to you like a leech.” (The Big Money, 1936: 64)
The above quotation explains how women can be entangled with a man like leeches who are sucking the blood and he thinks that he had it all.
As described in the quotation above how a woman could like leeches which are continue patching and sucking blood for men who have a lot of money. This section is very clear indeed tells how women behave money oriented even on personal matters such as this. How all value oriented on amount of nominal money.
This obviously leads to the case of a person in terms of material because by having the material, one can get whatever he wants in this world.As described in the quotation below:
“….He sat there listening to the dance tunes, looking at the silk stockings and the high heels and the fur coats and the pretty girls faces pinched a little by the wind as they came in off the street” (The Big Money, 1936: 37) The above quotation explains how the glamorous life decoys women, therefore the women are trying to prey on a lot of the rich man in order to meet their needs. Dissatisfaction in getting things also led the women to follow the materialism understanding and always looking for the men who have a lot more money than the previous until finally the women are always moving from these men to other men.
The habits of people seeking pleasure outside home like dinner at a cafe or dating a woman of his choice are also the images of materialism it can concluded that a person is assumed has a better life viewed for his or her social environment, to
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA whom he or she associated with. The things like this can be seen in the following passage:
“…. found the a table next to the dancefloor in the stuffy little cabaret hot from the spotlights and the cigarette smoke and the crowded dancers. They ordered more whiskey and Welsh rabbits.” (The Big Money, 1936: 89)
The quotation above describes how social life is happen in expensive places like cafes, discotheques and pubs. Intercourse is more often done by inviting friends to eat or drinking beer in cafe and certainly spend a lot of money to buy whiskey and other expensive foods.
The ability of man to invite to have date with women is also a kind of symbol of wealth because with the money he can choose any woman he wants to date. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“When he want to get Doris to take her out to dinner one evening in early May. Doris went out and half an hour later came back in a pearl gray street dress. A maid followed her in with a tray with cocktailshaker and glasses.” (The Big Money, 1936: 94)
The above quotation describes how a man can invite a woman to date at a cafe and buy expensive food and drinks to increase his level of status pride as a man and appreciate the woman at the right price. The condition like this is an example of materialistic society life that we can see until now for money becomes the main capital to socialize, including to get friend for a date.
Lifestyle is also increasing, so as to meet the colleagues are no longer at home and as a matter of fact they meet at the cafe with whiskey treats that cost so expensive and this can also be regardedto improve a person's social class caused by association.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1. Conclusion
Based on the Analysis and Findings in Chapter IV, the writer concludes that there are similarities in motifs found in the two novels as well as the differences. In this study, the writer looks at intrinsic elements of the novel to look at how the novels are similar and different to each other. This involves looking at the characters, plot, setting, theme, style, and point of view. Moreover, the study also involves looking at other aspects like history, society to support the idea how those aspects affect the whole idea of the novels.
The conclusions are presented into tables dividing similarities and differences of materialism in The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta as well as elements of the novel; looking at the plot, setting of place, characters, point of view, theme, and motifs. Both novels also showed that materialism make some impact like: Money
Oriented, corruption, prostitution and ambitious. a. The Similarities and Differences of Elements of the Novel
Throughout the analysis the elements of the two novels that the writer comes across are listed below. These elements found in the two novels show how they different and similar to each other.
1. The Two novels, The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta have linear plot. Both stories did involve a flashback of events, however, the stories were moving through series of events.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA 2. The two novel were taken in different places. The Big Money takes place in
America whilst Twilight in Jakarta took place in Indonesia.
3. Main characters of both novels were men; however, they have same characteristics that ambitious to get more money.
4. The Two novels have similar theme which is materialism, the people always want to get more money and be money oriented for everything they will get.
5. The Two novels have similar problem about a woman who wants a lot of money so willingly sell herself with rich men or marry rich men without being based on the love.
