OPPRESSION AND RACISM TOWARD BLACK AMERICAN
IN
“12 YEARS A SLAVE”
MOVIE
A THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
By:
SWI IDAYATI SIMANJUNTAK
Registration Number. 2112220018
ENGLISH AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS
DECLARATION
I have accepted myself with the university’s policy on academic integrity.
Except where appropriately acknowledge, this thesis is my own work, has been
expressed in my own words and has not previously been submitted for
assessment.
I understand that this paper may be screened electronically or otherwise
for plagiarism.
Medan, August 2015
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ who made everything is beautiful on His right
time. First of all, the writer expresses her best gratitude to the Almighty God,
Jesus Christ for giving the writer blessings, endless love and mercy especially in the process of accomplishing this thesis. In accomplishing this thesis, the writer Meisuri, M.A., the Secretary of English Department and as her Academic Advisor.
Syamsul Bahri, S.S., M.Hum., the Head of English Literature Department and Nora Ronita Dewi, S.S, M.Hum., the Head of English
Education Department.
Dr. Sri Minda Murni, M.S., her Thesis Advisor.
Dr. Muhammad Natsir, M. Hum and Drs. Lidiman Sahat Martua Sinaga, M. Hum., her Reviewers of this thesis.
All Lecturers and staffs of English Department who taught, helped and given contribution of knowledge, advices, guidance and providing the
academic administration during her academic years in English
Department.
Special thanks to her greatest Parent, T. Simanjuntak and T. Siregar for always supporting the writer through affection, warm telephone
calling, financial, for making sure the writer to see the world from the
other side and the most for always reminding her how important the
iii
Her dearest Brothers Dody S. Simanjuntak/ Ledy L. Samosir, Hokkop I. Simanjuntak/ Selly M. Siregar, and Christopel Simanjuntak, S. Si for always being her guardian angels along the writer’s life and especially her little lights Zefanya Stephany Simanjuntak and Eben Estomihi
Simanjuntak for making her life brighter through their innocent faces and lovely laughter.
Her beloved mattes “3 Idiots” Elsabat Lumbantoruan and Marta Lumbanbatu for every silly deeds, warm hugs, innocent laughter and sorrows had been through along 4 years. Thank you for the promises to see “3 Idiots” on the Top.
Her second shelters Eklesia Choir, UKMPKP UNIMED, UKMKP UP FBS for every prayers sent realizing her that friendship is never death, especially her sister K’Desy A and Jelita.
All friends in English Literature A and B especially “Three Miss Getir” Dinda, Juli for looking up every moments to come back for fighting and also David, Marta, Septia and Juni who used to save her life.
Her boarding home’s mattes Mega, Junita, Patris for sharing nightmares and silly laughter along accomplishing each thesis and also Titin, Etha,
Rohany, Sinta, Rimma and Desy and her beloved grandma D. Tampubolon.
Without their deep and sympathetic understanding, this thesis could not
complete. Over all, the writer hopes this thesis can give a bit contribution to
English Department. Therefore, comments, critics, suggestions and advices are
expected from the readers.
Medan, August 2015 The Writer
i ABSTRACT
Simanjuntak, Swi Idayati. 2015. Oppression and Racism toward Black American in “12 Years a Slave” Movie. A Thesis. English and Literature Department. Faculty of Languages and Arts. State University of Medan. The study deals with those oppressions faced by Black American in “12 Years a Slave” movie and what resistances they showed toward those oppressions. The objectives of the study are to describe the oppressions faced by the two main characters – Platt and Patsey and to explain the resistances they shown in “12 Years a Slave” Movie. This research focuses the study merely on oppression faced by two main characters; they were Salomon Northup or Platt and Patsey. This research was conducted by using descriptive qualitative design and limited on two of main characters. The data analysis result was found five kinds of oppressions faced by black American in this film, those were: exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, culture imperialism and violence. The resistances shown by American toward those oppressions were revolt, radicalism, asking for help and religion or spirituality. The issue of racism with oppression had been the crucial issue since long time ago which could not be denied that until nowadays the issue of racism is still happening though without oppression. The stigma of Black was being inferior and white was being superior had driven mind into the destruction of race relationship between Black and White. However, in this film we could see how badly the oppression faced by black American and how they struggled for fighting toward those oppressions.
