SKRIPSI
Submitted to fulfil one of the requirements of Sarjana Sastra Degree
ERNA SUSILAWATI NIM 63707002
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS
INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF COMPUTER BANDUNG
SKRIPSI
Submitted to fulfil one of the requirements of Sarjana Sastra Degree
ERNA SUSILAWATI NIM 63707002
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF LETTERS
INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF COMPUTER BANDUNG
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menggambarkan percampuran dan pertentangan budaya terutama antara budaya India dan budaya barat .
Metode yang digunakan dalam laporan ini adalah metode deskriptif. Tujuan dari metode deskriptif adalah untuk mengungkapkan fakta secara akurat. Penelitian ini juga berhubungan dengan budaya, dimana teori poskolonial sangat cocok digunakan untuk menganalisis percampuran dan pertentangan budaya yang terjadi dalam novel ini.
Pengaruh dari percampuran dan pertentangan terhadap tokoh utama dibagi menjadi tiga aspek yaitu aspek agama, kehidupan sosial dan ekonomi. Semua aspek memberikan pengaruh yang besar terhadap tokoh utama yaitu Mr. Biswas. Dia tinggal di daerah yang mempunyai dua kebudayaan yang berbeda yaitu kebudayaan India dan kebudayaan local di Trinidad dan Tobago yang membuatnya menjadi tokoh yang ambivalent (karakter yang berada diantara dua budaya dimana disatu sisi dia menerima dan disisi yang lain dia menolak budaya tersebut). Oleh sebab itu, dia memegang teguh beberapa budaya India dan menolak beberapa budaya India yang kaku yang sudah tidak sesuai lagi dengan zaman pada masa itu seperti sistem kasta berdasarkan jati atau kelahiran, sistem keluarga bersama dan percaya pada tahayul. Disisi lain, dia juga mengadaptasi budaya barat seperti sistem keluarga inti, mendukung emansipasi wanita untuk mendapatkan pendidikan formal dan dia juga percaya bahwa status ekonomi seseorang tergantung dari pekerjaannya.
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clash and cross culture especially Indian and western culture.
The method used in this research is descriptive method. The purpose of the descriptive method is to capture the fact accurately. This research also relates to culture; postcolonial theory that is appropriate to analyze cross and clash culture in this novel.
The cross and clash culture which influence the main character is divided into three aspects; religion, social life and economic. All of these aspects give big influences to the main character, Mr. Biswas. He lives in the area that has two cultures; Indian and local Trinidad and Tobago culture which make him an ambivalent character. He preserves some of Indian cultures and throws some of the rigid cultures that are not appropriate with that era such as caste system based on jati, joint family system and superstition. On the other hand, he also adapts western culture such as nuclear family system, the emancipation for women to get formal education, and he believes that the economic status depends on the occupation.
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Skripsi ini menggambarkan percampuran dan pertentangan budaya terutama antara budaya India dan buaya barat .
Metode yang digunakan dalam laporan ini adalah metode deskriptif. Tujuan dari metode deskriptif adalah untuk mengungkapkan fakta secara akurat. Penelitian ini juga berhubungan dengan budaya, dimana teori postcolonial sangat cocok digunakan untuk menganalisis percampuran dan pertentangan budaya yang terjadi dalam novel ini.
Pengaruh dari cross and clash terhadap tokoh utama dibagi menjadi tiga aspek yaitu aspek agama, kehidupan social dan ekonomi. Semua aspek memberikan pengaruh yang besar terhadap tooh utama yaitu Mr. Biswas. Dia tinggal di daerah yang mempunyai dua kebudayaan yang berbeda yaitu kebudayaan India dan Kebudayaan barat yang membuat dia menjadi tooh yang ambivalent. Oleh sebab itu, dia memegang teguh beberapa budaya India dan menolak beberapa budaya India yang kaku yang sudah tidak sesuai lagi dengan zaman pada masa itu seperti sistem kasta berdasarkan jati atau kelahiran, sistem keluarga dan percaya pada tahayul. Disisi lain, dia juga mengadaptasi budaya barat seperti sistem keluarga inti, mendukung emansipasi wanita untuk mendapatkan pendidikan formal dan dia juga percaya bahwa status ekonomi seseorang tergantung dari pekerjaannya.
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and Clash Culture towads The Main Character’s Development in V.S. Naipaul’s A House for Mr. Biswas” , in order to fulfill one of the requirements
of Sarjana Sastra Degree. There are many people who give a lot of supports along the research is conducted. For that reason, with the respect, the writer will dedicate this Skripsi for them as follows:
1. Dr. Ir. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto as the rector of UNIKOM
2. Prof. Dr. Moh. Tadjuddin, M.A. as the Dean of Faculty of Letters of Unikom,
3. Retno Purwani Sari, S.S.,M.Hum. as the Head of English Department. Thank you for your encouragement. You always train all of students to be the better one, especially for coaching the character building,
4. Nungki Heriyati, S.S., M.A., as the advisor I. Thank you for everything, thank you so much for spending time to revise my research and for the suggestions to complete my research.
5. M. Rayhan Bustam, S.S., as the advisor II. Thank you for your suggestions, time to correct my research especially for the patient to correct my grammatical error. I love the way you teach us.
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Bandung, July 2011
1 1.1. Background to The Study
Human as social creature cannot be separated from culture. According to Spencer in Foundation of Modern Sociology (1982:57) “Culture is a way of life shared by a group, a system of ideas, values, beliefs, knowledge and customs transmitted from generation to generation. The culture is produced by society; in turn a society depends on culture.” Thus, it can be concluded that society produces culture and culture shapes society. Society and culture cannot be separated since both are related to each other and create values in their society.
The cross and clash culture occur because every country in this world have the different culture. If there are two cultures assimilated, cross and clash culture will happen. The issue also occurs in the novel entitled “A House for Mr. Biswas” by V.S Naipaul. It tells about the main character, Mohun Sirvastav
colonized country that left colonial culture and power. This phenomenon is related by postcolonial so that we can analyze it by postcolonial theory.
There are two researches before from English Letters Department, Indonesia University of Computer that relate with postcolonial theory and clash and cross culture. The first, Nenden Rikma Dewi (2010), her Skripsi focuses on social, politics and culture using postcolonial theory in Stephen E Ambrose’s Essay Undaunted Courage. The second Chandra Kelana (2010), his Skripsi focused on Clash and Cross Culture in the novel entitled Weep not Child by Ngugi Wa Thiongo used Joseph Roucek’s theory of culture and John Howthorn’s theory of Narratalogy. It is really different from this research because in this research the writer uses postcolonial theory to analyze the clash and cross culture that influences the main character.