6. The Two novels have similarities in the division of the story into sections that are interspersed with stories of various characters in it.As described in the table below:
1. Tabel of Element novel in Twilight in Jakarta and The Big Money
NO. ELEMENT TWILIGHT IN JAKARTA THE BIG MONEY
RadenKaslan, Suryono, Charley Anderson, Jimmy, 1 Character Fatma, Hasnah, Ise, Saimun Marry, Doris, Emicash, and Itam. Eveline.
2 Setting Indonesia America
3 Theme Materialism Materialism
4 Plot Progressive Progressive
5 Point Of View A third-person narrator A third-person narrator
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA A very chaotic political conflict can be bad for all things whether it's the Someone's dream to change economy or other things that his life for the better can 6 Message eventually trigger the also be bad if not done tension that causes the seriously. country's chaotic atmosphere.
In both novels, Twilight in Jakarta and The Big Money tells about how the main character gets a lot of money because money is the ultimate goal and the symbol of happiness in life because of the similarity of motifs in the novel Twilight in
Jakarta and The Big Money, the authors draw the conclusion that the influence and influenced in the writing of two literary works. This can be seen from the year of publication of novels and certain parts of the novel, such as: the use of radio to provide information, women who pursue money through rich men by doing anything including selling themselves and also from the structure in the novel.
Many passages tell how a person becomes money oriented so as to judge someone by what they use and controlled by money.As described in the table below:
2. Table of How To Get Money in Twilight in Jakarta and The Big Money
How to get No Twilight in Jakarta The Big Money money
Corruption occurs in the Corruption occurs through 1 Corruption work team and also in the activities in various parties environment of the senate
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Women who want money Some female characters who from rich men have become 2 Prostitution choose to sell themselves to the identity of female meet the necessities of life. characters in this novel.
The main character in this Every character in this novel novel has a desire to get a always wants a better job so 3 Occupation better job so keep trying keep trying to go to the next new things and move the level. job.
Materialism creates a materialistic society that gives much social impact.As described in the table below:
3. Tabel of Impact For Materialism in Twilight in Jakarta and The Big Money
Impact For No Twilight In Jakarta The Big Money Materialism Corruption and Corruption and 1 Moral Degradation Prostitution Prostitution There was an affair with Division of inheritance led 2 Family another man who had more to conflicts within the money. family
Having analyzed the data of this analysis, it is concluded that materialism in the novel The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta bring the characters to fail down. In the novel The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta, the materialism of each character lead them into sense of human degradation like unfaithful, unrespectable of marriage, look down to others, arrogant, and cold hearted. It direct human into emptiness satisfaction of happiness with material success.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA Human needs always develop time to time. At the beginning, human uses material to survive in life. By the development of human civilization, human needs variety flavors of food, large convenient house and sophisticated vehicles. People never get enough, they always have something they want to and become greedy. They do anything to get the material success even they have to do things against moral values of a human being. It is obviously material possession brings dark side of human itself.
It is ironic because material satisfaction is only empty happiness. Love and happiness still can not be bought even how much money people spent. Human thinks if they have material success, it will give them honor, popularity, achievement and respect from others so they can get happiness.
In this research, the writer also concluded that inspiration influenced by writer of novel The Big Money to Writer of novel Twilight in Jakarta, this matter supported by existence of equality of some part in both novel such as: existence of radio usage in dissemination of politics in both novel, Rampant entertainment that promises the sheer pleasure of women who can be paid for a certain price and from the publishing time in both novels. The Big Money novel is published much earlier than the novel
Twilight in Jakarta. But to be sure of some of these things, more research is needed to find out.
5.2 SUGGESTION
The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta are very interesting novels to study further. There are a lot of things can be observed from these novel. Thus, it is suggested to those who are interested in studying literature and interested of novel to
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA make other analysis of the novel, The Big Money and Twilight in Jakarta so that they can improve their literary knowledge in studying the novel.
Comparative literature would help readers to open up their eyes and look at different national literary works which represent the respective society whichpossibly have the same social problems. Finally, we can conclude that similar thingsdo happen in different places, yet we only realize it if we try to look at them closelyand wisely.
