RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
EXPERIENCED BY THE AFRICAN AMERICANS
AS REFLECTED I
N LANGSTON HUGHES’ POEMS
MERRY-GO-ROUND AND CHILDREN’S RHYMES
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Adrian Bayuaji Wicaksono Student Number: 081214119
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
i
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
EXPERIENCED BY THE AFRICAN AMERICANS
AS REFLECTED IN LANGSTON HUGHES’ POEMS
MERRY-GO-ROUND AND
CHILDREN’S RHYME
S
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Adrian Bayuaji Wicaksono Student Number: 081214119
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
iv
“Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or
defeat is in the hands of the Gods. So let us
celebrate the struggle!”
(Stevie Wonder)
“There is in this world no such force as the force of
a person determined to rise. The human soul
cannot be permanently chained.”
(W.E.B. Dubois)
“
Believe me, the reward is not so great without the
struggle.
”
(Wilma Rudolph)
DEDICATED TO:
MYSELF
vii ABSTRACT
Wicaksono, Adrian Bayuaji. (2014). Racial Discrimination Experienced by The African Americans as Reflected in Langston Hughes’ Poems Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education. Sanata Dharma University.
This research discussed Langston Hughes’ poems Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. Those poems were selected based on the hypothesis that they would give a clear reflection of African Americans’ struggle. There was one
question to answer in this study: “How is racial discrimination against African
Americans depicted in Langston Hughes’ Merry-Go-Round and Children’s
Rhymes?”
In order to find the answer to the question above, I implemented socio-cultural historical approach. This approach helped me analyze the cultural and social content of the literary works. I also applied library research in conducting the study. There were two data sources contained in this thesis, primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were the two poems written by Langston Hughes, Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. The secondary resources were gathered from definition of racism, definition of racial discrimination, types of discrimination, definition of Jim Crow, and historical review of The United States between 1920s and 1960s.
After understanding and analyzing the poems, I concluded that both poems depicted racial discrimination experienced by African Americans. Based on the theory on types of racial discrimination, the first poem, Merry-Go-Round depicted that African Americans experienced segregation, denial, and institutional discrimination in their daily lives. They were not equally treated. They were not allowed to get the same public facilities as the White Americans. Those discriminatory actions were supported by a series of law namely Jim Crow system. Meanwhile, Children’s Rhymes depicted that African Americans experienced denial. African Americans were denied to get jobs. They were not given their freedom of life, liberty and justice as the citizens of The United States. Another conclusion that could be drawn from the both poems was that the racial discrimination was deeply ingrained in the mind of African American kids. They often judge themselves as second-class citizens.
In the last part, I gave suggestions to future researchers and English teachers. For future researchers I suggested them to conduct a deeper study focusing on the relation between the writer, Langston Hughes and the poems, Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes by using biographical approach. In addition, I suggested English teachers to use both poems as teaching materials for reading activity.
viii
ABSTRAK
Wicaksono, Adrian Bayuaji. (2014). Racial Discrimination Experienced by The African Americans as Reflected in Langston Hughes’ Poems Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan. Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Penelitian ini membahas dua puisi karya Langston Hughes yang berjudul Merry-Go-Round dan Children’s Rhymes. Kedua puisi tersebut dipilih berdasarkan anggapan bahwa keduanya bisa memberikan cerminan atas perjuangan orang-orang Afrika Amerika. Rumusan masalah dari penelitian ini adalah “Bagaimanakah diskriminasi berdasarkan ras terhadap orang-orang Afrika Amerika digambarkan dalam puisi-puisi Langston Hughes yang berjudul Merry-Go-Round dan Children’s Rhymes?”
Untuk menjawab pertanyaan tersebut, saya menggunakan pendekatan sosial-budaya dan sejarah. Pendekatan ini membantu saya menganalisa hal yang berifat budaya dan sosial dari karya-karya sastra tersebut. Saya juga menggunakan studi pustaka sebagai dasar dari skripsi ini. Terdapat dua sumber data dalam skripsi ini, yaitu sumber utama dan sekunder. Sumber utamanya adalah kedua puisi
karya Langston Hughes, yaitu Merry-Go-Round dan Children’s Rhymes. Adapun
data-data pendukung diambil dari pengertian dari rasisme, pengertian dari diskriminasi berdasarkan ras, tipe-tipe diskriminasi berdasarkan ras, pengertian dari Jim Crow, dan kajian sejarah Amerika Serikat tahun 1920an sampai 1960an. Setelah memahami dan menganalisa kedua puisi tersebut, saya menyimpulkan berdasarkan pada teori tentang tipe-tipe diskriminasi berdasarkan ras, bahwa Merry-Go-Round menggambarkan orang-orang Afrika Amerika mengalami segregasi, penolakan, dan diskriminasi institusional di kehidupan sehari-hari. Mereka diperlakukan secara berbeda. Mereka mendapat kendaraan umum yang berbeda dari orang-orang kulit putih. Tindakan-tindakan diskriminasi tersebut didukung dengan peraturan-peraturan yang disebut dengan sistem Jim Crow.
Sementara itu, Children’s Rhymes menggambarkan bahwa kaum Afrika Amerika
mengalami penolakan. Mereka dipersulit untuk mendapat pekerjaan. Kebebasan akan hidup, kemerdekaan, serta keadilan sebagai warga negara Amerika Serikat tidak mereka dapatkan. Kesimpulan lainnya yang dapat diambil dari kedua puisi tersebut adalah bahwa diskiminasi berdasarkan ras sudah tertanam dengan dalam di fikiran anak-anak Afrika Amerika. Mereka cenderung menilai diri mereka sebagai warga negara kelas dua.
Di bagian terakhir saya memberi saran untuk peneliti-peneliti yang akan datang dan guru-guru Bahasa Inggris. Untuk peneliti-peneliti yang akan datang, saya menyarankan mereka untuk meneliti lebih lanjut hubungan Langston Hughes dan Merry-Go-Round serta Children’s Rhymes dengan menggunakan pendekatan riwayat hidup. Selain itu, untuk guru-guru Bahasa Inggris saya menyarankan mereka untuk menggunakan kedua puisi tersebut sebagai materi ajar untuk kegiatan membaca.
ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to all people who spared their time,
energy, and ideas in helping me finish my thesis.
I praise the Lord, Jesus Christ, for everything. His existence, help, and love
give me strength to live my life, guide me through the hard life. Through His
blessing I become stronger.
My greatest thanks go to my mother, Nyayu Zubaidah, and my father,
Indarto Banu Suprasto, S.Pd., who always push me and support me in my hard time. Their motivations, in many ways, strengthen me. I also thank my brothers,
Henrik Dimas Ardi Wibowo and Stevanus Angga Wisnu Jatmiko, for their support and cheers so that I could finish this last exercise in college. I love them.
My deepest gratitude goes to my sponsor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., who was willing to guide me in my effort to finish my thesis. I really thank her for
her time, energy, ideas spent to criticize my thesis. Without her help, I bet this
thesis would have never been done. Also, I would like to thank Sanata Dharma
University, all the lecturers in the English Language Education Study Program, all the staff, Mbak Daniek, Mbak Tari. I thank all of them for these years. I have learned many things here. To be honest, if I insisted my ego several
semesters ago, I would have been gone from this great university. I love them all.
There is a name that I could not leave behind although I have not seen her
again until now, Aprilia Rejeki Saraswati. Wherever she is now, I thank her for
the time we spent together. Every fight, every tear, every laugh, every hug, I am
x
I deeply thank Bulik Paulina Hastin Kingkinarti, Om Stephanus Andreas
Widyohantoro, Mbak Francisca Imas Soraya for helping me check the language for my thesis. I would also like to thank my buddies Berlin Adi, Saka Laksmana, Michael Dhani, Vinsensius Rengga, Yakobus Dewantoro, Mahatma Primandaru, Margareta Mia, Bella Stasia, Adreana Pritha and Carolina Karisa who accompanied me in difficult and joyful moments in college. Then I also thank my high school friends, Adriana Nur Widiaswara, Bernadetta Lisa, Faradina Samanthi, Muhammad Hendra Setiawan, Gentur Swandoyo Putro, Rochmad Sulistyawan, Anwar Tri Wibowo for the time we spent together. I thank my library-mates, Tunggul, Ayon, Aldhy, Anggi Kristiawan, Liece, Ega, Yogis, Bayu Pamungkas, Rosi, and also Cahyo
Ketchup, Indriyanto Amink, Sasongko Sisak, Paskalis, Bayu Setiawan, Adit, Indra, Budi, Niko, Bang Grandil. Then my idol and inspiration Nattasha Nauljam in Thailand, also Mbak Kania, Erna, Mas Guntur, Nong Sirikanda
Sakulpimolrat, Nong Phatranit Meuansingh, for our memories in Thailand. I would also like to thank YGP Crews; Agung, Mbak Sri, Ikhsan, Shombet, Okta, Mas Nto, and all fellas I cannot mention one by one here. My days would not have been colorful without their presence. Last but not least, I would like to
thank the founders of sederet.com, an online dictionary, so that correcting wrong
words is just a click away!
I thank them all. I thank everybody for everything. Khob khun, khrab. Danke!
xi
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi
CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 8
A. Review of Related Theories ... 8
1. Socio-Cultural-Historical Approach to Literature ... 8
2. Definition of Racism ... 9
3. Definition of Racial Discrimination ... 10
4. Types of Racial Discrimination ... 11
a. Institutional Discrimination ... 11
b. Denial ... 12
c. Antilocution ... 13
d. Aggression ... 13
xii
5. Jim Crow Law ... 15
B. Review on Socio-Cultural-Historical Background in the United States in the 1920s until the 1960s ... 17
A. The Explication of Merry-Go-Round ... 27
1. Paraphrase of Merry-Go-Round ... 28
2. Theme ... 29
3. Figure of Speech, Imagery, and Symbols ... 35
4. The Relation between Merry-Go-Round and the Life of African Americans ... 37
B. The Explication of Children’s Rhymes... 39
1. Paraphrase of Children’s Rhymes ... 40
2. Theme ... 40
3. Figure of Speech, Imagery, and Symbols ... 47
4. The Relation between Children’s Rhymes and the Life of African Americans ... 48
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 51
A. Conclusion ... 51
B. Suggestions ... 54
1. Suggestions for the Further Researchers ... 55
2. Suggestions for English Teachers ... 55
REFERENCES ... 57
xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES
Page
Appendix A
The Poems of Langston Hughes ... 61
Appendix B
The Biography of Langston Hughes ... 62
Appendix C
Syllabus of Basic Reading II ... 71
Appendix D
Lesson Plan ... 75
Appendix E
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of the background of the study, problem formulation,
objective of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The
background of the study explains the background of analysis and the brief
summary of the literary works. The problem formulation focuses on the problem
to be discussed or analyzed through the literary works. The objective of the study
focuses on the aim of this study. The benefits of the study focus on the benefits
for the readers, English teachers, and future researchers. The definition of terms
focuses on some terms related to the study.
A. Background of the Study
From the very beginning of human history, people who lived in America have
been so various. Not only white people who came from Europe, but also any
colored people such as Asians and Africans. People who are descendants of
African who lived in America are usually called Black Americans, African
Americans (Afro-Americans), or Negro. This group of people often get
maltreatment, not only in the past, as stated on, "For the black Africans, America
was to mean two hundred and fifty years of slavery‖ (Lowy, 2006). Beauchamp
and Bowie (1993) states ―for decades African Americans, women, and many
minorities were excluded from participating in most of the desirable jobs and
The United States‘ history shows that policies are needed to stop the
discrimination against African Americans, as Chima and Wharton (2000) states
that ―justice demands effective policies to protect them from human rights
abuses.‖ However, ―even when declared unconstitutional, the discrimination
against minority groups often persisted‖ (Beauchamp and Bowie, 1993).
