8 research outputs found
TOM DRISCOLL AS THE MANIPULATOR OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CAPITAL IN PUDDN'HEAD WILSON
Expanding on the critical discussion of the ambiguity of slave identity in Mark Twainâs Puddnâhead Wilson put forward by Rowe (137), I want to argue that by exploiting the weakness of transitional capitalist society, the white slave character Tom Driscoll (Valet de Chambre) manipulates cultural identifiers in the form of cultural and social capitals, in order to subvert power from the ruling white elite, and ultimately elevate his societal statuses. I propose that his subversion of power, must be defined within the specific discourse of that setting, and this setting allows Tom, normally a black slave, to redefine himself as a white aristocratic member of the society. Tomâs âpassingâ as a white aristocrat was initiated and propelled into being by his mother, Roxy, by exploiting main cultural identifiers which are parameters of cultural and social capitals. The first is Tomâs racial likeness to white slave masters which enabled him to supplant the true heir of the Driscollâs family. The second is the objectified cultural capital of physical appearance such as speech and manners, to gain and maintain outward appearance of a white aristocrat. And the third, his conformity to the lofty ideals of lifestyle, manner, language, and honor, are required to pass as a member of the Driscoll family. Tom can then function as a sum of all Driscollâs cultural, social, and economic capitals, and he was able to âstealâ the name of a powerful Driscoll family. These are all maintained by Tom in order to rob the Driscollâs of their capitals, and ultimately, their power
Queequeeq as an American Imperial Subject in Melvilleâs Moby Dick.
Herman Melvilleâs Moby Dick has been scrutinized for the imperialistic constructs within its multicultural, multiracial and multiethnic settings. This article focuses on how Ishmael, the main character of the novel, describes the character of Queequeeg, the ethnic harpooner, at the scenes in the novel before they go aboard the ship Pequod, during their early meetings in New Bedford. In these events, Ishmael interpellates Queequeeg into existence, as through Ishmaelâs narration here that Queequeeg is firstly depicted. The main character Ishmael serves as an organ of American Imperialism within the multicultural setting of the novel. The character Ishmaelâs Eurocentric gaze constructs the non-white characters Queequeeg the âcannibalâ as a disempowered colonial subject, mainly through colonialistic and religious themes, powered by capitalistic motives. Queequeegâs ethnicity is viewed by Ishmael through an Imperialistic, Eurocentric ideology that serves to frame non-white character, Queequeeg, into an inferior subject status. Queequeegâs cultural identity in the end is constructed, judged, and modified by cultural criteria imposed by Ishmaelâs Eurocentric gaze, which is colored by a capitalistic backdrop
African-American Vernacular English as Hip-Hop Artist Identity in Indonesian Rapper Ramengvrl's Songs
This study aimed to investigate and identify the grammatical features of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) used in the song lyrics of the Indonesian Rapper Ramengvrlâs album, Canât Speak English, and understand the underlying reasons for this AAVE use by applying the language and society of sociolinguistics approach. The data was analyzed using Wolframâs theory of classification of grammatical features of AAVE in Ramengvrlâs songs to elaborate on the purpose of its use. The data analyzed were qualitatively collected by closely and thoroughly listening to the songs and reading the transcribed lyrics. The results are as follows: Ramengvrl employs 8 out of 13 grammatical features of AAVE. Those are copula/auxiliary absence, specialized auxiliary, subject-verb agreement, negation, remote âbeen,â nominals, non-standard pronouns, and question formation. Furthermore, this AAVE use by Ramengvrl is because of (1) the influences of Hip-hop artists, (2) the authenticity of Hip-Hop culture, and (3) as an anti-language to represent herself.
Keywords: African-American Vernacular English, AAVE, hip-hop, identit
THE INFLUENCE OF THE STORE AS SPATIAL SETTING TOWARD THE MAIN CHARACTERâS DEVELOPMENT IN SAYAKA MURATAâS CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN
This research examines Keiko Furukuraâs character development influenced by the convenience store as the main spatial setting in Sayaka Murataâs novel entitled Convenience Store Woman (2018). The study is a literary criticism which uses the theory of New Criticism, especially its argument that centers on the analysis of the main character in the story. This research proposes that spatial settings can become one of most determinant factors to affect the characterâs development in the story. The finding proves that the store is influential to the main characterâs development as it plays as the characterâs life-anchor to evaluate, measure or even, eventually, decide how worthy the main character is as a human
FINDING THE TRANSCENDENTAL BEAST IN POETIC TRANSLATIONS OF CHAIRIL ANWARâS AKU
This study sets out to present the combined application of qualitative research and a translation method to elucidate the transcendental aspect of Chairil Anwar's poem entitled Aku. The translation process uses the poemâs verbatim format at first, then its interpretation of the content, and finally its inherent ideas by reading behind its lines. The transcending process is achieved through the use of a symbolic beast that permeates the poemâs structure. The beast-symbol has twofold functions in the poem, to say that everything beyond the persona-self is unworthy and thus the persona itself is capable of reaching a more divine place or becoming a higher being. Such a powerful symbol further substantiates the presence of a textual being, a voice of a persona that is inherent within the poemâs structure, and of which function is to express the personaâs wish to transcend into something bigger or higher than himself, which is resembling, if not equal to, a godly being.
