SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
IKA WIDHYASTI Student Number: 034214009
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
And you can rest in confidence Even through your darkest hour
L ean not on your own understanding T heres so much you can t know
Only God is able to see T he way your life should go
Acknowledge H im in everything Put God first in all you do Proudly lift H is banner high L et others see God through you
And H e shall direct your path W hen in confusion you roam J ust call upon God s guidance
H ell lead you safely home
Thanks to God, finally I could finish this thesis. First of all, I would like to
give my deepest gratitude to my Lord,Jesus Christ who has accompanied me in time of difficulty. He has been there to protect me, when I have no strength to do
anything.
Second, I would like to thank my advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny
Anggraini, M.A. who has guided and helped me during this thesis writing process. I would like you to know that every time I meet you in the common
room, I always get new spirits indirectly. I would like also to thank my
co-advisor,G. Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum.for checking this thesis and giving me his suggestion.
My deepest gratitude also goes to my beloved parents, Bapak Policarpus Sutowo Hadi and Ibu Nur Isnaini. Thank you for trusting and supporting me during my study at Sanata Dharma University. Thank you for your love, prayer,
and patience that have been given to me. I’m sorry mom, for being such a naughty
daughter.
am in desperation. Thanks girls, for this beautiful friendship. Thanks also to
Yayac, Vallone, Renziee, Frieda, Ajeng, Ella, Hanna and English Letters students of 2003. My appreciation also goes to all the staff in English Letters Department and staff in the library for helping me so much.
I give my profound thanks toMba Ari who has never been tired to protect me. Thanks also toMba Ayu andMas Deny for allowing me to finish this thesis at midnight in their house. ForGigi Besi who has lent me her personality books. I thank my sisters,Mba Mita, Mba Sari, Aic, and Wahyu, for every craziness we have had in the boarding house.
Thank you so much for the big family of Cantus Firmus Choir, especially Syarikem, Rosalinda, and Mas Mbong for every beautiful song we have sung together. I thankMas Ical for the meaningful short time I have had with him. Thank you for sharing many things with me. My special thanks also go
to Cumi-Cumi who has encouraged and supported me. Thanks also to THEM who have made me stronger by giving tears and pain.
Finally, I would like to thank Gayuh Prastomo for laughing and crying with me. Thanks for being a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold on. I can pass
this because I have you.
APPROVAL PAGE... ii
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW... 6
A. Review of Related Studies ... 6
B. Review of Related Theories... 8
1. Theory on Character and Characterization ... 8
2. Theory on the Relation between Psychology and Literature 12
3. Theory of Personality ... 13
4. Theory of Introversion ... 17
C. Theoretical Framework ……… 19
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………. 20
A. Object of the Study ... 20
B. Approach of the Study ... 21
C. Method of the Study ... 21
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS………. 24
A. Characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto ... 24
B. The Introvert Personality of Kabuo Miyamoto ……… 39
C. The Dominant Aspect of Psychological Factor that Influences Kabuo Miyamoto’s Introvert Personality ……… 53
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION…... 63
BIBLIOGRAPHY…... 67
IKA WIDHYASTI.Kabuo Miyamoto’s Introvert Personality as the Result of His Past Experiences in David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars.
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.
Human personality is different from one another. It can be influenced by several psychological aspects such as environment, heredity and past experiences. These aspects can also bring a great effect towards someone’s personality. These aspects may influence someone’s behavior, speech, and reaction towards some situation. Related to the statement above, this analysis will be focused on a character’s introvert personality that is influenced by his environment. This environmental influence has happened to him in the past time, and brought a long lasting effect towards his personality.
The objective of this study is to answer three main problems. First, this study tries to find the description of Kabuo Miyamoto, the main character in the novel. Second, this study tries to identify his introvert personality. Third, this study tries to identify the dominant aspect of psychological factor that influences his introvert personality.
This study applies a psychological approach since it analyzes the introvert personality of the character Kabuo Miyamoto and the dominant aspect of psychological factor that influences his introvert personality. Further, this approach emphasizes on the psychological aspect of the character as an individual. This study also applies a library research in gathering information and analyzing the problems.
IKA WIDHYASTI.Kabuo Miyamoto’s Introvert Personality as the Result of His Past Experiences in David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars.
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2007.
Kepribadian manusia berbeda satu sama lain. Ini dapat dipengaruhi oleh beberapa aspek psikologis seperti lingkungan, keturunan, dan pengalaman-pengalaman masa lalu. Aspek-aspek ini juga dapat membawa pengaruh yang besar pada kepribadian seseorang. Aspek-aspek ini dapat mempengaruhi perilaku, cara berbicara, dan reaksi seseorang terhadap suatu keadaan. Berkaitan dengan pernyataan di atas, analisis ini akan dititikberatkan pada kepribadian tertutup seorang tokoh cerita yang dipengaruhi oleh lingkungan di sekitarnya. Pengaruh lingkungan ini terjadi di masa lalunya, dan sudah memberi pengaruh berkepanjangan terhadap kepribadiannya.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menjawab tiga permasalahan utama. Pertama, studi ini mencoba untuk menggambarkan Kabuo Miyamoto, tokoh utama dalam novel. Kedua, studi ini mencoba untuk mengidentifikasi kepribadian tertutup tokoh cerita tersebut. Ketiga, studi ini mencoba untuk mengidentifikasi aspek terpenting dari faktor psikologis yang mempengaruhi kepribadian tertutupnya.
Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan psikologis karena menganalisa kepribadian tertutup Kabuo Miyamoto dan aspek terpenting dari faktor psikologis yang mempengaruhi kepribadian tertutupnya. Terlebih lagi, pendekatan ini menekankan pada aspek psikologis dari tokoh cerita sebagai seorang individu. Studi ini juga menggunakan penelitian perpustakaan dalam mengumpulkan informasi dan menganalisa permasalahan-permasalahan yang ada.
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature has become a part of human life. According to Hudson in his
bookAn Introduction to the Study of Literature (1960: 10), literature is expression
of life through medium of language. Literature presents some aspects of human
life such as history, social, moral, psychology, and many more. That is one of the
reasons why people like reading literature. By reading literature, we can get a lot
of experiences of life, we can have deeper understanding about something that we
have never seen before. We may learn new things in order to enrich our life
experience. Moreover, we can learn to understand the variety of human
personality through the characters in literary works.
Talking about human personality, there is nobody in this world who shares
the same personality. Each person has his or her own personality, and it will be
different from one another. This situation also happens in literary works. An
author will not create characters that have the same personality, but he will make
the characters have their own uniqueness. It is because the diversity of characters’
personality can enrich and build the tension of the story.
