Flower Symbolism in Chinese Culture as Seen in Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth

HASTY LUTFIA S, Dra. Esmeraldayanti Sosronegoro, S. U.

2016 | Skripsi | S1 SASTRA INGGRIS

Skripsi ini membahas tentang representasi simbol bunga menurut kebudayaan Cina dalam karakter-karakter yang menggunakan nama bunga dalam novel ini. Skripsi ini terfokus pada tiga karakter wanita yaitu Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, dan Pear Blossom. Analisis dalam skripsi ini menguraikan simbolisme bunga berdasarkan budaya Cina, menguraikan masing-masing karakter, dan menghubungkan simbolisme dan karakter dalam novel. Skripsi ini menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka yang menggunakan novel The Good Earth karya Pearl S. Buck sebagai data utama. Skripsi ini menggunakan pendekatan strukturalisme dinamik oleh Mukarovsky yang meliputi analisis terhadap karya, penulis dan informasi latar belakang dari novel dan di luar novel. Selain menggunakan pendekatan tersebut, skripsi ini juga menggunakan pendekatan arketipe Jung untuk mendukung analisis tentang simbol. Representasi dari simbol bunga melalui karakter didasarkan pada analisis deskripsi dalam novel tentang karakter fisik dan mental dari Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, dan Pear Blsossom. Budaya Cina menggunakan bunga untuk melambangkan wanita dengan setiap bunga memiliki masing-masing makna yang digambarkan dalam novel melalui karakter Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, dan Pear Blossom. Bunga Lotus menyimbolkan kecantikan dan kesucian dan warna merah muda menyimbolkan cinta dan keberuntungan. Bunga Cuckoo menyimbolkan wanita cantik, burung Cuckoo, dan musim semi dan warna merah menyimbolkan keberuntungan dan uang. Bunga Pear menyimbolkan kecantikan, kesucian, dan pertemanan yang tahan lama sedangkan warna putih menyimbolkan kesedihan (berkabung). Hasil penelitian dari skripsi ini menunjukkan bahwa karakter Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, dan Pear Blossom sesuai dengan simbol bunga Lotus, bunga Cuckoo, dan bunga Pear dalam budaya Cina. Berdasarkan karakter fisik, Lotus Flower merepresentasikan wanita yang cantik dan sempurna, serta simbol tradisi Foot binding. Cuckoo merepresentasikan wanita yang elok dilihat (good-looking) dan berlidah tajam. Pear Blossom merepresentasikan wanita cantik dan lemah lembut. Berdasarkan mental karakter dan tindakan dari karakter, Lotus Flower merepresentasikan cinta, kesenangan, kebahagiaan, dan keberuntungan. Cuckoo merepresentasikan keberuntungan, uang, dan kehidupan yang baru. Pear Blossom merepresentasikan kesetiaan, kejujuran, ketulusan, persahabatan, kesedihan, dan kesucian.

This study discusses the representation of flower symbolism according to Chinese culture in the characters having flowers names in the novel. This study focuses on three women characters who are Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, and Pear Blossom. The analysis elaborates the flower symbolism based on Chinese culture, elaborates each character, and relates the symbolism and the characters in the novel. This graduating paper employs library research method which uses Pearl S. Buck's novel entitled The Good Earth as the main data. This graduating paper applies Mukarovsky's dynamic structuralism approach which covers the work, the author and the background information of the work and beyond the work. Besides using this approach, this graduating paper also applies Carl Jung's theory of archetype to support the analysis of the symbolism. The representation of the flower symbolism in the characters is based on the analysis of the description in the novel about the outer and the inner character of Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, and Pear Blossom. Chinese culture uses flowers to symbolize women which each flower has each meaning depicted in the novel through the characters Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, and Pear Blossom. The flower symbolism is analyzed based on Chinese's understanding toward the meaning of the flower and also the symbolism of the colors in the flowers. Lotus flower symbolizes beauty and purity while the pink color symbolizes love and good luck. Cuckoo flower symbolizes beautiful woman, Cuckoo bird, and spring while the red color symbolizes good luck and money. Pear blossom symbolizes beauty, purity, and long lasting friendship while the white color symbolizes mourning. The result of the study shows that the characters Lotus Flower, Cuckoo, and Pear Blossom correspond to the symbol of Lotus flower, Cuckoo flower, and Pear blossom in Chinese culture. From the outer characteristics, Lotus Flower represents beauty, perfection, and Foot binding tradition. Cuckoo represents a good-look and sharp-tongued. While Pear Blossom represents beauty and gentleness. Based on the inner characteristics and actions done by the character, Lotus Flower represents love, joy, happiness, and good luck. Cuckoo represents good luck, money, and new life. Pear Blossom represents loyalty, honesty, sincerity, friendship, mourning, and purity.

Kata Kunci : Flower Symbolism, Chinese Culture, Women Characters