Saturday night, the south alun-alun of Yogyakarta Palace was so damp and muddy after the rain. Between the crowds, a young woman was walking slowly with her eyes shut by a bandana; her friends were walking besides her, giggling. She was trying to walk pass between the twin banyans at the center of alun-alun. Unfortunately, she failed. She cannot keep her feet straight. Just right before reaching the banyans, she veer right and keep walking to one of the goal posts at the western side of the alun-alun. Her friends burst to laughter.
It was an ordinary sight you can find at the south alun-alun of Yogyakarta. Many people were trying to pass between the twins banyans with closed eyes but most of them usually ended on the west or east side of the banyans. Dina (20), the young woman, still cannot believe that she was walking to the right side of the banyans. Her feeling tells her that she was walking straight. “I was walking straight! I am sure that I was walking straight, but why I’m ended in at this silly goal post?” she stated with bewildering eyes and her friends still burst in laughter.
The twin banyans have been a great mystery for the Jogjanese for hundreds of years. They believe the superstition that the twin banyans can fulfill the wish of anyone who is able to walk pass between them with their eyes closed. But still, for hundreds of years, only a few people were able to beat the banyans’ challenge.
The crowd was filled by many people from various place and age. Some of them came there to take the challenge of beating the banyans and some of them came there just to feel the breeze and taste wedang ronde, a hot traditional Javanese beverage. There are so many wedang ronde sellers at the alun-alun. In fact, the alun-alun is circled by wedang ronde sellers. They are not only selling wedang ronde but also roasted corn and some other hot beverages such as tea, ginger tea, and coffee.
Gimin (34), one of the wedang ronde seller said that the place is always crowded by youngsters every Saturday night and most of them tried to take banyans challenge. “I have tried to walk pass through those trees before and I succeeded once. And, yes, my wish was coming true. I thank the banyans. But actually the best time to take the challenge is at midnight and what you should do is not just walking through the trees with your eyes closed but also walking from one to another hole at the fence which circling each of the banyans. I’ve done it before and the banyans really fulfilled my wish.”
That is the story of the banyans but I still have one question which will always be a mystery for me; what kind of wish which will be fulfilled by the banyans? I have taken the challenge, I do all the rules, and I succeeded. But my wish did not coming true. Did the banyans hate me, or my wish is too great for them to accomplish? Only the banyans know. However, it was a good challenge and if the banyans cannot actually fulfill your wish, the cool breeze, the ginger tea or the roasted corn is worth trying.
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sejarah Tradisi Upacara Tingkeban
Upacara Tingkeban adalah satu dari bermacam-macam tradisi upacara masyarakat Jawa, khususnya masyarakat di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Upacara yang diadakan untuk memperingati tujuh bulan usia kandungan ini – hanya - dilakukan bagi wanita yang baru pertama kali mengalami kehamilan.
Dalam tradisi masyarakat Yogyakarta - baik dari golongan rakyat biasa maupun golongan bangsawan (priyayi) yang hidup di lingkungan kraton - upacara ini merupakan upacara terpenting diantara upacara-upacara tradisional yang lain. Jika upacara ini diabaikan, masyarakat Jawa - khususnya masyarakat di Yogyakarta - percaya bahwa hal tersebut akan mengakibatkan gangguan terhadap keselamatan ibu dan bayi yang dikandungnya. Disamping itu, banyak orang beranggapan bahwa melahirkan anak tanpa – sebelumnya - mengadakan upacara Tingkeban ini disebut ngebokake anak: menyamakan anak tersebut dengan seekor kerbau. Hal ini telah banyak dilukiskan oleh Clifford Geertz dalam bukunya yang berjudul The Religion of Java (20, 45). Oleh karena itu, masyarakat diharuskan mengadakan upacara Tingkeban walaupun dengan acara sederhana.
Sejarah atau asal usul terjadinya upacara Tingkeban di dalam masyarakat Jawa - khususnya di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta - akan diuraikan sebagai berikut:
Pada jaman kerajaan Kediri diperintah oleh Raja Jayabaya, ada seorang wanita yang bernama Niken Satingkeb. Ia menikah dengan seorang punggawa kerajaan yang bernama Sadiyo. Dari perkawinan ini, lahirlah sembilan orang anak. Akan tetapi, nasib malang menimpa mereka, karena dari kesembilan anak tersebut tak ada seorangpun yang berumur panjang.
Sadiyo dan Niken satingkeb tidak putus asa dalam berusaha dan selalu berdoa agar mempunyai anak lagi yang kelak tidak bernasib malang seperti anak-anak mereka sebelumnya. Segala petuah dan petunjuk dari siapa saja selalu mereka perhatikan, tetapi tidak ada juga tanda-tanda bahwa istrinya mengandung. Maka, pergilah suami istri tersebut menghadap raja untuk mengadukan kepedihan hatinya dan mohon petunjuk sarana apakah yang harus mereka lakukan agar dianugerahi seorang anak lagi yang tidak mengalami nasib seperti anak-anaknya terdahulu.
Sang raja yang arif bijaksana itu terharu mendengar pengaduan Nyai Niken Satingkeb dan suaminya. Maka, beliau memberikan petunjuk agar Nyai satingkeb - pada setiap hari Tumbak (Rabu) dan Budha (Sabtu) - harus mandi dengan air suci dengan gayung berupa tempurung kepala yang disebut bathok disertai dengan membaca doa seperti berikut:
“Hong Hyang Hanging Amarta, Martini Sarwa Huma, humaningsun ia wasesaningsun, ingsun pudyo sampurno dadyo manungso.”