In literary works, character, as one of the intrinsic elements, takes an
important role. Characters can build the readers’ emotion so that the readers will
be interested to read the whole story. Characters will be described differently.
They will also have different personality and different problems or conflicts that
must be solved. Related to characters’ personality, the diversity of characters’
personality in the novel may be shaped by several psychological aspects such as
early experiences, family, and environment. Further, those psychological aspects
can also influence the personality development of characters in the novel. It is
because those aspects might bring any kind of effect towards the characters’
personality.
Based on the statement above, the writer will try to analyze David
Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars. It is because in Snow Falling on Cedars,
there is a Japanese American character that has a unique personality. This unique
character of Kabuo Miyamoto can build the readers’ emotion. The way he reacts
to his problems shows his personality directly, and his personality creates a quite
complicated problem in the story. Besides, through this story David Guterson
seems to show a “bad-side” of American society in the World War II era where
they treat the Japanese Americans unjustly.
Snow Falling on Cedars,written by David Guterson in United States since
1984 until 1994, takes place in 1954 in Amity Harbor, a town in San Piedro
Island, where Americans and Japanese Americans live as salmon fishermen and
strawberry farmers. In this story, Guterson shows the reader about the conflict
happening to those two races.
The story is started when Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American
character, is accused as Carl Heine’s murderer. At that time, hatred and prejudice
towards Japanese Americans still remain. So, considering a complicated land
problem between Kabuo Miyamoto and Carl Heine, people start blaming Kabuo
story, Guterson tries to show the fact that the trial is still driven by hatred and
prejudice towards Japanese Americans.
In this novel, Guterson describes Kabuo Miyamoto as a unique person.
Kabuo is a Japanese American character who has faced a lot of experience in his
life. One of his experiences is being a soldier who fights for America in World
War II, though he himself is Japanese. This experience takes an important role in
shaping his personality, and also brings a great effect towards his personality.
Even though the war is over, he still faces an unjust situation. He is not accepted
as a good American citizen, everyone still has prejudice on him, and hatred
remains between them. On Japanese Americans, The Evolution of a Subculture,
Harry H. L. Kitano quotes the writing of V. McClatchy, publisher of the
Sacramento Bee:
The Japanese cannot, may not, and will not provide desirable material for our citizenship. 1. The Japanese cannot assimilate and make good citizens because of their racial characteristics, heredity and religion. 2. The Japanese may not assimilate and make good citizens because their government claims all Japanese, no matter where born, as its citizens. 3. The Japanese will not assimilate and make good citizens. In the mass, when opportunity offered, and even born here, they have shown no disposition to do so… There can be no effective assimilation of the Japanese without intermarriage. It is perhaps not desirable for the good of either race that here should be intermarriage between whites and Japanese… They cannot be transmuted into good American citizens (1976: 188).
Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality, influenced by environment in his
past experiences, has made him as a victim in that unfair accusation. He has told
the audience about the real story in the night Carl Heine dies, but every evidence
still leads him as the murderer. The story becomes more interesting when Kabuo
accusation even though he knows that he kills nobody. As the right person, he
gives a strange reaction to that problem. This strange reaction shows clearly that
he is an introvert person.
By reading this novel, the reader may learn that many things around us can
influence someone’s personality. The reader may know that the environmental
influences in the past time can be a traumatic past experiences that affect our
personality. The reader can also understand that someone’s personality might be
seen through the way a person reacts to some situations, his gesture, thought,
manner, etc.
B. Problem Formulation
1. How is Kabuo Miyamoto characterized in the novel?
2. How is Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality described in the novel?
3. What dominant aspect of psychological factor influences Kabuo
Miyamoto’s introvert personality?
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problems formulation above, there are three objectives of this
study. The first is to find out the characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto, one of the
main characters in the novel. The second is to analyze Kabuo’s introvert
personality. Finally, this study will identify the dominant aspect of psychological
D. Definition of Terms 1. Introvert
According to Encyclopedia of Psychology, introvert is an attitude where
people hide their minds and emotions. The introverts tend to spend their time
alone or in contemplation, and they may avoid social situations (1994: 288).
2. Personality
According to International Encyclopedia of Psychology, personality is
defined as the unique combination of thought, feelings, and behavior that make
individual distinct from others (1996: 1228).
According to Hjelle and Ziegler inPersonality Theories, personality is the
dynamic organization within the individual of the psychophysical systems that
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Shauna L. Benforfd says that the novel is about discrimination towards
Japanese American in the small community of the coast of Washington.
According to her, in this story Guterson combines the courtroom drama, mystery,
romance and gripping war story. Further, she adds that Guterson also gives great
details of the characters in the story through flashback, and new atmosphere to
attain the tension of the story. However, the most convincing part of the story for
her is about the romantic sub-plot, especially the love affair between a white boy
and a Japanese girl, which is described through flashback.
(http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=340).
A review from MC45 states that Snow Falling on Cedars is a story that
shows the situation when Japanese immigrated to the Pacific. It is also about the
WW II where American military (including Japanese-descended volunteers and
draftees) fought against Japan. Because of the war, the US Government
imprisoned its Japanese-descended population. Guterson tries to make an honest
story so that he writes about discrimination between Americans and Japanese in
this story, a real situation when WW II was broken. Further, this review adds that
Guterson also wants to show the bad side of Americans through their way treating
the Japanese.
(http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/bookstore/books/fiction/guterson.html).
Zwetcillya (2004), in her undergraduate thesis, analyzes the racial
prejudice toward the Japanese American descendant in Guterson’s Snow Falling
on Cedars. According to her, racial prejudice in the United States after the
bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1940’s has given a great impact toward the Japanese
Americans. After the bombing, Japanese Americans have to face different
treatment from others. Further, she says that the conflict in that society can arise
because both sides are blaming each other. In her study, Zwetcillya discusses two
main problems. First is a character’s representation as a whole unity that causes
conflicts based on racial prejudice. Second is the racial prejudice itself as a
representation of the society in the United States.
Another study is done by Prihantini Theresia (2005). She states that her
undergraduate thesis is focused on the role of values and perspective that belong
to two Japanese American characters in rising their conflicts. The two Japanese
Americans are Kabuo Miyamoto and Hatsue Miyamoto. Moreover, Prihantini
tries to show the role of values and perspective of these two characters in helping
them to deal with their conflicts. According to her, Snow Falling on Cedars is a
novel that is rich in social phenomena and detailed description of nature and
people.
