x ABSTRACT
Diaz, Angelin Elizabet Buiswarin. Bhima’s Struggle against Class Discrimination in Thrity Umrigar’s The Space between Us. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
The Space between Us by Thrity Umrigar potrays class discrimination in India. Umrigar is a journalist and creative writing teacher. This is her second novel, set in modern India. In India the class discrimination became a common issue. There was a separation between the upper-middle class and the lower class. The injustice treatment done unto the lower class by those above them. The novel tells about the relationship between servant and her mistress. They have the parallel experiences that connect them, but there is “the space between them”. By the injustice treatment by the higher class, Bhima, the main character struggle for her life and her family to get a better life.
In order to reveal the class discrimination, the thesis is concerned in three problems. The first problem is aimed Bhima’s character. The second problem is aimed to the setting and society in Bhima’s life. The last problem is aimed to reveal the class discrimination in India through the characters and setting in the novel.
The researcher of the Undergraduate thesis conducts library research to answer those three problem formulation. In this study, the researcher uses socio-cultural historical approach to analyze the novel. The review of historical background in India used to understand the social circumstances in India from the past life and modern era.
The result of the analysis shows the class discrimination still exists in India modern era. The setting of society shows the difference class between high class, middle class and low class. Bhima as a low class often get bad treatment by her society. She works in a Parsi’s house. Her mistress, Sera, always treats Bhima well but in some cases she also discriminate Bhima. The characteristics of Bhima make her struggle against the class discrimination. The big case that afflicts Bhima about Maya makes them leaves Dubash family house and try to get a better life together.
xi ABSTRAK
Diaz, Angelin Elizabet Buiswarin. Bhima’s Struggle against Class Discrimination in Thrity Umrigar’s The Space between Us. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2016.
The Space between Us karya Thrity Umrigar adalah kisah yang menggambarkan tentang diskriminasi kelas yang terjadi di India. Umrigar adalah seorang jurnalis dan pengajar menulis kreatif. Novel tersebut adalah karya kedua yang ditulis olehnya, berlatar di era modern India. Di India diskriminasi kelas merupakan persoalan umum. Terdapat jarak di antara kelas atas-menengah dengan kelas bawah. Perlakuan tidak adil terjadi pada kelas bawah yag dilakukan oleh kelas di atasnya. Novel tersebut bercerita tentang sebuah hubungan antara asisten rumah tangga dengan majikannya. Mereka memiliki kesamaan pengalaman-pengalaman yang mengaitkan mereka, tetapi tetap ada “jarak di antara mereka”. olhe perlakuan yang tidak adil yag dilakukan kelas yang lebih tinggi, Bhima, karakter utama berjuang untuk kehidupannya dan keluarganya untuk mendapatkan kehidupan yang lebih baik.
Untuk mengungkap diskriminasi kelas, skripsi ini memfokuskan pada tiga permasalahan. Permasalahan yang pertama bertujuan untuk melihat karakter Bhima. Permasalahan yang kedua bertujuan untuk melihat latar dan lingkungan di kehidupan Bhima. Permasalahn yang terakhir bertujuan untuk mengunkap diskriminasi kelas di India melalui karakter dan latar pada novel.
Peneliti melakukan penelitian kepustakaan untuk menjawab tiga rumusan masalah. Pada studi ini, peneliti menggunakan pendekatan sosio-kultural historkal untuk menganalisa novel. Ulasan tentang latar belakang sejarah di India digunakan untuk memahami keadaan sosial di India dari masa lampau hingga modern.
Hasil dari analisis menunjukkan bahwa diskriminasi kelas masih terjadi di India pada masa modern ini. Latar lingkungan menunjukkan perbedaan kelas antara kelas atas, kelas menengah, dan kelas bawah. Bhima sebagai seorang pada kelas bawah sering mendapatkan perlakuan buruk dari lingkungannya. Dia bekerja pada keluarga Parsi. Majikannya, Sera selalu meperlakukan Bhima dengan baik tetapi pada beberapa hal dia juga mendiskriminasi Bhima. Karakteristik Bhima membuatnya berjuang melawan diskriminasi kelas. Masalah besar yang menimpa Bhima dan Maya membuat mereka meninggakan rumah keluarga Dubash dan mencoba untuk mencari kebahagian mereka bersama.
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
In English Letters
By:
ANGELIN ELIZABET BUISWARIN DIAZ
Student Number: 094214082
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
In English Letters
By:
ANGELIN ELIZABET BUISWARIN DIAZ
Student Number: 094214082
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
vii
Be JOYFUL in HOPE,
PATIENT in AFFLICTION,
FAITHFUL in PRAYER.
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My greatest gratitude goes to Jesus and Mother Marry who have given me strength to accomplish this undergraduate thesis. I would like to thank my parents: Chris Diaz and Caecilia Diaz, my sisters Cindy and Mutia, and also my brother Roberto and Joseph for their support and endless love. They are my real guardian angels. Thank you also my four-leg kids who always accompany do my thesis.
To my thesis advisor, Ms. Sri Mulyani, thank you so much for guiding me until I finish this undergraduate thesis. Thank you for the support and advice, it means a lot for me because Ms. Sri still gives me a chance to finish my thesis. Also I would like to thank Ms. Elisabeth Arti Wulandari for giving me advice and chance to finish this final thesis. Especially, I would like to thank Mr. Hirmawan Wijanarka as Head of English Letters Department for giving me chance to finish my undergraduate thesis. I also would like to thank all the lectures in English Letters Department for their guidance and for leading me to achieve my dream. I would like to thank the secretariat staff of English Letters Department, Mbak Ninik, who has helped me a lot with the paper work.
For all my friends Puput, Bene, Naomi, Rosita, Anin, Siska, Ovi, MbakLidya, Mbak Bea, and Mov who always support and believe in me thank you so much. I sincerely thank all the people whom I cannot mention one by one and who have given me a hand during the writing of this undergraduate thesis.
ix
TITLE PAGE ……….. ii
APPROVAL PAGE ……… iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH…… v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ……… vi
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ……… 7
A. Review of Related Studies……….. 7
C. Review of Socio cultural - Historical Background in India……….. 14
x ABSTRACT
Diaz, Angelin Elizabet Buiswarin. Bhima’s Struggle against Class Discrimination in Thrity Umrigar’s The Space between Us. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2016.
The Space between Us by Thrity Umrigar potrays class discrimination in India. Umrigar is a journalist and creative writing teacher. This is her second novel, set in modern India. In India the class discrimination became a common issue. There was a separation between the upper-middle class and the lower class. The injustice treatment done unto the lower class by those above them. The novel tells about the relationship between servant and her mistress. They have the parallel experiences that connect them, but there is “the space between them”. By the injustice treatment by the higher class, Bhima, the main character struggle for her life and her family to get a better life.