Setelah mandi, ia memakai pakaian yang serba bersih. Kemudian dijatuhkan dua butir kelapa gading melalui jarak antara perut dan pakaian. Kelapa gading tersebut digambari Sang Hyang Wisnu dan Dewi Sri atau Arjuna dan Sumbadara. Maksudnya adalah agar jika kelak anaknya lahir, ia mempunyai paras elok atau cantik seperti yang dimaksud dalam gambar itu. Selanjutnya, wanita yang hamil itu harus melilitkan daun tebu wulung pada perutnya yang kemudian dipotong dengan keris.
Segala petuah dan anjuran sang raja itu dijalankannya dengan cermat, dan ternyata segala yang mereka minta dikabulkan. Semenjak itu, upacara ini diwariskan turun-temurun dan menjadi tradisi wajib bagi masyarakat Jawa.
Dalam tradisi masyarakat Yogyakarta - baik dari golongan rakyat biasa maupun golongan bangsawan (priyayi) yang hidup di lingkungan kraton - upacara ini merupakan upacara terpenting diantara upacara-upacara tradisional yang lain. Jika upacara ini diabaikan, masyarakat Jawa - khususnya masyarakat di Yogyakarta - percaya bahwa hal tersebut akan mengakibatkan gangguan terhadap keselamatan ibu dan bayi yang dikandungnya. Disamping itu, banyak orang beranggapan bahwa melahirkan anak tanpa – sebelumnya - mengadakan upacara Tingkeban ini disebut ngebokake anak: menyamakan anak tersebut dengan seekor kerbau. Hal ini telah banyak dilukiskan oleh Clifford Geertz dalam bukunya yang berjudul The Religion of Java (20, 45). Oleh karena itu, masyarakat diharuskan mengadakan upacara Tingkeban walaupun dengan acara sederhana.
Sejarah atau asal usul terjadinya upacara Tingkeban di dalam masyarakat Jawa - khususnya di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta - akan diuraikan sebagai berikut:
Pada jaman kerajaan Kediri diperintah oleh Raja Jayabaya, ada seorang wanita yang bernama Niken Satingkeb. Ia menikah dengan seorang punggawa kerajaan yang bernama Sadiyo. Dari perkawinan ini, lahirlah sembilan orang anak. Akan tetapi, nasib malang menimpa mereka, karena dari kesembilan anak tersebut tak ada seorangpun yang berumur panjang.
Sadiyo dan Niken satingkeb tidak putus asa dalam berusaha dan selalu berdoa agar mempunyai anak lagi yang kelak tidak bernasib malang seperti anak-anak mereka sebelumnya. Segala petuah dan petunjuk dari siapa saja selalu mereka perhatikan, tetapi tidak ada juga tanda-tanda bahwa istrinya mengandung. Maka, pergilah suami istri tersebut menghadap raja untuk mengadukan kepedihan hatinya dan mohon petunjuk sarana apakah yang harus mereka lakukan agar dianugerahi seorang anak lagi yang tidak mengalami nasib seperti anak-anaknya terdahulu.
Sang raja yang arif bijaksana itu terharu mendengar pengaduan Nyai Niken Satingkeb dan suaminya. Maka, beliau memberikan petunjuk agar Nyai satingkeb - pada setiap hari Tumbak (Rabu) dan Budha (Sabtu) - harus mandi dengan air suci dengan gayung berupa tempurung kepala yang disebut bathok disertai dengan membaca doa seperti berikut:
“Hong Hyang Hanging Amarta, Martini Sarwa Huma, humaningsun ia wasesaningsun, ingsun pudyo sampurno dadyo manungso.”
Setelah mandi, ia memakai pakaian yang serba bersih. Kemudian dijatuhkan dua butir kelapa gading melalui jarak antara perut dan pakaian. Kelapa gading tersebut digambari Sang Hyang Wisnu dan Dewi Sri atau Arjuna dan Sumbadara. Maksudnya adalah agar jika kelak anaknya lahir, ia mempunyai paras elok atau cantik seperti yang dimaksud dalam gambar itu. Selanjutnya, wanita yang hamil itu harus melilitkan daun tebu wulung pada perutnya yang kemudian dipotong dengan keris.
Segala petuah dan anjuran sang raja itu dijalankannya dengan cermat, dan ternyata segala yang mereka minta dikabulkan. Semenjak itu, upacara ini diwariskan turun-temurun dan menjadi tradisi wajib bagi masyarakat Jawa.
Monday, March 31, 2008
A PSYCHOANALYSIS STUDY IN JOHN STEINBECK’S THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS
What makes a short story interesting is when the readers are persuaded to know exactly about the certain element of a fiction such as characters and certain symbols. Here, in John Steinbeck’s short story titled The Chrysanthemums, we are offered by such interesting element. The main character in John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemums is a woman named Elisa Allen who lost her happiness, frustrated her marital life and being barred from doing certain thing that she wish for and treated unequally by men.