1.2. Research Question
There are three research questions in the research namely: 1. How is the main character characterized?
2. How are clash and cross culture described in this novel?
3. What are the influences of cross and clash culture to the development of main character?
1.3. Objectives
According to the research questions there are three objectives in this research, as folows:
2. To identify the examples of clash and cross culture described in this novel 3. To identify the influence of cross and clash culture to the development of
main character
1.4. Significance to Knowledge
The research entitled “ The Influences of Cross and Clash Culture on The Character Developments of Main Character in V.S. Naipaul’s “ A House for Mr. Biswas” is focused on how the cross and clash culture influence the main
character from post colonial theory point of view . The research may provide the knowledge about culture especially Indian culture and Trinidad and Tobago culture that may be useful for the other students learning the literary work especially about those culture.
This research is expected to increase the reader’s knowledge about culture and as a reference for them whom studying culture.
1.5. The Framework Theory
This research will be analyzed using intrinsic and extrinsic elements of literature. Intrinsic elements used for the research focus on the character, and the extrinsic element focuses on the culture that influences the main character.
what the main character is described from the narration of other character in the story. Besides, characters will be analyzed whether they are flat and round character. Flat and round character will be used to analyze the development of main character in this novel.
This novel presents the main character influenced by culture. Due to this fact, the writer uses post colonial theory to analyze it. Regarding to Homi K Bhabha in The Postcolonial Studies Reader, in colonial dominance (1999: 207), there are clash and cross culture between colonizer and colonized. The clash culture happens when a foreign culture comes to one region. It has some differences between foreign culture and tradition culture that cannot be accepted by societies in that region. Whereas the cross culture happens when the foreign culture came in one region and the societies in that region are influenced by it. Thus, it assimilates with the traditional culture in that region and created the new culture.
However, the cross and clash culture can influence the character. The developments of the character that are affected by the cross and clash culture can be described using showing and telling method.
A House for Mr. Biswas
Intrinsic
Element Extrinsic
Element
Character Cultures
Characterization Theory Poscolonial
Theory
Showing Cross and
Clash Culture Telling
Religion Social Economic
The Character Development of Main
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This chapter focuses on the explanation about some intrinsic and extrinsic elements. The intrinsic elements used in this research are character and characterization, whereas the extrinsic element used is culture. The character and characterization are used to analyze the character development of main character. Furthermore, the focus of the extrinsic elements, in this case about culture, is on the terms of cross and clash culture. Since the problem analyzed is about Indian culture that is influenced by Trinidad and Tobago’s local culture existing in the novel A House for Mr. Biswas, the appropriate theory used to explain the cross and clash culture is postcolonial theory.
2.1. Novel
Henry James in The Art of Fiction (1995:3) pointed out that:
“Novel in its broadest definition a personal impression of life; that to begin with constitute its value which is greater or less according to the intensity of the impression. But there will no interntity at all, and therefore no value, unless there is freedom to feel and say.”
From the quotation above the definition of novel is a personal impression about life, the greater or less the value of novel depends on how much intensity of the impression to that novel. Novel is the form of the author’s freedom to feel and say.
However, as mention before this research will focus on intrinsic elements especially character and characterization. The explanation about those will be described as folow:
2.1.1 Characterization and Character
Furthermore, Pickering and Hoeper in Albertine Mindrop (1981:27-28) explained the method how to describe the character. They divided the method of characterization into two parts, namely showing and telling method. The methods will be described as folows:
One method is telling, which relies on exposition and direct commentary by the author. In telling a method preferred and practiced by many older fiction writers – the guiding hand of the authors is very much evidence. We learn and look only at what the author calls to our attention.
“the other method is the indirect, the dramatic method of showing, which involves the author’s stepping aside, as it were, to allow the characters to reveal themselves directly through and their actions. With showing, much of the burden of character analysis is shifted to the reader, who is required to infer character on the basis of the evidence provided in the narrative.
Based on the explanation above, the writer concludes that telling is used to examine what the main character is described from the narration of other character in the story, and the indirect presentation is used to analyze the characterization from the character’s thought, speech and act. Besides, characters will be analyzed whether they
are flat and round character. Laurence in Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense said that :
“Flat characters are characterized by one or two traits; they can be summed up in a sentence. Round characters are complex and many-sided; they might require an essay for full analysis. Flat and round character will be used as a sign of development of the main characters in this novel; also it is important to divide, whether the main characters are flat or round to know if there is any attitude changing.” (1984: 67)
the end of the story, whereas round character is character’s traits change from the beginning until the end of the story.
2.2. Postcolonial Theory
Great Britain during nineteenth century was known as the Empire which had great imperial power because almost quarter of the earth was Britain conquest. The Great Britain’s conquest spread from Europe, Asia until Africa. Great Britain not
only spread and colonized the country but also spread its hegemony to the society in its colony. It made The British people believe that they were born to rule the world by virtue of that believe they feel the British is biological superior than the other race in the world in terms of physic and cultural difference.
By the early twentieth century, England’s political, social, economic, and
ideological domination of its colonies began to disappear, a process was known as decolonization. The effect of decolonization is a number of colonizer’s ideology and culture is adapted by the colonized.
the impacts of the British colonial in politic, economic, culture and social in the colony.
Ahmad stated in Margaret Kumar in Journal of Educational Enquiry Vol 1, No. 2, 2000 that Postcolonialism was traditionally seen as a period of history initializing the handing over of colonized states by what colonies themselves. It means that Postcolonialism is a period after the colonizer colonized. Postcolonialism is also a study of the colonizer influence to the colonized. The effect of colonial is not only to expand the colonial region but also to spread its hegemony in colonized. According to Gramsci hegemony is socialist political activity should gear itself to achieving “consent” to socialist ideas from a range of groupings in society, and thus achieving
some dominant influence for socialism in civil society prior to dealing with the state. It means that hegemony is the efforts to gain the dominant power in the colonized country. Indirectly, the societies in that state are influenced by the colonizer. The colonizer influences the colonized in some aspects such as economic, politic, social, culture and religion. Furthermore, cross and clash cultures occur in those aspects. As sited in Peter Burnell Colonialism and Postcolonialism (2007: 38) “The impact of colonialism was transformative rather than transitory. As well as reshaping economic and political forms, it also changed the way people, especially the educated to see the world”. It explains that the impact of colonialism changes the way of the politic and
Postcolonialism makes cross and clash culture or hybridity occur. Hybridity is one of the key terms of postcolonial theory. It is the new of transcultural forms within the contact zones produced by colonization (Ashcroft, Griffiths, Tiffin 1998:20). It means that hybridity is the mixing culture between local cultures in one region with the foreign culture. Furthermore, hybridity will explain deeply in the sub chapter below.