In order to reveal the class discrimination, the thesis is concerned in three problems. The first problem is aimed Bhima’s character. The second problem is aimed to the setting and society in Bhima’s life. The last problem is aimed to reveal the class discrimination in India through the characters and setting in the novel.
The researcher of the Undergraduate thesis conducts library research to answer those three problem formulation. In this study, the researcher uses socio-cultural historical approach to analyze the novel. The review of historical background in India used to understand the social circumstances in India from the past life and modern era.
The result of the analysis shows the class discrimination still exists in India modern era. The setting of society shows the difference class between high class, middle class and low class. Bhima as a low class often get bad treatment by her society. She works in a Parsi’s house. Her mistress, Sera, always treats Bhima well but in some cases she also discriminate Bhima. The characteristics of Bhima make her struggle against the class discrimination. The big case that afflicts Bhima about Maya makes them leaves Dubash family house and try to get a better life together.
xi ABSTRAK
Diaz, Angelin Elizabet Buiswarin. Bhima’s Struggle against Class Discrimination in Thrity Umrigar’s The Space between Us. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2016.
The Space between Us karya Thrity Umrigar adalah kisah yang menggambarkan tentang diskriminasi kelas yang terjadi di India. Umrigar adalah seorang jurnalis dan pengajar menulis kreatif. Novel tersebut adalah karya kedua yang ditulis olehnya, berlatar di era modern India. Di India diskriminasi kelas merupakan persoalan umum. Terdapat jarak di antara kelas atas-menengah dengan kelas bawah. Perlakuan tidak adil terjadi pada kelas bawah yag dilakukan oleh kelas di atasnya. Novel tersebut bercerita tentang sebuah hubungan antara asisten rumah tangga dengan majikannya. Mereka memiliki kesamaan pengalaman-pengalaman yang mengaitkan mereka, tetapi tetap ada “jarak di antara mereka”. olhe perlakuan yang tidak adil yag dilakukan kelas yang lebih tinggi, Bhima, karakter utama berjuang untuk kehidupannya dan keluarganya untuk mendapatkan kehidupan yang lebih baik.
Untuk mengungkap diskriminasi kelas, skripsi ini memfokuskan pada tiga permasalahan. Permasalahan yang pertama bertujuan untuk melihat karakter Bhima. Permasalahan yang kedua bertujuan untuk melihat latar dan lingkungan di kehidupan Bhima. Permasalahn yang terakhir bertujuan untuk mengunkap diskriminasi kelas di India melalui karakter dan latar pada novel.
Peneliti melakukan penelitian kepustakaan untuk menjawab tiga rumusan masalah. Pada studi ini, peneliti menggunakan pendekatan sosio-kultural historkal untuk menganalisa novel. Ulasan tentang latar belakang sejarah di India digunakan untuk memahami keadaan sosial di India dari masa lampau hingga modern.
Hasil dari analisis menunjukkan bahwa diskriminasi kelas masih terjadi di India pada masa modern ini. Latar lingkungan menunjukkan perbedaan kelas antara kelas atas, kelas menengah, dan kelas bawah. Bhima sebagai seorang pada kelas bawah sering mendapatkan perlakuan buruk dari lingkungannya. Dia bekerja pada keluarga Parsi. Majikannya, Sera selalu meperlakukan Bhima dengan baik tetapi pada beberapa hal dia juga mendiskriminasi Bhima. Karakteristik Bhima membuatnya berjuang melawan diskriminasi kelas. Masalah besar yang menimpa Bhima dan Maya membuat mereka meninggakan rumah keluarga Dubash dan mencoba untuk mencari kebahagian mereka bersama.
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
People are born equal, they cannot choose to belong to a certain caste. It means that all people should treat others and be treated equally. Unfortunately, discrimination is still found in social life.
Harris in Cultural Anthropology states that India’s legal system today encourages discrimination based on caste identity. Caste still plays an important part in the people’s everyday lives. Hindu religion continuous to have powerful sanctions
against those who violate caste prescriptions (2007:202). Each caste is a social
stratification of person’s placed in society. India contains the world’s largest Hindu
population and as a result of the Hindu religion, India is structured by the castes system.
Caste is inherited and it is expected to determine people’s opportunities in their lives. The caste system is made up primarily of three levels. The upper caste often discriminates against the lower and middle castes.
her country, and two is to protest against some injustice in India regarding to caste system.
Bhima in that novel is the imitation of Thrity Umrigar’s servant who is lovable, kind, and stoic heroism. For Umrigar, the character of Bhima is real (Umrigar, 2006: 5). Marlies and Stacey said that
Perhaps the oldest and venerable way of describing literature as an art is to regard it as a form of imitation. This defines of literature in relation to life, seeing it as a way of reproducing or recreating the experiences of life in word, just as a painting reproduces or recreates certain figures or scenes of life in outline and color (1961: 8).
There is a relation between literature and life. The reality consist the idea of things. In literature, the writer recreates certain figure or scene based on the reality. Umrigar in her real life has a servant which in The Space between Us, the figure describes as Bhima. Bhima is real, most of Indian middle and upper class households these days have Bhima.
Bhima is a servant of a middle-class Parsi widow named Sera Dubash. Sera is a good mistress. She treats Bhima in good ways. Sera is almost too good to be real, but for one thing, she discriminates Bhima because of the class difference. She does not allow Bhima to sit on the furniture nor to drink from the family’s crockery, even
though Bhima has worked in Sera’s house since Sera gets married.
Gopal, Bhima’s loving husband is crippled in an industrial accident. Bhima is
betrayed by the state since the factory where Gopal works for refuses to give him industrial injuries disablement benefit. Instead of helping Bhima to solve problem,
Bhima’s daughter and son-in-law died of AIDS in a government hospital in
New Delhi. Bhima assumes the responsibility of Maya, Bhima’s granddaughter and
takes her in to raises her. They travel from New Delhi to Bombay. Sera, Bhima’s mistress, sponsors Bhima’s granddaughter to get a proper education.
Bhima really loves her granddaughter, Maya. Maya is the only family who lives with her. In the first chapter of the novel, it is mentioned that her orphaned granddaughter is the only child in the family who is educated. However, she has to drop out of the college because she is pregnant. Bhima tries to find the man who got Maya pregnant. Maya explains the story of how Viraf, Sera’s son-in-law raped her
while she works at Banu’s. He even gets her pregnant but he refuses to admit he truth.
Unfortunately, Bhima that is about to tell Sera about what has happened to Maya, Viraf accuses Bhima of stealing his money. Moreover, Viraf persuades Sera to cast out Bhima and Maya from their house.
