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A FEMINISM APPROACH-BASED ANALYSIS ON THE CHARACTER OF CELIE IN ALICE WALKER'S THE COLOR

PURPLE

A Paper Submitted to the Faculty of Adab and Humanitie,.

on Partial Accomplishment of the Requirements for the Degree of Strata I (SI)

By:

TRI WIDIASTUTI 202026001111

THE ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF ADAB AND HUMANITIES

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY JAKARTA 1428/2007

A MAXIM ANALYSIS ON THE DIAI~OGUE OF DAVID HENRY HWANG'S DRAM[A 'FOB'

(FRESH OFF THE BOAT)

By:

UMMY FATIMAH Reg.no: 103026027636

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SY ARIF HIDAYATULLAH

A MAXIM ANALYSIS ON THE DIALOGUE OF DAVID HENRY HWANG'S DRAMA 'FOB'


A Thesis Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

Sl Degree



STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

TA TE AD'T'A

ABSTRACT

Ummy Fatimah, A maxim analysis on the dialogue of David Henry Hwang's drama FOB (fresh-off-the-boat). English Language and Literature Department. Letters and Humanities faculty. UIN SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta, July 2007.

This research is aimed to know violation of maxim based on the readily visible fact. The writer uses the descriptive method in which she tries to describe violation of maxim. The unit of analysis of her research is the dialogue of David Henry Hwang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat). It is analyzed descriptively based on related theory of maxim by Herbert Grice. She analyzes violation of maxims on the dialogue of the drama. She uses herself as a main research instrument through reading, identifying and classifying the data which are needed from the text dialogue of David Henry 1-!wang's drama "FOB" (freshoff-the-boat).

The conclusions that the writer can get from the analysis are: there are so many violations of maxims on the dialogue of David Henry 1-!wang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat). There are 2 dialogues which violate maxim of quantity, 3 dialogues which violate maxim of quality, 1 dialogue which violate maxim of manner and 14 dialogues which violate maxim of relevance. FOB (fresh-off-the-boat) tells about someone who comes from China and he lives in America with different language and culture.

APPROVEMENT

A MAXIM ANALYSIS ON THE DIALOGUE OF DAVID HENRY HW ANG'S DRAMA 'FOB'



SI Degree


Approved by:

:.FRANS SA YOG;, M.P!! Reg. 150 299 481

ENGLISH LETTERS DEP ARTl\tlENT LETTERS AND HUMANITIES lfACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARilf HIDAY ATl!JLLAH

TAU A D'T'A

APPROVEMENT

A MAXIM ANALYSIS ON THE DIALOGUE OF DAVID HENRY HWANG'S DRAMA 'FOB'



Sl Degree


Approved by:

zF I<-·'==' , -:,. FRANS SAYOGIE:;...Pd

Reg. 150 299 481


STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

.JAKARTA

LEGALIZATION

The thesis entitled "A Maxim Analysis on the Dialogue of David Henry Hwang's Drama FOB" has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty's Examination Committed on October, 1 2007. The thesis has already been accepted as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for SI degree.

Jakarta, October I, 2007

Examination Committee

Chair Person,

M.Pd

Members:

Examiner 1

Dr. Muham •arkhan M.Pd N . 150 299 480

Secretary,

~{liLuL~/ Drs. Asep Saefnddin, M.Pd

NIP. 150 261 902

Examiner II

0 ----~ /\~ Sholikatu$ Sa' diyah, M.Pd

MP. J.?O 370 230

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of my other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgment has been made in the text.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Praise is only for Allah SWT. Lord of the universe. The writer would

like to thank to Him who gives her His blessing and opportunity to finish this

paper. Peace and blessing of Allah be upon the noblest of the Prophets and

Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad SAW.

On this occasion, the writer wants to thanks to hc~r parents H. Djunaidi

and Hj. Siti Malah, her brothers and sisters Ma'mun, Murtadlho, Maryani, Mansur,

Muchtar and Musthofa who have been giving her their finance, facilities, and

support during the study and making this paper.

Then, the writer would like to thank to her advisor Dr. Frans Sayogie,

M.Pd who has advised her patiently and punctually in reading of the contents of

this paper, and for his helpful comments on it. She realizes without his critics and

helps, this paper will be nothing.

The writer also would like to thank to her leciturers who have been

giving their knowledges and experiences during her study in English Letter

Department UIN SyarifHidayatullah Jakarta.

The writer does not forget saying thank to her friends Zack, Shipit,

Ihenlc, Phacoy, Alloyz, Chev, Furqon, Engkin, Tabla, Daenk, Ulfah Fabregas, Ida,

Bilul, Yuyun, and all her friends in VIII A & B, MT. Hidayatullah and TPA.

Hayatul Akbar who give their kindness, helps, critics and supports in making this

paper, and all library staff who help her in making this paper.

Finally, the writer realizes that this paper is far from being perfect;

therefore she needs everyone's suggestions and critics that will encourage her to

continue her study. She hopes this work would be useful, particularly for herself

and generally for everybody who is interested in it.

Allah SWT always bless us. Amiiin ............. .

Jakarta, September 14, 2007

The Writer

TABLE OF CONTENT

ABSTRACT

APPROVEMENT

LEGALIZATION

DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF APPENDICES

............................................................ i

........................................................... .ii

............................................................ iii

.......................................................... .iv

...............................•............................ v

.......................................................... vii

.......................................................... viii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study ...................................... 1

B. Focus of the Study ............................................ 5

C. Research Question .............................................. 5

D. Significance of the Study ........................................ 6

E. Research Methodology ........................................ 6

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Definition of Pragmatic ........................................ 9

B. Pragmatic Principles ........................................... 10

1. The Communicative Principle ........................... 10

2. Politeness Principle ....................................... 11

1. The r.oonP.rntiv" PrindnlP. 11

a. The Definition of Cooperative Principle ............ 11

b. Type and Characteristics ofMaxims ................ 13

c. Violation of Maxims ......................................... 15

C. Drama ........................................................ 18

a. Definition of Drama ...................................... 18

b. Kinds of Drama ........................................... 18

D. Dialogue ......................................................... 19

a. Definition of Dialogue ........................................ 19

b. Kinds of Dialogue ................................................. 19

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDING

A. Description of Data ........................................... 20

B. Data Analysis .................................................... 24

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

A. Conclusion ................................................... 36

B. Suggestion ................................................... 37

........................................................................................... 38

............................................................................................ 39

A. Background of the Study

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

One important thing that has a connecting with human being especially

people is language, because people are social creative who cannot live alone

and need other people to make their live balance. People use language to make

interaction with other. So it is very important means of establishing and

maintaining relationship with other people.

In making and maintaining relationship with other, people use

language for communication. It is suitable with the definition of language

itself. According to, Harimurti Kridalaksana as quoted by Kentjono.

"Language is an arbitrary vocal symbol used by human being for cooperation,

communication and identification human being himselj'".1

Sapir as quoted by Alwasilah says language is a purely human and non

instinctive method of communication ideas, emotion and desire, by means of a

voluntarily produced symbol.2 So it can be understood that language is the

important thing for human being in making and maintaining a relationship

with other.

Besides, the basic function of language, it is n·~cessary to understand

communication itself. "Communication is a process by with information

2

exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbol, signs or

behavior".3

From that definition the writer can take a, conclusion that a

communication is an activity done by two people or more. The first person is

called speaker who has a role as the server and the second person is called

hearer who has a role as the receiver. The speaker uses the language in order

to make the receiver knows about the message of the: information that the

speaker wants to give. The information can be a message, a contact, a context

or code. The message or information can be in the form of sign or code that is

understood by both of them. So the communication can be running well.

Another factor in communication is a context that is all the things out side the

sentence, such as: the topic of discussion and the situation.

Beside of statements above, the communication can be running well

when the speaker and hearer obey the requirement of conversation. The rules

are:

a. They cooperative each other

b. Giving the information clearly

c. Do not make mistake in pragmatic rules

d. Be effective and efficient in their conversation

. When the requirement is obeyed by the spc!aker and hearer, the

purpose of communication can be reached and they fi.ilfilled the cooperative

3

principle. 4 The philosopher Herbert Grice developed a cooperative principle

which according to him it underlies successful verbal communication.

Grice as quoted by Black says the cooperative principle states "make

your conversational contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it

occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you

are engaged". 5 Grice distinguished four categories within this general

principle and he formulated these in basic rules or maxims.

The maxims of the cooperative principle can be used to describe how

participants in a conversation derive implicature. Thi~ word implicature is

derived from the verb 'to imply', as is its cognate 'implication'. Originally, 'to

imply' means 'to fold something into something else'. A conversational

implicature is, therefore, something which is implied i11 conversation, that is,

something which is left implicit in actual language iusage.6 The following

example: A is standing by an obviously immobilized car and can be

approached by B. Example:

A: I am out of petrol

B: There is a garage round the comer

A is able to decide the reaction of B that there is a garage around the comer

that opens and sells gasoline. B, however, has not mentioned these facts. 7 A

4 Zaharil Anasy, Laporan Bacaan Analisis Wacana, (Jakarta: 6 Nov 2003). 5 Elizabeth Black, Pragmatic Stylistic. (22 George Square, Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univ. Press

Ltd, 2006). p. 23 6 ThiA n ?d.

4

can only make these assumptions if she/he assumes that reaction of B is

appropriate with the cooperative principle.

On the other hand, the communication cannot be running well and the

purpose of communication will not be reached when tht: requirements above

are violated and participants of communication cannot fulfill the cooperative

principle. The following example: the speaker who viofattes the maxim seems

to give too little or too much information. In:

A: Well, how do I look?

B: Your shoes are nice ...

B does not say that the sweet shirt and jeans clo not look nice, but he knows

that A will understand that implication, because A asks about his whole

appearance and he only told one part of it. It means B gives too little

information to A and it does not appropriate with the: cooperative principle. It

means B's reaction violates the cooperative principle.

One part of communication is conversation. It •Can be clone at formal

and informal situation with two people or more. Conversation between

characters in a drama, it is called dialogue. On drama':; dialogue there are so

many obeying and violations the cooperative principle. In this paper, the

writer will analyze the violation of maxim because it is relevance with the

dialogue on drama which has been chosen by her. The: title of drama is FOB

"fresh-off-the-boat" by David Henry Hwang. 8

5

David Henry Hwang had already written his first play, FOB is the

story about "fresh-off-the-boat" Chinese immigrant and his more assimilated

friends. The players of "fresh-off-the-boat" are Grace, Dale and Steve. Grace

and Dale are Chinese American, they are first and second generation, while

Steve is a Chinese newcomer in America. In their dialogue there are so many

violations of maxim because they have different languages, cultures and

accents. So their communications cannot be running welt

B. Focus of the Study

To limit the research, the writer only focuses on violation of the

maxim. Violation of maxim happen when the speaker knows that the hearer

will not know the truth and will only understand the surface meaning of the

words in that situation. They do not cooperative each other so their

communicative cannot be running well. The writer will find violation of

maxim as many as possible on the dialogue of David Henry Hwang's drama

"FOB".

C. Research Question

Based on the focus of the study above, the main questions of the

research are:

I. What are types of violation of the maxim on the dialogue of David Henry

Hwang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat)?

6

2. How does the situation when violations of maxim happen on the dialogue

of David Henry Hwang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off . .fh,e-boat)?

D. Significance of the Study

By violation analyzing of the maxims on the dialogue David Henry

Hwang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat) the writer wishes the results of the

research will give some advantages for the reader who is interested in

linguistic work and it has significance as an effo1t to study the drama's

dialogue through a pragmatic approach. Then, it can enrich the research of

literary studies in this university, especially the English Letters Department of

Letters and Humanities faculty.

E. Research Methodology

1. Objective of the Study

Based on the research questions above, the writer has several

objectives as follow:

a. To know types of violation of maxim on the dialogue of David Henry

Hwang's drama "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat).

b. To know how the situation when violation of maxim happen on the

dialogue of David Henry Hwang's dran1a "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat).

7

2. Method of the Study

In this research, the writer uses the descriptive method. According to

Nawawi that the descriptive method is a solving problem produce through

describing an object based on the readily visible fact.9 Therefore, the

research report will contain excerpts data to give an illustration in setting

out the report.

3. Technique of Data Analysis

To get the aim of the research, the writer conducts qualitative

technique of data analysis, the following steps:

a. To write some notes of maxim violation agencies offered by Grice

b. To read all the contents of the drama's dialogue

c. To give the order number of dialogue within the drama's text

d. To sign up the violation of maxim agencies accruing within the

drama's text

e. To conclude the collecting data

4. Instrument of the Research

The writer uses herself as a main research instrument through reading,

identifying and classifying the data which are nee~ded from the drama's

text. She observes and signs the possibility of the violation of maxim

agencies occurrence within the drama's text.

8

5. Unit of Analysis

The unit of analysis of this research is the text from dialogue of David

Henry Hwang drama's "FOB" (fresh-off-the-boat, 1978). David Henry

Hwang had already written his first play "FOB" in 1978 and first produced

as part of a student festival in 1979. It played in Broadway, New York in

1979. It was produced at The New York Shakesp1:are Festival's Public

Theatre and winning an Obie award in 1981 as the best new play of the

season. 10

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In this chapter, the writer explains about the theory which she uses for

analyzing of violation of the maxim. In analyzing the text of David Henry

Hwang's drama "FOB" the writer uses the pragmatics aipproaches about the

human language usage and theory of cooperative principle about the principles of

conversation from Herbert Grice.

The writer uses the pragmatics approaches because pragmatics is the

branch of linguistic that focusing on the structure of a language as communication

tool. She uses cooperative principle as the theory framework, because cooperative

principle focuses on the principles of conversation to make the purpose of the

communication has been reached but when it cannot be reac:hed, so it has violated

the principles of conversation.

A. Definition of Pragmatic

According to Jacob L. Mey, Pragmatic studies the use of language in

human communication as determined by the condition of society. 11

Levinson as quoted by Rahardi, Pragmatic is the study of those relations

between language and context that are grammatically, or encoded in the

structure of a language. 12

11 Jacob L Mey, Pragmatics; an Introduction (Blackwell Published. Inc; Malden, 'l 1-----l..----u.- '\/\l\t'\ - £.

10

From that definition the writer can take a conclusion that pragmatic is a

study of language in human communication and it has a relation between

language and context. Context is all background knowledge having the

speaker and the hearer in a communication, if they hav1~ good context so the

communication will be running well. According to scientists pragmatic has

some principles, hence: Herbert Grice with cooperative principle, Geoffrey

Leech, Brown Levinson, and Robin Lakoff with politeness principle.

B. Pragmatic Principles

The concept of principles is a familiar concept in linguistic (as in other

branches of science) one encounters the term in many standard titles of

linguistics, old and new, and of widely varying content.13

Principles cannot be only 'element of understanding' but even

'prerequisites to understanding', going all the way from elementary

lmowledge to high level and theoretical.14

There are some principles uses pragmatics, henc:e: the communicative

principle, politeness principle as mainly is advoc:ated by Leech and

cooperative principle as mainly advocated by Herbert Grice.

