Roy's Criticisms Towards the Caste System As Reflected
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ROY’S CRITICISMS TOWARDS THE CASTE SYSTEM AS REFLECTED THROUGH THE MAIN CHARACTERS AND THEIR CONFLICTS IN ARUNDHATI ROY’S THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra In English Letters By IRINE CAHYANING TYAS Student Number: 044214019 ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2009 ii iii God is in every tommorow, Therefore I life for today. Certain of finding at sunrise, Guidance and strength for the way. Power for each moment of weakness, Hope for each moment of pain, Comfort for every sorrow, Sunshine and joy after the rain... Anonymous iv I dedicate this thesis for My Beloved Parents, My Little Brothers, and Edo Baskoro who always support me in accomplishing this thesis. v vi vii Acknowledgements I would like to express my biggest gratitude to Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary for the blessings, strength and miracles They have been giving in my life, so that I am finally able to accomplish this undergraduate thesis. Thank God for answering my prayers. My gratitude is also directed to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S, M.Hum. I am also grateful for her guidance, patience, and especially for the time she has spent for reading and correcting my thesis. I also thank to my co- advisor Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hum. for your guidance in finishing this thesis. I really appreciate all things she has done in process of writing my thesis Furthermore, I deeply express my gratitude to my beloved parents for their love, prayers, support, both financial and spiritual and good advices. I am so proud to be their daughter. It is wonderful to have both of them as my parents. For my little brothers; Dhani and Bayu, thanks for the love, support and help. I am so proud of them. I would like to thank them for encouraging and motivating me in finishing my thesis. Next, my sincere gratitude belongs to Edo Baskoro. Thanks for the love, support, patience, help and guidance. It is very helpful and means a lot for me. It is nice to spend my time with you. I would not forget to say thanks to my best friends in Yogyakarta (Corry, Dede, Mbak Feb, Anna, Enchil, Mbak Ayu, Mbak Mei and KKN Kuliner). Yogyakarta would not be much wonderful without you guys. viii I would like to express my gratitude to my friends in class A (Siska, Deasy, Martha, Indri, Dita ndut, Sheila, Tini, Jati, Soni, Edward, Nofi, Lutfi, Bara, Ucok, Disti, Eka, Astrid, Amel, Elin, Caca, Rani, Dita, Intan, Lisis, Nanang, Siswanto, Ison, Feme, Rizki, Patrik). It is nice to have nice friends like them. There are many wonderful and exciting moments that we have shared together, “Thanks for the memories friends!” I would not forget to thank all the staffs in English Letters Department. I thank them for their help. Irine Cahyaning Tyas ix TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................ i APPROVAL PAGE ...................................................................................... ii MOTTO PAGE ............................................................................................. iii DEDICATION PAGE ................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................. vi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... ix ABSTRAK ..................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 1 A. Background of the Study ............................................................. 1 B. Problem Formulation .................................................................... 4 C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................. 5 D. Definition of Term ........................................................................ 5 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ............................................... 9 A. Review of Related Studies ............................................................ 9 B. Review of Related Theories .......................................................... 11 1. Theories of Character and Characterization ............................. 11 2. Theories of Conflict ................................................................ 14 a. Theories of Caste....................................................................... 16 4. Relation between Literature and Society .................................... 17 E. Review on the Historical Background of Kerala state, India ....... 19 F. Theoretical Framework ................................................................. 21 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................ 23 A. Object of the Study ....................................................................... 23 B. Approach of the Study .................................................................. 24 C. Method of the Study ...................................................................... 25 CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ......................................................................... 28 A. The Main Characters’ Characteristics ........................................... 28 1. Ammu’s Characteristics .......................................................... 28 2. Rahel’s Characteristics ............................................................. 33 3. Estha’s Characteristics .............................................................. 36 B. The Main Characters’ Conflicts .................................................... 38 1. Ammu’s Conflicts .................................................................... 39 2. Rahel’s Conflicts ...................................................................... 45 3. Estha’s Conflicts ..................................................................... 48 x C. Roy’s Criticisms toward the Caste System .................................... 51 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .................................................................... 60 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................... 66 APPENDIX .................................................................................................... 68 xi ABSTRACT IRINE CAHYANING TYAS (2009). ROY’S Criticisms toward the Caste System as Reflected through the Main Characters and Their Conflicts in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University. This undergraduate thesis examines one of Arundhati Roy’s novel entitled The God of Small Things. It presents Ammu and her twin children Rahel and Estha as the central characters who live in conservative Syrian Christian and Touchable family that obey the caste system. It is recited in the story that Ammu and her twin children have to face problems happening to her and her children. Roy shows her criticisms toward the rigid caste system that makes the innocent people have to be sacrificed. There are three problems to be discussed in this study. The first is the description of the main characters: Ammu, Rahel and Estha. The second is the description of conflicts that are undergone by the main characters. The third is Roy’s criticisms toward the rigid caste system by revealing the main characters’ conflicts. The writer used the library research in collecting the data. This analysis used the socio-cultural historical approach. This approach is suitable for the analysis because it concerned with the criticism toward the caste system in India. As a result of the study, the writer concludes, first; there are three main characters in the novel. They are Ammu, who struggled for her and her children’s life around the people who oppress and underestimate her, Rahel who experienced injustice and made her become a trouble maker and broken home child who lacks of love and affection from her family, and Estha, Ammu’s son, can be described as an introverted man. Second, the conflicts which are undergone by the main characters, both external and internal conflicts. Third, Roy’s criticisms toward the caste system. The conflicts which are undergone by the main charaters are the criticisms toward the caste system in India because the caste system limits the characters’ life. It can be seen that her criticism is absolutely meant to nudge the caste system directly through her realistic portrayal of the life of the Untouchables. xii ABSTRAK IRINE CAHYANING TYAS (2009). ROY’S Criticisms toward the Caste System as Reflected through the Main Characters and Their Conflicts in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma. Tesis ini berhubungan dengan salah satu novel Arundhati Roy yang berjudul The God of Small Things. Novel ini menyajikan Ammu dan anak kembarnya Rahel dan Estha sebagai tokoh utama yang hidup di antara keluarga Kristen Siria yang konservatif dan kaum “Tersentuh” (Touchable) yang sangat menjunjung tinggi sistem kasta. Dikisahkan di dalam cerita tersebut Ammu dan anak kembarnya harus menghadapi masalah-masalah yang terjadi pada mereka. arundhati Roy sebagai penulis menyatakan kritik-kritiknya pada sistem kasta yang