This study will not have deeper analysis on the love that occurs in the
novel or on the political aspect behind the story, but more on the unique character
of a Japanese American, Kabuo Miyamoto. In this novel, Kabuo Miyamoto
becomes an introvert person after facing several events in his life that are related
to his environment. According to the theories of personality, someone’s
Considering this fact, this study will explore the environmental influences faced
by Kabuo Miyamoto in his past time that affect his introvert personality. This
study will reveal things that take the biggest contribution in shaping Kabuo
Miyamoto’s introvert personality. Meanwhile, the mysterious murder in this story
will be taken just as a mediator to describe Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert
personality. In this study, the writer tries to show that environmental influences in
Kabuo’s past time have become traumatic experiences that affect Kabuo’s
personality. This study will be different from the other studies because the writer
will not only analyze the description of Kabuo Miyamoto, but also his introvert
personality and the influences of environment, seen in Kabuo Miyamoto’s past
experiences, towards his personality.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Abrams in his bookA Glossary of Literary Terms (1981: 20-21) states:
Characters are the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogue – and what they do – in action. The grounds in the characters’ temperament, desires, and moral nature for their speech and actions are called their motivation (1985: 23).
Little in his book Approach of Literature, states that there are three steps
to study a character (1981: 93). First is from a person’s basic characteristics.
These can be seen from the physical condition of the character including a
other characters, and the mental qualities, which is the typical ways of thinking,
feeling, and acting.
Second is from a person’s appearance from various points of view. These
include how the character sees himself, how various other characters see him, and
how a person develops or fails to develop during the course of the story.
Third is from a person’s place in the works. It means the treatment of the
author (sketched or fully rounded, a portrayed descriptively or dramatically,
treated sympathetically or unsympathetically), a person’s place in the story (a
leading character or minor one), and a person’s relationship to theme.
Murphy in his book Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English
Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students (1972, 161-173) states some of
the important devices of characterization:
a. Personal description
The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothing. He can describe
clearly what the characters are like and tell the reader the details of the
character’s appearance: the face, skin, eyes, and clothing.
b. Characters as seen by others
The author describes the character’s appearance or personality by letting other
characters in the story tell what they see about this character.
c. Speech
The author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the
person in the story through what the person says. Whenever the person speaks,
whenever he puts forward an opinion, he is giving the readers some clues to
d. Past life
The author shows a person’s character by revealing the person’s past life. It
can be done by direct comment from the author, through the person’s
conversation, and trough the medium of other person.
e. Conversation of others
The author can also give the readers clues about a person’s character through
the conversation, either by other people or by the things they say about him.
f. Reactions
The author gives the clues by letting the readers know how the characters in
the story react to various situations. Using this kind of characterization, the
readers may expect to find the quality of the characters in dealing with those
various situations.
g. Direct comment
Usually the author gives his comment and opinion explicitly towards his
characters in the story.
h. Thoughts
The author may give the readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking
about. Here, he can tell the readers what different people are thinking.
i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerisms or habits both positive and
negative one, which may also tell the readers something about his character.
Richard M. Eastman in A Guide to the Novel states that “a novelist is
expected to show people as they are” (1965: 17). He claims that the humanity and
Eastman also divides the theory on characterization into three elements, which are
the selective development, the moral stature, and the psychology.
Selective development refers to the way the author describes the
characters. It is done through the term “flatness” and “roundness”. The flatness of
character intends for portraying a character when he is more a type than an
individual (Eastman, 1965:17). The flat character is not likely to engage in inner
conflicts, he is unlikely to change, he is static, and his responses are predictable. A
round character acquires his own traits that define him as a person. “Because he is
in tension, he is also dynamic; capable of new kinds of behavior under new strains
(Eastman, 1965:18). The roundness of the characters aims to gain the readers
sympathy because they illustrate the uncertainty, the sufferings, and the needs
they face.
Moral stature is the element within the characters that involve the readers’
attentions. The goodness and badness of the characters are measured by the
readers through popular morality as a reference (Eastman, 1965:20). It depends on
the tendency towards such virtues and vices and the powers or the properties that
the characters can bring to bear in doing good or evil.
Psychology is the last element to analyze. A character must be described
“to have a mental life from which his choices are generated in some connected
way. The traits of the character’s mental life have much to do with his vitality and
authenticity, and it affects the reader’s engagement with him (Eastman, 1965:23).
In analyzing the character’s mental life, the precise questions to rise refer to the
main desires or traits that move him and the opposing traits that put him under
In this study, the writer will combine the theories of character by Little,
Eastman, and Murphy to analyze one of the main characters, Kabuo Miyamoto.
2. Theory on the Relation between Psychology and Literature
Rene Wellek and Austin Waren in their book Theory of Literature define
the psychology of literature as “the psychological study of the writer as a type of
individual, or the study of the psychological types and laws presented within
works of literature, or finally, the effects of literature upon its readers (audience
psychology)” (1956: 81). Moreover, they state that psychology can enlighten the
creative process of a work of literature. Characters in novels and plays are judged
to be ‘psychologically’ true. It means that the characters need to be depicted as
real creatures that have real personalities.
Recognizing that there is a close relation between literature and
psychology, Kalish inThe Psychology of Human Behavior implies that “literature
holds the mirror up to the man” (1973: 8). A good writer or novelist can
communicate the feeling of their characters and make them seem more life-like
than the real people whose behavior the psychologist attempts to describe. The
writer can use the understanding provided by the psychologist to enrich stories,
and psychologist can gain their understanding of human behavior by drawing
from the deep sensitivity of good author (1973: 8).
As the relationship between literature and psychology is closely
established, it can be said that the analysis of literary works may reflect certain
psychological factors. The close relationship between literature and psychology
have the psychological side. This study will explore one of the psychological
subjects, which is introvert personality.
3. Theory of Personality
According to Hall and Lindzey in Theories of Personality, an adequate
understanding of human behaviors will develop from the study of the whole
person. They state that an individual personality can be assessed by the
effectiveness with which he is able to conduct positive reaction from variety of
person under different circumstances. These statements assure us that personality
may be comprehended by examining an individual’s behavior (1957: 6). Cole in
Psychology of Adolescence states that personality is not fixed by heredity.
Sometimes, it is supported and warped by environmental pressures. It is also
quickly affected by illness, decease, or unusual emotional strain (1956: 156).
According to Ruch in Psychology and Life, through a process called
repression, a person can eliminate conscious awareness of both the stimuli and the
responses in emotion if they cause him psychological pain. He also adds that
people’s external behavior, and even their internal psychological responses, are
often influenced by emotions of which they themselves are entirely unaware
(1948: 163).