2.2.1. Cross and Clash Culture
The power of the colonizer to the colonized produced other cultures and new habitual of civilization in colony or it is called cross and clash culture, as stated by Homi K Bhabha in The Postcolonial Studies Reader (1995:205):
“There is always ambivalence at the site of colonial dominance. When two cultures commingle, the nature and the characteristics of the newly created culture changes each of the cultures. This dynamic, interactive and tension-packed process unitary Bhabha names hybridity.”
Bhabha also pointed out in “cultural diversity and cultural differences,” he stated that :
“The problem of how in signifying the present, something comes to be repeated, relocated and translated in the name of tradition, in the guise of a pastness that is not necessarily a faithful sign of historical memory but a strategy of representing authority in terms of the artifice of the archaic.” (1995: 210)
When the new culture or the modernity comes and repeat in the local tradition, the local tradition has to keep the tradition as the historical and the heritage for the new generations. It means the clash culture occurs between the new culture and the local tradition, but the cross culture also happens because we cannot prevent it. Therefore, hybridity occurs after the colonizer goes out from the colony.
Basically hybridity refers to most basic sense to mixture. It is the term originating from biology, and in the nineteenth century the term hybridity is also employed in linguistics and in racial theory. The concept of hybridity in racial theory especially postcolonialism is formulated by Homi K. Bhabha in his essay entitled “Cultural Diversity and Cultural Differences”. It is described as folow:
It is significant that the productive capacities of this third space have a colonial or post colonial provenance. For a willingness to descend into that the theoretical recognition of the split-space of enunciation may open the way conceptualizing an inter - diversity of cultures, but on the inscription and articulation of culture’s hybridity (1995:206).
He also stated that “cultures are never unitary in themselves not simply dualistic in relation of self to other.” it means that culture cannot be unitary by itself but it needs human being to form it. The process of unitary is not the simply thing but it needs the long time to form it. However, the hybridization of any culture creates ambivalent situation. Ambivalent refers to a state of mental or social cultural or behavioral condition of people.
2.3. Indian Culture
As mentioned before that the culture relating to the research is Indian culture, so the writer will explain some of Indian cultures that exist in the novel as folow:
2.3.1. Caste System
The word caste is derived from the Latin castus which means “pure”. In India the word caste is known by “jatis” or the small groups as distinct from classes. In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese was the first European who arrived in India and changed the word 'Jatis' into caste. The word caste later is used by The British who arrived to India much later after the Portuguese.
in a graded scale. This description means the caste system is a social unit or group that has different customs from other groups and it is related to the religious.
The caste system in India is a social stratification based on the Hindu hereditary class and occupations in the societies. Basically, there are four classes in Hindu Caste system or in Hindi called Catur Cast (Brahmin, Ksatria, Vaisya and Sudra ). The Brahma or Brahmin is a person who fulfills the calling of priests and spiritual preceptors. Etymologically the Ksatriya means a person as a ruler or as a warrior. Whereas, the Vaisya is a person as commercial in live hood who associate with other producers and wealth-creators. Then, Sudra is a toiler and artisan. Beside the catur caste there is appeared another caste called untouchable caste. The untouchable is also called Pañcama. Pancama is the hill and forest population who is called tribals, inclusive. This group occupies a place below, outside this Varna scheme. People belonging to the untouchable group perform „unclean’ service such as cremation and kill animals for food.
However, the caste in Hindu religion divided into two parts, first depending on the birth (Jati), and second depending on how those people education and their occupation (Varna). However, now along with modernism, Indian society prefers to choose the caste system by varna. For that reason, the member of the lowest class in Indian caste system can move to upper class.
October 2002, London the phenomenon of Indian caste system becomes controversy. Some people assume India’s caste system as Indian culture because some of Indian holy book was written about it. For example the Purusa of the Rgveda (5000 B.C) contains the first symbolic reference to the emergence of the four castes; Brahmanas from the mouth, Rajanyas (Ksatriyas) from the shoulders, Vaisyas from the tights and Sudras from the feet.
The other people assume that caste system is colonial artifact. In the past India was one of British colonized country. The purpose of the colonizer is not only to expand their colonized region but also to spread their ideology in colonized country for example caste system. As cited by Dr Susan Bayly in Prof. M Narasimhachary’s book “So, you want to marry my daughter?” The Caste System: An Overview (2002), “caste is not the essence of Indian culture and civilization. It is rather a contingent
and variable response to the enormous changes that occurred in the subcontinent’s political landscape both before and after the colonial conquest.
It is clearly that caste system is not colonial artifact because the Britain ruled India from 1757 to 1947 whereas the holy book of India Rgveda was published in 6000 B.C. This is clear that Rgveda is early than Britain colonized. It proved that caste system is truly Indian essence culture.
2.3.2. Joint Family System
Regarding to I Karve the joint family system is a system that contains a group of people who generally live under one roof, who eat food cooked at one hearth, who hold property in common and who participate in common worship and are related to each other as some particular type of kindred (1995:5). Joint family system is Indian culture that Indian societies still hold until now. Under one roof there is gathered several branches of an extended family, living together sharing their property and incomes in order to teach and control the younger couple in their marriage. The younger generations in Indian societies believe that life will be easier by living together. The younger generations are strictly but not systematically controlled by the elder. The joint family system also has several disadvantages such as the laziness of the family members because they think they can get food without hard effort, the lankness of the effort to earn money and become independent, and the important thing they cannot prevent the quarrel between the members of the family.
word they prefer to choose nuclear family system. After married the son or daughter live in separated roof and they build their own family in order to be independent and they can resolve their problem by themselves. They come to their parent’s home only in special occasion such as festival, and marriage ceremony.
2.3.3. Marriage and Dowry
Regeneration is really important for all of the society in this world. Every country in the world has each own marriage tradition. Regarding to William Stephen in A Study on Desertion Of Married Women By Non Resident Indians In Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, “marriage is a socially legitimate sexual union, beginning with a public announcement, and undertaken with some idea of permanence, with a more or less explicit contract, which spells out the reciprocal rights and obligations between the spouses and their future children (2004:16).
Hindu is a ritual religion that the wives stated for life and shared the sweetness and the bitterness of life with their husbands. In Hindu custom the wives assume that the husband is a god in the earth where they have to obey all their order.
Marriage system in India society is considered as alliance between two families than the union two individual. The parents especially the groom’s parents select the spouse by caste, education, economic position and the value of dowry. In India society the value of dowry is the most important thing. Dowry is a cultural system where the parents of bride give a huge amount of money, jewelry, and expensive gifts to the groom and their parents during marriage. The amount of dowry depends on the caste system and the educational system of the groom. The dowry will be expensive if the grooms derive from the high class and vice versa.