According to Abrams, “character is a person presented in dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say and what they do” (1981: 21). From this we can interpret ourselves what kind of person Elisa Allen from The Chrysanthemums is. But it is not enough to interpret the character by noticing what the character do or say, since John Steinbeck put chrysanthemums as Elisa Allen’s favorite flower and the most important, as the title of the short story. Eliade in Images and Symbols stated that “symbols reveal the deepest secret of human way of thinking and it is very important to help understanding the hidden secret of human being” (1961: 12). Chrysantemums must have some contributions about the character.
To start the analysis of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, there is one approach will be applied. This approach is and psychoanalytic. The approach will apply on the fiction, The Chrysanthemum, is psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis was first introduced by Sigmund Freud from year of 1900 until the year of 1940. Freud central hypothesis is that human behavior is determined in large part by unconscious motives. Freud himself is regarded as the explorer and mapper of the unconscious. Psychoanalysis can be applied in some subject: social science, history, biography, religion, and especially, literature. There are three heading of Freud’s concept theory of personality: principal structural concept, principal dynamic concept and principal developmental concept. Psychoanalytic helps the writer to identify about the characterization of Elisa Allen in The Chrysanthemum that influenced by social determination in relation with feminism.
Psychoanalytic was introduced by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalytic tries to reveal the working mind of a character. Freud symbolize human mind as an iceberg, the tip above the water represent consciousness mind, and the vast region below the surface represents unconscious mind. This Freud’s symbolization will be applied in the characterization of Elisa Allen. Abrams stated that character is a person presented in dramatic or narrative work who is interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional quality that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and by what they do-the action(1981: 20). Psychoanalytic will be helpful to reveal the hidden or unconscious human mind in the character of Elisa Allen.
Through the fiction, it is predictable that Elisa Allen lives beyond the control of the principal structural concept introduced by Freud named superego. Superego is internal representative of the traditional values, ideals, and moral standards of society and enforced by means of a system of reward and punishment imposed upon the child. Superego has conflict with ego. Ego is a structure develops out of the Id, to discharge tension in connection with out side world. Superego is society ideal of a person and Ego is reality need of a person. When the need or wish or instinct is blocked, that is, when it cannot secure its original object choice, the energy of the instinct is diverted (displaced) to substitute object. This is Freud most developmental concept known as Displacement.
Realizing her limited and determined life, Eliza declares her dissatisfaction of culture as a conflict between personal happiness and cultural obstacles. From the Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, it can be proven how the society, where Elisa Allen lives, becomes the subject uses their culture to define women how to be a woman that cause’s big influence to woman’s working mind.
Characterization of Elisa Allen
Through the short story, the characterization of Elisa Allen only provided in appearances only:
“She was thirty-five. Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips.”(p.283)
“Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over powerful.”(p.283)
On the beginning of the story, we may assume that there is nothing wrong with the daily life Of Elisa Allen. But when her husband asked her to have a dinner at a restaurant in Cominos Hotel, Elisa responds it:
“Of course I’ll like it. It’s good to eat away from home”. (p.284)
From the sentence above, a prediction arises, that Elisa has a wish, or need, to experience life outside her house. When the tinker comes to her house and tells her about her life, Elisa‘s desire to experience or have adventures becomes stronger.
“He drew a big finger down the chicken wire and made it sing.” I ain’t in any hurry, ma’am. I go from Seattle to San Diego and back every year. Takes all my time. About six month each way. I aim to follow nice weather.”(p.286)
“That sounds like a nice kind of a way to live.” She said. (p.286)
Elisa realizes that life such the tinker has is something she really wanted and attract her. She then makes a confession about it to the tinker unconsciously:
“I’ve never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark-why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there’s quiet. Why you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It’s like that. Hot and sharp and- lovely” (p.288)
“It must be nice,” She said. “It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things.”(p.288)
But, unfortunately, the tinker gives a response that Elisa never thought which disagree with Elisa perception. The tinker himself can not give the reason of it.
“It ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman.”(p.288)
“How do you know? How can you tell?” She said.”(p.289)
“I don’t know, ma’am,” He protested. (p.289)
Believing that she can live the world as same as the men do, Elisa tells the tinker about rival he may compete with.
“You might be surprised to have a rival sometime. I can sharpen scissors too. And I can beat the dents out of little pots. I could show you what a woman might do. (p.289)
The meeting with the tinker realizes Elisa that she has a kind of life she wanted to have life more wide than she has now. The tinker’s impression about her flower, chrysanthemum changes her thought. She finds that men might understand women’s thought and what women want. But after knowing what the tinker has done to the chrysanthemum she gave to, she realizes that what she first thought is something impossible. Elisa finds it’s too difficult to understand what’s in men’s mind:
“Henry, at those prize fight, do the men hurt each other very much?”(p.291)
“Do any women ever go to the fight?” She asked.(p.291)
“Oh, sure, some. What’s the matter, Elisa? Do you want to go? I don’t think you’d like it but I’ll take you if you really want to go.”(p.291)
“Oh, no. No. I don’t want to go. I’m sure I don’t.”(p.291)
Elisa Allen is a woman who lives in isolation. The form the isolation itself is women’s matter, households. She unconsciously has a wish, a desire to have a life more interesting which is the same with what men’s has. As the wish is repressed into her unconscious mind, she releases her energy to discharge the tension she has by taking care the chrysanthemums she does for years and cleaning her house, a hard –swept looking little house, with hard-polished windows and a clean mud-mat on the front steps. The repression of Elisa’s Wish itself is caused by the conflict between her Ego and Superego. Her ego here is her desire to have and to experience a life outside her house and to have romantic marriage. The superego of Elisa Allen is that she is not supposed to have a life of what her ego need to manifest. And the conflict’s result is that she must follow the women ideals according to society. But the meeting with the tinker brought her mind to prioritize her individual wish. Unfortunately she failed to manifest her wish because social determination to women is to strong. Elisa Allen is a character who is actually live in isolation, boredom, unromantic marriage.