iv
E. The Significance of Study ... 8
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ... 9
A. Literature ... 9
B. Literature Reflected in The Movies ... 11
C. Racism in the United States ... 13
D. History of Slavery in the United States ... 17
E. Oppression ... 21
G. Black Resistances toward Oppression ... 28
H. Introduction to Movie ... 28
1. Action ... 29
2. Adventure ... 29
3. Comedies ... 29
v
CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHOD ... 38
A. Research Design ... 38
B. The Source of Data... 38
C. The Techniques of Collecting Data... 38
D. The Techniques of Analyzing Data... 39
CHAPTER IV. DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS ... 40
A. The Data ... 40
B. The Data Analysis ... 40
1. Oppression faced Black American ... 40
a. Exploitation ... 41
b. Marginalization ... 45
c. Powerlessness ... 47
d. Culture Imperialism ... 54
e. Violence ... 55
2. Resistances shown by Black American ... 58
a. Revolts ... 58
b. Radicalism ... 61
c. Asking for the help ... 62
d. Religion or Spirituality ... 64
C. Research Findings ... 66
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ... 67
A. Conclusion ... 67
vi
vii
LIST OF APPENDICES
Pages
APPENDIX A ... 73
APPENDIX B ... 80
APPENDIX C ... 93
1
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. The Background of Study
Along the history of America, this country is well known as a diversity
country which the societies come from those immigrants spread everywhere.
Every immigrant such as Blacks, Latinos, and Asians could be found in America
as the result of the immigrations (Mahfouz, 2013: 1). Back to the history of
America, undoubtedly America has many histories and timelines which showed
how actually a change appeared from the dark history into the brighter ones. One
of the major issues which developed in America was slavery related to racism.
It was obviously known that slavery and racism had been major issues in
America even all over the world. Slavery was the impact of social injustice which
spread because of color differences. The Oxford English Dictionary indicated that
before the sixteenth century black meant “soil, dirty, foul … atrocious, horrible,
and wicked.” To the first Europeans who explored Africa and encountered blacks
the difference of color made a profound impression and, in the long run, skin
color defined the relationship between blacks and whites (Dinnesrtein, 1990: 17).
This indicated that there was a stigma spread that some groups claimed the
genetic factors are the primary determinant to decide someone‟s trait such Whites
felt superior toward „colored skins‟ and the colored skins were forced to think that
they were inferior towards Whites. Many Blacks, Latinos, and Asians experienced
disrespectful treatments, poor service, prejudiced comments, encounter with
2
people who are suspicious of them because of their ethnicity or color
(Williams, 2004: 17).
Although America is well known as multicultural country, but it could not be
denied that those immigrants not only came from Europe and Asians but also but
surely also were forcibly slaves from Africa and Native Americans. This made
that there was a significant situation of how American was called as representative
of democratic country and unfortunately the history‟s note of darkest racial
discrimination related to slavery which had long history and stood as a serious
social problem ever existed.
Racism which was categorized as serious social problem could happen
wherever since it related to life. Life has many elements and differences in terms
of biological concept. Life also cannot be separated from human and human
rights, right for having prosperity, right for living as what humans did, and right
for being admitted as the same of God‟s creation. Even though slavery which
related to racism did not happen in Indonesia but those who called as human
everywhere need to learn how to appreciate the differences in terms of culture,
religion, ideology, life style and biological differences. Indonesian should learn
from the past Tragedy of Ambon „Religious Intolerance‟ in 1990 which was the
most dangerous and sensitive tragedy in Indonesia since the differences of
religion. Tragedy of Ambon gave much more harm to those societies physically
and mentally even based on the source approximately 600-700 people died on that
3
Looking back at the history of racism which ever happened in Indonesia,
those societies really need to learn much about sensitive case included religion,
ethnic, ideology and biological differences. Indonesian also were hoped to be
wiser living on this multicultural country. This research hoped can give impact to
those societies especially university students as the young generations to keep
respect on those differences since no matter who they are, where they came from,
what blood types they are, what colors their skins are, what religion they are, the
matter is all human are definitely same of God‟s creation. Moreover, differences
are power.
