ABSTRACT
NOVIA, JESSICA. Ruth Young’s Reconciliation with the Cultural Conflicts in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan tells a story of a second generation daughter, Ruth Young, who was born and grew up in America and her mother, LuLing, a first generation who migrated from China to America. Both of them often had conflicts with each other due to lack of understanding and same perspective of culture values. LuLing neither integrated nor assimilated into American’s culture, yet she kept maintaining her Chinese culture heritage. However, Ruth showed the opposite to her mother. She assimilated into American culture and left her origin culture. Thus, the cultural conflicts sparked. Till one are experienced by Ruth Young. Third, it is to discuss how Ruth Young reconciles with the cultural conflicts.
This study uses the library research as the method. The data were collected from the books and websites related to the theories and approach in this study. The approach applied in this study is sociocultural-historical approach. The approach fits the topic of the study examining the reconciliation that Ruth Young chooses toward the cultural conflicts.
ABSTRAK
NOVIA, JESSICA. Ruth Young’s Reconciliation with the Cultural Conflicts in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter karya Amy Tan bercerita tentang putri generasi kedua, Ruth Young, yang lahir dan tumbuh di Amerika serta ibunya, LuLing, generasi pertama yang bermigrasi dari Cina ke Amerika. Keduanya kerap saling berkonflik dikarenakan kurangnya pengertian dan pandangan yang sama mengenai nilai-nilai budaya. LuLing tidak menerapkan integrasi maupun asimilasi terhadap budaya Amerika, ia tetap mempertahankan peninggalan budaya Cinanya. Akan tetapi, Ruth menunjukan kebalikan dari ibundanya, dia berasimilasi dengan budaya Amerika dan meninggalkan budaya asalnya. Olehnya, munculah konflik. Hingga suatu saat, LuLing terkena dementia dan Ruth mulai menerjemahkan memoar milik ibunya. Memoar tersebut mengarahkan Ruth untuk menemukan kenyataan dan menuntunnya untuk memahapi serta menerima warisan budayanya. Terdapat tiga objek studi dalam penelitian ini. Pertama, penulis akan menemukan karakteristik Ruth Young. Kedua, akan dijelaskan mengenai konflik budaya yang dialami Ruth. Terakhir, akan dibahas rekonsiliasi yang dipilih Ruth untuk berdamai dengan konflik budaya.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Data-data yang dikumpulkan berasal dari buku-buku dan situs-situs internet terkait dengan teori-teori serta pendekatan dalam penelitian ini. Pendekatan yang diterapkan adalah pendeketan sosiokultural-historikal. Pendekatan tersebut sesuai dengan topik dari penelitian ini yang membahas tentang proses adaptasi dari Ruth Young untuk bernegosiasi dengan konflik budaya.
RUTH YOUNG
’
S RECONCILIATION WITH THE
CULTURAL CONFLICTS
IN AMY TAN’S
THE
BONESETTER’S DAUGHTER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
JESSICA NOVIA
Student Number: 104214024
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
RUTH YOUNG
’
S RECONCILIATION WITH THE
CULTURAL CONFLICTS
IN AMY TAN’S
THE
BONESETTER’S DAUGHTER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
JESSICA NOVIA
Student Number: 104214024
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I praise my Lord, Jesus Christ for His guidance, guard, love and miracles. I could pass any obstacles because I know that I never stand alone. His everlasting love always surrounds me and cheers me up.
My highest gratitude goes to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M. Hum., for her kindheartedness and guidance that lead me to finish my study. I thank her for her patience, caring, laughter, books and anything she has shared for me during my study till I could finish this thesis. My gratitude also goes to my co-advisor, Dr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, M.Hum. I thank him for his time, suggestion, discussion and correction for my writings.
I thank my mother, Wesi Suliana, who never gives up on me and always gives me her support, love, trust, advice, and hope. I also thank my little sister, Regina Fortunata, and my cousin, Peggy Savira M., who always remind me about my priority, teach me to be a tough girl and be with me no matter what. I thank my father, Tjhe Liang Min, and my big family.
I give endless thanks to my lovely classmates from the class of 2010 and all of my friends in Sanata Dharma University, especially in English Letters Department. I also thank my favorite persons; Laurent, Anggi, Tyas, Joe S., Rose, Cia, Sekar, Anna, Antok, Cynthia, Robby, Manda, Rama, Radiaska, Rizky, Merry, Riska, Brigit and others that I cannot mention one by one. I thank them for the companionship and memories.
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... ii
APPROVAL PAGE ... iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ... iv
LEMBAR PERYATAAN PERSUTUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH ... v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... vi
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 10
2. Theory of Conflict ... 13
3. Theory of Acculturation Strategies ... 14
4. The Relation between Literature and Society ... 16
C. Review of Historical, Social, and Cultural Background ... 16
1. Review on Chinese Arrival in USA and the Social Context .... 17
2. Review on Cultural Context... 19
3. Review on Values ... 21
4. Review on Chinese Parenting System ... 23
5. Review on Reconciling Cultural Differences ... 24
D. Theoretical Framework ... 25
A. The Characteristics of Ruth Young ... 32
B. The Cultural Conflicts Experienced by Ruth Young ... 41
C. Ruth Young’s Reconciliation with the Cultural Conflicts ... 51
xi
BIBILIOGRAPHY ... 64
xii
ABSTRACT
NOVIA, JESSICA. Ruth Young’s Reconciliation with the Cultural Conflicts in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan tells a story of a second generation daughter, Ruth Young, who was born and grew up in America and her mother, LuLing, a first generation who migrated from China to America. Both of them often had conflicts with each other due to lack of understanding and same perspective of culture values. LuLing neither integrated nor assimilated into American’s culture, yet she kept maintaining her Chinese culture heritage. However, Ruth showed the opposite to her mother. She assimilated into American culture and left her origin culture. Thus, the cultural conflicts sparked. Till one are experienced by Ruth Young. Third, it is to discuss how Ruth Young reconciles with the cultural conflicts.
