University of the Cordilleras
Graduate School
3rd Trimester, AY 2014-2015
A Comparative Analysis:
The Taximan's Story & It's a Night Job
Submitted to DR. MARIA TERESA T. VICENTE, Course Professor, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the subject PhD LE 615 – Comparative Literature.
Prepared by WILLOW F. PANGKET. April 23, 2015.
Table of Content Page
I. Background …………………………………………………………………………. 2
II. Significance ………………………………………………………………………… 5
II. Analysis ……………………………………………………………………………....5
III. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………. 7
IV. Recommendation …………………………………………………………………..8
V. Resources ……………………………………………………………………………8
VI. Appendices ………………………………………………………………………...
A. The Taximan's Story by Catherine Lim
B. It's a Night Job
I. Background
Literature is interpreted as reflecting norms and values, as revealing the ethos of culture, the processes of class struggle, and certain types of social facts. The changes that are seen in the society are observed in literature. Authors of any piece of literature may have experienced or observed the culture. Authors from Africa talks purely about the African culture just as an author may be from India, the culture is also different. Since authors belong from different areas, the type of literature that comes from there place would be different to another. Types of literature may also be different, but one thing that is common is that they will all talk about social phenomena, politics, or new ideologies. In other words, they will all talk about life.
It is the theory of this study that literature reflects the experiences, values, class struggle, and practices of a certain culture. This study aimed to explore the changes in the society as seen in literature. To uncover the social issues present in two stories as an example in this study, Marxism is used as a literary tool. As defined by Abrams, Marxists generally view literature "not as works created in accordance with timeless artistic criteria, but as 'products' of the economic and ideological determinants specific to that era." Literature reflects class struggle and materialism: think how often the quest for wealth traditionally defines characters. Marxism, as a sociological approach to literature, is a cultural theory that embodies a set of social, economic, and political ideas. Moreover, this theory emphasizes that economics determine all social actions and institutions, and class struggle is the basic pattern in history. The stories used for this analysis are "The Taximan's Story" by Catherine Lim and "It's a Night Job" by Joanita Male.
These two short stories are from different countries having different cultures. The Taximan's Story is from Singapore, and It's a Night Job short story is a story from Uganda. These two stories are suited to this type of approach since the two works explore and reveals social issues specifically prostitution and education.
Social issues presented in these works are seen in all parts of the world. That even in the olden times, prostitution has always been a problem in the society. It extends to all ancient and modern cultures, and it has been described as euphemistically as "the world's oldest profession" (Wikipedia). There are stories in the Bible that gives us information which suggests that prostitution was around even before. For example, the Biblical story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38) provides a depiction of prostitution as practiced in the society of the time. Another Biblical story is in the Book of Joshua, a prostitute in Jericho named Rahab assisted Israelite spies with her knowledge of the current socio-cultural and military situation due to her popularity with the high-ranking nobles she serviced, among others.
In Ancient Greece, both women and boys engaged in prostitution. Female prostitutes could be independent and sometimes influential women. They were required to wear distinctive dresses and had to pay taxes.
In Ancient Rome, prostitution was legal and widespread. Even Roman men of the highest social status were free to engage of either sex without incurring moral disapproval as long as they demonstrated self-control and moderation in the frequency and enjoyment of sex.
In modern society, M. Farley's interviews with 785 people in prostitution in nine countries showed that 89% of them wanted to escape prostitution but had no other options for survival.
In Singapore, prostitution is legal. However, in Uganda, prostitution is illegal. According to Monday Times, prostitution is wrongly gaining popularity in young people especially students in universities like Makerere, Kampala International University (K.I.U), Kyambogo and higher institutions of learning, not only students but only unemployed women and mothers decide to abandon their families to turn to prostitution.
Another social issue seen in the stories is lack of education. Women who lack education turn to prostitution for an easy way out to problems. In the face of lack of education and employment opportunities, and discrimination against women on labor market, the decision to start of selling sex may have economic drivers. In fact, according to the literature and the international documents consulted, homelessness, economic urgent need and lack of sufficient resources are the primary causes for the people to enter prostitution (Schulze 2014). Hence, this study will closely examine literary texts (short stories) in the theory that these texts will reveal the same social issues in all types of societies no matter how rich or poor the society is. Furthermore, how the world changed overtime as revealed in literature. Though Marxism often looks at the author's background, the focus, however, of this study is on the characters of the story. Social and economics play a large role in the social world, and therefore they play a large role in how the individual functions in the society.