1. The Communicative Principle

The fact that people engage in communicative activity whenever

they use language; whether as not they observe a particular syntactic rule

is not too important. People talk with the intention to communicate

11

something to somebody; this is the foundation of all linguistic behavior. It

calls the Communicative Principle; 15 even though this principle is not

mention in the pragmatic literature. It is nevertheless the hidden condition

for all human pragmatic activity.

2. Politeness Principle

A criticism that often offered of Grice's maxims can be interpreted

as a moral code ofbehavior.16 Now days, politeness principle is used more

because the principle is complete and more comprehensive. Leech

distinguishes the principle for six maxims, 17 are:

a. Tact maxim: Minimize cost to other. Maximize benefit to other.

b. Generosity maxim: Minimize benefit to self. Maximize cost to self.

c. Approbation maxim: Minimize dispraise. Maximize praise of other.

d. Modesty maxim: Minimize praise of self. Maximize dispraise of self.

e. Agreement maxim: Minimize disagreement between self and other.

Maximize agreement between self and other.

f. Sympathy maxim: Minimize antipathy bet1Veen self and other.

Maximize sympathy between self and other.

3. The Cooperative Principle

I. The Definition of Cooperative Principle

A speaker's words often convey more than the literal meaning

of the words uttered. The logician and philosopher Herbert Grice

developed principle about it.

12

Example:

A and B are talking about a mutual friend, C, who is now

working in a bank. A asks B how C is getting on his job,

and B replies, oh quite well, I think; he likes his

colleagues and he has not been to prison yet.

The form of this utterance does not discuss the meaning and

therefore the function. A can derive from reaction of B that B does not

hold a high opinion of C. In fact, B has basic:ally said that C is a

criminal potential. Yet, this cannot be derived from the literal meaning

of B's words. A can assumes that there is some relevance to reaction of

B. The reaction ofB implies that C is a criminal potential.18

A speaker can only get a meaning like this across if the hearer

cooperative. To capture that nation, Grice :formulated a general

principle of language use "The Cooperative Prindple". 19

The cooperative principle state: make your conversational

contribution such as is required, at the stage at which is occurs, by the

accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange in which you are

engaged.20

From the statement above the writer can take a conclusion that

cooperative principle is a rule in communication to make conversation

be running well. The speaker and hearer must be cooperative each

18 Zaharil Anasy. Op cit. 19 T --- Y'> ---'--~- - l"\t_ ---·••- - C'f••• Jt--• ,f •• r~·--,J••A'"'-• 'f',..,..,J,....,,,,..£. lJnhn n ..... ;..,.n'\;n l>nh1ich1na

13

other and give the information effectively and informatively so that the

purpose of communication will be reached.

Grice distinguished four categories within this general

principle. He formulated these in basic rules or maxims21, such as:

maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relevance, and maxim

of manner.

II. Types and Characteristic ofl\1axims {Obeying: Maxims)

a. Maxim of Quantity: give the right amount of information:

I. Make your contribution as informative as is required.

2. Do not make your contribution more informative than is

required. 22

For example:

A: Where is a famous English author lives?

B: In Birmingham.

That conversation describe about B's respond. B gives a good

respond to A, she or he gives information that A needs. B gives the

information not too more or not too less, B believes to be

appropriate for that point in the conversation. B knows that A is

simple curious about which part of the country the author lives in,

it might suffice to respond 'in Birmingham'. On the other hand, if

21 .-. - - LY" _____ v - - -'- n .. .> •• --'~f -- -L' n .. --·-- -•-·-- l'Y ------ T --..1-·~ -~·A 'l.t~••• •• ,.._1,. I l\0'1\ ... 0

14

B knows that A wants to visit the author, the111 much more specific

information (perhaps even the address) is appropriate.

b. Maxim of Quality: try to make your contribution one that is true:

I. Do not say what you believe to be false.

2. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. 23

For example:

A: What is the weather like?

B: It is snowing.

A conversation above explains abolllt A's assumes. A's

assume provides reliable information about the current weather. A

makes sure herself that the weather is snowing.

c. Maxim of Relation: be relevant.24

For example:

A: Would you like to go to the cinema tonight?

B: I have to study for an exam.

A conversation above is relevant be•cause B's response is

relevant to the topic. A can capture implied meaning from B's

response which describes that B is unable oir unwilling to go to the

cinema at that night.

d. _Maxim of Manner: be perspicuous:

1. Avoid obscurity of expression.

2. Avoid ambiguity.

3. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity)

4. Be orderly.25

For example:

A: Which one, comedy or horror movie?

B: Comedy is good. The picture is better than horror.

15

A conversation above describes that B's answer is a brief

answer and not too more. B's response is ve:ry clear and does not

make ambiguities.

III. Violation of Maxim

,_~ rf ••

Thomas as quoted by Cutting says a speaker can be

considered at her/him violates a maxim when they know that the

hearer will not know the truth and will on(v understand the surface

meaning of the word.26 So it can be understood that the speaker and the

hearer do not have good context in their communication so it cannot be

running well and the purpose ofit will not be reached.

a. Maxim of Quantity

A speaker violates maxim of quantity when she/he does not

give the hearer information enough to know what is being talked

. about, because the speaker does not want to make a hearer knows

the full information.27

16

The speaker is not implying anythi:ng; they are being

economical with the truth. Example:

A: Does your dog bite?

B:No.

A: (bends down to stroke it and gets bitten) ow! You said your dog

does not bite!

B: That is not my dog.

The receptionist (B) !mows that he (A) was talking about the

dog in front of her and her dog is not at home. She does not give

him information enough. The receptionist just answer A's question

and she does not give more explain to him.

b. Maxim of Quality

The speaker violates maxim of quality, because she/he does

not give the hearer truth information. Yet, the speaker gives the

hearer wrong information.28

Husband

Wife

: How much did that new dress cost, darling?

: Less than the last one.

The wife covers up the price of the dr,ess by not saying how

much less than her last dress. Sometim<es violation of quality is

called white lying.

17

c. Maxim of Relation

The speaker who violates maxim of relation because she/he

answers's the question with other reaction that is irrelevant with

the question.29

Husband : How much did that new dress cost, darling?

Wife : I know, let's go out tonight.

The wife answers her husband's question with irrelevant

reaction, she does not give her husband truth information or wrong

one, but she changes the topic of conversation.

d. Maxim of Manner

The speaker who violates maxim of manner seems she/he

avoids giving a brief and orderly answer.30 Example:

Interviewer : What would the other people say?

Old Lady : Ah, well I don't know. l could not repeat it

because I don't really believe half of what they are

saying. They just get a fixed thing into their mind.

Her 'half of what they are saying' is an obscure reference to

the other people opinion, and 'a fixed thing' contains a general

noun containing vague reference. She may be using that expression

to avoid giving a brief and orderly answer.

18

C. Drama

1. Definition of Drama

Drama is a type literature usually written to be perfonned, and the

other definition; drama is a prose or verse composition one telling a

serious story, that is intended for representation by action impersonating

the character and performing the dialogue and action.31 There are

prologue, dialogue and epilogue in it. Prologue has function to open the

performance at stage or theatre; it describes opening situation of stage.

Dialogue is a conversation between characters in a. drama. Epilogue ha.s

function to close performance at stage, it describes closing situation of

stage. Dramas are performed in various media: theatre, radio, film and

television. Drama if often combined with music and dance. The drama in

opera combined with musicals includes spoken dialogue and songs. ·

2. Kinds of Drama

The most widespread and familiar subdivisions of drama are

comedy, tragedy, farce, and melodrama.32 A comedy typically deals with

common people, is dominated by the light tones that encourages laughter,

and ends happily. A tragedy is dominated a serious tone, concern kings

and princes, deals with profound issue, and usually conclude with the

death of the leading character. Farce is effect from physical humor that can

even tum violate at times and from crude verbal jokes, rather than from

verbal wit or nuances of social behavior. Like farce, melodrama is

19

associated with physical action; interest grew in the exploration of the

emotions.

D. Dialogue

1. Definition of Dialogue

Language is almost always an important element in drama, and it is

occasionally the dominant element. Dialogue is a conversation between

two or more people or conversation between characters in a drama or

narrative.33 Dialogue is one more important in drama because it describes

character and tells the story of drama to the audience, and usually it is

supported with nonspoken elements like: setting, stage direction and plot.

2. Kinds of Dialogue

There are two main kinds of drama are dialogue with self and

dialogue with other.34 Dialogue with self is conversation that be done by

character with her or his self, this dialogue just be done by one character.

Dialogue with other is conversation between characters in a drama. It is

usually use in drama's performed.

33 http: //education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/dialogue 34 Ibid

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH FINDING

A. Description of Data

This chapter will explain an analysis of David Henry Hwang's drama

'FOB' (fresh-off-the-boat) by using Herbert Grice theory of maxim. The

concept is used to know the violation of maxim of the analyzed text. The data

are collected from the text of the drama. The data that the writer has obtained

can be presented below:

Characters (all in early twenties)

Dale, an American of Chinese descent, second generation. Grace, his cousin, a first generation Chinese American. Steve, her friend, a Chinese newcomer. Gwan Gung, the God of warrior in Chinese's culture. Chong you bing, a type of Chinese pancake, a Northern Chinese appetizer often made with dough and scallions, with a consistency similar to that of pita bread.

1. Violation of Quantity

Data: 1 Steve : You working here? Grace : Part time. It's my father's place. I'm also in school. (Act I, line 61-62)

Data: 2 Grace : I told you, you're too wimpy to be Gwan Gung. And even

if you were, you'd have to wait your turn in line. Steve : What? Grace : I already have something for tonight. My cousin and I are

having dinner. (Act I, line 132-134)

21

2. Violation of Quality

: I said, I'll tell you. Data: 1

Steve Grace : If this is how you go around meeting people, I think it's

pretty screwed. Steve

Grace Steve

: Silence! I'm Gwan Gung! God of warriors, WTiters and prostitutes! Pause

: Bullshit! : What?

Grace : Bullshit! Bullshit! You are not Gwan Gung. And gimme back my box.

(Act I, line 42-47)

Data: 2 Steve

Grace

: You made me thinking of you as a quite listener. A good trick what is your name?

: You can call me "The woman Who Has Defeated Gwan Gung", if that's really who you are:.

(Act I, line 55-56)

Data: 3 Grace : I guess he's late. You know, he just came to this country. Dale : Oh yeah? How'd you meet him? Grace : At a Chinese dance at U.C.L.A. Dale : Hmmm. Some of those FOBs get moving pretty fast. (Act I, line 172-176)

3. Violation of Relevance

Data: 1 Grace : One whole roll you know how much of it got on here?

Look that much. That's all. Steve : (in Chinese) yeah. Do you serve chong you bing today? Grace : (picking up box) could've skipped the wrapping paper,

just covered it with tape. Steve : (in Chinese) excuse me! (Act I, line 5-8)

Data: 2 Grace Steve

: Yeah? (Pause) you wouldn't have any on you, would you? : (English from on onward) sorry? No, I don't have bing. I

... urinf +n 'h.n'<t 1,.;..,.n

22

Data: 3 Grace : Not bing! Tape, Have you any tape? Steve : Tape? Of course I don't have tape. Grace : Just checking. Steve : Do you have any bing? (Act I, line 11-14)

Data: 4 Grace : Look, we're closed till five ... Steve : Idiot girl! Grace : Why don't you take a menu? Steve : I want you to tell me! (Act I, line 15-18)

Data: 5 Grace : If the customer's Chinese. You insult them by giving

forks. Steve : I said I want you to tell me. (Act I, line 21-22)

Data: 6 Grace : If the customer Anglo, you starve them by not giving

forks. Steve : You serve bing or not? Grace : But it's always easy just to dump whatever happens to be

in your hands at the moment. (Act I, line 23-25)

Data: 7 Steve : I suggest you answer my question at once! Grace : And I suggest you grab a menu and start doing thing for

your self. Look, I'll get you one, c~ve:n. How's that? Steve : I want it from your mouth. (Act I, line 26-29)

Data: 8 Steve : Buncha weak boys, what do they know? One man -China

Man- wearing a leisure suit-green! I ask him, "You know Gwan Gung?" he says, "Hong Kong?" I say, "No, no. Gwan Gung". He says, "Yeah th<~y got sixty thousand people living on four acres; went there last year". I say, "No, no. Gwan Gung". He says, "Ooouh! Gwan Gung?" I say, "Yes, yes. Gwan Gung'. He says, "I never been there before".

( A"t T linP QQ\

23

Data: 9 Steve : Another kid -blue jeans and T-shirt- I ask him, does he

know Gwan Gung? He says, he doesn't need it, he knows Jesus Christ. What city is this now?

(Act I, line 101)

Data: 10 Dale Steve Dale

: I'll drive, you sent the hearse home. : I tell driver - return car after dinner. : How could you ... ? What time did you ... ? When did you

tell him to return? What time? Steve : (looks at his watch) seven - five Dale : No - not what time is it. What time you tell him to return? Steve : Seven - five. Go see. (Act I, line 115-120)

Data: 11 Steve : Gwan Gung- bows to no one's terms but his own. Grace : Fine, why don't you go down the street to Imperial Dragon

Restaurant and see if they have bing? Steve : Do you have bing? Grace : See for your self. (Act I, line 143-146)

Data: 12 Grace Dale Steve

: Oh! Steve, this is Dale, my cousin. Dale, Steve. : Hey, nice to meet ... : (Now speaking with Chinese accent) Hello. Thank you.

I'm fine. Pause

Dale : Uh, yeah, me too. So, you just got here, huh? What'cha thinks?

(Act I, line 219-222)

Data: 13 Dale Steve Dale

: So, how do you like America? : Very nice. : "Very nice". Good, colorful Hong Kong English. English

-how much of it you got down, anyway? (Act I, line 328-330) · · ·

Data: 14 Grace Dale

: Dale! Shit! I'm sorry. I didn't ... : (Groggy) Am I late? . T rlirln't lr-nnxu it 'tll-::1.C'! '11£\11 n'AlP

24

4. Violation of Manner

Data: 1 Grace : Pretty good. If you are Gwan Gung, you're not the dumb

jock I was expecting. Got a lot learn about school though. Steve : Expecting? You were expecting me? Grace : (quickly) No, no. I meant what I expected from the stories. (Act I, line 68-70)

B. Data Analysis

For analyzing the data, the writer uses data from !•ext of dialogue David

Henry Hwang's drama 'FOB' (fresh-off-the-boat) above. First, she writes the

text of dialogue and explains violation of maxim which is on the dialogue. She

gives a reason by using Herbe1i Grice theory of maxims.

1. Violation of Quantity

Data 1:

Steve : You working here?

Grace : Part time. It's my father's place. I'm also in school.

(Act I, line 61-62)

A dialogue above violates maxim of quantity because Grace gives

too much information to answer Steve's question. Grace gives information

that is not needed. Grace explains the owner of restaurant and she tells him

that she· is a student, although Steve just asks about her job. Implicature

appear at Grace tells Steve "I'm also in school". This text implies about

who is Grace, and this text describes that Grace is still a student in a school

Data2:

25

Grace : I told you, you're too wimpy to be Gwan Gung. And even

if you were, you'd have to wait your turn in line.