Therefore, the authors of the two novels help people to see the possibleissue on materialism in society.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA REFERENCES
Damono, SapardiDjoko. 1979. SosiologiSastraSebuahPengantarRingkas. Jakarta: PusatPembinaandanPengembanganBahasa DepartemenPendidikandanKebudayaan.
Endraswara, Suwardi. 2011. MetodologiPenelitianSastra. Yogyakarta: CAPS
Kasim, Razali.2005. Introduction to Literature. Medan: USU Press.
Kasim, Razali. 1996. SastraBandingan. Medan: USU Press
Lange, Friedrich A. 1925.The History of Materialism. New York, Harcourt, Brace, &Co.
Lubis, Mocthar. 1992. Senja Di Jakarta. Jakarta: Pustaka Jaya.
Lubis, Mochtar, 1963. Twilight In Jakarta: Hutchinson of London.
M Atar. 1993. MetodePenelitian Sastra. Bandung: Angkasa.
Passos, John Dos. 1936. The Big Money. America: The New American Library.
Ratna, DR.Nyoman Kutha.2003. ParadigmaSosiologiSastra. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar.
Roberts, Edgar V. 1993. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Taylor, Richard. 1981. Understanding the Elements of Literature, London: Macmillan Press Ltd.
Totosy, Steven. 1998. Comprative Literature, Theory, Method and Application. Textext.
Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. 1963. Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt, Brace Javanovich. www.marxist.com
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA APPENDIX
Appendix 1: Biography of Mochtar Lubis
MochtarLubis born on 7 March 1922 in Padang, was an Indonesian Batak journalist and novelist who co-founded Indonesia Raya. His novel Senja di Jakarta
(Twilight in Jakarta in English) was the first Indonesian novel to be translated into
English. He was a critic of Sukarno and was imprisoned by him.
As a child, Lubis wrote children's stories which were published in Sinar Deli, a Medan-based newspaper. When he was an adolescent, Mochtar Lubis often trekked into the jungles of Sumatra. Lubis later wrote that two events during this period, seeing a well-built yet abandoned hut and having a close call with a tiger, served partly as his inspiration for Harimau! Harimau!
After graduating from high school, Lubis worked as a teacher in Nias, North
Sumatra. However, after a year he left for Batavia, where he worked at a bank.
When World War II broke out and the Japanese occupied Indonesia in 1942, Lubis began working for the Japanese, translating international news for the Japanese army.
After Indonesia declared its independence in 1945, Lubis joined the Indonesian news agency Antara as a reporter. With Antara, he covered the Asian Relations
Conference in 1947. During this same period he wrote Jalan Tak Ada Ujung and joined the Indonesian Visual Artists Association
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA In 1949, Lubis cofounded Indonesia Raya, later serving as the daily's chief editor.
His work with Indonesia Raya led to him being imprisoned numerous times for his critical writing, including in Madiun, East Java, from 1957 – 1966. In 1955, while editor of Indonesia Raya, Lubis hosted the African American author Richard Wright during his three weeks in Indonesia to attend the Bandung Conference. Indonesia
Raya published several articles related to Wright during April and May 1955.
On 4 February 1975, Lubis was arrested in relation to the 1974 riots during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka: Indonesia Raya was also shut down not long after the riots due to their reporting of the Pertamina corruption scandal. Lubis spent over two months in Nirbaya prison without trial and was released on 14 April 1975. He noted that other prisoners, such as former Indonesian
Air Force chief Omar Dani, had been imprisoned without trial for years.
Lubis founded and co-founded numerous magazines and foundations, including the Obor Indonesia Foundation in 1970, Horison magazine, and the
Indonesian Green Foundation.Lubis was also outspoken about the need for freedom of the press in Indonesia and gained a reputation as an honest, no-nonsense reporter.
In 2000, he was named as one of the International Press Institute's 50 World Press
Freedom Heroes of the past 50 years.
After a long struggle against Alzheimer's disease Lubis died in Medistra Hospital on 2 July 2004 at age 82. He was buried next to his wife in JerukPurut Cemetery. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including journalists and writers Rosihan Anwar,
AristiddesKatoppo and Ramadhan KH.