Discrimination against minority groups has become the problem of the
twentieth century, as Du Bois, cited by Meier, Rudwick, and Broderick (1978),
states that racial discrimination is the problem of the twentieth century that makes
racial differences become ―the basis to denying to over half the world the right of
sharing to the utmost ability the opportunities and privileges of modern
civilization‖ (p. 56).
The portrait of discrimination can be seen in some literary works, containing
the theme of discrimination against black people. One example of the artists who
produces this kind of literary work is Langston Hughes (1902-1967). This African
American poet often writes poems containing the theme of discrimination against
African Americans.
What makes Hughes‘ poems interesting is that he always writes about
discrimination, racism, freedom, and equality issues. He uses phenomena that
happen in the society as the sources of his works. He would like to speak of his
dreams and hopes for the better living, and open people‘s minds about the
suffering of African Americans in the society at that time. In writing his poems,
language, he would like to express his feeling, mind, and concern about the
condition and the situation that happen in the United States‘ society.
The researcher uses two poems written by Hughes as the main sources for this
study. They are Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. The study focuses on
African Americans‘ social life that is reflected in those two poems. The researcher
wants to conduct a study on those poems because the researcher is interested to
the beauty of tolerance. The researcher believes that by being tolerant to others,
we will be able to make a better world, without hatred. However, racial
discrimination is not a part of being tolerant to others as it will only spread hatred
and fear.
During the slavery era, African Americans in the United States suffer a lot of
maltreatments based on racial differences. Moreover, those discrimination still
exist in the present time, although they are fewer than in the past. Through his
works, especially his poems, Hughes reminds us that discrimination should not
exist in this world since it only makes people live in misery. Therefore, people
must learn to live with one another, without hatred and fear, and learn to respect
one another. This study is aimed to see racial discrimination that happens to
African American people in the United States through poems. Thus, the researcher
focuses on two of Hughes‘ poems, namely Merry-Go-Round and Children’s
B. Problem Formulation
This study has one problem formulation that is ―How is racial discrimination
against African Americans depicted in Langston Hughes‘ Merry-Go-Round and
Children’s Rhymes?‖
C. Objective of the Study
The objective of the study is to reveal how racial discrimination against
African Americans is depicted in Langston Hughes‘ Merry-Go-Round and
Children’s Rhymes.
D. Benefits of the Study
This study hopefully will give benefits to people. Seeing that tolerance among
people is an expensive thing nowadays, the researcher wants people to know the
importance of tolerance to be considered in daily life. Having more tolerance is
much better than easily discriminating other people. Dealing with education, this
study hopefully will give more options in teaching materials. Firstly, through this
study, the researcher wants the readers to understand that racial discrimination is
dangerous for humanity. Hopefully this research makes the readers aware that
people, anywhere, should live together peacefully and respectfully. In addition,
readers can expand their knowledge of life values through African American
literature, especially about racial discrimination against African Americans, and
the history of Black Americans.
Secondly, for teachers, especially English teachers, hopefully this study may
only teach English, but also teach moral values of having good tolerance in life.
Lastly, for future researchers who will conduct a study based on these two
Langston Hughes‘ poems, the researcher expects they conduct a better and deeper
research. There are many things that can be studied in poems, such as symbolism
and the relation between the poems and the poet.
E. Definition of Terms
In order to understand the study, some terms need to be explained clearly. There are four major terms need to be explained related to the study. Those are
race, discrimination, and African American.
1. Race
Macionis writes ―a race is a socially constructed category of people who share
biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important.
People may classify one another racially based on physical characteristics such a
skin color, facial features, hair texture, and body shape‖ (2012: 320).
According to Stark, race is ―a human group with some observable, common
biological features. The most prominent of these is skin color, but racial groups
also differ in other observable ways such as eyelid shape and the color and texture
of hair. They also differ in subtle ways that are not visible, such as blood type‖
(1998: 274).
Based on the definitions above, the researcher concludes that a race is a group
of people who have similar biological features that can be distinguished. These
shape, and blood type, are important for the members of the group to differentiate
them from other groups.
2. Discrimination
Spencer states that discrimination is the act of resisting the ―access to desired
goals‖ of a social category or group based on ―irrelevant or incorrect traits
attributed to it‖ which means wrong judgments on certain social groups or the
members of the social groups (1985: 240). Spencer also states that people can
discriminate other ethnic groups with or without having prejudice, which he
defines as ―having a bad opinion of other people just because they are members of
a certain category‖ (1985: 39). Macionis states that ―discrimination is action on
unequal treatments of various categories of people, ranging from subtle to
extreme, that can be positive (providing special advantages) or negative (creating
obstacle)‖ (2012: 328).
Based on the definitions, the researcher concludes that discrimination is
unequal act done to a certain groups of people, which leads to resisting access to
something they want. This action can be subtle or extreme, and that can be done
by having misjudgments or not.
3. African American
In Encyclopedia Americana 4, the researcher finds ―black (black American) is
whether called black, Afro-American, or Negroes‖ (1995: 28). It happens that way
because they are the descendants of African people, who are black, and that they
defined as racial group and become subject of discriminatory behavior because of
race. Individual black in United States has suffered racial oppression in various
levels according to ―urban or rural residence, region, and economic class, darken
8
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of three main parts. The parts are review of related
theories, review on socio-cultural-historical background, and theoretical
framework. Review of related theories is presented in order to give the theories
the researcher uses in the analysis. Review on socio-cultural-historical
background gives images what happened in the society. The theoretical
framework presents how the relevant theories are applied to the analysis.
A. Review of Related Theories
This part presents some theories that are relevant to the study. Those are
socio-cultural-historical approach to literature, definition of racism, definition and types
of racial discrimination, and definition of Jim Crow. Further discussion will be
delivered as follows.