This study uses the library research as the method. The data were collected from the books and websites related to the theories and approach in this study. The approach applied in this study is sociocultural-historical approach. The approach fits the topic of the study examining the reconciliation that Ruth Young chooses toward the cultural conflicts.
xiii
ABSTRAK
NOVIA, JESSICA. Ruth Young’s Reconciliation with the Cultural Conflicts in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter karya Amy Tan bercerita tentang putri generasi kedua, Ruth Young, yang lahir dan tumbuh di Amerika serta ibunya, LuLing, generasi pertama yang bermigrasi dari Cina ke Amerika. Keduanya kerap saling berkonflik dikarenakan kurangnya pengertian dan pandangan yang sama mengenai nilai-nilai budaya. LuLing tidak menerapkan integrasi maupun asimilasi terhadap budaya Amerika, ia tetap mempertahankan peninggalan budaya Cinanya. Akan tetapi, Ruth menunjukan kebalikan dari ibundanya, dia berasimilasi dengan budaya Amerika dan meninggalkan budaya asalnya. Olehnya, munculah konflik. Hingga suatu saat, LuLing terkena dementia dan Ruth mulai menerjemahkan memoar milik ibunya. Memoar tersebut mengarahkan Ruth untuk menemukan kenyataan dan menuntunnya untuk memahapi serta menerima warisan budayanya. Terdapat tiga objek studi dalam penelitian ini. Pertama, penulis akan menemukan karakteristik Ruth Young. Kedua, akan dijelaskan mengenai konflik budaya yang dialami Ruth. Terakhir, akan dibahas rekonsiliasi yang dipilih Ruth untuk berdamai dengan konflik budaya.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Data-data yang dikumpulkan berasal dari buku-buku dan situs-situs internet terkait dengan teori-teori serta pendekatan dalam penelitian ini. Pendekatan yang diterapkan adalah pendeketan sosiokultural-historikal. Pendekatan tersebut sesuai dengan topik dari penelitian ini yang membahas tentang proses adaptasi dari Ruth Young untuk bernegosiasi dengan konflik budaya.
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature and history have become the reminder to the past and history. Literature has existed since centuries ago and become part of the histories. Rob Pope in his book entitled The English Studies Book gives an explanation about literature as quoted in the following.
Literature was (and often still is) projected as though existing in its own space and time and changing according to its own inner logic; as though it is not bound up with the pervasive processes of social-historical change (Pope, 2002: 39).
From Pope’s statement, it can be said that literature is changed and
followed the social-historical. Thus, the social-historical contributes the existence of literature and has a role in the development of literature. The development of literature in the part of social-historical is engaged with society and culture. There are countless descriptions about culture.
The anthropologists has been studying that the primitive societies will use the words ‘culture’ as denoting entire way of life of the group they are surveying
It is fascinating to study about literature, history, and culture. The relation between them can be seen through a literary work. In this study, the writer discusses the issue of Chinese American second generation in the United States in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The Bonesetter’s Daughter tells a story of
Chinese immigrant in the United States and her daughter who was born and raised in the United States.
Amy Tan as a Chinese American writer has several essays and stories. Most of Tan’s works have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Her
works mostly are about Chinese and American culture conflicts within mother and her daughter. She exposes the culture in Chinese view and also the contrast with American.
There are two major women characters in The Bonesetter’s Daughter, they are LuLing Young and Ruth Luyi Yong. LuLing Young is the first generation who migrated from China to the United States. Min Zhou in her book entitled Contemporary Chinese Americans states that “the United States has the largest ethnic Chinese population outside Asia. Chinese Americans are also the oldest and largest Asian-origin group in the United States” (Zhou, 2009: 43). With a strong belief in their culture, Chinese immigrants keep their own culture because they are proud of it. It also happens to LuLing Young. As a Chinese immigrant, she retains a strong desire to maintain her own language and culture.
has successfully adapted into American culture. Ruth even claims herself as an American because she has assimilated herself into American society and left her origin culture. Ruth as a second generation of Chinese American grows up in the American society, has relations and colleagues, and even has an American boyfriend. Yet, her widowed mother always teaches and raises her in Chinese culture. Ruth is taught to read Chinese, follow the rules, show respect, and be obedient to her mother.
The first generation’s strong belief in culture forms conflicts toward the
second generation. Ruth faces cultural conflicts mostly with her mother. The cultural conflicts are happened since both of them hold different culture values. Ruth who holds the American values cannot understand her mother’s perspective
with Chinese values.
As time goes by, LuLing suffers from a Dementia disease, a group of diseases that cause a permanent decline of person's ability to think, reason, and manage person’s own life (http://www.understanding-dementia.com/, September
23, 2013). Several years before she losses all of her memories, LuLing wrote a memoir contains her past history when she was in China. Her only daughter, Ruth, finds out the memoir. It changes her responses toward her mother and helps her to undergo the cultural conflicts to find the best way of acculturation to reconcile.
leads the writer to the next step of this research to discuss the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. The last but not least, the writer discusses the reconciliation that Ruth chooses to undergo with the cultural conflicts.
B. Problem Formulation
The topic was chosen to study the reconciliation with the cultural conflicts that are experienced by the second generation as a Chinese born in America. The writer also seeks for Ruth Young’s characteristics and the cultural conflicts that
she experiences. Afterward, the writer sees how Ruth Young finds the best acculturation strategy and reconciles with the cultural conflicts. Thus, the questions have been formulated.
1. What are Ruth Young’s characteristics?
2. What are the cultural conflicts experienced by Ruth Young?
3. What is the reconciliation Ruth Young chooses to reconcile with the cultural conflicts?
C. Objectives of the Study
what acculturation strategy that Ruth Young as a second generation chooses to reconcile with the cultural conflicts.
D. Definition of Terms
The definitions of terms are given to help the readers in understanding the topic in this study. Since the topic is discussing the Chinese immigrants in the United States, the definition of Chinese American is provided. Kitano in Race Relations, Second Edition describes Chinese American as the first Asian immigrants to enter America in the 1840s (Kitano, 1980: 218). Chinese American is the immigrants from China, later, the next generations who were born in the United States are also called as Chinese American.
There are a lot of definitions about cultural conflict because it is connected with many aspects. Some of them are criminology, psychology, or sociology. The focus of this study is sociology. Thus, the definition of cultural conflict is defined from book entitled Sociology by Jonathan H. Turner. He states that “cultural conflict is caused by differences in cultural values and beliefs that place people at odds with one another” (2005: 87). The term of cultural conflict in this study is
6
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Study
Most of Amy Tan’s works talk about mother-daughter relationship and the
point of view towards different culture from different generations. The
Bonesetter’s Daughter tells the relation of mother-daughter and the cultural
conflicts between two generations. A mother as a first generation who is an
immigrant from China in the United States still holds tight the Chinese culture
whereas the daughter as the American born has been influenced by the American
culture and lifestyle.