The title The Space between Us creates some questions of what the story is about. The researcher read the book thoroughly until the last chapter, and then the researcher is challenged to analyze the class discrimination which happens in the novel. It needs to be studied because this issue gives impact to the lower class of India society until this present time.
well aware limits on her relationship with Bhima. The researcher choose class discrimination as the topic because it is not really seen in the novel but the researcher wants to discover how the high class treats the low class even though they have a good relationship.
The Space between Us pictures the culture and the society in India. The novel
also tells about a low class woman who wants to achieve fairness in her life. She wants to prove that her family can earn the respect of others. Bhima wants to protect herself and her family from the injustice in her society.
B. Problem Formulation
To conduct the study, the writer has formulated three problems as written below.
1. How is Bhima’scharacter described in Umrigar’s The Space between Us?
2. How is the society in which Bhima lives described in Umrigar’s The Space between Us?
3. How is Bhima’s struggle against the class discrimination revealed in
Umrigar’s The Space between Us?
C. Objectives of the Study
Firstly, this study is aimed to analyze Bhima’s character presented in The
Space between Us. Secondly, this study is aimed to know how the society in Bhima’s
life is. Thirdly, this study is aimed to show how Bhima struggles against the class discrimination.
D. Definition of Terms
Fairchild in Dictionary of Sociology and Related Sciences states that discrimination is an unequal treatment of groups of basically equal status. ―Discrimination carries with the element of unfair, unreasonable, and arbitrary
distinctions in the impositions of burdens and the distribution of flavors‖ (1969:280). There is often unfair treatment directed against certain individual or social group. People in different circumstances usually get different treatment. The minority treated unequal by the majority group which has more power.
In The Space between Us, Bhima gets unequal treatment by the people in the hospital where is her husband treated. She as a low class in India’s class system treated unfair by the doctor. The power of Parsi as an upper middle class change the unfair treatment by pays the hospital to give him the best of care.
The definition of class by Meriam Webster is ―a group of sharing the same economic or social status (the working class)‖ (Merriam-webster, 2016).
the low economic status, they work as a labor. The Dubash family is a upper-middle
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
The Space between Us is set in the new millennium, in Bombay, now called
Mumbai. Caste system in India still exists until now. The novel points out the life of high class and lower class Indian women and families.
There are some related studies that meet the similar topic with the researcher’s topic. One of them is an undergraduate thesis by Kumala Dewi, the student of English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University, entitled The Class Discrimination in India as Seen through the Characters and Settings in Vikas Swarup’s Slumdog
Millionaire. This study reveals the class discrimination in India society. She stated
that ―Class system divides the society members according to their economic
prosperity. The difference of economic prosperity level undeniably creates the gaps of the society. This gap is the most important factor influencing the existence of discrimination towards people from the lower classes‖ (2011:15).
In the second related study has the similar topic with the researcher’s topic. It is quoted from an undergraduate thesis by Priska Niawati, the student of English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University, entitled Black People’s Struggle against Race Discrimination as Seen in Taylor’s Let the Circle be Unbroken. This study discusses the oppression by White people and the Black people struggle against that oppression. Niawati stated that ―The Blacks are treated inhumanly by the Whites.
There are no exceptions. The Whites are superior, and the Blacks are inferior. That is the rule.‖ (2009:2). Race discrimination shows that the white has more power to treat the black unequal.
The White people has similar thing with the High class, they have more power to do unfair treatment. They look similar because they get the discrimination in their society but the discrimination is different because the White and Black discrimination based on skin color or racism and the India society discriminate by their social status or class. The lower class in India will get bad treatment by the higher class because the higher class has power to do that. High class is people who have good economic status and they are educated. Poverty and being uneducated make lower class people to be powerless and treated inhumanly.
Niawati also said that ―the sense of superiority in white’s people minds has
become a habit and it is innate. It is surprising that even a child can know the invisible barrier between Black and White. It shows that oppression is inherited from
generation to generation‖(2009: 2). The way of thinking about the superiority
becomes a habit because their belief is inherited from the generation to generation.The high class as a superior and the low class as an inferior.
This study is different from the other studies because in this study, the researcher wants to reveal the India woman’s struggle to achieve a better life. The researcher also uses a different novel from the both related studies.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theories of Character
E.M Foster in Aspects of the Novel states that character is divided into two; flat and round characters. Flat character only portrayed in a single quality; it means the character is showed in one aspect of their appearance. It is not developed from the beginning until the end part of the story. On the other hand, round character; it shows the fullness of the character. Round character can shift from one point of view into another. This character can have conflict of its own for it has ability to make up his mind. Foster said that round character could surprise the readers by their change of behavior in the story (1987:120-121).
The flat character is uncomplicated and it does not change nor influenced by the situation or by the other characters. On the other hand, the round characters can change their personality by the situation and other characters.
states the same quality at the beginning until the end of the story and dynamic character tends to change as the situation and circumstances change (1986: 83).
The novel is gained from the society where the author lives and even based on the author’s life. The character in a literary work is visible image of human. The
actions speeches in literature to give the details that need for conclusions about the character.
2. Theories of Characterization
According to M.J. Murphy, there are nine ways to describe the character. First is personal description; ―the author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes‖
(1972: 161). From the appearance of the characters, the readers know the characteristic of the character. Second is other character point of view or character as seen by another; ―instead of describing a character directly the author can describe
him through the eyes and opinions of another‖ (1972:162). Besides describing a
character directly, the author can describe the character through other perspective and opinion. Through this, the readers may get a reflected image. The researcher wants to
expose the character as described by the other character’s opinion.
shape a person’s character‖ (1972: 166).The reader can learn something about the character’s past life.
Fifth is conversation of others. The author describes the characterization of a character through conversation of others and the thing that says about him. It gives the readers clue to the characters of the person who is spoken about (1972: 167-168). Sixth is reactions; ―the author can also give us a clue to person’s character by letting
us know how that person reacts to various situations and events‖ (1972: 168). It
means reaction is a clue to know the characteristic of the character. Seventh is direct comments; ―the author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly‖
(1972:170). By giving comment explicitly, the readers will understand what kind of person he or she is. It is directly described by the author comment.
Eight is thought; ―the author can give us direct knowledge of what a person
thinks about‖ (1972: 171). Here, the readers have privileged position to come to the
in most thoughts of a person in a story. The last is mannerism. The author describes the character through his or her mannerism or habits. It shows the character by stating the character gesture and habit. The characteristic revealed by the manner of the character (1972: 172-173).
3. Theories of Settings
circumstances in which its action occurs; the setting of an episode or scene within a work is the particular physical location in which it takes places‖ (1981:75). It means
that setting is not only about place and time but also about social circumstances. Social circumstances refer to society where the actions take a place in the literary work. Social circumstances are helpful to reveal class discrimination.
