AMERICAN VIEW OF CHINESE OPPRESSION TO TIBETAN INJAMES REDFIELD’S THE SECRET OF SHAMBHALA IN SEARCH

OF THE ELEVENTH INSIGHT

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the RequirementsFor the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

MONICA SUSANTI RAHADSIH

Student Number: 044214069

ENGLISH LETTERS PROGRAMMEDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERSSANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA2008

AMERICAN VIEW OF CHINESE OPPRESSION TO TIBETAN INJAMES REDFIELD’S THE SECRET OF SHAMBHALA IN SEARCH

OF THE ELEVENTH INSIGHT

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the RequirementsFor the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

MONICA SUSANTI RAHADSIH

Student Number: 044214069

ENGLISH LETTERS PROGRAMMEDEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERSSANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA2008

i

A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

AMERICAN VIEW OF CHINESE OPPRESSION TO TIBETAN INJAMES REDFIELD’S THE SECRET OF SHAMBHALA IN

SEARCH OF THE ELEVENTH INSIGHT

By

MONICA SUSANTI RAHADSIH

Student Number: 044214069

Approved by

Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum Date: June 14, 2008Advisor

Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A Date: June 14, 2008Co-Advisor

A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

AMERICAN VIEW OF CHINESE OPPRESSION TO TIBETAN INJAMES REDFIELD’S THE SECRET OF SHAMBHALA IN

SEARCH OF THE ELEVENTH INSIGHT

By

MONICA SUSANTI RAHADSIH

Student Number: 044214069

Defended before the Board of ExaminersOn June 25, 2008

and Declared Acceptable

BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Name Signature

Chairman : Francis Borgias Alip, Dr., M.Pd., M.A.

Secretary : Hirmawan Wijanarka, Drs., M.Hum.

Member : J. Harris Hermansyah S., S.S., M.Hum.

Member : Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum.

Member : Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A.

Yogyakarta, June 25, 2008.Faculty of Letters

Sanata Dharma UniversityDean

Dr. I. Praptomo Baryadi, M.Hum.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Firstly, I want to thank to God because I finally finished this writing and to (†)

my Father for the everlasting love and guidance.

I would like to thank Mr. G. Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum, my advisor and

Mr. Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A., my co-advisor for the guidance, advice, and patience

that helped me in finishing this undergraduate thesis. My thanks also goes to all the

lecturers and the administrative staff of Department of English Letters for the years of

my study.

I would like to thank my aunt, Mrs. Ineke Pontoh and my Mom for the

affection, attention, support and motivation, the family of pakde Bambang and my

cousins mbak Ineke and mas Ony for the kindness, my uncles and aunts: Mr. G.

Widijanto, Mr. Soepojo, S.H. and Mrs. Ernijati, S.H., and Mr. and Mrs. Tranti Pasya,

S.E. for the support, help, and attention.

My gratitude also goes to Mrs. Munarto and mbak Lely (ibu kos) and family

for the understanding, my neighbors in Ciputat for the attention, support, help, and

motivation, my oldfriends from MD - Chars - FIB UI 2002 for the spirit and

suggestions, my friends in boarding house: Eka Ayu, and Eva (+her mate, Andre) for

the helps and spirit, and a kind neighbor: Ludy.

I address my gratitude too to my good friends from Psychology USD 2004:

Yoyok, Ito, Krisna, Pacé, Adip, Velix, Ajay, Wawan, Kaka for the support,

motivation, helps, and the refreshing moments, my friends from Psychology UKSW

2004 who gained my inspiration, and my cousins nextdoor for the spirit.

For my friends, my best friends - in English Letters Department 2004: Susan,

Kristin, Bendot, Adi, Bayu, Rizky, really thank you for everything and for the

pleasant moments we have shared together. Last, I thank everyone whose name can

not be mentioned one by one in helping me to finish this undergraduate thesis.

Monica S. Rahadsih

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ................................................................................................... iAPPROVAL PAGE ......................................................................................... iiACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................... iiiACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................... ivAPPROVAL PRONOUNCEMENT PAGE ................................................... vTABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. viABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... viiiABSTRAK ........................................................................................................ ix

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 1A. Background of the Study ........................................................................ 1B. Problem Formulation ............................................................................. 4C. Objectives of the Study .......................................................................... 4D. Definition of Terms ................................................................................ 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW .................................................. 8A. Review of Related Studies ..................................................................... 8B. Review of Related Theories ................................................................... 9

1. Theories of Point of View ................................................................ 92. Theories of Character and Characterization ..................................... 123. Theories of Representation .............................................................. 15

C. Review on Socio-Cultural Historical Background of theRelationship between America and China Related to the Situationin Tibet between 1950s and 1990 ..................................................... …. 16

C. Theoretical Framework .......................................................................... 22

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ............................................................... 23A. Object of the Study ................................................................................. 23B. Approach of the Study ........................................................................... 24C. Method of the Study ............................................................................... 25

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ............................................................................ 27A. The Point of View in The Secret of Shambhala in Search of

the Eleventh Insight .............................................................................. 27B. The Narrator’s Reliability to Represent American View of Chinese

Oppression to Tibetan ............................................................................ 40C. American View of Chinese Oppression to Represent Rivalry

between America and China .................................................................. 52

vi

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ....................................................................... 61

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................ 64

APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 66Appendix 1 Summary of the James Redfield’s The Secret of Shambhalain Search of the Eleventh Insight ................................................................. 66

Appendix 2 Biography of James Redfield ................................................. 69

vii

ABSTRACT

MONICA S. RAHADSIH. American View of Chinese Oppression to Tibetan inJames Redfield’s The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight.Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata DharmaUniversity, 2008.

The novel to be analysed in this study is The Secret of Shambhala in Search ofthe Eleventh Insight which was written by James Redfield, the number one New YorkTimes bestselling author of The Celestine Prophecy. This novel is the continuation ofThe Celestine Prophecy and its sequel, The Tenth Insight. It was printed at 1999 andpublished in New York. This novel is a story about ‘I’, an American who travels toTibet, a country under Chinese oppression to discover Shambhala, a Tibetan spiritualconcept. The strict rule of China and their oppressive acts to Tibetan encourage ‘I’ toshow his protest against China. This novel presents the situation in Tibet underChinese rule and the opposite view and rivalry between America and China in the late1980s.

The main objective of this study is to find American view of Chineseoppression to Tibetan. This study attempts to show the kind of point of view, thenarrator and his reliability, the representation of Chinese oppression to Tibetan fromthe narrator’s point of view, and the American view of Chinese oppression thatrepresents the rivalry between America and China.

The writer used library research in this analysis. The sources were books andwebsites related to the theories, approach, and criticism that are used to analyse theproblems. The writer also collected the related studies about the opinions, criticism,and information about the novel. The socio-cultural historical approach was used inthe analysis because this study is concerned with the Americans’ opposition to theoppressive acts of Chinese on the Tibetans’ socio-cultural life since 1951.

As the result of the study, the writer concludes that first, the point of viewused in the novel is first person point of view, and it is told by ‘I’ character as thenarrator. ‘I’ is reliable narrator because he has capacity as an educated man and henarrates the events which he experiences himself. Second, his reliability makes himable to prove the oppressive acts of the Chinese in Tibet. It then represents his viewas an American who opposes the Chinese oppression. Third, his view as an Americanreflects the relationship between America and China, that has been influenced byvarious occurrences in the past between 1950s and the late 1970s. The relationshipthen represents the rivalry between America and China.

viii

ABSTRAK

MONICA S. RAHADSIH. American View of Chinese Oppression to Tibetan inJames Redfield’s The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight.Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma,2008.

Novel yang dianalisis dalam penelitian in adalah The Secret of Shambhala inSearch of the Eleventh Insight yang ditulis oleh James Redfield, seorang penulisperingkat teratas versi New York Times untuk penjualan terlaris novelnya TheCelestine Prophecy. Novel ini merupakan kelanjutan dari novel The CelestineProphecy dan sequel-nya The Tenth Insight, dan pertama kali diterbitkan di NewYork tahun 1999. Kisahnya tentang ‘Aku’, seorang Amerika yang melakukanperjalanan ke Tibet, sebuah negara dibawah pemerintahan tirani Cina untukmemahami Shambhala, sebuah konsep spiritual Tibet. Aturan pemerintah Cina yangketat dan sikap sewenang-wenangnya terhadap penduduk Tibet membuat ‘Aku’berani menunjukkan sikap menentang Cina. Novel ini menggambarkan situasi Tibetdibawah kekuasaan Cina dan perbedaan pandangan dan persaingan antara Amerikadan Cina di tahun 1980-an.

Tujuan utama penelitian ini untuk memahami pandangan Amerika mengenaikesewenang-wenangan Cina terhadap Tibet. Hal tersebut menjadi suatu upaya untukmenunjukkan sudut pandang yang digunakan, narrator dan reliabilitasnya,representasi kesewenang-wenangan Cina terhadap Tibet melalui sudut pandangnarrator, dan membuktikan bahwa pandangan Amerika mengenai kesewenang-wenangan Cina menunjukkan adanya persaingan antara Amerika dan Cina.

Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka dalam analisa. Data bersumber dari buku-buku dan situs website yang berhubungan dengan teori-teori, pendekatan, danbeberapa kritik yang digunakan dalam menganalisa rumusan masalah. Penulis jugamengumpulkan tinjauan studi yang memuat opini, kritik, dan informasi mengenainovel ini. Pendekatan sosio-kultural historikal digunakan dalam analisa karena skripsiini menitikberatkan pada pandangan Amerika menentang tindakan Cina yangmenekan kehidupan sosial budaya Tibet sejak tahun 1951.

Sebagai hasil dari penelitian, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa pertama, sudutpandang yang digunakan adalah sudut pandang orang pertama dari sudut pandangkarakter ‘Aku’ sebagai narrator. Sebagai narrator, ia dapat dipercaya karenaberkapasitas sebagai pria berpendidikan dan menceritakan tiap peristiwa melaluiketerlibatan langsung. Kedua, reliabilitas ‘Aku’ sebagai narrator membuatnya mampumembuktikan kesewenang-wenangan Cina di Tibet dan menunjukkan pandangannyasebagai orang Amerika menentang hal itu. Ketiga, pandangan ‘Aku’ sebagai orangAmerika memunculkan hubungan antara Amerika dan Cina yang dipengaruhi olehberbagai peristiwa di masa lalu antara tahun 1950an sampai akhir 1970an. Hubungantersebut kemudian menunjukkan adanya persaingan antara Amerika dan Cina.

ix

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Tibet, a country in Central Asia which is located in southwest China, has

become a part of China since 1951. After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912 the

Tibetans were prompted to reassert their independence. China, however, desired to

maintain its right to govern Tibet. China then invaded Tibet in 1950 and declared

Tibet as an autonomous region of China in 1951. After that time, Chinese

government began a series of oppressive measures toward Tibet and many thousands

of Tibetans were forced into exile by the brutality of the communist regime (Luck

ed., 1999: 669). Consequently, this fact resulted in strong disagreement from many

countries around the world, and one of them is America.

America supported Tibet through a US newspaper, stating that the United

States was ready to recognize Tibet as an independent and free country a couple of

years before China invaded Tibet. When China invaded Tibet in 1950, America

shipped its weaponry into Tibet through Calcutta in order to help resist the Chinese

army’s entry into Tibet <http://www.index-china.com>. It shows how America as a

powerful country feels that they have the right to be involved in this matter and

cannot accept China’s invasion.

One possible reason why America feels rightful to be involved in the situation

in Tibet is because America has a grudge against China. After World War II (1941-

1

1945), American troops had occupied northern China, sent Nationalist soldiers to

Manchuria, and stayed on to advise Generalissimo Jiang’s army. From 1945 to 1949

the United States sent China $ 3 billion in aid, more than it gave most allies.

However, it soon became evident that Jiang was a weak and unreliable friend. His

government was rife with the rebellious peasants, whom the Communists enlisted

with promises of land redistribution, and he tolerated a grossly unfair tax system

(Norton et. al., 1982: 803).

Chinese oppression to Tibetan and the involvement of America in this matter

may possibly contribute an idea for an author to pour it out in a literary work.

Widdowson in his book Literature said that literature can be a new innovation that

gives information or insights about social life. Literary work not only conveys the

truth about the reality in the outer world, but it also has its own meaning.

“The English literary term ‘the novel’ it can be argued retains traces of allthese senses: ‘a new story’, new innovating, strange, perhaps even makingstrange or defamiliarising and offering news-information or insights-aboutsocial life” (Widdowson, 1999:136).

Literary work is presented as both imagination that has its own meaning and medium

of social life.

The novel The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight

generally describes the situation in Tibet. It was written by James Redfield, an

American who is the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Celestine

Prophecy. This novel is the continuation of The Celestine Prophecy and its sequel,

The Tenth Insight. Beside its author’s reputation, the novel is interesting to discuss

2

because The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight offers a different

issue; dissimilar to the first novel, which more focuses on spiritual concept of Indian

Maya – Inca and to the second which focuses more on the spiritual wisdom of the

Indian Appalachian and the American’s attitude to the Indians. In this third novel,

Redfield does not mention about America and Indian anymore and chooses to discuss

Tibet and China.

In a fictional work like novel, the author does not use his or her own voice to

reveal the idea. The voice is called narrator or it is defined as one who speaks or tells

the story. A narrator usually has certain perspective which is called “point of view”

(Kuiper ed., 1995: 894). The point of view may produce readers’ awareness of the

existence of “discrepancy”, while a narrator may have “certain view” to the related

event in the story. That is why it is also important to comprehend the narrator’s

reliability in the story.

In this novel, Redfield focuses on the situation in Asia. Shambhala, the

mythical community of the Tibetan Buddhist lore, whose existence is believed by the

Tibetans, attracts Redfield’s attention to grasp it deeper and connect it with the

situation in Tibet under Chinese government between 1950s and 1990s. He views the

fact that occurs in Tibet, the Chinese oppression, and also American’s presence. He

creates the main character as an American and it uses the first-person point of view.

Because the narrator is an American, he views the facts through his American point

of view. He surely has capability to tell the objective truth, but at the same time he

3

also has capability to hide “something”. In other words, as the narrator he can play

the roles as reliable and unreliable narrator.

This study discusses the point of view used in the story, namely the narrator

who totally involves in the story, his characterization as the main character, and his

reliability. His characteristics as an American stimulate another issue behind the

American view of Chinese oppression to Tibetan. As the representation, this view can

be signified as how America in fact considers China, a powerful Eastern country, as

its rival.

B. Problem Formulation

By relating the explanation above, there are three problems as the pillar of the

discussions:

1. How does the point of view used in the novel support its narrator’s

reliability?

2. How does the narrator’s reliability represent American view of Chinese

oppression to Tibetan?

3. How does the American view of Chinese oppression represent the rivalry

between America and China?

C. Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to find American view of Chinese

oppression to Tibetan. It attempts to show the kind of point of view, the narrator and

his reliability, the representation of Chinese oppression to Tibetan through the point

4

of view, and to examine how the American view of Chinese oppression represents the

rivalry between America and China. By analysing the point of view, and the

narrator’s reliability and the representation of Chinese oppression to Tibetan through

the narrator’s point of view, the writer can find through the American view of

Chinese oppression the representation of rivalry between America and China.

D. Definition of Terms

Based on the title above, the writer discusses American view of Chinese

oppression to Tibetan. This part will explain about the definition of terms that can

help the reader understand in this study.

1. Point of View

It is stated in Merriam – Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature that point of

view is the perspective from which a story is presented to the reader. The three main

points of view are first person, third person singular, and third person omniscient. In a

first person narrative, the story is told by “I”, one of the characters involved in the

story (Kuiper ed., 1995: 894).

A narrator is one who tells a story. In a work of fiction the narrator determines

the story’s point of view. If the narrator is a full participant in the story’s action, the

narrative is said to be in the first person. A story told by a narrator who is not a

character in the story is a third-person narrative (Kuiper ed., 1995: 797).

5

2. Discrepancy and Narrator’s Reliability

According to Wolfgang Iser in Reader-Response Criticism from Formalism to

Poststructuralism, discrepancy is bound to arise when the readers try to impose a

consistent pattern on the text. It draws the readers into the text, compelling the

readers to conduct a creative examination not only of the text but also of the readers

themselves (1980: 64).

Rimmon – Kennan in his book Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics

gives descriptions about reliable and unreliable narrator.

Reliable narrator is a narrator “whose rendering of the story and commentaryon it the reader is supposed to take as an authoritative account of the fictionaltruth” and unreliable narrator is a narrator “whose rendering of the storyand/or commentary on it the reader has reasons to suspect […] The mainsource of unreliability are the narrator’s limited knowledge, his personalinvolvement, and his problematic value-scheme” (1983: 100).

3. Chinese Oppression to Tibetan

Chinese oppression to Tibetan happens because of China’s present day claims

that "Tibet has always been a part of China", derives from the period in 1270 when

they were both ruled by the Mongols <http://www.tchrd.org>.

After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912, the Tibetans were prompted to

reassert their independence. China, however, desired to maintain its right to govern

Tibet. China then invaded Tibet in 1950 and declared Tibet as an autonomous region

of China in 1951. After that time, Chinese government began a series of oppressive

measures toward Tibet and many thousands of Tibetan were forced into exile by the

brutality of the communist regime (Luck ed., 1999: 669).

6

4. Tibetan

According to The Oxford American Dictionary and Thesaurus with Language

Guide, the first meaning of Tibetan is a native of Tibet or a person of Tibetan descent.

The second meaning is the language of Tibet. In the form of adjective, Tibetan means

of or relating to Tibet or its language (2003: 1597).

5. Representation

Andrew Gibson in Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative stated that

there are two kinds of representation. One considers representation to be a matter of

surfaces, the other theorises it in terms of depths. ‘Surface representation’ is a realism

of particulars. Its view of language is innocent. It conceives of language as

unproblematically adequate to what it represents. ‘Surface representation’ does give

primacy to the visible. It puts itself forward as a realism of self-evidence (1996: 81-

82).

‘Representation of depths’, means penetrating the visible. It goes beyond what

is visible. This is metaphysical conception of representation. This representation is

the representation of essences, and general features and it pierces through the veil the

visible to what the visible supposedly secretes and embodies, capturing that distilled

essence and saturating language in it (Gibson, 1996: 82).