The review of Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter is written by Tom
Navarro in his website entitled Philnensia with the subtitle “Critique of
Bonesetter’s Daughter, a Novel by Amy Tan”. Navarro in his review states that
“Amy Tan’s novel is an excellent example of a book that exudes both Chinese
sensibilities and American straightforwardness, seemingly a proud declaration of
the author’s Chinese American heritage” (Navarro, 2006,
http://tomachfive.wordpress.com/2006/10/05/critique-of-bonesetters-daughter-a-novel-by-amy-tan/, September 6, 2013). Navarro moreover writes an analysis of
The Bonesetter’s Daughter, he reviews several points such as literary style and
devices, conflict of the first and second generation, pervading culture, themes, and
The review from Navarro is related to this study, especially the review about the conflicts of the main characters. Navarro in his website gives a brief explanation about the conflict that has been through by the main women characters. “Ruth had to go against American culture of individualism and pragmatism, at the expense of her relationship with Art, in order to live and take care of her mother, who had acquired dementia” (Navarro, 2006,
http://tomachfive.wordpress.com/2006/10/05/critique-of-bonesetters-daughter-a-novel-by-amy-tan/, September 6, 2013). Ruth that has been influenced by American culture and lifestyle is confused to fit herself into some situations. Her American boyfriend suggests Ruth to hire caretakers to look after her mother, on the other hand, the bond Ruth felt for her mother won against the expectations of society (Navarro, 2006, http://tomachfive.wordpress.com/2006/10/05/critique-of-bonesetters-daughter-a-novel-by-amy-tan/, September 6, 2013).
The conflict is showing Ruth’s confusion toward the culture of a society.
Navarro also reviews about the conflicts of LuLing in the past where she was in China and as well Precious Auntie, LuLing’s mother. “Citing these, it can be
supposed that the culture of a society played a major part in forming the
mentalities and crucial decisions of the people they have come into opposition
with as they tried to exercise their freedom” (Navarro, 2006).
The review illustrates the role of a culture in society that pushes the
The writer also uses the undergraduate thesis by Yulita Eva Setiawan in her undergraduate thesis entitled “The Culture Clash of Chinese American in Amy Tan’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter”. She also gives the explanation about the
cause of cultural clash (Setiawan, 2009: 29-51). The undergraduate thesis explores the characteristics of the women major characters, the culture clash between two women major characters and also the factors that cause the culture clash. Setiawan’s undergraduate thesis mostly describes about the cultural clash between
the generations.
The last related study that is used by the writer is the undergraduate thesis by Ngo Maria Christina. Christina’s undergraduate thesis is entitled “The Perspective of Chinese-American Mothers and Daughters on Chinese Culture as seen in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club”. She discusses the characteristics of
Chinese American mothers and daughters and their perspective toward the Chinese culture based on the values (Christina, 2012: 30-70). Christina gives some reviews of Chinese culture and American culture, the differences of the values in each culture. She also adds the review of Chinese immigrants (Christina, 2012: 10-22).
mother-daughter relationship that contains a different culture and value is also be explained through the cultural conflicts.
Then, this study is developing Setiawan’s undergraduate thesis since the writer explains more about the characteristics of the woman character and analyze the character’s internal and external conflicts to see how Ruth Young reconciles with the society and undergo the cultural conflicts.
The last related study has the same element with this study as both of the studies are talking about the culture. The writer uses that related study to see the pattern of the Chinese American first and second generation. It also depicts about the Chinese values and American values. Most of all, it has the same approach which is sociocultural-historical approach.
Thus, the related studies help the writer to work on this study. The focus of this study is the reconciliation of Ruth Young as second generation who was born and raised in the United States. Her mother teaches and gives her Chinese culture while she grows up with American culture. Because of that, by using the related studies above as the references, this study explains further how Ruth reconciles and undergoes the cultural conflict.
B. Review of Related Theory
and cultural background. Those theories are used to analyze about the characteristics, conflicts, the way the character chooses to reconcile and also to find the background of the conflicts in the novel.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Character is the main aspect in novel and every literature work. M.H. Abrams and Geoffrey Galt Harpham in A Glossary of Literary Terms define two definitions of character. “The character is the name of a literary genre; it is a short, and usually witty, sketch in prose of a distinctive type of person” (Abrams
and Harpham, 2012: 45). The other definition, Abrams and Harpham describe Characters are the persons 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 by what they do –action (Abrams and Harpham, 2012: 46).
Based on two definitions of character by Abrams and Harpham, it can be seen that character exists on the literary works. A work needs character to make the readers understand the story through the present of the character. Then, Richard Gill in Mastering English Literature states that
“a character is someone in a literary work who has some sort of identity (it needn’t be a strong one, an identity which is made up by appearance, conversation, action, name and (possibly) thoughts going on in the head” (Gill, 1995: 127).
Then, there is a term called characterization which is used to analyze the characters. Gill defines a term characterization as “the way in which a character is created” (Gill, 1995: 127). A characteristic of the character in the literary work
can be analyzed through the characterization. Hence, according to M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Student, he states that there are some ways in which an author attempts to make the characters understandable and come alive. There are nine ways to explain the characters (Murphy, 1972: 161-173).
a. Personal description
The author gives a description of a person’s appearance such as the face, skin, eyes, build, and clothes (1972: 161-162).
b. Character as seen by another
The author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of the other characters (1972: 162-164).
c. Speech
The insight is given to us by the author into the character one of the people in the book through what person says. The reader could get some clues about the character though the speaking, conversation and opinion (1972: 164-165).
d. Past life
The reader could learn something about a person’s past life from the clues that is given by the author. The author gives a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character by direct comment, person’s thoughts, the
e. Conversation of others
The author can also give the clues to a person’s character through the
conversation of other people and the things they say about the character (1972: 167).
f. Reaction
The description of how the character reacts to various situations and events (1972: 168).
g. Direct comments
The reader gets the description or comment on a person’s character directly (1972: 170).
h. Thoughts
The knowledge of what a person is thinking about is given by the author directly to the reader (1972: 171).
i. Mannerism
The description of a person’s mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies is given
by the author (1972: 173).