Steve : What?

Grace : I already have something for tonight. My cousin and I are

having dinner.

(Act I, line 132-134)

From that dialogue the writer finds violation of maxim of quantity

because Grace gives the information which Steve does not need. Grace tells

Steve that she has an appointment with her cousin to dinner tonight,

although Steve does not ask her about it. Grace· makes her contribution as

not as informative is required. Implicature appears at Grace tells Steve "I

told you, you're too wimpy to be Gwan Gung. And. even if you were, you'd

have to wait your turn in line". The text impEes Grace has many

appointments with other people and she will choose someone. Apparently,

someone is her cousin.

2. Violation of Quality

Data 1:

Steve : I said, I'll tell you.

Grace : If this is how you go around meeting people, I think it's

pretty screwed.

prostitutes! Pause

Grace : Bullshit!

Steve : What?

26

Grace : Bullshit! You are not Gwan Gung. And gimme back my

box. (Act I, line 42-4 7)

The writer finds violates maxim of quality in dialogue above. Steve

says something that he does not give adequate evidence for it. Steve

announces Grace that he is Gwan Gung the God of warriors, writers and

prostitutes! Steve is not a God, but he just a man that live in the real world

and that is different with Gwan Gung who is a God of warrior. Steve can not

give enough evidence that he is like Gwan Gung.

Data2:

Steve : You made me thinking of you as a quite listener. A good

trick what is your name?

Grace : You can call me "The woman Who Has Defeated Gwan

Gung'', if that's really who you are.

(Act I, line 55-56)

A dialogue above violates maxim of quaiity because Grace says

something that she believes it is false and she has not an evidence to explain

about it. Grace tells Steve that her name is The Woman Who Has Defeated

Gwan Gung; it is not true because Grace is a human and she knows that

Steve is not Gwan Gung the God.

27

Data 3:

Grace : I guess he's late. You know, he just c:ame to this country.

Dale : Oh yeah? How'd you meet him?

Grace : At a Chinese dance at U.C.L.A.

Dale : Hmmm. Some of those FOBs get moving pretty fast.

(Act I, line 172-176)

From that dialogue the writer finds violation of maxim of quality

because Grace does not give the truth information to Dale about her first

meeting with Steve. Grace tells Dale that she meet Ste:ve at a Chinese dance

at U.C.L.A, although she meet Steve for the first time in her father

restaurant in Torrance, California. Grace covers up the truth about Steve.

3. Violation of Relev.ance

Data 1:

Grace : One whole roll you know how much of it got on here?

Look that much. That's all.

Steve : (in Chinese) yeah. Do you serve chong you bing today?

Grace : (picking up box) could've skipped the wrapping paper, just

covered it with tape.

Steve : (in Chinese) excuse me!

(Act I, line 5-8)

From that dialogue the writer finds violation of maxim of relevance

28

answer. Steve asks Grace about chong you bing and Grace answer Steve's

question with other statements which are not irrelevant with Steve's

question. Grace changes topic of conversation even though Steve still asks

her about chong you bing.

Data 2:

Grace : Yeah? (Pause) you wouldn't have any on you, would you?

Steve : (Englishji-om on onward) sorry? No, I don't have bing. I

want to buy bing.

Grace : Not bing! Tape, have you got any tape?

(Act I, line 9-11)

From that dialogue the writer finds violation of maxim of relevance

because Steve answers Grace's question with irrelevant reaction. Grace asks

Steve about tape but Steve answers that he does not has bing. From that

dialogue seems there are no connection between Grace's question and

Steve's answer.

Data3:

Grace : Not bing! Tape, Have you any tap1~?

Steve : Tape? Of course I don't have tape.

Grace : Just checking.

Steve : Do you have any bing?

(Act I, line 11-14)

From dialogue above, the writer finds that Steve always ask Grace

29

There are no connection between Steve's question and Grace's answer. The

purpose of communication between Steve and Grace can not be reached

because their dialogue violates maxim of relevance.

Data4:

Grace : Look, we're closed till five ...

Steve : Idiot girl!

Grace : Why don't you take a menu?

Steve : I want you to tell me!

(Act I, line 15-18)

From the dialogue, the writer finds violation of maxim of relevance

because dialogue between Steve and Grace does not reach the purpose of

communication. It seems at Grace explains that the restaurant close at five

but Steve does not care and he still stay at the restaurant, because he did not

know what does Grace say.

Data 5:

Grace : If the customer's Chinese. You insult them by giving

forks.

Steve : I said I want you to tell me.

(Act I, line 21-22)

The writer finds violation of maxim of relevartce in dialogue above.

Steve gives irrelevance response to Grace's statement. Grace explains to

Steve about behavior of customer's Chinese but St<~ve gives other response.

Data 6:

30

Grace : If the customer Anglo, you starve them by not giving

forks.

Steve : You serve bing or not?

Grace : But it's always easy just to dump whatever happens to be

in your hands at the moment.

(Act I, line 23-25)

The writer finds violate maxim of relevance in dialogue above. Steve

tries hard to get Grace's answer about bing. Grace always gives explain to

him about customer behavior. They do not cooperative so they do not get

the purpose of their communication.

Data 7:

Steve : I suggest you answer my question at once!

Grace : And I suggest you grab a menu and start doing thing for

your self. Look, I'll get you one, ·~ve:n. How's that?

Steve : I want it from your mouth.

(Act I, line 26-29)

The data 7 above violates maxim of relevance because Steve does

not do what Grace wants. Steve always stays at the restaurant although it is

closed. He wants Grace tell him about bing but Grace explains him about

the restaurant and how to serve the costumer. The:ir conversation is not

running well.

Data 8:

31

Steve : Bw1cha weak boys, what do they !mow? One man -China

Man- wearing a leisure suit-green! I ask him, "You know

Gwan Gung?" he says, "Hong Kong?" I say, "No, no.

Gwan Gung". He says, "Yeah they got sixty thousand

people living on four acres; went there last year". I say,

"No, no. Gwan Gung". He says, "Ooouh! Gwan Gung?" I

say, "Yes, yes. Gwan Gung". He says, "I never been there

before".

(Act I, line 99)

That dialogue describes conversation between Steve and China Man

who lives in America and he does not !mow about Chinese's culture. Steve

asks him about Gwan Gung the God of warrior but the China Man has other

perspective about that. The China Man thinks Gwan Gung is a place in

Hong Kong. This dialogue violates maxim of relevance because Steve does

not get a true answer from China Man and he answers with irrelevant

statement.

Data 9:

Steve : Another kid -blue jeans and T-shirt- I ask him, does he

know Gwan Gung? He says, he doesn't need it, he knows

Jesus Christ. What city is this now?

(Act I, line 101)

Tn ~nnthter oinrntinno ~tP.VP. mP.P.t nnnthter kicl ~ncl hte ~•kP.cl him nhcmt

32

Gwan Gung, unfortunately the kid has assume that Gwan Gung is

something that he does not need. This dialogue violates maxim of relevance

too because Steve does not get what he want from th1~ kid and there is not

connection between both. The aim of communication cannot be reached

because they do not cooperative each other.

Data 10:

Dale : I' II drive, you sent the hearse hom1~.

Steve : I tell driver - return car after dinner.

Dale : How could you ... ? What time did you ... ? When did you

tell him to return? What time?

Steve : (looks at his watch) seven - five

Dale : No - not what time is it. What time you tell him to return?

Steve : Seven - five. Go see.

(Act I, line 115-120)

The writer finds violates maxim of relevance in dialogue above. Dale

asks Steve about what time he will return, but Steve answer Dale's question

with inelevant response. Steve answers time now at Dale and him at the

restaurant. Steve does not understand what Dale's mean. They cannot

cooperate in their communication so the purpose of communication cannot

be reached.

Data 11:

Steve : Gwan Gung- bows to no one's terms but his own.

4. Violation of Manner

Data 1:

35

Grace : Pretty good. If you are Gwan Gung, you're not the dumb

jock I was expecting. Got a lot learn about school though.

Steve : Expecting? You were expecting me?

Grace : (quickly) No, no. I meant what I expected from the stories.

(Act I, line 68-70)

The writer finds violation of maxim of manner because there is

ambiguity between Steve's and Grace's dialogues. Jn that dialogue can be

seen that Grace is expecting Steve but if he is Gwan Gung. Steve has

assumed that Grace is expecting him, Grace is upset. Grace is not brief to

talk that she is expecting Steve, so she say quickly that she is expecting the

stories, in that situation Grace violates maxim of manner.

A. Conclusion

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

The writer used 20 kinds of dialogue David Henry Hwang's drama

'FOB' (fresh-off-the-boat) as the object of the research. She focused to

analyze about violation of maxim with using Herbert Grice's theory. In

general, he distinguished maxim four categories, were: maxim of quantity,

maxim of quantity, maxim of relevance and maxim of manner. On the text

dialogue David Henry Hwang's drama she fotmd 2 dialogues which violated

maxim of quantity, 3 dialogues which violated maxim of quality, 14 dialogues

which violated maxim of relevance and 1 dialogue whi.ch violated maxim of

manner.

There were 2 dialogues which violated maxim of quantity because the

player of drama gave information that was not needed for other player, so the

conversation or dialogue was not informatively and not <:fficiently.

Then, there were 3 dialogues which violated maxim of quality because

the player of drama gave some informations that were true or false but she or

he did not give adequate evidence for it. Sometimes the violation of maxim

quality is called the white lying.

There were 14 dialogues which violated maxim of relevance; it

happened on the dialogue because the drama told about someone who had a

_ __ 1 ___ ,_,__ n_ _ r ,,_ _ _1• _ 1 _

37

not relevance because they had different assume about their conversation so

the purpose of conversation could not be reached.

There was 1 dialogue which violated maxim of manner; it happened

because there was ambiguity between one player and other so the conversation

could not be running well.

B. Suggestion

The result from this research, the writer has some suggestions to the

readers of drama have to be more concern to the text of drama because it can

be object of research on literary and linguistic work. The students of English

Letter Department more concern to analyze linguistic work with using

relevant theory.

REFERENCES

Al-Wasih, Chaedar, Drs. 1990. Pengantar Sosiologi Bahasa. Angkasa. Bandung

Aminuddin dkk. 2002. Analisis Wacana; Dari Linguistik Sampai Dekonstruksi. Penerbit Kanai. Y ogyakarta.

Black, Elizabeth. 2006. Pragmatic Stylistic. Edinburgh Univ Press Ltd. 22 Georgr Square. Edinburgh.

Cutting, Joan. 2002. Pragmatics and Discourse, A Resource Book for Students. Routledge, London and New York.

Jacob L Mey. 2001. Pragmatics an Introduction. Second Edition. Black Well Publishers. Malden, USA.

Kentjono, Djoko. 2002. Dasar-Dasar Linguistik Umum. UI. Jakarta.

Leech, Geoffrey. 1983. Principles of Pragmatics. Longman. London and New York.

Nawawi, Hadari. 1985. Metode Penelitian Bidang Sosial. Gadjah Mada. Y ogyakarta.

Peter Trudgill. 1974. Sociolinguistics: An Introduction. Penguin Books Ltd. Midd Lesex. England.

Rahardi, Kunjana. Dr, M.Hum. 2006. Pragmatik. Erlangga. Jakarta.

Renkama, Jan. 1993. Discourse Studies An Introductory Textbook. John Benjamins Publishing Company. Amsterdams/Philadelphia.

Text dialogue of David Henry Hwang's Drama 'FOB' 1978.

Todd Loreto. 1987. An Introduction to Linguistic. Longman York Press. Beirut/United Kingdom.

Zaharil, Anasy. 6 November 1993. Laporan Bacaan Analisis Wacana. Jakarta

http://www.asianamericantheather.org/productionsltoblstory.html

http:l!www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0880532.html

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia/Drama and Dramatic Arts.html

' r I h .• I • J 1• f

APPENDICES

1. Biography of David Henry Hwang

David Henry Hwang was born in Los Angeles on August 11 lh 1957.

His father was a banker and his mother was a professor of piano. He

graduated from Stanford University in 1979, later attending in Yale School

of drama. FOB was written and first produced as prut of a student festival

in 1979, when he was an undergraduate. Hwang's other works include The

Dance and The Railroad (1981), Family Devotions (1981), and M

Butterfly (1988), that won the Tony Award for best play of the year. The

son of Chinese immigrants, Hwang became fascinate:d as a college student

by how a Chinese past and an American future can be reconciled. Most of

his dramatic work has centered on this conflict. His most recent work, M

Butterfly, deals with the true story of a French diplomat and his lover, a

Chinese opera star, who was revealed to have been a man years later; in

this play, Hwang explored the cultural stereotype of the submissive

Chinese woman and used experts from Puccini's opera, Madame Butterfly.

FOB (1978) is the story of a 'fresh-off-the-boat' Chinese immigrant

and his more assimilated friends. Hwang mixed realism and symbolism in

this play, evoking the powerful presence of Chinese mythic figures. In his

1982 introduction to a volume of four play, including FOB, he wrote, "to

Asian-American theater people across the nation .. .I dedicate this volume.

40

I present these plays as an offering, with respe:ct for the past and

excitement for our future lives together".34

2. Summary of David Henry Hwang's Drama 'FOB'

The roots of FOB are thoroughly American. The play began when a

sketch he was writing about the limousine trip through Westwood,

California, was invaded by two figures from American literature: Fa Mu

Lan, the girl who takes her father's place in battl<:, from Maxine Hong

Kingston's The Woman Warrior, and Gwan Gung, the God of fighters and

writers, from Frank Chin's Gee, Pop!

This fact testifies to the existence of an Asian American literary

tradition. Japanese Americans, for instance, wrote play in American

concentration camps during World War II. Earlier, with the emergence of

the railroads, came regular performances of Cantonese operas, featuring

Gwan Gung, the adopted god of Chinese America.35

Grace, Dale and Steve, three twenty-somethiing year olds in 1978

explored Chinese and Chinese American identities among the Bee Gees,

China food and ancient Chinese ghosts.

The main characters in Fresh off the boat are Grace, Dale and Steve.

Grace and Dale are the first and second generation Chinese American.

They live in California~ United State of America Grace's. father had a

small Chinese restaurant in To!Tance, California. Grace worked part time

in her father's restaurant and she also was a student in UCLA University.

41

Her cousin, Dale was a student in a university too. Steve was Grace's

friend. He was a Chinese Newcomer in United State of America. He came

to America for school but he worked part time at a small Chinese

Restaurant.

Grace and Dale were Chinese American who lives in America;

although they were immigrant but they had American culture and they

could assimilate with their American friends. Whil•e, Steve was Chinese

who had different culture and different language with them. Steve could

speak English but he used Chinese's accent. He used! to tell about Chinese

culture. He is a FOB 'fresh-off-the-boat' in California, America.

