SHIMAMURA’S MOTIVATION TO HAVE A LOVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH A GEISHA IN YASUNARI KAWABATA’S SNOW COUNTRY
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements
to Obtain
Sarjana Pendidikan
Degree
in English Language Education
By
Ester Lidiya
Student Number: 031214064
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
i
SHIMAMURA’S MOTIVATION TO HAVE A LOVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH A GEISHA IN YASUNARI KAWABATA’S SNOW COUNTRY
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements
to Obtain
Sarjana Pendidikan
Degree
in English Language Education
By
Ester Lidiya
Student Number: 031214064
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
ii
iii
iv
MY WAY
And now the end is nearAnd so I face the final curtain My friend I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case of which I’m certain I’ve lived a life that’s full
I’ve travelled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
Regrets I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention I did what I had to do
And saw it thru’ without exemption I planned each chattered course Each careful step along the by way
But more, much more than this, I did it my way
Yes there were times I’m sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew But thru’ it all when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall, and did it my way
I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried I’ve had my fill my share of losing
And now as tears subside, I find it all so amusing To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way Oh no, oh no, not me, I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got If not himself then he has not To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels The record shows I took the blows And did it my way
This thesis is dedicated to:
Papa and Mama
Bapak and Ibuk
Ayah,
the
light
of
my
life
v
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work
or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 25 July 2011
The Writer
Ester Lidiya
031214064
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
:
Ester
Lidiya
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 031214064
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma, karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
SHIMAMURA’S MOTIVATION TO HAVE A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH
A GEISHA IN YASUNARI KAWABATA’S SNOW COUNTRY
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan
dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan
royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 29 Juli 2011
Yang menyatakan,
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to
Jesus Christ
, my
Almighty Father, for His love, mercy and guidance to finish my thesis. I am sure that
I would not have been able to write and finish this thesis without His blessing.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my sponsor,
Henny Herawati
S.Pd., M.Hum.,
for all her patience, kindness, advices, time and support. I would
like to thank for her guidance and beneficial suggestions for my thesis. May God
bless her and all of her families with joy and happiness.
My deepest gratitude would also goes to my beloved
Papa Gatot Muliyono
and
Mama Lantati
, for all their patience, love, supports, encouragement, and prayers
during my study. I would also like to express my appreciation to
Bapak Jajang
and
Ibu Sri Suharti
for all their love, supports, and prayer. My sincere and deepest
gratitude is also for
Ayah, Nuryono Hadi, S.T.,
for all his love, kindness, supports,
and who always give me strength to accomplish this thesis.
I would like to thank for all of
English Education Study Program lecturers
and staffs
for all the knowledge and assistance during my study in
Sanata Dharma
University
.
Finally, I thank all of 2003 PBI students whom I cannot mention one by one,
who have given me good times during my study. I thank them for being such good
friends, for all the good both bad times.
Last but not least, I thank those whose names I cannot mention here. May God
bless them with all the goodness and happiness.
The writer,
viii
TITLE PAGE ... i
PAGES OF APPROVAL ... ii
DEDICATION PAGE ... iv
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI... vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...viii
ABSTRACTS ... x
ABSTRAK ... xi
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the Study ... 1
1.2Problem Formulation ... 3
1.3Objectives of the Study ... 3
1.4Benefits of the Study ... 4
1.5Definition of Terms ... 4
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Theoretical Review ... 6
2.1.1 Critical Approaches in Literature ... 6
2.1.2 Character ... 7
2.1.3 Characterization ... 9
2.1.4 Theory of Motivation ... 11
2.1.4.1 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation ... 11
2.1.4.2 Social Motives ... 12
2.1.4.3 Attachment Theory ... 13
2.1.5 Concept of Love ... 14
2.2 Theoretical Framework ... 16
ix
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS
4.1 The Characterization of Main Character ... 21
4.1.1 The Characterization of Shimamura ... 22
4.1.1.1 Good-looking ... 22
4.1.1.2 Wealthy ... 22
4.1.1.3 Dilettante ... 24
4.1.1.4 Selfish ... 24
4.1.1.5 Inconsistent... 26
4.2 Shimamura’s Motivation to Have a Love Relationship with Komako 28 4.2.1 Intrinsic Motivation ... 28
4.2.2 Need for Affiliation ... 29
4.2.3 Attachment Theory ... 31
4.2.3.1 Proximity Maintenance ... 31
4.2.3.2 Safe Haven ... 32
4.2.4 Concept of Love between Shimamura and Komako ... 33
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 5.1 Conclusions ... 38
5.2 Suggestions ... 40
5.2.1 Suggestions for the Future Researcher ... 40
5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teachers ... 41
REFERENCES ... 42
APPENDICES ... 44
Appendix 1 Summary of Snow Country ... 45
Appendix 2 The Biography of Yasunari Kawabata ... 46
Appendix 3 Lesson Plan for Teaching Intensive Reading II ...48
x
ABSTRACT
Lidiya, Ester. (2011). Shimamura’s Motivation to Have A Love Relationship with A Geisha in Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study analyzes Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country. The novel portrays the life of a wealthy, married man who spent his holiday in the hot-spring area, and has a love relationship with a geisha. The study is conducted to reveal the motivation of the main character to have a love relationship with a geisha.
The aim of the study is to answer the two questions in the problem formulation. The first is how Shimamura is described. The second is what motivate Shimamura to have a love relationship with a hot-spring geisha, Komako.
This thesis employed the library research in gathering the data. There were two kinds of sources used in this study, namely primary and secondary sources. The primary source is the novel Snow Country and the secondary sources were gained from books on literary works. This study utilizes theory of character and characterization, theory of motivation, social motives, attachment theory, and concept of love. The approach used is psychological approach because this study deals with the main character’s motivation to have a love relationship with a hot-spring geisha.
xi
ABSTRAK
Lidiya, Ester. (2011). Shimamura’s Motivation to Have A Love Relationship with A Geisha in Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas tentang novel karya Yasunari Kawabata, Snow Country. Novel ini menggambarkan tentang kehidupan seorang pria kaya yang sudah menikah, yang menghabiskan waktu liburannya di tempat pemandian air panas, dan menjalin hubungan cinta dengan seorang geisha. Skripsi ini membahas tentang motivasi dari karakter utama di dalam novel tersebut untuk menjalin hubungan cinta dengan seorang geisha.
Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah intuk menjawab dua pertanyaan dalam rumusan masalah. Pertama adalah bagaimana karakter Shimamura dijelaskan. Kedua adalah apa yang memotivasi Shimamura untuk menjalin hubungan cinta dengan seorang geisha.
Studi ini menggunakan studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data. Ada dua macam sumber yang digunakan, yaitu sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utama didapat dari novel Snow Country, sedangkan sumber kedua didapat dari beberapa buku kesusastraan. Skripsi ini manggunakan teori karakter dan karakterisasi, teori motivasi, motif - motif sosial, teori kedekatan, dan konsep cinta. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikologi karena menyangkut tentang motivasi dari karakter utama untuk menjalin hubungan cinta dengan seorang geisha di pemandian air panas.
Ada dua hasil analisa yang didapatkan berdasarkan analisis yang dilakukan. Hasil analisa pertama menjelaskan karakteristik dari Shimamura. Shimamura adalah seorang pria tampan, kaya, tidak serius, egois dan tidak konsisten. Hasil analisa kedua mengungkapkan motivasi Shimamura untuk menjalin hubungan cinta dengan seorang geisha. Ada motivasi dari dalam yang didorong oleh motivasi untuk bersama yang memenuhi kebutuhan akan kenyamanan dan keamanan di dalam hubungan antarpersonal yang intim, yang memotivasi Shimamura untuk menjalin sebuah hubungan cinta yang diketahui sebagai tingkat hubungan suka dan hubungan romantis yang melibatkan keintiman dan hasrat.
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the background of the study, the objectives of the study,
the problem formulation, the benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The
background of the study focuses on the topic of the study. In the objectives of the
study, explanation on the focus of the study is given. The problem that will be
discussed is given in the problem formulation, and the explanation about the benefit
of the study for the writer and other researchers is given in the benefits of the study.
1.1
Background of the Study
Literature is reflection of human life because it usually talks about every
aspect in human life. It is expressed in poetry, or through narrative story such as
short story, novel, and drama. Lots of people like to read novel more than other
literary works. It is mostly because novel is easier to understand, and also the
aspects in the novel itself such as characters and the setting in the novel seem to
be real. By reading a novel, the readers can see the characters and settings
through imagination in which the readers may have a wish to experience it.
Sometimes when we read a novel, we can feel some feelings which will appear
from the story. They can be happiness, sadness, anger, or maybe a motivation
In this study, a topic about motivation is going to be revealed.
Motivation is like a desire or a will to do something to reach the goal. A
psychologist, Morris, defines motive as a specific need, desire, or want such as
thirst, or achievement that energizes and directs goal – oriented behaviour
(408). It is clear from the definition that human want to do something or do an
action because they are motivated to get their aim. In this study, the main
character’s motivation will be discussed that he has a relationship with a geisha.
Japanese literature is one of the famous ones in the world. Japanese
authors write many great classic and modern stories, tales, poems, and also
plays. One of the greatest novelists in Japan is Yasunari Kawabata, who is the
first Japanese writer that received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Snow Country, one of Kawabata’s literary works, is a literal translation
of the Japanese title
Yukiguni.
The name comes from where the story takes
place, rural Japan that receives a huge amount of snow in the winter. It is
located on the west coast of the main island in Japan, and it is famous as the
region which has the most snow in the world. Snow Country tells about
Shimamura, the main character, who has love relationship with a hot-spring or
onsen
geisha, named Komako.
The story begins from the first visit of Shimamura, who comes to a
remote hot-spring resort. Shimamura somehow likes Komako and therefore
interested in Yoko too, though never goes far beyond distant observation and
occassional conversations.
The topic about Shimamura as the main character’s motivation to have a
relationship with a country geisha named Komako is interesting to be revealed
in this study. It is interesting to know the motivation of a man, a wealthy man
whom has a relationship with a remote hot-spring geisha, that he is also a
married man.
1.2
Problem Formulation
In this study, the problems are formulated in the following questions:
(1)
How is the main character, Shimamura, depicted?
(2)
What motivate Shimamura to have love relationship with a geisha in
Kawabata’s Snow Country?
1.3
Objectives of the Study
This study is conducted to find out the answers to the questions that are
formulated in the problem formulation. There are two major objectives in this
literary study. The first is to describe the character, Shimamura who is
1.4
Benefit of the Study
This study in general may be beneficial for people who love to read
literary works. It can be used to introduce the readers to the work of Yasunari
Kawabata and all the aspects in a novel. Better understanding in character,
characterization and motivations of one’s character in the novel are expected to
be given to the readers. This study might provide them useful information and
guidance to make critical judgments. The study also hopefully can be used as
an alternative material in teaching reading or prose in school and university.
1.5
Definition of Terms
1.
Motivation
Kalish in his The Psychology of Human Behavior says that “motivated
behaviour is behaviour set into motion by a need. A need indicates that some
type of satisfaction is lacking and implies that the organism is activated to
reduce the dissatisfaction (29).” Worchel and Shelbilske (408) divide
motivations into two kinds. They are extrinsic motivation and intrinsic
motivation. Extrinsic motivation comes from the external factors of an
individual and intrinsic motivation which are derived from the enjoyment and
2.
Love
Stenberg in his The Triangle of Love: Intimacy, Passion, Commitment,
explains
love
as different combinations of the three elements: intimacy,
passion, and commitment which are can be considered as many stages or
types of
love
. They are Liking, infatuation, Empty Love, Romantic Love,
Companionate love, Fatuous love, and Consummate Love.
3.
Geisha
In this study, geisha is referred to
onsen
geisha or hot-spring geisha, Japanese
geisha, or entertainers, who work in
onsen
(hot-spring) resorts or towns. The
term
onsen
geisha has a negative connotation in that the term has come to be
synonymous with prostitute.
6
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents Review of Related Theories, Theoretical Framework. Review of Related Theories contains the theories or the approaches that are relevant with the study. In the Theoretical Framework, the contribution of the theories and review that are used to solve the problems in the study, will be discussed or explained.
2.1 Review of Related Theories
In this study, some theories are used to support the analysis. They are theory of critical approach, theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of motivation, and concept of love.
2.1.1 Critical Approaches in Literature
sociocultural-historical approach, biographical approach, mythopoeic approach and psychological approach.
Only one approach is used in this study. It is psychological approach. Rohrberger and Woods state that this approach leads us to analyze the novel from psychological points of view of human beings. That is from the organization of thought and feelings of the character. Moreover, it is also explaining and understanding the human motivation (13). The Psychological approach helps to understand the character’s personality and behaviour pattern better because it is from psychological point of view which is related to the motivations. Since this study aims at analyzing Shimamura’s motivation in having relationship with a geisha, so that psychological approach is used in terms of psychological aspects to analyze his motivation.
2.1.2 Character
According to Abrams in his A Glossary of Literary Terms defines character as “The persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who interrupt the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they-say-the dialogue and by what they-do-the action (20).”
or phrase. The second type of character is “round” character, means a character who / which is “complex in temperament and motivation.” Thus, an author will describe the character like a real people who can give unpredictable actions. In a novel or a short story, the author provides the reader with the “subtle particularly” of the character (21).
According to Ian Milligan in The Novel in English, there are two kinds of characters based on their role in a story, namely as Major and Minor Characters (155). The Major character is the character that becomes the focus in the story from the beginning until the end and it is perform the important role in clarifying the theme of the story. In other word, if we understand the major character of the story, we also understand the theme of the story. The Minor characters are those who appear in a certain setting and just necessarily to become the background of the major characters. In other word, their role in the story is less important than the major character does.
2.1.3 Characterization
Holman and Harmon in their A Handbook to Literature define characterization as “the creation of imaginary person. Even tough they are created imaginatively, they are seen to be real and exist for the readers or audience as lifelike (81).”
There are three fundamental methods of characterization in fiction. First is the explicit presentation of the character by the author through direct exposition illustrated by the action. Second is the presentation of the character in action of the expectation that the reader will be able to deduce the attributes of the actor from the actions. The last is the representation from within a character of the impact of the actions and emotions on the character’s inner beauty, with the expectation that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character (Holman and Harmon, 81).
Abrams also presents different ways of characterization. He points out two ways in characterization, namely “showing and telling”. Showing (or also called “the dramatic method”) means that the author describes the character by giving what the character says and does in the novel. The readers, therefore, have to conclude the character by themselves. Telling is direct description about character given either by the author him or herself or by another characters in the novel (21).
appearance such as face, body and clothes. It is very important because it gives clues about the character. Second is character as seen by another. In this case, the author can describe the character through the eyes and opinion of another. Third is
2.1.3 Theory of Motivation
People conduct some actions because of some reasons or motive. Motive differs from motivation. Motive is a power or factor within a human that arouses, directs, and organizes behaviour, while motivation is a reason or drive that causes a person to do something or conduct an action or to give a certain attitude his or her behaviour.
Kalish in his The Psychology of Human Behavior says that “motivated behaviour is behaviour set into motion by a need. A need indicates that some type of satisfaction is lacking and implies that the organism is activated to reduce the dissatisfaction (29).”
Maslow in Goble’s The Third Force says that people conduct action to fulfil their needs. He says that “man is initially motivated by series of basic needs; as these are satisfied; he moves toward the level of the higher level of higher needs and becomes motivated by them (47).”
2.1.4.1 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Worchel and Shelbilske (408) divide motivations into two kinds. They are extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation comes from the external factors of an individual. The external factors may come from their desires to pay, status, grades, promotion, and similar types of rewards.
two bases, they are: the people should control their behaviour and they should have feeling as a capable and a competent person. Basically, the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is activated by some rewards while intrinsic motivation is activated by enjoyment of the performance rather than an expectation of reward.
2.1.4.2 Social Motives
David McClelland was an American psychologist who developed a theory in the 1980s that describes human motivation into a set of basic needs often referred to as “the three social motives”. According to McClelland, everyone is more strongly motivated by some needs and less strongly by other needs. Everyone has all three of these motives but simply with a different relative degree. The result of the needs is a unique mix that gives one its personality.
What McClelland found out during his research was that 80 percent of the daily mental activity could be related to the three social motives. They are with other words those motives that are most common in the everyday life. Though the needs for security and nurturing are legitimate and widely studied motives they do occupy so little of most western civilized people’s regular concerns that meant that it is possible to ignore them to a wide extend.
relationship. The third is Need for power that can be understood as the need to make others behave in a way they would not have behaved otherwise.
The need for affiliation or can be said as affiliate motive is used in this study to analyze the motivation of the main character, Shimamura who has a love relationship with a geisha, because it is related to the interpersonal relationship as discussed to answer the second problem formulation.
2.1.4.3 Attachment Theory
Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. The roots of research on attachment began with Freud’s theories about love. John Bowlby devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (194).
Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment. The first is Proximity Maintenance which is described as the desire to be near the people we are attached to. Second is Safe Haven which is described as returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of fear or threat. Third is Secure Base which is described as the attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment that is usually the attachment between child and the elder. The last one is
Adult intimate relationship are often defined by emotional responsiveness, when needs for closeness, support and security are either met or not met. Attachment security occurs when partners can provide comfort and support to one another during emotionally difficult times.
