AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION ISSUE IN POEM "DEMOCRACY"

BY LANGSTON HUGESH

By
Group 3 (Telaah Puisi Class):
1. RISA ADUNDAK (202151013)
2. DIMAS PERMANA (202151014)
3. PINGKY RANDI LAELAEM (202151015)
4. INDRA IRAWAN (202151016)
5. SURYA ANDHIKA SUPRIYADI (202151018)
6. DACHRUL RAMADHAN NAISIN (202151020)

ENGLISH LITERATURE DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND CULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF PAPUA
MANOKWARI
2023
 INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Literature is a part of the elements of art that still has a vague meaning, but literary
works can be enjoyed by various parties in human life. According to Klarer (2004:1), literature is
human expression which is then printed or written which is then called a literary work. Then, to
differentiate between literature as a scientific document and literature as an artistic expression,
Wellek and Warren (1990: 3-9) state that literature as art is a form of printed or written
expression that uses language to educate and entertain the public by emphasizing aesthetic
aspects inside it.
Klarer (2004:9) mentions three major literary genres as fiction, drama, and poetry.
Poetry is the imagination of words originating from human consciousness in the form of
experiences or even ideas, and is composed using a rhythmic choice of words or language and
prioritizing their aesthetic qualities for addition. Poetry is a unique literary work because it is
created from the poet's deepest feelings. According to Dunton (in Nuryani, 2020: 4) human
thinking is concrete and artistic in emotional and rhythmic language. Tarigan (in Waluyo, 1987:
23) mentions that Poet imaginative expression has only literary value if the broadcaster is able to
express it in the form of accurate and precise language. This means that the choice of words,
expressions, sounds, and rhythms must really get the poet's attention.
A poet can express his/her feeling by creating a poem. A poet also can describe the
social situation or phenomena of human life by creating poem. It is because literary works is
mirror of the social life (Wellek and Waren in Setyawati, 2013:98). Social Discriminations is the
phenomena which happen in society life. Social discrimination can happen because some people
feel that they are superior than the others. Black American people has experience about the
discrimination for their race. The discrimination that experienced by them, not only about the
skin color but also about the social class.

B. Problem
Based on those explanations above, there are two problems in this writing:
1. What is the type of social discrimination depicted in Langston's Hughes poem "Freedom"?
2. What is the type of social discrimination depicted in Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise"?
C. Objective of the paper
The objectives of this writing are:
1. To find the types of social discrimination depicted in Langston's Hughes poem "Freedom"
2. To find the types of social discrimination depicted in Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise"

METHODOLOGY

This paper uses descriptive analytic method. According to Fraenkel and Wallen in
Satriadi (2014:32), this method is used to analyze, explain and classify data with several
techniques for describing and analyzing data. The descriptive method of analysis is carried out
by describing the facts in a text and then carrying out an analysis. Description is carried out to
find elements of facts that exist in a text, then analyzed (Kutha Ratna, 2012: 53). The descriptive
analysis method is used because the studied in literary texts are social events in society and to
link the relationship between the individual (the perpetrator) and the social conditions of the
community that are in the text (Kutha Ratna, 2012: 59).

DISCUSSION

A. Discrimination
Discrimination is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favour of or
against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing
belong rather than on individual merit. This included treatment of individual or group based on
their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or social category, “ in a way that is
worse than the way people are usually treated. It involves the group’s initial reaction or
interaction, influencing the individual’ actual behaviour towards the group or the group leader,
restricting members of one group from opportunities or privileges that are available to another
group, leading to the exclusion of the individual or entities based on logical or irrational decision
making ( Wikipedia: 2015 )
Discrimination occurs when a person in unfair treatment due to characteristics of tribe,
group, sex, race, religion, confidence, politic, physically condition and physic condition or has
different characteristic as physically with others. According to Theodor son & Theodor son in
Fulthony (2009:3), discrimination is treatment that is not balanced against individuals, or groups,
based on something, usually is categorical, or distinctive attributes, like based on race, ethnicity,
religion, or membership of social classes. The term usually to describe, an act of majority parties
who are dominant in relationship with a weak minority, so it can be said that their behavior are
immoral and not democratic.
Discrimination often starts with prejudice. With prejudice, we make a distinction between
ourselves and others. In everyday life we often say "we" and "them". This distinction occurs
because we are social beings who naturally want to associate with people who are similar to us.
Prejudice is often based on ignorance, indifference to “their” group, or fear of differences. It is
with this lack of understanding that we often generalize about 'them', and make everyone in
'their' group the same. Prejudice is exacerbated by a bad brand (stigma / stereotype). This bad
stamp is more based on various facts that lead to the same pattern, so that then we often
generalize a person on the basis of his group. This bad stamp is difficult to change, even though
there is a positive pattern, the opposite of what is implanted. This bad stamp is learned by
someone from social influences such as society, neighbors, family, parents, school, mass media,
etc. Discrimination occurs when the belief in the bad brand and the prejudice has turned into
action. Discrimination is the act of treating another person unfairly only because he or she comes
from a certain social group.