.fl iang '"'»· ,..,.,,., .......... _ .... -·· T-· ... __ _ pitchfork, .hired m!n with sticks ..

Luka: (seeing lhe kiss) Mercy on us! HoJy saints above! Mrs. Popov: (dropping lier eyes) Luka, tell them in the stable that Toby is -· ·not tO fiave- any oats today.

. ltEADlNG !AND REACTING . . _.

1. Because The Bndc is a farce, Chekhov's characters (rcquently _exaggerate for comic effect. For instance, 5Enirnov lc11s Mrs. Popov, ~I've knoy.• more "''omen than you've knov .. n pussy catS. I've (ought three duels on their account. I've jilted twelve, and been jilted by nine others." Give some additional examples of such broad language,

'- and explain its function. 2. Give some examples of physical actions used to reinforct! cnlotions or

altitudes in Tlic Brute. 3. Explain and illustrate h?w language reveals each of the !ol\o\•.-ing

moods: Mrs. Popov's anger at Mr. Sn,irnov, Mrs. Pupov's ambivalence toward her late husband. f\ir. Sn1irno'-"S in,paticncc \\'ith f\1rs. Popov,

Mr. Smirnov's stubbornness. 4. \\s the play progresses, Mrs. Popov's changing language

c· ... ffi.municate!, her changing feelings toward her husband. Explain. 5. What can you-infer about Mrs. Popov's relationship with Luka from

the language she uses when she addresses him? From the language

he uses with her? 6. At what point in the play does Mr. Smirnov's language become more

elaborate? What does his use of figurative language suggest? 7. V/here in the play does dramatic irony occur? Is verbal irony present? 8. Where in the play do asides occur? What is their function? 9. JOURNAL ENTRY: Does this play reinforce stereotypes about

gender or question their validity? What role does the play'S language play in helping you_ draw your conclusion?

·~.

1i. ~0'.

~ ~:.~·~-

~~'.~· :{

,,~,.,

~~! :~.: ~-; ,, .. {<" .~··: -:·~

DAVID HENRY HWANG (1957- ) \\'as born in Los Angeles and graduated from Stanford University-in 1979, later attcndi-ng the Yale School of Drama. FOB was written and first produci:d as pa.rt of a student Cestival in 1979, while he was an l;lndergraduate. Hwang·~ other \<l.'orks include Tl" Dance" and the Railroad {1951), family Devotions {1981). and M. Buturfly (1988), which won the Tony Award for best play of lhc year .. The son of Chinese irn1nigrants. Hwang became fascinated as a college student by how a Chir.ese ·?ast and an American future can be reconciled. Most of h~s dramatic work has centered on this conflict. His most recent v.·ork. M. Burier/ly, deals with the true story of a French diplomat and his lover. a Chinese 'i ...

FOB (1978) is the story of a .. fresh-off-the-boat" Chinese immigrant and his i:nore assimilated friends. Hwang mixes realism and symbolism in this play, evoking the powerh.;I presence of Chinese mythic figures. ln his 1982 introduction to a volume of four plays, including FOB. he wrote ... to Asian-American lhe<?ter people across the nat\o:'l .... I dedicate this volume. I present these plays as an offering, with respect for the past and excitement for our future lh•es togeth<'r."

PLAY\\'RICllT"S NOTE

DAVID HENRY HWANG

FOB (1978)

For Ou: <t•o.rriors of my fllutil.v

The roots o! FOB are thoroughlj• American. The play bcp,a1l "-'hen a sketdl l , .... a$ writing about a limousine trip through Wesh\'oOd, C.ilifornia, \-.·a:- invadt:d by l\'\'11

figurts from An1erican literature: F<1. Mu Lan, the girl \':hu lak•:s ht•r f.1!ht•r's. place in battle, from f.1axine Hong Kingston's Tiu: YVomatt \'W1rrio1; and Gh·,1n Cuni;. the sod of lighters and writers, from Frank Chin's Gee, Pop! - .

Titls fact testifies to the existence of an· Asian American lite"rary tradition. Japanese Americans, for instance.. wrote plays in American concentration camps during \Vorld \\lar ll. Earlier, with the emergence of the railroads, caml' regular performances of Cantonese operas, featuring Gwan Cung. the adopted god of Chinese America.

CHARACTERS {all in early twenties) D~!e, ::~ t.m~ric:i~ cf Ckfr?!S! d!SCe!!t, scCO!!d ge!!!nHfrm.

Grace, his co1.1Si11, afirst~g,ncration Clii11csc Antcrica11. Steve. her jricnd, a Chinese nc-wcomcr ..

ScEt'C:

Tht back room of a small Cl1inest restaurant in Tarra1tcc, Califor11ia.

TIME

The year 1980. Act l. Scene 1. takes place i11 tJ" late aftfn1(11111. Act 1. Si.·fm• 2. is; a [e;;.• minutes tater. Acl ll ii; after dinner.

DtAN"ITIONS

chong you bing is.a type of Chinese". pancake, a Nortl1er11 Clii11es! aJ'pi•:i:.rr often mad\· toith dough a:td scallions, witli a consistency siniilar to tliat of pita bread. Cung Cung mtans -brandfather."

'

Steve: l suggest you answer my question at once!J · .:.~:u :;; Grace:. And I suggest you grab a menu and start doing things for yourself,

Look, I'll get you one, even. How's that? · Steve: l want it from your mouth! Grace: Sorry. We don't keep 'em there.

30 Steve: If I say they are there, they are there. (He grabs her box.) .Grace: What-What're you doing? Give that back to me!

Tliey pt1rry around the table.

Steve: Aaaah! Now it's different, isn't it? No\'•' you're listening to nle. Grace: 'Scuse me, hut you really are an asshole, you know that? Who do

you think you are? Steve: What are you asking me? Who l an'? Grace: Yes. You take it easy \'lith that, hear? Steve: You ask who I am? Grace: One more second and l'm gonna call the cops. S.teve: Very well, I will tell yo~.

She picks up the p11'1nc. He slams it dou•u.

Steve: l said, !'ll tell you. 40 Grace: lf this is how you go around meeting people, l think it's pretty

screwec;i. · · Steve: Silence! lam Gwan Gung! God of warriors, writers, and prosti

tutes!

Pause.

Grace: Bullshit! Steve: What? Grace: Bullshit! Bull·shiH You are not Gwan Cung. And gimnle back my

box. Steve: lam Gwan Gung. Perhaps we should sec what you have in here. Grace: Don't open that! (Beal.) You don't look like Gwan Gung. Gwan

Gung is a warrior.

'·

~~ ·~.· .

"'I." , ...

..~~ ,pl!i~; ·'~' ;;,.;;'

:/;if ,:·~~ ··:·y.:.

Steve: I am a warrior! 1}

Grace: Yeah? Why are you so scrawny. then? You v'>"ouldn't last a day in ~~ battle: ,:; ili/

Steve: My credit! Many a larger man has been humiliated by the strength in one of my size. .!

so Grace: Tell me. then. Tell me, if you are Gwan Cung. Tell me of your · -j battles. Of one battle. Of Gwan Gung's favo.ritebattle. -l

Steve: .Very well. Here is a living memory; One day, Gwan Gung v.•oke ufi' -~: and saw the ring of fire around the sun and decided, "This is a goo~ day,

. ofrebeu1onanu1cuun6 ..... r··--r-- ~· -But planned slaughter required an order and restraint which soon be~ came tedious. So Gv .. an Gung decided a change ""as in order. He called for his tailor, v.•ho he as~ed to n'ake a beautiful blindfold of layered silk;-fine en'?ugh ~o be '"eigt-...tteas,.yet thick.enough to blind the wearer completely. The tailor complied, and soon produced a perfect piece of red sil~ exactly suited to Gv.•an Gung's demands. In gratitude, G\"an Gung stayed the tailor's execution sentence. lie then put on his blindw £old, pulled out his s"·ord, and began passing over the land, swiping at whatever got in his path. You see, G\van Gung figured there \\'as so much revenge an<i so mu_ch evil in those days that he cc.:tuld slay at· random and still stand a good chance of £u1filHng justice. This v.•orked very °"•ell, until his sv.-ord, in its blind fury, hit upon an old and irritable aton1 bomb.

Grace t"ttlchl":: Stci'1'. tpl,;,·~ hick tin· l•11x.

Grace: Ha! Sonle Gv,•an Cung you arc! Son1c \\'arrior you an:! You ca;l't even protect a tiny box from the grasp of a \'\"OOllln! I lo\\' could you have shielded your big head in battle?

Steve: Shield! Shield! l still go to battle! Grace: Only your head goes to battle, 'caUSl' ot\IY your hi:ad is G\\'an

Gong. . ... :

Pause.

Steve: You rr.ade me think of you as a quiet listener. A good trick. \'Vhat is your name?

Grace: You can call me .. The Woman Who Has Dt!fcatc."d G\ ... ·an Gung." if that's really ,..,•ho you are.

Steve: Very wc11. But that name will change before long. Grace: That story you told-that wasn·t a G,van Cung s-t~~r)'. Steve: What-you think you know all of my adventures through stories?

All the books in the world coUldn't record the lHe of one man. let alone a god. No\ ... -do you serve bing?

EO Grace: 1 won the battle; you go look yourself. There. Steve: You working here? Grace: Part time. It's my father's place. rm also in school. Steve: School? University? Grace: Yeah. UCLA. Steve: Excellent. I have also come to America for school. Grace: \Vclt, '\\'hat use v;ou1d G'\'an Gung have for school? Steve: Wisdoffi. Wisdom makes a warrior stronger. Grace: Pretty good: 1£ you are G\'Van Gung, you're not the dumb jock 1

'n'as expecti~~;.i;;fl.t.?.J:::.•,..~_, learn about school, thoUgh.

- • .. --- -- ----------a------------· -"""t:Y shout my name while rushing into battle, or is it too sacred to be used in such ostentatious display?

Grace: Uh-no. S,teve: No-what? I didn't ask ·a "no"' question. Grace: What l mean is, neither. They don't do either of those. Steve: Not good. The name of Gv.ran Cung has been restricted for the use

. ofleaders only? · Grace: Uh-no. I think you better .sit down. Steve: This is very scandalous. How afe the peop1~ to take my strength?

Gwan Gung might as well not exist. for all they know. Grace: You got it. Steve: I got what? You seem to be having trouble making your ansy,.•ers fit

nl)' questions. so Grace: No, I think you're having trouble making your questions fit my

anS\\'Crs. Steve: What is this nonsense? Speak clearly, or don't speak at all. Grace: Speak dearly? Steve: r'es. Like a warrior. Grace: \'\'ell, you see, Gwan Cung, god of warriors, vvriters, and prosti

tutes, no one gives a wipe about you 'round here. You're dead.

Pause.

Steve.'= You . · .. you make me laugh. Grace: You died way back ... hell, no one even noticed when you

died-that's how bad off your PR was. You died and no one even missed <i. burp.

Steve: You .Jie! The name of Gwan Gung must be feared around the \\•orld-you jeopardize your health with such remarks. (Pause) Yocyou have-heard of me, l see. How can you say-?

Grace: Oh .. J just study it a i9t-Chinese American history,! mean. Steve: Ah. In the schools, in the universities, where new leaders are born,

they study my ways. . 90 Grace: Well, fifteen of us do.

Steve: Fifteen. Fifteen of the brightest. of the most promising? Grace: One wants to be a dental technician. Steve: A man studies Gwan Cung in order to clean teeth? Grace: There's also a middle~aged woman that's kinda bored with her

kids.

.,

---J. ~.~.~·

. {:'; ···0

·i :;;:_~ ":?,

"

Steve: I refuse-I rlon't believe you-your stories. You're just angry at n1e for treating you like a servant. You're trying to sap my faith. The · ·: ··-~ people-the people outside-they know me-they know the deeds of<.·"""{'

.Gwan Cung. ;} ·' Grace: Check it out yourself. ,.

Sttvt trits. Crace picks up th<' hor. Siu studi<'s it.

Grace: Fa Mu Lan sits and waits. She learns to be still \\•hile the en1perors, the dynasties, the foreign lands flow past, una\\·are of her slender form, thinking it a tree in the woods, a statue to a gtlddess long .abandoned by her people. But Fa Mu Lan, the Woman Warrior, ts not ashamed. She knows that the· one who can exist without movement while the ages pass is the one to whom no victory can be denied. It is training, to wait. And Fa Mu Lan, the Woman Warrior, must train, for she is no goddess, but girl-girl who takes her father's place in battle .. No goddess, but woman-warrior-woman (Siu: lJrc:ak:;. t11rc11lgl1 tlte u1rapping. reacl1es in. and pulls out a11ot11er bor, l1eau1i/11lly i11rapprd and ril1-boned.)-and ghost. (Sire puts tlie utit• box 1111 lite slu·lf. g(lt'f. t~ tlie /'lit•llt',

dials.) Hi, Dale? Hi, this is Grace _ .. Pretty good. l·{o\\' 'bout you? ... Good, good. Hey, listen. i'nl sorry to ask you al !ht• last ffiinutc and everything, but are you doing anything tonight? ... Are y0u sure? ... Oh, good. Would you like to go out ,.,•ith me and somt• of my friends? .. - . Just out to dinner, then maybe ,.,.e \.,•ere thinking of going to a movie or something _ - . Oh, good ... Arc you sure? ... Yeah, okay. Um, we're all going to n1eet at the restaurant ... No. our restaurant ... right-as soon as possible. Okay, good _ .. I'm really glad that you're coming. Sorry it's such $hort notice. Okf!Y· Bye. now . .. Huh? Frank? Oh, okay. (Pause) Hi, Frank ... Prell)• good ... Yeah? .•. No, I don't think so ... Yeah ... No. I'm sorry, l"d still rather not ... I don;t want to, okay? Do I have to be any clearer than that? ... You are not! _ .. You don't even kno ..... • v-+'ht>n they comeyou'd have to lie on those tracks for hours . _ . Forget it, <Jkay? ... Look. I'll get ypu a schedule so you can tim(> it properly . It's not a favor, damn it. Now goodbye! (Sile lia11g$ u11.} Jesus!

Suve enters.

Steve: Buncha weak boys, what do they know? One man-Chinaivlanwearing a leisure suit_:green~ I ask him, '"You kno\\' G\\·an Cung?"" He says, 'Hong Kong?" l say, 'No, no. Gwan Gung.' lie says. "Yeah. They got .:.ixty thousand people living on four acres. Went there last year." I say, "'No, no. Gwan Cung ... He says, "Ooooh! Gwan Cung?· I say, ·Yes, yes, Gwan Gung."" He says, '"I never been there before ...

tQl Grace: See? Even if you didn't die-v,.ho cares? Stt:ve: Another kid-blue jeans and a T·shirt-1 ask him, does he know

Gv.•an Cung? He says. he doesn't need it, he knO\\·s Jesus Christ. \Vhat • city is this now? Grace: Los Angeles. Steve: _This isn't th~ only place where a neh· Chin<:.~a.n. CT:::} . ...-;:1;.;, is it?

---.