2.1.5 Concept of Love
Psychologist Robert Stenberg explains love with his triangular theory of love that describes types of love based on three different scales: intimacy, passion, and commitment. Different stages and types of love can be explained as different combinations of these three elements as seen in the table below:
Table 1. Types of Love
Combinations of intimacy, passion, and commitment
Intimacy Passion Commitment
Liking
Infatuation Empty love
The first kind of love is liking which is this intimate personal relationship characterizes true friendship, in which a person feels a bondedness, a warmth, and a closeness with another but not intense passion or long-term commitment. Second is infatuated love that is often what is felt as love at first sight. Third is
empty love that can be described as love which the commitment remains, but the intimacy and passion have died. Fourth is romantic love that is understood as love which is bonded emotionally as in liking and physically through passionate arousal. Fifth is companionate love that is often found in marriages in which the passion has gone out of the relationship but deep affection and commitment remains. It is stronger than friendship because of the extra element of commitment. The love is ideally shared between family members or between deep friends who spend a lot of time together in any asexual but friendly relationship. Sixth is fatuous love that can be described as love which is a commitment is motivated largely by passion, without the stabilizing influence of intimacy. The last one is consummate love that can be described as the complete form of love that involves all three elements: intimacy, passion, and commitment.
2.2 Theoretical Framework
The analysis explains some theories to answer the problems proposed in the problem formulation. They are critical approaches to literature, theory of character and characterization, theory of intrinsic motivation and social motives, attachment theory and also concept of love.
First, the theory of critical approaches to literature and theory of character and characterization are used to find out the answer of the first problem formulation, which is to reveal the characters of Shimamura as the main character of the novel. The theory of critical approach proposed by Rohrberger and Woods is used in order to help analyzing the main character so that the answer of the first problem formulation is able to be found. The theory of character and characterization proposed by Murphy which is presenting nine ways in knowing the character in a story is also used to get deeper understanding on the character.
17
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three main parts namely, Object of the Study,
Approach of the Study and Method of the Study. Object of the Study concerns with
the object or data of the study in the literary work that is analyzed. Approach of the
study contains the approach that is used in analyzing the work. Method of the Study
describes the way or procedure taken in analyzing the work.
3.1
Object of the Study
The title of the novel that will be analyzed in this study is Snow Country
(1948) by Yasunari Kawabata. The English translation by Edward G. Seidensticker of
the novel was published in 1957.This novel is the most popular work of Kawabata
and become one of his three novels cited by the Nobel Committee in awarding him
the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968
.Snow Country is the story of Shimamura, a wealthy, sophisticated and a
married man from Tokyo, and a geisha named Komako in a small, nameless village
located in the snow country of Japan, which is the snowiest region on Earth. Komako
and Shimamura come together at an isolated mountain hotspring. Komako is a girl
who became a geisha to help pay the medical bills of a young man who is dying. He
is described as a dilettante, a wealthy man who lives a life of idleness. He goes to the
hotspring after spending eight days in the mountains and asks for a geisha. All of the
geishas, however, are busy with a celebration in the village so Shimamura ends up
with Komako, a young girl who has not yet become a full-fledged geisha. Their
relationship is rocky; Komako is too young, too clean but they become lovers in spite
of Shimamura’s hesitancy. Komako, unlike Shimamura, throws herself into the
relationship with her whole heart. An added complication to their relationship is
Yoko, a young girl Shimamura notices on the train when he make his first visit to the
resort and then becomes fascinated with her.
At the end of the novel, Komako has told Shimamura to leave and not return,
saying she will live a normal life if he stays away. Shimamura, who seems to care
more for Komako than he wants to or is comfortable with, is on the verge of leaving
when a fire tragedy occurs in the village. The tragedy seems as a final ending for their
relationship.
3.2
Approach of the Study
A certain approach is needed to analyze a work because the way we use to
view the work is based on the approach. Since this study deals with psychological
aspect that is used to analyze the main character in the novel, Shimamura, the
The character’s behaviour, attitude, thinking, and appearance towards other
people in his social relationship must be noticed. The psychological aspects of human
being and their interactions with others in a society present that it may values and can
be analyzed.
3.3
Method of the Study
This study uses library research as a method in gathering the data. Since it
conducts a library research, some sources are used to support the analysis. Yasunari
Kawabata’s Snow Country
is used as the primary source. Some books such as
Reading and Writing about Literature
by Rohrberger and Woods, M.J Murphy’s book
about how an author reveals the characters’ personalities and traits to the readers, and
electronic sources accesses as the secondary source.
This study also concerns about the steps taken in the analysis, so that the
solution to the problems formulated in this study is able to be obtained. There were
some steps taken in analyzing this study. Firstly is that the primary source, the novel
Snow Country
,
was started to be read for many times in order to get better
understanding of the novel, and to focus on the problems that are analyzed. The main
character, Shimamura, is become the main attention and focus to be analyzed.
Secondly, the summary of the novel been made in order to make points that
Thirdly, theories of characters, characterization, and motivations as secondary
21
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the answers to the questions stated in the problem formulation are presented. This chapter consists of two sections. The first section is the analysis of Shimamura character and characterization. The second section discusses the motivation of the main character, Shimamura, to have a love relationship with a hot-spring geisha.
4.1 The Characterization of Main Character
Abram defines characters as 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 by what they do, the action (20).
Shimamura is the person presented in a novel. Shimamura is presented in Kawabata’s Snow Country. According to Ian Milligan in his The Novel in English, Shimamura is the major character because he mostly appears in the novel and becomes the focus in the story. Shimaura is a wealthy, married man from Tokyo, coming to the hot spring area known as “snow country” on his holidays for not only for once, but for several times.
conversations others, reaction, direct comment, thought, and mannerism. Shimamura’s characterization can be analyzed through his personal description, he as seen by other characters, his speech, his reactions, his thoughts, and also his manner.
4.1.1 The Characterization of Shimamura
4.1.1.1 Good-looking
Shimamura is a good-looking man. It can be seen from the explanation of the blind massager who came to give massage to Shimamura, who said that Shimamura is an ideal man who has proportional body. Although she is blind, but she can feel how soft and nice Shimamura is, and she knews that Shimamura don’t drink (59).