7

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

There are some related reviews related to the appreciation and criticism of the

novel that may give the readers some views about the novel The Secret of Shambhala

in Search of the Eleventh Insight. Larry Dossey, M.D., the author of Healing Words

gave comment on this Redfield’s work on the back cover of the book that Redfield

has great ability to inspire the readers. Dossey said that Redfield has the genius of

inspiring people.

The way Redfield includes the pleasures of a journey, the uncertainty in an

adventure, and spiritual concept in this novel is also supported by the comment of

Brian Weiss, the author of Only Love is Real and Many Lives, Many Masters on the

back cover of the book. He said that James Redfield packed thrills, suspense, and

spiritual wisdom into his books.

Gail Hudson, a freelance writer in a publishing industry also gave comment

on this work.

Shambhala is indeed a paradise, just as it was lovingly portrayed in thefamous James Hilton novel Lost Horizon. It is also a spiritual utopia, andRedfield takes great pleasure in pondering the possibilities of living in aculture that is entirely "focused on the life process." Residents explain theirlifestyle, which has emerged from a completely spiritual culture, includingsome rather sensible opinions about technology, parenting, and even genetictesting. Meanwhile, Redfield remains the wide-eyed observer. Those wholoved the characters, writing style, and epiphanies in The Celestine Prophecywill not be disappointed with Redfield's latest inspirational portrait of a newworld order <http://www.librarything.com/work/11465>.

8

The quotation above shows an opinion about Redfield’s thoughts and ideas in this

work. This thesis is written to develop the study of socio-cultural historical

background. It does not discuss about spiritualism of Tibetan or the cultural aspects

of American. This thesis analyses American view of Chinese Oppression to Tibetan.

It is concerned with the Americans’ opposition to the Chinese oppressive acts on the

Tibetan’s socio-cultural life since 1951.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Point of View

According to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms Sixth Edition, point of

view signifies the way of how a story is told, by presenting the readers with the

characters, dialogues, actions, setting, and events, which become the characteristics of

the narrator of the story, who tells it. Point of view is divided into two kinds, based on

the type of the narrator. They are third-person point of view and first-person point of

view (1985: 166).

The third-person point of view is then divided into omniscient point of view

and limited point of view. It is an omniscient point of view when “the narrator knows

everything that needs to be known about the agents, actions, and events, and also has

privileged access to the character’s thoughts, feelings, and motives; and that the

narrator is free to move at will in time and place, to shift from character to character,

and to report (or conceal) their speech, doings, and states of consciousness (1985:

166).

9

The other subclass of the third-person point of view is limited point of view.

Limited point of view is employed when “the narrator tells the story in the third

person, but stays inside the confines of what is experienced, thought, and felt by a

single character (or at most by very few characters) within the story”. A limited

narrator will also tell the story in the third person as the omniscient narrator. While

the omniscient narrator tells the story based on everything he or she knows, the

limited narrator limits his or her knowledge of the characters, actions, thoughts, and

feelings, so that the information, which is needed to know from the story, can not be

separated wholly (1985: 167).

The second kind of point of view is the first-person point of view. First-person

point of view “limits the matter of the narrative to what the first-person narrator

knows, experiences, infers, or can find out by talking to other characters”. The

narrator in the first-person point of view does not know directly about the characters

and their thoughts and feelings, so that in order to tell the story, the narrator has to

have a conversation with the characters in the story. Their conversation will then

make the narrator able to tell the story (1985: 167).

In Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, narrator is one who tells a

story. In a work of fiction the narrator determines the story’s point of view. If the

narrator is a full participant in the story’s action, the narrative is said to be in the first

person. A story told by a narrator who is not a character in the story is a third-person

narrative (Kuiper ed.1995: 797). Also from the same book, it is stated that:

10

Narrators are sometimes categorized by the way in which they present theirstory. An intrusive narrator, a common device in many 18th and 19th centuryworks, is one who interrupts the story to provide a commentary to the reader.An unreliable narrator is one who does not understand the full import of asituation or one who makes incorrect conclusions and assumptions aboutevents witnessed. A related device is the naïve narrator, who does not havethe sophistication to understand the full import of the story’s events, thoughthe reader understands (1995: 797).

In Style in Fiction a Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose, it is

stated that critics have for a long time distinguished between the author and the

narrator, and the narrator may well be talking to someone distinct from the reader

(Leech and Short 1981: 262). The choice of a first person narrator where the ‘I’ is

also a primary character in the story produces a personal relationship with the reader

who inevitably tends to bias the reader in favour of the narrator (1981: 265).

However, it is more common for a novelist to employ an ‘impersonal’ style of

narration, which is in the third person, that is where reference by the narrator to

himself is avoided. Most third-person narrators are, for the purposes of the fiction,

omniscient (1981: 266).

According to Wolfgang Iser in Reader-Response Criticism from Formalism to

Poststructuralism, discrepancy is bound to arise when the readers try to impose a

consistent pattern on the text. It draws the readers into the text, compelling the

readers to conduct a creative examination not only of the text but also of the readers

themselves (1980: 64).

Rimmon – Kennan in his book Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics

gives descriptions about reliable and unreliable narrator.

11

Reliable narrator is a narrator “whose rendering of the story and commentaryon it the reader is supposed to take as an authoritative account of the fictionaltruth” and unreliable narrator is a narrator “whose rendering of the storyand/or commentary on it the reader has reasons to suspect […] The mainsource of unreliability are the narrator’s limited knowledge, his personalinvolvement, and his problematic value-scheme” (1983: 100).

The narrator is reliable when he is able to make the readers feel convinced that the

story he narrates does not contain deceit. However, unreliable narrator is when his

narration makes the readers suspect that the narration contains deceit. It can be

recognized through his limited knowledge about the event that occurs in the story, his

personal involvement, and the way he explains the importance of the story that seems

not easy or tricky.

2. Character and Characterization

In A Glossary of Literary Term, Abrams defined character as a person

presented in a dramatic or narrative work. The character is often endowed with moral,

disposition, and emotional qualities that are expressed through dialogue and actions

(1985: 25). It can be said that what the characters say and do are important in

analysing character. It helps the readers to see the interaction between one character

and another in a literary work, then to state what kind of person he or she is.

According to Murphy in his book Understanding Unseen (1972), there are

nine ways in which an author attempts to make his or her character understandable to,

and come alive for, the readers. These nine ways of characterization are (1972: 161-

173):

a. Personal Description

12

It is the way how the author to describe a person’s appearance and clothes.

b. Character as Seen by Another

It is the way how the author to describe a character through the eyes and opinions of

other people in the novel.

c. Speech

It is the way of the author to give the reader an insight toward the character of a

person in the novel through what that person says. Whenever person speaks or puts

forward an opinion or in conversation with another, he or she is giving the reader

some clues to his or her character.

d. Past Life

It is the way of the author to make the reader knows a persons character by looking

at his or her past life.

e. Conversation of Others

It is the way of the author to give the reader clues to a person’s character through

the conversation of other people and the things they say about him or her.

f. Reaction

It is the way of the author to make the reader knows a person’s character by seeing

at how the person reacts to various situations and events in his or her life. People do

talk about other people and the things they say often give the reader a clue to the

character of the person spoken about.

g. Direct Comment

13

It is the way of the author to describe or comment on the character of a person

directly.

h. Thoughts

It is the way of the author to make the reader knows the character of a person

through what this character is thinking about. It means that the author can give the

reader direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect the

author is able to do what can not usually be done in real life. The author can tell the

reader what different people are thinking. In novels it is accepted. The reader then is

in a privileged position; the reader has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged

into the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel.

i. Mannerism

It is the way of the author to describe a person’s mannerism and habits which may

also tell the reader about his or her character.

Chris Baldick in Oxford Paperback Reference: The Concise Oxford

Dictionary of Literary Terms states that characterization is the representation of a

person in dramatic or narrative works. This may include direct methods like the

attribution of qualities in description or commentary, and indirect (or dramatic)

methods inviting readers to infer qualities from characters’ actions, speech, or

appearance (1990: 34).

In Literature for Composition, Barnet presents some points in understanding

the characters. They are (1988: 712):

a. What the character says

14

What the character says or comments about himself or through the dialogue

between the characters may show his characteristics.

b. What the character does

The action done by the character may also indicate his characteristics.

c. What other characters say about the character

The other characters’ comment about the character is also important information in

understanding the character’s characteristics.

d. What others do

The action of others may help to indicate what the character could do, but he or she

does not do. It is important to know the character’s characteristics whether he or she

is lazy, careless, or wicked person or not.

3. Representation

In The Happy Critic representation considers that such texts can create not

only knowledge but also the very reality that they appear to describe (Birenbaum,

2001: 75).

Andrew Gibson in Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative stated that

there are two kinds of representation. One considers representation to be a matter of

surfaces, the other theorises it in terms of depths. ‘Surface representation’ is a realism

of particulars. Its view of language is innocent. It conceives of language as

unproblematically adequate to what it represents. ‘Surface representation’ does give

primacy to the visible. It puts itself forward as a realism of self-evidence (1996: 81-

15

82). Surface representation tells us about things only within certain norms of

justification that determine what things are from the outset (1996: 83). Surface

representation depends on the assumption of a ‘neutral observation language’ (1996:

84). But surface representation is less curious a phenomenon than ‘representation of

depths’ (1996: 85).