Grace: Yeah. Steve: They could never be followers of Gwan Cung. All who follow me

must be loyal and righteous. Grace: Maybe you should try some other state. Steve: Huh? What you sayL _ • .

·no Grace: Never mind. You·n get used to it.....;.Hke the rest of us.

Pause. Steve begins laughing.

Steve: Y9u are a very clever woman: Grace: Just average. Steve: No. You do a good job to make it seem like Gwan Cung has no

followers here. At the university, what do you study?

Grace:· Journalism. Steve: Journalism-you are a v.•ritcr, then? Crace': Of a sort. Steve: Very good. You are close to Gv1o•an Gung's h~art. Grace: As close as rm gonna get. Steve: l would like to go out tonight with you.

120 Crace: I knew it. look, I've heard a lot of lines before, and yours is very

creative, but ... Steve: I will take you out. Grace: You will, huh? Steve: l do so because! find you worthy to be favored. Crace: You're starling to sound like any other guy now.

Steve: I'm sorry? Grace: Look-if you're going to have any kinds o! relationships with

women in this country, you better learn to gh·e us some respect.

Steve: R~spect? I give respect. Grace: The pushy, aggressive type is out, under!>tand? Ste~n~; Taking you out is among my highest tokens of respect.

130 Grace: Oh, c'rnon-they don't even say that in Hong Kong.

\

:;;,.; •.:~~

.,:;:.- .

Steve: You are being asked out by Gwan ·Cung! Grace: 1 tol~ you, yo~'re ~oo wimpy t? b~ Gwan Gung. And even if yoU;,;a.

v1ere. you d have to wait your turn 10 hne. .~: Steve: What? Grace: I already have something for tonight. J\.1y cousin and l are having.

dinner. Steve: You ~ould turn down Gwan Cung for your cousin?

Grace: Well. he has a X-1/9.

Pause.

·Steve: What ~as h4ppened? Grace: look-! tell you what. If you take both of us out, then it'll be .-.o;~

okay. all right? ~·~

.

....... -. --,- - . ---- ---~- - - ""J ~--· - ------ i--· - -- ----- ----·

Grace: 'Cause you're in the U.S. in 1980, just like the rest of us. Now quit complaining. Will you take it or not? :

Pause.

Steve: G\v-an Cung ... bo\-.·s to no one's tern1s but his own. Grace: Fine. Why don't you go do""n the streel to 'In~perial Dragon

Restaurant and see if they ha\'e l1i11g?. Steve: Do you ha•e bi11g? Grace: See for yourself.

Siu hat1ds l1im a menu. Ht• exits. Cract 11u1t't'S witli tl1t· lil1x.

Grace: Fa Mu Lan stood in the center of the villa~e and turned round and round as the bits of finscrs, thi..• tips of toni.;ucs. the anns, the legs. the peeled skulls, the torn nlaidl.'"nhcads, all v .. hirlt.!"d by. She pulled the loOSP go\VO closer to her body. stepped over the torsos. in search of the one of her fan1ily \•:ho might still be alive. Reaching the house that was once her hon1e. crushing bones in her hastt.•, only to find the doorway CO\'ered \\'ith the stretched and dried skin of that \\·hich \vas once her father. Climbing through an open V•'indov .. ., noticing the shiny black thousand-day-old egg still floating in the shiny black sauce. Finding her sister tied spread-eagle on the mat. finding her 1nother in the basket in piec<>s, finding her brother nowhere. The Won1an Warrior went to the mirror. which had Stayed unbroken, and let her go\•.'n come loose and drop to the ground. She turned and studied the ideographs that had long ago been carved into the flesh of her young back ... Carved by her mother •. \ ... ·ho lay carved in the basket.

Dale enters, approaclii:s Grace.

She ran her fingers over the skin and felt the ridges \ .. ·here there had been pain.

"Dale is bcliiud Graci:.

Grace: But nO\\' they \'>'ere firm and hard.

Oak loud1cs Grace, wlio reacts by s11.1i11ging arou11d a11d kt1ocl:i11g l1im ro tilt ground. Only after lu is dou1n docs shr sec Iii~ face.

Grace: Dale! Shit~ I'm sorry. J didn't . ""D•le: (Groggy! Am I late?

. ;._ Grace: I didn't knov; it \\'as you, Dale. ·----~·.

Crace: I me~n. you should've yelled from the dining room. . ;) ,. Dale: Dangerous neighborhood, huh?. Grace: I'm so sorry. Really. · Dale: Yeah. Uh-where're your other friends? They on tlie floor around

here too? Grace: No. Uh-this is really bad, Dale. I'm really sorry.

t60 Dale; What?-you can't make it after all? Grace: No, I can make it. It's just that ... Dale: They can't make it? Okay, so it'O just be us. That's cool. Grace: Well, not quite us. Dale: Oh. Grace: See, what happened is-You know my friend Judy? Dale: Uh-no. Grace: Well, she was gonna come \<Jith us-v.•ilh n1c and this guy I know

-his name is ... Steve. Dale: Oh. he's with you, right? Crace: Well. sort of. So since she was gonna come, I thought you should

come too. 110 Dale: To even out the couples?

Grace: But now my friend Judy, she decided she had too n\uch \\'Ork to do, so ... oh, it's all messed up.

Dale: Well, that's okay. I can go home-or I can go with you, if this guy Steve doesn't mind. Where is he; .anyway?

Grace: I guess he's late. You know, he just canlc to this country. Dale: Oh yeah? How'd you meet him? Grace: At a Chinese dance at U.C.L.A. Dale: Hmmmm. Some of those FOBiq;et moving pretty fast.

Grace gfar<'S.

1)n1n• ()h 1.- h... -=--., _.._ .... , ..., ... ·~ ••'- • •• un.t;";

Grace: He's okay. I don't know him that well. You know, I'm really sorry. Vale: liey, i said it as okay, Jesus, it's not like you hurt me or anything.

160 Grace: For that, too. Dale: Look.,--(He hits /iimsclf.! No pain! Grace:. What I meant was, I'm sorry tonight's got so messed up. Dale: Oh. it's okay. I wasn't doing anything anyway.

. r. .. ~<:e: J. ~now, but still

Silence.

Dale: Hey, that Frank is a joke, huh? Grace: Yeah. He's kind of a pain. Dale: Yeah. Whal an asshole to call my friend.

··--·.

~ ·:1"!t:l"' ; ::+.-: . . :~~J

. ~· -::, .·~.~:··

··.:·

.. .. :.. ·".:0:'

I.:. r'.' '

~· ·.~· ~\:~: . :.·;, , ........ .

t$O Uft<-• .. ~ .... ,,..., .,...,., '4\.lllHV•

Dale: Dumb? He's dumb. He's doing it right now. Grace: Huh? Are you serious? Dale: Yeah. I'r.1 tempted to tie hin\ down so, for once in his life, he \-.•on't

screw something-t!p.· · Grace:' You're kidding! Dale: Huh? Yeah, sure I'n1 kidding. \\'ho \-.•ould I go bo\\'Jing \.\'ith? Grace: No, I mean about hin1 actually going out lhl'rl'-is that t'"ue? Dale: Yeah-he's iying there. You knO\\', right on Torran\'."C' Boulevard? Grace: Not Dale: Yeah!

2CO Grace: But \\•hat if a train really coines? Dale:'·! dunno. I guess he'll gel up. Grace: I don't believe it! Dale: Unles~ he's fallen as: :L'P by th.:it lin1e <1r sonH:thin~. Grace: He's crazy. Dale: \Vhich is a real possibility for Frank, ht."s sud\ a bt1fl' any\v;iy. Grace: He's \veird. Dale: No, he just thinks ht.>'s in love \\'ilh you. Grace: Is hi!'? Dale: I dunno. \'Ve'JI see , ... hen the train con1t.•.s. ·

%10 Grace: Do you think we should do SOi\lCthinb?

Dale: \Vhat?-You're not gonna fall fo; ... the tv .. erp. ;an: you? Grace: Welt no6 but . . . : Dale: He's stupid-and ugly, to boot. Grace: •.• but staying on the tracks is kinda dangerous. Dale: Let hi~. Teach him a lesson. Grace: You serious? Dale: (Moving closer to Grace) Not to fool ,-.·ith n1y cousin .

Ht slrokts lu:r hair-. Tiiey fre<'l<' in place. but Iii$ ~rm !"!!Hli::u;·;:. :1• ;>;r,1§.·,;. Sin'(·

tnltrs. oblivious of Dalt' and Grace, t,lto do not rt:$po11d to ltim. Ii<' :-praks 1(1 thr auditnct:' as if it ttit:'rt a panel €Jf.judgt•s ..

Steve: No! Please! Listen to me! This is fifth time I conle her~. I tell \•ou both ffiy parents.! tell you their parents, J tell you their parents• Parents and who was adopted great.:granduncle. I tell you how many beggars in home town and name of their blind dogs. I tell you number of steps from my front door to temple, to well, to governor house, to fields, to whorehouse. to fifth cousin inn, to eighth neighbor toiletyou ask only: What (or am I in whorehouse? I tell north. south, northeas1. southv.·est, v..·est, east, north·northeast. south-southv.·est. east~eastsouth-Why will you not let me enter in Anu~rica? I come here five fimes-J raise lifetime fortune live times. Five times, I first come here, you say to me I am illegal, you return me on boat to fathers and

very bad for China.

Pause; liglit sliift. Crace aud Dair become mobile arrd aware of Steve's presence. ;:ti~ . ..·(.\.~

Grace: Oh! Steve, this is Dale. my cousin. Dale, Steve. ·~ 220 Dale: Hey, pice to meet •..

Steve: (Now speaking uiitl1 Chinese acceui) Heiio. Thank you. i am fine.

Pause.

Dale: Uh, yeah. Me too. So, you just0

got here, huh? Whai'cha think?

Steve smiles and nods, Dale s11rifrs aud uods; Slct'f la11gl1s, Dale lauglis; Steve hit~·::;·~ .. •.:;" Dale ou the sl1ouldcr. Tl1cy lauglt s11me morr. Tl1ry $htp la11glii11g. . 1 ~1

·.·.~ ':~

Dale: Oh. Uh-good. (Pause) Well, it looks like it's just gonna be the three of us, right? (fo Grace) Where you \\'«nna go? - ·:

Grace: l think Steve's already taken care of that. Right, Steve? ·.i

Steve: Excuse? :) Grace: You made reservations at a ;·l·sta.urant? Steve: Oh, reservations. YeS, yes. Dale: Oh, okay. That linlits the possibilities. Guess \,•e're going to China·= ./

town or something, right? . ~~· Grace: (fo Steve) \\'here is the restaurant? ·. 4 .:.~

230 Steve: Oh. The restaurant is a French restaurant. Los Angeles downtown'll Dale: Oh, we~re goi.ng to a Western place? (fo Grace) Are you sure he .\nij;

made reservations? .,\,j Grace: We'll see. !

Dale: Weil, I'll get my car. 1n

Grace: Okay. Steve: No! Dale: Huh? S:cve: Please-aHtiri ii•C to provide car. Dale: Oh. You wanna drive. Steve:. Yes. I have car.

__ 2-io Dale: Look-why don't you let me drive? You've got enough to do with~~· · · · ·vut ·..v'01rying about-you know-how to get around L.A .• read the sto,t>,

signs, a11 that. ·.:i .~ Steve: Please-allow me to provide car. No problem. •;d:~ Dale: Well, let's ask Grace, okay? (fo Grace) Grace,_who do you think':c,·;_

should drive? .:1 ~. Grace: I don't really carc:Why don't you t\'.'O figure it out? But let's .·\.

hurry. okay? We open pretty soon. .!..~: Dale: (fo Steve} Look-you had to pick the restaurant we're going to. so~'

the least 1 can do is drive. .!) Steve: Uh, your car-how many people sit in it?

·"""' ..

v•n"• ....... --. ;;; ... n1 uR: ua.CK. 1nere·s Space there. I've lit luggage in it before.

Grace: (To Steve) You want to sit in back? ,,. Steve: I sit-where?

Dale: Really big suitcases. Gr.ce: Back of his car. Steve: X-1/9? Aaaai-ya! Dale: X-1/9? Steve: No deal! Dale: How'd he know that? Ho'"\"d he know what 1 drive? Steve: Please. Use my car. ls •.. big. Da!e: Yeah? WeU, how much room you got? (Pause; slotocr} 1-io,"\·-big-your

car-is? Steve: Huh?

261 Dal~: Your car-how is big? Grace: HO\'V big is your car? Steve: Oh! You go see. Dale: 'Cause if it's. like. a Pinto O'" fOnlething, it's not lh~t 1nuch 01 a

difference. Steve: Big and black. Outside. Grace: Let's hurry. Dale: Sure, sure. (Exits.} Grace: What you up to, anyway? Steve: (Dropping acceut) Gwan Cung will not go into battle without equip

ment worthy of hi:s position. "" Grllce: Position? You came back,. didn't you? What does that make you?

m Dale: (EnttfingJ Okay. There's only one black car out there-Sttve: Black car is mine: Dalt: -and that's a Fleet...,·ood limo. Now, you're not gonna tell me that's

his. Stew: Cadillac. Cadillac is mine. Dale: Limousine .•. Limousine is yours? Stevt: Yes. yes. Limousine.

Pa1tSt.

t:. DRle; (To Grace) You wanna ride in that black thing? People \viii think .,., ~ ~ we're dead. .7'. Grace: It does have more room.

Di:ilc: Well, it has to. ii·s built for passengers who can't bend. ~::: Grau: And the driver is expensive. ;~•Dale: He could go home-save all that money. .\:; ·. Grace: Well, I don:t know. You decide.

~~_;.;"'.Dale: {To Stev~) Look, w~ take my car, savvy? 4. :, Steve: Please-drive my car. !;".,-:.

I '

-~ ..

Grace: Steve~s rather manufactures souvenirs in Hong Kong. TI~-~· Dale: (To St<ve) Oh, and that's how you n>anage that out there, huh?

from thousands of alufftinun1 Buddhas and stripteas~ pens. -~ ·.~::J''

Grace: Well, he can't drive and he has the money- · 290 Dale: (To Grace) I mean, wouldn't you just foci filthy?

Grace: ·-so it's easier for him. Dale: Getting out of a lin\tl in lht.! n1iddlc ur WcSl\'~OOd? People staring,

thinking \\'e'rc fron1 'SC? \Vould11'1 you fl•el like dirt? Grace: It dQcsn't n1atlcr citht.•r \vtiy to n1c. ·

Paur;.r.

Dale: Where's your social con5cit•nc1..•? Grace: Look-I have an idt•a. \\.'hy dun't , ... c just stay hcr1..·. Steve: V..'e stay here tu l.'at? Grace: ~o one fron1 lhc n:staurant \\•ill both1..·r us, and \\'C can bring stuff

in from the kitchen. ~tevc: I ask you to go out. Dale: Look. Grace, I can't put ya out liki..• that.