Hurlock in Personality Development states that human life consists of two
aspects, which are individual and social aspects. For the individual aspects, it is
concerned with physical changes and human’s personality development. Human’s
personality development itself is influenced by two factors. First is human’s early
home (1974: 19-20). Meanwhile, according to Horton and Hunt in their book
Sociology, personality development can be influenced by some factors. These
factors are heredity, physical environment, and culture (1987: 114). Heredity is an
inherent factor from our parents. Physical environment is the environment around
us such as our parents, friends, and other people. Meanwhile, culture in society
presents some experiences that are experienced by the people in the society.
According to Allport in Hurlock’s Personality Development, personality
development is a stage in growth of constantly changing and involving process
within an individual (1974: 7). This process will influence one’s self concept,
habits, attitudes, emotion states, sentiments, and motives. Moreover, Allport
explains that personality development will determine his or her uniqueness in
speech, in reaction to people and things, in mannerism, in fantasy, and in other
ways related to his or her environment (1970: 165).
Allport in his book Pattern and Growth in Personality states that from all
determinants that possible to determine a person’s personality, environments seem
to take the biggest contribution. Environments give more complex contributions
to one’s personality. Therefore, Allport acquires the situation and the role as the
determinant factors to determine a person personality. Each factor has its own
contribution in forming one’s personality (1970: 165).
Pervin and John in Personality Theory and Research mention some
environmental determinants that can influence one’s personality. First is culture.
Someone’s experiences in a particular culture are significant environmental
determinant. By having these experiences, someone will have a certain personality
existence. For examples, it influences the way we define our needs, our
experiences of different emotions, the way we express what we are feeling, also
our relationship with others and with ourselves (1997: 11).
Second is social class. Social classes, whether lower class or upper class,
working class or professional, also has an important role in shaping our
personality. Social class factors help people to determine their own status, the
roles they perform, the duties they are bound to, and the privileges they enjoy.
These factors influence how individuals see themselves and how they recognize
members of other social classes. The same as cultural factors, social class factors
also influence the way people define situations and the way they respond to them
(1997: 11).
Next is family. One of the most important environmental factors is the
influence of the family. Parents may be warm and loving or hostile and rejecting,
overprotective and possessive or aware of their children’s need for freedom and
autonomy. Parents may also influence their children’s behavior through three
ways; through their own behavior, they serve as role models for identification, and
they selectively reward behavior (1997: 12).
The last environmental determinant will be peer environment. Sometimes
we find that people from the same family have different personality. It is because
they have different experiences outside the home. People learn many things at
home, but these influences are specific to the home environment, and often fade in
the face of peer group influences. Peer group leads someone to accept new rules
or behavior and provides for experiences that will have lasting influences on
Another aspect that also has an important role in shaping someone’s
personality is past experiences. Freud in Pervin and John’s Personality Theory
and Research states that one’s early events in life are important for his later
personality development (1997: 104). Usually, experience that can influence
someone’s personality is the traumatic one, such as being a victim of sexual abuse
or facing a horrible event like world war. Variety of traumatic experiences may
leave their impressions on a child’s future development.
However, a dramatic experience such as being left by parents can also
influence one’s personality (1997: 105). People might find that the effects of
traumatic experiences are different from one another. It is because those effects
depend on personal characteristic. However, the role of early experiences might
also depend on the intensity of particular experiences, their duration, and the level
to which contradictory experiences occurred earlier and later (1997:107).
Not only influencing one’s personality, past experiences are also
influencing someone’s behavior. One’s present behavior can be influenced by
experiences in the remote past or the recent past, and those experiences might
have long lasting effects in shaping one’s personality. Roger in the same book
says that the healthy person can assimilate experiences into the self-structure. In
the healthy person, there is equivalence between self and experience, an openness
to experience, and a lack of defensiveness.
In this study, the writer will use these theories of personality to make sure
that Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality is influenced by his environment that
4. Theory of Introversion
Jung in Mounier’s The Character of Man states that the introvert is
characterized by the predominance of person’s subjective life. While
Lefrancq-Brunfaunt in the same book, describe that the primary introvert, instead of
exteriorizing his emotion, keeps it captive, chews it over, recapitulates and savors
it, differentiates and augments it on the spot, without showing any outward sign,
at any rate for the moment (1956: 91).
The introvert tends to be hesitant, quiet, reserved, reflective and meditative
in character, and does not easily betray himself. The introvert’s timidity and
hesitation make adjustment to the external world difficult. An introvert person has
little self-confidence so that he is irresolute in action. He lacks common sense and
fails to achieve his purpose.
An introvert gestures are often angular and staccato. He also likes to be
secret and isolated. His coldness is sometimes offensive, although he can show to
intimate friends a warmth that is sometimes passionate (1956: 91). The introvert
speech is turned inwards, for he is in fact uninterested to whether one listens to
him or not. Without expression, inactive, stilted, the introvert is only too much
inclined to withdraw into his shell. Introvert tends to wrap himself in a silence
(1956: 95).
According to Jill D. Burrus and Liza Kaenzig in The Often Forgotten
Factor Impacting the Gifted, introversion is not a pathological condition; it is not
an abnormal response to the world. It is simply a personality trait found in a small
percentage of the total population. These are some characteristics of introverts:
b. Become drained around large groups of people
c. Need time alone to recharge (get agitated and irritated without enough time
alone)
d. Prefer to work on own rather than do group work, happy to be alone
e. Do not share private thoughts with just anyone, think carefully before
speaking
f. Form a few deep attachments
g. See reflection as very important thing, concentrate well and deeply
h. Become absorbed in thoughts and ideas
i. Limit their interests but explore deeply
j. Communicate best one-on-one
(http://cfge.wm.edu/documents/Introversion.html).
There are four functions of introversion based on Jung’s theory in Feist
and Feist’s Theories of Personality. First is logical intellectual activity that
produces a chain of ideas, called thinking. Introverted thinking people react to
external stimuli, but their interpretation of an event is colored more by the internal
meaning they bring with them than by the objective facts themselves (2006: 118).
Second is feeling, which is used to describe the process of evaluating an
idea or event. Introverted feeling people tend to base their value judgments
primarily on subjective perceptions rather than objective facts. This kind of people
has an individualized conscience, and their complete indifference to the objective
world often causes people around them to feel uncomfortable (2006:118).
Third is the function that receives physical stimuli and transmits them to
influenced by their subjective sensations of sight, sound, taste, touch, etc. They
are guided by their interpretation of sense stimuli rather than the stimuli
themselves (2006: 119).
The last function is intuition, which involves perception beyond the
workings of unconsciousness. Introverted intuitive people are guided by
unconscious perception of facts that are basically subjective and have little or no
similarity to external reality. Introverted intuitive people often appear peculiar to
another people around them (2006: 119).