Komako also said that Shimamura is also a neat man. He didn’t grow mustache and always shaves himself nice and blue, his face also round and plump. He also has white skin. The way he cleans himself is representing from which class he comes from. Shimamura also said about himself that he is sweet and gentle, adding Komako’s words about him (113).
4.1.1.2 Wealthy
although he is on vacation, because his family sends money to him by telegraphed the money from Tokyo to him (29).
His hobby of collecting ballet posters from abroad is also representation of his class. Shimamura’s class and wealth also can be known from his mannerism that he is visiting the heads of various dance schools and made friends with rising figures in the dance world (24). It can be concluded that Shimamura comes from upper class society which is usually prosperous and wealthy.
According to Japanese tradition, wealthy man in Japan usually spent their holiday in hot-spring, seldom goes to a hot spring for his health, and usually his wife is not with him. Edward G. Seidensticker in the introduction of the novel said that the special delights of the hot spring are for un-accompanied gentleman, and no prosperous hotspring is without its geisha and its compliant hotel maids (vi). In the story, the inn where Shimamura stay during his trips to the snow country is a good inn because it provides maids and also geisha. And man with lot of money, or is wealthy, will choose good inn rather than ordinary inn. We can say that Shimamura is a man who is wealthy that he chooses a good inn to stay during his trips to the Snow Country.
4.1.1.3 Dilettante
Dilettante can be defined as a person who studies something without serious interest or understanding at it, for example in art. Shimamura is a person who likes art especially in dancing and theatre. He likes Kabuki and is also very interested in western ballet, but he had not seen the ballet yet. He said that liking ballet is like loving a person who he had not ever met before. His interest in ballets that he called a research actually is his uncontrolled fantasy through his own dancing imagination with Western books and pictures.
Nothing could be more comfortable than writing about the ballet from books. A ballet he had never seen was an art in another world. It was unrivalled armchair reverie, a lyric from some paradise. He called his work research, but it was actually free, uncontrolled phantasy. He preffered not to savor the ballet in the flesh; rather he savoured the phantasms of his own dancing imagination, called up by Western books and pictures. It was being in love with someone he had never seen (25).
We also can see that Shimamura is also a person who has no real occupation from the statement of the writer (25), that he can enjoys his own world in art, especially in the dancing world as his work. He found that his work pampering and comforting him (131).
4.1.1.4 Selfish
Shimamura had come to a pint where he knew he was only parading his masculine shameless, and yet it seemed likely enough that the woman was familiar with the failing and need not be shocked by it. (21)
That is why he treated Komako badly and often deceived Komako. This is seen from his mannerism on page 25; ”..he was treating the woman exactly as he treated the occidental dance.”.
Although Komako tries so hard and does everything in order to show her love and her feeling to Shimamura, for him it is only a wasted effort. It seems that he has a hard heart that cannot feel her love although he has feeling to Yoko, Komako’s maid whom he saw in the train on his way to the snow country.
Were he to give himself quite up to that consciousness of wasted effort, Shimamura felt, he would be drawn into a remote emotionalism that would make his own life a waste . (43)
All Komako’s effort seems a waste effort for him. All the things that Komako has done do not give a place for Komako in his heart and could not make Shimamura love Komako as Komako loves him so deeply. From his thought, we can know that all Komako came to him, but it seemed that nothing went out from him to her (155). Shimamura is only receiving from Komako and not giving back to her.
Another prove shows that Shimamura is a selfish person, is when Komako does not like to talk about Yukio, Shimamura does not care about that. Even he asks Komako to Yukio’s grave.
At the cemetery, they see Yoko. Shimamura asks Komako if Yoko lives alone. Komako answers that Shimamura say things he has no business saying. Shimamura does not understand why Komako feels irritated whenever he asks about Yoko. It shows Shimamura’s selfishness and does not care about Komako’s feeling. Even when he is with Komako, he shows his interest in Yoko.
4.1.1.5 Inconsistent
At first, Shimamura only wants to be friend with Komako, and he does not want to have an affair with her. Seems that at first Shimamura rejects Komako, make a distance and give no hope for her. He wants only be friend with her and have no affair with Komako. It can be seen from Shimamura’s mannerism that only friendship that he felt for Komako. He always keeps a distance from Komako.
He said he felt only friendship for the woman, but he had his reasons for thus stepping into a shallow water without taking the final plunge. And something like that evening mirror was no doubt at work here too. He disliked the thought of drawn-out complications from an affair with a woman whose positions was so ambiguous (24);
Later when he knows that Komako has become geisha on his second visit, he feels differently. At first, he feels doubt to have deeper relationship with Komako because her being a geisha. Shimamura assumed that Komako is not pure anymore, but Komako reminds Shimamura that she is not a prostitute. “But I’m not that sort of woman. I’m not that sort of woman” (43). Convinced by this, Shimamura decides to have an affair with her. Eventually, Shimamura wants Komako and enjoys their relationship and even he gets back to the Snow Country and looks for her to accompany him. Shimamura is considered as an inconsistent person by saying “You remember what you said then? But you were wrong. Why else would anyone come to such a place in December?”(39). On one side, he does not want Komako to think that he wants a serious relationship, but on the other hand he assures Komako that he comes to the snow country in the cold weather only to visit Komako.
His inconsistence also can be seen from his mannerism towards Komako, “As her voice rose higher, Shimamura began to feel a little frightened. How far would that strong, sure touch take him?” (71). It shows that actually Shimamura is so deeply enthralled with Komako that he is worried about his feeling.
Finally Shimamura left her at the end of the story as he realizes that their relationship is anguish. From the thoughts of the main character, Shimamura who finally realize that his visit to the Snow Country is only for pampering himself, but not for forever, then he slowly keep distance with Komako.
He had stayed so long that one might wonder wheter he had forgotten his wife and children. He stayed not because he could not leave Komako nor because he did not want to. He had simply fallen into the habit of waiting for those frequent visits (155). Shimamura should feel that a separation was forcing itself upon them (172). Shimamura is considered as an inconsistant person since he always changes his attitudes and manners throughout the novel towards Komako.