300 Crace: n·o Dale') It's no prohk•1n. rL•Jll)'. Jt should bl' fun. <To Steve) Since

there are three of usDalc: Fun? Grace: (fo Stcuc) -it is easier to cat here. Dale: 110-...• can it be fun? Jl's cht•«pcr. Steve: Does not seem right. Grace: I mean, unless our rcstaur;int isn't nict• enough. Dale: No, no-that's not it. Steve: (Waiching Dale} No-this place, very nice. Grace: Are you sure? Dale: Yeah. Sure.

31ti Sfcvt!;· (Dit1'1) Ye-ah, Sure Dale: Do you have . . uh-those burrito things? Grace: Moo-Shoo? Dale: Yeah, that. Grace: Yeah. Dale: And black mushroon,s. Grace: Sure. Dale: And sea cucumber? Steve: Do you have biug?

:·-r·-;:..

if.

·'.l,

Grace: Look, Dad and Russ and sonic of the others are gonna be setting \1 up pretty soon, so let's get our place ready, okay? · ":1

Pausr.

Grace: Yeah. Meet me in the kitchen. Dale: Are you sure your dad won't mind? Grace: \t\'hat? Dale: Cooking for us.

• . ·~. - --··o t"" .. .,... .

Grace: Oh, i(s okay. He'll cook for anybody.

&its. Sifr1t(t.

' Dale: So, ho\\' dti vou like An1erica? Steve: Very nice.

)30 Dale: "Very nice: Good .. colorful Jiong Kong English. English-ho\\' much <Jf il ~'OU SOI dtl\VO, aO)'\'\'ay? •

Steve: Pleasl' repeat? Dale: En~lish-you sp1..•,1k ho\-.· 111uch? Steve: Oh-\·l.'ry little. Dale: <P1111::t'J You i~·i..•l likc..• you're- an Anlcric;u1? Dnn·t ti..•11 nte. Lenun1..· · guess. Your falhL•r. (Ht switclits iulo a uu11.·k 1-loug Kon$ ncce11t.} Your

fad·dah tink h(' sending you here so you get Y?' J\1 .. B.A ... den go back and covuh da \\·orld \\'it' trink('ts and beads. Di\'ersify. Franchise. Sell-ah-I h1ng Kung X·Ray glasses at lt1urist shop at Buckinghanl Palace. You kno\,•-ah-""Sec- da Queen"? (Su1itclu:s luJck) He"s hoping your An,crican cducati~n·s gonna create an empire of defective goods and breakable n1erchandise. Like those.little cameras v.•ith the slides inside? J bought one af Disneyland oncc and it ended up having pictures of I long Kung in it. You know how shiuy it is to expect the tl.1agic Kingdon1 and \\·ind up with the skyline of Kowloon? Part o{ your dad's plan, I'm sure. But you're gonna double-cross him. Coming to .A~merica, you're gonna jump the bOat. You .. re gonna decide you like us. Yeahyou're gonna lik(' having fifteen theaters in three blocks, you're gonna like \Vest 1;011y,,·ood and Nev.·port Beach. You're gonna decide ~o become an American. Yeah, don't deny it-it happens to the best of us. You can'i hoid out-you~re no different. You v.•on't even know irs coming before it has you. Before you're trying real hard to be just like the rest of us-go dinner .. go movi~ .. go motel, bang-bang. And when your father \\•rites you that do-it~yourself acupuncture sales are down, you'll thro\'' that letler in the basket and burn it in your brain. And you'll \-\.'rile that you're gonna live in Monterey Park a fev.• year's before going back home-and you'll get your green card-:-and yoµ'U build up a nice little stockbroker's business and have a ·fe\v American Rids before vour dad realizes , .. ·hat's happened and dies, his hopes reduced io a fe,;. chattering teeth and a pack of pornographic playing cards. Yeah-great !rungs come 10 lhe U.S. out of Hong Kong. ·

Steve: ll..iglit:. a cigan:tte, blou.1s sn1okc:, standsJ Such as your parents?

Steve lur11~ c111 tlir muSic. ez/ts. Blackout.

·-.

- - - -

carrying d jar of hot sauct. Sltvc secs lier. . .;_{~: .- .....

Steve: (fo Grace) After eating, you like to go dance? . -Dale: (face in bowl) No, thanks. l think we'd be conspicuous.

Steve: (fo Grace) Like to go dance? Grace: Perhaps. We will sec.

340 Dale: (fo Steve) Wait a minute. l1old on. l·low can you just ... ? l'm here, too, you kno\v. Don't forget I exist just ·~uz )'OU can't understand

me. Steve: Please repeat? Dale: I get better com1nunication from my fish. Look. v.•e go see movie.

Three here. Sec? One, t\..,.o, three. Three can see movie. Only h·\'O can

dance. Steve: (To Grace) I ask you to go dance. Grace: Trtie, but ... Dale: (To Grace) That would really be a scrcv • ., you kno'""'? You invite me

down here, you don't have anyone for n1e lo go out ,..,ith, but you de~

cide to go dancing. Grace: Da'le, I understand.

::1. ·;.-;:: ,.

Dale: U~derstand? That \-vould really be a sere\"'· (fo Stct1c) Look, if you wanna dance, go find yourself some nice FOB partner. ..'~'.!;..~

\Steve: 'FOB'? Has what meaning? 'I" ·Grace: Da:!e . . . ·;: · _-:,

3SO ~ale: F-0-B. Fresh Off the Boat. FOB. :;· . '~ . .... rr.cc: .. Dale, I agree. .:; ; Dale: See, we both agree. (To Gracej He's a pretty prime example, isn't he? ,·Wj-:

All those--foreign students- .··~~!:·· Grace: I mean, I agree about going dancing. . .:·~. Dale: -go swinuning in their underwear and everything-\.Vhat? .:·f~ ·. Grace: <To Sievej Pi ease un<let·stand. This is not th~ right time fer d:ancLr:g .. : ;i;;

Sieve: Okay. Dale: 'Okay." It's okay when she says it's okay. Steve: (fo Dale) 'Fresh Off Boat' has what meaning?

Pause.

Dale: (fo Grace) Did you ever hear about Dad his first year in the tJ.S.? 360 Crace: Dale, he wants to know ...

Dale: Well, Cung Cung was pretty rich back then, so Dad must've been a. pretty disgusting .•. one, too. You know, his first year here, he spenq like, thirteen thousand dollars. And that was back 'round 1950. ,.

Grace: Well, Mom never got anything. Steve: FOB means what?

_.-•·o _._w.0 n..,._. --••"""-t""' .. "' ..,.,.."" •• ,....,. ov T'l'V&~ •

Grace: And ?\1om starved . Dale: Couidn't hold dO\\'n a job. Wasn't used to taking orders from any-

one. Grace: Mom \\'as used to taking orders fron1 everyone . SteUe: Please explain this meaning. DalC: Got fired from job after job. Something iike fifteen in a year. lie'd

just \-valk in the front door and out the back, pra,!ically.

110 Grace: Well, al least he had a choice of doors. Al h.·ast he..• "'as educated. Steve: (fo D11f4') Excuse! · Dale: Huh? Grace: lie \Vas educated. 1-fere. In An,erica. VVhen ~1u1n carne over, she

couldn't quit just 'cause she '"'as n\ad at her en1pk,yer. It "'as \\'Ork or starve.

Dale: \Vctl, Dad had son\l~ pretty lousy jobs, too. Steve: ni.) Dalt') Explain, please! Grace: Do you knO\\' "·hat it's like to \\'Ork eight)' h(lurs a ,,·c..•c..•k just to

feed yi>ur:>clf? Date: nv you? Steve: Dale! Dale: (To Ste't'('} lt 1neans you. You kn<.HV ho\"'· i( you go h1 a fish store or

something, thl."y ha\•e the stuff that just came in that day? \Vel~. so have you.

»J Steve: l do not understand. Dale: Forget it. That's part of what makes you one.

Pause.

Steve: (Picking ~p hol sauce, to DtilcJ Hot. You wanl son1c?

Pause.

Dale: Well, yeah. Okay. Sure.

Slet•e put!> liot sau(e on Oak's food.

Dale: .Hey, isn't that kinda a lot? Grace: See, Steve·s family comes £rorn Shanghai. Dale: Hmmmm. Well, I'll try it

He takes a gulp. puts down his food.

Grace: l think perhaps that \vas too much for him. Dale: No. · . Grace: Want some '"'a{er?

;'."'Dale: Yes.

-. , -~ ,~- -·· -. ... v.. .. Y'""i;;• ~ur:,.1 ructang savage. Don't.·'.~ you ever worry about your intestines falling out? . ·\ .·?!:: Grace enters. givts water to Dalt. Steve sits sJiocktd.

Dale: Thanks. FOBs can eat anything, huh? They're specially trained. lielps maintain the characteristic greasy look.

Steve. cautiously. bcgi11s tct Cllf hisf<1od • •

: Dale: What-? Look, Grace, ht''s eating thaH He's amazing! A freak! What a cannibal!

Grace: (faking Dnlr's plate) \.Vant nH! to throw yours out? Dale: (Snatchiug it back) 1-iuh? Nu. No, I can eat it.

.. -~~~

.··1~ ;.t :;;,,._· .

Dale' and StC'11r Marr at c·u:--h 11//ur 11cn1:::: t/11· tablr. 111 u11is1111. tlicy 11kk up as large it glol1 of fflad as possible, stuff it i11ta their mi•uths. They coug/1 and C'hoke. They rest. repeat tl1r face-off a ~eco11tl timi·. Tliry n1ntin11r i11 silrut pairr. Grace, who has been watclti11g this, 5/1-(Dks ta 11$.. ·

Grace: Yeah. It's tough trying to live in Chinatoh·n. But it's tough trying ---.. to live in Torrance, too. It's true-. I don't like being alone. You know, r:;n.··

· 'wh'Cii Mom could finally bring n\'.J to the U.S., l was already ten. But I k~_,~· never studied my English very ha':·d in Taiwafl, so I got moved back to'.: Qtt,. :·~ the second grade-. There were a few Chinese 8irls in the fourth grade~:'l .i. · -.· but they were A_merican-born, so they wouldn't even talk to me. They'd ~. ~·

just stay with themselves and compare how much clothes they alt had, : ·:·- · and make fun of the \Vay \\'e all talked. I figured! had a better chance ~ of getting in with the \vhite kids than with them, so in junior high I · ·i~i~t started bleaching my hair and hanging out at the beach-you know, ,;=-~. Chinese hair looks pretty lousy when you bleach it. After a while, I ::z:.,~: knew .what beilch was gonna be good on any given day, and! cou!d teH ···~ who was comi 1g just by his van. BUt the American-born Chinese, it ...... didn't matter t 1 thei:n. They just giggled and went to their own dances. ·«•: Until my senior year in high school-that's how long i! took for me to . ~ get over this whole thing. One night l took Dad's car and drove on .. (J _ _i'T' Hollywood Boulevard, all the way from downtown lo Beverly Hills,,.:;~; then back on Sunset. I was looking and listening-all the time with th~j; window down, just so I'd feel like I was part of the city. And that Fri- ··~ day, it was-I guess-I said, Tm lonely. And I don't like it. I don't like

1 :'.

being alone: And that was all. As soon as l said it, .1 felt all of the .{ breeze-it was really cool on my face-and t heard all of the radio......:.'J,. and the music sounded r.-.'al:y good, you kno,,•? So I drove home. .::~

~,~ ·= Pause. Dal! bursts out coughing.

.,.5 .... -•• - ............ ur&ft.C'/ uooo, nuh?

Stet•c and Grace $fare at each other, a$ Lights Fade ta Black.

ActU

Jr. blacka11t.

Dale: I an1 n1uch better nO\\'. (Single $J10l 011 Dalt') I go out no'"· Lots. J can. any, .. ·ay. Son11."lin1t's J don't ask anyone, so I dun't go out. But I could. (Pau!'C) I an1 n1uch bctlt-r no\\'. I have friends !lO\\'. Lots. Tht.•\• drive Porsche Carrt"r.1s. \Veil, one dt.lt'S. lie has a house up in the liolly\\'O(Jd Hills •vh1..•r1..• I c.1n stand and look doh'n on !ht' lihhts of L.A. [ gu1..•ss I ha\'l'n't r!:.11 ly bc:l'n tht•rt• ye!. But I could t.•,1sily so. I'd just h,1v1..• tu <1sk. (PaN:>C) l\1y parl'nts-they don't know nothing ahoul lht• \\•orld, about \\'atching Gen~un at fht• Roxy. about ordering hc.r;; d'oc•u.t•n·:-. .ii S1..-.1n· dia's, dO\\'nshifting onlo the Vc-ntura Fre1.'\\"'Y at 1nidnight. Tht.•y'rt• yt.>I~ lo\'' hhos!s and tht'y'vt' trit'd to cage n1c up '''ilh Chint•s1..•·n1..·ss h'ht•n all the tinl(' \\'t' \\'t.'rt.• in An1t.'r,ica. (Ptlll:'t•) So, I'vt• had hi \\'Ork n'.al h,1rdreal hard-tu llc n1ysclf. To not be a Chinest>, a y1.•llo''" a slant, a gook. To be just a human bt.•ing, like everyond? else, (Pause) I've paid n1y dues. And that's why I am much better now. I'm making it. you kno"'·? I'm making it in America.

A napkin is throu.•n in front of Dale's fan: f ram dglii. As; it pa$!'-e$, lite ligltts go up. Tile napkin falls c111 what we rccC1g11ize a$ tile di1111cr talilt' from 11ie ln$1 ::;n·11('. \Ve arc· in t/11"

back fllOm, Di1111rr is Ot'(r. Strr,•e has t11row11 flu: 11af'ki11 fntr11 u•lie'r1· Iii· i:: ~;itti11$_ it1 /ii$

chair. Dair is s;fandiug upstage of Ilic ta life and lu:d i1tr11 talki11g t11 Su;.•('.

Du.le; So, iook, \\•ill you just not be so ... Couldn't vou just be a little more ... ? I mean, v.·e don't have to do all this .. • . You know \'/hat's gonna happen to us tomorrow 'morning? (He burps.} What kinda diarrhea ... ? Look, maybe if you could just be a little- more Git gropes.) normal. liere-stand up.

Skw docs.

Dale: Don't srnile like that. Okay. You ever see Saturday Nigllt Fcticr? Steve: Oh. Saturdav . .. Dale: Yeah. · Sieve: Oh. Saturday Night Fe tier. Disco. Dale: That's it. Okay. You know . Steve: J~~i: Tra\'olta.

{)ale: Yeah, right. Ike Gl'l'S. But '''hilt 1 m<.'an is . Steve: You like Bee Gees? /)t1lt•: I dunno. Thry·rl' t1k.1y Ju~l !->l.1nd ,, lillh• nHlrt• li\..t• hi1n, t'ou knu·,\·

hb ,,·,1lk? (IJ.:k tn.-:-; f11 d1·1111111~tr1:t1·J ·

Stell<': I hl•lil'\'t' Bl'l' Gt'l'S t•t•ry good. /)air: Y(',1h. Listl'n. Steve: You St'l' rnovit· n.1ntt.• o( [)ale: \Viii ynu lislt•n for .1 st•c? Strut•: . , GrctJ~1·? l)n/e: Jiuld on!

