Les Moments de Style

A.    Background

Early 20th century is considered important in American development because of many alterations within American society influenced by modern thought. Twenties era (1920-1930) becomes significant in the history because in those years a number of intellectual movements emerged and affected the popular thinking of the times (Horton & Edwards, 1967: 331). Among the movements, there is Freudianism which impressed American society with its new perspective on sexuality and psychology. Freud’s theory comes up on the right times when American society was amazed and overwhelmed by the new way of life which was far away from the old tradition, including the flappers and hedonism as the result of post World War I (Horton & Edwards, 331).

Sigmund Freud has been interested to romantic literature in the earlier nineteenth since he was in high school and it seems that his interest contributes a lot in his theory which merely discuss about the importance of love and sexual origin acceptance in human relationships (Horton & Edwards, 332). Freud also divides human psyche into the conscious as the part related to the external world and the unconscious which is more of instinctual drives and repressed wishes (Storey, 2008: 91). This elaboration of his theory explains that sexual is the most important instinctual drives.

When we talk about sexuality and Freud’s idea of sexuality affections towards human’s psychology, we cannot put aside the existence of woman whom has been the object of sexuality for man. Even in getting the control over their body and sexual desires, women need to struggle to get their basic rights. That is why this paper is made to explain more about Freud’s opinion in seeing women and how his theory affects women movements.

B.    Discussion

The social condition at the time Freudianism arrived among the society of America enables to be accepted, especially within the youth society, although they only take the surface of Freud’s idea about sexual looseness. As the previous generation considers sexual desire is taboo and should not be expressed publicly, Freud’s theory gives an excuse to them to do it in the other way. A group of American young intellectuals, Greenwich Village in New York, is interested in Freud’s psychology system and theory of sex to encounter their experience of World War I (Horton & Edwards, 351). Freudianism also influences the popular works of the era, like tabloid picture in the newspapers with cheap sensation, erotic movies, and technology of automobile flourishing as the spot of some youth to release their sexual fulfillment. The most influence of Freudianism can be seen from the literary theme at the time about sexual hedonism which relates to Freud’s new technique of seduction (Horton & Edwards, 352). It also increases the right of women to the same passionate experience of love as men.

Freud describes women as inferior to men, that women are instrumental in the development and advancement of psychoanalysis (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). He thinks women as inferior because he belongs to the generation of opposing women movements which are begun in the era of Twenties. Therefore, Freud finds a method of psychoanalysis which later reveals the hysteria symptom in woman, though at first he studies it in man but it does not work really. His first object of analysis is known as Anna O who experiences several symptoms of hysteria, such as hallucination, amnesia and partial paralysis (Horton & Edwards, 333). After doing some sort of interviews, Freud suggests that women hysteria comes from women experience of sexual abuse in childhood memory and it influences to the development of women’s sexual fantasies (taken from: psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm). So, it emphasizes that women also feel sexual desires like men do and this sexual desires can bring hysteria to women.

image taken from www.popsugar.com

The case of women hysteria also can be seen in a movie entitled Black Swan (2010). This movie talks about a talented ballerina, Nina Sayers, who gets hysteria symptom because of self-oppression in pursuing her dream to get the main role in Swan Lake production. In the movie we can see the vulnerable side of woman when she gets oppression from the social condition (the firm rivalry among ballerinas and her mother’s unfinished obsession in ballet career) and also her hard impulsion to get her dream in playing the role as White Swan and Black Swan. In seeing through the character of Black Swan here Nina gets into the hysteria symptom, she has hallucination of someone trying to steal the role of Black Swan from her until she becomes obsessed to Black Swan, even she racks her own body unconsciously. The obsession is also the result of the era where women now are free to express themselves and tended to be more ambitious than the previous generation. The Black Swan characters itself are seducing and deceitful (taken from: www.imdb.com), while Nina character is fragile, innocent, and gentle, so it is quite hard for her to nail the role. In time she practices the role, she is seduced by her director in order to reveal her sexual appeal and this experience makes her curious about sexual fulfillment and even having sexual fantasy of her rival which I may refer it also as hysteria symptom.