‘Representation of depths’, means penetrating the visible. It goes beyond what

is visible. This is metaphysical conception of representation. This representation is

the representation of essences, and general features and it pierces through the veil the

visible to what the visible supposedly secretes and embodies, capturing that distilled

essence and saturating language in it (Gibson, 1996: 82). In other words, by using this

representation we can reveal the unseen from the seen in the text to get real essence in

it.

C. Review on Socio-Cultural Historical Background of the Relationship between

America and China Related to the Situation in Tibet between 1950s and 1990s

1. Relationship between America and China

One possible reason why America feels that has the right to be involved in the

situation in Tibet is because America has a grudge against China after its betrayal to

America in the World War II era. In A People and a Nation A History of the United

States Complete Edition, after the Second World War (1941-1945) American troops

had occupied northern China, flown Nationalist soldiers to Manchuria, and stayed on

16

to advise Generalissimo Jiang’s army. From 1945 to 1949 the United States sent

China $ 3 billion in aid, more than it gave most allies. However, it soon became

evident that Jiang was a weak and unreliable friend. His government was rife with the

rebellious peasants, whom the Communists enlisted with promises of land

redistribution, and he tolerated a grossly unfair tax system. Jiang ignored American

advice to root out corruption, half inflation, and begin land reform (Norton et. al.,

1982: 803).

In fall 1949, after numerous military setbacks, Jiang fled to the island of

Formosa and Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China (1982: 803). The

United States did not open formal diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of

China until 1979 – thirty years after Mao’s government came to power (1982: 804).

Translated from Nurani Soyomukti’s Revolusi Tibet Fakta, Intrik, dan Politik

Kepentingan Tibet – China – Amerika Serikat, during the Cold War between 1950s

and 1960s, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secretly financed and armed Tibetan

guerrillas to fight against China. At the same time, the United States officially still

considered Tibet as part of China (2008: 92). However, on March 18th 1964, Dalai

Lama wrote to the president of United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, to ask for the

United States’ support to Tibet and to raise world’s society awareness of this issue

(2008: 100).

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No.18 in

<http://www.gwu.edu> states that the relationship between the United States and the

People's Republic of China (PRC) over the fifty years since the PRC was established

17

on October 1, 1949 has been extraordinarily complex. Extreme hostility turned into

outright military conflict in Korea. Rapprochement in the early 1970s became a

strategic partnership during the latter part of the Cold War; a partnership that was

followed by today's often rocky relationship.

The documents in National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No.18

which were edited by Jeffrey T. Richelson, a Senior Fellow at the Archive on

September 24th, 1999 also from the same website, include policy and research

studies, intelligence estimates, diplomatic cables, and briefing materials about

America and China, which were published in the NSA's China and the United States:

From Hostility to Engagement, 1960-1998 document set, as a part of the Archive's

Special Collection Series. It is stated in its Document One titled Special National

Intelligence Estimate, "Communist China's Advanced Weapons Program," July 24,

1963 that in the early 1960s U.S. policy makers had primary fear that the PRC would

soon acquire nuclear weapons. The fear was so great that the thought was given to a

preemptive strike to anticipate PRC acquisition of such weapons. The estimate also

reflected the increasing information the U.S. was obtaining from its spy satellite

program, codenamed CORONA, about the Chinese nuclear and missile programs.

The same document from the same website also contains the report of the

investigation. In the quotation below, it becomes apparent that through its satellite

NSA, the United States was able to identify the military equipment of China which

was located in a remote area in Inner Mongolia.

18

We have found what we believe to be a plutonium production reactor in Chinalocated at Pao-t’ou. This reactor probably could not have reached criticallybefore early 1962. […] Recent photographic coverage of the Pao-t’ou area ofInner Mongolia has revealed an installation with elaborate securityarrangements. The installation includes what we believe to be a small air-cooled plutonium production reactor, of about 30 megawatts capacity, withassociated facilities for chemical separation and metal fabrication (p.2-5).

A conflict also occurred between America and China before 1960s. The

National Experience A History of the United States Sixth Edition mentioned that

Chiang Kai-shek had put troops on the offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu in the

Straits of Formosa after his unleashing. When the Chinese Communist started

bombing the islands in late 1954, Eisenhower persuaded Congress in January 1955 to

pass the Formosa Resolution, authorizing the president to use armed force “as he

deems necessary” to defend Formosa and the neighboring Pescadores islands (1985:

804).

The bombings subsided, and in the next years Chiang sent a hundred thousand

Nationalist troops to the offshore islands. Heavy communist bombardment resumed

in August 1958 (1985: 804). Although Eisenhower was irritated by the reinforcement

of the offshore islands, he saw no alternative but to convince Peking (Beijing) that the

United States would interfene, “perhaps using nuclear weapons,” if the communists

attempted an invasion. After three months the shelling tapered off. Under American

pressure Chiang eventually reduced the size of his forces on the islands (1985: 804).

However, in Nixon era, there was cooperation between America and China. In

early 1972 Nixon did an extraordinary presidential trip to China. On February 27 he

signed a declaration saying that Taiwan, where Chiang Kai-shek still ruled, was

19

legally part of mainland China, that American forces would eventually withdraw

from Taiwan, and that the island’s future was to be settled by the Chinese themselves

(1985: 850).

According to Colonel Jer Donald Get in What’s with the Relationship between

America’s Army and China’s PLA?, it is mentioned that in the 1980s under third

pillar of technology transfer and weapon sales, the Chinese Army expressed interest

in a number of American Army weapons systems including TOW anti-tank missiles,

artillery munitions, artillery counter-battery radar systems, and scout, transport, and

attack helicopters (1996: 3).

In A Relationship Restored in <http://yaleglobal.yale.edu>, it is mentioned

that since early 1980s, there has been a gradual reduction in the degree to which

China is viewed primarily in strategic and military terms. However, if China is

viewed as either a regional or a strategic military power, that will, in the course of

military modernization, present security problems to the United States and its allies.

Concerns about the transfer of technology will be heightened. To the degree that

China is perceived as an ideological threat, these concerns will be still greater.

2. Chinese Oppression to Tibetan

China’s present day claims that "Tibet has always been a part of China",

derives from the period in 1270 when they were both ruled by the Mongols.

<http://www.tchrd.org>.

20

After the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912 the Tibetans were prompted to

reassert their independence. China, however, desired to maintain its right to govern

Tibet (Luck ed., 1999: 669).

In 1949, the People's Liberation Army of the PRC (Peoples Republic of

China) first crossed into Tibet. After defeating the small Tibetan army and occupying

half the country, the Chinese government, in May 1951, imposed the so-called "17

Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" on the Tibetan government.

Because it was signed under duress, the agreement lacked validity under international

law. The presence of 40,000 troops in Tibet, the threat of the immediate occupation of

Lhasa, and the prospect of the total obliteration of the Tibetan state, left Tibetans little

choice <http://tibet.dharmakara.net>.

David Snellgrove and Hugh Richardson in their book A Cultural History of

Tibet mentioned that since the end of 1950 the Chinese government has formally

claimed Tibet as an integral part of China, and their armed forces have taken physical

possession of it. The fourteenth Dalai Lama and his government, seeing no hope of

help from others, tried to co-operate with the dominant power (1986: 267).

In March 1959, a full-scale revolt against Chinese rule was suppressed by the

Chinese Army. On 25 December 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to North India, and

established a government-in-exile at Dharamsala. In 1965, China formally annexed

Tibet as an autonomous region (Luck ed., 1999: 669). Under Chinese occupation, the

religious practice of the Tibetans has been banned and 4,000 monasteries were

21

destroyed (1999: 669). Pro-independence rallies in 1987-1989 were violently

suppressed by the Chinese army (1999: 669).

D. Theoretical Framework

Each of the theories and reviews is needed to analyse the novel. The review of

related studies is used to strengthen the importance of studying and analysing this

novel. It shows that analysing this novel is worthwhile. Theories on point of view are

used because this study focuses on the narrator’s point of view, that the narrator and

his reliability is significant in this novel. Theories of character and characterization

show the characterization of the narrator as a character, that support the narrator’s

reliability. Theories on representation help not only to interpret to what the novel

represents, but also to reveal the unseen from the seen (of the text) to get its real

essence.

The reviews of socio-cultural historical background of the relationship

between America and China related to the situation in Tibet between 1950s and 1990s

are essential to compare the novel and the reality at that time, especially related to

American involvement in Tibet to oppose China. From the above discussion, this

study analyses how the narrator’s reliability represents American view of Chinese

oppression and that it represents the rivalry between America and China.

22

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The main source of this study is The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the

Eleventh Insight, a spiritual-adventure novel written by James Redfield, the number

one New York Times bestselling author of The Celestine Prophecy. This novel is the

continuation of The Celestine Prophecy and its sequel, The Tenth Insight. The book

was printed in 1999 and published in New York, A Time Warner Company. It

consists of 238 pages in eleven chapters. The eleven chapters are Fields of Intention,

The Call of Shambhala, Cultivating Energy, Conscious Alertness, The Contagion of

Awareness, The Passage, Entering Shambhala, The Life Process, The Energy of Evil,

Acknowledging the Light, and The Secret of Shambhala. Redfield also wrote The

Celestine Insights, The Celestine Vision, The Song of Celestine, The Tenth Insight:

Holding the Vision, and The Tenth Insight: Holding the Vision, an Experiental Guide

<http://www.celestinevision.com/>.