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Appendix 2: Biography of John Passos
John Dos Passos was born John Roderigo Madison in Chicago on January 14,
1896, the illegitimate son of Lucy Addison Sprigg Madison, from Petersburg,
Virginia, and John Randolph Dos Passos, a corporation lawyer in New York. In his infancy, John traveled with his mother throughout Europe: he later described this period of his life as something of a "hotel childhood." As a result, French was his first spoken language.
He returned to the United States at the age of five, still living with his mother, whose health had begun to deteriorate due to a stroke two years before. The following year, it was back to Europe, where his mother felt more comfortable. At this point, John came down with rheumatic fever (most likely), an illness with which he would have to cope again and again throughout his life. He attended school in England, then traveled back to America to enroll in Choate.
In 1920, he published his first novel, One Man's Initiation, based on wartime experiences. A second war-related work followed: Three Soldiers, published in 1921 and a resounding success. After traveling to Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara, where he was struck by the horrors of the Turkish-Greek War, and writing a collection of poetry, Dos Passos began work on Manhattan Transfer. Before it was published, in
1925, he suffered a renewed bout of rheumatic fever. Though the book did help seal his literary reputation, spurred largely by the enthusiastic praise of the likes of
Sinclair Lewis, Manhattan Transfer received mixed reviews by and large.
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA His experiences in Europe contributed to his radicalism; in his early work,
Dos Passos was known for his commitment to leftist and progressive social politics.
Though he published more than 40 books, he is best known for his U.S.A. trilogy, which includes the novels The 42nd Parallel (1930), 1919 (1932), and The Big
Money (1936). Other early novels include Three Soldiers (1921) and Manhattan
Transfer (1925). Dos Passos’s second trilogy, District of Columbia (Adventures of a
Young Man, 1939; Number One, 1943; The Grand Design, 1949), signaled the beginning of his disillusionment with leftist politics and turn to politically conservative positions. His work, always insistently political, fell into semi-obscurity in the 1950s and ’60s.
Though Dos Passos published just one collection of poetry in his lifetime, A
Push Cart at the Curb (1922), his poems appeared in various journals, including Dial,
Poetry, and Vanity Fair. His poem expressing outrage at the trial of Nicola Sacco and
Bartolomeo Vanzetti, “They Are Dead Now,” was published in the New Masses in
1927. His last novel, Century’s Ebb: The Thirteenth Chronicle, was published posthumously in 1975.
Appendix 3: Summary of the novel : Twilight in Jakarta
The novel, one of the greatest works of modern Indonesian literature, was highly controversial at the time of its release. A thinly veiled attack on the widespread abuse of power and on the reckless policies of the Sukarno government, the book was banned and earned the writer a stint in in jail. The book was originally released in
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA English (1963) and in Malay (1964) before it was published in the author’s native tongue in 1970 under the title Senja de Jakarta.
This ambitious, sweeping, pitiless portrait of a city has scores of characters in a dozen districts following a multitude of lifestyles, occupations, situations and circumstances. Like a 19th century Russian novel, with the narrative constantly dipping in and out of each character’s life, it’s sometimes difficult to keep abreast of when each respective drama left off and where the action is leading.
These gritty stories take place in the early 1960s, a tumultuous time in the country’s history that was to presage the bloody political upheavals of a few short years later. The use of Djakarta, the old spelling of the city, reference to the extinct ringgit monetary system and the use of becak to get to work evoke a city lurching towards recovery from the rocky postwar period.
Very early on we are introduced to the book’s central figure Suryono, a young, Western-educated official working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We find him reminiscing about his recent life in New York City. He is in a relationship with his stepmother who is his same age in her late twenties. Then there is the media moghul looking for political favors and the civil servant Sugeng and his complaintive wife, expecting another child, who gives into the temptation to seek payoffs in his desperation to find a larger house to live in. As we read on, the interconnectedness of each individual is revealed.
