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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 1 has stated that "all human
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights", while Sonny as the main male
character in James Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" and Open, the main male character in
Idrus's "Jalan Lain ke Roma" ("Another Way to Rome") do not have such freedom,
namely the freedom of choice. This lack of freedom of choice, as the thesis writer's
presupposition, is the focus of this thesis. The thesis writer views that Sonny and Open
are limited by the society in their freedom of choice in expressing themselves.
Accordingly, she wonders in what way the society sets the limitation to them. She also
questions about how they react toward the limitation and how they go through it. From
that point on, she would like to discover the way the society limits them, their reactions
toward the limitation, and their ways to go through it. To meet her aim, the writer
compares and contrasts the limitation, the reactions of Sonny and Open toward their
limitation from the society, and the ways they survive. The comparative method, which
is described by Susan Bassnett as the study involving texts across cultures and
concerning with patterns of connection in literatures across both time and space, is
effective since the readers can view the main characters' problems in an objective way.
Besides comparing and contrasting, the writer also analyzes the characters of Sonny and
Open and their conflict with the society by using two literary theories, namely
characterization and conflict, to prove Sonny's and Open's lack of freedom of choice.
Sonny is limited in his expression in being a jazz musician. Similarly, Open is limited in
his expression in being an openhearted man. In this case, Sonny deals with the limitation
from his brother and his family, while Open faces the limitation from his students, his
first wife, the people in his village, his second wife, and the Japanese government.
Eventually, the writer comes up with the conclusion that there are similarities and
differences in the limitation of the main characters' freedom of choice, in their reactions
toward the limitation, and in their ways to go through it. The limitation is strictly set, yet
it comes from different circle of people. The reactions toward the limitation are bitter,
yet they differ in types and gradation. Despite the differences, the limitation can be
overcome by similar actions, namely their self-evaluation, the acceptance and
understanding of the other characters. Nonetheless, Sonny obtains the help from his
fellow-musicians while Open does not get any help. Moreover, Open compromises more
than Sonny does. Through these conclusions, the thesis writer hopes that the readers can
learn from Sonny's and Open's experience when they desire to have the freedom to
express themselves. Hopefully, the readers can discover their own ways to react to the
limitation from the society and to go through it. Nevertheless, the freedom of choice
should be in harmony with the society's values.