The dowry system in India is the evidence of the patriarchal system that means men have more power in society than women. The dowry system in India is popular since the Vedic period. When Brahma„s daughter was marriage, he gave the gift for her husband and her parents in law so that the couple can start their life easily. Meanwhile, nowadays, it changes into commercial transaction. The groom’s parents become greedy and want to receive much money from the bride’s parents. It affects Indian socio- economic problems as Achdeva said in AK Goval “A Study on Desertion of Married Women by Non Resident Indians in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh as folow:
late, numerous incidents of bride burning, harassment and physical torture of the young brides and various kinds of pressure tactics being adopted by the husbands /in-laws pressurizing for more dowry have compelled the social reformers and the intelligentsia to give serious thought to the various aspects connected with the very institution of dowry (1998:301)
It is clear that the dowry system becomes the huge problems for the lower class family who does not have much money. The bride burning, harassment and physical torture of the young brides appear as the effects of the amount of the dowry given by bride to the groom. Some of Indian researchers called this tragedy by “The Evil of Dowry system”. Many young brides die because they are burned by their
husband. This tragedy is called “Dowry Death”. It is affected by their lackness to give huge dowry to their husband. Daily an average of five women in India is burned because of the dowry case and there are many same cases which unreported. (www.un.org.rights/dpil 772e.httml 12/4/01). The problem is appeared by the dowry. Many couples in India especially from the lower class do an abortion when they know they will have a daughter because they think they have to pay huge dowries when their daughter gets married. This even is called female infanticide. Furthermore, some legal efforts are done by Indian government to reduce the amount of dowry death for example by the Dowry Prohibition Act (1961:8). This is an act to prohibit the giving or taking of dowry. However, the payment of dowry has not stopped in India because Indian society is more obedient to culture than to government and rule.
In modern public life using high-tech to fulfill all man needs, the Indian societies still believe superstition. The meaning of superstition regarding to Dipesh Chakrabarty in thought and action an official journal Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Sammittee India ( 2011:8) as folow:
“the word “superstition” to refer to practices marked by two features: (a) they entail human beings appealing to supernatural, extra-human forces for positive or negative interventions in their lives, and (b) these forces cannot be systematized into a set of religious doctrines. “
He argues that in human life there are the forces from God, god, goddess as positive intervention and Lucifer, Satan, devil and cruel spirit as the negative intervention. T S Raskar also stated in the same journal that “Superstitions consist of beliefs and practices, which have no evidence to support them, and are inconsistent with the degree of enlightenment reached by a community.”
Based on the explanation above, it shows that most of superstition links to the religion. The Indian societies still believe superstition even though there is no any evidence to prove it because they believe to their religion or their belief. It is in line Edmund Burke statement that Superstition is the religion of feeble minds. It is something irrational that someone believes and does that irrational thing. Sometimes it is something foolish that someone do that irrational thing. It can happen because he or she has lack of education.
says about prediction, a good date for wedding, for getting a job and astrology. Pundit is the important person in Hindu society. Pundit is a man preparing the ceremony and ritual in Hindu. He is the second hand of God that every word which he spoke is obeyed by the Hindu society. It also happens in this novel.
2.4. The Brief History of Trinidad and Tobago
As cited in An Introduction to The History of Trinidad and Tobago by Bridget Brereton (1996), Trinidad and Tobago is located in the northeast coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea. Trinidad is the southern island in the Caribbean island chain. Both islands were once an extension of the South American continent because the flora and fauna reflect this geographical link. The native who lived in Trinidad is called Amerindians. In 1492 Columbus landed in Trinidad, he thought that hewas landed in India so he called the people who live in that island is Indian. When Columbus visited Trinidad in 1498 and claimed Trinidad as Spain colony, at that time in Trinidad and Tobago there was settled Arawak and Carib tribes.. Trinidad was colonized by Spain until 1797.
1962, and in 1967 joined the Organization of American States. On August 1, 1976, the twin islands became the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
There are two traditions or cultures in Trinidad and Tobago, Creole and East Indian. The term Creole derives from the Spanish criollo , it means "of local origin," Creole is a mixture of traditions from Africa, Spain, France and England that was colonized Trinidad and Tobago in the past. Trinidadians and Tobagonians of African that exist in Trinidad and Tobago are called "Negro," "Black," or "African"Afro-Trinidadian" (or "Afro-Tobagonian") and "Indo-"African"Afro-Trinidadian" have gained currency to get heightened ethnic claims to national status. Trinidadians of European bloodline are called "White" or "French Creole and the black–white bloodline is called Mixed, Colored, Brown, and Red among other terms.
The East Indian is the Trinidadians of Indian. The East Indian exist in Trinidad and Tobago since the African slave trade was abolished officially in 1834, East Indian and Chinese farmers were hired as indentured servants to work in the sugarcane. Even though, the practice of indentured servitude ended in 1917, many of them decided to stay and live in Trinidad and Tobago.
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This chapter explains the research object, research source and research method in this research. The research source describes synopsis and author’s biography. Furthermore, the research method is focused on method of collecting data and data analysis.
3.1 Research Object
The research object of this research is the influences of cross and clash culture toward the development of main character in the novel entitles A House for Mr. Biswas. It is divided to three parts; the influences of cross and clash culture toward the main character’s religion, social life and economic.
3.2. Research Source
3.2.1 Synopsis
Mohun Biswas, the main character of this novel is a Trinidadian who was born with six fingers, the sign for bad luck in Hindu. His grandfather came from a village in Uttar Pradesh in North-East India. He came to Trinidad as one of the thousands of indentured laborers to work in the sugar cane farm. After his father died he and his family moved to Pagotes. He lived along with her aunt, Tara. Her aunt sent him to learn to be a Hindu Priest to a Pundit, Jae Ram, but after eight month he leaves in disgrace. After that he worked at Rum shop that belonged to Tara-brother in law, a drunken.
At school he discovered his talent as carpenter and then he joined with his school- mate in sign-writing business. One day, he had a job to make a god sign in Hanuman House that belong to Tulsi’s family, The Tulsi was a family from Brahmin caste that had large land and many shops. Mr. Biswas felt in love with Tulsi’s daughter, Shama and then they married. Mr. Biswas could be a son in law of The Tulsi because they thought Mr. Biswas from a high and right caste. The Tulsi also remind that Tara was a rich person and Mr. Biswas is a Brahmin. Beside love another reason Mr. Biswas married Shama because he could get many dowries. In fact, he did not get anything, he just worked in Tulsi’s land as a labor.
could not be educated and did not have a right for choose their husband. He became against The Tulsi since he was influenced by the priest of Aryan Arwacas Association that against the Hindu orthodox. He rebelled the Tulsi because he wanted to be independent and lead his family by his own self without intervention of the Tulsi. Mr. Biswas sent to a small village, the Chase to run food shop belong to The Tulsi. He came back to Hanuman house because during six year he lived in Chase, the shop continually lost out of money and his wife and his children much spent time in Hanuman house . After came back to Hanuman house he sent to Green Valey to work as overseer in Tulsi’s land that his uncle-in law had a power. He felt persecuted as a labor under him. One day, there happened a storm and Mr. Biswas was one of the victims so that he returned to Hanuman House to cure his pains.
