PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE PRESERVATION OF CHINESE BELIEFS BY A CHINESE – AMERICAN IN AMY TAN’S THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By
Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W Student Number: 041214038
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE PRESERVATION OF CHINESE BELIEFS BY A CHINESE – AMERICAN IN AMY TAN’S THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education
By
Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W Student Number: 041214038
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
i PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A Sarjana Pendidikan Thesis on
THE PRESERVATION OF CHINESE BELIEFS BY A CHINESE – AMERICAN IN AMY TAN’S THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE
Prepared and Presented by Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W Student Number: 041214038
Approved by:
Date Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum. 29 August 2008 Sponsor
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THE PRESERVATION OF CHINESE BELIEFS BY A CHINESE – AMERICAN IN AMY TAN’S THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE
By Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W Student Number: 041214038
Defended before the Board of Examiners On 22 September 2008 and Declared Acceptable
Board of Examiners
Chairperson : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ______Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. ______Member : Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum. ______Member : Dr. A. Herujiyanto, M.A. ______Member : Triprihatmini, S.Pd., M.Hum., M.A. ______
Yogyakarta, 22 September 2008 Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Sanata Dharma University Dean,
Drs. Tarsisius Sarkim, M.Ed., Ph.D.
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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that the thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or parts of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 29 August 2008
The Writer,
Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W Student Number: 041214038
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Dao ren shan, ji shi shan Ren zhi zhi, yu si mian Praising the good values is honorable behavior People being praised will be more motivated (Anonymous)
Let us create the harmony of life by respecting others, the nature, and God. God bless us with luck and prosperity. Amen.
Dedicated with love and gratitude to: My Lord Jesus, Mother Mary, and St. Tarcicius My beloved family and my great lecturers My friends s
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am sure that I would not have been able to write this thesis and to finish it without the help and the support of others. First of all, I would like to convey my greatest gratitude to my Lord, Jesus Christ and Mother Mary, that due Their blessing, I could finally finish writing this thesis. Their blessing has been the greatest power to cope with my hard times.
I would like to sincerely express my deepest gratitude to my sponsor,
Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., who had supported me and given me great assistance. Thank you very much for her patience, advice, and beneficial suggestions for my thesis. May God bless her and her family with great happiness.
My gratitude would also go to my lecturers in Sanata Dharma University who shared their precious knowledge. I would like to express my great gratitude to
Triprihatmini, S.Pd., M.Hum., M.A., who had shared her knowledge in teaching and Dr. A. Herujiyanto, M.A., who had helped me to gain the pleasure of reading a novel. I will always do my best and learn more to be a better teacher.
I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my beloved father, Am.
Suwardono and my wonderfull mother, Alphonsa Suharyanti for their endless love, patience, and prayer. The same appreciation also goes to my brother and my sister, Hari and Ratri, for their great affection.
I am greatly indebted to Mr. Tjia Tjek Su from Tjen Ling Kiong Miao and my friends from Hok An Kiong Miao, who shared their knowledge on
Chinese Beliefs and all its aspects.
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My gratitude also goes to my best friends; Poli, Wida, Anas, Sinta,
Ajeng, Heni, Titis, Santi, Ponco, Sigit, Edi, and Dito for the joke that they shared with me, I will never forget them all. Thank you for Dias, Patrice, and
Fajar, who become my thesis reader. My gratitude also goes to my friends in
Cantus Firmus Choir, my beloved kids in Sunday school, Mr. Anton Jemadi, and the Karawitan Community in Boro.
Finally, I thank all of 2004 PBI students with whom I have struggled to gain the knowledge and my friends whose names I cannot mention one by one.
May God bless them for their kindness and contributions that they had shared in my life.
Tarsisius Joni Prasetya W
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TABLE ON CONTENTS
Page TITLE PAGE ...... i APPROVAL PAGES ...... ii STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY...... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS...... viii ABSTRACT...... xii ABSTRAK...... xiii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of Study ...... 1 1.2 Problem Formulation ...... 6 1.3 Objectives of the Study...... 6 1.4 Benefits of the Study...... 6 1.5 Definition of Terms...... 7
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Theory of Critical Approach to Literature ...... 10 2.1.1 The Sociocultural-Historical Approach to literature...... 13 2.1.2 The Psychological Approach to Literature ...... 14 2.2 Theory of Motivation ...... 14 2.3 Chinese Beliefs …...... 20 2.3.1 Cosmology ...... 20 2.3.2 Divination...... 21 2.3.3 Ancestor Worship...... 23 2.4. Chinese-American in United States ...... 24 2.5 Theoretical Framework ...... 25
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CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Subject Matter ...... 28 3.2 Approach...... 30 3.3 Research Procedures ...... 31
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS 4.1 Winnie Louie’s Ways of Preserving Chinese Beliefs...... 33 4.1.1 Passing Down the Understandings on Chinese Beliefs to the Descendants...... 35 4.1.1.1 Chinese Beliefs are the Symbol of Identity...... 35 4.1.1.2 Chinese Beliefs are the Ways of Respecting the Ancestors...... 36 4.1.1.3 Chinese Beliefs Bring about the Harmony of Yin and Yang...... 38 4.1.2 Transferring Chinese Beliefs to the Descendants ...... 40 4.1.2.1 Worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife ...... 41 4.1.2.2 Naming their Places Based on Chinese Beliefs’ Concepts ...... 44 4.1.3 Strengthening her Family Relationship...... 45 4.1.3.1 Having some Annual Meetings with other Families...... 46 4.1.3.2 Having a Shop that Provides Chinese Beliefs’ Equipments ...... 48 4.1.3.3 Celebrating their Chinese New Year Celebration. 50 4.2 Winnie Louie’s Motivation as a Chinese-American in Preserving Chinese Beliefs...... 52 4.2.1 The Self-Actualization Need of Winnie Louie...... 53 4.2.1.1 Showing the Chinese Identity ...... 53 4.2.1.2 Expressing her Spirituality ...... 55 4.2.2 The Aesthetic Need of Winnie Louie...... 56 4.2.2.1 Maintaining the Harmony of Yin and Yang...... 58
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4.2.2.2 The Continuity of Blessing ...... 59 4.2.3 The Cognitive Need of Winnie Louie...... 61 4.2.3.1 Understanding the Concept of Chinese Beliefs .... 62 4.2.3.2 Exploring the Implementation of Chinese Beliefs 63 4.2.4 The Self Esteem of Winnie Louie...... 65 4.2.4.1 Showing off the Knowledge of Chinese Beliefs... 65 4.2.4.2 Expressing her Pride as Chinese-American ...... 67 4.2.5 The Belongingness and Love Need of Winnie Louie ...... 69 4.2.5.1 The Implementation of her Belongingness to Chinese Beliefs ...... 69 4.2.5.2 Maintaining the Kitchen God’s Blessing for her Descendants ...... 71 4.2.6 The Safety Need of Winnie Louie ...... 73 4.2.6.1 Maintaining the Minority of Chinese-Americans . 73 4.2.6.2 Feeling Secure in the Community...... 74 4.2.7 The Physiological Need of Winnie Louie ...... 76 4.2.7.1 Maintaining Winnie Louie’s Business...... 77 4.2.7.2 The Way of Surviving in America...... 79
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 5.1 Conclusions...... 81 5.2 Suggestions ...... 85 5.2.1 Suggestions for the Future Researchers ...... 85 5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teachers ...... 86
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 89 APPENDICES ...... 92 Appendix 1 Lesson Plan for Teaching Intensive Reading II...... 93 Appendix 2 Syllabus of Intensive Reading II ...... 97 Appendix 3 Teaching Material ...... 99 Appendix 4 Summary of The Kitchen God’s Wife ...... 106 x PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Appendix 5 The Biography of Amy Tan...... 110 Appendix 6 The Pictures of Chinese-Americans’ Activities in Chinatown, San Francisco...... 112
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ABSTRACT
Prasetya, Tarsisius Joni W. (2008). The Preservation of Chinese Beliefs by a Chinese-American in Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
This study analyzes Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife. One of the significant topics in the novel is the preservation of Chinese Beliefs in America. Chinese Beliefs are parts of Chinese Culture which are preserved by Chinese- American. Having great motivation, they preserve Chinese Beliefs in some ways continuously. The aim of the study is to answer the two questions in the problem formulation. The first is the way how Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves Chinese Beliefs. The second is what motivates Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American to preserve Chinese Beliefs. The thesis employed the library research. There were two kinds of sources used in this study, primary and secondary sources. The primary source was obtained from the novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife. The secondary sources were gained from theory of the critical approach by Rohrberger and Wood, theory of motivation known as the Need Theory by Maslow, and theory of Chinese Beliefs by Hook. The writer applied two kinds of critical approaches. The writer chose two different approaches, since there were two different aspects of questions. The sociocultural-historical approach was the approach for the first question related to the culture, whereas the psychological approach was the approach for the second question related to one’s motivation. There are two findings based on the analysis. The first finding states that Winnie Louie applies three major ways of preserving Chinese Beliefs. She begins with passing down the understandings on Chinese Beliefs to the descendants. It is the symbol of identity and the ways of respecting the ancestors. She continues transferring its implementations to the descendants by worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife and naming the places. Then, she strengthens the family relationship to unite them in the community of preserving Chinese Beliefs in togetherness. The second finding reveals Winnie Louie’s motivation in preserving Chinese Beliefs. There are some motivations directed by seven kinds of needs. The physiological needs are the basic motivation. Luck and prosperity motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs. Being the member of a minority group, who has the same beliefs, she feels secure in the community fulfilling her safety needs. Maintaining the Kitchen God’s blessing for the descendants and implementing her belongingness of Chinese Beliefs are the belongingness and love needs. Preserving Chinese Beliefs is also the expression of her proud of being a Chinese- American who receives Chinese Beliefs as heritages and life guidelines. Winnie Louie’s thinking capacity motivates her to understand and explore Chinese Beliefs, whereas the harmony of Yin and Yang fulfills her aesthetic needs. Finally, the self-actualization need in term of expressing her spirituality and respecting Chinese Beliefs as the identity answers her question about her existence in America which is applied by preserving Chinese Beliefs. xii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Prasetya, Tarsisius Joni W. (2008). The Preservation of Chinese Beliefs by a Chinese-American in Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife. Yogyakarta: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas tentang sebuah novel karya Amy Tan, The Kitchen God’s Wife. Salah satu topik yang penting adalah pelestarian kepercayaan- kepercayaan China di Amerika. Kepercayaan-kepercayaan China merupakan bagian dari kebudayaan China yang dilestarikan oleh orang Amerika keturunan China. Dengan motivasi yang besar, mereka melestarikan kepercayaan- kepercayaan China dalam beberapa cara secara berkelanjutan. Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah menjawab dua pertanyaan dalam rumusan masalah, yang pertama bagaimana cara Winnie Louie sebagai orang Amerika keturunan China melestarikan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China, sedangkan yang kedua, apa yang memotivasi Winnie Louie untuk melestarikan kepercayaan- kepercayaan tersebut. Studi ini menggunakan studi pustaka. Ada 2 macam sumber yang digunakan yakni sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utama didapat dari novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife sedangkan sumber kedua didapat dari beberapa teori, diantaranya; pendekatan kritik sastra oleh Rohrberger dan Wood, teori motivasi lebih dikenal dengan teori kebutuhan oleh Maslow, dan teori mengenai kepercayaan-kepercayaan China oleh Hook. Penulis memilih dua macam pendekatan yang digunakan untuk dua aspek yang berbeda. Pendekatan sejarah dan budaya masyarakat untuk menjawab pertayaan pertama tentang budaya, sedangkan pendekatan psikologi digunakan untuk menjawab pertayaan kedua mengenai motivasi seseorang. Ada 2 hasil analisa berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan. Hasil analisa pertama menunjukkan bahwa Winnie Louie menggunakan tiga cara pokok dalam melestarikan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China. Bermula dengan memberikan pemahaman tentang kepercayaan-kepercayaan China sebagai simbol identitas dan cara untuk menghormati leluhur, berlanjut dengan mewariskan penerapannya pada keturunan. Penerapan kepercayaan tersebut diterapkan dengan menghormati Istri Dewa Dapur dan memberi nama pada tempat-tempat mereka. Selanjutnya, dia mempererat hubungan kekeluargaan, untuk menyatukan mereka dalam komunitas yang melestarikan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China dalam kebersamaan. Hasil analisa kedua menunjukkan motivasi Winnie Louie dalam melestarikan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China. Ada beberapa motivasi didorong oleh tujuh macam kebutuhan. Kebutuhan badaniah merupakan kebutuhan dasar. Keberuntungan dan kemakmuran memotivasi dia untuk melestarikan kepercayaan – kepercayaan tersebut. Sebagai anggota dari kelompok minoritas, sebuah komunitas telah memenuhi kebutuhannya akan keamanan. Menjaga adanya berkat dari Dewa Dapur untuk keturunan dan menerapkan rasa memilikinya pada kepercayaan-kepercayaan China merupakan bagian dari kebutuhannya akan rasa memiliki dan mengasihi. Melestarikan kepercayaan- kepercayaan China juga merupakan ekspresi rasa bangga sebagai seorang xiii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Amerika keturunan China yang menerima kepercayaan-kepercayaan tersebut sebagai warisan dan panduan hidup. Kemampuan berpikir yang dimiliki Winnie Louie memotivasi dirinya untuk mengerti dan mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang kepercayaan-kepercayaan tersebut, sedangkan harmoni antara Yin dan Yang memenuhi kebutuhannya akan keindahan dalam harmoni hidup. Pada akhirnya, kebutuhan akan aktualisasi diri diterapkan pada pengekspresian kehidupan rohani dan penghormatan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China, sebagai identitas yang menjawab pertanyaan mengenai keberadaannya di Amerika, dan diwujud- nyatakan dengan melestarikan kepercayaan-kepercayaan China.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter deals with the background of the study, problem formulation, the objectives of the study, the benefits of the study, and the definition of terms used in this study. The background of the study describes the reasons why the writer chooses the topic of the study and literary works as the study. The objective of the study includes the writer aims of finding the answers to the questions stated in the problem formulation. The writer formulates two questions that become the focus discussed in this study. The next part, which is the benefits of the study, contains some advantages from this study. The last part of this chapter gives the description of some terms in order to avoid misconception in analyzing this study.
1.1 Background of the Study
Craig Storti in his book, Figuring Foreigners Out: A Practical Guide (7) defines that culture is the shared assumptions, values, and beliefs of a group of people, which result in characteristic behaviors. Culture consists of two essential aspects; the invisible dimension (assumptions, value, and beliefs) and the visible dimension (behavior). There are a lot of media that can be used as the transformation tools and accelerate the culture transformation such as the internet, television, and magazines. There are two mainstreams of culture based on the regional aspects; western culture and eastern culture. Each culture has some different characteristics.
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2
Recently, the western culture has evolved and has been widespread in the world. The western culture is gained and adapted more easily by people through the media transformation and technology. Undeniably, the western culture starts changing and shifting the eastern culture. It is a tragedy when our descendants tend to learn western culture than their own culture. How they can transfer their culture to their next generation if they do not know about their own culture deeply.
The United State of America is a multicultural country with many ethnic groups and races. Most of the citizens in the country are immigrants. They come from many different countries. Although they come from different countries, races and ethnics, they can live together. Their main purpose to come to America is to get a better life in the country. Chinese is one of the ethnics that live in America.
Many Chinese and their generations have stayed for centuries in America. They are called Chinese-American.
Nevertheless America is a multicultural country. American Culture is categorized as Western Culture which takes a great influence in some aspects of life including the human characteristics. Americans tend to be individualistic.
Self-reliance and independence are stressed and valued. Personal freedom is highly desired. They believe that people can alter nature and determine their life, not the destiny. They tend to be more concerned with material than spiritual matters.
Chinese Culture, which is categorized as Eastern Culture based on the geographic aspects, has different human characteristics. Chinese Culture applies PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3 the collectivist principles to live in the primary group. Family is the smallest unit of survival. The survival and success of the group ensure the well – being of the individual. They regard other’s needs and feeling. Harmony and interdependence of group are stressed and valued. Tradition must be preserved in the beliefs, rituals and customs. They believe in the destiny as the result of their attitude in life.
Therefore, spiritualism is very important to guide the people to the good destiny.
While the American Culture is widespread and influences other cultures, the Chinese Culture can still exist. Some Chinese, who become the immigrants in other countries, bring their culture. They can still preserve their culture even though they live in America as Chinese-Americans.
Belief as one of the culture’s invisible dimensions should also be preserved to support the preservation of Chinese Culture. Belief is a concept of a way of life and work, which people feel obliged to follow for the sake of proving their worth. It guides people to organize their life. Belief is applied in the visible dimension (behavior). Belief that contains universal behavior is easier to be preserved rather than particular behavior. When the behavior can be conducted for every generation in the group of people, it becomes a tradition. Preserving the
Chinese Belief means preserving the Chinese Culture.
Hockett quoted in Byrne’s book, English Teaching Extracts (22) points out that literature is undisputedly a vital part of a nation’s culture. According to the statement above, literature can be a solution in gaining to know the culture along with learning the language. In literature, we can also perceive a portrait of life, a portrait containing values of truth and a process with all its problems. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4 One of the literary works that can portrait the values of culture in life is
The Kitchen God’s Wife. This is a novel written by Amy Tan that wants to tell about a Chinese immigrant who lives in America, who brings her identity and culture along her life. The novel was written in 1900s. It was the era of pre- communism. The Communist party in China expanded their authority. The story told that some Chinese had to go to the Formosa Island. They stayed under the democratic authority that was led by Chiang Kai Sek. In 1949 the communist party attacked the democratic authority. The Democratic could not stand against the communist expansion. Finally, they had no choice and had to flee from the communist party authority. It was stated in the Winnie Louie’s conversation obviously.
Eh,Mrs. Chiang Kai Sek, your husband finally knows how to solve all our problems. So simple, get foreign help. Hey, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr.Chuchill, here is my begging bowl. (Amy Tan 334) When the Communists came in 1949. He was too scared to run away, too scared to stay. He became so confused he walked with his own two feet all the way to the port at the north edge of the island, and there he sat down to think about his choices. (Amy Tan 72).