20 Ste11e: Also Be1..• Gl•c.-s. /)11/1•: l'n1 tryin,.; lo ht•lp ruu~ Stevr: Also juhn Tr.1vufta? /)all': 1'1n tryinh tn f;<..'l you nonnal! Stet1l': And-Olivt•r juhn-Nt•\-.'llHl. /Ja/c: \\'ILL YOU SllUT UI'? I'M TRYING TO I IEU' YOU! l'M TRY·

ING ... SIC't:e: Very gou<l!. /hllc: ... TO MAKE YOU LIKE JOI IN TRAVOt:rA!

Dair grabs Stn1(' l1.11 lhc arm. Pa11$t'. 51<'1•1' coldly lou1rl;s Va/r's Juu11fs away. Dair picls Uf' rlu· las.t of tlu· Jirt_ydfr.ftl':> flJI tJu talifr and backs i11tn tile ki1c11en. Graci: i:nti:rs from lhr kitcl1cn u1ith the box u1rapped in Act I. Siu· sits ,in a d1air and goes ouer thi: wroppiflR, her back tctStet1C'. Ill" gets up a11d betirts lo go for 01( box. almoJ.t ri:ar:hing lier. Sh< tur11s around sud111'11ly. llu1r1xl1, at 11•l1ich p11ir1t hr dri:111s to tl1r ffoor and prrtcnds to be looki11gfor snmctl1i11g. She tl1et1 turns. flack front, and l1r rrsumes liis llttrmpt. }list as he reDd1rs tllr kitrl1r11 do11r, Dair e11Ur!-1i'itl1 a wrt spr'lngr.

Dale: ([o Stc:ve} Oh, you finally tvilling to help? I already brought in all the dishes, you kno\' ... liere-\..,ipc the tabll'.

Dale giucs sponge to Stcv!". rrlurns to kitcluri. Steve throws tlu sponge on the floor, sits back at lablr. Grace turns around, srcs spo11ge on 1/1( floor, picks it up, and goes to u1ipe Ille tabk. She firings Ille bnx wit II lier at1d liofds it in orie l1a11d.

Grace: Look-you~v"! been wanting this for some time nov.·. Okay. Here. I'll give it .to you. (She puts ii 01; the table.) A v.•etcome to this country. You don't have to fight for it-I'll give it to you instead.

Pause; Sutic pu!-lies tht box off tlie table.

JO Grace: Okay. Your choice.

Grace u.iipes tht table.

~) ·.i~·

·~. ·~·~·~

-':'~f ~Sf:·

, .... ~- ·.\.!:-.

:~: • .a,. ~~:; ~:.~;:.;

~~f

yizrc. I Cl:!>f•C"U Him 10 QQ It.

Gmcc: 1'11 do it. Dale: I ;isk,.>d hirn to do it. He's usell'ss~ {()ale 1.:~1':' 1111· :'fl1•11\'•

don't 1-..nn\,. hlH\' 1nuch En~ltsh you h.11<•\,·, but 11 .. 1!..·t't'~ rJ!, Cl1i11cS& att·,·111.J - ~ • -· · ·-·· · -

Grace: !)alt>, don;I do 't:la1.

Dale: (l/:'ius ::po11gt'J Luo~-n\;\kl's t;1bh.· .111 clt•.111. -.1·1·:1

Grace: Yo1.1 hav~ lo understand . Dale: Ooooh! Niel' and clean!

~Grace: ..• ht.>"s not used to this. Dale: "Look! I can see n1yself!" Grace': Look, I cttn do this. Really.

: l 1h1k. I <l:'t•_.: J 11:.-.· •.

Dale: lil•re-nU\\' you do. (Dale /on·,·:: 51<·11,··:: lia11d t•11t11 t/11• :;111111.~t.) Good. Ver\' good. No\\·, nlo\·l· it around. (/)ai•t' /1•a1I::: Stt'i'1 .. :' 111111,fJ Oh. vou lear·n ':-at fast. G•:t green c.1rd. no tinH.' .:-:!;;it, hudt.h· ·

Oak r1·m11i'1'.~ Iii:: 111111d; St1'i'1· 511111:;.

Dale: Uh-uh-uh. You nlust do it yol1rst'IL Con\t'. Tht·n.:-1h1\\· J\tt.•:>n't th.H Olilk1: you ft..•t•I proud?

Ht' liikt'S Iii;; lw11rl 11/f; S1t·i11· 5(:111>. 01111· i;h•l·s "I'· (ro;;~i·:' ,/.1;1·11::.tugt· St<'o·,· 1011,;;1;.~ at Ille tal1fr, ;.till. \

Dale: Jesus! I'd trade hin1 in for a vacuunl cleaner any d.1y. Grace: You shouldn't humiliate hinl like that.

.

Dale: \'\'hat hunliliale? I asked him to \\'ipe the iable. that'$ all. Grace: See, he's different. He probably has a lot of Sl'rv,1nts at home. Dale: Big deal. tic's in America, no\..,, lie'd better le.1rn lo \\·nrk.

so Grace: lie's rich, you kno"•'. Dale: So v.•hat? They all arc. Rich FOBs. Grace: Dec:; ~h<lt include me? Dale: Huh?

Grace: Does that include me? Am~ one of your .. rich FOBs"? Dille: What? Grace, c'mon, that's ridiculous. You're not rich. I mean,

you're no't poor. but you·re 'not rich either. I mean, you'rl' not a FOB. FOBs are dlf(ercnt. You've been over here mos: of your life. You'\'e had ti.me to lhaw out. You've thawed out really well, and, besides-you're my cousin.

Dale str(lkC's Cracr's liair, D11d tl1ry fr(rzc as lir/Clre. Stct•r. mra11wf1ik, lias almCl::t impt:r(tpti'1ly Prg1u1 to clean witlr his !>pongr. Hr speaks tCl thr audir11fr- A~(/ sprakiug witlt ltis .family.

Steve: Yes. I will go to America. "Mei Guo." (Pause. Hr begins working.) The "4tite ghosts came into the harbor toda)'· They promis<.'d that they \\'Ou id

--..

HH••o• -··- •• ····- o·--· --·- ··--- ··-- -----·- -·- r-- -- .. ···- ---·--·•-.., ho\'\" the land is so rich that pieces of gold lie on the road, and the worker-devils consider them too insignificant even to bend down for. They told of a land \Vhere there are no storms, no snow, but s~.nshine and warmth all year round, where a man could live out in the open and feel not ~ven discomfort from the nature aruund him-a \Y-Orker's paradise. A land of gold, a mountain of \vealth, a land in \vhich a man can make his fortune and grow \vithout wrinkles into an old age. And the white ghosts arc providing rrce passage both v.•ays. (Pause) All we need to do is sign a worker's contract. (J>a11$r} Yes, 1 an1 going to America.

At tlli!' poi11l, Gr11t't" aud Vak lirn•mr 11J11l1ifr, /1111 t-till fiJi/ to IJC'ar Slc11c. Gract' picks 1111 Ilic liox.

Dale: What's that? ct,•v!': (/'iis t11ipi11s /lt'COHlt"S i11crt'dSi11gl_1t frt•u:icil.J ! .1n\ going to An1erica be

-c;.n..:se of its pro111iSl'$. l a1n gt1ing to (ollut,· thl' \,·hite ghosts because of their promisl'S.

Dale: ls this for n1c? 60 Stcv!': Because they promised! Thl')' pr<lnlisL•d'. AND LOOK! YOU

PROMISED! THIS JS SHIT! ITS NOT TRUE. f)Jz/c: n·aki11g tl1r liox) L(•fs S('t' \'1.·hnt's insidl'. i~ that nk.ay? Sieve: (Sliovcs Dale lo tire- ground and takes the- liox.) IT IS NOT! (Wit/1 ac-

cent) THIS IS MINE! Dale: Well, what kind of shit is that? Steve: She gave this to n1e. Dale: What kind of ... we're not at your place. We're not in Hong Kong,

you know. Look-look all around you-you sec shit on the sidewalks? Steve: ThiS'is mine! Dale: You see armies of rice-bov,.l haircuts? Steve: She gave this to me! Dale: People here have their flies zipped up-see?

10 Steve: You should not look in it. ~~' Dale: So we're not in Hong Kong. And I'm not one of your servant boys.: ~~:

that you can knock around-that you got by trading in a pack of porno- ~-graphic playing cards-that you probably deal out to your friends. '.'• ·· You're in America, understand? .. :::.::.

Steve: Quiet! Do you know who lam? ~;f Dale: Yeah-you're a FOB. You~re a rich FOB in th~ U.3. But you better .;$:~·

-. ... atch y.oursclf. 'Cause you can be sent back. ~};'!;': Steve: Shvt up! Do you knO\"¥' \'{ho I am? .. ;_.-· Dale: You can be sent back, you knovJ-just like that. 'Cause you're a guest .:~

here. understand? ~?iX Steve: (fo Grace) Tell him v.·ho lam. ~1: Dale: I know who he is-:'"heir to a fortune in junk merchandise. Big deal.~-· ·· ..

___ ..,,. · · Like being heir to Captain Crunch. . ·~f.:

Silc11cc.

Grace: You kno\'' it's not like that. ., Steve: Toll him!

Dale: Huh?

Grace: A!! the stuff about rice bo\,•ls and-zippers-have you ever bcl!n there~ Dale? ·

/)air: \'\\•11, )'r,1h. Once. \\'hc.•n I \\'.lS h.•n .. Grae<': \V,•11, it's changed ol lot. Dale: Rcn1t.•nlbi..>r t;l'lting heat rashes.

Grae!': Pl'opk• .-in.' dressing really ,..-ell nov.·-and the \-.•h'oll• place.~ has bt•· conu: rt•idly stylish-\\·cll, CL'rtainly not C'\·t?rybody. bul thl' peopll· ,,·hu are '''l'll·off l'nt1u~h to Sl•nd thl•ir kid~ lo :\111l•ri(.1n colll'gl":>.-th(·y·rl' reallr kintia cl.1~sy.

Dair: Y(•,1h. Grace': Snn it!.

Dair: You llll.',lll, likt.• hi1n. So "-'h<ll? It's 1.-.1sy tl1 bl.• classy \Vhen you·n· ric·h. w Grace: All l'rn saying is ..

Dnle: J lt.·11. I Ctluld do th.11. Grace: I luh? Dair: I C'nuld l'l' d.1ssy. hio. if I \\·,1s rich. Grae<·: You are' rkh. Dale: No. Jusl uppcr·nliddle. f\.1aybe. Gracr: Compared to us, you're rich.

Do.le: No. nut rl'ally. And l'Specially not conlparcd to hin\. lll'sidl's, '''hen I '"'as born '''e \\'ere still poor.

Grace: \VclJ, you're rich now. Dale: US{'d to get one Life Saver a day.

100 Grace: That"s all? One Life Sa,·er?

Dale: Well, I mean,. that's not all I lived on. \Ve got normal food, too. Grace: i kno'"'• but ... Dale: Not like we were living in cardboard boxes or anything. Grace: AH I'm saying is that the people who are coming in now-a lot of

them are different-they're already real \\lesternized. They don't act like they're fresh off the boat.

Dale: Maybe. Bui !hey're still FOBs. Steue: Tell him \,·ho I am! Dale: Any\vay, real nice dinner, Grace. I really enjoyed it. Grace: Thank you. Steve: Okav! I , .. ·ill tell m\'self.

t10 Dale: Go t~ll yourself-j~~t don't bother us. Grace: (Standing. to Stet1e) \\'hat \\·ould you like to do no\\·? Steve: Huh? Grace: You \\'anted tO go out after dinner? Steve: Yes, yes. \\'ego out

-..

............ .,.,..,.....,. '-............ 1 ..,.,,. ••• • •T••a~ ~un..- .,. .... 1vu •• • • •• ,,._., u.~u.1vu tell

him to return? What time? Steve; (Looks at /tis watc/1) Seven-five. Dale: No-not what tin1e is it. What time you tell him to return?

120 Steve: Scven·fivc. Go see. · ·

Dale exits tltrougll kitchc:11.

Steve: (Na accenl) VVhy \..,.ouldn't you tell him who! am? . Crace: Can G\,•an Cung die?

Pause.

· · :>1"·u~. i~o \<tarrior can dcfc,1t G\-.•an Gung. Grace: Docs G\ .... an Cung fear ghosts? Stttte: Gv.:an Cung (car:i no ghosts. Grace: Ghosts of warriors? Stct1c: No warrior ghosts. Grace: Ghosts that avenge? Sttrit: No avenging ghosts.

130 Grace: Ghosts forced into t•xilc? Stcv<': No ~xilcd ghosts. Crt1ce: Ghosts that wait?

Pau!>C.

I

Steve: (Quietly) May I ... take you out tonight? Maybe not tonight, but some other time? Another time? (He strokes her hair.) What has happened'?.

Dale: (EnlcriugJ I cannot believe it ... (He secs tl1en1.) What do you think you're doing? (He grabs Steve's l1a11d. To Steve) What ... I step out for one second and you just go and-hell, you FOBs are sneaky. No won· der they check you so close at Immigration. ·

Crace: Dale, I can reatly take care of myself. Dale: Yeah?.What was'his hand doing, then? Crace: Stroking my hair.

'='4i . -~.;·

-·~

.. .,

·"

·::w= • ;i;.:. .,i.-:

-~~; i.-:

_:I~ " ..

~:· ~ . . ~· ' ..

·~ ~ ::"'!':~

Dale: Well, yeah. l could see that. I mean, what v.•as it doing stroking . your hair? (Pause) Uh, never mind. All I'm saying is ... (He gropes.) ·:. ~ Jesus! !fyou want to be alone, why don't you just say so, huh? If that's

,

\<that you really want, just say it, okay?

Pausc.

Dale: Okay. Time's up. 1.co Grace: Was the car out there? .·.::

- -----this sound like/the roar of death and this big black shado\V scrapes up beside me. l cc:iuld not believe it!

Steve: Car return--seven-five.

Dale: And \\'hen I asked him-l asked the driver, \Vhat tinle he"d bt!en told to return. And he just looks at rne and says ... No\v."

Steve: \Ve go.out? Dale: \'1.'h.it's going on here? What is this? Steve: Time to go. Dale: No! Nut till you cxpl.1in \vhat's going on. Steve: ([11 Grnct) You no\v v.•ant to dance? Dale: (f(1 Grace) Do you understand this? Was this coincidl•nt·t.'?

150 Steve: <Di11t1) J am told good things of American discos. Dale: (Dillt>) You and hint just \-.·anna go off by yourselves? Steve: f hc.1r of Dillon·s. Dale: Is thal it? Steve: You h1.•.1r tii l)ilh1n's? Dale: It's okay. y(1t1 kno\-.·. Steve: In \\'1!$1\\'0od.

Dale: I don'! mind. Steve: ThH.'t:-four s!ories. Dale: Rt•aily.

160 Steve: Li\'c l1and. Dale: Cousin. Steve: \\'ego.

He fake:;. Croe<"·~ lt.i11d .