C. Theoretical Framework
There are three problems stated in the previous chapter in order to discuss
the introvert personality of a Japanese American character, Kabuo Miyamoto, in
David Guterson’sSnow Falling on Cedars. The first problem formulation is about
the characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto himself. In order to answer this question,
the theories of character are needed to describe exactly what Kabuo Miyamoto’s
characteristics are.
The second problem formulation to analyze is about Kabuo Miyamoto’s
introvert personality. Here, the theories introversion has an important role to
answer the question. The third problem to identify is about the dominant aspect of
psychological factor that influences his introvert personality. So, theories of
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The novelSnow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson was firstly written
in United States since 1984 until 1994 and published by Harcourt Brace and
Company. In this study, the writer uses the first vintage contemporary edition
published in October 1995. In the novel, the author presents the story in thirty-two
chapters. Snow Falling on Cedars consists of 460 pages and was published by A
Division of Random House, Inc., New York.
Snow Falling on Cedars is the winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award –the
largest annual juried literary prize in the United States-, and the American
Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award. It also won the Barnes & Noble
Great New Writers Award and the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association
Book Award.
The story is set on San Piedro Island, north of Puget Sound, where
everyone is either a fisherman or a strawberry farmer. Generally, it is about a
murder trial, where Kabuo Miyamoto-a Japanese American-is accused as the
murderer of Carl Heine, a white man. During the trial, problems of racism
between American and Japanese that have already happened in WW II come up
again. The incident also causes prejudice among American toward Japanese. As
the effect of traumatic experiences in his past time, Kabuo Miyamoto reveals his
introvert personality through the way he overcomes the problem.
B. Approach of the Study
In this study, the writer applies psychological approach in analyzing the
introvert personality of the character Kabuo Miyamoto and the aspect of
psychological factors that influences his introvert personality. According to
Rohrberger and Woods (1971:6-5) in Reading and Writing about Literature,
psychological approach is “the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent
patterns, but from a different body of knowledge that is psychology. This
approach uses the psychological theories to explain human motivation,
personality, and behavior patterns written in literary objects.”
Wilfred L. Guerin in his book, A Handbook of Critical Approach to
Literature, explains that the psychological approach is perhaps the most
controversial, the most abused and the least appreciated. However, this approach
lets the readers analyze psychologically the characters or situations in the literary
works.
The reason why the writer chooses psychological approach in analyzing
the study is because the writer studies the psychological aspect of the character
Kabuo Miyamoto. Through psychological approach, the writer tries to answer the
questions in problem formulation.
C. Method of the Study
In this study, the writer employed a library research as the method of
gathering the information and sources. The primary source used in this study is
the novelSnow falling on Cedarsby David Guterson. The secondary sources that
Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for
Overseas Students ,Eastman’sA Guide to the Novel, and Guerin’s A Handbook of
Critical Approach to Literature.The writer also used Hall and Lindzey’sTheories
of Personality,Ruch’sPsychology and Life, Pervin and John’sPersonality Theory
and Research, Feist and Feist’s Theories of Personality, and Mounier’s The
Character of Man. Besides, the writer was also browsing some information in
relation with the novelSnow Falling in Cedar in the internet.
The writer did some steps in analyzing the novel for the research. The first
step was reading and rereading the novel itself to have deep understanding about
the story. After that, the writer focused on the Japanese American character,
Kabuo Miyamoto, and formulated problems into questions. The second step was
finding some theory of literature and other books related to the topic of this thesis.
The writer also found data by browsing in the Internet.
Next step was trying to answer the questions in problem formulation. In
answering the first problem formulation, the writer used the theory of character by
Murphy inUnderstanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English
Novel for Overseas Students. This theory was needed to determine the
characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto through nine ways that were stated in
Murphy’s theory. The other theories of character were also used to determine
Kabuo Miyamoto’s characterization. After finding the general description of
Kabuo Miyamoto, the writer tried to analyze Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert
personality. It was done by using the theories of introversion. In answering the
that influences Kabuo’s introvert personality, the writer used the theories of
personality that have been mentioned before.
The last step was drawing conclusion from the analysis of the problem
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto, his introvert
personality, and the dominant aspect of psychological factor that influences his
introvert personality will be analyzed. The first part to analyze is the general
description of Kabuo Miyamoto’s character as what has been portrayed in the
novel. In describing Kabuo Miyamoto’s character, Murphy’s nine ways in
determining a character in hisUnderstanding Unseens: An Introduction to English
Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students will be used. The second part to
analyze is about Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality that is seen in the novel.
This part will be done by using the theories of introversion. The last part to
analyze is the dominant aspect of psychological factor that influences Kabuo’s
introvert personality. It will be done by using the theories of personality.
A. Characterization of Kabuo Miyamoto
The focus of this study is Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality.
However, before analyzing his introvert personality, the general characterization
of Kabuo Miyamoto will be described first in this part. The characterization of
Kabuo Miyamoto will be done through several ways as what have been stated in
Murphy’s theory about character.
In the novel, Kabuo Miyamoto is clearly described as a Japanese
American salmon fisherman who lives in San Piedro Island. He lives in the town
with his family, a wife named Hatsue Miyamoto and three children, two daughters
of eight and four and a boy of eleven months.
The first description of Kabuo Miyamoto is that he is an affectionate
person. This description can be seen through the way he treats his family and his
conversation with his wife, Hatsue Miyamoto inside the jail.
At first she came alone and spoke with him through a pane of glass, but then he asked her to bring the children (Guterson, 1995: 79).
Now, in the courtroom, he turned toward Hatsue. “How are the kids?” he said.
“They need their father,” she answered.
“Nels is working on that,” said Kabuo. (Guterson, 1995: 80).
The quotation above shows that even though Kabuo is in jail, he still cares and
worries about his children. Living in jail does not mean that he forgets his family.
The quotation above also shows how he misses his children so much. He does not
care if his children have to see him in his cell. Kabuo only wants to meet them so
that he asks his wife to bring them with her.
Kabuo’s affection towards his family can also be seen through his thought.
He thinks about them when he is in jail.
He thought of Hatsue and of his children, and it seemed to him he must be exiled from them-because he felt for them so much love-in order to pay his debts to the dead he had left on the ground in Italy (Guterson, 1995: 157).
Based on the quotation above, it can be seen clearly how much he loves his
family. Realizing his love for them, Kabuo wants to leave them because he thinks
that he has made them suffer. He does not want to hurt his family anymore
because he knows that he loves them so.