In psychoanalysis, Freud also explains about the two parts of psyche that are the conscious and unconscious. Related to Black Swan movie, we can see the unconscious part of Nina when she gets hallucination of her having twin sister, for the unconscious is, “the dark, inaccessible part of our personality … a chaos, a cauldron full of excitations.” (Storey, 2008:92). So actually the dark ‘twin’ is naturally possessed by everyone and human nature is something in part introduced from outside, always open to change (Storey, 93). Nina also gets what Freud called as ‘repression’ which “lies simply in turning something away, and keeping it at a distance, from the conscious” (Storey, 93). This repression causes amnesia or removing all the things we cannot do or will not do, just like Nina who drowns to deep in inspiring the Black Swan characterization.

C.    Conclusion
From the background and the discussion we can conclude that Freud’s psychoanalysis theory is more or less useful to identify the psychology of certain people. Psychoanalysis also shows that sexual desires are experienced by women too. Women actually cannot be separated from the discussion about psychology and sexuality because these two terms are remained important because women usually get oppression psychologically and sexually from men and other factors around them. Through psychoanalysis also hysteria symptom which is usually experienced by women is found. So after all, although at its first emergence, Freud’s theory gets a lot of criticism, but later it is very useful in the development of psychological.


American Thought
Woman in Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory
by
Monica C. Ameliana – C1312013 
(https://www.facebook.com/monica.ameliana)


References:
·    Black Swan movie (2011)
·    Cherry, K. Freud & Women: Freud’s Perspective on Women (psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm)
·    Horton, R.W. & Edwards, H.W. (1967). Backgrounds of American Literary Thought. Appleton-Century-Crofts: New York
·    Storey, J. (2008). Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, An Introduction: 5th Edition. Pearson-Longman: Sunderland
·    www.imdb.com

A.   Introduction

When it comes to the promising land, America says it all. People have their own motivation to immigrate to America. Stevenson states:

"Major changes in the pattern of immigration have been caused by wars, revolutions, periods of starvation, persecutions, religious intolerance, and in short, by any number of disasters which led people to believe that America was a better place to be." (1998:23)

In 1830s U.S. newcomers began to increase about 600.000 visitors. He added that more than a million Irish moved to America between 1846 and 1851 to escape starvation and disease in Ireland. However, American civilization was initiated by 13 colonies. These Britain-colonies encompassed Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

Looking back history people had a journey to the new land to get a better life. The hopeful settlers may think that their utopian dream lies somewhere on that promising land. The Puritans in particular once had made a big choice ever. It was said that many puritans suffered from persecutions because of their belief, one of well-known events was Bloody Mary. The story continues as the puritans finally made decision to travel to a land where the air of freedom can be achieved—America.

Puritanism is not only a religious belief but also a philosophy and a value of life about what should do and what shouldn’t, about what is good and what is not. It has greatly contributed to American Culture, American Thought, and American national character. This protestant movement originated and developed from England but the influence crossed over borders. This essay will elaborate more about this belief socially and historically as it has big contribution in a foundation of America today and as it may become additional information in the field of American Studies.

B.   Discussion

The experience of sorrow in the old days has led to Luther’s reformation who was believed initiating the movement toward what they believed to be corrupted-rules committed in a Church of England around 16th to 17th century after the accession of Elizabeth I. Puritans are English Protestant who thought that Church of England need to be reformed. Most Puritans were "non-separating Puritans" which means they did not try to separate or make distinct congregations from the Church of England and the rests were "separating Puritans" or separatist which separated themselves and made distinct congregations outside the Church, later called as pilgrim. (Wikipedia: History of the Puritans in North America). But in practice, non-separating Puritans acted as the separatists did. (Puritanism - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com.htm)

As a religious view, Puritanism has beliefs, such as:

         A. Godly people were sober, hardworking, and responsible. English society had been corrupted by foreign influences and needed to be purified.

            B. Catholicism made the religion weaker

           C. Believe in destiny and fate – God chooses who is saved and who is damned. Yet the saints are responsible for their actions.