An obvious metaphor can be found in the title itself, which imparts a slightly ominous, if nostalgic feel. “Twilight” connotes an ending, an unraveling which alludes to both the culminating events that brought down the Old Order but also to
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA the physical existence of a number of key characters as they meet their sad and unfortunate fates, often violently.
Juxtapositions are stark and show the sharp divisions in society. A cart drawn by an emaciated horse crashes into a new Cadillac parked in front of an expensive restaurant. In a Dostoevskyian heart-wrenching scene, the car’s owner flies into a rage at the sick, hungry penniless driver. Like many vignettes in the book, this event is an analogy for the whole corrupt Sukarno regime. MochtarLubis (1922-2004) was a distinguished writer and journalist who was held as a political prisoner by both
Sukarno and Suharto for his criticisms of their Old Order and New Order governments in the media. Lubis was the editor of the controversial daily paper
Indonesia Raya that was known for its dedication to exposing of government corruption.
Yet with all the writer’s sympathy for the plight of the downtrodden, it’s clear that he has little patience for the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) who claims to hold the interests of the “little people” (wongcilik) at heart. In the words of one the book’s main characters, the PKI “fights with lies, deceit and empty promises.” Lubis seems disdainful of Achmad, a passionate communist, who is portrayed as manipulative and willing to do anything to achieve the party’s political goals. One of the main characters even gives his life fighting the communists.
Appendix 3: Summary of the novel : The Big Money
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA John Dos Passos' The Big Money (1936) argues that the pursuit of the
American dream ends in corruption. No matter what good intentions the characters possess, the desire for big money tarnishes, and eventually destroys, their authenticity. Dos Passos illustrates this idea by detailing the personal journey of each character and providing a sketch of an actual public figure whose life parallels, frames, or comments on the fictional characters' lives. For example, Dos Passos tells the story of Charley Anderson, an upstanding young mechanic who earned the Croix de Guerre during the War. Though Anderson starts out a simple mechanic, his longing for the American dream pushes him to a bigger and better career in aviation.
Success, greed, and lust quickly lead to Charley's downfall. Dos Passos uses biographical pieces about famed inventors Henry Ford, Frederick Winslow Taylor, and Thorstein Veblen to put Charley's unhappy tale in context. The Big Money also showcases Dos Passos' subjective, stream-of-consciousness invention, the Camera
Eye. Expressing an autobiographical viewpoint of sorts, the Camera Eye offers a fluid, first-person look at the world.
The Big Money is the third and final book in a series called the "U.S.A.
Trilogy." Alfred Kazin in "Dos Passos, Society, and the Individual" calls The Big
Money "the most ambitious" of the series. Stylistically speaking, The Big
Money resembles the other two novels in the trilogy—42nd Parallel and 1919—by telling the stories of Mary French, Margo Dowling, Richard Ellsworth Savage, among others, through a stream-of-consciousness technique and a montage of biographical, journalistic, and fictional pieces. This fragmented style reflects the Lost
Generation's uncertainty and search for self in a world where the future was no longer
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA guaranteed. The "U.S.A. Trilogy," published after six years of writing, describes the eternal, and often unsuccessful, with the bright illusion of the American dream: In this land of opportunities, everyone can have the lives they want. Jobs are plentiful, home is more than a roof and four walls, and every American can own a Tin Lizzie.
World War I has made people weary, wounded, and looking for a better future.
Emerging victorious from battles overseas, "America the Beautiful" beckons. But the pursuit of big money does not lead to contentment, companionship, or consciousness.
The characters in the novel become numb as one opportunity after another brings them further from personal satisfaction. Mary French, a doctor's daughter from
Colorado, goes from one job to the next and ends up an inconsequential worker bee for the labor revolution.
Margo Dowling begins as a child actress, marries a man with a drinking problem, and ultimately becomes a mistress and a showgirl. Charley Anderson leaves the war a hero and dies a pathetic businessman after getting hit by a train. Richard
Ellsworth Savage is a junior public relations executive looking to make the big money. For them, the American dream is not a possibility but a given. All work hard, sacrificing intimacy and love for success; they only have one goal: money.
Unfortunately, money slips through their fingers as quickly as they can make it.
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