1. Socio-Cultural-Historical Approach to Literature
According to Langland, society is ―an imitation of an outside world‖ (1984: 4). The meaning is that society in literary works is almost the same with society in
real life. Usually the society created by a writer is the reflection of the real life
society. Wilbur Scott, quoted in Kennedy and Gioia, states that literature ―is the
work not simply of a person, but of an author fixed in time and space, answering a
Kennedy and Gioia states that the purpose of socio-cultural-historical approach
is to ―examine literary works based on cultural, social, context which produce the
literary works‖ (1999: 1955). This statement is supported by Rohrberger and
Woods as they state that ―actions and attitudes shown by particular civilization
play role as the subject matter of literary works‖ (1971: 9). It means that literary
works can be examined using socio-cultural-historical approach, based on cultural
and social context producing the literary works. Moreover, it can be used to
analyze the relation between the author and the society, to know how the author
feels about his society and how it affects his works, as Kennedy and Gioia (1999)
states that this approach also ―explores the relationships between the author and
the society‖ (p. 1995).
2. Definition of Racism According to Merrill and Eldredge (1952), racism comes from the attitudes
occurring from the physical differences. These differences become the separation
of some groups of human being. The attitudes here, according to Feagin (1982),
become an ideology that considers physical characteristics as unchangeable. The
physical characteristics then are linked to cultural or intellectual characteristics
that become the basis to differentiate superior and inferior racial groups. It means
that somebody‘s ability depends on the physical characteristics. In other words,
somebody‘s ability can be assessed by the race. In relation with African
American, Blauner (1970) states racism in America becomes the key that
the social system to solve its inequality on ―life, liberty, and the pursuit of
opportunity‖ (1970: 125).
According to Schaefer (1986), racism is one form of prejudice, meaning the
belief that one race is supreme. Prejudice is ―a negative attitude toward an entire
category of people, often an ethnic or racial minority‖ (1986: 228). Schaefer adds,
―when racism prevails in a society, members of subordinate groups generally
experience prejudice, discrimination, and exploitation‖ (1986: 228). It means that
racial discrimination is a form of racism. Since this study deals with racial
discrimination, the researcher will also provide theory on racial discrimination,
which will be presented in the next section.
3. Definition of Racial Discrimination Schaefer (1986) defines racial discrimination as ―the process of denying
opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups because of prejudice‖
(1986: 230). It means that based on the idea that one race or group of people is
superior to others, this superior group can do things to show its superiority. The
actions are often done without any acceptable reasons. According to Zanden
(1988) racial discrimination involves ―arbitrary denial of privilege, prestige, and
power to members of a minority group whose qualifications are equal to those of
members of the dominant group‖ (p.259). If there are two persons, one is an
African American and the other one is a White American, qualified for a job, then
the boss refuses to choose the African American without any reason, the boss is
4. Types of Racial Discrimination
This section will present the types of discrimination. The types of
discrimination later on will be taken from the work of Schaefer (1986), Zanden
(1988), Macionis (2012) and Rose (1997). Schaefer, Zanden, and Macionis
present the meaning of institutional discrimination. The other types of racial
discrimination are cited from Rose and Schaefer. Those are denial, antilocution,
aggression, and segregation.
a. Institutional Discrimination
It is not only individuals who practice discrimination. Institutions of society
also systematically discriminate against the members of some groups. Sociologists
define this as institutional discrimination. Schaefer defines institutional
discrimination as ―the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and
groups which results from the normal operations of a society‖ (1986: 230). It
continuously forces more obstacles on specific racial and ethnic groups rather than
to other groups. Charmichael and Hamilton, as cited by Zanden, add the
information about the related institutions where institutional discrimination can
possibly happen, ―Businesses, schools, hospitals, governments, and other key
institutions‖ in which ―need not be staffed by prejudiced people in order for
discrimination to occur‖ (1988: 259). Stokely and Charles, as cited by Macionis
(2012) emphasize that institutional discrimination happens in social institutions,
including schools, hospitals, the police, and the workplace.
Meanwhile, according to Carmichael and Hamilton, cited by Macionis (2012),
because institutional discrimination involves respected public officials and laws or
traditions which have been established for long time. Therefore, people cannot
easily stop it. Instead, according to Zanden (1986), it is difficult to erase
discrimination in America, although there are laws to prohibit it. In 1960s several
pioneering civil rights laws were enforced including the 1964 Civil Rights Act,
which forbids discrimination in public accommodations and publicly owned
facilities in the scope of race, color, creed, national origin, and sex. However, after
two decades, discrimination still happens in almost all areas of American life.
Rose (1997) adds that institutional discrimination has become a daily habit, as
he states that institutional discrimination is accepted as part of everyday life. This
statement somehow shows that the main reason for people to practice institutional
discrimination is not hatred anymore. They practice institutional discrimination
because they expect this to be practiced in society.
b. Denial
Rose (1997) states that denial means avoiding contacts or not giving
opportunities to the prejudiced groups or members of the groups, as he writes that
denial involves ―establishing and maintaining some measure of physical and
social distance from minorities‖ (p. 146). He also states that denial, segregation,
and institutional discrimination are related because denial and segregation are two
effective techniques to perform institutional discrimination.
Discrimination often makes people avoid close contact with specific people.
This action is often taught in early stage of life, as children are taught to choose
fundamental lessons by their parents or playmates related to which groups or with
whom they should socialize. In adulthood, this lesson appears in the form of
devices to prevent or minimize contact with ―unwanted‖ people. In this case they
are ―group members socially defined as being low repute, unpleasant, or even
untouchable‖ (p. 146). Rose (1997) adds that movement away from neighborhood
where minority-group members are coming is the most common method of
avoidance. People in the area will sell their residence and leave the area.
c. Antilocution
Racial discrimination is often close to derogatory behavior. One form of
derogatory behavior is name-calling, known as antilocution. Antilocution itself is
a further form of ethnophaulism, as stated by Rose as follows:
―Ethnophaulism is a technical word for derogatory term used by the members
of one ethnic group to describe the members of another. Ethnophaulisms are the core of the language of prejudice and, when openly expressed, become a form of discrimination known as antilocution, a fancy word for name-calling‖ (p. 139).