From those theories of character and characterization, the writer tries to use the theories in order to answer the problem formulation about the description of the woman major character in the novel. However, the writer does not use all of those nine ways of characterization, there are only some of them that are used in this study.
problem formulation. The characterizations of woman major character are important due to understand how the cultural conflicts are formed and later it is used to see how the character reconciles toward her first generation mother.
2. Theory of Conflict
Every literary work needs a conflict to make the story become alive. The conflict in a story will make the readers feel the emotion. Edward J. Gordon in his book entitled Types of Literature states the definition of conflict. Gordon states that
Conflict is the struggle upon which a novel, short story, drama, or sometimes a poem is based. There is usually one central conflict in a work of literature; but, particularly in longer works, several others are often present (Gordon, 1975 : 709).
Frank Madden in Exploring Fiction Writing and Thinking About Fiction describes that “in literature, conflict is the struggle of opposing external or
internal forces. Conflict is at the heart of every story” (Madden, 2002: 90). Madden also mentions that there is no story without conflict. Conflict is divided into two kinds, internal and external conflict.
External conflict may be physical (characters against nature) or social (characters against each other or against society). Internal conflict is a struggle of opposing forces within a character. The best stories contain elements of both types of conflict, but the emphasis is usually on internal conflict (Madden, 2002: 90).
The theory of conflict is used by the writer to analyze the conflicts in The Bonesetter’s Daughter. This theory helps the writer to answer how the cultural
further questions in the problem formulation about the way Ruth Young reconciles throughout the conflicts.
3. Theory of Acculturation Strategies
Ranked one in the world most populated country, China sends so many migrants to the United States and most of them are staying there and having a family. Then, the Chinese have to adapt to the new society. While they cannot adapt to a new culture around them, conflict is rising.
John W. Berry in his journal, “Acculturation: Living Successfully in Two Cultures” points out about the conflict across cultures and highlights about the negotiation and also mediation to avoid conflicts. Berry states that
‘Conflict, negotiation and mediation across cultures’ can be understood at both the group and individual levels. At the group level, it engages the fundamental issue of how collectivities, be they empires, nation states, communities or institutions, work out how to relate to each other, ideally through a process of negotiation in order to avoid conflict (Berry, 2005: 698).
Therefore, Berry proposes acculturation strategies that can be applied to avoid conflicts. There are four kinds of acculturation strategies according to Berry.
Broom and Selznick in Sociology define acculturation as “a form of culture change in which one people takes on the cultural forms, beliefs, values, and practices of another” (Broom and Selznick, 1955: 469). Acculturation is one
Thus, there are four acculturation strategies that could be used to see how people blend in society.
a. Integration Strategy
When there is an interest in both maintaining one’s heritage culture while
in daily interactions with other groups, integration is the option (2005: 705).
b. Assimilation Strategy
When individuals do not wish to maintain their cultural identity and seek daily interaction with other cultures, the assimilation strategy is defined. Here, individuals prefer to shed their heritage culture, and become absorbed into the dominant society (2005: 705).
c. Separation Strategy
When individuals place a value on holding on to their original culture, and at the same time wish to avoid interaction with others, then the separation alternative is defined (2005: 705).
d. Marginalization Strategy
When there is little possibility or interest in heritage cultural maintenance (often for reasons of enforced cultural loss), and little interest in having relations with others (often for reasons of exclusion or discrimination), then marginalization is defined (2005: 705).
4. The Relation between Literature and Society
Literature is also constructed by society in the real world. The concept of the society is dragged by the author and it becomes the imitation in the literary work. As stated by Elizabeth Langland in Society in the Novel, she expresses “society, as do all other aspects of novels, functions as an element in a structure
that is, at least in part, self-referential” (Langland, 1984: 4). Society is the aspect and element in the novel and other literary works.
Literature is using some medium as the content in its work. Wellek and Warren in Theory of Literature are depicting that “literature ‘represents’ ‘life’; and ‘life’ is, in large measure, a social reality, even though the natural world and
the inner or subjective world of the individual have also been objects of literary ‘imitation’ (Wellek and Warren, 1956: 94). The society in the real world is the
object as the imitation in literary work. Hence, literature and society are connected to each other since it is the representation from the real world and becomes the inspiration that is used to create the literary work.
C. Review of Historical, Social, and Cultural Background
China has a long history and strong culture that become a pride for the Chinese. According to Herrlee Glessner Creel in Chinese Thought, he emphasizes that “the Chinese had long considered themselves the most cultured, the most
The history makes a great influence to the Chinese to become so proud of their heritage. It also strengthens their belief to the culture and norm to respect their ancient.
1. Review on Chinese Arrival in USA and the Social Context
The movement of Chinese people to America is a long history. Since 1848, the Chinese moved to California, the gold mountain for them. May Paomay Tung in her Chinese Americans and Their Immigrant Parents tells the history of the Chinese movement to America. Tung explains that the thousands of Chinese were recruited for the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, then, by 1880, the population of Chinese people in America reached 105,000 (Tung, 2000: 26).
In her book, Tung explains that the Chinese were working long hours at their jobs that were exhausting and physically dangerous because few white men were willing to perform such work, then, they were often subject to abuse, in physical and verbal. In the 1882, The Exclusion Act was used to limit the Chinese in America. Thus, disrupted family life over several generations is a common experience in Chinese-American families (Tung, 2000: 27). The Chinese were discriminated at that moment. They lived in the China Town, created their own residence and maintain the language and also the culture to make it still exist.
The ultimate symbol for Chinese interdependence is inherent in the word ren, the highest virtue in the Chinese value system. The word is formed with “human” root and number “two,” 仁, and is therefore interpersonal in nature. This word, not surprisingly, has no English equivalent. It embraces qualities of love in abroad and humanistic sense, benevolence, compassion, and respect for others (Tung, 2000: 13).
The Chinese is well known with their history and value. Every word in Chinese has its own meaning and it always related to each other. In here, the word ren is symbol for Chinese interdependence as the value in the relation of human being.
Min Zhou in Contemporary Chinese America mentions that “intergenerational relations in Chinese immigrant families are characterized by
conflict, coping, and reconciliation” (Zhou, 2009: 187). Chinese people always keep their heritage and proud of that. However, the second generations are not growing up in China and they lack of the history. They live in two worlds, stick for two different cultures. Again, Zhou mentions about the problems in immigrant children,
Like all other immigrant children, the children growing up in Chinese immigrant families simultaneously and constantly encounter two different sociocultural worlds: the old world from which they attempt to distance themselves, and mainstream American society, to which they aspire, and are also pushed, to assimilate (Zhou, 2009: 187).