Redfield himself stated in the author’s note of this novel that this novel is

based on his experience, which is expected to open people’s mind about what is

happening in today’s society.

Based on my own experience, and on what is happening around us, this bookis offered as an illustration of this next step in awareness. It is my belief thatthis insight is already emerging out there, swirling among thousands of late-night spiritual discussions, and hidden just below the hatred and fear that stillmark our era (1999: X).

23

Redfield’s works are dominated by spiritual-adventure theme, and also include his

concern about today’s world condition.

The story of The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight is

about ‘I’, an American who travels to Tibet, a country in Central Asia to discover

Shambhala, the mythical community of Tibetan Buddhist lore. It is believed that its

location is in Kunlun Range, Tibet. Unluckily, because of Chinese oppression to

Tibetan, ‘I’ has to experience many things during his journey to Kunlun Range from

Lhasa that make him feel awkward. Chinese military pursues ‘I’ during his journey,

but he meets many other characters who give him information not only about

Shambhala but of course about the situation in Tibet under Chinese oppression. He

then has certain perception that shows his disagreement to China. He finally succeeds

to escape from the Chinese military through the miraculous “transition” of

Shambhala (to America from Kunlun Range, Tibet).

B. Approach of the Study

In conducting this study, the writer uses socio-cultural historical approach,

because this study deals with the real situation in Tibet between 1950s and 1990s.

Based on this approach, the real world and the literary work have a close relation.

According to Rohrberger and Woods in their book Reading and Writing about

Literature, literature is not created in a vacuum, and that literature embodies ideas

significant to the culture and that produced it (1971: 9).

In this book, Rohrberger and Woods also said that:

24

Critics whose major interest is the socio-cultural historical approach insist thatthe only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization thatproduced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions as its subjectmatter. They feel therefore, that it is necessary that the critic investigate thesocial milieu in which a work was created and which it necessarily reflects(1971: 9).

C. Method of the Study

Library research was used in this study. The primary source was the novel The

Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight by James Redfield. The

secondary sources were books and websites related to the theories, approach, and

criticisms that were used to analyse the problems. The books such as Towards a

Postmodern Theory of Narrative, Reader-Response Criticism from Formalism to

Poststructuralism, Style in Fiction a Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional

Prose, A Glossary of Literary Terms Sixth Edition, Understanding Unseen, Reading

and Writing about Literature became the main references for the approach and

theories used in this study.

There were some steps in analysing this novel. First, the writer read the novel

thoroughly to understand the story. Based on the writer’s understanding of the story,

the writer was interested in the point of view of ‘I’ narrator who also becomes the

main character of the story. He was an American who was travelling to Tibet, a

country under Chinese oppression. Therefore, the writer read the sources about the

socio-cultural historical background in Tibet related to the novel, in order to know

what the literary work actually implied.

25

Second, the writer collected the review of related studies about opinion,

criticism and information related to the novel. The writer also collected data about the

theories from books and websites, which consist of the theories of point of view,

theories of character and characterization, theories on representation and socio-

cultural historical approach.

Third, the writer tried to answer the problem formulation by applying the

theories to the work. Theories of point of view are used to analyse the point of view

of the narrator and show the narrator’s reliability. Theories of character and

characterization are used to analyse the characterization of the main character that

also supports the narrator’s reliability. Theories on representation are used to analyse

not only the meaning of what the story represents, but also to analyse the unseen

matter from the seen (of the text), then to get its real essence.

Then, the socio-cultural historical background of the relationship between

America and China related to the situation in Tibet between 1950s and 1990s was

used to support that the novel was a criticism from America about Chinese

oppression to Tibetan. The socio-cultural historical background is used to compare

the novel and the reality at that time, especially related to American’s involvement in

Tibet to oppose China.

Finally, after analysing the point of view of the narrator, his characterization

and his reliability, examining how the reliability reflects American view of Chinese

oppression, which represents the rivalry between America and China, the problem

formulation have been answered. From these steps, the conclusion can be drawn.

26

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter aims to answer the problems formulated in the previous chapter.

It consists of three subchapters. The first subchapter discusses the point of view used

in the novel, the characterization of ‘I’ as a character and how it supports the

narrator’s reliability. The second subchapter discusses how the narrator’s reliability

represents American view of Chinese oppression to Tibetan. The third subchapter

discusses how the American view of Chinese oppression represents the rivalry

between America and China.

A. The Point of View in The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh

Insight

In the analysis of point of view in The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the

Eleventh Insight, the writer discusses the point of view and the reliability of the

narrator. Sometimes the narrator of the story is proven to be reliable and sometimes

unreliable. Therefore, the writer analyses the point of view used in the novel in the

first part, and discusses the reliability of the narrator and his characteristics as a

character in the story in the second part.

1. The Point of View and the Narrator

The first person point of view is used in The Secret of Shambhala in Search of

the Eleventh Insight, as the narrator tells his own story using the pronoun ‘I’. It can be

27

seen in the first sentence: “The phone rang and I just stared at it. The last thing I

needed now was another distraction.” (p.1). It starts the story of ‘I’ who actually at

the first time does not want to be disturbed by anything while he is doing a work.

However ‘I’ then receives the phone call and is ready to arrange a journey to Tibet.

The evidence is shown in the next sentence. “I made travel arrangements to arrive in

Kathmandu, Nepal on the sixteenth and stay at the Himalaya.” (p.10). This sentence

shows the beginning of ‘I’ journey to Tibet to find a spiritual concept in Tibet.

“Finally it came to me. Shambhala was the mythical community of Tibetan Buddhist

lore.” (p.19). Shambhala attracts ‘I’ attention to travel to Tibet. From the beginning

until the end of the story, the narrator uses the first person point of view. At the end

of the narration, ‘I’ says, “Tibet would eventually be free. This time I had no doubt.”

(p.238). This sentence also describes a certain situation occurring in Tibet when Tibet

is oppressed by China that is experienced by ‘I’ during his stay in Tibet.

The point of view in the novel is first person central point of view because the

narrator is the central character of the story. The narrator, as one of the characters in

the novel, tells the story. The existence of ‘I’ is considered important by other

characters in this story. It is shown through the message for Yin Doloe, the guide of

‘I’ in Tibet, from Wilson James, the narrator’s best friend whom he has asked to

come to Tibet.

Yin, I’m convinced we are being allowed into Shambhala. But I must go onahead. It is of utmost importance that you bring our American friend as far asyou can. You know the dakini will guide you.

Wil(p.23)

28

From the quotation above, Wil and ‘I’ seem to already have an appointment to meet

each other. Unfortunately, Wil has to go on ahead to reach Shambhala because of

some reason. Wil asks Yin to guide ‘I’ who is an American, to continue their journey

to reach Shambhala. The term dakini means angel as believed by the Tibetans.

As the narrator and as one of the characters, ‘I’ narrates the conversations

with other characters. The evidence is the quotation below. ‘I’ replies to an

attendant’s question while staying in a hotel. The conversation also shows ‘I’ identity

as a man. “Excuse me, sir,” came a voice from behind me. “May I serve you a

drink?” he asked. “No… thank you,” I replied. “I’ll wait awhile.” (p.14-15)

As the narrator who narrates the whole story, ‘I’ fully involves in the story.

He is major participant in the story. He tells his own story as a major mover. That is

why the point of view of ‘I’ is omniscient. He knows everything in the story. He sees

all and reports all. He is able to report the other characters’ appearance, gesture,

attitude, voice, and action. It can be seen from his observation on a stranger whom he

meets and talks with when he arrives in Tibet.

As I looked around the area, my eyes fell on a tall man with black hair […]He was dressed in tan slacks and a stylish white sweater and carried a foldednewspaper under his arm […] He was Asian in appearance, but he spoke influent English with no detectable accent […] He just radiated a pleasantdemeanor and energy […] He was staring at me with crystal-blue eyes […]The man looked away as though thinking to himself […] He paused again, asthough expecting a question, still smiling. I had to chuckle. His good moodwas so contagious. (p.12-14)

29

‘I’ is able to give detail on the man’s physical appearances, his accent when he

speaks, his gestures, his mood, his attitude when he stares at ‘I’, and his action

through the way he carries the newspaper.

The narrator is omniscient, because he is also able to report the other

characters’ thought and feeling. The examples are in the quotation below. It shows

that ‘I’ is able to understand what the Tibetan woman think, even ‘I’ does not

understand Tibetan and the woman can not speak English. He spontaneously says to

Yin that he also orders the soup. It is shown in the next sentence. Yin spoke briefly to

her in Tibetan, and I caught the word for soup. The woman nodded and looked at me.

“The same,” I said to Yin (p.78).

The narrator does not only know the other characters’ thought. ‘I’ also knows

the other characters’ feeling. ‘I’ narrates his conversation with a fourteen year old

girl. The next sentence shows that the narrator is able to report the feeling of anger of

his partner. “I couldn’t believe I was confronted by a fourteen-year-old like this. For

an instant a flash of anger swept across me.” (p.6)

‘I’ is also able to describe other important characters that he meets or knows.