            D. The saints can choose its members, hires and fires its ministers.

            E. Worship should focus on God, No instrumental music, or art.

            F. Much value of education

            G. Intolerance – error must be opposed and driven out.

(Feldmeth, Greg D. “American Puritanism,” U.S. History Resources. http://gfeldmeth/USHistory.html/lec.pur.html)

This religious movement, as explained earlier, aimed at purifying their national church by eliminating every Catholic influence. Puritans attempted to change an Episcopal state system—in which bishop and king were the authorities (leader) of church governance—into Presbyterian in which the highest position was the presbyters or the elders. They assumed that the concept of a King who governed the church system was an annexation between church authorities and politics. Puritans argued that worship should focus more on God instead of playing music instruments and creating arts. All intolerance must be wiped out.

When King James I was on the throne in 1603, English Puritanism asked him to abolish the bishops. But somehow, the King James refused it. Moreover, the English Government dominated by Church and religious people became more repressive. They controlled everything, forced everyone to do exactly what they wanted. It was bloody affairs. The previous persecution of religion under Queen Mary reign was much more horrific. The English people came to call her "Bloody Mary". At Coventry Cathedral evangelical families were rounded up. They were tied and sentenced by Church bishops. English fathers were burned alive for teaching their children the Lord's Prayer in English. The religious priest believed that Latin, pagan language in Rome, was the only language in which Christian worship could be properly conducted. (PURITAN HISTORY, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.htm) They treated Puritans unfairly and cruel, so the Puritans had to move to somewhere outside England or in New world, America.

Geographically Puritanism developed in North America as it was their first settlement in America. In 1620, Puritans reached North America and they firstly settled in Plymouth, New England. Decade later, the Puritans migrated to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and New Haven. New England itself is believed to be the “new” place and named after previous land puritans once lived, England. Puritanism was the dominant religious in that area in the 17th and 18th centuries until the second wave immigration.

During the settlement Puritans has proved promoting ideology that greatly gives impact toward others. Bathoro (1998) in Ambivalensi Pikiran Nathaniel Hawthorne dalam The Scarlet Letter Puritans are group who brought positive impact. Puritans are “zeal” having high spirit in religion because they believe in doctrines of election—God chooses few to serve sacred duties. In New England they preached not only to colonies but also Indians. John Eliot is a figure who had successfully accomplished this mission as he was called as “Apostle to the Indians”. Puritans are typically hard working as many of them assume that working is a sign of salvation. It is a calling from God. Puritans obey rules. According to them Church is a group of chosen people coming together to take an oath to serve God. So that is why every rule is associated with religion affairs.

According to Feldmeth in the beginning of discussion, Puritanism “Much value of education” and “Believe in destiny and fate – God chooses who is saved and who is damned. Yet the saints are responsible for their actions”.

Puritanism value says ‘Much value of education’. Learning activity was centered from Bible. They learned and understand Bible, then preached out to the others to save people (preaching Indians). In 1635 the Puritans began to establish public school for the first time named Roxbury Latin School, which their mission to educate people based on Christian value. Four years later, they established Harvard College. As result, area which settled by Puritans, New England in particular had the least number of illiteracy compared to other areas.

Next value is “believe in destiny and fate”. Puritanism was first formed by saints. They were chosen by God, and by God they could move to the ‘land of Hope’ or North America. Puritanism believed in “Nation under God”. They (New England Puritans) felt like they had similarity with the Israel nation, like in the Old Testament. They prevented from monarchy oppression, worshiped the same god, and suffered from religion they believed. The movement of puritan from England to America is more like an Exodus in the bible.  They believed it was a God’s will and they even considered that America was a new version of Jerusalem, a promised land, for the chosen one. Puritan ideology is one of legacies for American today. Even they were not only religion reformists but also revolutionists as they were member of thirteen colonies who fought for their right and reached independence.

C.   Conclusion

Puritanism is not only a religious belief but also a philosophy and a value of life that has greatly contributed to American Culture, American Thought, and American national character. This legacy has never been away from its social historical aspect. The intention of puritans to purify the Church of England from Catholic influence had led to social confrontation and ended up in persecutions. Being treated unfair they decided to move out from England to the promising land, America. Geographically Puritanism developed in mostly New England, North America, because it was their first settlement in America. In their settlement they promoted like high spirit in religion, self-determination, education, hard work, and obedient in rule and law as they believed in themselves that they were the chosen ones and under “Nation under God” and taking part of the thirteen colonies who finally brought America to its independence.