He went to Port Spain and stayed in his sister’s house until he got a new job as a journalist in Sentinel newspaper. He became a popular journalist and the Tulsi became more respect to him. Unfortunately, he and his family had to stay in Tulsi’s house in Port Spain and shared with his brother in-law untill he can build his own house. Ironically, when he could build his own house, it burned out and they returned to the crowded Tulsi’s house.
Anand did not return from his study in England. Only Savy, Mr. Biswas daughter came from her study in abroad and then she got a well-paid job. In the age of forty-six Mr. Biswas died and got Hindu cremation.
3.2.2. V.S. Naipaul’s Biography
Sir V.S. Naipaul, his full name is Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul. He was born on August 17, 1932,Central Trinidad, Carribean Sea. He Derived from Hindu Indians who had immigrated to Trinidad as apprenticed servants; in 1950 he left Trinidad for attending the University of Oxford . Afterward he settled in England, although extensively he traveled to many countries all over the world.
Naipaul won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001 from The Swedish Academy for his “suppressed histories” that set in developing countries especially
examining how individuals’ characters are formed by history. His another novels
are The Mimic Men (1967) and The Enigma of Arrival (1987).
Naipaul’s nonfiction works are concerned on India. They are An Area of
Darkness (1965), India: A Wounded Civilization (1977), and India: A Million Mutinies Now (1990); The Five Societies—British, French, and Dutch—in the West Indies (1963); and Among the Believers: An Islamic Journey (1981). Naipaul wasknighted in 1989.
In 1998 he published Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples, a Islamic faith portrayal of ordinary people in Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Half a Life (2001) is a novel about an Indian immigrant to England and then Africa. The novel entitled Half a Life won a Nobel Prize. Afterward he published the essays; The Writer and the World (2002) and Literary Occasions (2003). The novel Magic Seeds (2004) is a sequel to Half a Life.
3.2. Research Method
In this research, the writer uses qualitative method. It is suitable for this research because when people analyze it, there are many interpretations and perceptions, and the qualitative method can bind the whole differences of interpretation and perception.
hypothesis or to answer the question concerning the current status of the subject of the study. The purpose of the descriptive method is to capture the fact accurately. It can be used to answer the research questions. The presentations’ data describe in form of words.
3.2.1. Method of Collecting Data
The method of collecting data that is used in this research is concluded into some steps, the first is reading whole novel. This part is really important because by reading whole part of novel the writer can find the problems that are appeared in that novel. But reading is not enough; the writer must understand and try to get the meaning from whole text of that novel.
3.2.2. Data Analysis
After completing the data collecting procedures, the writer analyzes the data to find out the influence of cross and clash culture on the development of the main character by using post Colonial Theory to analyze it.
He was speaking of the protestant Hindu missionarie who had come from India and were preaching that caste was unimportant, that Hinduism should accept converts, that idols should be abolished, that woman should be educated, preaching against all doctrines the orthodox Tulsis held dear. (P. 110)
30
This Chapter focuses on how the clash and cross culture affect to the character development of main character. The writer divides into some parts; the influences of cross and clash culture that influence the education, social and economic towards the main character.
4.1. The Influences of Cross and Clash Culture towards the Main Character in Religion
As mentioned in Chapter II that the religion of main character in this novel is Hindu, the word „Hindu’ itself is derived from the word Sindhu, the name of a river known in English as the River Indus. The word „Sindhu’ becomes „Hindu’ because the Persians were having difficulty in pronouncing it. The inhabitants living across the river „Hindu’ are called Hindus and the land itself is called
Hindustan. Hence, the majority religion of India (Latin derivative of Hindu) is known as Hinduism.
cross and clash culture in the novel are described in the Tulsi and Mr. Biswas’ family. There is a Hindu culture preserved by Tulsi but not preserved by Mr. Biswas family. For example, The Tulsi preserves caste system based on jati, whereas Mr. Biswas family preserve caste system based on varna. The other one is Mr. Biwas’ family who still believe in superstitious and they still do Hindu ritual. We can see this condition from the quotation below:
“Oh, Punditji, you must help me. I can only think of Hun [the name that
Raghu will give to Mr. Biswas].
The pundit was surprised and genuinely pleased.’ But that is excellent.
Excellent Mohun. I couldn’t have chosen better myself . For Mohun as
you know, means the beloved and was the name that given by the
milkmaids to Lord Khirshna.” (Naipaul:1961: 17)
The quotation above is taken from the dialogue between Raghu (Mr. Mohun Biswas’ father) and the Pundit. Raghu asks the Pundit to give a name for his son.
The Hindu believes in superstitious such as astrology or the Pundit prediction. The Hindu societies really respect and obey to what Pundit says, because they believe he is a holy man and closer to God than the other Indian societies. Therefore, the pundit takes the Brahmin caste.
says that is a sign for the bad luck or unfortunate. It can be seen in the quotation below that Mr. Biswas is an unfortunate boy since he was born.
“What is it? the old man asked.”Boy or girl?”
“Boy, boy, „The midwife cried.’ But what sort of boy? Sixfingered and
born with wrong way.”
The old man groaned and Bissoondaye said” I knew it. There is no luck
for me.” (Naipaul: 1961:15)
The dialogue above is taken from the dialogue between Bissondaye (Mr. Mohun Biswas’ Grandmother) and the midwife. Indian society believes, when the
baby is born with six fingers and with wrong way, he will get the bad luck or unfortunate. It also happens to Mr. Biswas, when he is born, he has six fingers and was born with wrong way. The Pundit says to Mr. Biswas parents that their son would be an unfortunate boy. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“Life was unpleasant only because the pundit had forbidden him to go
near ponds and rivers. Raghu was an excellent swimmer and Bipti wished him to train Mr. Biswas’ Brothers. So every Sunday morning Raghu took Pratap and Prasad to swim in a stream not far off, and Mr. Biswasstayed at home, to be bath by Bipti and have all his sores ripped
open by her strong rubbing with the blue soap.” (Naipaul:1961:.21)
his fate, when he plays in the river the calf loses. It can be seen in the quotation below:
Then one day Mr. Biswas lost the calf. He had forgotten it, watching the fish. And when after dropping the stick and scattering the fish, he remembered the calf, it had gone. He hunted for it along the banks and in the adjoining fields (Naipaul: 1961:25).