One of the descriptions is when he describes the physical appearance of Yin Doloe at

their first meeting.

I looked away and was walking past when I realized it was the attendant I hadcaught looking at me at the pool, only he was now dressed in sneakers andjeans with a plain blue shirt. He appeared to be about thirty, with very seriouseyes. (p.16)

30

‘I’ does not only tell about the clothes that Yin is wearing, but he is also able to

reckon Yin’s age and explain the gaze of Yin’s eyes.

‘I’ also describes the setting of time and place. One evidence about it is when

he describes Mount Himalaya at daytime from the plane he is boarded. It is shown in

the following sentence. As we flew along at thirty-five thousand feet, I began to sense

a distinct shift in temperature and energy outside. Below me, the Himalayas rose in

frozen, rocky spires, framed by a clear blue sky. (p.20). Through the plane, ‘I’ sees

Mount Himalaya thirty-five thousand feet below. The clear blue sky shows that he

narrates the description about Himalaya when it is daytime. He also narrates the way

he can sense the change of the atmosphere around him when the plane passes through

this area.

The events in the story are also described by ‘I’. One of the events that he

narrates is when he sees the act of Chinese army to the Tibetans. In this narration, he

focuses on his experience in witnessing the arbitrary act of Chinese army to the

Tibetans. As a witness of the event, the narrator participates in the story.

I went straight to the Jeep and retrieved the notebook and was about to headback when the sound of vehicles pulling up to the restaurant startled me. [...]After a moment I risked a glance toward the restaurant. The Chinese werebringing out the people and loading them into the trucks. (p.79)

‘I’ also narrates the experiences of other characters. One of them is the

experience of Yin Doloe. The narrator tells Yin’s experience when the Chinese

military ran after him, but Yin finally succeeded to escape. It is shown in the

following sentence. As Yin made a fire, he explained that after the police had left, he

31

had gone back to his friend’s house and they had suggested this old house as a place

for him to stay while they looked around for another vehicle. (p.85). ‘I’ reports his

conversation with Yin Doloe in his own words. All of them prove that ‘I’ is the

narrator of the story, and a character who totally involves in the story.

2. The Characterization of ‘I’ and the Reliability of Narrator

A narrator in a story sometimes proves to be reliable and sometimes

unreliable. The reliability of ‘I’ as the narrator can be seen from his nature as a

character and from the way he narrates the story. ‘I’ has good quality as a narrator

because he is narrating his experience based on the facts that he finds. He is telling

the truth of the condition that he has experienced himself. Because of that, ‘I’ has a

quality to be trusted by the readers in narrating the story, but at the same time, ‘I’ has

the ability to trick the readers about the story he narrates. Therefore, it is necessary to

comprehend the narrator’s characteristics that may support his reliability as the

narrator.

‘I’ is the central character in The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the

Eleventh Insight because he is relevant to every event in the novel. This novel

contains a story about the experience of ‘I’ when going to Tibet, a country under

Chinese rule to comprehend Shambhala, a Tibetan spiritual concept. Thus, ‘I’

becomes important in all of the events in the story, as one of the characters involved

in the events. The beginning of his experience is shown in this next quotation.

Part of me was fascinated with the idea of going to Tibet. I knew that itsgeography was one of the most beautiful and mysterious in the world. But it

32

was also a country under the repressive control of the Chinese government,and I knew it could be a dangerous place. (p.10)

The quotation above shows the beginning of ‘I’ journey to Tibet. As a man who has

wide knowledge, he already knows the general situation in Tibet under Chinese rule.

‘I’ actually feels enthusiastic to go to Tibet, but the reality of Tibet which is ruled by

the strict government of China also makes him feel some doubt to go there. ‘I’

realizes that he has to be aware and be careful in doing this journey.

As the central character, ‘I’ experiences some events that bring some changes

to his characteristics. Through his interaction with the character Lama Rigden, ‘I’

later has the courage to continue his journey in Tibet to reach Shambhala. It is

different from his feeling before he met Lama Rigden. He tended to avoid this

journey when he knew that he must face the strict Chinese government. “You must

answer the call to Shambhala.” […] I had agreed to go on this journey purely because

of Lama’s words […] but now the angst over the decision was beginning to set in.

(p.53). Even though he still feels anxious, he tries to encourage himself to continue

the journey. He seems optimistic in facing a difficult situation.

The description of ‘I’ as the central character is presented through direct and

indirect presentation. In direct presentation, other characters describe his character

through what they say and do. Through the character Bill, a neighbour of ‘I’, it can be

inferred that ‘I’ is an expert of certain field. That is why one can be sure that ‘I’ is an

educated man. This interaction happens when Bill makes a phone call to him. “I’m

not quite sure how she knows, but she seems to be familiar with your work. She says

33

she has some information about a place you’d be interested in. Some location in the

north of Tibet.” (p.2). It is obvious that the other characters know the profession of

‘I’. He can be said as an expert of a field related to the history of human civilization.

It is possible that because of his profession, he has extra curiosity than the other

people.

Through the character Yin, his identity as an American is revealed. […] then

Yin pointed to me and said, “This is my American friend.” (p.55). It happens when

Yin introduces ‘I’ to Hanh, a yoga instructor. Through the character Hanh, the

narrator’s physical state is revealed. From what Hanh says, it can also be seen that ‘I’

is a man who has had many experiences in his life.

“You have had many experiences,” he said. “You should be stronger.” […]“You just don’t want to change the way you live.” You want to get excitedabout the ideas then live unconsciously, more or less the way you’ve alwaysdone.” […] I first look at posture, “Hanh said matter-of-factly. “Yours is nottoo bad at this point, but you had to work on it, didn’t you?” (p.56-57)

It seems that the physical condition of ‘I’ is not really fit enough. His condition is

also influenced by the events that he has experienced in the past. The way he lives

also gives influence to his body. He seems to understand many things about health,

but he does not practice the way to live healthy. That is why it also influences his

posture in his age as a middle-aged man. He tends to experience some obstructions

when doing something or moving his body.

The psychological condition of ‘I’ is revealed in his conversation with Lama

Rigden, a Tibetan spiritual leader. Lama Rigden says to him: “This will not be easy

for you because of your fear and anger.” (p.52). It is obvious that ‘I’ has been living

34

in suspicion and anxiety. He also tends to be impatient when he has to face certain

situation. Probably he is able to use his intelligence as an educated man, but he seems

to have difficulty in controlling his temper. The statement of Lama Rigden about his

psychological condition is also supported by the statement of Ani, a Tibetan woman,

when she says: “You have much anger.” (p.174) and the statement of Yin Doloe.“

You have much anger,” Yin said, “And you don’t use your energy very well.” (p.18)

In indirect presentation, the central character is described through his actions.

The characteristics of ‘I’ can be observed from what he says and what he does. One

way to describe ‘I’ is through his speech or what he says. The evidence is in the next

sentence when he talks to himself about the security of Internet network. “I walked

over to my computer and seen it, wondering, as I always did, about the security of the

Internet […] Is the whole Internet monitored? I shook off the concern, concluding

that I was being silly.” (p.12). It shows how ‘I’ gets suspicious easily. At the same

time, through the quotation above, he is shown as a person who easily feels anxious

about something that should not be considered as a big deal.

The characteristics of ‘I’ can be observed from his conversation with other

characters and the way he presents his opinion. In his conversation with Lama Rigden

about Shambhala, ‘I’ shows his curiosity.

“Why has no one ever discovered where it is? […]“Because Shambhala does represent a way of being and living.” […]“Have you been there?”“No, no, I have not yet been called.”“Then how can you be so sure?” (p.42)

35

His curiosity is easily aroused. He is also critical when he is interested in something.

He tries to investigate deeper about Shambhala from Lama Rigden. He looks like he

does not want to stop asking questions until he feels satisfied with the answer. He

seems that he does not give up easily. It also shows that ‘I’ is a person who is used to

thinking logically.

The actions of ‘I’ toward other characters in the story also reveal his

characteristics. He reacts easily and is spontaneous, especially when he knows

someone needs help or faces difficult situation. He offers his help when he and Yin

see someone, who is also a foreigner in Tibet, having a problem with his car.

In the middle was the Dutchman’s vehicle, racing its engine, spinning itswheels, and spattering mud, but going nowhere. It was stuck. […]“We can help you,” I said to the young man. […] Yin and I got out andpushed the fender of the Land Cruiser as he gunned the engine. (p.105)

It shows that ‘I’ cares about others and the situation around him. Even though he does

not know this man and he is facing a danger himself, he has the courage to take a risk

to help the man.

As an educated person, ‘I’ also narrates his past experience when he was

travelling to Peru. His narration shows that he has many experiences and likes

adventure. He seems to be used to facing the attitude of military officers in some

countries. It can be seen in the next sentence. […] remembering my experience on the

mountaintop in Peru. […] I had been at the end of my rope, certain I was about to be

killed by Peruvian soldiers (p.57). From his experiences, he has a wide knowledge

that helps him to easily adapt to unexpected situation when visiting other countries.

36

The mannerism of ‘I’ toward other characters also reveals his characteristics.