They ate their lunch there in the shadows of the hemlocks and gathered salmonberries…
He’d admired her fully on that day, she collected the stems of wild ginger for seasoning rice and yarrow leaves for tea (Guterson, 1995: 160).
The quotation above is a part of his memory that is memorized when he is in jail.
It also illustrates Kabuo’s affection towards his family. How affectionate he is that
he can remember every detail about his family. He can remember what they have
done that day, how the feelings of his three children are. He can remember how he
admires Hatsue that day, and how his daughter’s head leans against his arm. He
always memorizes them inside the jail.
Another affection that is shown by Kabuo toward Hatsue and his children
can also be seen through his conversation with Hatsue.
“You’re going to be free,” she said to Kabuo. “They’ll do the right thing-you’ll see.”
“I don’t know,” her husband replied. “But either way, I love you, Hatsue. Tell the kids I love them, too.” (Guterson, 1995: 423).
The quotation above explains that Hatsue and his children are the most valuable
things for him. Though he might be jailed for the accusation, he wants them to
know how much he loves his family. Family is the most important thing for him.
Kabuo’s affection can be seen through the way he loves his wife, Hatsue
Miyamoto.
He had begun to love her, to love more than just her beauty and grace, and when he saw that in their hearts they shared the same dream he felt a great certainty about her (Guterson, 1995: 163).
He always remembers that he has seen Hatsue since she is a girl. He memorizes
the first time when he sees her working for Ichikawa, picking strawberry in the
fields with other girls. At that time, he himself does the same thing as she does.
on her. It seems that he has admired her since the first time he meets her. Later on,
at Manzanar he starts to hold apart with her and decides to marry her.
Kabuo also shows his affection towards the strawberry fields in San
Piedro. It can be seen through the way he memorizes it.
Then he remembered strawberry fields from before Manzanar and he was in them as he’d always been, a sea of strawberries, rows and rows, a labyrinth of runners as intricate as a network of arteries feeding on the surface of a dozen farms he knew from childhood (Guterson, 1995: 161).
From the quotation above, it can be said that Kabuo loves the strawberry farmland
so much. He has spent his childhood there and it is his dream to have it. The way
he memorizes the strawberry farmland shows that the farmland has become a part
of him. Because of his love towards the strawberry farmland, he tries to get it back
when he knows that he has lost it.
Kabuo is a clean and tidy man. This manner is shaped by his parents’
teaching in his past life. Kabuo’s cleanness and tidiness can be seen through the
conversation of others.
“Miyamoto live clean,” he pressed on. “You never been in their cabin? Person could eat off the floor in there, kids sleep on mats, somebody even been scrubbing mildew off the walls. Kids don’t run around their faces all stained. Laundry all strung out neat with clothespins somebody carved. Don’t wake up late, don’t holler, don’t complain, don’t ask for nothing-“ (Guterson, 1995: 119).
The quotation above is taken from the conversation of Carl Heine Senior and his
wife. The above-mentioned quotation shows how well arranged they really are so
that other people can see the fact about the Miyamoto’s family. Further, his
parents have taught him to put everything in the right order. For example, they
dandelions. Poor condition does not mean that he lives lazily. He and his family
keep everything clean.
He was dressed in a white shirt worn buttoned to the throat and gray, neatly pressed trousers (Guterson, 1995: 3).
They waited. Kabuo hung his coat on a peg. In a little while a station from Las Vegas came on-country-and-western music. Kabuo sat down and removed his shoes and socks. He put them under the bed neatly. He unknotted his bow tie (Guterson, 1995: 88).
The way Kabuo dresses himself as what has been mentioned in the quotation
above also proves that Kabuo is a tidy man. It seems that he cares about his
appearance so that he does not wear just anything on his body. The way he hangs
his coat, removes his shoes and socks shows that he puts everything in its place.
Kabuo also makes everything well arranged. It can be seen through the
way he prepares himself before fishing at a foggy night. Catching salmons at a
foggy night is very dangerous. People might be lost or injured because they
cannot see anything around them. In order to prevent himself from a sea accident,
he checks his boat’s engine oil and his barometer first before leaving the Ship
Channel Bank. He also prepares his fishing tools. He sets up his boat’s light and
always listens to the fog signal so that he might not be lost. He leaves his radio on
to hear if there is news about the situation there. He always checks his engine and
reads his compass to make sure that he is in the right way (Guterson, 1995:
392-398).
Kabuo can be characterized as a tough person. It can be seen through his
personal description.
Based on the quotation above, it can be said that as a Japanese American, Kabuo
Miyamoto is naturally born as a strong person. He is well built. He has a good
face, strong and smooth. His neck and shoulder show that he is a tough person,
full of strength and dignity.
In Hatsue point of view, Kabuo is also a tough man.
He was very strong. She could see the muscles flowing in his abdomen (Guterson, 1995: 89).
He had not lost any of his strength in jail; his strength as she understood it, was an inward matter, something he tuned silently to the conditions of life: in his cell he had composed himself to preserve it (Guterson, 1995: 87).
The quotation above shows that Kabuo is really a strong man. Although he has
been jailed for seventy seven days and faced difficult time, he still shows his
strength and dignity as a Japanese American. It seems that even if he is facing the
most difficult moment in his life, he will not lose his strength.
Kabuo’s strength is also seen through the way he becomes an expert in
kendo, a Japanese traditional stick fighting. His father teaches him when he is
seven. He is a grand-son of a great samurai family. So, even though he has been
born in United States and become an American citizen, he does not forget his
Japanese tradition. Further, his father has taught him to be proud of his Japanese
culture.
He learns from his father how to hold the wooden sword so that the wrists
are flexible and liberated. He practices every part of kendo so that it becomes
natural for him, part of he is. Further, his father teaches him that the goal of the
sword is to give life, not to take it. When he is sixteen, he has become a master in
fighting spirit among the other members. Moreover, Kabuo has the ability to kill
someone by using his skill in kendo (Guterson, 1995: 165-168).
Kabuo’s skill in kendo is also admitted by Sergeant Victor Maples. In his
point of view, Kabuo is an aggressive warrior who ready to kill people in the
battle.
He was, in Sergeant Maple’s experience, a man both technically proficient at stick fighting and willing to inflict violence on another man (Guterson, 1995: 285).
From the quotation above, it can be said that Kabuo Miyamoto’s skill in
using kendo is also shown when he follows a hand-to-hand combat training at
Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he joins the army in the World War II. When
Sergeant Maple, his trainer, asks for a volunteer, he comes forward and presents
himself to the sergeant. Later on, the sergeant finds out that he cannot hit Kabuo at
all because Kabuo hardly moves and slips every force. Then, Sergeant Maples
identifies that Kabuo is more expert in stick fighting than he is.