They had to go to the Formosa or Taiwan Island. Some of the Chinese went to other democratic countries, one of them was America. There were many
Chinese immigrants who wanted to save their life from the communist. In that era, the Chinese still struggled to get a better life in America as immigrants. They lived in a community, called Chinatown. They built their business and kept their relation among other Chinese immigrants. Winnie Louie had also to go to
America and opened a flower shop with her family in the Chinatown. In her daily PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5 life, Winnie Louie believed in Chinese traditions and beliefs. She used the principles of Chinese Culture in deciding what she should do in her life.
My mother and Auntie Helen co-own Ding Ho flower Shop on the Ross Alley in Chinatown (Amy Tan 7). She traces her finger down one, then the other. “Iye shiang ru yi”. The first word is “luck” this other is an other kind of luck, and these two mean’all that you wish.”All kinds of luck, all that you wish (Amy Tan 58).
Based on the novel, it was revealed obviously that Winnie Louie as a
Chinese-American could still preserve Chinese Beliefs as a part of Chinese
Culture in the States. The valuable things that can be observed are the ways of how Winnie Louie preserves Chinese Beliefs as a Chinese-American. Having finished analyzing the question about the ways of how Winnie Louie preserves
Chinese Beliefs, it can be used as a basis for analyzing the aims of this study to find out what motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Culture as a Chinese
American.
As stated by Hockett quoted in Byrne’s book (22), we can learn the aspects of life including culture from the portrait of life revealed in the literary works. By conducting this study, we can learn and use this study to enrich our knowledge of how Chinese-Americans preserve their culture. Without any doubt, the globalization era is happened in this country. Our responsibility as the future generations is to preserve our culture as identity and heritage in our life. This study can also be used as a comparative study and guideline of our thought, behavior, and effort to preserve our valuable culture; Indonesian Culture. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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1.2 Problem Formulation
In analyzing Amy Tan’s novel, the writer focuses on Winnie Louie’s motivation to preserve the Chinese Culture as a Chinese American. Therefore, the writer formulates two problems of this study that are stated as follows:
1. How does Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserve the Chinese Beliefs?
2. What motivates Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American to preserve the Chinese
Beliefs?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
Based on problem formulation stated above, the objectives of this study are:
1. To find out how Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves the Chinese
Beliefs.
2. To find out what motivates Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves
the Chinese Beliefs.
1.4 Benefits of the Study
The study is expected to be able to give some benefits for the readers, students and researchers. The benefits of the study are formulated as follow:
1. For the readers
The analysis of this study will be beneficial for the readers in gaining a better understanding related to the novel. It is also help the readers to enrich their knowledge about how Chinese-Americans preserve their beliefs in the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
7 globalization era. Through the literary works, they can adapt the concepts relied on the novel to be practiced in their real life.
2. For the students
The writer hopes that this study will also be useful for the students. Reading this study, the students will gain a lot of information related to the way how the major character preserves the Chinese Beliefs. It can help the students analyze some extrinsic and intrinsic aspects of the novel.
3. For the researchers
This study will give an important contribution to the future research related to sociocultural-historical and psychological approach. Hence, the researcher can observe and analyze some aspects of the novel with applying sociocultural- historical psychological approach. The writer hopes that this study will also inspire other researchers to analyzing this remarkable novel.
1.5 Definition of Terms
In the last part of this chapter, I will explain some significant terms used in this study. The definition of terms is aimed at avoiding misconception about this study.
1. Preservation
According to Webster Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English
Language, preservation is to keep something alive or in existences. For example; we will preserve our liberties as free men. In this study, the significant things I want to preserve and keep the existence are Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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2. Culture
Craig Storti in his book, Figuring Foreigners out: a Practical Guide (7), describes that culture is the shared assumptions, values, and beliefs of a group of people, which result in characteristic behaviors. Culture consists of two essential aspects namely the invisible dimension (assumptions, value, and beliefs) and the visible dimension (behavior). Understanding the relations between the two dimensions is the key to preserving the culture. In this study, the writer focuses on beliefs as one of the invisible dimension of culture.
3. Beliefs
According to Craig Storti (8) Beliefs are concepts of a way of life and work which people feel obliged to follow for the sake of proving their worth. It guides people to organize their life so that individual can be typed of person.
Belief is applied in the visible dimension (behavior). In this study, the writer focuses on Chinese Beliefs.
4. Chinese Beliefs
Eastern countries including China apply traditions in their life. Traditions have to be preserved in the beliefs, rituals, and customs. They believe in the destiny is the result of their attitude in life. That is the main principle of Chinese
Beliefs. Therefore, spiritualism is very important to guide the people in the good destiny (Storti 19). There are three main concepts of Chinese Beliefs namely
Cosmology, Divination, Ancestor Worship (Hook 288-294). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9 5. Chinese-American
Based on Microsoft Encarta 2004, Chinese-American is the term for
Chinese immigrants who lived in America since 1848 until their descendants now.
The Chinese is one of the ethnics that live in America. Many Chinese and their generations have stayed for centuries in America. According to America cencus, there are about 2.4 million Chinese-Americans lived in America. Many Chinese-
Americans lived in the ethnic community known as Chinatown. Some business and tradition could be found in these Chinatown. The largest Chinatowns are in
San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.
6. Motivation
According to McConnel (259), motivation is defined in many ways. One of them is a series of questions that you ask about why people think, feel, and behave as they do. It stimulates one’s action. Motivation comes from human needs and desires. In this study, the researcher analyzes what motivates Winnie
Louie as a Chinese-American, in her efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of four parts. Those are the theory of critical approach to literature, the theory of motivation, the theory of Chinese Beliefs, and theoretical framework. The theory of critical approach to literature discusses the psychological approach to literature and the sociocultural-historical approach to literature. Theory of motivation explains the psychological aspects of human related to the character’s motivation in the novel. After that the writer employs the theory of Chinese Beliefs that are obeyed by the Chinese-American. In this study, the writer also provides some data on Chinese-American in United States. The last is the theoretical framework which the writer reveals the application of the theory to answer the research questions stated in problem formulation.
2.1. Theory of Critical Approach to Literature
The reading process of literary works produces within the readers an array of responses, taking the form of questions, statements, opinions, and feelings evoked by text. This process will lead to the discussion process in literary works.
However, the readers need to comprehend the objective analysis in the form of formal literary criticism. By mastering the concepts of formal literary criticism, the readers can become critical readers who are able to understand and articulate their own reactions and those of others to any text (Bressler 4).
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11
According to Rohrberger and Woods (3–15), there are two kinds of approach to literary works. The first approach is impressionist approach. It refers to subjective responses to literary works. The readers response based on their feeling. The second approach is the critical approach. It refers to objective responses to literary works. In the literary research, the researcher applies critical approach to comprehend the literary works deeply. The critical approach is categorized into five approaches.
The first is The Formalist Approach. This approach focuses on the importance to comprehend the total integrity of the literary object. The esthetic value is the main concern. This approach tries to demonstrate the harmonious involvement of all the parts to the whole by pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique determine structure. The extreme formalist critics merely the literary work without reference to the fact of the author’s life, the genre of the places in which the literary object was created, and reference to its social milieu.
The second approach is The Biographical Approach. This approach is used when we want an appreciation of the idea and personality of the author to an understanding the literary work. The critics of this approach emphasize that a work of art is a reflection of a personality. Therefore, they attempt to learn as much as possible about the life and development of the author and to apply the knowledge to understand the literary work. It can be denied that biographical material provides useful facts that could put the reader in a better position to understand and appreciate the literary work. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
12
The third approach is The Sociocultural-Historical Approach This approach believes that it is necessary to investigate the social milieu in which a literary work was created and which is necessarily reflects. They assert two things that literature is not created in a vacuum and the literature embodies ideas significant to the culture that produce it. The examination is not only the literary works of art itself but also the work in relation to others by the same authors in the same periods. This knowledge might enrich the experience of reading.
The fourth approach is The Mythpoeic Approach. This approach is used to discover certain universally recurrent patterns of human thought, which they believe that they find some expression insignificant works of literary. The recurrent pattern, they assert are those that found first expression in ancient myths and folks rites and basic to human thought that they have meaning for all them.
The fifth approach is The Psychological Approach. This approach involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. Unlike the mythpoeic, the psychological approach draws on a different body of knowledge.
Sigmund Freud’s exploration area of the human mind came to a result. It is an area of the wellspring of man’s rich imagination. His capacity for the creation, the complexity of his thought, behavior, and the contents of this region of the mind found expression in symbolic words, thoughts and actions.
Since there are two aspects in my study; socioculture-historical and psychology aspect, the writer applies two different approaches in order to discuss the research question in the problem formulation. In this study, the writer would PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13 like to use the sociocultural-historical approach and the psychological approach to analyze the Amy Tan’s Novel The Kitchen God’s Wife.
2.1.1. The Sociocultural-Historical Approach to Literature
According to Welleck (94-109), Literature is really not only a reaction of the social process but also the essence in the abridgment and summary of all history. It represents life and a social institution which uses language as medium presenting a social creation.
Literature also has a social function to describe the influence of society, prescribe and judge the position of literature in society. It is an expression of society. It means that literature depicts some aspects of social reality. An author conveys historical and social truth through literary works.
However, the author is not only influenced by society. The author can influence the society. People may model their lives upon the patterns of character relied on the literary work. The characters of novel afford interesting indications of such social attitudes. Basically, literature occurs in a social context as part of a culture in a milieu.
There are three classifications of the relation between literature and society. First, it is obvious that there is sociology of writer which is included in the literary works. Second, there is a problem in the social content of literary works. At last, the problems of the readers and social effects of literature. The social effects involves the cultural integration happened in the literary works. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
14 2.1.2. The Psychological Approach to Literature
The theories and practices of Sigmund Freud provide the foundation for psychoanalytic criticism. He believes that a work of literature is the external expression of the author’s unconscious mind. The literary works must be treated like a dream, applying psychoanalytic techniques to the text to uncover the author’s hidden motivation and repressed desires (Bressler 149–153).
According to Freud, an author’s chief motivation for writing any story is to gratify some secret desire; some forbidden wish that probably developed during the author was suppressed and dumped in the unconscious. By using Freud’s psychoanalytic techniques as they are used in dream therapy, psychoanalytic critics believe the reader can unlock the hidden meanings contained within the story. Then the reader can have an accurate interpretation of the text (Bressler
159–160).
Basically, psychoanalytic criticism deals with a work literature primarily as an expression, in fictional form, of the state of mind and the structure of personality of the individual author. The work of literature is correlated with its author’s distinctive mental and emotional traits: (1) reference to author’s personality in order to explain and interpret a literary work; (2) reference to literary works in order to establish, biographically, the personality of the author;
(3) the mode of reading a literary work specifically as a way of experiencing the distinctive subjectivity, or consciousness, of its author (Murphy 263).
According to Welleck (81), psychology and literature is the psychological study of the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of creative process, or PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
15 the study of the psychological types and laws present within works of literature. It is also the study in the literature effect upon its readers.
Psychology obviously can illuminate the creative process. For some conscious artist, psychology may have tightened their sense of reality, sharpened their powers of observation or allowed them to fall into hitherto undiscovered pattern. Psychology help to uncover the author’s do with the literary works
(Welleck 90–93).
2.2. Theory of Motivation
Amy Tan’s novel The Kitchen God’s Wife reveals Winnie Louie’s motivation as a Chinese-American to preserve her Chinese Culture. This part will describe the meaning of motivation based on some theories proposed by psychologists.
According to Beck (24, 144-145) motivation is broadly concerned with the contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of directed behavior. Motivation is the grounds in characters’ temperament, desires, and moral nature for their speech and actions (Abrams 24). It comes from the word motive refers to an inferred state of the organism which arouses activity and directs the organism’s behavior toward certain object or conditions called goals
(Aiken 110–111). Other psychologist Jung (4-5) defines that motivation must be able to include terms such as desires, wishes, plans, goals, intents, impulses, and purposes. In general, when we speak of motives we are referring to the causes or reasons that underlie a given behavior. Motivation is the concept used to describe PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
16 the forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and direct behavior. The concept of motivation is also used to explain differences in the intensity of behavior. Additionally, we often use the concept of motivation to indicate the direction of behavior (Petri 4).
Human are continually interpreting the complex pattern of behaviors they observe in others as well as in themselves. We try to explain our actions in terms of motives that are regarded as causes of behavior. Similarly we try to infer the underlying motivational causes of the behaviors of others.
In the field of industrial psychology, a distinction is commonly made between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic rewards. The intrinsic motivation refers to factors that make certain activities rewarding in and of them. Almost anything could potentially be intrinsically motivating for some individuals. Extrinsic rewards refer generally to the kinds of reinforcement situations. It is reinforced by some external agents. Other psychologist states that extrinsic reward is commonly called extrinsic motivation (Weiner 257). The concept of intrinsic motivation is defined as the value or pleasure associated with an activity as opposed to the goal toward which the activity is directed. The extrinsic motivation emphasizes the external goals toward which the activity is directed. It is possible two kinds of motivation interact such that extrinsic motivation reduces the degree of intrinsic motivation for a task (Jung 140).
Beck states that there should be an interaction of intrinsic motivation and external rewards. If the individual sees himself as the causal factor for desirable outcomes, then the behavior producing those outcomes is intrinsically motivating PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
17 and desirable. On the other hand, if the individual sees his rewards as being dependent on someone else, the activities necessary to get those rewards will be intrinsically motivating. Weiner (257) also prove that there is a growing literature documenting that children with initial interest in a task (intrinsic motivation) lose some of that interest when an external reward (extrinsic motivation) is promised for performing that task. Since most human activity is affected by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, it would be difficult to study the effects of each type of motivation separately (Jung 140).
According to Rogers and Maslow written in the motivational principles, the core tendency of a person is to actualize individual potential. There is an internal, biological pressure to develop fully the capacities and the talents that have been inherited; the central of motivation of the individuals is to grow and to enhance the basic self (Weiner 409).
Motivation theories start with the assumption that there is a cause for every behavior. The goal is to identify the causes. Psychologists distinguish between approach causes and avoidant causes. In approach behavior, people do thing because of something they want, desire, or need. In avoidant behavior, people do things to avoid something. From a biological perspective, two primary goals of behavior are to survive and reproduce. If anything poses a threat to our survival, we need to deal with it immediately.
According to the basic themes of contemporary motivation theories, all behavior represents an attempt to adapt to the environment (Franken 3–5). Social interaction with others is one of the major, which constructs in motivation. Some PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
18 theorists have also pointed out that we are socially motivated. Social situations have a large influence on our behavior because the presence of others alters our motivation (Petri 5-6).
Related to the approach of motivation, the psychologists propose some theories. One of the theory that is widely used in supporting the motivation approach is Need Theory. Need Theory grow out of the idea that the energy, direction, and persistence of behavior are due to the existence of needs. Abraham
Maslow is perhaps one of the best- known need theory. He argues that the basic psychological needs are associated with deficiency and higher-order needs with growth. This is consistent with the distinction between approach and avoidant motivation. In Maslow’s view, needs can be grouped in categories, which are arranged in a hierarchical fashion (Franken 15–16).
Maslow’s hierarchy of Self- actualizati needs on needs
Aesthetic needs: symmetry, order and beauty
Cognitive needs: to know, understand and explore
Esteem needs: to achieve, be competent, and gain approval and recognition
Belongingness and love needs: to affiliate with others, be accepted, and belong
Safety needs: to feel secure, and out of danger
Physiological needs: hunger, thirst, and so forth PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
19
These needs above can be strengthened through rewards. By coupling the concept of need and reward, it becomes possible to incorporate the idea that environment is important in shaping human motivation.
Rogers quoted in Franken’s book, Human Motivation (17) discusses the growth motivation in relation to the fully functioning individual, while Maslow uses the term self-actualization to describe the motivation to strive for personal fulfillment. Related to the environment, the psychologist uses growth motivation as the major construct the motivation. One aspect of growth motivation is the need to control or have an effect on our environment. It is called effectance motivation by some and personal causation by others.
The hierarchy of needs is categorized into two major steps of motivation.
The first four steps on Maslow’s hierarchy is deprivation motivation. It constitutes the needs that must be satisfied before one reaches the final level, the level of self- actualization. In the self-actualization, the person is motivated by different conditions than at the lower levels. It is motivated to grow and become all that he or she is capable of becoming. Self- actualization constantly stimulates people to test their abilities and expand their horizons in their environment. People will actualize their principles that they believe in their society. It is the condition when the growth motivation has been achieved. Based on the hierarchy of need, the highest need’s concept; self-actualization concept will be used to observe the
Winnie Louie’ motivation to preserve the Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
20 2.3. Chinese Beliefs
According to the Hook (288) stated in The Cambridge Encyclopedia of
China, Chinese Beliefs divided into three categories namely Cosmology,
Divination, and Ancestor Worship. The Chinese Beliefs are based on Sanjiao’s philosophies. Sanjiao (Three Dharma) is the unity of Daoism, Confucianism, and
Buddhism. It was applied in the era of Han dynasty up to now (Matrisia Komda
Jateng 8-11).
2.3.1. Cosmology
China had one of the most highly developed cosmological systems in the world until the Communist Revolution in 1949. There is more than one fraction of systems. However, the most important of the many elements in the Chinese
Cosmological system was The Ying and Yang dichotomy (Hook 288).
Yin was normally seen as the collective representation of all forces in the universe that emanate from the darkness. Yang was the representation of the light.
The Yin and Yang dichotomy followed from the basic division that aspects of human experience were often conceptualized as opposites. For instance: day-light, life-death, good-evil, and male-female. The sexual dichotomy with its unambiguous connotation of male supremacy was often used to justify the suppression of women. In the traditional view of women are thought to be weak, emotional, and untrustworthy. The characteristics are related to Yin nature.
Basically, the Yin and Yang dichotomy was the basic concept which influenced other aspects in Chinese-Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
21 2.3.2. Divination
It was practiced in China from about 1700 BC. It was intended to discover the answers of occult powers to simple questions that concerned matters of everyday life or the immediate outcome of a proposed action. For example; the changes of a good harvest, the choices of times for religious services, and the success in the hunt of battle.
It was felt that only by taking such precautions could it be ensured that the outcome of the proposed plan would be successful. There are three means in pronouncing the results of divination (Hook 289-290): a. Scapulimancy
It was the earliest method of divination. It was applied by heating the shoulder bones (scapulae) of animals or the shells (plastra) of turtles to induce random cracks in the material. The diviner could determine the outcome of a proposed plan of action.