The second generations of Chinese in America are also confused with their identity because they do not know their background and how they should behave in the society. America as a place where they born and grow up influence their way of thinking, however the strong heritage of their Chinese culture pushes them to obedient are contrast with the culture of American that give a freedom to each individual. Zhou gives another explanation about the children of immigrant,
Children of immigrant parentage lack meaningful connections to the sociocultural world from which their parents came. They are unlikely to consider a foreign country as a point of reference, and are much more likely to evaluate themselves or be evaluated by others according to the standards of their country of birth or the one in which they are being raised. However, these children constantly find themselves straddling two sociocultural worlds – Chinese versus American. This division is at the core of the head-on intergenerational conflicts within the Chinese immigrant family (Zhou, 2009:194).
Those two different worlds lead the children to make a decision to choose the process of acculturation to blend in the society. Their stance to choose their own acculturation strategy is needed to reduce the cultural conflicts around them. The conflicts in the family are arising because of the different point of view in seeing the culture.
2. Review on Cultural Context
cross-cultural differences between those two cultures. Zhou explains about the Chinese cultural context. She mentions that
In the Chinese cultural context, filial piety dictates parent-child relationship, the norm makes more demands on children. In the traditional form, the child’s filial responsibility is the self interest to satisfy parental needs, whether these needs appropriate and rational or not (Zhou, 2009: 194).
May Paomay Tung gives an example of intercultural comparison in Chinese and American point of view. Tung states that “moving out of the parental home before
one is married is looked upon as being selfish; visits less than once a week displease the parents; not living up to parental expectations is frowned upon” (Tung, 2000:10).
However, being Chinese American is not easy. They have two different cultures and values. In one side, they want to show their Americanized character, but, the Chinese norms stick in their mind.
Complaints and criticism of the parents are almost always accompanied by guilty feelings and profound helplessness. The young do not want to “betray” the parents by bad-mouthing them (Tung, 2000: 31).
Tung adds that the tendency in the inward-connected of the Chinese and the outward-moving position of Westerners can be expected to clash in intercultural comparisons (Tung, 2000:12). In here, Tung highlights the moving position in Chinese and Westerners, where those two different cultures are moving into inward and outward will create a clash. That comparison gives a clear example of Chinese value in response to the western style.
“self” and adjustment in an individualistic culture, the self-criticism from the
second generation of Chinese Americans and their wishes to be more assertive and confrontational in their dealings with their parents (Tung, 2000:15). The explanation continues with Tung’s research, “being confrontational, assertive, rebellious, and stressing the negative are all ways a person can differentiate oneself from others en route to individualism” (Tung, 2000: 15).
Nazli Kibria in Becoming Asian American describes about the view in second generation that being Americanized. She states that
In this drama of cultural change, it is members of the second generation who are in the internal and familial conflicts that the process generates. As the children of immigrants, they are enmeshed in the immigrant community but are also, by virtue of having grown up in the United States, more attuned to American culture than their parents may be. Second generation represents a high point of tension in the march of Americanization (Kibria, 2002: 27).
Indeed, the second generation is more flexible in accepting the different culture in society. They get two virtues, from their heritage culture and also learn the virtue of their host culture. The second generations feel like they know both of that culture.
3. Review on Values
Culture is always related with the value, thus, each culture has its own value. According to John J. Macionis in Sociology, values are “culturally defined standards that people use to decide what is desirable, good, and beautiful and that serve as broad guidelines for social living” (Macionis, 2012: 61). Macionis’
Either Chinese or American has its own values and the values are containing a contrast differences. Li Qing in NAFSA’s website entitled “Pre -departure Orientation for Chinese Students” gives general differences between
Chinese and American culture. The general differences are given at the conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators entitled "Face, Guanxi, Houmen(r) & Elastic Rules: Insight into the Chinese Culture.”
Li Qing states that the Chinese people have a value of collectivist, formal; hierarchical, relationship-oriented, concern maintaining harmony, and interested in the past. On the other hand, the American values are the opposite of the Chinese values. Qing states that American people are individualist, informal; egalitarian, task-oriented, willing to confront directly, and less interested in the past (http://china-nafsa.aief-usa.org/culture/differences.htm, August 24, 2014). Thus, each culture holds different value. As Chinese who hold still their collectivist and relationship-oriented are different with American who is individualist, which means that they seek for freedom and task-oriented to gain the success.
generations are confused. However, the process of acculturation that they choose can help them to blend in society, reconcile the conflicts, and find the right values that they can embrace.
4. Review on Chinese Parenting System
This study discusses about the cultural conflicts that are experienced by the second generation. The review on Chinese parenting system is considered as important to be reviewed in order to get better understanding on this study. Chinese mothers are often being superior in the family because they have responsible for the success of the children.
The Wall Street Journal excerpts an essay from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua, a professor at Yale Law School. In the essay, it is stated that “Despite our squeamishness about cultural stereotypes, there are tons of
studies out there showing marked and quantifiable differences between Chinese and Westerners when it comes to parenting” (Chua,
www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754,
August 24, 2014). The essay says that the Chinese mothers are far stricter than the strictest Western mothers.
Chua later explains further more about the differences in Chinese parenting and Westerners parenting system. She says that Chinese parents believe that their kids owe them everything.
interrogating and spying on their kids). Anyway, the understanding is that Chinese children must spend their lives repaying their parents by obeying them and making them proud.
By contrast, I don't think most Westerners have the same view of children being permanently indebted to their parents” (Chua, www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240527487041115045760597135286987 54, August 24, 2014).
The way of teaching the children is different from each individual, yet the system of Chinese parenting is traditionally passed on from generation. The mothers follow the previous parenting system which is Confucian filial piety, the fundamental bond of parent-child relationship. Parent is the number one in the family and child is the less superior, thus they should obey parent.
5. Review on Reconciling Cultural Differences
The intergenerational relations in Chinese immigrant families are characterized by conflict, coping, and reconciliation (Zhou, 2009: 187). One way to find the true identity and resolve the conflicts in Chinese immigrant family is by reconcile with the culture and ethnicity. Tung states that Chinese Americans that she worked with told her that the cultural and historical knowledge helped them in resolving difficulties with their parents and relatives (Tung, 2000: 77).