Kabuo is a brave and loyal man. It can be seen through the conversation of
Hatsue and the way he reacts to the situation around him when the World War II
is broken. Several days after his marriage with Hatsue Imada, he decides to join
the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and fight for United States.
“You can die demonstrating all of that,” she told him. “I know you are brave and loyal.”
The quotation above explains that even though he is a Japanese American, he
considers United States as his nation. So, when the war is broken he joins the
army and fights for United States. He wants to prove to others that he is loyal to
his country. He does not care if he has to live separately from his wife. He wants
to demonstrate his bravery and nationalism by defending United States. He wants
to show that although as a Japanese American who is underestimated, he is loyal
to his country. He shares the same spirit with another American soldier who fights
for United States.
By joining the United States Army, he tries to evaporate hatred and
prejudice towards Japanese Americans. People see his Japanese face and hate it.
So, he proves to them that they must not hate him just because his face is the same
as those who have bombed the Pearl Harbor.
His nationalism is shown through his conversation with Carl Heine Senior.
“I’m an American,” Kabuo cut in. “Just like you or anybody. Am I calling you a Nazi, you big Nazi bastard? I killed men who looked just like you-pig fed German bastard. I’ve got their blood on my soul, Carl, and it doesn’t wash off very easily. So don’t you talk to me about Japs, you big Nazi son of a bitch.” (Guterson, 1995: 404)
From the quotation above, it can be seen that he considers United States as his
nation. He refuses what has been said by Carl Heine Junior and assures him that
he is an American. He has proven it by being an American soldier in the World
War II. So, he does not want people to call him Japanese because it means that
hatred still remains between them.
Kabuo’s bravery is also shown through his manner in facing the trial.
innocent man. He is not afraid of the accusation. He still can face the problem
bravely though people in the court do not believe him.
The accused man, Kabuo Miyamoto, sat proudly upright with a rigid grace, his palms placed softly on the defendant’s table-the posture of a man who has detached himself insofar as this is possible at his own trial (Guterson, 1995: 3).
Actually, Kabuo’s manner, as what has been mentioned in the quotation
above, can danger his position in the trial. Nels Gudmundsson, his lawyer, has
warned him that the jurors are watching him during the trial to determine whether
he is guilty or not. They are trying to find the real fact by looking through his face,
whether it is changed or not when the witnesses speak in the court room. It is
because the answer of the trial depends on the way he appears in the court room,
the way he looks like, and the way he acts. By showing attitude like that, he might
be judged as the guilty murderer. However, he still shows his bravery because it
has become a natural part of him.
Kabuo is characterized as a kind man. When the Japanese Americans are
sent to the internment camp, he and his friends help others in building something.
He comes door to door offering some help for anyone. He understands that they
share the same feeling about living in the internment camp. He knows how poor
their conditions are so that he offers his help for others. He is not a selfish person
because he cares about everything happened around him. His kindness can be seen
through the conversation of other characters.
They sat for a moment watching in silence while Kabuo Miyamoto went about his work. …
“They’re straight,” he announced. “They should work out well. I’m sorry we couldn’t do better.”
“We’re going to build your six chairs,” said Kabuo, looking at Hatsue now.
“Thank you,” said Fujiko. “You’re very kind.” (Guterson, 1995: 228)
Another kindness is shown when he helps Carl Heine in a foggy night at
sea. At that time, Carl loses his engine power. It will be dangerous for him being
alone in a foggy night without a companion who can help him to start the engine.
Fortunately, Kabuo’s position is near Carl Heine’s boat, the Susan Marie. When
Kabuo hears a horn from the Susan Marie, he stops to help him.
“I’m dead in the water,” he’d said again, when Kabuo pulled up against his starboard side and tossed him a mooring line. “My batteries are drawed down. Both of them.”
“All right,” said Kabuo. “Let’s tie up. I’ve got plenty of juice.”
“Thank God for that,” answered Carl. “It’s good luck to have run across you.” (Guterson, 1995: 400)
From the quotation above, it can be explained that Kabuo is willing to help Carl
Heine. Knowing the fact that Carl’s batteries are dead, Kabuo gives his own
batteries to exchange the dead ones. Not only that, he also helps Carl Heine to fix
the batteries into the batteries room because they have different kind of batteries.
“I’ve got two batteries,” Kabuo answered. “We’ll pull one and get you started.”
“Preciate that,” said Carl. “Thing is I run D-8s, you see. S’pose you run off 6s.”
“I do,” said Kabuo. “But it’ll work if you’ve got room. Anyway, we can refit your well…” (Guterson, 1995: 401)
Considering the land problem between them, Kabuo might have left Carl without
giving any help at all. However, he does not do it. He realizes that Carl is one of
his childhood friends, no matter how complicated the land problem between them
is so that he decides to turn off his own engine and helps Carl. He does not talk
about the land problem to Carl. He understands that it is not the right time to
for another time to make an agreement about the land problem. Besides, Kabuo
knows that the land problem and the dead engine are different things that have no
relation at all. So, there is no reason not to help Carl with the engine problem.
However, because of Kabuo’s kindness in helping him with the engine,
Carl finally decides to sell the land back and to end the problem between them.
Carl realizes that Kabuo is really a kind person so that he thinks that it is a right
decision to sell the land to Kabuo Miyamoto. He also remembers his friendship
with Kabuo Miyamoto when they are still boys. He remembers that once Kabuo
has given him a bamboo fishing rod and he still keeps it. Carl still keeps the
bamboo fishing rod from Kabuo even though his mother has forbidden him. It
shows that, though several years have been passed and though there is a land
problem between them, Kabuo is still a friend of his.
“All right,” said Carl. “Then that settles it. Twelve hundred an acre and that’s final. That’s what I’m paying Ole, see. That’s the going price on strawberry land, go and have a look around.”
“That’s eighty-four hundred for the lot,” answered Kabuo. “How much are you going to want down?”
“A thousand down,” said Carl Heine. “We can sign papers tomorrow.” “Eight hundred,” said Kabuo, “and it’s a deal.” (Guterson, 1995: 405).
Kabuo’s kindness can be seen through the conversation of Hatsue.
Realizing Kabuo kindness, Hatsue believes that he is not guilty for the murder
charge. She understands that the land problem has disturbed him so much, but she
is sure that Kabuo will not do something stupid such as killing Carl Heine in order
to get his land back.
how all of it was unfair. How the whole trial was unfair.” (Guterson, 1995: 325)
In Hatsue’s point of view, he has done everything in the right way. He never
forces Carl to sell the seven acres back to him. He only waits for everything
patiently. So, when he is accused as a murderer, she cannot accept it and still
believes in his husband. She also realizes that everything is going wrong. The trial
is really unfair for him. From the quotation above, it can be seen that the prejudice
on him is only based on the racial problem. Kabuo is accused as a murderer
because his face is Japanese. In her opinion, Kabuo is kind person who never
thinks to hurt people, even to kill them.