This method was applied in the Sang dynasty and used to ascertain their future or answer their practical problems. The record of each act of divination was inscribed on the bone and shells. They chose turtles; of regarding turtles were the longest-lived animal represented the eternal truths. Divination by turtle shell was practiced at least until the beginning of the 1st century AD. b. Yijing (The Book of Changes)
It was a book that guided the seer to determine the given answer intuitively. The book contained a wholly symbolical scheme of universal philosophy that linked intuitive divination with China’s intellectual development. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
22
The text provided a title for each of the 64 figures which guided to its character and situations occur in the universe and repeat in cyclical fashion.
Divination with Yijing moved from an attempt to answer a specific problem to a means of ascertaining in which the 64 situations the inquirer chanced to be placed.
The enlarged The Book of Change reached its present form at about the start of first century AD. It was invoked both by diviners who intuitively sought clarification to problems from its highly esoteric text and by scientist, who saw in it a universal scheme of being means in comprehending the mysteries of creation
(Hook 290). c. Geomancy
Geomancy is known as Fengshui. It is a means of divination intended to find the most suitable sites establishing a city, house and tomb. The Chinese have regarded the earth as a living organism, comparable with other organisms such as the human body.
The human body incorporates channels along which its life blood pulsates.
Therefore, it is thought that the earth included similar channels. It is described as
“the veins of the earth or “the veins of the dragon”. The parts of earth that are favorably sited lie at points where such channels converge, bringing with them natural blessings that enrich a living body. The benefits of channels are described as qi, natural energies and the channels along which they pass are invariably winding. Forces of an evil nature (sha) make a direct approach to a site along a straight, man-made line such as a ditch or roadway. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
23
Geomancy has depended on combining intuition with sophisticated intellectual theories. The intellectual elements spring from the belief that man’s fortune depends on accommodating himself to his natural surroundings and to the eternal rhythms that regulate the movements of heaven, earth and man. In assessing the value or quality of a site, a geomancer uses a highly intricate compass, which shows how an individual’s circumstances (for example, date and time of birth) coincide with such relationships and their influences.
Since the 11th century, geomancers have used a compass fitted with a magnetic needle, but the antecedents of these instruments without such a device date from 2nd century BC. By applying the geomancy, the building may be sited to suit the major rhythms of earth and heaven (Hook 290-291).
2.1.3. Ancestor Worship
Reciprocity between living and dead is the key to this system of beliefs which draws together many elements of cosmology and divination. For example: the flow of good “winter and water” (fengshui) influences through the bones of the ancestor is thought to bring prosperity to his descendants. The livings have the awesome responsibility of sustaining the spirits of the ancestors and protecting their graves. As long as the reciprocal relationships is maintained both the living and dead benefited.
However, if the descendants neglected the spirit of an ancestor by falling to make regular offerings at his grave, the ancestor would be cut adrift in the other-world and seek nourishment elsewhere. Ancestor abandons in this way PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
24 become ‘hungry ghost’, a general term for spirit of dead people who did not have any reciprocal relationship with the living.
There are two sides to Chinese ancestor worship; the domestic cult and the lineage cult. The domestic side known as ‘family cult’ is concerned with immediate ancestors who had died in the past five or six generations. The names of these people are written on a large paper sheet which is kept on the family altar.
The list of names is the centre of all ritual activity in the family. On the other hand, the lineage cult focuses on a group of generalized ancestors, most of whom are no longer included on the domestic altars. In south China it consists of 40 generations. Ancestral hall are often magnificent buildings, ideally with three large chambers and elaborate decorations. These ancestral halls are the most visible symbol of lineage wealth and prestige.
For the majority of people throughout China, ancestor worship is restricted to domestic cult. After few generations, most Chinese have a little reason to be concerned with predecessors who had left only their memory (Hook 291-194).
2.4. Chinese-American in United States
The United States of America is a multicultural country with many ethnic groups and races. Most of the citizens in the country are immigrants. The come from many different countries. Although they come from different countries, races and ethnics, they can live together. People come to America have a main purpose to get better living in the country. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
25
Chinese is one of the ethnics that live in America. Many Chinese and their generations of them have stayed for centuries in America. According to America census, some 2.4 million Chinese-Americans live in America. Chinese immigrants in America began with the arrival of thousands of Chinese miners in California following the discovery of gold in 1848.
Many Chinese-Americans lived in the ethnic community known as
Chinatown. Some business and traditions can be found in that place. The largest
Chinatowns were in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.
Chinese- Americas have contributed to America culture in many different aspects. Chinese martial arts, such as Gongfu and Taijiquan have become familiar to many Americans. Acupunture, the Chinese healing arts, is increasingly gaining acceptance by mainstream Western medicine. Many Chinese-Americans are
Christians, but they still preserve their beliefs as traditions. They also celebrate the
Chinese New Year Celebration in many cities with the roar of blazing firecrakers, lion dance, and traditional music (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2004).
2.5. Theoretical Framework
Theories are the basis for analyzing the novel. Based on the theories that have been explained in preceding section, the researcher would like to draw up the application of the theories in this theoretical framework.
Basically, there are two research questions will be discussed in this study with different approach for each question. Since the first research question related to sociocultural-historical aspect, the approach which are used to analyze the question is the Sociocultural-Historical Approach. On the other hand, since the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
26 second research question related to the psychology aspect, the researcher used the
Psychological Approach to discuss it.
After deciding the approach, the approach is used as a base to choose the theories based on the approaches. The first question is related with the way how
Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves Chinese Beliefs. The researcher uses the portrait of Chinese-American life in America and the Chinese Beliefs principles which are obeyed by Chinese-American. Based on the portrait of
Chinese-American and their Chinese Beliefs, the researcher uses it as a reference and base to analyze the problems in the novel.
Having finished in analyzing the first research question, the researcher goes to discuss the second research question. The researcher wants to get the answer what motivates Winnie Louie as a Chinese American to preserve Chinese
Beliefs. Since the second research questions are related to the human motivation, the researcher applies the psychological approach. The psychological approach used in the literary work will sharpen the analysis in correlation between literature and psychology aspects. The researcher applies Welleck’s theory in the relation between literature and psychology.
Theory of motivation proposed by Maslow is highly used to discuss and analyze the second research question related to Winnie Louie’s motivation to preserve the Chinese-Culture in United States. Based on the theory of motivation, there are seventh stages of needs. Needs are the reason which motivates someone to do something. When someone has achieved the basic needs, he or she will go to the higher needs’ stage. Self-actualization is the highest stage that motivates PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
27 someone to preserve his/her principles, values, and culture. Since beliefs are included in culture, the researcher uses self- actualization as main base to analyze the second research question.
Based on the theoretical framework provided above, the study will be guided to uncover the research questions in the problem formulation. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This part contains three parts, namely the subject matter, approaches and research procedures. The subject matter explains the novel briefly and reviews of the object of the study. Approaches discuss the Psychological approach and
Sociocultural-historical approach applied in analyzing the study. Research procedures describe the milestones of method which are applied to accomplish the analysis of the study.
3.1 Subject Matter
The primary subject of this study is Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife.
The novel used in this study was published by Ballatine Books in 1991. The novel is divided into 26 chapters. It contains 244 pages. It is a novel which is written by
Chinese-American writer, Amy Tan.
Amy Tan presented the tension that Asian-American women experience in best-selling novels like The Kitchen God's Wife, which won the National Book
Award in 1989. On the 9 July 1991, The Kitchen God's Wife crowned The New
York Times best- seller list. The novel won enthusiastic reviews and spent eight months on the New York Times best-seller list.
Basically the main theme of the novel is the relationship between mother and daughter. The relationship is represented by Winnie Louie and Pearl’s life experiences. Winnie Louie is a mother who ever felt the Chinese civilization in
28 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
29
China and then immigrated to America as a Chinese-American. Pearl is a daughter who was born and grew up as Chinese-American in America. They have a different background of life but they also have a similarity that is a Chinese-
American who lives in America.
However, the novel is not only about the relationship of mother and daughter. The novel can reflect the portrait of social life as Chinese-American in
America. They live together in certain place called Chinatown. They do their business in the form of family business. Although they have lived in America, they still preserve their Chinese Culture. One of the culture dimensions they preserve is Chinese Beliefs. Generally, there are three main aspects of Chinese
Spiritualism. They are Chinese Beliefs, Chinese Customs and Chinese Religions.
The writer would focus on the Chinese Beliefs which are reflected in the novel obviously.
Chinese beliefs contains of three aspects, namely Cosmology, Divination and Ancestor Worship. Those three aspects are mainly applied by Winnie Louie in the novel. Winnie Louie as a Chinese American always bring along Chinese
Beliefs in her daily life. She also tried to introduce the Chinese Beliefs to her descendants. She has a great motivation to preserve the Chinese Beliefs as a
Chinese American in America. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
30 3.2 Approach
According to Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods, There were five approaches could be applied in analyzing the literary works. However, there were two approaches applied in this study. The first approach was The Sociocultural- historical approach. This approach was used to analyze the first research question stated in the problem formulation. It was used to analyze the socio-cultural historical background relied on the novel. This approach guided us to analyze a novel in reference to the civilization that produced the novel. Civilization was defined as the attitudes and actions as its subject matter. It was necessary to investigate the social milieu, the cultural and historical background in which novel was created (Rohrberger and Woods 9). This approach was applied to investigate the social life related to the preservation of Chinese Beliefs in America.
The second approach which was applied in this study was the
Psychological Approach. The reason why the approach was used for analyzing the second research questions in the problem formulation since the second question was related to the theory of motivation, a branch of psychology theory. This approach brought us to analyze the novel from the psychological point of view of human beings (Rohrberger and Woods 9). The approach guided the writer in analyzing what was the motivation of Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs as a Chinese American. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
31 3.3 Research Procedures
The writer used library research as the research method to gather the primary and secondary data. It meant that the data were gained from taking notes and analyzing the novel from the reliable data. The writer took some stages in order to accomplish the study.
The first stage was choosing the novel as the primary data of the study.
The writer chose Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife as the primary data of the study. In order to understand the novel deeply, the writer read the novel for several times. During the understanding process of novel, the writer could observe the portrait of Chinese American social life in the novel. The main character of the novel, Winnie Louie applied the Chinese Beliefs in her daily life. It made the writer more focused on the Chinese Beliefs relied on the novel. After understanding the novel, the writer found out the problems which could be analyzed as it was formulated in the problem formulation. The writer was attracted to analyze the way how Winnie Louie as a Chinese American preserved the Chinese Beliefs and what motives Winnie Louie to preserve the Chinese
Beliefs.
The second stage was collecting some books and references supporting the analysis and answers of the research questions. Since the subject matters of the study were related to the culture and psychology, the writer collected some books of Chinese American Society, Chinese Culture and Chinese Beliefs. The writer also found some books explained about the psychology theory especially the theory of motivation in the self-actualization aspect. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
32 In the third stage, the writer emphasized on the Chinese’ ways in preserving the Chinese Beliefs which was portrayed in the novel. The writer discussed it based on the socio-cultural-historical approach. This manner was applied in order to gather the accurate portrait of the Chinese American society related to the subject matter in the novel. This result of the analysis played important role in how the novel conducted Chinese Beliefs which was reflected in the Winnie Louie as Chinese American.
In the following analysis process, the writer focused on the theory of motivation in order to analyze the Winnie Louie’s motivation to preserve the
Chinese Beliefs. Based on the knowledge in the secondary data, the writer discussed the second research questions. Theory of motivation was the base that guided the analysis of the Winnie Louie happened in the novel precisely. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
This chapter is intended to answer the research problems. It consists of two parts. The first part is the discussion on Winnie Louie’s ways of preserving
Chinese Beliefs. Then, the second part deals with Winnie Louie’s motivation in preserving Chinese Beliefs.
4.1 Winnie Louie’s Ways of Preserving Chinese Beliefs
The novel was written in the 1900s. It was the era of pre-communism.
Based on the setting of time, we knew that the Communist party in China expanded their authority. The story tells us about the Chinese who remained in the democratic authority lead by Chiang Kai Sek. The communist party attacked the democratic authority in 1949. The Democratic could not stand against the communist’s expansion, so they had to flee to other countries. It is stated in the
Winnie Louie’s conversation.
Eh,Mrs. Chiang Kai Sek, your husband finally knows how to solve all our problems. So simple, get foreign hel Hey, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr.Chuchill, here is my begging bowl (334). When the Communists came in 1949, he was too scared to run away, too scared to stay. He became so confused he walked with his own two feet all the way to the port at the north edge of the island, and there he sat down to think about his choices (72).
Most of them went to the Formosa or Taiwan Island. The rest immigrated to other democratic countries, like America. In that era, the Chinese struggled to get a better life in America as immigrants. Winnie Louie immigrated to America
33 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
34 together with Helen in 1953 (82). Winnie Louie chose America since she was married to James Louie, a Chinese-American (498).
Based on the novel, there are some ways of how the Chinese preserve their beliefs as immigrants in America. It is revealed clearly in the ways of Winnie
Louis’s life.
I used to play with her altar, a miniature red temple containing framed picture of Chinese gods. In front of that was an imitation-brass urn filled with burnt incense sticks, and on the side were offering oranges (13-14) Phill said when he heard we had to go to San Fransisco, a hundred miles round-trip from our house in San Jose, made worsed by weekend football traffic (7).
Basically, there are three main kinds of Chinese Beliefs. They are
Cosmology, Divination, and Ancestor Worship. Cosmology is known as The Yin and Yang dichotomy. Divination is related with the prediction system of occult powers. Then, Ancestor Worship is a ritual in which the descendants sustained the spirit of the ancestors. However, the Yin and Yang dichotomy is the basic of
Chinese Beliefs concepts. In fact, Cosmology is written in the novel extensively, more than Ancestor Worship and Divination.“My mother patted my hand. Oh I know what you are thinking, she said quietly. Of course every baby born with yin and yang. The yin comes from the women. The yang comes from the man. When you were born I tried to see whose yang you had” (511).
Winnie Louie tries to preserve the beliefs in three ways. First, she starts with passing down the understandings on Chinese Beliefs to the descendants.
Then, she transfers the implementation of Chinese Beliefs to the descendants. The last, she strengthens the family relationships. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
35 4.1.1 Passing Down the Understandings on Chinese Beliefs to the
Descendants
Before doing something, it is very important to know the concept and to understand what one should do to carry out the concept. That principle is firmly held by Winnie Louie. She believes that her descendants will apply Chinese
Beliefs if they have known its concept. “She walks me around to view her handiwork in other parts of the shop lining the walls are large funeral wreaths, propped on easel. My mother claims these banners are the reasons why Ding Ho
Flower Shop has had success flowing through its door all these years” (18-19).
She explains the beliefs in their annual family gathering and teaches her descendants about the use of symbols and banners in Chinese Beliefs. She convinces her descendants that they will receive a lot of benefits by applying
Chinese Beliefs. There are some understandings on the benefits and the purposes of Chinese Beliefs conveyed by Winnie Louie.
4.1.1.1 Chinese Beliefs are the Symbol of Identity
Chinese is one of the minority groups in San Francisco, America. Even though Winnie Louie is an American citizen, she is originally Chinese. Chinese is her identity and she is proud of it. Chinese Beliefs which are part of Chinese
Culture build the identity of the Chinese.
My mother has always been very proud of those red banners. She does not write the typical congratulatory sayings,” Good Luck” or “Prosperity and Long Life.” All the sayings, written in gold Chinese characters, are of own inspiration, her thoughts about life and death, luck and hope (18). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
36 She believes that Chinese Beliefs has become the symbol of identity.
People cannot show and stand on their identity if they could not understand their own beliefs. Winnie Louie transfers her understandings to the descendants so that they will not loose their identity as Chinese people, even tough they live in
America.
Winnie Louise also believes that Chinese Beliefs as a symbol of identity make the person who believes it receive luck from the Gods. Person who preserves Chinese Beliefs received the changes of her/his life from bad to luck
“And now I will tell you when all my luck changed” (297). Definitely, she wants her descendants firmly hold the concept that they receive luck and achieve the success by respecting Chinese Beliefs as an identity wherever they live.
4.1.1.2 Chinese Beliefs are the Ways of Respecting the Ancestors
Ancestor worship is one of the traditions for Chinese-American. Even though the ancestor has passed away, they pray for them in the annual ceremony, known as ancestor worship. If they worship their ancestor, they would be blessed with prosperity. The harmony of life is implemented in the harmony of ancestors and descendants. The harmony is maintained through the tradition of ancestor worship which is the symbol of respecting the ancestors. The descendants hope that the ancestors bless them and convey their wishes to the Gods. Hopefully, the
Gods will bless their life with a lot of luck.
From then on, the people in China knew Kitchen God was watching them. From his corner in every house and every shop, he saw all kinds of good and bad habits spill out, generosity or greediness, a harmonious of nature or complaining one. And once a year, seven days before the New Year, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
37
Kitchen God flew back up the fireplace to report whose fate deserved to be changed, better for worse, or worse for better (61)
Chinese beliefs are implemented in the annual ceremony. There are many annual ceremonies for the ancestors which are portrayed in the Winnie Louie’s life. It is portrayed when she goes to the family’s event that is related to the ceremonies of ancestor worship.
At twenty minutes after two, the four of us walk into the reception area of funeral parlor. My cousin, Frank hands us black armbands to wear (40). The wooded clapper and the bell sound again, faster and faster. Suddenly the white banner tears away from the wall, and the family association whishes for lucky and long life spiral down and land draped across Grand Auntie’s chest like a beauty pageant banner (46).
Ceremonies which are conducted in Chinese Beliefs are the ways of respecting the ancestors. Ancestors’ blessing is the main purpose of worshiping their ancestors. The blessing will be gained, if they maintain the relationship with their ancestor. Maintaining the relationship with the ancestors can only be implemented through the annual ceremonies which show their respect to the ancestors.
He bows three times to Grand Auntie Du, then moves her casket, which glides forward easily on wheels. After another bow, the man ceremoniously plucks the banner off Grand Auntie’s chest and carries it in both arms as if it were holy vestments. Now Frank is passing out lit stick of incense to everyone. I look around, trying to figure out what to do (46- 47).
The relationship with ancestors has also to be maintained because they believe that the ancestors have a life in heaven. They can be reached by praying.
