CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Choosing the Topic
Tim Gautreaux, the most well-known name of Timothy Martin Gautreaux, is a thoughtful novelist and short story writer in residence at southeastern Lousiana University. Tim Gautreaux was born on October 19, 1947 in Morgan City. His first novel, The Next Step in the Dance has published and got the award as “Novel of the Year” by the Southeastern Booksellers Association in 1999. He also wrote some short stories, for instances, Welding with Children and Same Place, Same Things.
Dancing with One-Armed Gal was wonderful story that has written by Tim Gautreaux. This story existed in New Stories from South 2000 – The Year’s Best Book in which was edited by Shannon Ravenel. This story told about a man named Iry Boudreaux who has just deposed from his job because of the wrong accusation to himself. Then, he decided to enjoy a trip in order to make him feel relaxed. On the way, he met a late thirties woman with the tawny skin. She was the one-armed gal who was fired too from her lovely job as a lecturer in a university. Having several days together with her, Iry began to understand her problem where it was exactly harder than his own problem. Many precious things that he could get from Claudine Glover as the main woman character in this story.
Furthermore, one of many interesting things that I found in this wonderful is related to the characters, especially the character of Claudine Glover as the one-armed woman. I assume that Claudine Glover as the 16th African-American is unique woman in this story.
1.2 Objective of the Study
The objective of this study is to figure out the influence of main woman character; Claudine Glover in Tim Gautreaux’s Dancing with the One-Armed Gal to the reader.
1.3 Statement of Problem
According to the previous background of choosing the topic, the statement of problem can be formulated as follows how does the interesting character of woman influence the reader?
1.4 Theoretical Approach
Actually, there are many kinds of theoretical approach that can be used to analyze this thoughtful story. However, the writer tends to use the objective approach in which it is an important approach that focuses on the elements literary work itself.
1.5 Method of the Study
In order to create a good result in this paper, the writer used the descriptive analysis method. By this method, the writer tried to describe some facts that are followed by its analysis.
CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
2.1 THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF CLAUDINE GLOVER
Claudine Glover is the main woman character in Dancing with One-Armed Gal Story. She is the late thirties African-American woman who lose her job as the University teacher because of several unacceptable reasons. Due to the fact that she is a gay and black skinned woman, she was limited by her environment to do everything that she likes. Even, her surrounding thinks that she is disable woman because she lost one of her arms since she got the horse accident. However, her personalities are really interesting to analyze by the writer.
a. Extrovert Woman
In the first meeting, Claudine Glover is really talkative. When she hitchhiked on the Iry’s car, she always talks along the way. Of course, it makes her surrounding feel annoyed then. Somehow, the surprising thing that she showed is she never shy to tell everyone about her problem life.
“I’ve never hitchhiked before; I was on my way from New Orleans where I just lose my job, all of things. My car was a little old, maybe too old, I think.... I just need a ride to the next decent-size town so…” She went on and on. (Page 60)
The woman talked and talked. Iry stopped for lunch over the Texas border at a roadside café, figuring a meal would stop her mouth for a while. (Page 62)
And,
“I am a professor of women’s studies,” she said. Her voice nipping like a Chihuahua’s at syllable. “It took me a long time to get that position and now, after four years of teaching, I lost it.” (Page 61)
Those quotation explain that she is right the extrovert main woman character.
b. Unpredictable Woman
Sometimes, woman are calm in the other hand they are talkative. They tend to laugh but it can change to cry in sudden at the same time. Hence, women are also unpredictable person for some people, especially for men.
“Well, I don’t really relate well to most men.” She looked at him carefully for a moment, and then announced, “I’m a lesbian.”
Iry pretended to look at something in his rearview mirror, wondering what kind of person would say that to a stranger. He figured she must be an intellectual, educated in the north. “That mean you like women?’ he asked “Yes.” (Page 60)
The quotation above shows that the Claudine Glover was the unpredictable woman. She made the other character become so surprised with either her statement or attitude. No one can imagine that she has told the truth thing about herself to the new people.
c. Melancholies Strong-hearted Woman
Woman is a special gift from God. Although she is not strong as a man, but his strong heart can destroy all of possibilities. When they are in down, they still try hard to keep standing in order to survive from any obstacles.
“When I hear that music,” she began. “I think of my father and his Mexican wranglers sitting out under a tree… I think of their laughter and not being able to understand any of it, because I never found one thing to laugh about in that blistered moonscape we live on.” (Page 64)
And,
She raised her chin, “Don’t belittle what I do.” (Page 67)
This quotation tells us that she is autonomous strong woman. She believes that what she has done is the best of her although, many people think that it is not perfect.
d. Pessimistic Women
Unfortunately, the character in this story tends to become a weak woman in the end. She is easier to give up on facing the problem. She looks like a tiring person because of unreasonable things that she got.
“Tell them how rare a bird I am, how I’ll feel their quotas in one shot. Aw, geez.” She began digging in her bag. “I need a Prozac. I’m sinking down, down. (Page 68)
“You going to say to them that you’re a good teacher… Those form?”
“I’m a crippled black woman and gay feminist.” She put her elbows on the table. “I’m a shoo-in for the job.” (Page 69)
She is like a bee which trapped in bad fate. The discrimination has poisoned her life. She might be happy at the first because she has ever touch the academic world as her beloved dream, but she is down in the dump at the end because the unwanted things come closer to her one by one.
There was a sigh on the line. “You don’t understand the academic world. Decent jobs are so scarce. I have to do whatever it takes.”..
“You’re straight white woman who’s a good teacher because she loves what she is doing.”
“You’re racist.”
“How many black people have you danced with?”
She began to cry into the phone,” I’m a gay African American woman who was crippled by a horse.” (Page 72)
Related to the conversation above, it can be drawn that Claudine felt really depressed.
Because of her appearance, no one wanted to give her a job. She showed it by crying before she conveys her last sentence on the phone.
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION
Regarding to the discussion in the previous chapter, the writer can conclude that the main woman character of Claudine Glover in Dancing with One-Armed Gal is a kind of complex (round) character. Complex (round) character is obviously more lifelike than the simple, because in life people are not simply embodiments of single attitude. She is the protagonist in this story which has some interesting personalities there are extrovert, unpredictable, melancholies strong-hearted and pessimistic woman. Therefore, women are unique.
Furthermore, the writer tends to explore the character by doing some observation included the using of objective theoretical approach and descriptive analysis method. The author basically used the dramatic method in delivering this story. Thus, the writer has a chance to figure out the character through the words and action in this story. Tim Gautreaux was already created a great literary work by appearing of Claudine Glover as the main woman character in this story.
BIBLIOGHRAPHY
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Birnbaun, Robert. (21 October 2003). Tim Gautreaux. Retrieved from http: www.identitytheory.com/tim-gautreaux/
Kenney, William. 1966. How to Ananlyze Fiction. USA: Monarch Press
Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 1995. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press
Ratna, I Nyoman Kutha. 2004. Teori, Metode, dan Teknik Penelitian Sastra. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar
