INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT IN WEI HUI S SHANGHAI BABY. A Thesis. By Kristina Yuliani

Transkripsi

1 INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT IN WEI HUI S SHANGHAI BABY A Thesis By Kristina Yuliani FACULTY OF LETTERS SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY SEMARANG 2009

2 A THESIS ON INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT IN WEI HUI S SHANGHAI BABY By Kristina Yuliani Student Number: Approved by, Angelika Riyandari, SS, MA 11 Februari 2009 Major Sponsor Dra. R.M. Sri Suryaningsih, MA 11 Februari 2009 Co-Sponsor ii

3 A Thesis defended in front of the Board of Examiners on February 13, 2009 and declared acceptable BOARD OF EXAMINERS Chairperson : Angelika Riyandari, SS, MA Secretary : Dra. R.M. Sri Suryaningsih, MA Member : GM. Adhyanggono, SS, MA Semarang, February 2009 Faculty of Letters Soegijapranata Catholic University Dean, Heny Hartono, SS, MA iii

4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thanks God, all of my family and friends, who always support and accompany me in finishing my thesis. My gratitude to Bu Ike, Pak Retang, Bu Rosa, and Pak Adhy for the guidance during day my day finishing the thesis. And to all my lecturers in Sastra. To my family; Bapak, Ibu, mbak Santi, mas Wawan, mas Iwan, mbak Ermy, and my little bro Adi, thanks for everything. To my best friends, who always pursue me to finish it right away, Dina, Vina, Anna, Cece, Nonik, Mia, Tante Tanti; dude thank you so much To all my friends in Sastra Ana, Chika, Ike, San-san, Marthinus a.k.a Raul, Sano, Kristian and all, thank you for being my friend. Thank to my friend in Fakultas Teknologi Pertanian, mbak Wati, mbak Ros, pak Agus, pak Wartono, mbak Endah, mbak Yanti, Amel, and bu Tika thank you for the support and also to all of my new friend in LPPM Unika Soegijapranata Semarang, bu Dewi, bu Endang, mas Robby, pak Kudhori, pak Giyanto, mbak Linda, mas Pur, Yani, Aryo, Vendy, and Rhima. To all of my friends, anywhere you are, thank you.guys, I finally passed it iv

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE OF PAGE i PAGES OF APPROVAL ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v ABSTRACT vii ABSTRAK viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TITLE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY FIELD OF THE STUDY SCOPE OF THE STUDY PROBLEM FORMULATIONS OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY DEFINITION OF TERM... 7 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 9 CHAPTER 3 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION 17 CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION The Effects of Western Culture to Chinese Culture Shanghai s Physical Appearance v

6 Shanghai s Life Style Shanghai s Custom and Culture The Values of Gender Conception The Values of Virginity The Characters Reason for Mimicking Western Culture 34 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 38 BIBLIOGRAPHY 40 vi

7 ABSTRACT Development and modernity are something essential for a country. It is important for all countries including China that still holds traditions. Modernity, which is brought by western, brings big consequences and influences for the Chinese, for either the old or the young generation. In Shanghai Baby by Wei Hui, the changes, especially, influence young Chinese generation as the subject of cultural change. Fact that there is a need to take an action and follow the global change encourages young Chinese to mimic others (westerns). This study intends to show the ambivalence of the character in facing her dual perceiving life (modern and traditional). And it also shows an effort of the character to change the perception that being modern is not always being western. Post-colonial mimicry by Homi Bhabha is the discourse of traditional values and cultural changes. A will to change; it is by imitating western values without leaving their locality as a Chinese. The discourse shows how mimicry is not far from mockery. A judging that west is not always bad and east is not always backward, being a reflection to analyze and accept diversity without destructing each other. Keywords : Western, Chinese, Mimicry, Shanghai Baby vii

8 ABSTRAK Kemajuan dan modernitas merupakan suatu hal yang sangat penting bagi suatu negara. Hal ini berlaku juga bagi negara Cina, yang notabene, adalah sebuah negara yang masih memiliki dan memegang kuat tradisi yang sangat kental. Modernitas yang dibawa oleh barat membawa pengaruh yang besar terhadap masyarakat Cina, baik generasi tua maupun generasi mudanya. Di novel Shanghai Baby karya Wei Hui, perubahan ini terutama berpengaruh kepada generasi muda Cina sebagai subjek utama perubahan budaya. Kenyataan bahwa ada suatu kebutuhan untuk bertindak dan mengikuti perubahan global, mendorong generasi muda Cina untuk meniru barat. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menunjukkan ke-ambivalensi-an dari karakter di novel Shanghai Baby dalam menghadapi kehidupan gandanya (modern dan tradisional). Dan juga untuk menunjukkan suatu usaha dari si karakter dalam mengubah persepsi bahwa (menjadi) modern tidak selalu (menjadi) barat. Post-kolonial mimicry oleh Homi Bhabha merupakan sebuah wacana dari perubahan nilai-nilai tradisi dan budaya. Sebuah keinginan untuk berubah dengan meniru nilai-nilai budaya Barat tanpa meninggalkan lokalitas mereka sebagai seorang Timur (Cina). Wacana inilah yang menunjukkan bahwa mimicry tidak jauh dari pengejekan. Sebuah penilaian bahwa Barat tidak selalu merusak dan Timur-pun bukan suatu ketertinggalan, menjadi sebuah pemikiran untuk bisa menelaah dan menerima perbedaan tanpa harus saling menjatuhkan. Kata Kunci : Barat, Cina, Mimicry, Shanghai Baby viii