The Chinese-Americans have a basic belief related to dead people. The Chinese-
Americans believe that the death continue their life in heaven. In the following life, they need some equipments. Therefore, it is essential to have annual PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
38 ceremonies for praying. The descendants burn some spirit money for their ancestors. Even, they add some life equipments for the ancestors in the burial ceremony. It is portrayed in the Auntie Du’s funeral ceremony as follow; “He hands each of us a piece of foil-wrapped candy and a small red envelope of lucky money. “What are we supposed to do with these?”, Phil whispers. “Offer them to
Grand Auntie Du?” He pulls out a quarter from lucky money envelope” (40).
All the things are implemented based on Chinese Beliefs. The Chinese
Beliefs have become the ways of respecting the ancestors. When it is implemented in the annual ceremony, it shows their respect and maintains the relationship with the ancestors. Finally, they receive a lot of blessing and luck from the ancestors because they preserve their relationship with them and the heritages, Chinese
Beliefs.
4.1.1.3 Chinese Beliefs Bring about the Harmony of Yin and Yang
The basic principle of Chinese Beliefs is The Yin and Yang dichotomy.
There are a lot of Chinese Concepts in Chinese Beliefs, but all the concepts are based on The Yin and Yang dichotomy. Yin is commonly known as negative power. On the other hand, Yang is the positive power. However, the meaning of
Yin and Yang dichotomy is not only related to negative and positive powers. It is applied based on the aspect of life, for example; in the gender aspect. Yin is known as women and Yang is known as men. It is shown in Winnie Louie’s conversation as follow; “The yin comes from the woman. The yang comes from the man” (511). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
39 There is a cause and an effect for all aspects of life. From the definition of
Yin and Yang, it goes to the main definition of this concept. Basically, all aspects of life consist of two contrary powers, Yin and Yang. The goal of the concept is balancing Yin and Yang which leads to the harmony of life aspects. Therefore, the harmony of Yin and Yang is the main manner to harmonize life aspects. All the concepts including Chinese Beliefs are conducted to achieve the harmony.
Basically, the harmony of Yin and Yang is achieved by three main harmonies.
They are the harmony of human with nature, human with other human, and human with the Gods (59).
Chinese Beliefs which are implemented in the annual events are the ways of maintaining the harmony through good relationships. In the annual event,
Chinese-Americans socialize with the others, respect the nature, and pray to the
Gods. When the three main harmonies are maintained, the harmony of Yin and
Yang is preserved well. Through the harmony of Yin and Yang, life goes well and brings luck and prosperity.
Running down the sides of wooden panels decorated with gold Chinese characters. What does that say?, I ask my mother. She traces her finger down one, then the other. “Iye shiang ru yi”. The first word is “luck” this other is another kind of luck, and these two mean’ all that you wish.” All kinds of luck, all that you wish (58)
From the explanation above, it is explained obviously that Chinese Beliefs involve a great philosophy in the harmony of Yin and Yang. Therefore, Winnie
Louie keeps the harmony of Yin and Yang to harmonize her life and to preserve
Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
40 4.1.2 Transferring Chinese Beliefs to the Descendants
Winnie Louie as a Chinese immigrant highly understands that Chinese
Beliefs should be preserved by transferring the beliefs to the descendants. She transfers it by implementing the concepts in the traditions. Therefore, the descendants do not only understand the theories, but also they also practice it.
Before discussing the transfer of Chinese Beliefs, it is better to know about
Winnie Louie’s descendants. Winnie Louie has two children named Pearl Louie and Samuel. It is cited in the novel as follow; “And these days “the Louies” really refers to my mother and me, since my father die and my brother, Samuel, lives in
New Jersey” (3).
The novel only explains about the relationship between Winnie Louie and her lovely daughter, Pearl Louie. There is no information which is related to
Samuel further. Pearl Louie was married to an American, Phil Brandt. Phil Brandt works as a doctor in San Jose.
“Sometimes I regret that I ever married into a Chinese family,” Phil said when he heard we had to go to San Francisco, a hundred miles round-trip from our house in San Jose, made worse by weekend football traffic. And a weekend with the extended family is definitely not his preferred way to spend his days off from the hospital (7).
Pearl Louie has two beautiful daughters namely Tessa and Cleo. Tessa is eight years old, whereas her sister is three years old. They always follow their parents in some activities which are related to their family. It is portrayed in
Pearl’s activity as follow; “So now Phil is getting the girls settled in the room that once belonged to my younger brother. Phil has decided that Tessa, who is eight, will sleep on the twin bed, and three-year-old Cleo will get the hideaway cot” (8). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
41 Winnie Louie as a grandmother has a close relationship with her grandchildren. She always asks Pearl to take her daughters with her in family journey. Winnie Louie tries to transfer Chinese Beliefs to the descendants through her daughter, Pearl Louie. It cannot be denied that the process of transferring
Chinese Beliefs can be done, since there is a good relationship between the
Winnie Louie and her descendants, especially Pearl Louie. Winnie Louie introduces Chinese Beliefs from the simple concept. It is seen when Winnie asks the Pearl’s family to join in the Grand Auntie Du’s Funeral.
My mother left the house two hours ago with Auntie Helen so they could decorate the funeral parlor. And now Phil and I are going to be late for Grand Auntie’s service. Through the haze of the incense-blurred light, I can barely see my mother. She’s gesturing for us to come sit with her in the second row. Phil corrals the girls. As the camera continues to roll, we walk quickly down the aisle, past what must be only a dozen or so mourners, Mary, Doug, and their children (39-41).
Winnie Louie does not only pass down the understandings on Chinese
Beliefs, but also transfers it to the descendants in some ways. At least, there are two ways of transferring Chinese Beliefs which are applied by Winnie Louie. First is by worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife. Second is by naming their places which is based on Chinese Belief.
4.1.2.1 Worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife
Kitchen God is a god who has a duty to watch over human’s behavior in the world for a whole year. He decides whether the people deserve luck or not
(61). The story of the Kitchen God began with a man named Zhang. He was a rich farmer and had a good wife named Guo. Unfortunately, he was attracted with PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
42 a pretty woman named Lady Li and brought her home to his house. He made Guo as a servant in that house, so she decided to leave him.
In China long time ago, I hear my mother say, there was a rich farmer named Zhang, such a lucky man. Fish jumped in his river, pigs grazed his land, ducks flew around his yard as thick as clouds. And that was because he was blessed with a hardworking wife named Guo. She caught his fish and herded his pigs. She fattened his ducks, doubled all his riches, year after year. But Zhang was not satisfied. He wanted to play with a pretty, carefree woman named Lady Li. One day he brought this pretty woman home to his house, made his good wife cook for her. When Lady Li later chased his wife out of the house, Zhang did not run and call to her (59).
After Guo left that house, Lady Li and Zhang spent the money doing something unwisely. Finally, Zhang became a beggar and Lady Li run off with another man. When he was fainted, a good lady helped him and brought him home to her house. Zhang woke up and found him sitting near the fireplace. He wanted to know the good lady who helped him. Surprisingly, he recognized that the lady is Guo, her wife.
Now he and lady Li were free to swim in each other’s arms. They threw money away like dirty water. They slaughtered ducks just to eat a plate of their tongues. And in two years’ time, all of Zhang’s land was empty, and so was his heart. His money was gone, and so was pretty Lady Li run off with another man. Zhang became beggar. One day, he fell over and faced the sky, ready to die….But when he sat up, he saw he was in a kitchen, near a warm fireplace. The girl tending the fire explained that the lady of the house had taken pity of him, she always did this, with all kinds of people, poor or old, sick or in trouble.” Where is she, so I can thank to her? The girl pointed to the window and the man saw a woman walking up the path. Aiya! That none other than his good wife, Guo (60).
Looking at her wife, he felt so ashamed of what he had done. Then, he jumped to the kitchen fireplace to hide himself. Guo was too late to help him, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
43 Zhang was burned in that fireplace. For having the courage to admit that he was wrong, he was declared as the Kitchen God by the Jade Emperor (60-61).
Winnie Louie considers that the Kitchen God is very close to His wife. By worshipping the god’s wife, she hopes that she will be blessed much. Winnie
Louie worships the Kitchen God’ Wife over generations (531). She introduces
Her as the God for her family. She receives the tradition from Auntie Du who gives the worship’s equipments to her. It is seen in Auntie Du’s equipments as follow; “When I did go up to her apartment, I used to play with her altar, a miniature red temple containing a framed picture of a Chinese god. In the front of that was an imitation-brass urn filled with burnt incense sticks, and on the side were offerings of oranges” (13).
Winnie Louie buys a new statue of the God for her daughter (531). She also asks her daughter to worship the God every time. She convinces her daughter that the God will always listen to her wishes. The God sends the wishes to her husband, the Kitchen God, for giving luck and prosperity. “But sometimes, when you are afraid, you can talk to her. She will listen. She will use her stick to chase away everything bad. See her name; Lady of Sorrowfree, happiness winning over bitterness, no regrets in this world. Now help me to light sticks of incense” (532).
The tradition of worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife is a way of receiving luck and preserving one of the Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
44
4.1.2.2 Naming their Places Based on Chinese Belief s’ Concepts The name of places is an essential thing to be obeyed by Chinese-
American. The purpose is luck and prosperity for their life through the name of the places. However, not all places are given the names. Generally, some business places are named by Chinese names. The names have some meanings which are focused on receiving luck and prosperity.
It’s Mr. Hong, the owner, waving me to come in. When I first met him, I thought his name was Sam Fook, like the shop I found out later that Sam Fook means “triple blessings” in old Cantonese. “I told him he shopuld change the name,” my mother had said. “Luckier that way. But he says he has too much business already (13).
From the citation above, it is cited clearly that Chinese-American believes that a good name is a name that has a good meaning and brings luck for them. Mr.
Hong has a shop named Sam Fook. It means triple blessings. It can be concluded that he wants a lot of blessing through his shop. Having a good name for his shop, he has a lot of customers and succeeds in his business.
Winnie Louie also has a flower shop called Ding Ho. It is hoped that the shop can replace disaster to luck. It is cited as follow; “My mother and Auntie
Helen co-own Ding Ho Flower Shop on Ross Alley in Chinatown. In some way, the flower shop becomes the dream that would replace the disasters” (7).
There is a mutual function between the owner and the name of shop. A good name supports and brings success in the business. It gives intuition to develop the business. On the other hand, the owner also believes in the meaning of the name. Prosperity is the goal of naming shop with good meanings. It has a close relationship with one of the aspect of Chinese Beliefs called divination. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
45 The divination which is the prediction of power through many life aspects is adapted in the naming the places. Winnie Louie chooses a name which implies a good meaning and predicts the occult power for her life. Of course, she wants a good power in the term of luck. Therefore, naming the places with Chinese names can preserve the concept of divination. When divination concept in
Chinese names is preserved well, it means one of the Chinese Beliefs is preserved too.
4.1.3 Strengthening her Family Relationship
As a minority group in America, Winnie Louie realizes that there must be close relationships among Chinese-Americans. She can survive since she lives in the community called Chinatown. She opens the businesses there and helps each other in the community. Togetherness among Chinese-Americans is very important aspect for surviving there. Some of them have a family business jointly.
“My mother and Auntie Helen co-own Ding HO Flower Shop on the Ross Alley in Chinatown” (7).
She respects Chinese-American in America as a big family. Even though some families do not have blood relationship, she respects others as family members. When some Chinese-Americans meet each other, they will try to relate the family relationship. Some families will be more proud of marrying the children with other Chinese.
“The whole family” means The Kwongs and The Louies. The Kwongs are Auntie Helen, Uncle Henry, Mary, Frank, and Bao-Bao. And these days “ the Louies” really refers only to my mother and me, since my father is dead and my brother, Samuel, lives in New Jersey. We’ve have been PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
46 known as “the whole family” for as long as I can remember, even though the Kwongs aren’t related to us by blood (3).
They do not only work in business together, but also in preserving the
Chinese Beliefs. In the following years, some Chinese-American descendants live outside Chinatown. They are widespread in some regions in America. It is shown in Winnie Louie’s conversation as follow; “Mary is coming, husband and children too,” my mother said. Flying from Los Angeles next week” (4). Even though they live in different places, they still have good communication.
Winnie Louie’s children do not live with her in Chinatown. After getting married, her daughter lives with her husband in San Jose and her son lives in New
Jersey. Even though they do not live together, her children usually visit her to San
Francisco.
We had to go to San Francisco, a hundred miles round-trip from our house in San Jose, made worse by weekend football traffic (Amy Tan 7).And these days “the Louies” really refers only to my mother and me, since my father is dead and my brother, Samuel, lives in New Jersey (Amy Tan 3).
She also strengthens her relationship with her children and other families by applying some ways. There are three ways of maintaining the relationship among Chinese-American. The first way is by having some annual meetings with other families. The second way is by having a shop that provides Chinese Beliefs’ equipments. The third way is by celebrating their Chinese New Year.
4.1.3.1 Having some Annual Meetings with other Families
Strengthening the family relationship is an important thing for Chinese-
American. Winnie Louie has some meetings in order to maintain and to strengthen the relationship between Winnie Louie and the whole family. The family meetings PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
47 were held in the weekend or in the leisure time. An annual meeting is the way how they maintain the relationship effectively. They spend the time doing some activities in the meetings. They share each other and have a dinner together. It is portrayed in the Auntie Helen’s meeting as follow; “Auntie Helen already counted you in. banquet dinner at Water Dragon restaurant-five tables. If you don’t come she is one – half table short” (4).
The meeting is used to introduce the descendants to other families. Even, some of them marry with other Chinese-American since they meet in the meeting.
They invite other families to come to the engagement party up to the wedding party.
“Fourth engagement!” my mother said. Last one he didn’t marry, broken off after we already sent a gift. Of course, Helen is not calling it engagement party (4). On the way into Bao-Bao and Mimi’s reception, Cleo tried to hold onto one end of the wedding parent (515). During the reception dinner, we have to shout to one another in the cavernous din of the restaurant (517).
Winnie Louie shares and passes down the tradition and some information which are related to Chinese Beliefs. She expects that the children continue the tradition to their descendants. When Winnie Louie meets with her daughter, she explains the harmony of Yin and Yang.
And now was more confused than ever. I thought of ways to rephrase my question to make myself absolutely clear about blood relations, biological heritage, genetics, blood type, paternity test, the past that can never changed. My mother patted my hand.”Oh I know what you are thinking,” she said quietly. Of course every baby is born with Yin and Yang. The Yin comes from the woman. The Yang comes from the man (511). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
48 Having some annual meetings with other families is an appropriate way to socialize among Chinese-Americans. It is time to pass down the Chinese Beliefs to the descendants both of its concepts and implementations annually.
4.1.3.2 Having a Shop that Provides Chinese Beliefs’ Equipments
There are some annual traditions in Chinese Beliefs which require some equipment. There are some equipment such as the Gods statues, spirit money, incenses, candles, luck banners, and flowers uses in the tradition. It is shown in
Winnie Louie’s conversation as follow; “I could see this lady statue in her new house, the red temple altar with two candlesticks lighting up her face both sides.
She would live there, but no one would call her Mrs. Kitchen God” (531).
Winnie Louie still has an altar for worshiping. Generally, she puts the
Gods statue in the altar, candles and incenses in front of it. She provides some offerings on the table. “I used to play with her altar, a miniature red temple containing a framed picture of a Chinese god. In the front of that was an imitation- brass urn filled with burnt incense sticks, and on the side were offerings of oranges” (13-14).
Sometimes she uses the equipments, when there is a celebration or memorial activity. Therefore, she needs to provide the equipments for the tradition. Some shops are built in Chinatown, the center of Chinese American for culture and buildings.
As I turn down Ross Alley, everything around me immediately becomes muted in tone. It is no longer the glaring afternoon sun and noisy Chinatown sidewalks filled with people doing their Saturday grocery. And now I’m at Sam Fook Trading Company, a few doors down from the flower shop It contains shelves full of good-luck charms and porcelain and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
49
wooden statues of lucky gods hundred of them. I’ve called this place the Shop of the Gods ever since I can remember. It also sells the kind of stuff; spirit money, paper jewelry, incense, and the like (12-13).
Since she has good relationship, she builds the family association together with other Chinese-American for providing the equipments. She helps the others by providing flowers and banners. Even, some shops provide the equipments free for Chinese-Americans. They believe in being blessed by the Gods. It is cited as follow;” Across the street are the same trade and family associations, including a place that will send ancestor memorials back to China for a fee. And father down the street is the shop front of a fortune teller” (12).
Winnie Louie tries to introduce the equipments to her daughter by buying some equipment for her. She also gives a goddess statue for her daughter. She believes that her daughter is blessed with the statue.
Right way, Mrs.Hong opened up her cash register, thinking we were coming in to trade twenty-dollar bills. No,no I said. This time I’ve come here to shop, something for my daughter. Mr. Hong smiled big. So did Helen. I was standing in front of the porcelain statues: Goddess of Mercy, God of Money, God of War, all kinds of luck (529).
She hopes that her daughter uses it for worshipping. The seller who knows the purpose of it gives discount for her. It is cited in Mr. Hong’s conversation as follow;” Do you want something for decoration or something for worship? Mr.
Hong asked. For worship, I can give you thirty-percent discount. For decoration, I have to charge the same price” (529).
After Winnie Louie has given the Kitchen God’s Wife statue to her daughter, she explains who the Kitchen God’s Wife is and asks her daughter to do the tradition in praying together with her. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
50 Oh, that statue. You never saw that before. Yes, that’s true, very fancy, fine porcelain. And the style is good too. She how nicely she sits in her chair, so comfortable-looking in her manner. Look at her hair, how black it is, no worries. Although maybe she used to worry. I heard she once had many hardships in her life. But her smile is genuine, wise, and innocent at the same time. That means she is about to speak, or maybe she is telling you to speak. She is already to listen. She will wash away everything sad with her tears. She will use her stick to cast away everything bad. Now help me light three sticks of incense, the smoke will take our wishes to heaven (531-532).
Winnie Louie believes that the available of the equipments supports the preservation of tradition in Chinese Beliefs. Therefore, it is important for Chinese-
American to provide it together. They celebrate and worship with the available equipments. She also teaches the descendants to do the traditions by using the equipments.
4.1.3.3 Celebrating their Chinese New Year Celebration.
Chinese New Year Celebration is a great celebration which is held by
Chinese-American every year. There is a significant philosophy in Chinese New
Year Celebration for them. They pray for forgiveness from the Gods during the passes year. Then, they make resolutions and wishes for the next year. They always wait for celebrating Chinese New Year, since it is the time for them to change their life and to receive luck for the next year.
And then one year, all that changed. This was when I was eighteen years old, during the Small New Year, right before the Big New Year celebration began, when everyone turned one year older. The New Year was a time when you could change your luck (135).
When the Chinese New Year Celebration comes, Winnie Louie also celebrates the day and prays for the ancestors. She thinks what she has done for a whole year and makes the reflection of it. There are more people who come to the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
51 temples. They also meet the fortune-teller to prophesy their fortune and figure what they have to avoid the misfortune. It is portrayed in Winnie Louie’s story about the Chinese New Year Celebration.
Our New Year celebrations was not like what you have in the United States today-parades and fire-crackers, lucky money for children, only fun, fun, fun. It was a day of thinking. According to my custom when the New Year began (135).
Besides, New Year is a time for Chinese-Americans to account their good behavior. Winnie Louie believes that the Kitchen God observes and counts her bad and good behavior during a year. The Gods reports it to the Jade Emperor and
He gives blessings for a good man. Therefore they try to add their merit by burning some spirit money for ancestor and praying for their prosperity in the next year.
In heaven, the Jade Emperor heard the whole story from his new arrival. “For having the courage to admit you were wrong,” the Emperor declared,” I make you Kitchen God, watching over everyone’s behavior. Every year, you let me know who deserves good luck, which deserves bad. From then on, people in China knew Kitchen God was watching them. From his corner in every house and every shop, he saw all kinds of good and bad habits spill out: generosity or greediness, a harmonious nature or a complaining one. And once a year, seven days before the New Year, Kitchen God flew back up the fireplace to report whose fate deserved to be changed, better for worse or worse for better (60-61).
Winnie Louie always celebrates the Chinese New Year together with the whole family. It is the time to socialize and to pass down the tradition to the descendants. Chinese New Year is an annual event which is only held once a year.
Therefore, they meet the other family members and celebrate it together. It is seen in the Winnie Louie’s family celebration. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
52 And then I decided also to include a few dishes with names that sounded lucky. These were dishes I remembered Old Aunt had cooked during the New Year-sun-dried oysters for wealth, a fast-cooked shrimp for laughter and happiness, Fatsai, the black hair fungus that soaks up good fortune (247-248).
Winnie Louie believes that the Chinese New Year Celebration, which is held annually, is a way to strengthen the relationship among Chinese-Americans, a time to pray, and an effort to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
4.2. Winnie Louie’s Motivation as a Chinese-American in Preserving Chinese
Beliefs
The first part of this chapter has discussed the way of how Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves Chinese Beliefs. She has done a lot of efforts to preserve it overseas. Her efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs are the implementation of her motivation. It is a unique behavior as a Chinese-American.
Although Winnie Louie lives far from China, she is eager to preserve her beliefs.
There must be some great motivations which become the base of her behavior.
The writer discusses it in the second research question which aims to find out what motivates Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
The second research question is answered by applying the psychological theories of human motivation. Based on Maslow’s theory, there are some kinds of motivation which are ordered in the hierarchy of human needs (Franken 15). All motivation is based on the basic matter of human life that is the human needs.
When human needs something, they are motivated to obtain and to achieve it in the form of human behavior. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
53 The analysis of Winnie Louie’s motivation in preserving Chinese Beliefs is based on the Need Theory which is proposed by Maslow (Franken 16). There are seven stages of human needs that are motivated Winnie Louie to preserve
Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.1 The Self-Actualization Need of Winnie Louie
Self-Actualization is the highest need which stimulates one’s motivation.
Based on the Maslow’s theory, a person wants to do something and is motivated when she or he wants to actualize her or his own personality (Franken 15-17).
Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American who lives in another country also wants to actualize some aspects which are relied in her personality. At least, there are two aspects of Self-Actualization needs that motivate her to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.1.1 Showing the Chinese Identity
Winnie Louie is a Chinese-American. She spends the rest of her life living in new country, America. Before living in America, she had lived in China since she was born and grew up there. It is cited clearly as follow; “I was sent to live on
Tsunming Island with my father’s younger brother and his two wives, the island was two hours from Shanghai by motorboat, up the Huangpu River until you reach its mouth” (117).
Winnie Louie really knew about Chinese-Beliefs from her ancestors. Her mother was an educated woman. She is one of the first women who studied at
Shanghai Missionary School in 1897 (121). It influenced her manners in PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
54 educating Winnie Louie about many things involved the Chinese Beliefs (116).
Winnie Louie respects Chinese Beliefs not only as traditions, but also the guidelines of life. As a result, she also applied it when she immigrated to America,
If my life had been that way, one thing leading to another, then I could look back and I would know the lessons of my life; the fate that was given me, the choices I took, the mistakes that are mine. And perhaps I would till have time to change my luck. (69) Her American naturalization papers in a plastic pouch, her Chinese Passport from forty years ago, one small motel soa One washcloth, one pair each of knee-high stockings and nylon panties, still new brand. And then she pulled out more things: her poochai stomach pills, her potion of coughs, her tiger-bone pads for aches, her good-luck Goddes of Mercy if her other remedies do not work (88).
Chinese Beliefs contain traditions, rules, and philosophies that have become the identity of Chinese-American. It makes them differ from the others.
Winnie Louie finds her identity by applying its traditions. She wants all the
Chinese-Americans know that there is a symbol of their identity that is exposed through the traditions. Winnie Louis always tries to introduce the traditions to the descendants in keeping their identity as Chinese-Americans (41-45). She is afraid that her descendants will not know their ancestor traditions and some principles of
Chinese Beliefs. It is shown in the conversation as follow: “And I knew she was talking about the Chinese new year coming up soon, about that old saying: Sweep away last year’s dust and all bad things” (90). Chinese Beliefs have become the manifestation of the identity. Losing the traditions lead to the lost of the identity.
Since her proud of the identity as a Chinese-American, Winnie Louie actualizes herself by applying the traditions. She highly believes that an identity PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
55 which is maintained and symbolized by applying traditions, it keeps the existence of Chinese-Americans.
4.2.1.2 Expressing Her Spirituality
As stated in the Needs Theory, self-actualization need is expressed by some real actions as the implementation of motivation (Franken 15). Winnie
Louie is a Chinese-American who undergoes her life based on Chinese Beliefs.
Her efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs are categorized in Self-Actualization need because it involves the motivation to strive her personal fulfillment in her spirituality. She really believes in Chinese Beliefs, it motivates her to express it by preserving Chinese Beliefs in the form of traditions.
My mother has always been proud of those red banners. She doesn’t write the typical congratulatory sayings, like “Good Luck” or “Prosperity and Long Life”. All the sayings, written in gold Chinese characters, are of her own inspiration, her thoughts about life and death luck and hope: First- Class Life for Your First Baby,” Double-Happiness Wedding Triples Family Fortunes”. “Money Smells Good in Your New Restaurant Business, “Health Returns Fast, Always Hoping” (18-19).
Basically, her motivation to preserve Chinese Beliefs is caused by her believing in the principle of Chinese Beliefs, especially the dichotomy of Yin and
Yang. She highly concerns with the harmony of Yin and Yang by trying to undergo her life with balancing the dichotomy. She realizes that the harmony can be preserved if there is a harmony between human and gods, human and nature, and among human (286-287).
Preserving Chinese Beliefs is also her effort of gratefulness to the Gods who guides her life from nightmare to luck. After having a lot of terrible PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
56 experiences in her life, finally she can achieve the happiness. She lived in the war period in China, had a cruel husband, and faced her two children who died there.
It is shown obviously in her husband’s behavior toward her as follow: “And hearing this once again, I started to collapse to the floor ,but before I could do so, he pulled me back up, dragged me toward the door like a bag of rice” (209).
Her child died in the front of her. Wen Fu as her husband did not want a daughter, he wanted a boy. When the baby died, he was not sad and only laughed for seeing her (305-306) .She struggled to escape from China and immigrated to
America. She waited for a long time and sold all because she had to pay some tickets and a passport (498-499). After arriving in America, she was married to her second husband, Jimmy Louie. Finally she lived with her beloved husband and the family there (622-625).
She understands that luck and prosperity comes from the Gods. She is really glad with all that she has been received from the Gods. She is eager to express her thankful by preserving Chinese Beliefs. Based on that purpose, she is motivated to preserve Chinese Beliefs. She believes that Chinese Beliefs guide her and the descendants to prosperity.
4.2.2 The Aesthetic Need of Winnie Louie
The Aesthetic Need is the human need of beauty, pleasure and principles influencing taste. In this case, it is the beauty of philosophy in Chinese Beliefs.
This need sets up person to maintain the existence of something that is regarded as PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
57 great and worthy (Franken 14-16). Chinese Beliefs as the part of culture are the manifestation of human thinking of taste in the form of tradition and principles.
Chinese Beliefs make Winnie Louie runs her life based on the implied principles in it. It guides her to live in the regularity and motivates her to maintain it. It is seen visibly in the traditions that are celebrated annually (356-357). She enjoys the way she goes through her life based on Chinese Beliefs. The traditions and philosophy fulfill her aesthetic need.
Oh, that statue. You never saw that before. Yes, that’s true, very fancy, fine porcelain. And the style is good too. See how nicely she sits in her chair, so comfortable-looking in her manner. Look at her hair, how black it is, no worries. Although may be she used to worry. I heard she once had many hardships in her life (531).
Her Aesthetic Needs motivate her to preserve Chinese Beliefs with all its aspects. She wants the descendants to keep the continuation and regularity of life which is based on Chinese Beliefs. Therefore the aesthetic aspects in Chinese
Beliefs can be preserved. The descendants also feel the beauty of traditions and philosophies.
At least, there are two aesthetic needs that motivate her to preserve
Chinese Beliefs. The first of the Aesthetic Need is the need of maintaining the harmony of Yin and Yang. Then the second one is the need of keeping the continuation of blessing. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
58 4.2.2.1 Maintaining the Harmony of Yin and Yang
The Dichotomy of Yin and Yang is the fundamental principle of Chinese
Beliefs, which becomes the central of cosmology. Even, it also influences the divination and ancestor worship. The world is separated into two opposite powers called Yin and Yang (Hook 288-290). There are two powers exist in all life aspects. People who balance the opposite powers by maintaining the harmony of
Yin and Yang will achieve luck and prosperity.
The harmony of Yin and Yang involves many aspects. If a person wants to balance it, it means she/he must create the harmony of human, nature, and the
Gods. The harmony of Yin and Yang also guides human to consider what to do by considering the cause and the effect of their behavior. A person who undergoes his/her life by considering the harmony of Yin and Yang will be a lucky person.
Some traditions are created to implement the harmony of Yin and Yang. The traditions make the regularity of celebrating the traditions which involves the harmony of Yin and Yang.
Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American believes that she receives luck and prosperity by maintaining the harmony of Yin and Yang (286-288). As woman who has a lot of knowledge in Chinese Beliefs, she knows that the dichotomy motivates her to have good behavior as human. She implements the harmony in the way she builds good relationships with others, her family, her ancestors and the Gods. It can be seen when she helps other family and prays to the Gods for the new couple in a wedding ceremony (742). The experiences teach her to do PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
59 something with the consideration of the dichotomy. She thinks of the cause and effect of her behavior.
She preserves Chinese Beliefs since there is the harmony of Yin and Yang that makes the regularity of keeping the harmony for all life aspects. The harmony of Yin and Yang is an aesthetic need since there is a beauty in the way how Winnie
Louie undergoes her life by maintaining the harmony of Yin and Yang. The continuation of maintaining the harmony of Yin and Yang brings about prosperity.
The relationship of all aspects in the harmony also fulfills her aesthetic need. It is shown in Winnie Louie’s feeling as follow: “Every baby is born with Ying and
Yang, The yin comes from the woman. The yang comes from the man. When you were born I tried to see whose yang you had, I would say, look, she has Jimmy
Louie’s smile” (511).
Besides, Winnie Louie understands that the dichotomy guides both of her and the descendants to have right behavior in good consideration. Therefore,
Winnie Louie and the descendants also receive prosperity from maintaining the harmony of Yin and Yang as a part of aesthetic needs. It motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.2.2 The Continuity of Blessing
Blessing is valuable thing that Winnie Louie wants to keep. She believes that it will be gained if she obeys the three major elements in Chinese Beliefs that are Cosmology, Divination, and Ancestors Worship (Hook 288). She convinces that the harmony of Yin and Yang can bring blessing, since it creates the harmony PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
60 for all aspects. Divination is a revelation from the Gods, who guides her to undergo life suitable with the forecast. She tries to avoid danger and to succeed in facing the obstacles. She believes that blessing will be always with her as long as she obeys the divination of Chinese Beliefs. It is portrayed in the fortune-teller’s conversation as follow;” During the Rat year, the fortune-teller had said to Peanut, someone could chew through her wool coat and expose her faults if she was not careful” (143).
Another manner to receive the blessing is worshiping the ancestors (Hook
290). As a descendant, Winnie Louie worships the ancestors as an expression of honor to them. She applies some traditions for respecting the ancestors and also praying for them. She supposes that the ancestors award the blessing for her family, since she respects the ancestors.
Winnie Louie is eager to passes down the blessing to the descendants. She hopes that there is a continuity of blessing over generations. It can be seen when
Winnie Louie meets her daughter as follow:” I ask my mother. She traces her finger down one, then the other. “Iye shiang ru yi”. The first word is “luck” this other is another kind of luck, and these two meant all that you wish.” All kinds of luck, all that you wish” (58).
Being favored with blessing can only be achieved, if the descendants also do what she does. All blessing comes from the efforts of preserving the traditions and philosophy in Chinese Beliefs. As long as the existence of Chinese Beliefs is maintained, blessing is awarded to her and the descendants. Therefore, the need of blessing is one factor that motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs. The PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
61 continuation of blessing to the descendants strengthens her motivation to preserve
Chinese Beliefs over generations continually.
4.2.3 The Cognitive Need of Winnie Louie
Preserving Chinese Beliefs is the form of human thinking capacity
(Franken 15-16). Traditions are created because of the human thinking capacity of creating its concept. Starting with the curiosity of knowledge, which is included the traditions, Winnie Louie is motivated to learn Chinese Beliefs from other
Chinese-Americans. It is shown when Winnie Louie goes to Sam Fook Trading
Company. She asks a lot of information about statue and its name (529). Based on what she has learned, she tries to pass down it to the descendants (58). She knows that there is a lot of knowledge which is useful and important from the traditions.
The knowledge is included in the philosophy which is implemented in the term of traditions.
At least, there are two major aspects of knowledge which motivate Winnie
Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs. The first aspect is the understanding of Chinese
Beliefs’ concepts. Winnie Louie wants the descendants understand the concepts of
Chinese Beliefs. The second aspect is exploring the implementation of Chinese
Beliefs. She is eager to introduce the concept to be understood by the descendants.
Based on the concept, Winnie Louie and the descendants explore its implementation in the traditions. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
62 4.2.3.1 Understanding the Concept of Chinese Beliefs
Winnie Louie’s thinking capacity to transfer the concept of Chinese
Beliefs is the figure of cognitive need. It is the cognitive need of thinking some ways to preserve Chinese Beliefs. Therefore, she always tries to think and to share the understanding of the concepts of Chinese Beliefs traditions.
Basically, the concepts of Chinese Beliefs are the extension of dichotomy
Yin and Yang. Winnie Louie believes that the world is a cosmos which consists of two opposites powers; they are Yin and Yang (Hook 288). The concepts are adapted not only in the beliefs, but also in some aspects of life such as economy, gender, and treatment concepts. The concept of cosmology is used by Winnie
Louie to arrange her life.
Winnie Louie convinces her daughter that the divination has a close relationship with luck and prosperity. The understanding of its elements guides her into luck and a better life in America. Divination consists of Scapulimancy,
Yijing, and Geomancy (Fengshui). It consists of forecasts and rules that accommodate some aspects in daily life. She uses the divination to consider her plan both in economy and traditions which are based on her beliefs. It can be seen in Winnie Louie’s consideration about divination as follow: “Ying gai meant she should have altered the direction of fate, she should prevented disaster” (27)
The last one is ancestor worship. The concept of ancestor worship is the extension of Yin and Yang dichotomy. The harmony of human life and the death gives effect on prosperity (Hook 290-191). Respecting the ancestors who have died, it symbolizes descendants’ homage to the ancestors. This concept guides PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
63
Winnie Louie to introduce the ancestor to her daughter and respects them in the rituals of ancestor worship. It is shown in the funeral of Aunty Du. Winnie Louie and the other families are worshipping Auntie Du together.
Grand Auntie Du lying in her casket, with glasses perched on her emotionless waxy face. In front of the casket is a long, low table overflowing with food, what looks like a nine course Chinese dinner, as well as an odd assortment of mangoes, oranges, and a carved watermelon. This must be Grand Auntie’s farewell provisions for trudging to heaven (41). In the front of the pews is a large picture of Grand Auntie. My mother is now bowing to grand Auntie (47).
The understanding of Chinese beliefs concepts direct Winnie Louie to share what she knows to others. In that process, she is preserving Chinese Beliefs as the effect of fulfilling the Cognitive Need in understanding Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.3.2 Exploring the Implementation of Chinese Beliefs The three major concepts of Chinese Beliefs are implemented in the traditions. Winnie Louie’s cognitive need motivates her to explore the understanding of Chinese Beliefs concepts. Her thinking capacity makes the concepts implemented in the traditions. The implementation of the concept in the form of traditions preserves Chinese Beliefs. Winnie Louie together with her daughter explores the traditions. She spends her time sharing about Chinese
Beliefs. It is seen when Winnie Louie gives a Kitchen God picture and altar to her daughter as follows: “I told you what Grand Auntie left us in her will. She turns on the light, and then I see it, sitting on the clothes dryer. It is the altar for Grand
Auntie’s good luck god, the Chinese crèche” (58). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
64
The harmony among humans which is a part of Yin and Yang dichotomy is represented in the harmony of Winnie Louie family’s members. Even tough they do not have blood relationship, they respect others as the members of family.
“The whole family” means the Kwongs and the Louies. The Kwongs are Auntie Helen, Uncle Henry, Mary, Frank, and Bao-Bao. And these days “the Louies really refer only to my mother and me, since my father is dead and my brother, Samuel lives in New Jersey. We have known as “the whole family” for as long as I can remember, even tough the Kwongs aren’t related to us by blood, just by marriage (3).
