THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF
THE CHINESE-AMERICANS’ LIFE FOUND IN AMY TAN’S
NOVEL
THE JOY LUCK
CLUB
A THESIS
by
MAY ARIANI SUSILO
Student Number : 99.80.0111
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
A THESIS ON
THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF
THE CHINESE-AMERICANS’ LIFE FOUND IN AMY TAN’S
NOVEL THE JOY LUCK CLUB
by
May Ariani Susilo Student Number: 99.80.0111
Approved by,
Dra. Ekawati M. Dukut, M. Hum. June 12, 2004 Major sponsor
A thesis defended in front of the Board of Examiners on
June 12, 2004 and declared acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Chair person : Dra. Ekawati M. Dukut, M.Hum. ….…………..
Secretary : Dra. MFY. Liza Dwi Ardhiyanti, M.Hum ………
Member : Dra. R.M. Sri Suryaningsih, M.A. ………
Semarang, June 12, 2004
Faculty of Letters
SoegijapranataCatholic University Dean,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to praise God the Almighty, Jesus Christ
and mother Mary, who have helped me to finish this thesis. I would also like to
express my sincerest gratitude to everyone who have helped me in finishing this
thesis, they are:
1. Dra.Ekawati M.Dukut M.Hum, as my major sponsor who has guided and
given me suggestions and Dra. MFY. Liza Dwi Ardhiyanti M. Hum, my
co-sponsor who has corrected my thesis carefully and provides great guidance to
me patiently.
2. My parents, my brother, Andy, my sister, Ina, my brother in law, Thomas, and
also little Vicky who always give me love and support and never forget to
pray for me.
3. My best friends, Yuli, Titik, Indra, Nancy, and Sun-tea, who have shared
ideas, happiness and sadness. Johan and Kris who have given me motivation
when I almost gave up.
4. All lecturers of the English Department, Faculty of Letters, Soegijapranata
Catholic University who have helped me to increase my knowledge.
5. For all of my friends in the Faculty of Letters 99 and my KKN friends,
Donorojo 3 and 4, who have given me the very best time in my life.
I was nothing without you all….I appreciate everybody’s help but
ABSTRACT
The Joy Luck Club is a story about Chinese Immigrant in America in 1950’s-1980’s. The mothers’ characters, Su Yuan Woo, An Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong and Ying-ying St. Clair once live in China and immigrate to America, while their daughters, Waverly, Lena, June and Rose, grow and live in American circumstances. The mothers, who are born in China, once experience a hard time. They have a Chinese traditional thinking which makes them sometimes difficult to adapt themselves in the American’s way of life. The daughters are born and grow in America. They have the American’s way of thinking. So, the daughters often have a difficulty in understanding their mothers. This condition makes them see their mothers as old fashioned; even one of them once thinks that her mother is crazy.
ABSTRACT
The Joy Luck Club is a story about Chinese Immigrant in America in 1950’s -1980’s. The mothers’ characters, Su Yuan Woo, An Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong and Ying-ying St. Clair once live in China and immigrate to America, while their daughters, Waverly, Lena, June and Rose, grow and live in American circumstances. The mothers, who are born in China, once experience a hard time. They have a Chinese traditional thinking which makes them sometimes difficult to adapt themselves in the American’s way of life. The daughters are born and grow in America. They have the American’s way of thinking. So, the daughters often have a difficulty in understanding their mothers. This condition makes them see their mothers as old fashioned; even one of them once thinks that her mother is crazy.
ABSTRAK
The Joy Luck Club adalah sebuah cerita tentang imigran Cina di Amerika pada tahun 1950 sampai dengan tahun1980 an. Karakter para ibu, Su Yuan Woo, An Mei Hsu, Lindo Jong dan Ying-ying St. Clair pernah tinggal di Cina dan pindah ke Amerika, sementara putri-putri mereka, Waverly, Lena, June dan Rose tumbuh dan hidup dalam lingkungan Amerika. Para ibu yang lahir di Cina pernah mengalami saat yang sulit. Mereka mempunyai cara berpikir tradisional Cina. Hal ini membuat mereka kadang-kadang mendapat kesulitan dalam menyesuaikan diri dengan cara hidup Amerika. Sementara putri-putri mereka lahir dan tumbuh di Amerika. Mereka memiliki pola berpikir Amerika. Anak-anak perempuan tersebut sering mendapat kesulitan dalam memahami ibu mereka. Hal ini membuat mereka memandang ibu sebagai sosok yang kuno, bahkan ada diantara mereka yang berpikir bahwa ibunya gila.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES OF TITLE……… i
PAGES OF APPROVAL……….……. ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT………..………….. v
TABLE OF CONTENTS……….……. vi
ABSTRACT……….. viii
ABSTRAK………. ix
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study……….………. 1
1.2 Scope of the Study……….………... 6
1.3 Problem Formulation……….………... 6
1.4 Objectives of the Study……….……… 6
1.5 Significance of the Study……….………. 7
1.6 Definitions of Terms……….……… 7
CHAPTER II. LITERARY REVIEW……….………... 9
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……….………. 16
CHAPTER IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4.1 Chinese American and their Difficulties in 1950’s -1980’s……….…… …. 20
4.1.1 Internal Problems………..…………... 21
4.1.1.1 Cultural Conflict……… 21
4.1.1.2 Generation Gap……….……. 34
4.2 The Actions of the Chinese American to Overcome their Problems…..….. 38
4.2.1 The Chinese Immigrants’ way to Overcome the Internal Problems.… 38
4.2.2 The Chinese Immigrants’ way to Overcome the External Problems.... 40
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION……… 42
BIBLIOGRAPHY……… ……… 44
APPENDICES………. 47
