An Analysis of Black American's Social Problems as Reflected in Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin

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AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS

REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES_{BY JAMES BALDWIN}

A THESIS

BY

ROMINA TINAMBUNAN

REG. NO. 100705021

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN 2014

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AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS

REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES_{BY JAMES BALDWIN}

A THESIS

BY

ROMINA TINAMBUNAN

REG. NO. 100705021

SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR

(Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S ) (Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum)

NIP. 19521229 197903 2 001 NIP. 19630216 198903 1 003

Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara Medan

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of SarjanaSastra from

Departmen of English

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES

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Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University

of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination.

Head, Secretary,

( Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS ) (Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, MA. PhD)

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Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for

the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of

Cultural Studies University of Sumatera Utara, Medan.

The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies

University of Sumatera Utara on Saturday April, 19 2014

Dean of Faculty Cultural Studies

University of Sumatera Utara

Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, MA

NIP. 19511013 197603 1 001

Board of Examiners (Signature)

Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS ( )

Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, MA. PhD ( )

Dra. Redita Lubis, Dip. Appl. Ling,M.Hum. ( )

Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S ( )

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AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I ROMINA TINAMBUNAN DECLARES THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR

OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT

OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED

ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A

THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR, OR AWARDED ANOTHER

DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT

DUE ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS

THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER

DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.

Signed :

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COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

NAME : ROMINA TINAMBUNAN

TITLE OF THESIS : AN ANALYSIS OF BLACK AMERICAN’S SOCIAL

PROBLEMS AS REFLECTED IN SONNY’S BLUES_BY

JAMES BALDWIN

QUALIFICATION : S-1/SARJANA SASTRA

DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH

I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR

REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES,

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT

USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW

OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.

Signed :

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to thank and praise to the Almighty God, Jesus Christ

for His blessing and mercy so that I can complete this thesis as one of the

requirements to get Scholar Certificate in English Department, Faculty of Cultural

Studies, University of Sumatera Utara.

From the beginning of my study until completing this thesis, I have got much

help, guide and direct or indirect supports from many parties. On this occasion, I

would like to express my sincere gratitude to those parting namely:

1. The Dean of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. H. Syahron

Lubis, MA who has authority in my academic years of learning.

2. Dr. H. Muhizar Muchtar, MS the Head of English Department who has helped

me with her leadership to finish my study and for Mr Rahmadsyah Rangkuti,

MA. PhD as the secretary of faculty.

3. Dra. Martha Pardede, M.S., as my supervisor and Drs. Parlindungan Purba,

M.Hum, my co-supervisor, thank you for all the time, guidance, suggestions,

effort, knowledge and corrections that is given to me in doing this thesis so I

can complete it well. They have given me so much knowledge and made me

find so much pleasure in doing this thesis. I would also thank all my lectures

of Faculty Letters, University of Sumatera Utara

4. My hearties and deepest gratitude is due to my beloved parents, B.

Tinambunan and L. Hasugian, who always give me love, care, support and

their patience to help me in the life. Thank you for your offering prayers to

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5. My huge thanks for my beloved brother Marhon Sarmono Tinambunan ST

without you I will not be like this, all your support, your struggle I will always

remember. I also want to say thanks alot to my sister N. R Tinambunan,

Sarihon Tinambunan, who always give me love, affection and care. To my

beloved brother E. Tinambunan and Pirhot Tinambunan thanks for your

support. I love you all.

6. My brother, my sister and my friends in my Small Group Gema juita

Simare-mare, Uli Artha Simanungkalit, Kristin Novia and Grace Sibarani who always

give me love and care, and also for K’Dortama, B’Bona and K’Ida.

7. My special thank to all my friends who always give me spirit and advice and

have become my best friends from my first day to the time when I finish my

study at Faculty of Letters especially for NERO...

8. I would like to thank to my friends in Coordinate of UKM KMK USU UP FIB

University of Sumatera Utara, thanks for many precious experiences that I can

get with you all and thank’s for all your pray sista and brother. I will

remember you all.

Finally I realize that this thesis is still far from being perfect and I welcome

constructive criticism and suggestion.

Medan, 19 April 2014

The writer

Romina Tinambunan

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ABSTRACT

The thesis is entitled ‘An Analysis of Black American’s Social Problems as reflected in Sonny’s Blues By James Baldwin.’ This thesis is an analysis of social problems which are faced by Black American who live in America, especially the people who live in Harlem and the impact of those social problems. The social problems which are discussed in this thesis are race discrimination, poverty, alcholism, criminality, and drug addict. The purposes of this thesis are to analyze and to provide that the life of Sony’s family in Sonny’s Blues short story is the symbol of Black American’s social problem. The method that is applied is descriptive qualitative method and the theory that is applied is sociology of literature. Based on this research, there is found that the life of Sonny in Sonny’s Blues is the symbol of social problems which are faced by Black American, especially the people who live in Harlem.

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ABSTRAK

Judul skripsi ini adalah An Analysis of Black American’s Social Problems as reflected in Sonny’s Blues By James Baldwin. Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang masalah-masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh orang-orang kulit hitam yang tinggal di Amerika, khususnya mereka yang tinggal di Harlem serta dampak dari masalah sosial tersebut. Masalah sosial yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini mencakup diskriminasi sosial, kemiskinan, alkoholisme, kriminalitas dan kecanduan narkoba. Adapun tujuan dari penulisan skripsi ini adalah untuk menganalisa dan membuktikan bahwa kehidupan keluarga Sonny dalam cerita pendek Sonny’s Blues adalah perlambangan masalah-masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh orang hitam di Amerika terkhusus orang-orang yang tinggal di Harlem. Metode yang digunakan dalam penulisan skripsi ini adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif dan teori yang digunakan adalah teori sosiologi sastra. Dari pembahasan ini ditemukan bahwa memang benar kehidupan keluarga Sonny dalam cerita pendek Sonny’s Blues adalah perlambangan dari masalah-masalah sosial yang dihadapi oleh kulit hitam yang hidup di Amerika khususnya orang-orang yang tinggal di Harlem.

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An Analysis of Black American's Social Problems as Reflected in Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRAK

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