In the term of divination, the banner or luck symbol is widely used in
Winnie Louie’s family. It is shown in some banners which are made by Winnie
Louie (31). She also celebrates some Chinese Beliefs celebrations. The New Year is the great moment that she is waiting for.
Our New Year celebrations was not like what you have in the United States today-parades and fire-crackers, lucky money for children, only fun, fun, fun. It was a day of thinking. According to my custom when the New Year began (135).
She celebrates it together with the whole family by praying and worshiping the ancestors. She believes that Chinese New Year Celebration brings about luck. It is shown in Winnie Louie’s statement as follows: “The new year was a time when you could change your luck (135).
The motivation of implementing the concepts comes from her need to explore the implementation of Chinese Beliefs. Therefore, exploring the implementation of Chinese Beliefs is an aspect of cognitive need that motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
65 4.2.4 The Esteem Need of Winnie Louie
Winnie Louie finds something as the symbol of pride for the Chinese-
American. Chinese Beliefs is a part of Chinese culture. It is a heritage that she has been inherited from the ancestor in China. Winnie Louie is proud of being a
Chinese-American with its heritage.
Chinese Beliefs which are respected as heritages symbolizes her identity and togetherness. It is a pride that represents her dignity and self-esteem.
Therefore, the esteem need that can be represented in Chinese Beliefs traditions motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs. There are two aspects of the Esteem
Need that motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.4.1 Showing Off the Knowledge of Chinese Beliefs
In Winnie Louie’s mind, there is a self-esteem need that she wants to show to the others. The self-esteem need is fulfilled by showing off her capacity in
Chinese Beliefs (19). She is proud of what she has known about Chinese Beliefs.
She is eager the descendants respects and knows that she has understood much on
Chinese Beliefs. Hence, she tends to share and to explain some traditions and its equipments which are related to Chinese Beliefs in almost family’s meetings.
As he tapes the banner back up, my mother is fuming, “That corner, put more tape there! More there, too. How can you let her luck fall down like that!” My mother is now bowing to Grand Auntie. Now it is my turn to bow (46-47) . She is attracted with the ceremonies that convey the knowledge of Chinese
Beliefs. As a result, she asks her daughter and the family to join in every meeting and ceremony. It is shown in the way how Winnie Louie asks Pearl to come to PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
66
Bao-Bao’s engagement party as follows: “Pearl-ah, have to go, no choice,” my mother said when she phoned last week. After several minutes I learned the reason for her call: Auntie Helen was inviting the whole family to my cousin Bao-
Bao’s engagement party” (1).
At that moment, the descendants used to ask about some symbols and the purpose of traditions to her. Winnie Louie as a person who is thought older than other explains the symbol and the ceremony willingly.
Bao-Bao is there to greet us as well. He’s smiling broadly. Hei man, glad to see you guys finally decided to make it. He hands each of us a piece of foil wrapped candy and small red envelope of lucky money. You eat the candy for luck (40).
She introduces Chinese Beliefs to the descendants in the modern ways.
The concept can be thought logically. The philosophy has some universal understandings as well. For example, creating a harmony with the nature is a manner that can be thought logically. There will be disaster when the people damage the nature. That makes the concept accepted by the descendants easily.
Pearl as her daughter also passes down the understanding of Chinese
Beliefs to her daughter in modern way. It is seen from her expression after she listened to the story of The Kitchen God.
“And once a year, seven days before the new year, Kitchen God flew back up the fireplace to report whose fate deserved to be changed, better or worse, or worse for better. “The end”, shouts Cleo, completely satisfied. ‘Sounds like Santa Claus, says Phill cheerfully. “hnh1” my mother huffs in a tone that implies him is stupid beyond words. “He is not Santa Claus. More like a spy, FBI agent, CIA”(61).
Her knowledge of Chinese Beliefs stimulates the descendants to ask all the things related to Chinese Beliefs. She is respected as a parent who can be the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
67 model as a Chinese-American who still keeps Chinese Beliefs in mind and behavior. Winnie Louie is pleased with the way how the descendants respect her both as a parent and a Chinese-American (47-48).
She does not only share the knowledge, but also gives some examples of worshiping in the rituals (45). Consequently, the descendants understand both of the concept, the implementation, and the purpose of it. Showing off her knowledge of Chinese Beliefs has motivated her to learn more and to share what she understands about it. It can fulfill her self-esteem as a Chinese-American. Her willingness to share her knowledge preserves Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.4.2 Expressing her Pride as Chinese American
Sometimes people ask what makes them feel proud (Franken 16-18).
Winnie Louie feels that feeling. She tries to find the answer. Then she knows
Chinese Belief is one of her pride. It would be an honor for her to share it. Winnie
Louie expresses her pride as Chinese-American who has great Chinese Beliefs in the form of traditions. She expresses it in her decorative flowers and banners.
Lining the walls are large funeral wreaths, propped easels.”Ah?” my mother says, waiting for my opinion. I’ve always found wreaths hideously sad, like decorative lifesavers thrown out too late.” Very pretty,” I said. And now she steers me toward her real pride and joy (18).
She expresses it in some aspects of tradition. Her shop is designed in
Chinese model and she always puts the banner of luck there. She expresses her beliefs through the banner (18). She always tries to convince her daughter about the use of the banner when they look at other banners in the special ceremony. It is cited in Winnie Louie’s conversation with her daughter as follows: “My mother PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
68 claims these banners are the reasons why Ding Ho Flower Shop has had success flowing through its door all years” (18).
Even, Winnie Louie explains the concept of Chinese Beliefs to her daughter. She tells the story of The Kitchen God’s Wife to her daughter. Her daughter, Pearl, also continues to tell it to her daughter (59-60). Winnie Louie gives an altar and its equipment to her daughter as heritages (58). She is really proud of her goddess, Kitchen God’s Wife who guides her family. It is shown as follows: “But her smile is genuine, wise, and innocent at the same time. And her hand, see how she just raised it? That means she is about to speak, or maybe she is telling you to speak. She is ready to listen” (531).
She buys the new statue of Kitchen God’s Wife for her daughter as the
God for the family. “This time I’ve come here to shop, something for my daughter. Mrs. Hong smiled big. So did Helen. I was standing in the front of porcelain statues: Buddha, Goddess of Mercy, God of Money, God of War, all kinds of luck” (529).
The way of expressing her pride in Chinese Beliefs is one of the efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs. She is motivated by her pride of Chinese Beliefs.
Winnie Louie considers that Chinese Beliefs are given from the ancestor as heritages for her. Hence, she preserves Chinese Beliefs since she is proud of what she preserves, that are Chinese Beliefs. Therefore, Winnie Louie’s self-esteem motivates her to fulfill the need of expressing her pride of Chinese Beliefs. Her pride preserves Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
69 4.2.5 The Belongingness and Love Need of Winnie Louie
The belongingness and Love needs are the needs that have great influences for people to do something. It motivates someone to fulfill her or his need which has impact to her/his actions (Franken 17). Winnie Louie’s belongingness and love of Chinese Beliefs motivate her to preserve it. She feels that she is one of the owners of Chinese Beliefs. The belongingness of Chinese Beliefs really motivates her significantly (511).
Besides, Winnie Louie’s affection to the descendants and ancestors also becomes one of significant aspects which motivate her to preserve Chinese
Beliefs. At least, there are two major aspects of belongingness and love need which motivate Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs. The first aspect is the implementation of her belongingness to Chinese Beliefs. The second aspect is maintaining the Kitchen God’s blessing for her descendants.
4.2.5.1 The Implementation of her Belongingness to Chinese Beliefs
Undoubtedly, Winnie Louie can be an excellent figure of Chinese
American who concerns with Chinese Beliefs. It is the implementation of her belongingness to Chinese Beliefs. Winnie Louie thinks that Chinese Beliefs is one of enormous heritages. She assumes that as one of the descendants, preserving own heritages is a duty.
Besides, the belongingness of Chinese Beliefs also motivates her efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs. Looking back at her biography, she was grown-up in the noble Chinese family who hold tight the traditions (106-107). It influences her belongingness of Chinese Beliefs. During her living in China, the belongingness PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
70 of Chinese beliefs was not only in the form of philosophy, but it is more to the implementation.
For that reason, the way of implementing Chinese Beliefs in China was kept tightly until her life in America. It is portrayed in the way she celebrates the
New Year in China as follows: “The new year was a time when you could change your luck. According to our custom, when the new year begun, not one single speck of dust from last year could remain. Not a single copper’s worth of debt could be left unpaid. Our New Year celebration was not like what you have in
America today” (135).
There are many ways of implementing her belongingness of Chinese
Beliefs. It is seen noticeably in her efforts to preserve it in some ways. It begins with transferring the understanding of the concept. There are some concepts which are widely introduced to the descendants such as the dichotomy of Yin and
Yang, the concepts of divination and ancestor worships (511).
Based on the concepts, she continues to offer its implementation in some traditions which are applied in some ceremonies and equipments of Chinese
Beliefs. There are some ceremonies in Chinese Beliefs, but there are only two ceremonies which are cited in the novel. They are the New Year celebrations and funeral rituals (53).
As a manner to strengthen and to spread the sense of belongingness toward
Chinese Beliefs, she is not only limited to strengthen them in her family but also to widen it to other families. It is exposed in Winnie Louie’s relationship with PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
71
Helen and Mrs. Hong. She asks Helen to buy a statue and Mrs. Hong gives discount if the statue is bought for worshiping.
Do you want something for decoration or something for worship? Mrs. Hong asked,” For worship, I can give you thirty-percent discount. For decoration, I have to charge the same price. This is for worship, said Helen right away. Not just for decoration, I said” (529).
She reinforces the relationship among Chinese-American families in preserving Chinese Beliefs. Then, the sense of belongingness and love of Chinese
Beliefs is widespread among the families. The motivation of fulfilling the belongingness and love of Chinese Beliefs unites them to preserve Chinese
Beliefs collectively.
The belongingness of Chinese Beliefs motivates her to preserve Chinese
Beliefs. She feels that Chinese Beliefs belongs to her and other Chinese-
Americans. Thus, the motivation of implementing her belongingness plays an important role in the efforts of preserving Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.5.2 Maintaining the Kitchen God’s Blessing for her Descendants Kitchen God is one of God who is believed by Chinese-American.
According to the belief, Kitchen God is a God who is send by the Jade Emperor to watch over people’s behavior a whole year from the corner of their house.
In heaven the Jade Emperor heard the whole story from his new arrival. For having the courage to admit you were wrong, the Emperor declared, I make you Kitchen God, watching over everyone’s behavior. Every year, you let me know who deserves good luck, who deserves bad (60-61).
Then seven days before the end of one year, he decides whether the people deserve good luck or bad. Kitchen God blesses them in the form of luck for good people in the next year. It cited as follow;” From then on, people in China knew PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
72 Kitchen God watching over them and once a year, seven days before the New
Year, Kitchen God flew back up the fireplace to report whose fate deserved to be changed” (61).
Believing in Kitchen God was hereditary belief. Winnie Louie’s family respects the God as family’s God. Before Auntie Du died, she asked Winnie Louie to give the God’s picture and the altar for the next generation that is Pearl Louie.
It is shown in the description of the altar and a picture given to her daughter.
The altar is about size of small upturned drawer, painted in red lacquer. In a way, it resembles a miniature stage for a Chinese play. There are two ornate columns in front, as well as two ceremonial electric candles. The picture is almost cartoon like. The man is rather large and is seated in regal splendor, holding a quill in one hand, a tablet in the other, He has two long whiskers, shaped like smooth, tapered black whips. Oh, this we call Kitchen God (58).
Even, Winnie Louie buys a statue of The Kitchen God’s Wife for her daughter. Winnie Louie hopes that Kitchen God favors much blessing for her daughter. In addition, she wants her daughter and the families realize that every behavior was watched over by Kitchen God. Therefore, Pearl and the family keep doing right behavior and receive a lot of blessing every year (530-532).
Based on the Winnie Louie’s behavior toward her descendants, it is seen visibly that maintaining the Kitchen God’s blessing for her descendants is one of the motivations in preserving Chinese Beliefs incessantly. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
73 4.2.6 The Safety Need of Winnie Louie
The Safety Need is the need of feeling secure with aspects surroundings
(Franken 18). It is one of the needs that motivate Winnie Louie to preserve
Chinese Beliefs. Feeling safe is also a basic need for undergoing her life. Winnie
Louie is a Chinese-American who immigrates to America. She lives far from her original country.
When she arrived in America, she only knew Jimmy Louie and Helen. She feels secure with her second husband. After her husband died, she had to stand on her feet. She needs to feel safe while she is growing her daughter up in America.
There are two aspects of safety need that motivate her to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
The first aspect is maintaining the minority of Chinese-Americans. The second aspect is feeling secure in the community.
4.2.6.1 Maintaining the Minority of Chinese-Americans
Being minority group in America was not easy in 1949 (72). Chinese
American was the minority group in America at that time. Winnie Louie as a minority citizen realizes that there must be a unity of Chinese American. She feels more secure when she has a lot of relations there.
To unite the Chinese-American who are settled in many places, Winnie
Louie considers that there must be medium which ties all Chinese-Americans.
There should be a way to direct them to feel in the same condition as minority citizen. When she lives in the unity, she feels more secure and fulfills her safety need. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
74 Chinese Beliefs are chosen as media to direct others living in the unity.
There are many traditions in the form of its ceremonies. The ceremonies give the opportunities for her to meet with other Chinese Americans. The philosophy in the dichotomy of Yin and Yang also teaches them to have a good relationship with others. The good relationship creates the harmony among human. The harmony is seen in the way Winnie Louie builds her relationship with others in Bao-Bao’s party as follow; “Thanks, Auntie”. Bao-Bao shouts and my mother waves back to him. She actually looks proud” (519).
The ancestor worship also influences her way of thinking that she respects other Chinese Americans as the member of big family (9). In the ceremonies
Winnie Louie meets other family and shares each other. They help and protect each other. It is shown in the preparation of Bao’s wedding (509).
The New Year celebration as the summit of Chinese Beliefs celebrations can influence her and other families to prepare and to worship together (135). The togetherness of Chinese Americans can make them feel more secure in America.
Hence, the safety need can be fulfill by maintaining the minority of
Chinese-American in togetherness situation. The togetherness is the strength of preserving Chinese Beliefs well.
4.2.6.2 Feeling Secure in the Community
Generally, Chinese-Americans live in the community. The community is built based on the same original country. Chinese-Americans are settled in the one area called Chinatown. Chinatown is the center of their activities. They build tight relationship with other Chinese-American in that place. Since they live in one PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
75 area, it is easier for them to organize and to maintain their relationship. It is cited in the description of Chinatown.
As I turn down Ross Alley, everything around me immediately becomes muted in tone. It is no longer the glaring afternoon sun and noisy Chinatown sidewalks filled with people doing their Saturday grocery shopping. The alley sounds are softer, quickly absorbed, and the light is hazy, almost greenish in cast (12).
Winnie Louie is one of Chinese-Americans who are settled in Chinatown.
The Chinatown is located in San Francisco (7). She builds her house and runs her business there. She realizes that the community makes them survive there. She feels secure with the same people surroundings. The community provides a lot of opportunities for her to do what she wants.
So the location my mother and Auntie Helen picked isn’t exactly bustling. Yet they seem to have done all right. In a way, it’s remarkable. After all these years, they’ve done almost nothing to keep up with the times or make the place more attractive. I open the door and bells jangle. I’m instantly engulfed in the pungent smell of gardenias, a scent I’ve always associated with funeral parlors (14).
Since her community is inhabited with same original country, she can explore Chinese beliefs together with others freely. She shares her understandings and the implementations of Chinese Beliefs in the community. Chinese-
Americans help each other to prepare some traditions. Everyone has their own capability. They do what they can do for the community. They hold the traditions firmly in togetherness (12).
Surely, the community makes her focus on the community member’s need.
Both Winnie Louie and her neighbor really concern with the availability of
Chinese Beliefs equipments. Then, some of Chinese-Americans provide Chinese PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
76
Beliefs equipments. They pay attention to the preservation of Chinese Beliefs since they believe in its luck. Indirectly, they are united to preserve Chinese
Beliefs. It is cited in the family association as follows:” On the right-hand side of the street is the same old barbershop, run by Al Fook, who I notice still uses electric clippers to shear his customers’ sideburns. Across the street are the same trade and family associations, including a place that will send ancestor memorials back to China for a fee” (12).
The community which is centered in Chinatown creates secure condition for the residents to preserve Chinese Beliefs. Besides, it provides an appropriate atmosphere to deepen their understanding on Chinese Beliefs. Winnie Louie as one of the community members passes down Chinese Beliefs well. It cannot be denied that feeling secure in the community supports and motivates Winnie Louie in preserving Chinese Beliefs.
4.2.7 The Physiological Need of Winnie Louie
The Physiological Need is the basic of other needs. It is a physical need that supports human to survive. It involves the need of food, water, cloth, house etc (Franken 15-16). To fulfill the physical need, human need to work in order to obtain the outcome.
Winnie Louie runs a business in Chinatown to accommodate her material needs. She opens a flower shop at home (14). Her business runs well. The philosophy in Chinese Beliefs guides her to achieve luck and prosperity (18-19). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
77 Hence, the Physiological Need is one of the motivations in preserving
Chinese Beliefs. At least there are two aspects involved in physiological need that motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs. The first aspect is maintaining Winnie
Louie’s business. The second aspect is the way of surviving in America.
4.2.7.1 Maintaining Winnie Louie’s Business
Some Chinese Americans who stay in Chinatown run some business.
Chinatown is the meeting point of their business. Since the businesses are centered in Chinatown, it provides a suitable place for selling the goods.
Moreover, it is a place where the buyer is easier to find the goods. It is shown in the description of business in Chinatown.
And now I’m at Sam Fook Trading Company, a few doors down from the flower shop It contains shelves full of lucky gods, hundred of them. I’ve called this place the Shopps of the Gods ever since I can remember. It also sells the kind of stuff people get for Buddhist funerals, spirit money, paper jewelry, incense, and the like ( 12-13).