Zhou states her opinion that “both parents and children have to constantly
D. Theoretical Framework
The writer uses some theories to find the answers of the questions that have been formulated in the chapter I. Those theories and reviews are needed in this study in order to help the writer analyzes the novel. The first problem will be answered by using the theory of character by M.H. Abrams and Geoffrey Galt Harpham and Richard Gill. The writer uses the theory of characterization by M.J. Murphy. Thus, the theory will help the writer to be able for portraying the characteristics of Ruth Young.
To answer the second question in the problem formulation, theory of conflict by Edward J. Gordon and another theory by Frank Madden will be applied by the writer. The theory of conflict is applicable to find out the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. The internal and external conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young can be analyzed by using the theory of conflicts.
In the order to reveal the reconciliation of Ruth Young, what process of acculturation that she chooses to reconcile and how it helps her reconcile herself with the cultural conflicts, the writer uses the theory of acculturation strategies. With the theory of acculturation strategies, the writer will be able to give the analysis of Ruth Young’s way to reconcile with the society and how she negotiates herself with those cultural differences.
27
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The Bonesetter’s Daughter is one of Amy Tan’s best-selling works. Tan is
known as the writer of the New York Bestseller The Joy Luck Club (1989) and
The Kitchen God’s Wife (1991). Tan also has several books, such as The Hundred
Secret Senses (1998), The Opposite of Fate (2003), and Saving Fish From Drowning (2005). The Bonesetter’s Daughter is first published in Great Britain by Flamingo in 2001.
The work was brought into an opera based on the novel. It is premiered on 13 September 2008 at the War Memorial Opera House of San Francisco Opera. Amy Tan wrote the libretto for the opera. There were one prologue and two acts that both of the acts consist of two scenes.
This study used the novel that is published by Harper Perennial in 2004.
The Bonesetter’s Daughter consists of 339 pages and it is divided into prologue,
The chapter is divided into 7 sub chapter, starts from One until Seven. The middle chapter from this novel tells the memoir written by LuLing. It tells the past life of LuLing when she was in China. This section reveals the sad story of LuLing, her mother, her Chinese family, and the reason she moves to America. The third chapter focuses more on Ruth’s perspective after she knows about her mother’s story.
Amy Tan’s work is known with its story about the relationship between
mother and daughter. Like Tan’s previous work, The Bonesetter’s Daughter also
deals with mother-daughter relationship and its conflict in culture. The differences in American and Chinese culture create conflicts to Ruth Young as a modern woman who grows up with American culture and her conservative mother with her strong Chinese belief. Later on, after Ruth knows the story of her mother’s
past life, she knows how to react toward the culture.
B. Approach of the Study
The approach that is used in this study is the sociocultural-historical approach. Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing About Literature state that
Critics whose major interest is the sociocultural-historical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitude and actions of a specific group of people and point out that literature takes these attitudes and actions as its subject matter (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 9).
field of social and cultural context and historical aspect. The researchers can rely on this approach since it is the appropriate one that can locate and relate the references from the civilization in the real world.
According to Rohbreger and Woods, “No one, of course, can deny their
assertions, first, that literature is not created in a vacuum, and second, that literature embodies ideas significant to the culture that produced it” (Rohbreger and Woods, 1971: 9). The culture in the reality turns into background knowledge of the author in producing literary work. The researchers can use the approach to analyze a literary work that uses the references in social, cultural and historical aspects and covers the story with those aspects.
The writer chooses this approach to analyze The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The novel itself is constructed by the social structure in society, surrounded by the cross cultural conflicts and told about the cultures and histories. The approach is used in order to analyze deeper the cultural conflicts because of the cultural differences that are faced by Ruth as second generation who learns about American values. The approach also helps the writer to see the reaction of Ruth Young after knowing the social, cultural and historical context of her immigrant mother.
C. Method of the Study
sources were several books and websites related to the theories and approach that were used to analyze the problem formulation.
There were some steps taken in the order to analyze this novel. The first step was a close reading. It was used by the writer to understand the novel. The next step was determining the topic, title and problem formulation. The third step was collecting several books and websites about the related theories, studies, and approaches. After the data were collected, the writer used those data to answer the problem formulation.
The writer had to analyze three questions in the problem formulations. First, the writer analyzed the woman major character. Second, the writer described the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. Third, the writer explained how Ruth Young reconciles herself with the cultural conflicts in The
Bonesetter’s Daughter. The last step was the conclusion in the general statement
31
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter is divided into three parts and aimed to answer the problems formulated in the first chapter. The first part is the description that describes the characteristics of Ruth Young in the novel. The next part is the explanation about the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young. The last part is the analysis that shows what acculturation strategy that she chooses to reconcile with the cultural conflicts around her.
A. The Characteristics of Ruth Young
The characteristics Ruth Young are used by the writer to reveal the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth and how she undergoes the conflict to reconcile. Ruth’s characteristics are analyzed by using the theory of characterization by M. J. Murphy. According to M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens: An Introduction of English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Student, there are nine ways to explain the characters. However, not all of the ways of explaining the characters are used in this part. The writer only uses some of them, which are speech, reaction, conversation, direct comment, and thought.
In the first part, the writer describes the characteristics of Ruth Young as the main character in The Bonesetter’s Daughter. The characteristics are divided into three according to Ruth’s social role. The first one is her role as a second
The divisions of her role are given to emphasize her characteristics in society. It will show Ruth’s characteristics toward her mother, her colleagues, and her
boyfriend at certain circumstances as discuss below. The explanation of her characteristics in each social role will help the writer to map the cultural conflicts that are experienced by Ruth Young.
1. Ruth Young as a Second Generation Daughter
Ruth Luyi Young is an American born of Chinese immigrant mother, LuLing Young. Ruth was born in a Water Dragon Year (Tan, 2004: 1). Her father, Edwin Young, was killed in a hit and run car accident while Ruth had been two years old (2004: 52). Ruth lives with her mother and they have been moving down to a new house eight times (2004: 56).
Her mother is a conservative and superstitious Chinese lady. LuLing believes in superstition and gives a doctrine of supernatural belief to Ruth. Her mother always relates anything to the ghosts. “To her mother, just about anything
was a sign of ghosts: broken bowls, barking dogs, phone calls with only silence or heavy breathing at the other end” (Tan, 2004: 9-10).
ghosts and it brings bad luck if people watch the shooting stars. However, Ruth does not buy her mother’s words.