From the next quotation, ‘I’ is described as a friendly person. He knows how to treat

someone he just meets and he is also able to tell whether the people that he meets are

trustworthy or not. “Let’s do this, “ I said. “Why don’t you come inside and we’ll

have a cup of coffee and talk about the situation?” (p.17). From what ‘I’ says to Yin,

he has positive attitude to Yin. He treats Yin in a polite and friendly way even though

they have just met. He is not always emotional or temperamental. He is able to make

an adaptation in a new situation or when he meets someone’s new.

Through the description of the characteristics of ‘I’, it can be inferred whether

‘I’ is reliable or unreliable as a narrator. As a narrator, ‘I’ narrates the event when he

witnesses the events himself. The evidence is his narration when he directly sees the

way Chinese soldiers treat the Tibetans. As an educated man who has many

experiences, ‘I’ does not want to put himself in danger. He only sees a glance in order

to avoid direct contact with the soldiers. It is shown in the next sentence. After a

moment I risked a glance toward the restaurant. The Chinese were bringing out the

people and loading them into the trucks (p.79). He sees the Chinese soldiers arresting

some Tibetans who are suspected as criminals or rebels. The soldiers capture the

Tibetans randomly. They seem to have already formed a judgment that all Tibetans

are rebel. This example shows that ‘I’ is reliable, because he narrates the event based

on what he directly sees himself.

‘I’ is also reliable because he does not only see the events. He also hears and

experiences it himself. The next quotation shows when ‘I’ is captivated in a Chinese

37

house in Ali and hears classic Chinese composer in this place. He has experienced an

inhumane act from the Chinese soldiers. They use noxious gas to make him

unconscious. “I heard the music before I was completely conscious. It was a classis

Chinese composer I had before. I jerked awake and realized I was in an elaborate,

Chinese-style bedroom.” (p.120).

As an educated man who has learned many things and knows about the

situation and condition of Tibet, the narrator has the ability to narrate the

geographical description of Tibet and an image of the situation in Tibet under

Chinese rule. It can be seen in the next quotation.

Lying between China to the north and India and Nepal to the south, Tibet isbasically a large plateu with few areas lower than six thousand feet. […] Fromthe map, eastern Tibet seemed to be the most fertile and populated, while thenorth and west looked sparse and mountainous. […] We practically flew rightover the top of Mount Everest, the rooftop of the world. […] Too bad it wasnow being brutally administered by a totalitarian government. (p.20)

‘I’ narrates the location of Tibet and describes its natural condition. He is also able to

give a detailed description about some areas in Tibet based on the map he sees. He

interprets the map when he is sitting in the plane’s seat. He is also able to recognize

the famous Mount Everest. But he also narrates how it becomes irony that Tibet has

to be governed by a cruel totalitarian government. From his capacity as an educated

man who has wide knowledge, ‘I’ is reliable. It proves that the narrator understands

the full import of the situation.

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‘I’ is reliable as the narrator when he has an authoritative account of the truth

he presented. His existence as a foreigner is neutral related to the situation in Tibet. It

is because his main purpose in Tibet is to discover a Tibetan spiritual concept.

Part of me was fascinated with the idea of going to Tibet. […] But it was alsoa country under the repressive control of the Chinese government, and I knewit could be a dangerous place. My plan was to go only as far with thisadventure as felt safe. No more getting in over my head and letting myself bepulled into something I couldn’t control. (p.10)

‘I’ already knows general situation in Tibet under Chinese rule. He has logical reason

to act carefully during in Tibet. He does not want to take risk or involve deeper if he

knows that the situation threatens him.

‘I’ is also reliable as the narrator when he is able to make the readers feel

convinced that the story he narrates does not contain deceit. ‘I’ knows many things

that have been happening around the world, including the situation in Tibet. He

knows the events from the Internet. He is also able to arrange his journey to Tibet

through Internet. It is shown in the next sentence. “While I was on the computer, I

made travel arrangements to arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal, on the sixteenth and stay at

the Himalaya.” (p.10). As an educated man, ‘I’ has ability to use Internet and prefers

to have logical explanation. He gets many information from it.

As a foreigner, ‘I’ feels rightful to get reasonable explanation about why the

Chinese soldiers attack him. ‘I’ is reliable because he has correct conclusion about an

event witnessed. He thinks that he already follows the rule and considers himself

innocent. ‘I’ shows his disagreement to the leader of the military when he is

39

captivated in a Chinese house in Ali in the next statement. “Because I’m a tourist. I

have a visa. Why was I attacked?” (p.121).

The narrator is also reliable when he gives his statement of fact and judgment

always based on the fact that he knows. Because he has wide knowledge and is used

to thinking logically, he has the tendency to be trusted by the reader. He is able to

mention a historical event in the 1940s. The evidence is in the fact of World War II

era that he presents: “[…] the landing in Normandy in 1944 at Omaha Beach.” (p.45)

The explanations above prove that the narrator is reliable because his point of

view on the relevant issues and agents is sound. The story is told from the point of

view of an educated man who has certain view of Chinese oppression to Tibetan. The

narrator involves in the situation in Tibet. He reports all from what he directly sees,

hears, and experiences, and from his conversation with the other characters.

B. The Narrator’s Reliability to Represent American View of Chinese

Oppression to Tibetan

In the story The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight, the

narrator’s reliability may represent certain view of ‘I’ about Chinese oppression to

Tibetan. Because of his reliability, the narrator is able to show the real condition in

Tibet related to Chinese oppression to Tibetan. It can be seen through the narration of

‘I’ when he witnesses the events himself. Because of that, he then has his view as an

American that tends to oppose China.

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Because ‘I’ involves in the story, he is able to narrate the real condition of

Tibet under Chinese oppression. The example is when he passes the road in Tibet. ‘I’

considers that even though Tibet has amazing natural panorama, it is not supported by

the industrial progress. Tibet becomes an underdeveloped country under Chinese rule.

Chinese oppression to Tibetan is proven by the narrator in the following statement.

For hours we bounced along on the badly paved highway, passing trucks and old cars

along the way. The scenery was a mix of ugly industrial developments and beautiful

vistas. (p.28). ‘I’ says that the condition of the road is pathetic and only trucks and

old cars pass the road. It shows that the situation in Tibet is ironic under Chinese

oppression. Even though Tibet has a wonderful geographical condition, there is

almost no progress in its industry.

The narrator also narrates the condition of the Tibetan under Chinese

oppression. As a foreigner in Tibet, ‘I’ reports that many Tibetans have to experience

sufferings because of Chinese oppression. He directly sees how the Tibetans are like

refugees in their own country. It is shown in the next quotation when ‘I’ sees a family

who looks like refugee. They are carrying large sacks and one of them pulls a cart

filled with many stuffs.

I realized that it was a family, made up of an old man, a man and a woman ofabout thirty, and two teenage boys. They were carrying large sacks, and theyounger man was pulling a cart filled with possessions. They looked likerefugees. (p.32)

The narrator also wants to show that the Tibetans do not have the opportunity to

experience proper condition as humans. They seem to be isolated in their own land

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and most of them are poor. The Chinese treat them inhumanly and the Tibetans seem

to be abandoned on their own land under Chinese occupation.

Chinese oppression to Tibetan is also shown by ‘I’ through his conversation

with Yin Doloe. Yin tells him about the way the Chinese try to destroy Tibetan

culture since 1954. The Chinese do not only try to destroy Tibetan culture but also its

economic condition. This conversation happens when both ‘I’ and Yin see some

Tibetans who are walking near them. Most of them are farmers who are abandoned

by the Chinese government. Chinese rules force them to experience difficulties in

their life and put them in a poor condition. This narration strengthens Chinese

oppression to Tibetan.

Since 1954, the Chinese have systematically set out to destroy the Tibetanculture. Look at those people walking out there. Many of them are farmerswho are displaced because of economic initiatives the Chinese havemandated. Others are nomads who are starving because these policies haveinterrupted their way of life.” (p.38)

Through the character Yin, ‘I’ also understands how the Chinese tries to

control everything in Tibet. The narrator narrates the statement of Yin when both of

them pass a building called Potala Palace in Lhasa. Yin asks for ‘I’ to see the

building. Yin explains to him that Potala Palace was the Dalai Lama’s winter home

before he was exiled. Dalai Lama is the highest spiritual leader of the Tibetan and

also the representation of the Tibetan government. Yin adds that Potala Palace

becomes the symbol of struggle of the Tibetans against Chinese rule. “This is Potala

Palace,” Yin said. “I wanted you to see it. It was the Dalai Lama’s winter home

before he was exiled. It now symbolizes the struggle of Tibetan people against the

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Chinese occupation.” (p.21). It also shows that Chinese government controls religious

aspect of the Tibetan. It describes Chinese oppression to Tibetan. The Chinese seem

to try to diminish many aspects of life of the Tibetan.

The narrator also narrates Yin’s statement which shows the restriction of

Chinese government to the Tibetans. Yin emphasizes the ideology of China which

tends to diminish the Tibetan religious or spiritual concept.