Some of the businesses in Chinatown have a close relation with Chinese
Beliefs. Some of the residents sell Chinese Beliefs equipments such as candles, incenses, banners, flowers, statues, pictures, fortune teller etc. Winnie Louie and
Helen run their flower shop jointly. The annual traditions make the buyer worship the Gods and ancestors. The buyer also buys some equipment for it regularly. The condition supports the business because there are many fixed customers for their goods.
My mother and Auntie Helen co-own Ding Ho Flower Shop on Ross Alley in China town. They got the idea of starting the business about twenty-five years ago, right after my father died and Auntie Helen was fired from her job. I suppose, in some way, the flower shop became the dream that would replace the disaster (7). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
78
Winnie Louie’s income is raised in the day of Chinese Beliefs ceremonies.
Since there is more people worship the Gods for being blessed with luck and prosperity in the next year, the demand of flowers and banners are increasing in the days before the Chinese New Year Celebration. The Chinese New Year
Celebration which is celebrated annually maintains her business (14).
Chinese Beliefs ceremonies which increase her outcome are believed to be the blessing from the Gods. Winnie Louie highly believes that the business which supports the preservation of Chinese Beliefs brings out a lot of blessing (19).
The business and Chinese Beliefs has a mutual relationship. The business runs swell, if Chinese Beliefs is preserved. Chinese Beliefs guides her to run the business with the dichotomy of Yin and Yang. It creates the harmony among human in business. It is seen clearly in the way Winnie Louie runs her business with Helen jointly. Her business also completes other businesses which are not concerned with the availability of flowers.
Based on the fact, it can be concluded that Winnie Louie is also motivated to preserve Chinese beliefs in order to maintain her business. Chinese Beliefs creates some events in the form of ceremonies which increases the outcome. The
Physiological Need is fulfilled by maintaining the business. For this reason,
Winnie Louie preserves Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
79 4.2.7.2 The Way of Surviving in America Living in another country as newcomers is not easy. Chinese-Americans immigrated to America for a better life. They arrived in America collectively, but some of them were individually. It can be seen in Winnie Louie’s process of immigrating to America.
I bought three tickets. The first was a black-market airplane ticket, leaving from San Francisco in ten days, on May 15.The second and third were legal tickets, one leaving for Hong Kong on May 27, the other for Singapore on June 3, I had three chances. I told Auntie Du that whatever tickets were left over she could have to sell or use. Auntie Du said she would decide later. Hulan had already said she did not want to leave (498-499).
Therefore, there were some Chinese-Americans who did not have family there. Most of them joined in other families. Winnie Louie was one of the
Chinese-Americans who did not have family from China. Helen was only her close friend. Strengthening the relationship with other families, she looked for something that can unite her with others and feel the same as others. At least, there are two factors that unite her with other Chinese-Americans in fraternity.
The first factor is the resemblance of Chinese-Americans. Winnie Louie feels that Chinese-Americans are big family who come from the same ancestors in
China (1). She tries to make a family relationship by telling the place where she came from. She wishes that there are some Chinese-Americans who came from the same place in China. Winnie Louie has close relationship with Auntie Du, since they come from the same place in China.
That day I came out of jail, it must have been one hundred thousand all pushing carts filled with strange combinations things, sack of rice and milk coasts, that sort of thing. Auntie Du said they were all running to train station and boat harbor, to leave for Canton and Hong Kong before communist came (491). PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
80
She feels comfortable to live in Chinatown together with other Chinese-
Americans. She can survive there, since there are close relationships among
Chinese-Americans. The relationships are not only limited in economy, but also widens in some aspects of life. It is portrayed in their annual activity in the weekend to strengthen ties of relationships as follows: “Auntie Helen already counted you in. Big Banquet dinner in Water Dragon Restaurant-five tables. If you don’t come she is one-half table short” (4). She introduces her family to other families and they also do it as well. It can be a way to introduce among them.
Therefore, they know each other and maintain the family relationships. It is shown in the standing orders of Bao-Bao’s wedding as follow;” The co-best buddy is back on the microphone. “And now we want to introduce you to the immediate family. On Mimi’s side, we have the father of the bride Mr. C.Y Wong of
Friendly Adventures Travel, and his lovely wife Maggie” (518).
The second factor is the similarity of believing in Chinese Beliefs. Chinese
Beliefs which is believed by Chinese-Americans unite them in togetherness. There are some ceremonies that provide time and place to meet with others and strengthen their relationships. Chinese Beliefs also teaches them to harmonize the relationship with Chinese Americans. They believe in luck and blessing from the relationships (58).
Surviving in America is one of physiological needs that is significant to be fulfilled. Winnie Louie needs to survive in America. It is the basic motivation of why she is motivated to preserve Chinese Beliefs. Chinese Beliefs is one of the heritages that unite Chinese Americans to survive in togetherness. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part is about the conclusions of my analysis. The conclusions are taken from analyzing and answering the formulated problems. Then, the second part is about the suggestions. The suggestions are divided into two parts. They are the suggestions for future researchers and English teachers.
5.1 Conclusions
Having finished analyzing Amy Tan’s The Kitchen God’s Wife, I come to the conclusion of the analysis. There are two major conclusions based on the analysis of problems formulations. It is related to Winnie Louie’s ways of preserving Chinese Beliefs and her motivation in preserving Chinese Beliefs.
The first conclusion is about Winnie Louie’s ways of preserving Chinese
Beliefs. There are three major ways of preserving Chinese Beliefs. The first way is by passing down the understandings on Chinese Beliefs to the descendants. She passes down to the descendants the understanding on the concepts of Chinese
Beliefs. There are three concepts that are conveyed to the descendants. The concepts state that Chinese Beliefs are the symbol of identity, the ways for respecting the ancestors, and the manner of bringing about the harmony of Yin and
Yang.
81 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
82 The second way is by transferring Chinese Beliefs to the descendants.
Winnie Louie implements the concepts into the traditions of Chinese Beliefs.
Then, she transfers it to the descendants by worshiping the Kitchen God’s Wife and naming the place based on Chinese Beliefs’ concepts.
The third way is by strengthening her family relationships. She realizes that preserving Chinese Beliefs goes well and gives great impact to the others, if there are close relationships among Chinese-Americans. It is easier to preserve it in togetherness. The relationships are strengthened by having some annual meetings with other Chinese-American families, having a shop that provides
Chinese Beliefs’ equipments, and celebrating the Chinese New Year Celebration annually.
The second conclusion concerns with Winnie Louie’s motivation in preserving Chinese Beliefs. The analysis of Winnie Louie’s motivation is based on the Need Theory, proposed by Maslow. There are seven kinds of motivation that is ordered in the hierarchy of human needs.
There are seven kinds of motivation that motivates Winnie Louie in preserving Chinese Beliefs. The basic motivation is the Physiological Need of
Winnie Louie. She needs to fulfill her physical needs by maintaining her business.
Chinese Beliefs, which are implemented in some traditions, create some annual events that maintain Winnie Louie’s business. Believing in Chinese Beliefs also unites them into one community that helps each other in running their business in order to survive in America. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
83 The second motivation is the Safety Need of Winnie Louie.Chinese-
American is a minority group in America. As a minority group, they have to maintain the solidarity of Chinese-Americans. As one of the members, Winnie
Louie needs to feel secure there. She feels more secure in the community called
Chinatown. It is the center of Chinese Americans’ activities. The community is built based on believing in Chinese Beliefs. Chinese Beliefs’ philosophy of Yin and Yang guides them to make a good relationship among others. Being motivated by her need to feel secure in the community, Winnie Louie preserves Chinese
Beliefs.
The third motivation is the Belongingness and Love Need of Winnie
Louie. In Winnie Louie’s consideration, Chinese Beliefs are heritages from the ancestors. Her belongingness of Chinese Beliefs directs her to preserve it. It is the implementation of her belongingness to Chinese Beliefs. She also believes in being blessed by Kitchen God, for she preserves Chinese Beliefs. The blessing will be received, if the descendants maintain Chinese Beliefs. Therefore, she maintains the Kitchen God’s blessing for the descendants by preserving Chinese
Beliefs.
The fourth motivation is the Esteem Need of Winnie Louie. Preserving
Chinese Beliefs is motivated by expressing her pride as a Chinese-American and showing off her knowledge of Chinese Beliefs to the descendants. When she is living in America, she tries to find out something that makes her feel proud.
Chinese Beliefs with all the traditions make her proud of being a Chinese- PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
84 American. The descendants also respect for her knowledge of Chinese Beliefs.
For that reason, she preserves Chinese Beliefs.
The fifth motivation is the Cognitive Need of Winnie Louie. Her efforts to preserve Chinese Beliefs come from her thinking capacity. She is eager to understand the concepts of Chinese Beliefs and explore its implementations further. Therefore, she dares to ask for information related to Chinese Beliefs from the others. Winnie Louie’s need of fulfilling curiosity about Chinese Beliefs motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
The sixth motivation is the Aesthetic Need of Winnie Louie. Her life, which is based on Chinese Beliefs, is beautiful harmony of life aspects. It is the harmony of human, the gods, and nature. The harmony keeps the continuity of blessing. The harmony is one aspect that fulfills her aesthetic needs. The aesthetic aspect that implements in the harmony motivates her to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
The seventh motivation is the Self-Actualization Need of Winnie Louie. It is the greatest motivation that motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese
Beliefs. The Self-Actualization Need is fulfilled by expressing her spirituality and showing the Chinese identity. When she has fulfilled other needs, she goes to the consideration of her existence as human. Chinese Beliefs, which is the symbol of her identity, confirm her existence as a Chinese-American. Besides, she wants to express her gratitude to the Gods, who guides her with Chinese Beliefs and changes her nightmare into both of luck and prosperity. Therefore, the fulfillment of self-actualization need takes significant contribution in her motivation to preserve Chinese Beliefs. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
85 All the kind of needs motivate Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
Preserving Chinese Beliefs is the synchronizing of fulfilling some needs. It is begun with fulfilling the Physiological Need and then continued to the other needs. Finally, the fulfillment of Self-Actualization Need is the culminating-point that motivates Winnie Louie to preserve Chinese Beliefs.
5.2 Suggestions
This part discusses two suggestions, namely the suggestions for the future researchers in analyzing their subject and the suggestions for teaching English by using literary works, in this case is The Kitchen God’s Wife.
5.2.1 Suggestions for the Future Researchers
Amy Tan’s novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife, portrays the Chinese-
American’s life in San Francisco. It tells about the way how they run life with synergizing economy, culture, and beliefs in togetherness. My analysis is limited to the preservation of Chinese Beliefs by a Chinese-American. It analyzes the way how Winnie Louie as a Chinese-American preserves Chinese Beliefs and her motivations to preserve it.
Future researchers may analyze other significant aspects in this novel. The first aspect is the analysis of the relationship between mother and daughter, who are represented by Winnie Louie and Pearl. They have close relationship each other, but there are some aspects in which are important to be analyzed. The second aspect is Wen Fu’s characters related to his cruel behavior toward Winnie PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
86 Louie. The third aspect is Chinese’s perception toward woman in Chinese family.
It is also an interesting aspect to be analyzed further.
5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teachers
This part is the discussion on teaching reading through literature. A work of literature is the work of art. A work of literature is a work that needs author’s ability to integrate imagination and the truth of life. It is created to represent idea, imagination, thinking, and feeling to reveal the truth of life. Through literature, students learn the value of life in the text. From the teacher’s point of view, it is the rich source for teaching English (Brumfit 110-111).
According to Stern, written in Expanding Dimension to Literature in
ESL/EFL, there are some relationships between literature and language fields; a. Linguistic Aspect
Literature helps student in mastering grammar and vocabulary of language as well for the four language skills. Some activities related to student’s language skills are developed through the literary text. b. Culture Aspect
Literature portrays of author’s culture by examining universal human experiences with the content of particular setting and the consciousness of particular people in society. c. Aesthetic Aspect PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
87 It benefits for teaching of literature its own sake for perceptive insight which provides in human existence with the artistic and intellectual boundaries of literary frameworks.
Literature enables us to learn life value and develop the language skills, in this case reading skill. As a teacher, The Kitchen God’s Wife can be an appropriate source for teaching reading, since it provides great information related to Chinese-
Americans’ life and the preservation of culture. The students may enrich their knowledge of culture and how to preserve it through reading the novel.
Based on Lado’s theory (141) states that teacher should teach literature when the students are enough to control the language and understand the culture to experience it somewhat like the native reader. Considering the language competence, I choose the novel to teach Intensive Reading II in semester II of
English Language Education Study Program.
There are three major activities in teaching Intensive Reading II. The first activity is called pre-reading activity. The teacher provides some information and source in order to activate the students’ prior knowledge of Chinese Culture. It is important for the teacher to stimulate the student’s interest in reading the passage.
The second activity is known as while-reading activity. It is time for the students to read and comprehend the passage. The last activity is post-reading activity.
The teacher provides some questions related to the passage to know the students’ comprehension about the information underlying the passage. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
88 The procedures of teaching intensive reading II are ordered as follows;
1. The teacher shows some pictures which are related to Chinese-Americans
activities.
2. The teacher asks pre-reading questions based on the pictures.
3. The teacher gives the text materials to the students.
4. The teacher asks the students to scan the text by reading at a glance.
5. The teacher asks the students to tell some important points from the text.
6. The teacher asks the students to read aloud one by one for each sentence.
7. The teacher divides the students into some groups.
8. The teacher gives an opportunity for the students to discuss the text by
answering some questions.
9. The teacher discusses the questions together with the students.
10. The teacher asks the students to tell the values that they receive by reading the
text. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abrams, M.H. 1985. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Aiken, Lewis R.Jr. 1969. General Psychology: A Survey. California: Chandler Publishing Company.
Beck, Robert C. 1978. Motivation Theories and Principles. New Jersey: Prentice- Hall Inc.
Bloomfield, Frena. 1983. The Book of Chinese Beliefs: A Journey into the Chinese Inner World. London: Arrow Books.
Bressler, Charles E. 1999. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.
Brumfit, Christopher J and Ronald Carter. 1986. Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Byrne, Donn. 1969. English Teaching Extracts. London: Longman, Green & Corp.
Franken, Robert E. 2002. Human Motivation. Belmont: Thomson Learning Academic Resources Center.
During, Simon. 2005. Cultural Studies: A Critical Introduction. New York: Routledge.
Hook, Brian. 1991. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jung, John. 1978. Understanding Human Motivation: A Cognitive Approach. New York: Macmillan Publishing Inc.
Lado, Robert. 1974. Language Teaching: A Scientific Approach. New Delhi: Tata Mc. Graw Hill.
Lu, Sheng-yen. 2006. Pengulasan Fenshui Rumah Tinggal. Medan: PT Budaya Daden Indonesia.
Matrisia Komda Jateng. 2007. Pengetahuan Umum Tentang Tri Dharma. Semarang: Benih Bersemi.
89 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
90 McConnell, James V. 1983. Understanding Human Behavior. New York: CBS College Publishing.
Memering, Dean. 1983. The Prentice Hall Guide to Research Writing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 2004. Chinese-Americans. New York: Microsoft Corp.
Murphy, M.J. 1972. Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Petri, Herbert L. 1981. Motivation: Theory and Research. California: Wadsworth Inc.
Rohrberger, Marry and Samuel Woods .1971. Reading and Writing About Literature. New York: Random House.
Stern, Susan L.1987. Expanding Dimension to Literature in ESL/EFL: An Integrated Approach, Forum Volume xxvii. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Storti, Craig.1999. Figuring Foreigners Out: A Practical Guide. Yarmounth: Intercultural Press.
Tan, Amy. 1991. The Kitchen God’s Wife. New York: Ivy Books.
Tweddell, Collin E and Linda Amy Kimball. 1985. Introduction to Peoples and Cultures of Asia. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Weiner, Bernard.1980. Human Motivation. New York: Press of W.B Saunders Company.
Welleck, Rene and Warren, Austin. 1956. Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World Inc.
Welleck, Rene. 1976. Concept of Criticism. London: Yale University Press.
Wright, D.S and J.T Reason. 1970. Introducing Psychology. Middlesex: Penguin Education. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
91 Sources from the internet :
Chinatown in San Francisco. http://www.inetours.com /Tours/Chinatown _walking .html, accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
Chinatown. http://www.inetours.com/Pages/SFNbrhds/Chinatown.html, accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
Fengshui. http://www.shambhala.com/fengshui/fundamentals/whatis.cfm/, accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
San Francisco Chinatown. http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/ communityfair .html, accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
The Kitchen God’s Wife. http://www.bookrags.com/The_Kitchen_God's_Wife, accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
The Kitchen God’s Wife Novel. http://www.answers.com/topic/the-kitchen-god-s- wife-novel-7, accessed on 23 September 2007 at 10 a.m.
The Summary of The Kitchen God’s Wife Novel. http://www.sparknotes.com /lit/ kitchengods/summary.html, accessed on 1 August 2008 at 13 p.m. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
APPENDICES
92 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
93
APPENDIX 1
LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING INTENSIVE READING II
Subject : Intensive Reading II
Meeting : 1 meeting
Topic : Reading literary text (material is taken from the novel
The Kitchen God’s Wife)
Semester : II of English Language Education Study Program
Time Allocation : 2 x 50’
I. General Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, the students are able to apply basic reading
strategies to understand the story and to expand vocabulary mastery.
II. Specific Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, the students are able to:
1. Scan certain specific information in the story.
2. Answer inferential questions about the story.
3. Retell the story using students’ own words
III. Material and Media
Material : The novel The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan
Media : Handout and Dictionary PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
94 IV. Teaching Learning Activities
1. Pre-Reading Activities
1. 1. The teacher shows some pictures related to the topic of the study.
1. 2. The teacher asks the students to guess the topic based on the
pictures.
1. 3. The teacher asks the students’ knowledge related to the topic of
the study.
1. 4. The teacher distributes the reading passage.
1. 5. The teacher lets the students scan the reading passage.
2. While-Reading Activities
2. 1. The students scan the reading passage.
2. 2. The students find the certain specific information based on the
teacher’s questions. The teacher’s questions are;
1. What does the writer mean by the title?
2. What is the short story about?
3. Who is Winnie Louie?
4. Where does the story take place?
5. Who is Mrs. Hong?
2. 3. The students find the unfamiliar words in the reading passage
using the dictionary.
2. 4. The students read the reading passage once again to understand
the content of the reading passage. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
95 2. 5. The students answer the questions below given by the teacher as
guidance in a group of three:
1. Describe the characters of Winnie Louie! (use your own
words)
2. How is the background of Winnie Louie’s family? (write
the fact from the passage for the evidences)
3. How is the relationship between Winnie Louie and her
daughter, Pearl?