Rose states that name-calling is ―a widely used and highly effective form of
discrimination‖ (p. 145). It is because, according to Rose, this form of derogatory
language is often ―intentionally provocative‖ (p. 143), especially when done by
racist demagogues. They use the name-calling to find victims and also followers
to spread the use, and finally to push people to fight their ‗foes‘, prejudiced
people, African-Americans in this case.
d. Aggression
be done individually or in group. The forms are various, such as jeer at little
children, gang fights, or organized terror and mob rule. Rose also states that in the
case of racial discrimination done to African Americans, lynch mob is one form of
violence threatening African Americans. It happens, according to Rose, ―mainly
in those areas where the practice of segregation was maintained by the harshest
forms of intimidation‖ (p. 156). He also states that ―social scientists have
interpreted lynching as a means of venting frustrations against a convenient
scapegoat‖ (p. 156). It means that lynching is used to vent somebody‘s anger on
something to somebody that could possibly innocent or knows nothing. Rose
goes on explaining that violence also happens to civil rights workers. People who
cannot accept the civil rights workers‘ ideas of equality and freedom will kill the
workers. He mentions several martyrs that get killed, such as Herbert Lee, Medgar
Evers, Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, James Chancy, and Martin Luther
King, Jr.
e. Segregation
Macionis (2012) states that segregation is ―physical and social separation of
categories of people‖ where ―majorities usually segregate minorities by excluding
them‖ (p. 329). According to Schaefer (1986), segregation is an action to separate
two groups of people physically, in the scope of residence, workplace, and social
functions. Segregation is generally committed by a majority group to a minority
group.
Rose (1997) states that segregation deals with ―restrictive and exclusionary‖
of ―private clubs, certain vocations, schools and colleges, churches and
neighborhoods‖ (p. 148). Moreover, it also aims to keep minority group apart in
certain reservation, barrios, and ghettos. In the United States, there is a system
named Jim Crow, to separate White Americans from colored people, especially
African Americans, which will be defined in the next section.
5. Jim Crow Law The ‗Jim Crow‘ term it originally came from an entertainer, Thomas D. Rice.
According to Woodward (1974), Rice wrote a song and dance called ‗Jim Crow‘
in 1832. He was a white entertainer who performed blackface by darkening his
face and imitating African American Vernacular English. There were lots of white
entertainers performing blackface. However, according to Pilgrim (2000), Rice
was the most famous blackface performer at that time. He had tours in the United
States and England for his performance. As a result, Rice‘s ‗Jim Crow‘ become
famous as a character for a white comedian performing blackface. After the
American Civil War (1861-1865), laws denying African Americans‘ rights were
imposed. It is not clear how, but the ‗Jim Crow‘ character performed by Rice was
later on associated with the laws that segregated and demeaned African
Americans.
As cited from an online journal by Dr. David Pilgrim (2000), Professor of
Sociology Ferris State University, ―Jim Crow is the name of racial caste system
operated primarily, but not exclusively in southern and border states, between
a series of rigid anti-black laws, which makes African-Americans become
second-class citizens.
―Jim Crow represented the legitimization of anti-black racism. Many Christian ministers and theologians taught that whites were the Chosen people, blacks were cursed to be servants, and God supported racial segregation. Craniologists, eugenicists, phrenologists, and Social Darwinists, at every educational level, buttressed the belief that blacks were innately intellectually and culturally inferior to whites. Pro-segregation politicians gave eloquent speeches on the great danger of integration: the mongrelization of the white race. Newspaper and magazine writers routinely referred to blacks as niggers, coons, and darkies; and worse, their articles reinforced anti-black stereotypes. Even children's games portrayed blacks as inferior beings. All major societal
institutions reflected and supported the oppression of blacks‖
http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm (Accessed on June 12, 2013).
Pilgrim (2000) also states that the Jim Crow system was constructed based on
some beliefs or rationalizations. Those are:
―Whites were superior to blacks in all important ways, including but not limited to intelligence, morality, and civilized behavior; sexual relations between blacks and whites would produce a mongrel race which would destroy America; treating blacks as equals would encourage interracial sexual unions; any activity which suggested social equality encouraged interracial sexual relations; if necessary, violence must be used to keep blacks at the bottom of the racial hierarchy‖ (para. 2).
2) Blacks and whites were not supposed to eat together. If they did eat together, whites were to be served first, and some sort of partition was to be placed between them.
3) Under no circumstance was a black male to offer to light the cigarette of a white female -- that gesture implied intimacy.
5) Jim Crow etiquette prescribed that blacks were introduced to whites, never whites to blacks. For example: "Mr. Peters (the white person), this is Charlie (the black person), that I spoke to you about."
6) Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to blacks, for example, Mr., Mrs., Miss., Sir, or Ma'am. Instead, blacks were called by their first names. Blacks had to use courtesy titles when referring to whites, and were not allowed to call them by their first names.
7) If a black person rode in a car driven by a white person, the black person sat in the back seat, or the back of a truck.
8) White motorists had the right-of-way at all intersections.
In the journal, Dr. David Pilgrim also states that Stetson Kennedy, the author
of Jim Crow Guide (1990), offers these simple rules that African Americans are
supposed to observe in conversing with White Americans:
1) Never assert or even intimate that a white person is lying. 2) Never impute dishonorable intentions to a white person. 3) Never suggest that a white person is from an inferior class.
4) Never lay claim to, or overly demonstrate, superior knowledge or intelligence.
5) Never curse a white person.
6) Never laugh derisively at a white person.
7) Never comment upon the appearance of a white female.
B. Review on Socio-Cultural-Historical Background in the United States between the 1920s and the 1960s
Peter I. Rose describes the life of the African Americans being discriminated against,
―Numerous studies of race and gender give ample evidence that members of groups such as African Americans and women often internalize the views others have of them, including lower esteem, and low rank, and often act
accordingly‖ (1997: 112-113).