The narration above shows that since Mr. Biswas child, he wants to prove that Pundit’s prediction is wrong. Unfortunately, he cannot prove it because when he plays in the river, the calf loses and it makes the people more believe that he is “an unfortunate boy”. Positively, that titles influence to Mr. Biswas’ traits. We
can see it from this quotation:
Abruptly, he decided that the calf was lost for good; that the calf was anyway able to look after itself and would somehow make its way back
to its mother in Dhari’s yard. In the meantime the best thing for him to
do would be to hide until the calf was found, or perhaps forgotten. (Naipaul:1961:16).
The title “unfortunate” stuck on him until he is being adult; moreover, he causes his father died indirectly. Therefore, it makes his life under pressure and unpleasant. He always tries to throw away “the unfortunate” from his life by doing many efforts. The title makes him unconfident since his family’s background is Sudra. Thus, he tries to change his social class in society by studying in high school and learning to become a Pundit. Hence, the society’s point of view becomes more respect to him even though he cannot erase his title as unfortunate. We can see his effort to change his social class by marrying the Tulsi’s daughter, the upper class. Tulsi’s family is a Brahmin
class based on jati but Waisya class based on varna. It is because in Arwacast Tulsi family is known as landowning.
“When Mr. Biswas to Hanuman House the next day he had a note in his
pocket, which he intended to give to shama……(Naipaul: 1961:79).
The above note says “I Love you and I want to talk to you”
That quotation shows cross culture because Mr. Biswas prefers to write “I love you” in English language than in Hindi language even though Shama is an Indian.
feeling to her. It is also the effect of the title of “Unfortunate”, so he becomes lack of self-confidence.
His denial of the pundit’s prediction about his fate makes he does not want the pundit to give name to his son. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“You are not leaving much room for the Pundit to give the child name”. “No Pundit is giving any name to any child of mine” (Naipaul: 1961: 154)
The quotation shows the dialogue between Mr. Biswas and Shama when they are at the Chase. Their first child will be born and Mr. Biswas tries to prepare the name for the child. However, Shama does not agree if Mr. Biswas gives the name. She wants their child’s name is given by a Pundit. It is in line with Hindu ritual when the child is born. She believes that the Pundit will give a good name and the name will affect their child to get good trait and fate. Mr. Biswas disagrees with Shama because he has bad experience about Pundit’s prediction, he does not want the prediction of Pundit makes his child under pressure. There is also a ritual related to Pundit when Mr. Biswas disagrees with it. It is the house blessing by Pundit. In Hindu, the blessing of new house is important because the Indian believes that it can give wealth and health for the householder. It can be seen in the quotation below:
One evening Shama said, „We must have a house-blessing ceremony,
and get Hari to bless the shop and house, and have Mai and Uncle and
He was taken completely by surprise, and lost his temper.’ What the hell
you think I look like?’ he asked in English.”The Maharajah of
Barracpore?and what the hell for I should get Hari to come and Bless this place? This place looks for yourself. …..is bad enough as it is. To
feed your family on top of all this is really going to damn far.’
It can be seen that Mr. Biswas is upset with Shama because she wants to bless their house and shop. They have a huge credit because their shop does not run well. Mr. Biswas thinks that having the ceremony will need a lot of money. He does not believe in the ritual because he thinks that the wealth and the health of someone are not determined by the ceremony, but by the efforts to reach it. For instance, someone has to work hard for getting the wealth and has to do exercise for getting the health. Whereas, Shama continually sigh to Mr. Biswas in order to held the house blessing. Finally, Mr. Biswas permits it, but he does not want to witness that ceremony. However, Mr. Biswas does not like the blessing house ceremony, since it is one of the effects of his unfortunate title that is given by Pundit. This case shows clash culture between Mr. Biswas with one of Indian cultures, blessing the house.
“The Tulsi celebrated Christmas in their store and with equal
irreligiosity, in their home. It was a purely Tulsi festival.”
(Naipaul:1961: 182)
From that quotation we can see that the members of Tulsi family celebrate Christmas even though their religion is Hindu. The Tulsi celebrate Christmas at The Tulsi’s shop because if they celebrate at home it means that they do not
respect to their religion. In fact, The Tulsi seems curious to know The Roman Catholic. It happens because The Tulsi live in the country which most of the societies are Roman Catholic, so The Tulsi is influenced by it. That quotation is the example of cross culture. The cross culture happens in The Tulsi when The Tulsi adopt Christmas into their culture. It means The Tulsi are an example of mimicry man because they only imitate Christian ceremony but they do not know the essence of it. They celebrate it because in Trinidad and Tobago the majority religion is Christian. It is the opposite of Mr. Biswas’ family, they never celebrate Christmas. It can be seen in the quotation below:
For Mr. Biswas Christmas was a day off tedicious and depression. He went to Pagoets to see his Mother and Tara and Ajodha, none of whom recognize the Christmas. (Naipaul: 1961:183)
“Mr. Biswas said, well, since I been in this house I begin to get the feeling that to be a good Hindu you must be a good Roman Catholic first.(Naipaul:1961:119).
That quotation shows, in the Tulsi, Hindu assimilates with Roman Catholic. Mr. Biswas does not agree with the Tulsi that celebrates Christmas and adopts The Roman Catholic’s faith. They allow their sons to join the Roman Catholic school and to wear the cross necklace. Ironically, they do Puja every morning. All their behavior is not reflected they are a Hindu. It insult the Aryan Arwacast Associatie (AAA) the organization which has the ideology to purify the Indian culture, where Mr. Biswas is known as the member. AAA is one of Hindu organization in Arwacast at which Pankaj Rai is as the leader. Even though their ideology is back to right Hindu but AAA has a vision to erase the caste system based on jati because the members of AAA think birth was unimportant. The caste of someone should be determined only by his action or occupation. Their vision also makes the women free to get education as men and to choose their husband. It is clear that the thought of AAA against to The Tulsi so that the clash culture happens. Mr. Biswas and AAA cannot accept the concept of Hindu that is assimilated with Roman Catholic and vice versa. The quotation also describes that Mr. Biswas is ambivalent character because in one hand he wants to purify Hindu culture but on the other hands he adopts western culture such as all women must educate and erase the caste system by jati.
people by the birth. It is in line with western culture that is against the discrimination.