Keywords: poemâs persona, poetic translation, transcendentalism
Repressive Society in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Contemporary literary studies do not limit its study only on the study of classic literary text. Literary studies nowadays also study popular culture, especially the media, by utilizing progresses in the fields of Semiotics and Cultural Studies. Studying popular culture media is considered to be as important and rigorous as studying literary Classics, since the analysis required are no less demanding and complex, and the cultural impact of popular culture is also significant.  This study, in the tradition of Cultural Studies, analyses popular culture by concentrating on ideology, also utilizing Marxist notions of it. This study chooses to analyze a relatively new medium that has not been researched much, which is video game. Video games are now one of the established popular culture medium, which has ideologically loaded content. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is chosen as the object of this study because it is one of the successful video games which have received much attention from the general public, academics, and governments because of its explicit violent and criminal theme. The game focuses on criminal acts against the repressive law and the State.  This study analyses the repressive ideology in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, by focusing on the representation of the repressive society, namely the State and its apparatuses and the oppressed lower class. The scope of this study is on the analysis of the relevant elements of the game, focusing firstly on the narrative elements, through the understanding of its semiotic elements. Semiotic is used as an analytical tool to observe the representations of the elements of the society in the game. This study is a form of Cultural Studies that uses literary approach, and the aim of this study is to find the working of the repressive ideology involved, using the Marxist theories especially those developed by Louis Althusser.  From the analysis, the State and its apparatuses are represented in exaggeratedly negative form of repressiveness, and so are those who are compliant to the Stateâs ideology. Repressiveness is seen firstly from the way the ruling class utilizes the Stateâs Repressive Apparatus. The repressiveness and negative theme is also apparent in how the State / ruling class utilizes the Ideological State Apparatuses to support, justify, and ânecessitateâ this kind of repressiveness. The dominant ideology of the society from the workings of these apparatuses can be found out to be repressive and negative, in the ways of representation summarized above, especially in the criminal theme and point of view of main story.  On the other hand, those who resist the Stateâs repressiveness: the lower class, the Gangs, criminals, and Carl Johnson, are criminals and villains. Both the State and its resistant elements are therefore represented as negative. It can be seen from this perspective that the game creates a negative society where compliance or resistance to the State is actually compliance to the negative ideology of the State.  The State and the resistant elements, however, are in an inter-related existence. The repressive State exists and becomes a necessity because of the threat of the resistant elements, and the resistant elements can only exist and flourish inside a State which has repressive law and which provides conditions suitable for them to exist. The State creates its Self from the resistant elements which are its Other. This creates a binary opposition between the State and its resistant elements in terms of Gun Possession, material appearance, ways of conduct, and capital ownership. The cultural themes of race and ethnicity, and also the label âminorities,â are also built on this Self-Other dialectic.  This dialectic, supported with cultural âothernessâ built by the theme of ethnic minorities, are used for the purpose of defining the Stateâs superiority or ârighteousnessâ and the minoritiesâ inherent inferiority, âwickedness,â or âresistantâ attribute.  There are many more areas that further studies may reveal, such as studies focusing more on the racist and sexist representations in this game or in other games. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas can be a very good example of an easily accessed and interactive media that promotes criminality and deviant behavior, seeing that player must commit criminal actions to be successful. Further government regulations on such evil-themed media with dangerous material are necessary, as they may cause detrimental effects on its players, especially to children
Representing Invisible Politics of Shakespearian Plays in Orson Wellesâ Chimes at Midnight
The full construction of the main character Falstaff, as a figure in the Shakespearean movie adaptation Chimes at Midnight, exists through the intertextual relationship between the film and the original Shakespearian plays. In this study, I argue that much of this intertextual material is non-existent in the film, but relies in its availability the audienceâs own mind watching the film. By merely hinting at an incomplete material, the film recreates the entire feeling of a seemingly complete Shakespearean material with its original political preoccupations. This illusion of the complete text is shown in the isolated battle scenes that do not contribute much to the development of Falstaff, and the impotent military imageries in the film. However, the scenes where Falstaffâs foils are presented: the Earl of Worcesterâs lies and the dying lamentations of Hotspur, are more evidently meant to give the impression that the film significantly adapt the original playsâ political motives that the film do not really concern itself with.
Keywords: Chimes at Midnight, Orson Wells, Intertextuality, Shakespeare, Falstaff, 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV 
Grammatical Errors in Using Adverbial Clauses of Reason as Modifiers in Some Indonesian Journalistic Headlines
This journal article examines the grammatical construction of some TV news headlines, highlighting the issues that arise due to their structure. The primary concern is that the headlines use adverbial clauses or phrases of reason before the main clauses which inadvertently cause some confusion about the subjects and the actions of the news stories. That is because the adverbial clauses or phrases often function as appositives to modify the subject of the main clause. When used as clauses of reason as in the headlines, this grammatical construction creates ambiguity in understanding who is then performing the described actions. The study finds that these headlines are structurally complex and misleading, making them fail to convey their intended meaning. To address this issue, the article suggests that the headlines be rephrased to eliminate ambiguity. Improved headline construction not only enhances communication but also ensures that potential confusion for the audience is minimized