Ritchie (1985) describes how civil rights movements affect African
Americans‘ spirit. They fight for equality, and deny their second-class citizenship
as he says that the civil rights movements, which grew stronger and spread rapidly
citizens. Instead, they fight for equality. This equality covers several aspects in
their lives, such as opportunity in jobs, housing, and education. The resistance,
besides on segregated schools, buses, and trains, also covers separated facilities in
restrooms, restaurants, hotels, libraries, and hospitals. Civil rights movements
finally spread to the Northern United States where, according to Ritchie,
―although segregation was not as easily seen, it was just real‖ (1985: 727).
The researcher provides an example of discrimination which is related to
segregation. It is cited from www.americaslibrary.gov.
―On the evening of December 1, 1955, Parks, an African American, was tired
after a long day of work and decided to take a seat on the bus on her ride home. Because she sat down and refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, she was arrested for disobeying an Alabama law requiring black people to relinquish seats to white people when the bus was full. (Blacks also had to sit at the back of the bus.) Her arrest sparked a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery bus system. It also led to a 1956 Supreme Court decision banning segregation on public transportation‖ (accessed on October 1, 2013).
Meanwhile, in 1964, Golden writes differently in his book, Mr. Kennedy and
the Negroes. He states that in 1963, Good Samaritan, a Negro hospital in
Charlotte, North Carolina, has no intern program for African American medical
students to do medical practice. African American medical students who enter
medical practice in the South have to choose between attending the inferior
segregated schools and starting to practice in a weak and segregated hospital, or
taking advantage of the policy of subsidized out-of-state study by going to a good
medical school in Northern United Stated. By taking the second choice, African
American medical students will not return to inferior hospitals in the South.
―In the past few years, it is true, the University of North Carolina Medical School has accepted a few Negroes; but so far, no hospital staff membership has been open them. And it is not likely that integrated hospital will be a reality
in the near future‖ (1964: 31).
He also states that the African Americans‘ fight for the right to enter public school
was not a fight on education only. They fight for life and death as well. Entering
public school is the first step to obtain adequate hospital care. ―Public schools are
the first step, adequate hospital care the second‖ (1964: 32).
Golden writes more on the discrimination against African American done by
government, as he states that for thirty years Southern legislators and legislatures
launched legal war against African American people. ―They disenfranchised the
Negroes, denied them in schools, hospitals, and access to tax-supported facilities
and public accommodations‖ (1964: 38). White men who lynched African
American, and who regularly defiled African American women were not
prosecuted as the Southern government refused to. Those treatments were
considered as good things by the Southern politicians as they ―boasted of their
parental love, knowing all the time that their strategy would help maintain the
status quo‖ (1964: 39).
The same condition happened also in the Northern United States. According to
Golden (1964), Northerners placed the African Americans into ghettos. African
Americans were left behind as the Northerners kept the African Americans
uneducated, unskilled, and consequently unemployed. Those treatments were
considered as conquest by Golden, as he writes ―It was a war of subjugation and
the Negro was biding his time, the Negro was humiliated and degraded, ruthlessly
Furthermore, Golden writes other facts regarding racial discrimination
experienced by African American people in daily life. He writes that in 1960,
there was no shoe store owned by African American. This condition made African
American have to buy shoes in White-American-owned shoe stores. Thus, they
got expensive price. The discrimination happened also in church. Although
African American people spoke the same language as White Americans, they had
no proprietary rights in church, as it was delivered by Golden, ―The colored man‘s
church, which mainly Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian, was controlled and
dictated to by white men who deprived Negroes of religious autonomy‖ (1964:
41). In addition, racial discrimination also spread in sport. According to Golden,
there were two football teams from two Episcopal colleges, Sewanee and Kenyon.
Because Kenyon football team had an African American player, Sewanee refused
to play them.
African American people had their own way to fight the discrimination. One of
them was making African American lawyers. It was needed to guide and guard
their right in front of law and justice sides. Golden (1964) states that these African
American lawyers were the vanguard who initiated the legal study and
interpretation of civil rights. In 1930s, the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People kept track of every African American law
student. The purpose was to make the groundwork for resulting the most
remarkable legal process in the history of free people. They wanted the graduates
The first-class citizenship is actually guaranteed in the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth Amendments as both are cited from Blaustein and Zangrando and
presented as follows,
1. The Fourteenth Amendment (Section 1):
―All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws‖ (1968: 226).
2. The Fifteenth Amendment (Section 1):
―The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude‖ (1968: 244).
The Fourteenth Amendment clearly states who the citizens of United States
are. The government should not take away somebody‘s life, liberty, property,
without proper process of law. Moreover, the government should provide equal
protection of laws for every citizen. Meanwhile, the Fifteenth Amendment
explains the rights to vote for every citizen, no matter what race or color they
were, regardless of being servants or slaves.
Yet, the application is far from fair. Discrimination takes place almost
everywhere in United States, especially in South. Discrimination happens in
voting also, because at that time the counting process in voting depends on race
and color. Hence, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments are only words on
paper.
C. Theoretical Framework
The study is aimed to reveal the racial discrimination against African
Americans depicted in Langston Hughes‘ Merry-Go-Round and Children’s
Rhymes. Moreover, the study also investigates the literary works by analyzing the
social, cultural, and historical backgrounds in the literary works. Therefore, the
researcher uses the socio-cultural-historical approach in this study, since it also
analyzes the relation between the author of the literary works and the society
influencing him in producing the literary works. In addition, it also helps the
researcher to know the social condition behind the poems.
Theory of racial discrimination is also used in this study, considering the fact
that African American people in between 1920s and 1960s were discriminated by
White Americans, including the United States government. There are four
sections in the discussion on the theory. Those are definition of racism, definition
of racial discrimination, types of racial discrimination, and Jim Crow Law.