Symbolical Meaning
According to Sylvan Bernet, In an Introduction to Literature, “Usually symbol is stressed by the author. The stress may take form in long description and frequent appearances. If a symbol is not stressed by the author, still it can be recognized by it in appearance” (1994:9). In John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum flower described frequently from the beginning of the story until the end of it. Chrysanthemums also become the central of the story conflict.
In psychoanalysis term based on Freud’s concept, chrysanthemum is the substitute object where Elisa releases her energy to discharge the tension in his mind (displacement). Thus, it must be having certain meaning that related with Elisa herself. The existence of chrysanthemum as a symbolical object might have certain meaning and the meaning itself could be anything.
First, we can predict that chrysanthemums, the flower that Elisa Allen proud of, symbolizes children. When we first read the story, we may wonder that something is missing in Elisa, a twenty five Years old women’s marriage. That chrysanthemum might symbolize children is supported by descriptions how Elisa taking cares her Chrysanthemum:
“No aphids were there, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms. Her terrier fingers destroyed such pest before they could get started.”(p.283)
How Elisa takes care the chrysanthemums, flowers that she work on which becomes ten inches across, representing a child that she will always protected from any disturbances. When her husband, Henry Allen, compliments her flower, she shows him her proud. But it will not take a long time until Henry asked her to work out the orchard and to raise some apples as big as the chrysanthemum:
“I wish you’d work out in the orchard and raise some big apples that (the chrysanthemums) big” (p.284)
It’s remaining that Henry regards Elisa as a tool to reproduce and work only in household just like ordinary women. Unfortunately, Elisa shows her agreement to Henry about it:
“Maybe I could do it, too. I’ve a gift with things, all right”(p.284)
The second meaning of the chrysanthemum is that the flower might symbolize and describe Elisa Allen herself. A question may arise, why did Steinbeck use chrysanthemum? Why not other flower? Chrysanthemum is a kind of flower, which has many usages, especially for medication. There is a possibility that Steinbeck wanted to symbolize Elisa with the chrysanthemums in meaning that he wanted the readers to know that Elisa is a person who has special quality, such as the chrysanthemums, as an individual.
Elisa is a woman who lives in isolation, after she meets the tinker and knowing his interesting adventure, she wish that she could touch the outside world. She symbolizes it by giving some of the chrysanthemum to the tinker to give it to a woman the tinker knows who want chrysanthemums. But when the Elisa finds out that he throws it away in the road after leaving her house, she realizes she can’t touch and experience the life outside her house. Elisa finds that her life will never change and she must live her life she never wanted until she died. It caused by the power of the society which is male dominated and stereotypes and defines women of how to be a woman.
Conclusion
Basically, the main character of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, Elisa Allen, is a woman who live in boredom, frustration, and limitation because of the pressure of her social construct. She has no children, unhappy marriage, and isolation. She spent her daily life by take care her favorite flower, chrysanthemum to release her boredom.
Elisa’s mind has conflict between her ego and superego. Her ego is her dream for having a life she really wanted outside her house, because she spends her daily life in house hold matter only, and her superego is a social construct which determines her life for having a kind of life that most of women have. Because Elisa life is beyond her superego, her energy to fulfill her ego is blocked, that’s why she chooses her favorite, flower, chrysanthemums as a substitute object to fulfill her ego.
According to Abrams, “character is a person presented in dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say and what they do” (1981: 21). From this we can interpret ourselves what kind of person Elisa Allen from The Chrysanthemums is. But it is not enough to interpret the character by noticing what the character do or say, since John Steinbeck put chrysanthemums as Elisa Allen’s favorite flower and the most important, as the title of the short story. Eliade in Images and Symbols stated that “symbols reveal the deepest secret of human way of thinking and it is very important to help understanding the hidden secret of human being” (1961: 12). Chrysantemums must have some contributions about the character.
To start the analysis of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, there is one approach will be applied. This approach is and psychoanalytic. The approach will apply on the fiction, The Chrysanthemum, is psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis was first introduced by Sigmund Freud from year of 1900 until the year of 1940. Freud central hypothesis is that human behavior is determined in large part by unconscious motives. Freud himself is regarded as the explorer and mapper of the unconscious. Psychoanalysis can be applied in some subject: social science, history, biography, religion, and especially, literature. There are three heading of Freud’s concept theory of personality: principal structural concept, principal dynamic concept and principal developmental concept. Psychoanalytic helps the writer to identify about the characterization of Elisa Allen in The Chrysanthemum that influenced by social determination in relation with feminism.
Psychoanalytic was introduced by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalytic tries to reveal the working mind of a character. Freud symbolize human mind as an iceberg, the tip above the water represent consciousness mind, and the vast region below the surface represents unconscious mind. This Freud’s symbolization will be applied in the characterization of Elisa Allen. Abrams stated that character is a person presented in dramatic or narrative work who is interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional quality that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and by what they do-the action(1981: 20). Psychoanalytic will be helpful to reveal the hidden or unconscious human mind in the character of Elisa Allen.
