Racism against African American slave in Solomon Northup’s twelve years as a slave

ENGLISH:

Twelve Years as a Slave is a novel which is written by Solomon Northup as a personal narrative. It is one of popular narrative which tells the condition of African American in slavery system. Since the novel is written based on real experience of the author of being kidnapped to slavery, it gives clear image of the slavery in nineteenth century. Racism that is often experienced by African American slave is also clearly depicted in this novel. Afterwards, Solomon Northup also tells his struggle to come out from the slavery system.

This research is a sociological literary criticism which sees the literary work as the reflection of sociological condition of society in real life. The researcher tries to see the relation between the content of literary work with the social aspects of the society. Afterwards, the researcher also sees the literary work as the social document which reflects the situation when the literary work was produced. Therefore, this research aims to find: 1. Forms of racism against African American slave as reflected in Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years as a Slave; 2. Process of Solomon Northup’s coming out from slavery; and 3. The relation between racism against African American slave in the novel with racism against African American slave in nineteenth century.

After analyzing the data, the researcher found the forms of racism against African American slave namely discrimination, prejudice, segregation, and violence. The discrimination is done by white people toward their colored slave through the seizing of human right, prohibition of using original and family name, giving exceed hours of work, careless about slave’s health, treating like property and animal, prohibition of having and reading skill, coming a treason and prohibition of choosing the proper work. Prejudice is accepted by Solomon Northup by being judged as liar and the devil of nigger. Segregation is done by white people toward colored slave through building a separation of resistance. White people stay in the luxurious house, while their slaves stay in nasty cabin without any proper facilities. Violence is accepted by colored slave through physical and psychological violence. Physical violence is given by white people through beating, lashing, and hanging and psychological violence is accepted by Solomon Northup through some threats. Furthermore, the struggle of African American slave against racism also appears in the novel which is done by Solomon Northup. As educated person, Solomon Northup tries to send letter to his families for several times. Finally, after sending his third letter, he is rescued by the government and Henry B. Northup who accepts his letter. Afterwards, the data in the novel reflect the real condition of racism against African American slave in nineteenth century which is seen through some articles which present the fact of slavery condition in that period.

INDONESIA:

Twelve Years as a Slave merupakan novel yan ditulis oleh Solomo Northup dalam bentuk Narasi Personal. Novel ini merupakan novel terkenal yang menceritakan kondisi bangsa Afrika Amerika dalam sistem perbudakan. Karena novel ini ditulis berdasarkan pengalaman nyata penulis yang pernah diculik untuk dijadika budak, novel ini memberikan gambaran yang jelas akan kondisi perbudakan pada aad kesembilan belas. Rasisme yang sering dialami oleh budak Afika Amerika juga digambarkan dengan jelas dalam novel ini. Selain itu Solomon Northup juga menceritakan pejuangannya untuk keluar dari sistem perbudakan.

Penelitian ini meupakan kritik sosiologi sastra yang memandang karya sastra sebaga refleksi dari kondisi sosial masyarakat dalam kehidupan nyata. Penelitin mencoba untuk melhat hubungan antara isi dari karya sastra dengan aspek sosial masyarakat Selain itu peneliti juga memandang kaya sasta sebagai dokmen sosial yang merefleksikan situasi ketika karya sastra tersebut diproduksi. Sehingga, penelitian ini mencoba untuk menemukan: 1. Bentuk-bentuk rasisme terhadap budak Afrika Amerika yang terdapat pada novel Twelve Years as a Slave karya Solomon Northup; 2. Proses yang dijalani oleh Solomon Northup untuk keluar dari sistem perbudakan; 3. Hubungan antara rasisme terhadap budak Afrika Amerika yang terdapat dalam novel dengan rasisme terhadap budak Afrika Amerika pada abad kesembilan belas.

Setelah menganalisis data, peneliti menemukan bentuk-bentuk rasisme terhadap bdak Afrika Amerika yang disebut diskrimnasi, segregasi, prasangka dan kekerasan. Diskrminasi dilakukan oleh orang-oran kulit putih teradap budak mereka melalui perampasan hak asasi manusia, ketidakpedulia tehadap kesehatan budak, perlakuan layaknya benda dan binatang, larangan untuk memiliki kemampuan baca tulis, penghianatan dan larangan untuk memilih jenis pekerjaan. Prasangka diterima oleh Solomon Northup dengan dituduh sebaga pebohong dan pemberontak. Segregasi dilakukan oleh bangsa kulit putih dengan membangun pematasan dalam hal tempat tinggal. Orang-orang kulit putih tinggal di dalam rumah mewah sedangkan budak mereka tinggal di kabin yang tak layak. Kekerasan diterma oleh budak kulit hitam melalui kekerasan fisik dan psikologis Kekerasan fisik diberikan oleh bangsa kulit putih melalui pukulan, cambuk dan hukuman gantung, sedangkan kekerasan fisik diberikan melalui ancaman. Selain itu, perjuangan budak Afrika Amerika juga diceritakan dalam novel ini. Sebagai orang berpendidikan, Slolomon mencoba untuk beberapa kali megirimkan surat kepada keluarganya. Akhirnya, setelah suratnya yang ketiga dia dibebaskan oleh pemerintah dan Henry B Northup yang menerima suratnya. Selain itu, data dalam novel merefleksikan kondisi nyata rasisme terhada budak Afrika Amerika pada abad kesembilan belas yang dilihat melalui beberapa artikel yang memaparkan fakta mengenai kondisi perbudakan pada periode tersebut.