Kabuo is a man who has strong will. This characterization can be seen
through his conversation with other characters when Kabuo tries to get his family
land back.
“You want to talk about that piece of land, you’re going to have to talk to Ole. I don’t have nothing to do with it.”
“Please,” replied Kabuo. “I talked to Mr. Jurgensen already…” “Well, good,” said Etta. “So you talked to him.”
“I talked to him,” said Kabuo. “He said I’d better talk to you.” (Guterson, 1995: 137).
From the quotation above, it can be seen that Kabuo has talked to Etta Heine and
Ole Jurgensen in order to get his land back. He does not care if he has to accept
unfriendly face from them. He still asks them the strawberry farmland even
though they have given him an unsatisfying answer. It seems that he does not
want to give up easily.
Another example that shows his strong will can be seen through what has
“Let’s see,” said Ole. “He come summer of ’45, he does. He sh-shows up at my place and say Mrs. Heine robbed him, Mrs. Heine never would have let no such thing like that happen, he says.”
“He said some day he would get his land back.” (Guterson, 1995: 145)
The quotation above illustrates that Kabuo really wants his strawberry farmland.
He has been promising himself that someday he will get it back no matter how
hard he tries.
The strong will of Kabuo can also be seen through the conversation of
Carl Heine Junior and his wife.
“I don’t know,” sighed Carl. “He wants seven of Ole’s acres. He wants me to let Ole sell them to him. Or sell them to him myself. You know, step out of his way.”
“Seven acres?”
“The ones his family had. He wants them back. That thing my mother talks about.” (Guterson, 1995: 295)
From the quotation above, it can be said that Kabuo has come to Carl Heine
Junior to talk about the land problem. Just like the other quotations before, the
quotation above also shows that Kabuo really wishes for his family land.
Kabuo himself has promised his family that he will get the strawberry
farmland back. It happens when he knows that Hatsue is pregnant. He wants to
give his family a better life so that he tries harder to get his land.
“I’ll get the farm back,” Kabuo had answered over the din of the rain. “We’ll live there. We’ll grow strawberries. It will be all right. I’m going to get my farm back.” (Guterson, 1995: 362)
To make his dream about the strawberry farmland come true, he saves more
money and works harder. He does not care if he has to pay more money for the
land because what he wants is the strawberry farmland. His only dream is to have
In Hatsue Miyamoto’s point of view, Kabuo is a polite man. He is good at
table manner and his smile is very gracious. She knows that Kabuo is the right
man for her, and she is glad to marry him. They come from the same background,
children of strawberry farmers, and they have the same dream. Besides, he has
proven that he is a kind man, he also has helped her family during the time at
Manzanar (Guterson, 1995: 232). Further, for her Kabuo is a perfect man to rely
on. He is a man who wants to give happiness to his family by getting back the
strawberry land for their future life.
Kabuo Miyamoto’s politeness is shown through his manner in practicing
kendo.
“Excuse me,” said Miyamoto. He knelt, picked up the staff, and handed it to the sergeant. Once again, he bowed.
“There’s no need to bow,” the sergeant repeated. “I already told you about that.”
“I do it out of habit,” said Kabuo Miyamoto. “I’m used to bowing when I’m sparring somebody.” (Guterson, 1995: 284).
The quotation above shows that he always bows to his partners in practicing
kendo. It is one of Japanese cultures his father has taught him. Bowing to
someone means that he shows his politeness towards others. It also means that he
respects them.
Another politeness is shown when he comes to Carl Heine’s house to talk
about the land problem.
The Japanese man had seemed uncertain about entering her house that afternoon. “I can wait on the porch, Mrs. Heine,” he suggested. “It’s a nice afternoon. I’ll wait outside.”
From the quotation above, it can be seen that Kabuo is still uncertain to enter the
house even though Carl’s wife has asked him to. It seems that he does not want to
disturb everyone inside the house by his presence. Facing the land problem does
not make him lose his politeness towards Carl Heine. He still maintains his
attitude.
Through his conversation with Mrs. Heine, it can be said also that Kabuo
is a polite man.
“Would you care for coffe?” she added. “No, thank you,” replied Kabuo Miyamoto. “It’s no trouble,” she urged. “Please have some.” “It’s very nice of you,” he said. “You’re very kind.”
“Will you have some then?” Susan Marie asked. “Carl and I were plenning on a cup.”
“All right, then,” said Kabuo. “Thank you. I will. Thank you.” (Guterson, 1995: 289).
The way Kabuo replies Mrs. Heine’s offer in the quotation above also illustrates
his politeness. It seems that he always maintains his speech and attitude, and never
speaks rudely towards others.
Kabuo can also be described as a simple person. It is because his dream is
only to return to San Piedro after the war is over and be a strawberry farmer who
lives happily with his family. In his opinion, it is a good thing for him to live
among the people he loves.
Finally, Kabuo can be characterized as an introvert person. It is because
there are some characteristics of an introvert person found in him. Because of
these introvert characteristics, Kabuo’s personality can be categorized as an
introvert personality. Further, Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality will be
B. The Introvert Personality of Kabuo Miyamoto
In this part, Kabuo Miyamoto’s introvert personality, as the main focus of
this study, will be discussed. Since there are some characteristics of an introvert
person seen in Kabuo Miyamoto, it can be said that Kabuo’s personality is
introvert. Kabuo’s introvert personality can be seen through his characterization as
an introvert person.
The first characteristic of introvert can be seen through Kabuo’s gesture.
Kabuo’s features were smooth and angular; his hair had been cropped close to his skull in a manner that made its musculature prominent. In the face of the charge that had been leveled against him he sat with his dark eyes trained straight ahead and did not appear moved at all (Guterson, 1995: 3).
From the quotation above, it can be seen clearly that Kabuo has the introvert
gesture, which is angular. Moreover, the way he sits in the trial also shows that he
is an introvert person. An introvert tends to be expressionless and motionless. The
quotation above shows that Kabuo does the same thing. Further, it can be seen
also that Kabuo can manage his emotion. He does not show any kind of anger
though he has been charged for something bad he does not do. He just accepts the
accusation and makes no justification at all. He still shows his dignity and
stillness. It seems that he lets others to blame him for the murder charge.
As an introvert person, Kabuo never reveals his anger. He prefers to keep
it for himself.