M. J. Murphy in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel describes setting in the following.
The setting of the novel is the background against which the characters live out their lives. In some novels the setting is important, whilst in others, it is less so. The setting can be concerned with the place in which the character's live and also the time in which they live. These have a great effect upon the personalities, actions, and way of thinking of the characters (1972: 141). The setting affects the attitude or personality of the character. It can change the way of thinking of the character. Setting influences the character about their attitude on doing something and how a person views about something.
4. Theories of Discrimination
According to Johnson A. G. in Human Arrangements: An Introduction to Sociology, discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of people based on
stereotyped beliefs about them (1986:362). People treat others unequally by their idea that others are different from them. Class or status difference can lead to discrimination and unequal treatment. Discrimination may be motivated by stereotypes; the typical image that comes to mind when thinking about a particular group. In The Space between Us, Bhima’s character is an old woman who lives in a slum it build a stereotype by the society that she is a low class. Slum is a an area where the low class resides. The high class can treat her unequal.
Fairchild in Dictionary of Sociology and Related Sciences assumes that discrimination is an unequal treatment of groups of basically equal status. ―Discrimination carries with the element of unfair, unreasonable, and arbitrary
distinctions in the impositions of burdens and the distribution of flavors (1969:280).‖There is often unfair treatment directed against certain individual or social group. People in different circumstances usually get different treatment. The minority treated unequal by the majority group which has more power.
Bhima is not allowed to sit at the same tables as Sera or her family because Bhima is the servant from a lower class. The glass that Bhima uses keep aside by the Dubash family because Bhima likes chew tobacco so Sera feels Bhima is dirty.
C. Review of Sociocultural-Historical Background in India
India is known as a country that is structured by the caste system in their society. The caste system in India is influenced by the major religion there, Hinduism. It develops the different status in the society.
Banerjee states in her journal that "India is a country with enormous diversity. It is characterized by a huge difference in economics, political, social, cultural and regional aspects. The social status ascribed to women varies from state to state and
region to region‖ (2013: 057). Based on that quote, it can be seen that India is a
unique country. People have different status one another which seen by the economic status, political, social and culture aspects.
According to Ambedkar in the article written by Mahabir Singh Bhati and Amritpal Kaur Bhati
Hindu caste system is based on a division of labor. It is determined by their birth. The Hindu caste system favored the unity of the first three varnas and separates the fourth varna, i.e. the Shudras from the rest and assign them all kinds of menial jobs to them and deprive them of status, money, freedom, equality and a decent way of living. The caste system is affected by a process of graded inequality. All castes are not on par. They are one above the other. Castes are all individual entities (2011:1).
were born. It is given to them and cannot be changed. Status has a close relation with prosperity, freedom, and justice. The different status makes people get unequal treatment.
Class in India exists since a long time ago, and it will be everlasting. There is a three-level system.
The class stratification in India is divided into a three-level system: Forward classes (higher class), Backward classes (middle and menial underclass), and Harijans (lowest class). Members of the upper class – around 1 percent of the population – are owners of large properties, members of exclusive clubs, and vacationers in foreign lands, and include industrialist, former maharajas, and top executives. There is no single set of criteria defining the middle class, and estimates of its numbers vary widely, but ownership of cars, televisions, and other consumer good, reasonable earnings, substantial savings, and educated children (often fluent in English) typify this diverse group. Below the middle class perhaps a third of population – ordinary farmers, tradespeople, artisans, and workers. At the bottom of the economic scale are the poor – estimated at 320 million, some 45 percent of the population in 1988 – who live in inadequate homes without adequate food, work for pittances, have undereducated and often sickly children, and are the victims of numerous social inequities (―Classes in India‖ 2009).
D. Theoretical Framework
The researcher tries to reveal the struggle of a woman in India against the class discrimination through the main character, Bhima. To reveal how Bhima’s struggle against the class discrimination, the theories applied are theories of character, characterization, setting, and discrimination.
The researcher uses the theories of characters and characterization to make a clear understanding of the characters of the novel. The theories can answer the first problem formulation on how the character in the novel is described. The researcher also uses the theory of settings; it is used to know the relation between character and the society. The last theory that the researcher uses is theories of discrimination. It is used to answer the second problem formulation about how Bhima’s struggle against
17 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
This undergraduate thesis has one main source namely The Space between Us. This is the second novel written by Thrithy Umrigrar. She is a journalist and creative writing teacher. Umrigrar, a former Beacon Journal staff writer, lives in Bombay until she comes to Ohio State University. She is a middle-class girl in India. She has published one previous novel, Bombay Time, and a Memoir, selected memories of India childhood.
The novel used to study was published in 2006 by William Morrow, an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, printed in the United States of America. This book is the first edition. The novel consists of 321 pages and separated into 25 chapters. This novel is the national best seller novel and as a nominee of pen/beyond margins award.
The Space between Us is a fiction novel but the character of Bhima is based
on real person. The characterization of Bhima is like the character of Umrigrar’s servant who is kind and stoicly heroic. Umrigrar is known as a skilled storyteller. She exposes the raw flesh under the skin of India life.
responsibility of his accident. Bhima works in a Parsi’s house; people who leave Iran and settle in India. Her granddaughter, Maya is one of her strengths to fight against the discrimination.
B. Approach of the Study
This research uses the socio-cultural historical approach. The researcher uses the approach to analyze the problems. In India, the class discrimination exists since a long time ago. The event that happens in a modern era has a relation with the history in the past life. Class discrimination in India still exists in the modern era because the sociocultural beliefs about a class system cannot be changed and transmitted from generation to generation. It is like the heritage in India society.
Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature stated that
―critics whose major interest is the socio-cultural historical approach insist that the
only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produced it‖
(1971:9). To understand the novel, the reader should know the real situation of the society. It has a relation between the story in the novel with the action that happens in the reality civilization. The story in Umrigar’s talks about the class difference in India, Bhima as a low class in the novel often discriminates by the society. India has a class stratification built by the religion and it affects the way of people treat other.
attitudes of people in India with the class discrimination that Bhima’s gets by the
society.
Rohrberger and Woods also said that "they define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and point out that literature takes these attitudes and actions as its subjects matter" (1971:9). The attitudes that are presented by the author in the story are the imitation of the attitudes which happen in the society. Hinduism is the majority religion in India. The caste system builds by religious rules. The attitudes of people in India depend on their caste system.
The interest in a literary work which has a history leads the researcher tries to find the background of the author, since it usually has a relation in a story with the history of the author. The culture that rises in a story in the novel comes from the experience of the author.
The socio-cultural historical approach is used to analyze The Space between Us because the researcher wants to analyze the class discrimination in India and the
researcher should know what happens with the class system in India. This approach is used to understand the condition in India in the era of The Space between Us.