Racism and racial discrimination are closely related. Therefore, providing and
explaining the definition of racism before moving into the definition of racial
discrimination are important in order to know the clear relation between racism
and racial discrimination. By knowing each definition, the researcher will be able
to know the difference between racism and racial discrimination. By applying the
theory of racial discrimination, the researcher will be able to answer the problem
of this study, which is about how racial discrimination experienced by African
The next is the review on socio-cultural-historical background in the United
States between 1920s and 1960s. It will help the researcher to reflect in racial
discrimination experienced by African American people in that time. Moreover,
the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments are needed to look at the relations
among the laws, government‘s service, consistency, and the reality in the society.
By providing the review on socio-cultural-historical background in the United
States between 1920s and 1960s, and also the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments, the researcher will be able to see the ignorance done by the United
24
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three parts. The first part is object of the study, which
are two poems written by Langston Hughes. The poems are Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. This part will tell briefly the issues described in the study, the
significance of the work, and also the brief summary of the poems. The second
part is about the approach applied to accomplish the study. The last part describes
the steps of the study used to conduct the study systematically.
A. Object of the Study
The objects of the study are two poems written by Langston Hughes, entitled
Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. Langston Hughes is an African
American poet born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He often wrote
literary works related to African Americans‘ struggle as the theme.
Merry-Go-Round was first published in 1942 in a collection entitled
Shakespeare in Harlem in Common Ground. This fourteen-lined poetry talks
about a speaker, an African American kid, who got confused where to sit down in
a merry-go-round since there is no Jim Crow section in the merry-go-round.
Moreover, it is a circular thing. Therefore, there will be no front or back side on it.
The second poetry is Children’s Rhymes. This poetry consists of two stanzas
where the first stanza consists of ten lines, and the second stanza has five lines.
This poetry talks about an African American kid who is not treated equally like
to be free, but he cannot be free. He wants the same liberty and justice like White
kids, but he cannot have it. These all are because he is black. All he knows is that
White children will be treated better and given things of a higher quality.
B. Approach of the Study
According to Rohrberger and Woods (1971), in conducting a study that needs
the interpretation of literary works, deciding the appropriate approach is
important. The researcher implements the socio-cultural-historical approach in
this study, which sees literary works as the representation of the culture and the
way of life of a particular civilization. Thus, this approach is implemented to
examine the literary works based on social and cultural context and the relation to
other works by the same author in the same period or to other works that have the
similar subject by different authors in the same or different periods in all areas of
knowledge that might enrich the experience of reading. In this study, this
approach helps the researcher to reveal the depiction of the racial discrimination
experienced by the African Americans in between 1920s and 1960s.
C. Method of the Study
The researcher used library research in conducting this research since the data
is taken from written sources related to the topic of the study. This method aims to
discover the reliable theories from written sources that can be useful for the
research. George states that library research is ―a form of structured inquiry with
specific tools, rules, and techniques‖ (2008: 6). This research method also enables
personal/expert opinion on a research question; necessary component of every
other research method at some point‖ (2008: 6).
The data needed in this study were taken from primary and secondary sources.
The primary sources were the two poems stated previously, Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes written by Langston Hughes. The researcher also provided
secondary sources to support this research, such as journals and books related to
the topic of this research. The secondary sources later on would be used in
discussion to find the answer of the research problem.
In this study, the researcher took several steps. The first step was deciding the
literary works that would be analyzed and read time after time to know and
understand the content of the literary works. The next step was choosing the topic
to be analyzed in the study. Finally, the researcher decided the right topic to be
discussed. Then the topic was formulated into research problem, which helped to
focus the discussion. Next, the researcher searched the appropriate theories,
approach, and supporting ideas to support the study, and then applied those to
conduct the study. To finish the study, the conclusion was drawn after the
27
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter presents the explication of Langston Hughes‘ poems entitled
Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes and the analysis of those two poems as
the reflection of racial discrimination. To do the analysis, the researcher will
explicate both poems, Merry-Go-Round and Children’s Rhymes. Explication is
one helpful way for the researcher to gain a better understanding about the poems.
In The New International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of The English
Language, the word explication itself comes from the word ‗explicate‘ meaning
―to clear from obscurity; explain‖ (1996: 447). The word ‗explication‘ itself
means ―explanation, especially of a passage in any text, or definition, as of a
word, by unfolding what is implied in it‖ (1996: 448). From the sources above,
the researcher concludes that explication is to clear or to explain the definition of
any text by unfolding the meaning in it –word by word if necessary.
A. The Explication of Merry-Go-Round
Merry-Go-Round was first published in 1942 in a collection entitled
Shakespeare in Harlem in Common Ground. This fourteen-lined poetry talks
about a speaker who got confused where to sit down in the merry-go-round since
there is no Jim Crow section in the go-round. Due to the shape of
merry-go-round, therefore there is no front or back side on it.
Down South where I come from White and colored Can't sit side by side. Down South on the train
There's a Jim Crow car. On the bus we're put in the back —
But there ain't no back To a merry-go-round!
Where's the horse For a kid that's
black?
1. Paraphrase of Merry-Go-Round
This is a poem which contains protest from an African American person. Here,
Langston Hughes borrows the viewpoint of an African American boy. The
speaker of Merry-Go-Round begins the story by complaining about the
merry-go-round. He delivers her complaint to the guard of the merry-go-round, whom he
calls ‗Mister‘, because there is no Jim Crow section in it. He is complaining
because he reflects on his habit in his hometown. Thus, the speaker begins to tell
the story of his life by revealing his habits in his hometown.
He says that in his place, Southern United States, African American people
cannot sit together with White Americans. He emphasizes his statement by
delivering two supporting facts. The first is that African American people have to
enter the segregated carriage which separates African American passengers from
White Americans. This is what is meant by ―Jim Crow car‖ by the speaker. The
second fact is that African American people have to sit on rear seats of public
buses. Finally, after delivering those facts, he once more complains to the guard.
merry-go-round, regarding its round shape. He ends his protest by asking the guard about
which horse in the merry-go-round is prepared for an African American kid.