Nowadays there were some movies published which told about slavery and
racism, one of them was “12 Years a Slave”. “12 Years a Slave” is a 2013 period
drama film and an adaptation of the 1853 slave narrative memoir Twelve Years a
Slave by Salomon Northup, a New York Sate-born free African-American who
was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841 and sold into slavery. This movie
was based on true story about how actually life of Salomon Northup who was one
of slaves and how he struggled to be free from enslavement. This film was
directed by Steve McQueen and the screenplay was written by John Ridley.
Salomon Northup was a New York State-born free African American who
was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., and sold into slavery in 1841 and rescued in
1853. By the time of experiences being a slave, in 1855 he wrote his life
4
His life experiences being slave written by him was recognized as Slave
Narrative and being the part of African-American Literature. In his slave narrative
Twelve Years a Slave, Salomon Northup wrote that the aim of publishing its book
was to tell all over the world either being slave or free-man how was actually life
of being slaves in Whites‟ plantations, what kinds of oppressions he faced and
how he struggled for finally getting free (Northup, 1855: 2).
By the time, finally an African director Steve McQueen cooperated with
screenwriter John Ridley decided to adapt the slave narrative into a movie in
purpose of the world broadly could see how actually the slavery happened and
how bad it was. As long as the process of making its movie, principal
photography takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana from 27 June to 13 August
2013 and released on 30 August 2013. The locations used were four historic
antebellum plantations: Felicity, Bocage, Destrehan and Magnolia.
“12 Years a Slave” received widespread critical acclaim, and was named the
best film of 2013 by several media outlets. The film won three Academy Awards:
Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Nyong‟o starred as Patsey and Best
Adapted Screenplay for Ridley. The Best Picture winning made McQueen the first
black producer ever to have received the award and the first black director to have
directed a Best Picture Winner. The film was awarded The Golden Globe Award,
5
Some researchers actually had studied topics related to racism and oppression
with the different results. Aydemir (2012) studied about the suffering of Black
Women in life experiences and in black community through four different novels.
The novels analyzed were The Color Purple, Meridian, Beloved and Bluest Eye.
Aydemir found that the oppressions faced by the characters were being rape,
incest, physical abuse, discrimination color, and violence not only from whites but
also from black man. This research was different from the research above since
the writer used the different theory of oppression and also the writer focused on
describing oppression faced in slavery and the most important one, the writer also
explained what resistances were shown by the two main characters – Platt and
Patsey – do for deciding their fate whether finally getting free or not which
obviously could not be found in the research above.
Chegeni (2013) also did a research related to the topic; he studied about
modern Feminist Movement through Toni Morrison‟s novel “Sula”. This research
focused on explaining how black women suffered from multiple oppressions by
being black and women at the same time. This research was concerned the
depiction of black women‟s marginalization and oppression and represents the
various levels of women‟s oppression in South Africa and America and to resist
against such a patriarchal society to achieve self awareness and
self-empowerment. This research was different from Chegeni‟s since he much more
6
Similar with the two researches above, Zarrinjooee (2014) also did the
research; he studied Nanny, Leafy and Jeanie as the main characters that faced
double oppression not only from black men but also white men. He focused on the
way of Black women in Zora Hurston‟s Their Eyes were watching God (1937)
were oppressed and suppressed through the process of colonization and the
dominant practices in the male-dominated African culture brought to America by
the slaves. The result of this research was black women especially the character of
Nanny, Leafy and Janie in this novel faced the harsh reality of being exploited
both in terms of their gender and their race. White men thought of them as objects
of watching sexual enjoyment; white men had no respect for their identity as a
black woman or as a woman. Being a black woman made Nanny and Leafy an
easy target for being raped. His research much more related to this research but
still had the differences on the theory and also the resistances shown towards the
oppression faced.