References:

Bathoro. 1998. Ambivalensi Pikiran Nathaniel Hawthorne dalam The Scarlet Letter. UNS PRESS: Unpublished Material.

http://www.gkri-exodus.org/image-upload/HIS 07 Sejarah Reformasi 7.pdf

http://assaugm.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/amerika-sebuah-peradaban-dan-perubahan/

http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/riseofpubliceducation/

http://www.endtimepilgrim.com/ PURITAN HISTORY, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.htm

http://gfeldmeth/USHistory.html/lec.pur.html

http://history.com/ Puritanism - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/History­_of_ the_ Puritans_ in_ North_ America

Stevenson, Douglas K. 1998. American Life and Institutions Revised Edition. Washington DC: FPG International LLC

"Americanization Phenomenon"

What Capitalism can give?

Capitalism has amazingly promoted a system of "Free Will". However it tends to be benefits for few and certain group--the elites, and damages the interest of everyone else. Thanks (not) to 'Father'? Capitalists may deny that the poor are disadvantaged and unable to gain any wealth because they have none to begin with. But still they create credos to those who are poor that"free enterprise" system of capitalism is constructed so that anyone, with hardwork, can be successful and gain wealth.

Let's see the good news. Capitalism has increased production so people do not have to work a way too hard to meet their need like what the ancestors did. What they need for living is easily available. They can just grab it. Today people are more civilized than their ancestors. people in different countries become closer to each other. Transportation and communication development has facilitated people around the world to exchange ideas and culture. Capitalism also contributes in the field of industry, agriculture, and business which have also contributed to economic progress. It may also potentially leads to the lessening of differences based on race, creed, caste, and nationality—displacing borders. In the factory the workers and officials from different caste work hard with one another and work shoulder to shoulder. This system—I have no idea—brainwashes-like people to earn money as much as possible so that they will take things for granted in some aspects as long as what they are working on save their days.

Americanization: History and Postcoloniality Issue

Before Elizabeth ruled (Mary era) it was said that many Puritans who found corruption in Catholics belief suffered from prosecutions well-known as Bloody Mary. Monarchy back then never embraced its people’s idea. The story continues as the Puritans finally made decision to travel to a land where the air of freedom can be achieved—America. But they still lived under British’s occupation until 1776. 

Colonial system is both cultural oppression and economic exploitation. In cultural studies postcoloniality contributes to the moment of enduring as result of colonialism. So it is more on the enduring effects instead of the end of colonialism itself. In other words the economic system that embraces “free will” (Capitalism) is how this all begins. It was presumably constructed against British monarchy system.

As a result of American capitalism Americanization may be considered as a part of a more general ‘change’ or ‘progress’. Americanization concept is not far from the ancestor-Puritans who in their belief characterize themselves as an exceptional or elected people which mean they are a excellent people. It may be one of their goals to attract people to watch, to observe, and to have the same ideology as they do. It is one of ways to shape our mind how American identity look like. 

Turning Table

Transnationality Issue: “Indonesian American”

It is not about Indonesian who is born in America but about how they appear more likely American than Indonesian at the recent days. The innovation principle of American capitalism has led the capitalists to create cultural products in a very persuading way so people will buy things they don’t need or will worship American way of life. Capitalism provokes people to be consumerist. We cannot escape capitalism, it’s on every billboard, every TV program. What they do is very attractive, their appearance are so brainwashing. 

American is well-known as fast food nation following the term of Mcdonaldization offering efficiency in which costumer in minimum time may get their stomach full. It stands for fast, friendly service, hygienic food preparation, clean, and inexpensive diets. It’s said to dominate food industry over the last thirty years now. Food and Beverage at recent time can be indicator of social status. There is possibly a “wow” factor when we can hang out with friends and have dine out in Solaria, McDonald, KFC, Starbucks, or the likes.