4. What does Winnie Louie do in Sam Fook Trading
Company?
5. What are the Winnie Louie’s efforts of preserving the
Chinese Beliefs?
2. 6. The students retell the story by using their own words and the
values they gain by reading the passage.
3. Post-Reading Activities
The teacher and the students discuss the answers together. The teacher
asks the students’ opinion about the story in the novel The Kitchen
God’s Wife related to the preservation of Chinese Beliefs in America.
The teacher also asks the difficulties that the students face when they
are reading the passage. The teacher asks the students to discuss and
make some reflections on the ways of preserving Indonesia’s culture in
globalization era. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
96
V. Sources
Brumfit, Christopher J and Ronald Carter. 1986. Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chinatown in San Francisco. http://www.inetours.com/Tours/Chinatown _walking.html was accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
Chinatown. http://www.inetours.com/Pages/SFNbrhds/Chinatown.html was accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m.
San Francisco Chinatown. http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events /communityfair.html was accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
97 APPENDIX 2
LESSON UNIT PLAN
KPE 141 INTENSIVE READING II
Effective from 20 August 2007
Credit 2 credits Time Allocation 2 x 50 minutes class meeting 2 x 120 independent work and structured tasks
Study Program English Language Education Study Program
Course Coordinator Henny Herawati, S. Pd., M. Hum.
Lecturers Henny Herawati, S. Pd., M. Hum. Dr. Retno Muljani, M.Pd. Drs. JB. Gunawan, M.A.
Grading Policy Assesment Aspect Percentage Independent Tasks 20% Mid-test Results 40% Final test Results 40% Total 100%
1. Short Description of the Course: KPE 141 Intensive Reading II course is designed to train students to read intensively. In addition to reading comphrehension, reading speed, and vocabulary mastery, the students also develop their reading strategies such as scanning, skimming, understanding main idea (s) and details. In this course, the students are required to read articles of various topics and text types. This course is compulsory and offered in semester II. The prerequisite for the course is Intensive Reading I. This course is compulsory and offered in semester II. There are no prerequisites courses for the course, however, the students will experience facilitating effects if they have attended Intensive Reading I course.
2. Competence Standard (Goals of the course) The students will be able to implement appropriate reading strategies to carry out intensive reading activities: understanding main ideas and detailed information, making inference, scanning to search for specific information, and developing vocabulary mastery. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
98 3. References
Blanchard, Karen and Christine Root. For Your Information. Book 4. High Intermediate Reading Skills. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman Publising Company, Inc., 1996. (1) Goshgarian, Gary. The Contemporary Reader from Little Brown. 2nd edition. Boston: Little Brown and Company. 1987. (2) Kay, Judith and Rosemary Gelshenen. Discovering Fiction. A Reader of American Short Stories. Book 1. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2005. (3). Malkoc, Anna Maria. Road to Reading: American Short Stories for Reading Pleasure. Washington: English Teaching Division. United States Information Agency. 1987. (4) Mikulecky, Beatrice S., and Linda Jeffries. More Reading Power. Reading for Pleasure, Comprehension Skills, Thinking Skills, Reading Faster. 2nd Edition. New York: Pearson Education, Inc. 2004. (5)
(Syllabus of 2nd Semester of English Language Education Study Program) PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
99
APPENDIX 3 TEACHING MATERIAL
I. Please take a look at these pictures and answer the questions!
1 2
3
1. What is the first picture about? ------2. Where does the activity take place? ------3. What do you know about Chinese-Americans’ beliefs? ------PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
100
II. Scan for the specific information in the reading passage by answering the following questions!
1. What does the writer mean by the title?
…………………………………………………………………………………
2. What is the short story about?
…………………………………………………………………………………
3. Who is Winnie Louie?
…………………………………………………………………………………
4. Where does the story take place?
…………………………………………………………………………………
5. Who is Mrs. Hong?
…………………………………………………………………………………
Sorrow Free
Today a new customer came into the flower shop, and she bought expensive things, big bouquets, many tangerine plants for a restaurant grand opening. Today Pearl’s husband called me from work and asked if I can baby-sit next weekend, it is their second honeymoon. Today Helen and I were eating leftovers from Bao-Bao’s wedding dinner, and she told me, “You were right. That fish – no good taste the day after. I was thinking, today is my lucky day. And then Helen said, “Now I have to admit something. The something is this: I have said many wrong things.” I thought I was luckier yet. She said, “I always told you Wen Fu was not a bad man, not as bad as you said. But all along I knew. He was bad. He was awful!” She waved her hand under her nose, chasing away a big stink. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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So now Helen was confessing everything. Thinks she is going to die, so at last she tells me the truth! “I tried to make you think he was a nice man,” she said. “I told you it was only the accident, that’s what made him mean. Do you know why?” “You couldn’t see clearly!” I answered. “You didn’t know how much I suffered, how I could never forget. Finally you can see!” “I said this so you would not blame Pearl.” “What are you saying?” I asked suddenly scared. “Why should I blame Pearl?” “Because if you thought Wen Fu was born bad, then you might think Pearl was born bad. But now I see this could never be the chase. You always hated him. You always loved her. And she is nothing like him. So now I don’t have to worry anymore. Now I can be frank. He was mean, a very bad man.” “You always knew this?” I asked. “That may be Wen Fu was Pearl’s. “Of course I knew!” Helen frowned. “How could I not know? I’m not stupid. I come into the room, he’s there, you have a gun in your hand, a crazy look on your face. And later, all those years, I saw how much you fought to make Pearl yours, just in case. You were never that way with Samuel. Daughters are different, of course. But still, I knew.” “And Auntie Du knew?” Helen nodded. “Ai, how could you both know and not say anything?” And Helen patted my arm. “Eh, little person, who are you to ask such a question?” After lunch, I told Helen was going shopping. She said,” Where? Maybe I’ll come.” I said, “I don’t know where yet.” And she said, “Good, that’s where I want to go too.” So then we went next door, to Sam Fook Trading Company. Right away, Mrs. Hong opened up her cash register, thinking we were coming into trade twenty-dollar bills. “No, no,” I said. “This time I’ve come here to shop, something for my daughter.” Mrs. Hong smiled big. So did Helen. I was standing in front of the porcelain statues: Buddha, Goddess of Mercy, God of Money, God of War, all kinds of luck. “Do you want something for decoration or something for worship?” Mrs. Hong asked. “For worship, I can give you thirty-percent discount. For decoration, I have to charge the same price.” “This is for worship,” said Helen right away. “Not just for decoration,” I said. And then I turned to Helen. “This is true. This is for Pearl. I’m finding something to put inside the little red altar temple. I promised PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
102 Auntie Du. For a long time already I have been thinking about this, before Pearl told me about her sickness.” And then I was thinking to myself once again about that time she told me about the MS. Oh, I was angry, I was sad. I was blaming myself. I blamed Wen Fu. After Pearl went home, I cried. And then I saw that the picture of Kitchen God, watching me, smiling, so happy to see me unhappy. I took his picture out of the frame. I put it over my stove. “You go see We Fu! You go to hell down below!” I watched his smiling face being eaten up by the fire. Right then my smoke detector went off. Wanh! Wanh! Wanh! Oh, I was scared. Wen Fu – coming back to me. That’s what I thought. But then I listened again. And I knew this was not We Fu’s ghost. This was like a bingo blackout. This was like a Reno jackpot. This was Kitchen God’s Wife shouting, Yes! Yes! Yes! “What does your daughter do?” Mrs. Hong was now asking me. “Oh, she has an important job, working in a school,” I said. “A very high-level position,’ adds Helen. “Very smart.” This one is good for her then, Wen Ch’ang, god of literature. Very popular with school.” I shook my head. Why pick a name like Wen Fu’s? “ I am thinking of something can use for many reasons,” I explained. “Goddess of Mercy, then.” Mrs. Hong was patting the heads of all her goddesses. “Good luck, good children, all kinds of things. We have many, all different sizes. This one is nice, this one is thirty dollars. This one is very nice, this one is two hundred sixty-five dollars. You decide.” “I am thinking of the Goddess of Mercy,” I said. “I am looking for something else.” “Something to bring her money luck,’ Mrs. Hong suggested. “No, not just that, not just money, not just luck,” says Helen. We look each other. But she cannot find the words. And I cannot say them. “Perhaps one of the Eight Immortals,” said Mrs. Hong. “Maybe all eight, then she has everything.” “No,” I said. “I am looking for a goddess that nobody knows. Maybe she does not yet exist.” Mrs. Hong sighed. “I’m sorry, this we do not have.” She was disappointed. I was disappointed. Helen was disappointed. Suddenly Mrs. Hong clapped her hands together. “Where is my head today?” she walked to the back of the store; calling to me. “It’s back here. The factory made a PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
103 mistake. Of course, it is very nice statue, no chips, no cracks. But they forgot to write down her name on the bottom of her chair. My husband was so mad. He said, “What are we going to do with this? Who wants to buy a mistake?” So I bought the mistake. I fixed it. I used my gold paints and wrote her name on the bottom. And Helen bought good incense, not the cheap brand, but the best. I could see this lady statue in her new house, the red temple with two candlesticks lighting up her face from both sides. She would live there, but no one would call her Mrs. Kitchen God. Why would she want to be called that, now that she and her husband are divorced? When Pearl came to drop off the children at my house this weekend, I said to her husband, “Go watch TV with the children. I have to give my daughter some medicine I found.” I took her upstairs to my bedroom. Pearl-ah, I said. Here is some Chinese medicine. You put this pad on your arms and legs, the herbs sink into your skin. And every day you should drink hot water three or four times a day. Your energy is too cold. Just hot water, no tea or coffee inside. Are you listening?” What are you looking at? Oh, that statue. You never saw that before. Yes that’s true, very fancy, fine porcelain. And the style is good too. See how nicely she sits in her chair, so comfortable-looking in her manner. Look at her hair, how black it is, no worries. Although maybe she used to worry, I heard she once had many hardships in her life. So maybe her hair is dyed. But her smile is genuine, wise and innocent at the same time. And her hand, see how she just raised it? That means she is about to speak, or maybe she is telling you to speak. She is ready to listen. She understands English. You should tell her everything. Yes, yes, of course this is for you! Why would I buy such a thing for myself? Don’t cry, don’t cry. I didn’t pay too much. But sometimes, when you are afraid, you can talk to her. She will listen. She will wash away everything sad with her tears. She will use her stick to chase away everything bad. See her name: Lady of Sorrowfree, happiness winning over bitterness, no regrets in this world. Now help me light three sticks of incense. The smoke will take our wishes to PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
104 heaven. Of course, it is only superstition, just for fun. But see how fast the smoke rises. Oh, even faster when we laugh, lifting our hopes, higher and higher.
III. Put a check mark next to the statements you think the author would agree with! 1. Mrs. Hook has a flower shop.
2. Winnie Louie buys a god statue called Goddess of Mercy.
3. Winnie Louie buys the statue for worship.
4. Pearl’s children go to the Winnie Louie’s house once a week.
5. Winnie Louie’s family believes in the Gods.
IV. Read once again and discuss the answers of the following questions in the group of three!
1. Describe the characters of Winnie Louie and Helen! (use your own
words)
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2. How is the background of Winnie Louie’s family? (write the fact from the
passage for the evidences)
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3. How is the relationship between Winnie Louie and her daughter, Pearl?
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4. What does Winnie Louie do in Sam Fook Trading Company?
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5. What are the Winnie Louie’s efforts of preserving the Chinese Beliefs?
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V. Retell the story of “ Sorrow Free” in your own words !
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VI. In your opinion, what should we do to preserve Indonesian culture in the
globalization era! (Homework)
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106 APPENDIX 4
THE SUMMARY OF THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE
The Kitchen God's Wife opens with the narrative voice of Pearl Louie
Brandt, the American-born daughter of a Chinese mother and a Chinese-American father, who is a speech therapist living in San Jose. Pearl's mother, Winnie Louie, has called Pearl up to request that Pearl ask her daughters to attend the engagement party of Pearl's cousin Bao-Bao in San Francisco. Right away, Pearl feels a reluctance to oblige her mother, since she is more involved in her
American identity—perhaps a result of her marriage to Phil, an American—than her Chinese background. Nevertheless, she feels an obligation to attend her families' festivity and knows she would feel guilty otherwise. Then, two days before the engagement party, Pearl receives another call from her mother telling her that Auntie Du has died and that the funeral will be arranged for the day after the engagement party. So, with all of this on her shoulders, Pearl sets out toward
San Francisco with her young daughters, Tessa and Cleo, and her husband.
Upon her return to her childhood home, Pearl's Auntie Helen, Bao-Bao's mother, who co-owns a flower shop with Pearl's mother, pulls Pearl aside and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
107 makes a request. Auntie Helen tells Pearl that Pearl must tell her mother Winnie about Pearl's multiple sclerosis, which everyone in the family knows about, except for Winnie. Helen says that Pearl must do this because Helen believes that Helen has a malignant brain tumor and does not want to die knowing that Winnie does not know this about her daughter. Helen continues by saying that if Winnie will not tell her mother the truth, Helen will be forced to do so herself. Later, Helen pulls Winnie's mother aside as well and tells Winnie that she must unveil the secrets of her past to her daughter because she cannot go to her grave with such secrets. We find out later that Helen knows her tumor is benign and is simply using the idea of her own death as a pretext to force mother and daughter to unleash their secrets.
It is at this point that the novel changes narrative voices and begins to be narrated by Winnie Louie, who begins to tell Pearl the story of Winnie's past.
Before she reached the United States, Winnie experienced much turmoil, strife, and suffering. She was abandoned by her mother as a young child, never knowing very much about her mother's mysterious disappearance. Winnie, whose name in
China was Weili, is forced to live with her Uncle and his two wives (New Aunt and Old Aunt). She never feels as loved as her uncle's true daughter, Weili's cousin, Peanut. Nevertheless, when the time comes, Winnie's aunts arrange a traditional marriage for her, and her father provides a large dowry, since he is an educated and well-established man. The marriage, however, to a man named Wen
Fu, turns out to be a terrible one. Wen Fu is horribly abusive—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Winnie manages to suffer through her manage while PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
108 surviving World War II. She loses many children along the way, some to early deaths and one that was stillborn. It is during the War that Winnie becomes friends with Helen, whose name in China was Hulan. By telling her daughter about this friendship, Winnie is revealing that Helen and Winnie are not really in- laws as the family in America believes, but only friends who have gone through much hardship together. Winnie had had to lie and say that Helen was her dead brother's first wife in order to bring Helen to the United States, after Winnie had already been in the United States for a while. Winnie lived her new husband
Jimmy Louie, the man whom Pearl had always been told was her father. Jimmie
Louie was a good husband, a good father, and a minister in the Chinese Baptist
Church, but he had died when Pearl was a teenager.
Winnie had met Jimmy Louie in China, at an American dance. He was
American born, though his background was Chinese, and he was extremely kind.
The two fell in love, and Pearl escaped with him, after running away from Wen
Fu. The biggest secret, however, that Winnie tells her daughter, is that before
Winnie was able to escape her marriage, Wen Fu raped her and that Wen Fu is
Pearl's real father. Winnie tells her daughter also that it is only now that she feels truly free from Wen Fu's wickedness and his threats, because she has received news of his death.
After Winnie tells her daughter about her past, Pearl reveals the secret of her own disease. By the time the wedding of Bao-Bao comes around, mother and daughter know each other better and are able to appreciate each other's positions, PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
109 ideas, and beliefs better. Also, by the end of the novel, Helen reveals the planning of a trip to China—a trip that Helen, Pearl, and Winnie will take together.
(Taken from http://www.sparknotes.com /lit/ kitchengods/summary.html, accessed on 1 August 2008 at 13 p.m. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
110 APPENDIX 5
THE BIOGRAPHY OF AMY TAN
Amy Tan was born on February 19, 1952 in Oakland, California.
Her family lived in several communities in Northern California. Both of her parents were Chinese immigrants. Due to this fact, Tan grew in American society with her Chinese heritage.
Her father, John Tan was an electrical engineer and Baptist
Minister. He came to America to escape the turmoil of Chinese Civil War.
Her mother, Daisy, move to America because of political situation. Her
mother’s anguish also inspired her work. Daisy had divorced an abusive
husband and lost her three children in China. She was forced to leave them
behind when escaping on the last boat to leave Shanghai before the
Communist took over in 1949. Her marriage to John Tan produced three
Children.Amy Tan attended and finished her high school in Switzerland.
Finishing her high school, Amy went to eight different colleges until she
finally settled in one college and receives her master degree. In 1974, she and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
111 her boyfriend, Louis DeMattei were married. They were later to settle in San
Francisco.
She left the doctoral program in 1976 and took a job as a language
development consultant to the Alameda association. She started a writing firm
business with her partner. They produced speeches for Salesman for large
company. Among her business, she produced twenty six chapter for IBM
called” Telecommunications and You”.
Her first story” Endgame” won her admission to the Squaw valley
writer workshop taught by Oakley Hall. A literary agent, Sandra Dijktra, was
impressed with Tan’s Second story “Waiting Between the Trees”. On the
basis of the completed chapters and synopsis of the other. Djikstra found
publisher for the book, now called The Joy Luck Club. The book has been
translated into 25 languages.
Successful in The Joy Luck Club, Tan continually does her writing.
her subsequent novels are; The Kitchen God’s Wife (1991),The Hundred
Secret Sense( 1995), the Bonesetters Daughter (2001). She also wrote two
books for children; The Moon Lady (1992) and The Chinese Siamese Cat
(1994).
(Taken from : http://www.sparknotes.com /lit/Amy Tan/biography.html, accessed on 1 August 2008 at 13 p.m.) PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
112
APPENDIX 6
THE PICTURES OF CHINESE-AMERICANS’ ACTIVITIES
IN CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO
The Map of Chinatown in San Francisco
Chinatown in San Francisco
Chinatown Shop Chinatown Merchandise Chinatown Market PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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Shopping for silk flowers Making fortune cookies
Chinese New Year Performance Chinese Traditional Costumes
Chinese New Year Performance Miss Chinatown USA
(Taken from: http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/ communityfair.html and http://www.inetours.com /Tours/Chinatown _walkinghtml,accessed on 8 August 2008 at 15 p.m