Therefore, those explanations above became the reasons why the writer chose
its film or movie and topic of oppression related to racism became the center of
this analysis. Showing the readers about how actually the slavery happened, what
kinds of oppression the slaves got and how racism influenced blacks could be
7
B. The Problems of Study
The problems of this thesis focused on oppression as displayed in “12 Years a
Slave” movie especially on two main characters. The problems were analyzed
based on Young‟s theory (1990). The problems of this study were formulated as
followed:
1. What oppressions were faced by the two main characters – Platt and
Patsey –in “12 Years a Slave” movie?
2. What resistances did they show toward its oppression?
C. The Objectives of the Study The objectives of the study were:
1. To describe the oppressions faced by the two main characters – Platt and
Patsey –in “12 Years a Slave” movie
2. To explain the resistances were shown toward its oppression.
D. The Scope of the Study
In doing this research, the writer limited the discussion on the oppressions
which were faced by the two main characters and those resistances shown by the
two main characters toward those oppressions which happened in “12 Years a
Slave” movie. The writer focused on two main characters – Platt and Patsey – and
8
E. The Significances of the Study
The writer hoped the result of the research would be advantageously to her
specifically and reader generally, in order to know how bad the oppressions
toward blacks of the racism in America.
In addition, the writer hoped that this research gave more or less contribution
especially for English and Literature Department State University of Medan.
Many things could be found in this research that oppression towards racism was
one of social problem ever existed. The last, the writer hoped the result of this
67
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
After analyzing this film, finally writer went to the conclusions that presented
as follows:
1. The five types of oppressions were occurred in “12 Years a Slave” Movie.
They are powerlessness, exploitation, marginalization, culture imperialism
and violence.
2. The slaves also fought for resisting. There were four resistances were
shown toward the oppressions. They are revolt, radicalism, asking for help
and religion.
3. Racism which guided into slavery had big impact either for the slaves or
white Americans. This could be concluded that the main reason why this
issued happened because the stigma which spread quickly and got worse
day by day. Slavery could happen to everybody who was racist since it did
not recognize the place, condition or human rights. It also could not be
denied that racism brought into the destruction to the harmonization of
human. It created some sides of being inferior and the other side of being
superior.
4. As what Salomon experienced in his true story made us aware that there
was still a light for finally getting free from racist deed around us. It also
encouraged us to be braver to open our mouth and mind if it was not true
or fail. Even though so, if someone who really wanted to keep the justice
68
5. it would be even it did. Salomon who never gave up for defending his
position finally being brave to mount his strength which finally got his
justice.
B. Suggestion
There are several suggestions could offer to the readers, which are:
1. Racism which was happened because of skin color could not be a measure
to decide someone’s trait. People should not judge someone because of
skin color since no one could decide and prove color differences the
certain decision to become human. All human are same as God’s creation.
2. Those who ever experienced racism should not let the oppressor ruin their
mind, they should be brave to open up their mind, keep their head up
against those oppression. They should believe there was still light for
finally getting free, the only thing need just being brave. Not to mention
Salomon who never gave up and finally got his freedom after 12 years.
3. Racism issue was quite important to study since it would enlarge
someone’s mind about being racist and judged someone upon it.
Everybody should be aware to this global issue.
4. As in Indonesia as multicultural country needed to learn more how to unite
in those diversity. Indonesia should create an awareness and openness to
those differences. This also would be a reminder for Indonesia which ever
69
5. Other researchers are suggested to make a more depth analysis of racism in other objects.
6. The last, differences are power.
70
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