C. Method of the Study
Several steps were taken by the researcher in analyzing this research. The first step was the researcher read the novel comprehensively. After reading the novel, the researcher analyzed the points that could be explored in the study. Then the researcher tried to find out the ideas of the novel and then collected the data. The researcher gathered some references on theories and studies which were related. The sociocultural-historical background was also used to find out about the social circumstances in India.
21 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the researcher divides the analysis into three main parts. In the first part, the researcher gives elaborate on the characteristics of Bhima. The second part, discusses the settings in the novel, to show Bhima’s society. The last part reveals how Bhima struggles against class discrimination in India’s modern society.
A. Characteristics of Bhima
The analysis of Bhima’s character is based on E.M. Foster in Aspect of the
Novel which state that character divides into two characters. Bhima is the main
character in the novel; her character is a round character which shows the fullness of the character (1987: 120). A round character is a complex personality. In the novel the character of Bhima change by the situation and other characters. It is shown in the beginning of the novel, how Bhima as a grandmother treats her granddaughter affectionately.
When Maya was still going to college, Bhima allowed her to sleep in as late s possible, made gaajarhalwa for her every Sunday, gave her the biggest portions of dinner every night. If Serabai ever gave Bhima a treat—a cadbury’s chocolate, say, or that white candy with pistachios that came from
Iran—she’d save it to bring it home for Maya (Umrigar, 2006: 6).
comes to Maya’s college to confront the man who got Maya pregnant but she find out
that he is not the father of the baby. Bhima know that Maya lies and feels disappointed.
Bhima’s character not only illustrates in single quality. Even though Bhima is
known as a great grandmother but she also can be firm. Bhima feels her heart soften and dissolve when she look at Maya’s face when she falls asleep but something shift
in Bhima’s heart when she look at Maya’s belly, she feels so angry and disappointed.
The situation affects Bhima’s character. Bhima has depth in her feelings. Bhima work
hard for herself and Maya but Maya break her heart. She wants Maya has a better future and
Bhima is a servant in Dubash family. She is a loyal servant. She comes to her mistress’s house, Sera’s house, on time is diligent and committed to that family.
Some times Viraf, Sera’s son-in-law accompanies Bhima to go to the market. ―Riding
next to Viraf in his air-conditioned car, Bhima smiles. She treasures this Saturday
morning ritual with him‖ (Umrigar, 2006: 91). She feels fortunate and grateful that
Viraf treats her respectfully and to show her gratitude by being a good servant. However, she becomes angry when Viraf insult about Maya’s being pregnant who
has no husband.
Bhima is shocked with Viraf’s statement as Viraf and his wife are soon to-be-parent. On the other hand, Viraf also suggests to get rid Maya’s baby. Viraf does not even
help Maya to get the solutions of his servant’s problem. Bhima respects to Viraf but
the statement that Viraf’s gives make Bhima sad.
Bhima feels dried out, scooped out, as hollow and wrinkled as a walnut shell. She has nothing left to give, no love life to spare. She cannot stand the sight of their matted, mangled, crippled bodies, their heartbreaking eagerness, the hunger for love in their eyes (Umrigar, 2006:94).
In this situation Bhima’s character that is strong who wants to raise her
granddaughter better than her feels break. Viraf’s words shrink her dreams. At the
first time, Bhima is impressed by Viraf’s maners but after Viraf insults about Maya,
Bhima feels useless because she cannot do anything to help Maya. Bhima feels guilty and responsible for Maya’s problem because she did not raise her properly. However,
Bhima is angry for what has happened.
Easy for him to talk about getting rid of Maya’s baby, she thinks. After all, he and Dinaz baby are going to have a child by their own, a child who will never know what it is to have adults plot its death. She feels a moment’s blinding fury that is so large it encompasses Maya, Dinaz, and Viraf (Umrigar, 2006: 94).
What Viraf stated disappoints Bhima, as an educated man the thought of abortion should not come out. That idea breaks Bhima’s heart.
feeling. When she knows that Maya got pregnant and tells the lies she becomes angry because she thinks that she cannot protect Maya and give her a better life.
According to M.J. Murphy, there are nine ways to describe the character. It can be seen by person’s appearance, opinions of another, by their speech, past life, through conversation of others, reactions, direct comments, thought, and the last is mannerism (1972: 172-173).
―Sera watches as her hands, thin and dark as the branches of tree, fly over the
pots and pans, scrubbing them until they sparkle like the noonday sun‖ (Umrigar, 2006: 19). It shows Bhima’s look, she is an old woman that cannot nourish her skin.
As we progress through the book these are clear characteristics of Bhima that surface throughout the entire novel. These are as follows
1. Caring
Bhima loves her granddaughter, Maya. Maya’s parents died when she was
child. Now, Maya is pregnant and Bhima does not know who the father of the child is. Bhima wants to know it because she wants Maya has a husband who is responsible to take care of her and her child. She tries to find out the father of Maya’s child.
Maya wonders that the women in the basti are gossiping her. She feels like a prisoner and Bhima tries to soothe Maya.
Maya is the only one Bhima takes care of. She lives only with Maya and she promises to her died children to raises Maya. Every time Maya feels sad, Bhima tries to cheer her up. She gives everything to Maya. Bhima just want Maya to be happy.
Bhima is a great grandmother; she can raise Maya and by the sponsor of Sera, Bhima can take Maya into college. Bhima loves all her family members. Before she takes Maya with her, Maya has a parent but her parent died. Bhima also take care Maya’s parents until they died.
Raju, Bhima’s son-in-law, is AIDS infected and is close to dying. Bhima tries
to reinforce Raju. She does not want Raju to feel sad and alone. Bhima is always there, remaining in the hospital to take care of Raju and her other family members, Pooja and Maya.
―Raju beta‖, she said gently. ―It is okay. We are all with you, beta. Sleep now‖
‖Raju,‖ Bhima cried. ―Look you Pooja is here with you. I am here also. I will take care of Pooja, I promise. And Maya,‖ she continued wildly. ―I will raise Maya as my own child. You have nothing to worry about, Raju beta. Go now. Go in peace (Umrigar, 2006: 144).
She also takes care of Pooja when she is sick. After Pooja’s leaving, Bhima committs
to care Maya, Pooja’s daughter as much as Bhima can.
Besides take care of her own family, Bhima also takes care of Dubash family. She has works in Dubash family more than twenty years. Bhima loves Sera, her mistress and all Dubash family members. She regards Dubash family as her own.
A little while later, Bhima came into her bedroom, holding a plate with two
slices of toast. ―Come on, bai, get up,‖ she said.―You’ll get more sick, staying
in this bed. Anyway, today Bhima is going to fix you. All these dark spots on your arms will be gone by the time the sun sets, I promise.‖…Then she poured the oil on her rough, callused hands and began to rub Sera’s arms (Umrigar, 2006: 106-107).