Through the fiction, it is predictable that Elisa Allen lives beyond the control of the principal structural concept introduced by Freud named superego. Superego is internal representative of the traditional values, ideals, and moral standards of society and enforced by means of a system of reward and punishment imposed upon the child. Superego has conflict with ego. Ego is a structure develops out of the Id, to discharge tension in connection with out side world. Superego is society ideal of a person and Ego is reality need of a person. When the need or wish or instinct is blocked, that is, when it cannot secure its original object choice, the energy of the instinct is diverted (displaced) to substitute object. This is Freud most developmental concept known as Displacement.
Realizing her limited and determined life, Eliza declares her dissatisfaction of culture as a conflict between personal happiness and cultural obstacles. From the Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, it can be proven how the society, where Elisa Allen lives, becomes the subject uses their culture to define women how to be a woman that cause’s big influence to woman’s working mind.
Characterization of Elisa Allen
Through the short story, the characterization of Elisa Allen only provided in appearances only:
“She was thirty-five. Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips.”(p.283)
“Her face was eager and mature and handsome; even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over powerful.”(p.283)
On the beginning of the story, we may assume that there is nothing wrong with the daily life Of Elisa Allen. But when her husband asked her to have a dinner at a restaurant in Cominos Hotel, Elisa responds it:
“Of course I’ll like it. It’s good to eat away from home”. (p.284)
From the sentence above, a prediction arises, that Elisa has a wish, or need, to experience life outside her house. When the tinker comes to her house and tells her about her life, Elisa‘s desire to experience or have adventures becomes stronger.
“He drew a big finger down the chicken wire and made it sing.” I ain’t in any hurry, ma’am. I go from Seattle to San Diego and back every year. Takes all my time. About six month each way. I aim to follow nice weather.”(p.286)
“That sounds like a nice kind of a way to live.” She said. (p.286)
Elisa realizes that life such the tinker has is something she really wanted and attract her. She then makes a confession about it to the tinker unconsciously:
“I’ve never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark-why, the stars are sharp-pointed, and there’s quiet. Why you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. It’s like that. Hot and sharp and- lovely” (p.288)
“It must be nice,” She said. “It must be very nice. I wish women could do such things.”(p.288)
But, unfortunately, the tinker gives a response that Elisa never thought which disagree with Elisa perception. The tinker himself can not give the reason of it.
“It ain’t the right kind of a life for a woman.”(p.288)
“How do you know? How can you tell?” She said.”(p.289)
“I don’t know, ma’am,” He protested. (p.289)
Believing that she can live the world as same as the men do, Elisa tells the tinker about rival he may compete with.
“You might be surprised to have a rival sometime. I can sharpen scissors too. And I can beat the dents out of little pots. I could show you what a woman might do. (p.289)
The meeting with the tinker realizes Elisa that she has a kind of life she wanted to have life more wide than she has now. The tinker’s impression about her flower, chrysanthemum changes her thought. She finds that men might understand women’s thought and what women want. But after knowing what the tinker has done to the chrysanthemum she gave to, she realizes that what she first thought is something impossible. Elisa finds it’s too difficult to understand what’s in men’s mind:
“Henry, at those prize fight, do the men hurt each other very much?”(p.291)
“Do any women ever go to the fight?” She asked.(p.291)
“Oh, sure, some. What’s the matter, Elisa? Do you want to go? I don’t think you’d like it but I’ll take you if you really want to go.”(p.291)
“Oh, no. No. I don’t want to go. I’m sure I don’t.”(p.291)
Elisa Allen is a woman who lives in isolation. The form the isolation itself is women’s matter, households. She unconsciously has a wish, a desire to have a life more interesting which is the same with what men’s has. As the wish is repressed into her unconscious mind, she releases her energy to discharge the tension she has by taking care the chrysanthemums she does for years and cleaning her house, a hard –swept looking little house, with hard-polished windows and a clean mud-mat on the front steps. The repression of Elisa’s Wish itself is caused by the conflict between her Ego and Superego. Her ego here is her desire to have and to experience a life outside her house and to have romantic marriage. The superego of Elisa Allen is that she is not supposed to have a life of what her ego need to manifest. And the conflict’s result is that she must follow the women ideals according to society. But the meeting with the tinker brought her mind to prioritize her individual wish. Unfortunately she failed to manifest her wish because social determination to women is to strong. Elisa Allen is a character who is actually live in isolation, boredom, unromantic marriage.
Symbolical Meaning
According to Sylvan Bernet, In an Introduction to Literature, “Usually symbol is stressed by the author. The stress may take form in long description and frequent appearances. If a symbol is not stressed by the author, still it can be recognized by it in appearance” (1994:9). In John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum flower described frequently from the beginning of the story until the end of it. Chrysanthemums also become the central of the story conflict.
In psychoanalysis term based on Freud’s concept, chrysanthemum is the substitute object where Elisa releases her energy to discharge the tension in his mind (displacement). Thus, it must be having certain meaning that related with Elisa herself. The existence of chrysanthemum as a symbolical object might have certain meaning and the meaning itself could be anything.