She did not actually believe that her laryngitis was star-crossed, or that the meteor shower had anything to do with her inability to speak. Her mother, though, had often told Ruth throughout her childhood that shooting stars were really ‘melting ghost bodies’ and it was bad luck to see them. If you did, that meant a ghost was trying to talk to you (Tan, 2004: 9).
The contrast is shown through the quotation and it points out the characteristic of Ruth as being reasonable. Her characteristic can be seen through the direct comment. It is emphasized in the quotation that Ruth is being reasonable. She believes that the shooting star has no connection with her laryngitis.
LuLing as a conservative Chinese lady often teaches Ruth with her hierarchical parenting system, yet Ruth does not like it. Ruth as a second generation who grows up in America does not like to be controlled by her mother. When she is tired of her mother’s complaints, she chooses to read and study, so her mother can remain in silent and Ruth can escape for awhile from her mother.
“The only time her mother didn’t bother her was when she was doing her homework or studying for a test. Her mother respected her studies. If she interrupted her, all Ruth had to do was say, ‘Shh! I’m reading.’ And almost always, her mother fell quiet (Tan, 2004: 105).
Her reaction shows that she is a perceptive girl. She can choose the best way to avoid her mother when she starts to bother her. She learns that her mother pays respect to her studies and she uses it as her way to escape. From that, it can be seen that she puts herself into a suitable situation when facing her fussy mother.
privacy every time and reads her diary so there will be no secrets between mother-daughter. “Ruth did not want to censor her writing, so she started recording it in a
combination of pig Latin, Spanish, and multisyllabic words that she knew her mother would not understand” (Tan, 2004: 133). The quotation implies that Ruth
learns from her experience that her mother always checks her diary and will read it again.
Ruth decides to keep writing but in the code that only she can understand. She writes her diary with words in the pig Latin because she knows that her mother must not be able to read it. Pig Latin that Ruth uses is a constructed language game in English. As an American teenager Ruth must know pig Latin. Ruth learns it from her American friends around her and uses it when she writes to hide her writing from her mother. Her reaction to use those code languages proves that she is an observant of the situation around her.
As a teenager, she does not want to be ruled by her mother. She wants freedom and does what teenager should do, like going to beach and dating boys. However, her mother always controls and forbids her. “But her mother always
managed to find it, at least which was what Ruth figured, on the basis of what she was next forbidden to do: ‘No more go beach after school.’ “No more see this
Lisa girl.’ ‘Why you so boy-crazy?’ (Tan, 2204: 133). Because of so many
pressures from her mother, Ruth becomes a rebellious daughter. She can read the situation that happens around her quickly. Then, Ruth shows her loathe towards her mother by being a rebellious daughter.
‘No right! All wrong!’ ‘Leave me alone!’
‘Why I have daughter like you? Why I live? Why don’t I die long time ‘go?’ LuLing was huffing and snorting. Ruth thought she looked like a mad dog. ‘You want I die?’
Ruth was shaking but shrugged as nonchalantly as she could. ‘I really don’t care.’ (Tan, 2004: 134).
Ruth’s rebellion is shown from the conversation between her and her
mother. She shows her rebellion towards her mother when her mother scolds her for smoking. Her mother gives her pressure and controls her to not do some stuff, so Ruth becomes unhappy. She rebels because she wants to fight back against her mother. She thinks that she is an American and has the right to choose her own path. She yells at her mother and says offensive words.
As a second generation daughter, the writer finds Ruth’s characteristics as
a reasonable, perceptive, yet rebellious. She does not believe in superstition like her mother does. She can also learn quickly from the situation around her and put herself in the right situation. Yet, she is a rebellious daughter because she wants to show that she is an American who seeks for freedom and cannot be controlled by her mother’s Chinese parenting system.
2. Ruth Young as a Ghostwriter
humiliating letter to the minister (Tan, 2004: 43). As stated in the second chapter, the way to describe the character can be done through the thoughts.
‘Lootie give me so much trouble,’ LuLing dictated, as if Ruth were invisible, ‘maybe I send her go Taiwan, school for bad children. What you think?’
Ruth revised that to: ‘Perhaps Ruth might attend a finishing school in Taiwan where she can learn the manners and customs of a young lady. What is your opinion?’
In an odd way, she now thought, her mother was the one who had taught her to become a book doctor. Ruth had to make life better by revising it (Tan, 2004: 43).
The quotation shows the direct knowledge of what Ruth is thinking about. Ruth who has a job as a ghostwriter has realized that she already becomes a ghostwriter ever since she was a twelve years old child. Then, as a freelancer ghostwriter, Ruth is smart, responsible yet busy. “‘You are. You’re terrific. You’re honest and funny. Smart, interested.’ ‘Don’t forget responsible’” (Tan,
2004: 29).
Firstly, her characteristics can be seen through the conversation of Art and Ruth as quoted above. The quotation above shows that Ruth is a terrific, honest, funny, smart, interested and responsible. Art has known Ruth for several months and he observes the way Ruth talks and her work ethic. Ruth also shares story with Art, talks about her past. The way Ruth talks and socialites with new people make Art conclude that Ruth is a terrific person.
Secondly, another quotation as following will strengthen Ruth’s characteristic as being a smart woman.
… In bookstores, most of her clients’ words of wisdom were placed in the light or popular sections – Self-Help, Wellness, Inspirational, New Age (Tan, 2004: 37).
From the quotation above, Ruth’s works with her clients become bestseller. Between her busy times with her new family, she can manage her time to do her job. She can understand her clients, she knows the best stuff, what readers want, she can put herself as reader’s position, and her works with the clients always turn
out to be bestseller. Her working experiences for fifteen years lead Ruth to be a professional. Several of her works even had been translated into some languages. She has wide background knowledge. She has worked with several themes, like self-help, wellness, inspirational, new age, and she proves she can do it all. Ruth’s excellent work and her intelligence in her field show that she is a smart and terrific woman.
On the other hand, Ruth’s professionalism in work drags her to become so
busy. “After that, whenever her mother asked whether she had finished her story, Ruth answered, ‘I was just about to, but something came up with a client’ (Tan, 2004: 13). The quotation shows that she postpones reading about her mother’s story because of her work with client. It shows that she is too busy with her client and job. She puts her client as her priority and shows her less concern in reading her mother’s memoir. She is so busy and has no time to take care of her mother.
‘So busy, so success,’ her mother had said recently when Ruth told her she didn’t have any free time to see her. (Tan, 2004: 38).