4.2 Shimamura’s Motivation to Have Love Relationship with Komako
4.2.1 Intrinsic Motivation
People conduct some actions because of some reasons or motive. Motive differs from motivation. Motive is a power or factor within human that arouses, directs, and organizes behaviour, while motivation is a reason or drive that causes a person to do something or conduct an action or give a certain attitude on his or her behaviour. Intrinsic motivation is when people do actions which are derived from the enjoyment and satisfaction.
Komako’s physical beauty is another enjoyment that Shimamura can get from his relationship with her. Shimamura is attracted to Komako at the first time is also because of her physical appearance.
The impression the woman gave was a wonderfully clean and fresh one. It seemed to Shimamura that she must be clean to the hollows under her toes. So clean indeed did she seem that he wondered whether his eyes, back from looking at early summer in the mountains, might not be deceiving him (18).
Shimamura after comparing the older geisha he called before with Komako, he realizes that Komako is the best young geisha in the hot spring village by saying “I made a mistake. I saw you as soon as I came down from the mountains, and I let myself think that all the geisha here were like you. ...Unless she were as good as you, I’d feel cheated when I saw you afterwards.” (31-31).
The other excitement or enjoyment that Shimamura gets from his relationship with Komako is his seeks for the sensory pleasure and sexual pleasure in Komako. It can be seen when Shimamura says that only his left forefinger reminds him of her, “This remembered you best of all” (15). It reminds him of the sexual pleasure that he get from Komako.
All the enjoyments, exictement, pleasure that he could gets from his relationship with Komako is considered as his intrinsic motivation, since the rewards is the enjoyment.
4.2.2 Need for Affiliation
relationships. People appear to have a basic need or desire to be with other people. The need to affiliate with others includes sexual contact and various types of interpersonal attachments that may grow. Mc Clelland said that whether or not it is exactly what people seek in interacting with others, certainly depriving individuals of the opportunity for interaction arouses in them (346).
David McClelland says that the word “love” is commonly used to describe various types of affiliative ties and it is important to satisfy the love need (334).
Shimamura needs to affiliate with others during his trips to the Snow Country. At first, he is attracted to Yoko on the train when he has his first trip to the Snow Country, but he has no chance to affiliate with her, since Yoko is together with a sick man and she has to take care of him. As is said in the novel that there is something coolly piercing about her beauty had startled Shimamura (8) and he were about to be drawn about something but he could not satisfy his need to affiliate with Yoko.
Then he comes to the inn and met Komako for the first time. The first impression of Komako who is clean and young, attracted him and makes him want to be affiliate with her. Their love relationship involves physical contacts, conversations, even argues.
4.2.3 Attachment Theory
Bowbly said that attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care and pleasure. Shimamura is attached to Komako because of comfort, care and pleasure that he can get with his closeness and emotional relationship with Komako. Shimamura and Komako exchange comfort, care and pleasure on their love relationship during his trips to the Snow Country.
4.2.3.1 Proximity Maintenance
Proximity maintenance can be understood as the desire to be near the people we are attached to. It can be seen from the statement in the novel that Shimamura has desire to always be near with Komako.
As it became clear to Shimamura that he had from the start wanted only this woman, and that he had taken his usual roundabout way of saying so, he began to see himself as rather repulsive and the woman as all the more beautiful (32).
Physical attraction can be considered as one factor that makes Shimamura feel comfortable to be with her. Komako’s cleanliness and the young look of her, make Shimamura feels comfortable. We can see it from Shimamura’s thought about Komako at her first appearance (18).
Share the same interest in arts, especially in Kabuki, also a factor that makes Shimamura feel comfortable to be near with Komako, and he found that Komako knew more about actors and styles than he did (19).
Komako’s manner that cares about Shimamura, he feels comfortable during his trip on the hot spring. One example that shows whether Komako cares about Shimamura is when he left his tobacco in the inn, she brought it for him, “I brought your tobacco. I went back up to your room a little while ago and found that you had gone out. ...Here.” (31).
The similarities between Shimamura and Komako, is another factor that makes Shimamura feel comfortable to be with Komako. It can be seen from what is Shimamura’s think about Komako according to the narrator.
“Her manner was as though she were talking of distant foreign literature. It occurred to Shimamura that his own distant fantasy on the occidental ballet, built up from words and photographs in foreign books, was not in its way dissimilar.” (42)
The quotation above shows that Shimamura and Komako have the same attitude in treating their interest. Shimamura is on occidental ballet, while Komako is on novels and magazines.
4.2.3.2 Safe Haven
Safe haven can be understood as returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of fear and threat. During his visit to the snow country, Shimamura feels threatened and he seeks for comfort and safety that he could get from Komako.
almost no one, he found himself longing for a companion” (19). He wants a friend to talk to, and he asked to be called a geisha to accompany him.
4.2.4 Concept of Love between Shimamura and Komako
Robert Sternberg said that liking is kind of love that reflects true friendship, in which a person feels a bondedness, a warmth, and a closeness with another but not intense passion or long-term commitment. It involves closeness and communication. It has no passion or deep commitment (315). Liking is became the first stage of love between Shimamura and Komako because it only involves intimacy. From the first meeting between Shimamura and Komako, Shimamura has begun to like Komako, but he keeps distance from Komako for her cleanliness that he is affirmed that Komako is an innocent young woman and not a geisha. He does not want an affair and only wants to be friend with her because he will fell guilty if he has an affair with a clean woman.
“But haven’t I told you it’s exactly because I want to be friends with you that I behaved so well? ...Suppose I were to go too far with you. Very probably from tomorrow I wouldn’t want to talk to you. I couldn’t stand the sight of you. I’ve had to come into the mountains to want to talk to people again, and I’ve left you alone so that I can talk to you.”
To him this woman was an amateur. His desire for a woman was not of a sort to make him want this particular woman-it was something to be taken care of lightly and with no sense of guilt. This woman was too clean. From the moment he saw her, he had separated this woman and the other in his mind (22-23).