………And what about your mother? He paused. Sha-ma! it just hit me. pankaj would say that your mother aint a Hindu at all! I mean look at the facts. Marrying off her favorite daughter in a registry office, sending the two little barbers to a Roman Catholic College. As soon as Pankaj Rai see your mother she should start making the sign of cross Roman
Catholic. That’s what she is! (Naipaul:1961: 111-112)
The statement is conducted by Mr. Biswas. He tries to argue what the things that Mrs.Tulsi has done are against to Hindu. She is a Hindu who breaks some Hindu rules. Beside the caste system and Puja the important thing that relates to the religion is the funeral. The funeral in Hindu is gained by cremation. The body is cremated by doing some rituals. Orthodox Hindu families may invite Brahman priests to their homes to officiate these rituals, to complete with sacred fire, and to recitate of mantras. Most of these rituals, however, do not occur in the presence of such priests and among many groups who do not revere the Vedas or respect Brahmans, there may be other officiates or variations in the rites. The cremation also occurs in this novel. It happen when Mr. Biswas die.
The died of Mr. Biswas is caused by heart attack. However until the end of his life, he still struggles to fight his disease. He never gives up, but the unfortunately fate cannot be pushed away. Before he died, he writes his first story for the Sentinel Magazine, it is about “a dead explorer”. We can see in the
following quotation:
“He had also said that when his own death was reported he would like
had changed and the head line he got was JOURNALISY DIEST
SUDDENLY”. (Naipaul: 1961:564)
Mr. Biswas feels that his death day is close. For that reason, he wants his death day to be memorable, therefore, he writes his first story about his death. It needs bravery enough to make that story, so Mr. Biswas proves that he does not fear to face the death until one day he dies and gets the cremation. It can be seen in the quotation below:
“The cremation, one of the few permitted by the Health Department, was conducted on the banks of a muddy stream and attracted spectators of various races. Afterwards the sisters returned to their respective homes and Shame and the children went back in the perfect to the empty
house.” (Naipaul: 1961:564)
The cremation in Hindu relates to cyclical of reincarnation of soul that all Hindu believes they will reborn based on their past action and traits. If in the past they are a good man. The cremation in Indian culture can be performed when someone died and he/she never does something that breaks the Indian rule. The man who breaks the law or the Hindu’s rule cannot be cremated; it also happens
to Mr. Biswas’ father, Righu. It can be seen in this quotation below:
Cremation was forbidden and Right was to be buried. He lay in coffin in the bedroom, dresses in his finest dhoti, jacket and turban, his beads around his neck and down his jacket. The coffin was strewed with marigolds which matched his turban. Pratap, the eldest son, did the last rites walking round the coffin.(Naipaul : 1961:31)
Raghu ever steals money from his office and the society judge him as a thief so he cannot get the cremation like Mr. Biswas. Hindu society believes that the lowest class and the sinner who break the law or the rule, their soul will unite with the earth; in the other hand the death man will have a burial. It is different to the body that gets a cremation ritual; his soul will be in the heaven. The quotation above also shows the cross culture, the funeral using coffin and the dressed corpse are the way of Christian funeral, in Hindu it is never known.
leaves the Hindu customs that are not suitable with that era, for example the right of women to get education and to choose their husband by their own self, and leaving the caste system by jati. This organization and Pankaj Rai as the leader is shown ambivalent because they stand in two culture, between Indian culture and Tobago and Trinidad culture. Mr. Biswas is against The Tulsi who preserve it. The writer concludes that Mr. Biswas becomes ambivalent character; it means that he is not a pure Hindu since he does not want to preserve some Hindu rituals such as blessing the house and caste system by jati. He is also not a local because he only adapts a few local cultures.
4.2. The Influences of Cross and Clash Culture towards The Main Character in Social Life
As mentioned in chapter II, that Indian family holds tight the caste system; the caste system that is preserved by Mr. Biswas and The Tulsi are different. Mr. Biswas’ family preserves varna, whereas The Tulsi preserves jati. It show I the
quotation below:
„He would have liked you, Mrs. Tulsi said.’He would have been proud to
know that you were going to marry one of his daughter. He wouldn’t have
let things like your job or your money worry him. He always said that the only thing that mattered was the blood. I just can look at you and see that you come from a good blood. A simple little ceremony at the registrar’s
office is all you need.’(Naipaul: 1961:91)
him is the blood or “Indian caste system based on jati”. Mrs. Tulsi accepts Mr. Biswas to be her son in-law because she knows Mr.Biswas comes from upper class and she also reminds that Mr. Biswas is a Brahmin. The Tulsi think this because they remind Ajoda, Mr. Biswas’ uncle is a rich man and his family is loyal to the religion so that he can marry with Shama. He imagines that The Tulsi will held a gorgeous wedding party and give him a high dowry. The fact, The Tulsi do not held a gorgeous wedding party for Shama and Mr. Biwas. Shama and Mr. Biswas only marry in registrar office without party. Ironically, the Hindu’s wedding ceremony usually takes place in a tent or a mandap, which is beautifully decorated with flowers and some rituals. One of the most significant rituals is the bride and the groom performed the Saptapadi or saat phere around a scared fire and light, which is symbolic to God. While the bride and the groom take the seven
circles, the Priest or Pundit recites the mantras and speaks of the real essence and
significance of marriage. It also occurs during this time that the groom fills the
vermillion or sindoor in the parting of hair of the bride and puts mangalsutra
around her neck. Both sindoor and mangalsutra have the strong religious
implications and the sacred symbols of a married woman.
The explanation shows that Mrs. Tulsi is influenced by western culture
because her daughter is married only in registrar office without ceremony or ritual
that has to be held by a Hindu. Another thing that important in Hindu wedding
“ and what sort of dowry did they give you? She asked.
“Dowry ? They are not so old-fashioned. They did’nt give me a Penny
(Naipaul:1961:36)
The quotation above is taken from the dialogue between Mr. Biswas and Tara (Mr. Biswas’ aunt). In Indian culture the dowry is given to groom from bride. The groom that comes from upper class will receive the higher dowry from the bride’s family. The quotation above explains that Mr. Biswas, as a groom,
does not accept any dowry from the bride, it is because the Tulsi family has modern ideology and does not pay the dowry to the groom This case shows that The Tulsi are influenced by western culture that The Tulsi do not give a dowry from the groom to the bride, whereas in Hindu dowry is the important custom. As mentioned in chapter II, the dowry system in India causes Dowry Death if the bride does not pay it.