First, we can predict that chrysanthemums, the flower that Elisa Allen proud of, symbolizes children. When we first read the story, we may wonder that something is missing in Elisa, a twenty five Years old women’s marriage. That chrysanthemum might symbolize children is supported by descriptions how Elisa taking cares her Chrysanthemum:
“No aphids were there, no sow bugs or snails or cutworms. Her terrier fingers destroyed such pest before they could get started.”(p.283)
How Elisa takes care the chrysanthemums, flowers that she work on which becomes ten inches across, representing a child that she will always protected from any disturbances. When her husband, Henry Allen, compliments her flower, she shows him her proud. But it will not take a long time until Henry asked her to work out the orchard and to raise some apples as big as the chrysanthemum:
“I wish you’d work out in the orchard and raise some big apples that (the chrysanthemums) big” (p.284)
It’s remaining that Henry regards Elisa as a tool to reproduce and work only in household just like ordinary women. Unfortunately, Elisa shows her agreement to Henry about it:
“Maybe I could do it, too. I’ve a gift with things, all right”(p.284)
The second meaning of the chrysanthemum is that the flower might symbolize and describe Elisa Allen herself. A question may arise, why did Steinbeck use chrysanthemum? Why not other flower? Chrysanthemum is a kind of flower, which has many usages, especially for medication. There is a possibility that Steinbeck wanted to symbolize Elisa with the chrysanthemums in meaning that he wanted the readers to know that Elisa is a person who has special quality, such as the chrysanthemums, as an individual.
Elisa is a woman who lives in isolation, after she meets the tinker and knowing his interesting adventure, she wish that she could touch the outside world. She symbolizes it by giving some of the chrysanthemum to the tinker to give it to a woman the tinker knows who want chrysanthemums. But when the Elisa finds out that he throws it away in the road after leaving her house, she realizes she can’t touch and experience the life outside her house. Elisa finds that her life will never change and she must live her life she never wanted until she died. It caused by the power of the society which is male dominated and stereotypes and defines women of how to be a woman.
Conclusion
Basically, the main character of John Steinbeck’s The Chrysanthemum, Elisa Allen, is a woman who live in boredom, frustration, and limitation because of the pressure of her social construct. She has no children, unhappy marriage, and isolation. She spent her daily life by take care her favorite flower, chrysanthemum to release her boredom.
Elisa’s mind has conflict between her ego and superego. Her ego is her dream for having a life she really wanted outside her house, because she spends her daily life in house hold matter only, and her superego is a social construct which determines her life for having a kind of life that most of women have. Because Elisa life is beyond her superego, her energy to fulfill her ego is blocked, that’s why she chooses her favorite, flower, chrysanthemums as a substitute object to fulfill her ego.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
History of English Literature
The Transformation of Daphne
1.Ovid uses the theme of Cupid’s Revenge in this story is by telling that cupid took revenge on Apollo because he Ridiculed Cupid’s Power. Apollo, who had successfully killed python, a legendary sea serpent, mocked him by saying: “O, Silly Youngster”.”What are you doing with such weapons? Those are for grown-ups!” ”The torch, my boy, is enough for you to play with to fear love-fires burning.” It raised Cupid’s anger and wanted to take revenge on him. He shot Apollo using his golden and sharp arrow, so that he fell in love with Daphne. He also shot Daphne using blunt arrow to drive all love away from Daphne. It made Apollo follow her everywhere and ask her to be his wife. But she was afraid of him. Moreover, she didn’t want to get marry with anyone. She chose to be a laurel tree. So, Apollo only can have the laurel tree, not Daphne.
2.The qualities that were traditionally associated with Apollo are…
Never fail in wounding beast or mortal
Lord of Delphi
Jove’s son
Revealer of past, present, and future
God of song, poetry, athletes, and healing
3.The illustrations that shows the readers divine beings are capable of human emotions :
God had a feeling of love, ex: Apollo loved Daphne. The evidence is “Apollo loves at first sight, he wants to marry Daphne, he hopes for what he wants.”
Arrogant, ex: Apollo was too proud of himself. The evidence is “You don’t know it is you run away from. I am lord of Delphi…”, “I never fail in wounding beast or mortal, and not so long ago I slew python”.
Angry, ex: Cupid was angry at Apollo. The evidence is “Your bow shoots everything, Apollo may be. But mine will fix you. You are far above all creatures living, and by just that distance your glory less than mine.”
The illustrations that show the limits of God’s power:
Apollo who loved Daphne, but she did not love him
Diane, the virgin Goddess love Apollo, but he did not love her
Daphne turned into a laurel tree.
4.Traditional symbolic of laurel tree :
Green
Shining
The traditional symbolic of laurel tree are described in the last two paragraph. The writer says, “When her limbs grew numb and heavy. Her breaths…her shining.” Apollo says,” Let the laurel be green and shining..”
The Flight of Daedalus and Icarus
1.The tyrant in the story is king Minos. He controlled earth and ocean. So, the citizens, including Daedulus must ask his permission if they wanted to pass through his authority area. For his own sake, he also did not let Daedulus and Icarus, his son, to leave the island. Because he was an asset for Minos.
2.Things that foreshadow the ending :
Daedalus made wings from feathers and wax
He and Icarus escaped from the island by flying through the air and using the wings.
On the sky, Icarus flied too high
The Bonds of the Icarus wings were loosened, the fastening melted, her /his moving arms held in the desert of air.