Shimamura thinks that Komako is an amateur that would be a good companion for his wife.
Their relationship changes into infatuation when finally Komako gives herself to Shimamura at the night before he left to Tokyo the next day on his first visit to Tokyo (37). Here their relationship involves passion but shares no intimacy or commitment. From the narrator’s explanation, it can be known that Shimamura only a man that wants to fulfil his sexual desire although at first he only wants to be friend with Komako.
On his third visit, at first Shimamura takes their relationship as a client and a geisha. He gets back to the snow country only for finds sensory and sexual pleasure in Komako. It can be seen from his words asking Komako, “Aren’t you warm, though” (103). Passion overwhelms their relationship that according to Robert Sternberg that their relationship is considered as infatuation.
Eventually their relationship become romantic love since intimacy occurs in their relationship. It can be seen from narration, “They had long been apart, but what eluded his grasp when he was away from her was immediately near and familiar when he was beside her again.” (104). It shows that Shimamura begins to feel closer to Komako. The closeness feeling makes him talk to Komako like close friends. Then they spend the day together.
When he was far away, he thought incessantly of Komako; but now that he was near her, this sighing for the human skin took on a dreamy quality like the spell of the mountains. Perhaps he felt a certain security; perhaps he was at the moment too intimate, too familiar with her body. She had stayed with him the night befor. Sitting alone in the quiet, he could only wait for her. He was sure she would come without his calling. (112)
The quotations shows that Shimamura misses Komako when he is far away from her, but when he is near to her, he does not have the feeling since Komako leaves no space for him to miss her.
Shimamura’s feeling to Komako continues to change throughout the novel. It is all because of Shimamura’s inconsistence. Shimamura started to neglects Komako anymore. It can be seen from the statement that Komako complains that Shimamura does not glance back when he sees her (128). Shimamura does not have concern about Komako anymore.
Their relationship starts to decrease at the point when Shimamura accidentally reveals the way he sees Komako when he is drunk. Komako takes care of him and in her warmness, Komako treats Shimamura like a child. They were silent for some moments.
“You’re a good woman.” “How am I good?” “A good woman.”
“What an odd person.” Her face was hidden from him, as though she were rubbing her jaw against an itching shoulder. The suddenly Shimamura had no idea why, she raised herself angrily to an elbow.
“A good woman-what do you mean by that? What do you mean?” He only stared at her.
“Admit it. That’s why you came to see me. You were laughing at me. You were laughing at me after all.” (147-148)
He looked around, startled. Possibly he was tired.” (154). It also shows that probably Shimamura is tired of all his relationship with Komako. Then he begins to remember his own family.
He had stayed so long that one might wonder whether he had forgotten his wife and children. ...
And the more continuous the assault became, the more he began to wonder what was lacking in him, what kept him from living as completely. He stood gazing at his own coldness, so to speak. He could not understand how she had so lost herself. ...
And he knew that he could not go on pampering himself forever. (155)
The quotation reveals that Shimamura only enjoys the pleasure with Komako physically. Their relationship loses the intimacy an more to the client and geisha relationship.
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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter consists of two parts. The first is the conclusion of the analysis. The second part is the suggestion for further researchers on the novels as well as the suggestion for teaching-learning activities using the novel.
5.1 Conclusions
This part discusses the conclusion of the analysis in chapter 4. There are two conclusions based on the analysis of the problem formulation. It is related to the characterization of Shimamura as the main character in Kawabata’s Snow Country and also his motivation to have a love relationship with a hot-spring geisha named Komako. Shimamura plays significant role in the novel since he appears from the beginning until the end of this novel.
The first conclusion is about the characteristic of Shimamura in Kawabata’s Snow Country. The analysis of Shimamura’s characteristics is based on Murphy’s theory which present nine ways in presenting characters in a novel.
described as a person who is studies about art, especially dance and theatre, ballet and Kabuki without serious understanding about them. Even he interested with western ballet but had not seen the ballet yet. Shimamura is a selfish person. He always thinks about himself, talks as he wants to talk without thinking about Komako’s feeling. He often hurts Komako. His selfishness is because he is uncapable to love as Komako does to him. Shimamura is also inconsistent person. It can be seen from his thought, his speech, and also his reactions when he is with Komako. In a time he said that he wants to be friend with her, but in another time he treats Komako as his lover, and on the other time he ignore Komako. His inconsistent is because of his selfishness.
Shimamura attracted to, even at his first trip to the snow country. His motivations and needs makes him has a changing love relationship with Komako, which involves intimacy and passion but not commitment. That is why their relationship becomes wrecked at the end of the story as the fire tragedy happened.
5.2 Suggestions
This part is divided into two parts. The first part is recommendations for future researches in analyzing on the topic and the second is suggestions for teaching English by using literary works, in this case is Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata.
5.2.1 Suggestions for the Future Researchers
Kawabata’s Snow Country is an interesting novel to read and analyze. There are some aspects that can be studied and analyzed. This study focuses on the main character of the story, Shimamura, how he is described in the novel, and his motivations to have a love relationship with a geisha.
5.2.2 Suggestions for English Teachers
This part discusses the suggestions for teaching English, especially for teaching reading through literature. According to Brumfit, a work of literature is a work that needs author’s ability to integrate imagination and the truth of life. It is created to represent idea, imagination, thinking, and feeling to reveal the truth of life. Through literature, students learn the value of life in the text (110-111).
Reading is one of language skills that students have to master. The students should have some experiences on reading activities to broaden their knowledge of the language.
Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country is appropriate to be used as the material in a reading class. Comprehension is important in reading activities and it is important for the teacher to stimulate the students’ interest in reading the passage. The procedures of the reading activities are ordered as follows:
1. The teacher selects part of the novel.
2. The teacher discusses the topic briefly with the students. 3. The teacher gives the materials to the students.
4. The teacher asks the students to read the material
5. The teacher asks the students to define the unfamiliar or difficult words. 6. The teacher asks the students to answer the questions.