Beside the way of The Tulsi preserves the dowry system, there is another custom which Mr. Biswas does not agree in The Tulsi’s house, joint family system. Joint family system also happens in The Tulsi. There are four or five generations. We can see it from the quotation below:
The world was too small,the Tulsi family too large. He felt trapped (Naipaul: 1961:87)
The cultures and traditions transfer their knowledge about of the country to the new generations, so the younger generation learns to live and be discipline. Any imbalance between spouses is easily measured out since there are many elders to guide. Hence, India has a low rate of divorces in the world. However, Mr. Biswas does not agree with the joint family system because he wants to paddle his own canoe. It means that he wants to desperate with Tulsi’s family and their intervention to his marriage with Shama. He wants to be free and leads his little family with Shama. He becomes a leader of his family and brings up their children by their own ways without intervention from Tulsi’s family. It is clear that Mr. Biswas is against Joint family system and he wants to be free just like the principle of nuclear family system. Nuclear family system is the ideology from western and it is the opposite of Joint family system. In this case Mr. Biswas is influenced by western culture. It means that cross culture happens. Mr. Biswas is someone who reflects the ambivalent man. He still preserves Indian culture but he accepts western culture.
The point of view of someone changes while he gets knowledge or inspired by someone. It also occurs to Mr. Biswas when he meets Pankaj Rai, a Purist. He is a real Hindu orator in Trinidad. Mr. Biswas surrenders to his graciousness when Pankaj Ray shakes his hand. He really admires him. He believes that what Pankaj Ray says is a truth, so that he tries to implement it. We can see from this quotation below:
“ He found he agreed with everything Pankaj Ray said: after thousands
birth was unimportant; a man’s caste should be determined only by his
actions.” (Naipaul :1961: 111)
The Indian caste system is a close system. As mentioned in Chapter II that Indian caste system is the Hindu culture, it is not colonial artifact. Therefore, Indian society still holds tight it, because it is their local culture.
The quotation shows that Mr. Biswas is influenced by what Pankaj Ray said about the caste. According to Pankaj Ray the caste should be determined by actions (occupation), not by the birth. From the statement above, we can see that Pankaj Ray uses varna theory. It is Indian caste system based on their occupation. Therefore, everyone can move from the low caste to upper class, it depends on their occupation even though he/she is born from the lowest caste. It also happens to Mr. Biswas. In the beginning of this story Mr. Biswas and his family is a Sudra. Mr. Biswas learns to Jairam (a Pundit) to become a pundit, so his caste becomes Brahmin. The other influences of society and environment to Mr. Biswas can be seen in the following quotation:
He was speaking of the protestant Hindu missionarie who had come from India and were preaching that caste was unimportant, that Hinduism should accept converts, that idols should be abolished, that woman should be educated, preaching against all doctrines the orthodox Tulsi held dear. (Naipaul:1961: 110)
view of someone even to their rigid culture, where he always obeys and justifies what it is doing. The protestant Hindu missionarie’s preach influences the point of view of Mr. Biswas . The cross and clash culture makes a distortion, so that, Mr. Biswas is prefer choose caste system by varna than jati because he thinks that varna is more flexible than jati. Mr. Biswas also believe that women have a same right as men in education. We can see from this quotation below:
“So” Seth went on.’You want to see girl children educated and choosing
their own husband,eh?(Naipaul:1961:118)
Finally, to sum up the effects of clash and cross culture toward the main character’s social life is that the education can change someone’s point of
view more open minded. Education also changes the social class of someone. The social class of someone does not depend on the birth but it depends on his occupations.
4.3. The Influences of Cross and Clash Culture towards Main Character in Economic
The economic aspect plays as a big deal in the novel entitled “A House for Mr. Biswas”. As mentioned before, Caste system by varna is more flexible than
“The editor rose.”I have just the job for you.”
…..Mr. biswas was given paint and brush, and he spent the rest of the
afternoon writing sign: No Admittance to Wheeled Vehicles, No Entry, Wach out for Vans, No Hands wanted. (Naipaul : 1961: 308-309)
In Sentinel magazine Mr. Biswas is given a month for trial no paid by the editor. He is really happy to hear that. He tries to prove that he has a good quality to his boss until he becomes a reporter at Sentinel. It can be seen in the quotation below:
The job was urgent: the paper had to be printed every evening: by early
morning it had to be in every part of the island….for his fourth week he
was made shipping reporter, taking the place of a man who had been killed at the docks (Naipaul: 1961: 112).
Mr. Biswas becomes a reporter for Sentinel and replaces the Sentinel reporter killed at the docks. It is good movement to increase his ability in journalism term.
“ Mr. Biswas was taken on the staff of the Sentinel at salary of fifteen dollars a fortnight.’(Naipaul: 1961:314)
gets good occupation and wealth. The relationship between Mr. Biswas and The Tulsi become good as stated from this quotation:
“It was a Hanuman House festival in miniature, and to the children
almost like a game of make-believe. they had the freedom of the kitchen
and nibbled and tasted whenever they could. …and Mr. Biswas got on
so well with the brothers that he was invaded by the holiday feeling that they were all men together, and thought himself privileged it be host to the two sons of the family, one of whom was going abroad to become a doctor. (Naipaul: 1961: 338)
Hanuman House or Tulsi Festival is usually celebrated by the members of The Tulsi every year. It is tournament that present for the members of The Tulsi. Mr. Biswas really hates the Tulsi’s festival because at that event Mr. Biswas always seems stupid in front of another family but since he gets new job as a journalist, they can accept Mr. Biswas as the real member of the Tulsi and it makes Mr. Biswas become comfort to gather with them.
“Mrs Tulsi never fainted in Port Spain……She was distant nor
possessive with the children, and her relations with Biswas became less cautious and formal as his friendship with Owad grew. Owad appreciated Mr. Biswas’ work and Mr. Biswas, flattered to be established as a wit and a madman, developed a respect for the young man who read such big books in foreign languages. They became
companions;”(Naipaul: 1961: 322-323)
Spain and he becomes more confidence after becoming a journalist in Sentinel magazine. Unfortunately, the life does not go as smooth as he wants. There is also problem that has to face. It also happens to Mr. Biwas’ life. He loses his job in Sentinel:
He sank into despair as into the void which in his imagining had always stood for the life he had yet to live. Night after night he sank. But there was now no quickening panic, no knot of anguish. He discovered in himself only a great unwillingness and that part of his mind which feared the consequences of such a withdrawal was increasingly stilled. (Naipaul: 1961:475)
From that quotation we can see Mr. Biswas never gives up even though he is disappointed because he loses job but he can face it. Every job has its own risk, the thing that he can do just face it and be patient until that problem goes out. Finally, he can reach the real achievement of his life. He buys new house and moves from The Tulsi’s house. Therefore, Mr. Biswas can lead his own family as he wants without intervention from the other person especially Mrs. Tulsi. It is described in following quotation: “But at last they could leave the
Tulsi house.” (Naipaul:1961:551)
It is like the dream comes true when Mr. Biswas finally gets his own house. It is proved that he can paddle his own canoe after the long journey since h