Bhima tries to make Sera feel safe and calm. Bhima had never touched Sera before because of their status difference. They have a good relationship as servant and mistress but Bhima realizes that they both are different. In this situation, Bhima wants to treat Sera as a friend, she takes care of Sera because she does not want Sera sad and feel insecure.
2. Brave
Bhima often receives bad treatments by others; by the shopkeeper in a market,
the clerk in Maya’s college, the doctor in government hospital because she is an old
uneducated woman. She is a poor woman but she is independent. She struggles in life for her family, especially for Maya.
At the time Bhima finds out that Maya is pregnant, Bhima tries to find the
father of the baby on Maya’s womb. Bhima asks Maya about the father of her baby
and Maya hides the identity of the man who got her pregnant. Bhima hands the name, the guy and comes to meet he suspected guy in person.
―It was up to Bhima to act as her advocate, to do what Maya was incapable of
man that Maya tells Bhima who got Maya pregnant. She encourage herself to meet Ashok and make a marriage proposal, hopes he will accept and everything can end up happily.
Finally, Bhima meets Ashok to ask Ashok about Maya but Ashok does not pay attention nor respect her. It makes Bhima angry. With all of her respect, she talks to Ashok with gratitude but Ashok still disrespects her. Her bravery makes Ashok reveal what actually happens.
―Shut your mouth, you. Don’t you ever talk about my girl in this way.
Remember even I’m dead, I’ll come back from my grave to chop of your
tongue.‖ ―But no matter. She cannot harm my reputation. Everybody in college knows I’m an RJS man and that we believe in purity and chastity before marriage…. Anyway, in the RJS we are taught to respect our Hindu
women, even fallen woman, like Maya‖ (Umrigrar, 2006: 34-35).
Bhima figures out that the father of Maya’s baby is not Ashok Malhotra. She
encourage herself to comes to Maya’s college and talks to Ashok. She tells Ashok to
speak up politely about her granddaughter. She talks in bold with Ashok that his word was rude. She tries to protect her granddaughter from the people who does not respect her. She knows that she is uneducated woman but she show her courage to the educated and rich man to protect her granddaughter.
3. Kind
―Bhima is a decent person and good worker‖ (Umrigrar, 2006: 44). Sera said
that Bhima is decent person because she always treats Sera’s family nicely. When Sera is stressed out, Bhima always be there to listen and sometimes motivates Sera.
―She wanted to thank Bhima for her kindness, wanted to explain to her how
hot and wonderful life felt when it trickled back into one’s veins, wanted to
tell her about how cold her heart had felt after this last encounter with Feroz and how Bhima had warmed it again, as if she had held her cold, gray heart between her brown hands and rubbed it until the blood came rushing back into
it‖ (Umrigrar, 2006: 110).
Sera always shares her stories, when Sera has a problem with her husband, Feroz and also with her mother-in-law. Sera and Bhima always have story to share to each other. Sera says that Feroz is a tormentor and she always has the healer, she is Bhima. Bhima knows everything about Sera. She always knows and cares about Sera. When Sera gets hit by Feroz, Bhima not only cares her but also gives her advises. Bhima asks Sera to speak up, to defend herself by her rude husband.
―You are much wiser than I am, an educated woman while I am illiterate. But, bai, listen to me – do not tolerate what he is doing to you. Tell somebody. Tell your father – he will march in here and break his nose. You are trying to cover up your shame, bai, I know, but it is not your shame. It is Ferozseth’s shame, not yours‖ (Umrigrar, 2006: 111).
Sera hides her wound to Bhima because she does not want Bhima to get worried about her. Bhima can feel what happens to Sera. Bhima wants to make Sera relieved. Bhima always cheers her up and accompanies her in every situation, in good and bad times. Bhima is devoted to Dubash family. She does her best for the Dubash family.
―Is the air-conditioning too strong? Viraf asks, and although Bhima is slightly
92). Not only kind to Sera but as mention before that Bhima is kind to all of Dubash family, including Viraf. Bhima feel cold but she knows that Viraf gets hot easily so she lies to Viraf. Bhima respects to Viraf, she not asks Viraf to turn the air-conditioner off.
Maya is the only family member that Bhima has for the rest of her life. She will do anything to make Maya happy. Maya’s parents have already died and her brother left Bhima and Maya, to be with Gopal. No one loves Maya except Bhima. Bhima tries to care Maya and loves her unconditionally.
―If Serabai ever gave Bhima a treat –a Cadbury’s chocolate, say, or that white
candy with pistachios that came from Iran – she’d save it to bring it home to Maya, though, truth to tell, Serabai usually gave her a portion for Maya anyway‖ (Umrigrar, 2006: 6).
Bhima treats Maya with love. She always remembers her granddaughter in her home that needs love from her parents. Bhima treats Maya like little child who needs more attention and affection. ―Maya uses toothbrush, but Bhima simply takes the tooth powder on her index finger and rubs vigorously on her remaining teeth‖ (Umrigrar,
2006: 10). It is proof that Bhima is kind. She always does good things to others. She wants to make other people happy and comfortable.
4. Hopeful
―She blinks her eyes and forces herself back to the present. She is ashamed of her envy at Dinaz and Viraf’s good fortune. Dinaz has grown up before
Bhima’s eyes, and she still remembers what a wonderful child Dinaz was, full
of hugs and laughter. A miracle that a child like that could blossom under the shadow cast by her dark mountain of father. Once she started earning her own paycheck, Dinaz was forever slipping a ten – or twenty - rupee note into
Bhima’s hand. And Viraf baba – so sunny, so full of mischief and light. To
punish herself for her uncharitable thought, Bhima digs her right thumb into the palm of her left hand until the pain make her wince‖ (Umrigar, 2006; 94-95).
Bhima lost in her thought because she wonders about Maya’s tough life. Maya has no parents and her brother is separated from her. Now she is pregnant and hides the identity of who gets her pregnant. She imagines how happy Maya will be if she has a wonderful life like Dinaz, Sera’s daughter, who has a family that truly loves her, and also has a husband and soon Dinaz will be a mother. It is very contrary to Maya. Maya is poor and she is pregnant in her young age.
―If I were educated, she thinks, I would know what to do. I would fine the
cure in a book; I would know how to consult – a doctor or a priest or a teacher. But how can I cure a disease that I can’t name?‖ (Umrigar, 2006; 129).