The wax was gone
Icarus fell down to the sea.
The poet makes sure that the readers emotions are aroused by telling chronologically the process of how Icarus fell down to the sea.
The strongest emotion at the end is tragic
3.In this story, there are some actions that symbolize something, such as :
The action when Daedalus wanted to go back Athens, his homeland, can be seen as the presumptuous pride of humans. He did it because he was so proud of his homeland.
The action when Icarus fell down from the sky shows the rashness or impetuosity of heedless youth. Because he flied too high, the bonds of the wings were loosened and the wings were gone. So, he fell down to the water/ses. His heedless had caused his death.
The action when Daealus created wings using feathers and wax shows the Boundless of human inspiration. So, human can make everything he wants, based on what his mind thinks about something.
Orpheus and Eurydice in the underworld
1.Orpheus was a singer and a poet. There, he used poetical words and music in begging. Hades to bring Eurydice, his wife, back to the world with him. His words and his music really touched other people, so did Hades and Persephone, Hades wife. They could feel what Orpheus felt: grief, the power of love, his strength, from his words and his music. That was why Hades not Persephone had harshness to refuse him. To take Eurydice back. The Evidence :
“And with his words, the music,
Tantalus tried no more to reach the water,
And Syphus…The furies weft..
Neither the king not the concord….him
And they called her, Eurydice.”
2.There are some illusions used by the writer to symbolized something, such as :
The allusion of Tantalus, who was a former king punished by hunger and thirst, can be found in the last paragraph, line 3, 4, 5. It is showed when Orpheus sat beside the bank, in filthy garments, and tears, without food for seven days, waiting for Eurydice
The allusion of Syphus, who had been condemned to endless fruitless labor, can be seen in the fact that Orpheus had to start from the beginning of his attempts to take Eurydice back to the above world. The reason was because he broke the condition.
The allusion of the furies, who were tormented and punished criminal, is showed when Orpheus broke the condition given by Hades. He had promised Hades not to turn back his gaze, or the gift would be in vain. It was proved when he had to get the fact of loosing Eurydice for the second time. It was his punishment of disobey Hades.
3.Orpheus was given a gift by Hades. Hades let Eurydice back to the world above, but with one condition. It was Orpheus must not turn back to look at her until they had safely arrived in the world above. Unfortunately, he broke it/disable the condition, finally, Eurydice disappeared, which meant she went back to the underworld.
4. I do not think that Hades was malicious or insincere in granting the wish of Orpheus because merely he canceled it. In underworld he was the leader, so he had rules in leading it, just like when he granted. Orpheus wishes with a condition. I believe that this was one of rules in underworld. So, he just followed the rule.
The evidence: “Neither the king nor consort had harshness to refuse him. And they called her, Eurydice….., with the new shades of hell. And Orpheus received her, but one term was set: he must not…..,or the gift would be in vain.”
* I think the poet does not want us to blame Orpheus for not observing the condition that had been imposed. We can see it from the language he uses. He does not use satirical language or harsh words in telling it, Just like in these sentences, “looked back in love and she was gone, in a moment.”
He also tries to be neutral in telling it, either blaming or standing up for Orpheus. There he tells that. Orpheus broke the condition, but he also tells how Orpheus loved his wife so much, so that he decided to look back to her. I think he lets the readers have their own opinion (blaming or thinking him right), not to persuade the readers. The evidence:
“When he, afraid that she might falter, eager to see her looked back in love-and she was gone, in a moment,”
“This privilege for my wife, one thing is certain: I do not want to go back either, triumph. In the death of two.”
“One thing, only: He loved her. He could hardly hear her calling: Farewell !! When she was gone.”
“In vain the prayers of Orpheus and his longing. To cross the river once more, the boatman…and tasting. No food whatever. Trouble, grief…he wondered on.”
* Of course, he wants the readers to get massages from the myth that above all powers humans have, there is the strongest power, God. If god wants something happens, then something happens, even the strongest human cannot prevent it. So, no matter how hard God’s rules. We must obey them, because it is for our own sake.
1.Ovid uses the theme of Cupid’s Revenge in this story is by telling that cupid took revenge on Apollo because he Ridiculed Cupid’s Power. Apollo, who had successfully killed python, a legendary sea serpent, mocked him by saying: “O, Silly Youngster”.”What are you doing with such weapons? Those are for grown-ups!” ”The torch, my boy, is enough for you to play with to fear love-fires burning.” It raised Cupid’s anger and wanted to take revenge on him. He shot Apollo using his golden and sharp arrow, so that he fell in love with Daphne. He also shot Daphne using blunt arrow to drive all love away from Daphne. It made Apollo follow her everywhere and ask her to be his wife. But she was afraid of him. Moreover, she didn’t want to get marry with anyone. She chose to be a laurel tree. So, Apollo only can have the laurel tree, not Daphne.
2.The qualities that were traditionally associated with Apollo are…
Never fail in wounding beast or mortal
Lord of Delphi
Jove’s son
Revealer of past, present, and future
God of song, poetry, athletes, and healing
3.The illustrations that shows the readers divine beings are capable of human emotions :
God had a feeling of love, ex: Apollo loved Daphne. The evidence is “Apollo loves at first sight, he wants to marry Daphne, he hopes for what he wants.”