Dale: He"s just out to snake you, you knov.'.

He lakes tltt: othcr lw11d. From lllis 11oi11t ou. almo!>t uruwtieralily, 1Jic ligl1ts l•<"s;i11 fodim.

Grace: Okay! That's enough! (Slie pulls away.) That's enough! l hav~ to make all the decisions around here, don't I? When I leave it up to you two, the only place we go is i"n circles.

Dale: Well ... Steve: No, I affi suggesting place to go. Grace: Look. Dale, \vhen I asked you here, what did I say we i-vere going

to do?

Dale: Uh-dinner and a movie-or something. But it \'I/as a different -...,·e: then.

Grace: Jt doesn't matter. That's \.,·hat \\'e're going to do. "'Dale: I'll drive.

Steve: 1'.1v car-can·tak~ us to movie.

Grace: I lhink v..•e better not drive at all. We'll stay right here. <Siie removes. Stct1c's tie.} Do you remember this?

Gra~c takes Ille tic, wral's ii around Dale's face like a blindfold.

Dale: Grace, what are you ... ? Grace: (fo Steve) Do you remember this? Dale: I already told you. I don't need a closer look or nothing. Steve: Yes .

. ~Grace: (fies i11c bli11tif£1ld. n•Icascs it) L<!t's sit dov.-n. Da1C:· Wi\it.

100 Steve: You Want tne to sit here? Dale: Grace~ is he understanding you? Grace: liavc you ever played Group Story? Steve: Yes, I have played that. Dale: There-then.~ he goes again! Grace. I'm gonna take

Ile :>tar/!< 1111t·11w11r 1hc.!•lii1df1•fi1.

Grace: (Sto11pi11g hi111) Dale, listen or yuu v.•on't understand. Dale: But hO\V" con1e hr':;; understanding? Grae(': Uccausc he's listl·ning. Dale: But ... Grace: Now, let's play Group Sto;y.

1so Dale: Not again. Grace, that's only good when you're stoned. Grace: \'\'ho wants to start? Steve; you know the rules? Steve: Yes-I understand. Dale: See, we're talking normal speed-and he still understood. Grace: Dale. would you like to sta_:t?

Pause.

Dr.le: .A.H right.

,,~-

~~,:;

:ii~ ·:·'~~ •• ,.'!'J. . .. .~w .. .~:~ . .'.'!it ..~

.,·,;;;· ·~ t~'-w .·,

By this timc. llu~ lighls have dimmcd, ll1rowing shadows on lhf stagt. Grace will strike ·~~ two pots togctl1cr to indicate cad1 speaker change and the rilual will gradr.sally lake ~\"'. on clcrru:nls of Cl1i11csc opera. ·;

Uh, once upon a time ... there were ... three bears-Grace, this is ridiculous!

Grace: Tell a story. ~~-Dale: .. ·. three bears and tliey each had ... cancer of the lymph -~f!flt,.-

nodes. Uh-and they were very sad. So the baby bear said, Tll go to)·~ the new Cedar Sinai Flospital \..,here they may have a cure for this fataE 1 illness.'" ·'"'\( :"

Grace: But the new Cedar Sinai Hospital happened to be lwo thousand ~,;. miles av.•av-i'l.r:.r!"'SS the ocean. · .. ·~

-·· .. --~-~-

011 oy aiugai:ors-are tnere alligators in the Pacific Ocean?-Oh, vve11. So he ended up having to go for a leg and a cure for malignant cancer of the lymph nodes.

Grace: Whe:l he arrived there, he came face to face \"vith_.:. Steve: With Gv.•a!J. Cung, god. cf..war-Rors, writers, and prostitutes. /)ale: And Cwan Cung looked at the bear and said .. ,

·Grace: ... strongly and with spirit ... Steve: "One~legged bear, v:hat are you doing on my lar1:d? You are f ron1

America .. are you not?'" · /)ale: And the bear said, 'Yes. Yes: Grace: And G\\'"an Gung replied .. Steve: (Getting up} By stepping forward, S\-.rord dra\,'fl, ready to \\'Ound.

not kill. not end it so soon. To draw it out, play it, launt it, n\ake it feel like a dog.

Dale: \Vhich ~s probabl)\rather closely related to tht• bear. 210 Grace: G\,•an Gungsaid.:::_ ·

Steve: "\'\'hen I came to America, did you lick n1y \\'Ounds? \Vht•n I can1e Jo America, did you cure my s:-:kness?'"

Dale: And just a$ G\van Cung was about to strike-Grace: There arrived Fa f\1u Lan, the Woman \\'arrior. (Sitt $la11d$, fact'!<

Stet1e. Fro111 l1crc 01z'i11, strikiug pots togctl1l'r is 1101 lf(Cd(d.) ·c\,·an Cung: Sieve: "What do you \Yant? Don't ir\terfere! Don't forget, l have gone be

fore you into battle m~ny times." \ Dale: But Fa Mu Lan seemed not to hear Gwan Gung's warning. She

stood bet Ween him and the bear, drawing out her o-...·n s\'.•ord . Grace: "'You \-',.'ill learn l cannot forget. l don't forget. G'van Cung. Spare

the bear and! v-.-i!! present gifts.'"' Steve: 'Very well. He is hardly worth killing: Dale: And the bear hopped off. Fa Mu Lan pulled a parcel from beneath

her gown. /Siie removes Dale's bli11dfold.i Dale: She oulled out two Heros.

"' Grace: 'Thisis for you: (She hands blindfold to Stwc.) Steve: "'What is that? .. Dale: She shov.:ed him a· beautfful piece of red silk. thick enough to be

opaque, yet so' light, he barely felt it in his hands. Grace:. "'Do you remember this?" Steve:'. 'Why, yes. I used this silk for sport one day. How did you get hold

of it?"

Dale: Then she presented him with a second item. It ""'as a fabric-thick and dried and brittle.

Grace: "Do you remember this?· Steve: (Turning au1ayJ "'No. no. I've never seen this before in my life. This

has nothing to do with n;ie. What is it-a dragon skin?· Dale: Fa Mu Lan handed it to Cwan Cung. Grace: "'Never mind. Use it-as a tablecloth. As a favor to me:

D;l~:-Th~t-~lgh!, Gwan Gung h;d a large banquet, at which there was plenty, even for the slaves. But Fa Mu Lan ate nothing. She waited until midnight, till Gwan Gung and the gods were full of wine and empty of sense. Sneaking behind him, she pulled out the tablecloth, waving it abOve ·her head.

Grace: (Ripping Ilic tal:leclot/1 from t/lc table/ 'Gwan Gung, you foolish boy. This thing you have used ton!-ght as a tablecloth-it is the stretched and dried skins of my fathers. My fathers. whom you slew-for sport! And you have been eating their sins-you ate them!'"

Steve: 'No. I was blindfolded. I did not know: Dale; Fa Mu Lan waved the skin before Gwan Gong's face. It smelled

suddenly of death. Grace: "'Remember the day you played? Remember? Well, eat that day,

Gv.,•an Cung.· Strvr: "( an1 not respunsibh.•. No. No:

Grace throws m1c cut! of t11t' la/1fcdot1110 Oak. wlio catcl1cs it. Togctlu:r. tlicy become like Stct>r's 11ar<'1tl$. They clwsc liim a/111111 1h1· $tagc, wavi11g the tablt:clot11 like a nrt

Dale: Yes! Gr11cc: Yes! Steve: No!

240 Dale: ·You must~ Grace: Go! Steve: Where? Dale: To America! Grace: To work! Steve: Why? Dale: Because! Grace: We need! Steve: No! Dale: Why?

2so Crace: Go .. Steve: Hard! Dale: So? Grace: Need. Steve: Far! Dale: So? Grace: Need! Steve: Safe~

Dale: Herc? Grace: No!

-.';!

·' .;· ..

.. :~ '.·:;~· ~ .... -:·~ .•. ·:.1 ~ :'t~·

2so Steve: Why? Dale: Them:

p"'"'~

if/fi:: .. i~t.H .... .1 . .Si ~ ,:) !

·:.-r.v;

rc11ni:;.

Steve: \'\'on't! Dale: Must! Grace: Must! Steve: \Von't! Dale: Go! Grace: Go! Steve: \Von't!

210 Dale: Byl•! Grace: Bye! Steve: \\'on't! Dale: Fan.•! Grace: \\'l.'11!

Dalt' aud G111(1• 11•;;• th:· !:Jbfrclatli iit•('r S11·t'C, wlifl ::it1k~ ht tl11· f/11111. Crai'c- tli!'11

mM•1·:: 1•fr:~:.:.\1'. i1::: :11i· li11tlirctom-$f1irngr r11om. 11•/Iili- f>1Jk ,i:i1 .. :: up::t.;.1',. a1ul ::1i111,:. u•ith Iii$ l1a<t· t11 ti:; i:udi<11c(. Sik11cc.

StCve: (B,·;.:_i11:: 1111111:di11g Ilic gro1111d) Noooo! (He tl1r(IH'~ <)ff tlit· tablrdot11, stn::di::s "I' full. Lights "I' full. bli11di11gly.J I am GWAN GUNG!

Dale: (f!lr11i11;: do;cn~tase f.uddcnly) What ... ? Steve: I HAVE CO>!E TO THIS LAND TO STUDY! Dale: Grace ... Steve TO STUDY THE ARTS OF WAR, OF LITERATURE, OF

RIGHTEOUSNESS! ~Dale: A n\Ovie's fine.

Steve: l FOUGHT THE WARS OF THE THREE K4NGDOMS! Dale: An ordinary movie, let's go. Steve: I FOUGHT \\'!TH THE FIRST PIONEERS, THE FIRST WARRIORS

THAT CHOSE TO FOLLOW THE WHITE GHOSTS TO THIS LAND! D&lle: Yo!.! ~an pl~k ok~y? Steve: I WAS THEIR HERO, THEIR LEADER, THEIR FIRE! Dtde: I'll even let him drive, how·~ that? Steve: AND THIS LAND IS MINE! IT HAS NO RIGHT TO TREAT ME

THIS WAY! GuicC: No. Gv.•an Cung, you have no rights. Steve: Who's speaking?

~Grace: (£11ters with a da dao and mao, two su.1ords) lt is Fa Mu Lan. You an· in a nC\\' land, Gv .. an Gung.

Sll't1e: Not ne\\·-~I have been here before, many times. This lime. I said I ""'ill have it easy. I .,...jll come as no China Man before-on a plane, \Vilh monev and rank.

Gru.ce: ·And?

Steve: And-there is no change. I am still treated like this! This land . has no right.I_ AM GWAN CUNG! -·· _ .. ~---- ·

Steve: (To Dale) You! How can you-? I came over with your parents. · · --·-<;:;cc (Turning to Steve) We are in America. And we have a battle to fight.

.-.t~

She tosses tltc da dao to Steve. They square off.

Steve: I don't want to fight you. Grace: You killed my family.

300 Steve: You were revcnge0-1 ate your father's sins. Grace: That's not revenge!

Swords strikr.

Grace: That \vas only.the tease.

Strike.

Grace: \\/hat's the point in dying if you don't know the cause of your dca1h?

SrriC's of strik£'s. Sl<'VC faffs.

Dale: Okay! That's it! "j j\~·.

Gracc stands oucr Steve. her sword pointed at his heart. Dalt snatches the sword . ··~ ~~(rji from lier l1ands. $lie docs not move. ';~~!·

.·•: ~t~'=l" · .. ~ ;~l-.: :t::.

:~~ ·• '.\ ,-.ir.~;. .

Dale: jcsusl Enough is enough!

Dale takes St~uc's sword; lit: afso does not react.

Dai'e: \Vhal the hell kind of movie was that? '~)

Dalt lurns l1is back on tht couplt. htads for tht bathroom-storage room. Grace u.ses.l .,_i lier now-i11visiblc sword lo thrust in and out ofSttvc's htart onct. · .-':!i. !;,

........ Dale: That's it..Game's over .. Now just sit dow~ he:e. Breath~. One. Two .. ~ r;j}

One. Two. Air. Good stuff. Glad they made it. R1gh~ cousin? ::. ',';· ' .. ;0

Dale sti-okcs Grace's llair. Tllty frttzt. Sttvt rists slowly to his kntts and dtlivtrs IZ. .·:·: •"J .. \,

mo11olog11c lo the auditnct. ·: "'··~: ... r;~··

Steve: Ssssh! Please, miss! Please-quiet! I will not hurt you, I promise. ·~:~· All I want is ... food ... anything. You look full of plenty. l have";Jj not eaten almost one week nov.•, but four days past when l found one;tG,-;; egg and I ate every piece of it-including shell. Every piece, late. oci :fti

"' - - ~ --· -·····-· ..... ,""' & «..GIUIUl. n.u \VOrK was done, then the bosses said they could not send us back. And l am run-ning, running from Eureka, running from San Francisco. running from Los Angeles. And I been eating very little. One egg, only. (Pause) All America wants ChinaMen go home. but no one want it bad enough to pay·our way. Now, please, can't you give even little? (Pause) I ask yob, what you hate most? VJhat work most awfui for white v.•oman? (Pau$1!) Good. I will do that thing for you-you can give me food. (Pa11s.d Think-you relax, you are given those things., clean. dry. press. No scrub, no dry. It is wonderful thing I offer you. (Pau!<) Good. Gh·l' "''-' those and please bring food. or I be done before these things.

Crace sh•ps '"''EY from Dale u1il/1 liC1x.

Grace: 1-lcrl?-J've brought you something. ($l1r l:a11ds. lth11 tlrc• l1ox.J Opl'O it.

He lirsitatt•s. th('IJ d11i•t-, a11d lakes Qut a smafl chong yt1u bing.

llO Grace: Eat it.

Hr dort-, s/Qwfy al first, tlir11 rauc11011sly.

Grace: Good. Eat it all down. Jt's just food. Really. Feel bt..•tll'r no\-.·? Gtllld.

Eat the bing. Hold it in your hands. Your hands ... are beautiful. Lift it to your mouth. Your mouth ..• is beautiful. Bite it with your teeth. Your teeth ... are beautiful. Crush it with your tongue. Your tongue ... is beautiful. Slide it down your throat. Your throat ... is beautiful.

Steve: Our hands are beautiful.

She holds hers ntxl to his.

Grace: What do you see? Steve: I see ... I see the hands of warriors. Grace: Warriors? What of gods then? Steve: There are no gods that travll. Only warriors travel. (Silcuce) \Aloufd

you like go dance? Grace: Yeah. Okay. Sure.

They start la lcaue. Dale speaks softly.

Dale: \\Tell, if you want to be alone . , .

Grace: I think we would, Dale. Is that okay? (Pause) Thanks for cun1ing over. I'm sorry things got so screwed up.

~Dale: Oh-uh-that's okay. The evening was real ... different. anyway. Grace: Yeah. Maybe you can take Frank off the tracks no,r?

l ., , .. , --··-1 I /A. Irepository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/20311/1/TRI WIDIASTUTI-FAH.pdf · are needed from the text dialogue of David Henry 1-!wang's drama "FOB"

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