Marxist criticism is always political; reading literature is not merely to entertain oneself but should have a social function to transform society or to deconstruct social issues as emphasized by this study. Using this literary theory in this study, it must address how social institutions condition people to live and behave in certain ways.
II. Significance
This study is relevant in that it hopes to heighten awareness of social problems like prostitution and lack education in the society. Through this study, it hopes to serve as an eye opener to the youth. It is likewise important since it hopes to inspire the young generation and make them realize that education is very important.
III. Analysis
The Taximan's Story
This short story is a Singaporean literature written by Catherine Lim. The story is told in the first person point of view in the character of the Taximan. The story is purely a one-sided conversation with a female passenger, who is a teacher. Its setting is in the taxi in Singapore. Considering the language used by the Taximan, he uses broken English which suggests that he is uneducated and belongs to the lower class. He criticizes the generation today, and he compares it to his generation. He tells the teacher how well the generation in the past behaved in front of their parents, and how reckless and immature the younger generation.
On the other hand, the character of the teacher as presented in the story seems to have a small role in the story because she has no dialog at all. From reading the story, it is understood that the teacher is also talking to the taximan because of the dialogs of the taximan.
" Ah madam, I know, I know. As a taximan, I know them and their habits madam. You are a teacher, you say?
Symbolisms and Ironies:
Silent teacher
In the story, the teacher is only seen as the listener. The writer puts her that way for some reasons. It is not a coincidence that the writer decided that the passenger is a teacher. The teacher has to be informed on the things about what students do after class. The reason for this is that teachers are believed to be the second parents of the students. By doing this, the problem can be addressed. The teacher has the power to change the lives of these students.
Themes
The themes found in the short story are prostitution and lack of education which are rampant nowadays.
It's A Night Job
The story "It's a Night Job" is an African literature written by Joanita Male. The setting of the story is in Uganda in Burton Street and a cheap motel. The time is during night time. It is told in the first person point of view of the unnamed character who is a college student. At night, she works as a prostitute and studies at day time. The way the character describes her situation reflects that she is studying. From her tone she does not like her situation.
In the beginning of the story, the character explains that she did not choose her profession since her mother has the same job as hers and even her grandmother as well. Prostitution is "chosen" as a job by those who have the fewest real choices available to them (C.A. Mackinnon, 1993). Most people who have been in prostitution for any length of time have difficulty with sexual intimacy. Sex becomes a job, rather an act of love or passion. The character only sees her customers as a source of food. Women who have this kind of job do not stay whole. They lose their name, their identity, and their feelings.
Ironies and Symbolisms
White dress
It symbolizes purity and innocence. The character is young who is expected to be innocent and pure. Wearing a white dress contradicts that. At a young age, she was no longer pure and innocent.
Night time
The story happens at night. Night time is the time where most evil things happen. This also reflects the character's current situation; she works even at night just to survive.
Cheap motel
Reflects the social class that the character belongs and her customers belong.
Conclusion
1. Prostitution is one of the major controversial issues in our society and has been for generations, individuals that participate in this subculture, willingly or otherwise, leave themselves open to risks. Sex trafficking occurs within and across international borders.
2. As a member to a certain society, we see these things happening around us. We see college students engaging themselves in prostitution for them to be able to pay their tuition fees. Members of the society condemn these kinds of people. Just like the taximan, we criticize but do not want to do something to solve the problem. We are aware of these problems, but we just let it pass. We are like the teacher who has the power to change, to make a better world, but we keep silent. We are also like the college student who just considers things that we encounter as fate.
Recommendation
1. Marxism is the only literary tool that is used in this study. Using other literary criticism like the formalism or new criticism can also be applied. Using this tool can lead to an in-depth analysis of form, plot, and structure of the stories.
Resources:
Abrams, M.H. "Marxist Criticism." A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. 147-153
Murfin, Ross, and Supryia M. Ray. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997.
Biddle, Arthur W., and Toby Fulwiler. Reading, Writing, and the Study of Literature. NY: Random House, 1989.
Mackinnon, Catherine A. Prostitution and Civil Rights, I Mich J. Gender and Gender L. 13 (1993)
Schulze, Erika. Sexual Exploitation and Prostitution and Its Impact on Gender Equality Study. European Union, 2014.
Farley, Melissa. Prostitution, Trafficking, and Cultural Amnesia. Yale Journal of Law and Feminism. Copyright 2006.
http://www.wikipedia.com/
http://www.mondaytimes.co.ug/ Sunday 26th April, 2015
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