7. The teacher discusses the questions together with the students.
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REFERENCES
Abrams, M. H. 1985. A Glossary of Literature Terms. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Bowlby, J. 1969. Attachment: Attachment and Loss. London: Hogarth.
Brumfit, C. J., and Carter, R.. 1986. Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Forsters, E. M. 1974. Aspects of the Novel. London: William Clowes & Sons Ltd. Goble, F. G. 1970. The Third Force: The Psychology of Abraham Maslow. New
York: Grossman Publishers, Inc.
Holman, C. 1986. Hugh and Harmon, William. A Handbook to Literature. 5th Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Kalish. R. A. 1973. The Psychology of Human Behaviour. 3rd Edition. California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.
Kawabata, Y. 1957. Snow Country. New York: Tuttle Publishing
Maslow, A. H. 1970. Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper & Row Publisher.
Milligan, I. 1983. The Novel in English: An Introduction. London: The Macmillan Press, Ltd.
McClelland, D. C. 1985. Human Motivation. New York: Scott, Foresmand and Company.
Murphy, M . J. 1972. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and The English Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
Rohrberger, M., and Woods, S. H. 1971. Reading and Writing about Literature. New York: Random House, Inc.
Worchel, S., and Shebilske, W. 1989. Phsycology: Principles and Applications. 3rd Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Sources from the internet:
Onsen Geisha. (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php.title=OnsenGeisha, accessed on 28th August 2010)
Summary of Snow Country. (http://www4.shopping.com/favicon.ico, accessed on 18th June 2011)
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SUMMARY
Snow Country is the story of Shimamura, a ‘wealthy sophisticate’ man from Tokyo and Komako, a geisha in a small, nameless village located in the snow country of Japan, which is known as the snowiest region on Earth.
Komako and Shimamura come together at an isolated mountain hotspring. Komako is a girl who became a geisha to help pay the medical bills of a young man who is dying. He may or may not be her fiancé. Shimamura is an older, married man with a family. He is described as a dilettante, a wealthy man who lives a life of idleness. He goes to the hotspring after spending eight days in the mountains and asks for a geisha. All of the geishas, however, are busy with a celebration in the village so Shimamura ends up with Komako, a young girl who has not yet become a full-fledged geisha. Their relationship is rocky; Komako is too young, too clean but they become lovers in spite of Shimamura’s hesitancy. Komako, unlike Shimamura, throws herself into the relationship with her whole heart.
Shimamura returns more than a year later to find that Komako has become a geisha. Their relationship remains rocky. Komako seems to realize her feelings for Shimamura are pointless and she fights her desire for him. It is a losing battle and she defies tradition to spend time with Shimamura. An added complication to their relationship is Yoko, a young girl Shimamura notices on the train and
becomes fascinated with. At the end of the book, Komako has told Shimamura to leave and not
return, saying she will live a normal life if he stays away. Shimamura, who seems to care more for Komako than he wants to or is comfortable with, is on the verge of leaving when a tragedy occurs in the village. The tragedy serves as a final ending for their relationship, but the relationship was in a dying stage almost from its beginning.
BIOGRAPHY OF YASUNARI KAWABATA
Yasunari Kawabata was the first Japanese author to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was born in Osaka in 1899 into a prosperous and cultured family. In 1920, he started his literature studies at Tokyo Imperial University and graduated in 1924. Kawabata gained his first success in 1925 with the novel Izu No Odoriko (The Izu Dancer), followed in 1961 with his Nemureru Bijo (The House of Sleeping Beauty), and the short novel Tanpopo (Dandelion).
After his marriage, in 1931 Kawabata settled in the ancient samurai capital of Kamakura, north of Tokyo. In 1954, appeared his work entitled
Yama No Oto (The Sounds of the Mountains).
II is Yukiguni (Snow Country) that is finished in 1984. Later, Senbazuru
(Thousand Cranes) appeared in 1952, then (The Tales of Genji),
Utsukushisa to Kanashimi to (Beauty and Sadness) in 1965, and Meijin
(The Master of Go) in 1972.
LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING INTENSIVE READING
__________________________________________________________________
Subject : Intensive Reading II
Meeting : 1 meeting
Topic : Reading literary text (material is taken from the novel Snow Country)
Semester : II of English Language Education Study Program
Time Allocation : 2 x 50’
I. General Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, the students are able to apply basic reading strategies to understand the story ant to expand vocabulary mastery.
II. Specific Instructional Objectives
At the end of the course, the students are able to:
1. Scan certain specific information in the story.
2. Answer inferential questions about the story.
3. Retell the story using students’ own words.
III. Material and Media
Material : The novel Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata
Media : Handout and dictionary
IV.Teaching Learning Activities
1. Pre-Reading Activities
1.1 The teacher asks pre-reading questions related to the topic of the study.
2. While-Reading Activities
2.1 The teacher asks the students to scan the reading passage.
2.2 The finds unfamiliar words in the reading passage using the dictionary
2.3 The students answer the questions given by the teacher as guidance in a group of three.
2.4 The students retell the story by using their own words.
3. Post-Reading Activities
The teacher and the students discuss the answer together. The teacher also asks the difficulties that the students face when they are reading the passage.
V. Source:
TEACHING MATERIAL
I. Define the meaning of the words below based on the context of the passage!
1. Occidental (page 91, line 10)
2. Geisha (page 92, line 2)
3. Mistress (page 99, line 4)
II. Answer these following questions!
1. What is the story about?
………
2. Who is Shimamura?
………
3. Who is Komako?
………
4. What is Komako’s profession?
………
5. What is on the Fourteenth of February?
………
III. Discuss the answer of the following questions in a group of three!
1. Describe the character(s) of Shimamura and give your reason!
2. Describe the character(s) of Komako and give your reason!
……… ……… ………
3. In your opinion, what kind of the relationship between Shimamura and Komako is?
……… ……… ………
IV. Retell the passage in your own words!
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