The citation above emphasizes that Ruth is so busy with her work and put it as her priority in the first place. As a professional and successful ghostwriter, Ruth is described as a smart, responsible, and busy woman.
3. Ruth Young as a Lover
Ruth who has a relationship with her boyfriend, Art, has lived together for nine years (Tan, 2004: 10). Ruth lives with Art and takes care of his two daughters, Dory who is thirteen and chunky, larger than her fifteen-year-old sister, Fia (2004: 20). Besides of taking care of the daughters, Ruth is also taking care of the housework. Both of the couple are busy person and Art hands over the housework to Ruth. As a busy woman, Ruth cannot handle the housework. While they have housework problem, both of them throws the problem to one another. Instead of accepting the matter, Ruth is demanding Art to phone the plumber.
It’s your house, Ruth was tempted to say. But she forced herself to sound reasonable, unassailable, like Art. ‘Can’t you call from your office in between meetings?’
‘Then I have to phone you and figure out when you’ll be here for the plumber.’
‘I don’t know exactly when I’ll be home. And you know those guys. They say they’re coming at one, they show up at five. Just because I work at home doesn’t mean I don’t have a real job. I’ve got a really crazy day. For one thing, I have to …’ And she started to list her tasks.
Art slumped his shoulders and sighed. ‘Why do you have to make everything so difficult? I just thought if it were possible, if you had time – Aw, forget it.’ He turned away (Tan, 2004: 18-19).
finds that Ruth is being rigorous. The quotation above shows how rigorous Ruth is. She is demanding and difficult. Art sees Ruth as a difficult person because Ruth is so complicated in handling the housework. She shows her stubbornness because she also has so many things to do besides the housework. She thinks that that is Art’s house so he should take care by himself. Yet, she controls herself by
being reasonable and then she tries to find the resolution. However, Art sees Ruth as being too difficult and he tells that to Ruth.
Another quotation is provided to show the characteristics of Ruth as a rigorous woman.
Suddenly Ruth noticed what Fia was wearing – low-slung jeans and a cropped shirt that bared a good six inches of belly. She must have had her jacket zipped up when they had left home. Ruth lowered the car window and called out: ‘Fia, sweetie, come here a second…. Am I wrong, or did your shirt shrink drastically in the last minutes?’ (Tan, 2004: 21).
The characteristics of the character can be done by seeing the reaction of a character, how the character reacts to situations. The quotation above shows Ruth’s reaction. From the reaction of Ruth when she noticed that Fia’s shirt is
showing off her belly, the writer finds out that Ruth is paying attention to the detail. It shows her characteristics as being rigorous.
Ruth stared at Fia’s navel. ‘Does your mother know you’re wearing that?’ Fia dropped her mouth in mock shock, her reaction to most things. ‘Uh, she bought it for me, okay?’
‘Well, I don’t think your dad would approve. I want you to keep your jacket on, even when you’re skating. And Dory, you tell me if she doesn’t’ (Tan, 2004: 21).
She wants to know whether Fia’s parents know that she is dressing like that or
enough for Ruth to hear: ‘Dad’s right. She loves to make everything sooo
difficult’ (Tan, 2004: 21). Fia’s conversation with Dory also emphasizes that Ruth is seen as being difficult, rigorous.
Ruth’s former relationship was with a man named Paul. As Paul’s lover,
Ruth also shows her characteristics as being rigorous. The way to find that she is a rigorous woman can be found through Ruth’s speech.
‘I had said he was careless, he said I made simple problems have difficult solutions. I said he never planned, he said I obsessed to the point of killing all spontaneity. I thought he was selfish, he said I worried over him to the point of suffocation, then pitied myself when he didn’t fall all over himself saying thank you. And maybe we were both right and that was why we were wrong for each other (Tan, 2004: 29).
Ruth herself says that her former boyfriend thinks that she is difficult when solve problems, so obsessed till it can kill the spontaneity, she is so strict and too worried. By looking from her speech, her characteristics as being rigorous can be concluded.
B. The Cultural Conflicts Experienced by Ruth Young
Each novel must have conflicts to make the story alive. It is similarly stated in Edward J. Gordon’s Types of Literature. Besides Gordon, Frank Madden
also states that there are two kinds of conflict. Madden affirms that there are external conflict and internal conflict (Madden, 2002: 90). The external and internal conflicts also happen in the major character in The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Ruth has experienced conflicts, especially cultural conflicts.
Jonathan H. Turner in Sociology states that “cultural conflict caused by differences in cultural values and beliefs that place people at odds with one another” (Turner, 2005: 87). The differences in values and beliefs drag the
conflicts to be happened in the novel. As stated in the second chapter, the first generation and second generation of Chinese in the United States are holding different values. Mostly, the second generations are not aware of their ancestors.
Min Zhou states that “children of immigrant parentage lack meaningful
connections to the sociocultural world from which their parents came” (Zhou, 2009: 194). Thus, the lack of history makes the second generations unaware of their ancient history. It also happens to Ruth Young. She is neither aware of her origin as Chinese nor learns about her mother’s history.
As a second generation of Chinese, Ruth Young does not know how to read Chinese words. Her mother, LuLing, has given pages written in Chinese to Ruth five or six years before, it was a memoir of LuLing. “Just some old things about my family” (Tan, 2004: 12). Instead of reading the memoir directly, Ruth
contains her mother’s story but she is not eager to read it. Ruth even hesitates to ask her mother because she assumes that her mother will be mad at her.
She knew from experience what happened whenever she asked her mother to render Chinese characters into English. First LuLing scolded her for not studying Chinese hard enough when she was little (Tan, 2004: 13).
LuLing as the first generation knows how to speak and read Chinese, but her child does not master Chinese. According to the review on cultural context, Zhou mentions that “in the Chinese cultural context, filial piety dictates
parent-child relationship, the norm makes more demands on parent-children” (Zhou, 2009: 194). LuLing as a mother demands her daughter to master Chinese language, so when Ruth shows incapable of reading the words, LuLing will scold and give a punishment.
If Ruth showed impatience in listening to any of this, LuLing became outraged, before sputtering an oath that none of this mattered because soon she too would die anyway, by accident, because of bad-luck wishes, or on purpose. And then the silent treatment began, a punishment that lasted for days or weeks, until Ruth broke down first and said she was sorry (Tan, 2004: 13).