Arrogant, ex: Apollo was too proud of himself. The evidence is “You don’t know it is you run away from. I am lord of Delphi…”, “I never fail in wounding beast or mortal, and not so long ago I slew python”.
Angry, ex: Cupid was angry at Apollo. The evidence is “Your bow shoots everything, Apollo may be. But mine will fix you. You are far above all creatures living, and by just that distance your glory less than mine.”
The illustrations that show the limits of God’s power:
Apollo who loved Daphne, but she did not love him
Diane, the virgin Goddess love Apollo, but he did not love her
Daphne turned into a laurel tree.
4.Traditional symbolic of laurel tree :
Green
Shining
The traditional symbolic of laurel tree are described in the last two paragraph. The writer says, “When her limbs grew numb and heavy. Her breaths…her shining.” Apollo says,” Let the laurel be green and shining..”
The Flight of Daedalus and Icarus
1.The tyrant in the story is king Minos. He controlled earth and ocean. So, the citizens, including Daedulus must ask his permission if they wanted to pass through his authority area. For his own sake, he also did not let Daedulus and Icarus, his son, to leave the island. Because he was an asset for Minos.
2.Things that foreshadow the ending :
Daedalus made wings from feathers and wax
He and Icarus escaped from the island by flying through the air and using the wings.
On the sky, Icarus flied too high
The Bonds of the Icarus wings were loosened, the fastening melted, her /his moving arms held in the desert of air.
The wax was gone
Icarus fell down to the sea.
The poet makes sure that the readers emotions are aroused by telling chronologically the process of how Icarus fell down to the sea.
The strongest emotion at the end is tragic
3.In this story, there are some actions that symbolize something, such as :
The action when Daedalus wanted to go back Athens, his homeland, can be seen as the presumptuous pride of humans. He did it because he was so proud of his homeland.
The action when Icarus fell down from the sky shows the rashness or impetuosity of heedless youth. Because he flied too high, the bonds of the wings were loosened and the wings were gone. So, he fell down to the water/ses. His heedless had caused his death.
The action when Daealus created wings using feathers and wax shows the Boundless of human inspiration. So, human can make everything he wants, based on what his mind thinks about something.
Orpheus and Eurydice in the underworld
1.Orpheus was a singer and a poet. There, he used poetical words and music in begging. Hades to bring Eurydice, his wife, back to the world with him. His words and his music really touched other people, so did Hades and Persephone, Hades wife. They could feel what Orpheus felt: grief, the power of love, his strength, from his words and his music. That was why Hades not Persephone had harshness to refuse him. To take Eurydice back. The Evidence :
“And with his words, the music,
Tantalus tried no more to reach the water,
And Syphus…The furies weft..
Neither the king not the concord….him
And they called her, Eurydice.”
2.There are some illusions used by the writer to symbolized something, such as :
The allusion of Tantalus, who was a former king punished by hunger and thirst, can be found in the last paragraph, line 3, 4, 5. It is showed when Orpheus sat beside the bank, in filthy garments, and tears, without food for seven days, waiting for Eurydice
The allusion of Syphus, who had been condemned to endless fruitless labor, can be seen in the fact that Orpheus had to start from the beginning of his attempts to take Eurydice back to the above world. The reason was because he broke the condition.
The allusion of the furies, who were tormented and punished criminal, is showed when Orpheus broke the condition given by Hades. He had promised Hades not to turn back his gaze, or the gift would be in vain. It was proved when he had to get the fact of loosing Eurydice for the second time. It was his punishment of disobey Hades.
3.Orpheus was given a gift by Hades. Hades let Eurydice back to the world above, but with one condition. It was Orpheus must not turn back to look at her until they had safely arrived in the world above. Unfortunately, he broke it/disable the condition, finally, Eurydice disappeared, which meant she went back to the underworld.
4. I do not think that Hades was malicious or insincere in granting the wish of Orpheus because merely he canceled it. In underworld he was the leader, so he had rules in leading it, just like when he granted. Orpheus wishes with a condition. I believe that this was one of rules in underworld. So, he just followed the rule.
The evidence: “Neither the king nor consort had harshness to refuse him. And they called her, Eurydice….., with the new shades of hell. And Orpheus received her, but one term was set: he must not…..,or the gift would be in vain.”
* I think the poet does not want us to blame Orpheus for not observing the condition that had been imposed. We can see it from the language he uses. He does not use satirical language or harsh words in telling it, Just like in these sentences, “looked back in love and she was gone, in a moment.”
He also tries to be neutral in telling it, either blaming or standing up for Orpheus. There he tells that. Orpheus broke the condition, but he also tells how Orpheus loved his wife so much, so that he decided to look back to her. I think he lets the readers have their own opinion (blaming or thinking him right), not to persuade the readers. The evidence:
“When he, afraid that she might falter, eager to see her looked back in love-and she was gone, in a moment,”
“This privilege for my wife, one thing is certain: I do not want to go back either, triumph. In the death of two.”
“One thing, only: He loved her. He could hardly hear her calling: Farewell !! When she was gone.”
“In vain the prayers of Orpheus and his longing. To cross the river once more, the boatman…and tasting. No food whatever. Trouble, grief…he wondered on.”
* Of course, he wants the readers to get massages from the myth that above all powers humans have, there is the strongest power, God. If god wants something happens, then something happens, even the strongest human cannot prevent it. So, no matter how hard God’s rules. We must obey them, because it is for our own sake.
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