B. Types of Social Discrimination

There are some social discrimination that can be found in the society. Based on the theory of
Fultony, Arianingtyas, etc about discrimination, there are some types of discrimination in the
society, they are

a. Discrimination based on ethnicity, race, and religion / belief

 b. Discrimination based on sex and gender (social role due to gender). For example, boys
are prioritized for get access to education than women; women are considered property
rights husband after marriage; and others (etc).
c. Discrimination against persons with disabilities. Example: people with disabilities are
considered sick and not accepted to work in government agencies.
d. Discrimination against people with HIV / AIDS. Example: HIV / AIDS sufferers are
excluded from society and is considered community trash.
Discrimination due to social caste, Example: in India, the lowest caste is considered trash society
and being impoverished or marginalized so it lacks access to enjoy their human rights.

C. Types of discrimination depicted in Langston's Hughes poem "Freedom"

The social discrimination types in langston hughes poem "democracy" is the
discrimination of race. The poem "Democracy" was published in 1949. In this poem, the poet
describes the Jim Crow era in the 1900s. Jim Crow laws were a collection of state and local laws
that legalized racial segregation. At that time the rules and rights for the white community did
not apply to the black community. As the decade progressed, white communities began to
demand more and more laws to limit opportunities for African Americans. The poet, who was
black, wrote the poem Democracy at a key moment in American history. Based on the history of
what happened and the racism told in this poem, it is that in the late 1940s, thousands of black
American soldiers fought in World War II. However, their struggle in the war did not mean they
would get recognition, but rather they experienced segregation in their lives.
In the first stanza the poet says that democracy will not exist today, this year, and will
never exist through compromise and fear. In the second stanza the poet states that poets also
have the same rights, namely the right to stand on their own two feet and own land like others. It
means that he has the same rights to residence, work and actions in his own interests. The word
"land" in this poem refers to the country of America. In broad terms symbolize land as a right for
black people to stand alone in their own power. I the lyrics say that he has the same rights as
white people in America. It can be seen from the line in the poem below;
 Democracy will not come
Today, this year
Nor ever
Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right

As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

In the third stanza the poet expresses that he is tired of hearing people say "let
everything go and tomorrow will be another day". The poet himself said that he could not live
without bread tomorrow. In the fourth stanza the poet says that freedom is a seed that will grow
well in large numbers. It means that the seeds planted will grow the greater it is. Seed is defined
as freedom that continues to be developed within power and then provide greater benefits to
black people in America. In the fifth stanza the poet reiterates that he also lives here and wants
freedom like the others. It can be seen from the line of the poem below;
I tire so of hearing people say,
Let things take their course.
Tomorrow is another day.
I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.
I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

I live here, too.

I want freedom
Just as you.

If we see at the fourth stanza in the second line by the words "is a strong seed", these
words explain that the seeds planted will grow the greater it is. Seed refers to freedom and seed
is defined as freedom that continues to be developed within power and then provide greater
benefits to black people in America. It can be seen in the stanza below;

Freedom
Is a strong seed
Planted
In a great need.

In the second paragraph at the fifth line, the word "the land" explains that Land said
here refers to the country of America. In broad terms I lyrics symbolize land as a right for black
people to stand alone in their own power. The lyrics say that he has the same rights as white
people in America. The word "the land" can be seen in the stanza below:

I have as much right

As the other fellow has
To stand
On my two feet
And own the land.

The words "I have much right", "as the other fellow has" and the words "to stand" show that he

compared himself to other people in terms of ownership. Lyrically, it

emphasized that he had that right the same regarding residence, work, and

actions for self-interest.

 CONCLUSION

The poem "democracy" by Langston Hughes contains of the discrimination for black American
people. The type of discrimination is race discrimination. Race discrimination happens because
the white people think that they are powerful and dominant than the black people. They have
power for the land and for the life of black people so they use the black people as their slave.

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http://febtimahanibatubara.blogspot./2016/10/definition-of-literature based-on-
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