Bhima imagines if she is an educated woman, she would know what to do with
Maya’s pregnancy. Maya will get a better life and they will know who the father of
Maya’s baby is. Unfortunately, Bhima is an illiterate woman, she is an uneducated
B. Setting in the Novel
Setting can be the important intrinsic elements on the literary work but not all of the literary work makes setting important. In this novel, the theme is class discrimination in India and uses the setting as one of the important intrinsic elements. Setting is divided into three parts; setting of time, setting of place, and also social setting. The analysis of setting in this novel is based on M. J. Murphy’s statement in Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel
The setting of the novel is the background against which the characters live out their lives. In some novels the setting is important, whilst in others it is less so. The setting can be concerned with the place in which the character’s live and also the time in which they live. These have a great effect upon the personalities, actions, and way of thinking of the characters (1972: 141). There are setting of places and time found in this novel to reveal the class discrimination in India which affects the personalities, actions, and way of thinking of the characters. Holman and Harmon also state social setting; it can refer to the general environment of the character like religion, moral, and emotional condition. It also can reveal the occupations and daily manner of the living characters (1986: 465). From the social setting it can reveal the different class by their occupation, the place where they reside. It will show the space between two different classes.
1. Setting of Time
knows as Mumbai. In the modern era, India’s gap between the high class, middle class, and low class in some areas are less strict but in some areas the discrimination still exist. This era, the low class not only works as labors but they can change their life to be better with educated their children. In The Space between Us the class system more flexible, shows by the relationship between the mistress and the servant.
2. Setting of Place
As what is stated above Bombay and New Delhi are the cities used as the setting of place of the story. Bombay is the place where Bhima lives and works as a servant. Most of her life she spends in Bombay. She lives in New Delhi before she moves to Bombay. Her children and granddaughter lives in New Delhi.
1. Bombay
Almost the entire story in the novel takes place in Bombay, India, now known as Mumbai. Bombay is a big and modern city in India. Bombay is the most populous city in India. Many cultures live together in India. Even in modern times, the nation is ruled by class and social structure, firmly rooted in traditions. ―Bombay is a city of dreams and city of hopes, the financial and commercial capital of country‖ (Katiyar,
2014).
―Even her hands were empty, now that she had unclenched them and released
Bombay is a big city but Bhima feels empty and lonely. Bombay works day and night. The city does not sleep likes Bhima’s heart does not sleep anytime hopes that
her life get better.
Bhima lives in a basti with her granddaughter and she also works all day long in Dubash family. The two places is very different, basti is a dirty building for a low class because they have no money to buy an apartment but Dubash family house is
Bhima’s bowel moves and she clucks her tongue. Now she’ll have to make her way to the communal bathroom before she goes to the tap, and the line will be even longer. Usually, she tries to control her bowels until she gets to Serabai’s house, with its real toilets. Still, it’s really enough that the condition
shouldn’t be too bad. A few hours later and there will hardly be room to walk
between the tidy piles of shit that the resident of the slum leave on the mud floor for the communal toilet (Umrigar, 2006: 7-8).
Slums is an area where the low class resides. The facilities there are not sufficient. They shares communal bathroom, used by all of the basti residents. People should queue use the public toilet.
Dubash family house contrary with Bhima’s house, Dubash family lives in an apartment. They are a Parsi. ―The Parsis, whose name means ―Persians,‖ are
descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to India to avoid religious persecution by the Muslims. They live chiefly in Bombay and in a few towns and villages mostly to the north of Bombay‖ (Encyclopaedia Britanica, 2016). They have a car, a multi room apartment, a bathroom, a kitchen room, in Bhima’s house the
For the first time Sera comes to basti when Bhima had been sick with thypoid fever and she unable to come to work. She decided to visit Bhima and Maya.
Although her apartment building was located less than fifteen-minute walk away from the basti, Sera felt as if she had entered another universe. It was one thing to drive past the slums that had sprung up all around the city. It was another ting to walk the narrow byways that led into the sprawling slum colony---to watch your patent leather shoes get splashed with the murky, muddy water that gathered in still pools on the ground; to gag at the ghastly smell of shitand God knows what else; to look away as grown men urinated in the open ditches that flowed past their homes (Umrigar, 2006: 113).
The basti looks so dirty for the Parsi woman like Sera. It makes Sera does not want to
come back to Bhima’s house. Walks to visit Bhima in the slums, Sera cannot avoid
―the flies, thick as guilt‖. When Sera want to go with Bhima or Maya, she likes to ask
them to come to her apartment or she chooses to wait in a bus shelter around the basti. Sera, a Parsi woman who lives in apartment even only need a fifteen-minute to comes to basti, does not want to come again to the basti. It shows the different between the high class and the low class.
Bhima is in the kitchen, washing the dishes from the last night’s dinner. Sera watches as her hands, thin and dark as the branches of the tree, fly over the pots and pans,scrubbing them until they sparkle like the noonday sun (Umrigrar, 2006; 19).
She works at Dubash family in the morning to clean up the dishes last night and cooks for all the family members. She serves all of the things in the kitchen.
As a servant Bhima is a loyal servant, she always does anything for Dubash family. She always accompanies Sera, taking care of her and her family. Bhima has worked there from the first time when Sera and Feroz after get married until Feroz passed away and Sera is soon-to-be-a-grandmother. Dubash family has their own bedroom, it is different from Bhima’s, they sleep in the living room. Sera has the privacy on her room, she does not let anyone come and go without permission. In a basti people can easily know the news from the other resident there.
It has a long day, and the house is quiet because Viraf and Dinaz are out. Bhima is almost ready to leave, but Serabai asks for a cup of tea and she feels compelled to make it for her. She needs her daughter and son-in-law here to make the house lively. Bhima thinks and feels a twinge of pity for the younger woman. She remembers the months after Ferozseth passed away, how Serabai sometimes forgot to eat lunch until she, Bhima, nagged her to eat, and how, once or twice, she also forgot to bathe during the day (Umrigar, 2006: 292). When Viraf and Dinaz go the office, the house is so quiet. The apartment has the privacy, there is not crowded like a basti. From the sun rises until the sun sets, the basti always noise by the activity of resident. Different with Dubash family house, when people go to work, the house feels quiet then in a basti still noisy with the activity of the other family member who does not work. The children play, the wives do their activity like cook, wash clothes, listens to the radio, gossip, etc.
2. New Delhi
Before moves to Bombay, Bhima’s family lives in New Delhi. New Delhi is
India’s capital city. New Delhi is divided with classes. Bhima has a bad experience in
Her daughter, Pooja, and her son-in-law, Raju, died in a hospital in New Delhi. The HIV AIDS virus attacks them. Raju transmits AIDS to Pooja and Bhima does not know how that virus infects her children. AIDS attacks Raju first, so Raju dies and leaves Pooja and Maya. ―Bhima brought Maya to the hospital with her the
next day and her reward was the weak smile on Pooja’s face‖ (Umrigar, 2006: 148). After that Pooja dies. Bhima take Maya to Bombay and lives with her in a basti.
The doctor sucked in his cheeks and stared at her. ―You don’t know what
AIDS is?‖ when she shook her head no, he did not bother to hide his disgust.
―You people,‖ he said. ―God knows why the government spends lakhs of rupees trying to educate you about family planning and all. It’s a useless cause.‖ He stared at her another minute and the swung around on his heel. ―I
don’t have time to give you a medical lesson. Have hundreds of patients to
check on. Anyway, I’m a doctor, not a bleedy teacher‖ he began to walk away and then stopped. ―You better go say your goodbye to your daughter, if you want my advice‖ (Umrigar, 2006: 138).
The doctor does not give a good advice and also does not tell Bhima about the virus that attacks her children. The doctor as an educated man talks rude with the patient’s family member. The class differences highly seen above that the low class has no power to cure the illness. They only can follow the fate and cannot change the fate.
3. Setting of Society
Bhima is from a low class. She works as a servant and lives in a basti. She is an uneducated woman.
―You tell all your friends that Bhima is like a family member, that you
your own house, you have these caste differences, too. What hypocrisy, Mummy‖ (Umrigar, 2006: 27).
Dinaz, Sera’s daughter tells her that they think Bhima as a family members but the
always treat Bhima unfair. Sera and Feroz still hold the point of view about caste system in Hinduism. Even they are a Parsi and Muslims they treat Bhima as a Harijans who cannot sit at the table together and drink from same glasses. Different caste makes Sera treat Bhima in some cases as appropriate to her caste. Even Sera said that Bhima is like her family member but their class is different so Sera does not treat Bhima in a special way.
She had not been able to follow the actual conversation because Feroz and the doctor had spoken in English. Still, she needed to know, for Amit’s sake. Could Ferozseth talk like this because he was a Parsi? Everybody knew that the Parsis were educated and rich and their women mostly wore dressed instead of saris. In other words they were different (Umrigar, 2006: 218). Dubash family is contrast with Bhima’s family. Dubash family is educated while Bhima’s family is uneducated. Bhima’s family is uneducated because they are poor people and comes from the Harijans who is low class. ―Harijans were referred to as ―untouchables‖ because they carried out the miserable tasks associated with disease
and pollution, such as cleaning up after the funerals, dealing with sewage, and
working with animal skin‖ (The Independence Hall Association, 2008). Harijans is
one of the class divides in Hinduism, it cover outcasts who, literally, do all the dirty
works. Feroz think that Bhima’s job is dirty like cleans all the stuff in his apartment.
―Parsi is a small religious community, which exist in Mumbai. Parsis are less than 0.02% in India. They were pioneers in establishing the modern Indian industry‖
(Daniel, 2004). Their contribution in India is much more than their proportion in
India’s population. They are educated and speak English.
From the moment Bhima awakens on her thin mattress and Sera smiles tearfully over the onions on the chopping shows the harshly contradictory lives of these women. One is wealthy widow lives in a grand house while the other cleans the house and lives in the slums.
Feroz made a gruff sound that sounded like a bark. ―Then, worry. Goddamnit, worry. Do something. If this man dies because of lack of care, I swear to you,
Kapur, I’ll have your testicles wrapped around your head so fast--- I work for
Tatas, you understand? Do you know what pull we have with the hospital administration? One word from me and you will be out on the streets with not even your white coat with you. And what’s more, I’ll make bloody sure not one other hospital in Bombay hires you, you understand? (Umrigar, 2006: 216).
Higher class people can change the situation and has power to protect the low class that is treated injustice by the hospital. Sera pays for Gopal to have the best of care. When Bhima does not have any idea of Gopal’s accident, Sera asks Feroz to talk with the doctor because Sera loves Bhima. Feroz has a big power because the man like the doctor has no power to fights with Feroz.
student, the clerk is very suspicious. The old woman like Bhima search for a popular man in the college makes the clerk think that there is unusual.
Caste of person in India influences the circumstances of the society. Higher class people can treat the lower class unequally. They are educated and they have power to do everything.
C. Class Discriminationin in Bhima’s Life
According to Johnson A. G. in Human Arrangements: An Introduction to Sociology, discrimination refers to unequal treatment of people based on stereotyped
beliefs about them (1986:362). The Space between Us tells about the different class between a low class and upper-middle class. Bhima is a low class woman who is uneducated. She is an illiterate woman and works as a servant. She gets unequal treatment by her society. She fights for herself and also for her granddaughter, Maya, to have a better life.
There is the class stratification in India is divided into three-level system: Forward classes (higher class), Backward classes (middle and menial underclass) and Harijans (lowest class) is poor people, in the economic scale they are in the bottom of the scale.
opportunity to get better job. The economic status affects for the lowest class people. They may get unequal treatment by the society.
Dubash family is a Parsi; an upper-middle class, educate people. They speak English fluently, they have cars, apartment with all facilities, good occupation.
Harijans is Bhima’s family; the lowest class. They are uneducated. Work as a servant
and lives in a basti.
The man did not look up. ―What?‖ he said brusquely.
―I’m looking for a student, please? Can you help me find him?‖
There was a second’s silence as the man finished scribbling on the they like does not give some respects to Bhima. Bhima remembers how Sera uses a well-chosen words to speak, Bhima tries to show a good attitude and speak nicely to the clerk. She talks to a clerk in gratitude and then she says that she wants to meet Ashok Malhotra. Ashok is a reputable student in college. The clerk directly gives her attention and tells her where Ashok is. Bhima learns from Sera how to use good words and good attitude in talks. She encourages herself to meet Ashok.
I think there’s a slight difference between burning Harijan and not allowing Bhima to use our glasses. Besides have you ever noticed the foul odor of tobacco she chews all day long? Do you want her lips to touch our glasses? (Umrigar, 2006: 27).
In some cases, Sera treat Bhima well like a family. But Sera does not want Bhima use their families’ glasses and sits in a chair because she is a low class and has a different class with Sera’s family. Sera considers that Bhima is dirty; she like chew her tobacco and it will make Sera’s glasses dirty. Bhima is kind and she always does all her job as well. Sera pays for Gopal best treatment in a hospital, she also pays for
Bhima’s granddaughter, Maya, for her college but she still Bhima always treats as
nothing more than the servant.
Bhima’s husband gets injured in his factory. The foreman of Gopal’s factory
cheats Bhima, by saying that Gopal just gets a right hand injured. He persuades Bhima to sign on some papers that to allow them to give Gopal the treatment he needs. The problem is that Bhima cannot read and write then the foreman asks Bhima to dip her thumb in the ink and place it on paper.
The doctor where is Gopal get the treatment does not give a good treatment to Gopal. Bhima tells Sera about that, and Sera asks Feroz to helps her and Gopal. Feroz is a man with a power because he educate. Feroz makes Bhima strong enough to face Gopal injury.