2. Theme
Reading and understanding Merry-Go-Round has brought me to the conclusion
of its theme that the poem is about how a person, as a reflection of his entire
group, becomes a victim of discriminatory behavior, and how discrimination
happens to all generation of the prejudiced people. Merry-Go-Round gives a
reflection of what the African American people have to endure in their society.
This fourteen–lined poem speaks about racial discrimination, especially
segregation, experienced by African American people. The atmosphere of racial
segregation is strong in this poem. The first indication of the segregation is the
Jim Crow term. When the speaker wants to ride the merry-go-round, he directly
asks about Jim Crow section, the section where he thinks she shall be there.
Where is the Jim Crow section On this merry-go-round, Mister, cause I want to ride?
It indicates that he knows the meaning of Jim Crow section. It also indicates that
he has been accustomed to racial discrimination. In specific way, he has been
accustomed with racial segregation.
The next indication of segregation is that the speaker says ―Mister‖ to call the
guard. Here, Hughes gives a clear indication that the guard is a White American
man. It can be seen in the American history, especially African American history
that all African American people have to call White Americans using courtesy
(2000), that ―…Blacks had to use courtesy titles when referring to whites, and
were not allowed to call them by their first names‖. Instead, White Americans do
not use courtesy title of respect to call African American people.
From the poem, the researcher finds out that African Americans try to obey the
law on segregation, even though they will not get freedom. It can be seen in the
poem that an African American kid tries to obey it by calling a White American
man with courtesy title of respect. Here the researcher also finds out that Langston
Hughes intends to deliver a fact that racial segregation also happens to young
people of African American. It is not only the old people who experience racial
segregation. As segregation happens to all African Americans, therefore African
American children are also accustomed with it. Logically, they are also aware of
Jim Crow term. Directly or indirectly, their parents or playmates teach them the
lesson about ―where to socialize‖, to learn where to put themselves in places
where they think they shall belong, so that they will not get troubles.
Hughes reveals where segregation dominates the American society, and what
happens there. He somehow also wants to show that racial segregation has been
going very deep in the life of African American people. It can be seen that the
speaker is accustomed to sitting separately at the back of public vehicles. It is
because Jim Crow system is imposed on the area where she lives, Southern United
States.
Down South where I come from White and colored Can't sit side by side. Down South on the train
One point in Jim Crow system prohibits African American people to sit side by
side with White Americans, and regulates African Americans to sit on rear seats
of public vehicles. The point is formulated by Pilgrim (2000), ―If a black person
rode in a car driven by a white person, the black person sat in the back seat, or the
back of a truck‖. This particular place is called Jim Crow section. Therefore, in
Southern United States, African Americans are familiar with Jim Crow section in
public vehicles.
The sense of bitterness, unequal treatment, and unfairness are very well
delivered by Hughes. Hughes, as one of African Americans and as a human,
believes that every person in this world has the right to get freedom and equality.
It means that no one can dictate or rule other people. However, the reality has not
been in the same way with his thought. Therefore, he begins to deliver his protest
against racial discrimination by exposing facts in society through this poem.
It begins when the speaker states that in the South, meaning Southern United
States, African American people are ruled by unfair system. African American
people are given different public facilities from the White Americans. White
Americans are given the right to sit on front seats in public vehicles. Meanwhile
African Americans are placed at the back. In addition, African American people
have to enter different carriage from the White Americans when they travel using
train. Those conditions have one meaning; African Americans are denied to
associate with White Americans. Thus, it leads to a condition that African
Americans are considered as second class citizens, and that they do not deserve to
The speaker continues his protest by delivering a common fact,
But there ain't no back To a merry-go-round!
Understanding the fact that Merry-Go-Round is a circular thing, Hughes tries to
say that this fact cannot be denied. Thus, everybody can choose to sit on every
horse in the merry-go-round since there is no difference among the horses.
Hughes believes that every human being has the same right to choose where to
live and deserves to get freedom and equality without any restriction. He invites
African American people to fight against racial discrimination by delivering
protest to the White Americans and the United States government as well. The
protest in this poem is dealing with the act of lowering African American people‘s
dignity by placing them in separated places to live, like ghettos or slums. Thus,
Hughes somehow tries to ask the discriminators about where they will place
African American people in the United States society. It is implied in the last three
lines of the poem.
Where's the horse For a kid that's
black?
Since African American people are considered as second class citizens, and
thus pushed aside in the United States society, Hughes asks where African
American people can get their freedoms and equalities in the United States
society, especially in the Southern United States. Although freedom and equality
as the United Stated citizens are guaranteed by government‘s law; The Pledge of
The ―I‖ in the poem does not represent Langston Hughes himself. However,
through the poem he tries to say what he has felt and experienced as being an
African American. The ―I‖ in the poem refers to a single person, the African
American kid. However, at the same time it also represents a nation, the African
American people. It is definitely not the Chinese, Hispanics, or Jews. It is African
American, a nation whose people are exposed to racial discrimination more than
any other races, but would rise to fight it boldly.
By reading Merry-Go-Round, the researcher finds out the types of racial
discrimination that African American people experienced between 1920s and
1960s. Besides segregation, there are two other types of racial discrimination
depicted in the poem. Those are denial and institutional discrimination. Those
types of racial discrimination are reflected in the poem as it provides the
characteristics of those types.
Segregation can be seen since the poem talks about separated public vehicles
or seats in public vehicles. In the poem it can be seen that African Americans have
to sit separately from the White Americans. According to Schaefer (1986),
segregation means an action that separates two groups of people physically.
Macionis (2012) added that this separation happens in the scope of housing,
schools, buses, and trains. Meanwhile in the poem the researcher discovers that
the segregation happens in two kinds of public transportation; train and bus.
According to Rose (1997), segregation deals with law or policy to support the
separation. In the poem it can be found that the segregation itself is supported by a