“Ironic, isn’t it?” Yin added. “The culture of Tibet is totally dedicated to thespiritual life. We are arguably the most religious anywhere. And we have beenattacked by the most atheistic government on Earth - that of China. It is aperfect contrast for all the world to see.” (p.110)

Yin’s statement describes the contrast between Tibet and China. ‘I’ gets a deeper

understanding about the ironic situation in Tibet from his statement. The Tibetan

seem to have already lost their rights. The occupation of China makes them

experience much suffering. The most private matter in their life, i.e. religion, is even

restricted by Chinese government.

The narrator is also able to show Chinese oppressive acts to the Tibetans

when he narrates the inhumane acts of Chinese military. He directly sees the Chinese

soldiers arrest some Tibetans who are suspected as criminals or rebels. The soldiers

capture the Tibetans randomly. They seem to have already formed a judgment that all

Tibetans are rebels. It is shown in the next sentence. After a moment I risked a glance

toward the restaurant. The Chinese were bringing out the people and loading them

into the trucks. (p.79). ‘I’ accidentally sees how Chinese soldiers load many Tibetans

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into the trucks. Again, it shows the suffering of the Tibetans under Chinese

oppression.

Beside that, the military also have no doubt to do arbitrary acts, especially to

the Tibetan who is suspected as rebel. ‘I’ narrates how he sees the wounds in Yin’s

body himself because of the arbitrary acts of Chinese soldiers. It happens when he

meets Yin in Chinese military camp near Kunlun Range. Yin experiences violence

from the military, because he is suspected as a rebel by the Chinese government. The

evidence is in the next sentence. There by the door stood another guard, and beside

him, slumping against a small table, was Yin. The guard pushed him to the floor. […]

Yin had bruises and cuts on his face. (p.191). In his narration, the narrator sees that

Chinese soldiers are able to force the prisoner. They treat Yin violently. It shows that

the Chinese are inhumane to the Tibetans.

The worst act of the Chinese is shown when ‘I’ narrates his conversation with

Yin again. It happens when they have just arrived in Ali. In this narration, the narrator

is listening to what Yin says. He explains that his father was killed in this town. Yin

also adds that it has also happened to thousands of Tibetans.

“This is the town where my father was killed,” he said.I shook my head. “It’s terrible that you had to see that.”“It has happened to thousands of Tibetans,” he added, staring straight ahead.(p.112)

The statement of Yin shows Chinese oppression to Tibetan. The Chinese seems to

have no doubt to do inhumane acts, and even to eliminate the Tibetans. ‘I’ narrates

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his concern upon knowing the fact. It is really a pathetic reality that has to be faced

by the Tibetan.

Chinese oppression to Tibetan does not only represent the inhumane acts of

Chinese to Tibetan. Chinese government also restricts everyone who comes to Tibet.

Through his narrations, the narrator is able to show the restrictions. It describes that

the Tibetans have no freedom anymore in their land, because their contact with other

countries seems to be limited. Many foreigners who want to visit Tibet are restricted

by Chinese government. They are also prevented to communicate with the Tibetans.

China really conceals the situation and the real condition that occurs in Tibet.

The narrator narrates an unpleasant act of the Chinese military when he

accidentally hears how Chinese military shouts at a foreigner harshly and forces him

to show his identity card. It shows how Chinese does not only suspect the Tibetans

but also the foreigners who come to Tibet. The narrator is able to show that China

does not seem to want to be bothered by the visit of foreigners to Tibet. The Chinese

tend to suspect that foreigners have some political purpose, especially in order to

investigate more about Chinese occupation in Tibet.

Although my line of sight was blocked, I could hear angry shouts in Chineseinterspersed by fearful pleas in English that carried a Dutch accent.“No, please,” the voice said. “I’m sorry. I’m a tourist. Look, I have a speciallicense to drive on the road.” […] “Give me your papers!” he asked theHollander in perfect English. (p.83)

As an educated man, it is possible that ‘I’ has the ability to recognize the accent of the

voices that he hears. He is able to recognize that the foreigner is a Dutch. In the

quotation above, it is obvious that the Dutch has already explained to the soldier that

45

he is a tourist. However, the soldier seems not to care about his explanation and still

forces him to show his papers. It proves that Chinese government does not only

control the Tibetans but also the people who come to Tibet. The narration also shows

that even though they are tourist, it does not mean that they can travel freely in Tibet.

The restriction to foreigners is also shown through the character of Yin Doloe.

‘I’ narrates the statement of Yin when they pass Lake Manasarovar. In this narration,

Yin warns him that there are many Chinese soldiers in this area. It is because Lake

Manasarovar becomes a key destination for many people outside Tibet. China

monitors the religious activities in this area.

“The lake, and Mount Kailash farther on, are key destinations for people fromall over the region: India, Nepal, China, as well as Tibet. It is a holy place likeno other. There will be many pilgrims as well as Chinese checkpoints.”(p.109)

From the quotation above, it can be seen that China strictly watches this area to

separate the Tibetans from the foreigners. That is why the Tibetans seem to be

isolated in their land.

‘I’ as a foreigner also has to experience the inhumane act of the Chinese

military. It happens when he is captivated by the soldiers in a Chinese house in Ali.

The military seem to have no doubt to do anything in order to get the information that

they want. They even use the technology, like a scanner on his head, to detect his

mind.

Before I could say anything, the soldiers were holding me and rolling themachine over my body. The nurse turned it on, producing a mild hummingnoise and a bright light directly over my face. Even with my eyes closed I

46

could see the light move from right to left across my head, like the scanner ofa copy machine. (p.122)

The narrator narrates his statement about how the machine works on him. Through

his narration, it also shows the way the soldiers treat ‘I’. The suspicion of Chinese

military to every foreigner who comes to Tibet seems extreme. It makes the

foreigners have to experience unpleasant events during their stay in Tibet. Therefore,

it is possible that most of the foreigners view China with antipathy later.

It also happens to ‘I’ as an American in having his view about China. After he

sees, hears, and experiences the facts of Chinese oppression to Tibetan himself, ‘I’

forms a certain view about China. His characteristics as an American support his

view of the Chinese oppression. The confident feeling of American is also shown by

‘I’ when he feels that he has the right to be involved in this matter. His problem in

controlling emotion makes him feel angry and contradict Chinese government. He

has the courage to take a risk to be involved in the situation alone.

‘I’ narrates the situation that forces him to face the authoritative government

of China and its military. His narration shows that he opposes Chinese ideology. As a

democratic country, America gives freedom to its people to have religion or not.

When ‘I’ sees Chinese occupation in Tibet, he tends to show his repugnance to the

atheistic ideology of China. It is because this ideology supports the Chinese

government to eliminate spiritualism in Tibet. “Part of me continued to disbelieve

that all this was happening. But another knew it was, and that I was alone now, facing

47

the monilithic Chinese presence, with all its soldiers and atheistic skepticism.”

(p.130).

As an American, ‘I’ openly shows his disappointment to China. He cannot

keep quiet when facing Chinese oppression. The America characteristic of expressing

their feeling directly is also shown in his narration. He states that everyone has the

right to be angry when knowing about the inhumane acts of the Chinese. As an

American, he feels that he has the right to show his real feeling. He shows his attitude

to China and tends to defend people who experience the cruelty of Chinese military,

especially the Tibetans. “Well, it’s hard not to be angry when you realize what the

Chinese military is doing.” (p.175).

As an American, ‘I’ also has a tendency not to trust others easily. Through his

narration, the narrator shows a prejudice about China. He considers China

destructive. Chinese government seem to try to destroy the social life of Tibetan

people. ‘I’ narrates his conversation with Wilson James when both of them meet in

Kunlun Range. He shows the condition of a valley that he sees nearby. The damage

of the valley is considered by him as the result of what Chinese military have done. “I

didn’t know how to find you,” I added, pointing down to the valley. “Everything’s

been ruined. ‘It’s the effect of the Chinese.” (p.183).

As one who also experiences the inhumane acts of Chinese military, ‘I’ tends

to be cynical when he faces them. As an American, he has the courage to challenge

the military. It can be seen in his narration when he has a conversation with Colonel

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Chang in Chinese military camp. China uses noxious gas to temporarily paralyse

everyone who is suspected as a threat to Chinese government. They use this gas not

only to the Tibetan, but also to the narrator, who is an American foreigner in Tibet.

The military has the tendency to use every way to get the information that they want

in order to maintain Chinese occupation in Tibet. “Good morning,” the man said.

“How do you feel?” “Considering I was gassed,” I replied, “pretty good.” (p.121).

Based on the quotation above, the narrator shows his response to the military leader,

named Colonel Chang when he asks him how his condition is. However, ‘I’ tries to

tease Chang through his answer.

American view of Chinese oppression is also shown by the narrator when he

tries to argue with Chang and give his own opinion. As an American, he is also used

to expressing his thought freely and having the freedom to decide everything that he

wants as an individual. Through his conversation with Colonel Chang, he tries to

deliver his protest to China that everyone actually desires to do more good things than

nastiness in their life. However, Chang gives an unexpected response to the statement

of ‘I’. Chang mentions about history, which demonstrates that the characteristics of

human are mostly selfish and greedy. It indirectly shows the reason why the Chinese

feel to have the right to do everything they want to the Tibetans to maintain their

authority upon Tibet.

“What you don’t see,” I said ”is that humans can find inner motivation tocreate good in the world.”He laughed cynically. “Surely you don’t believe that? Nothing in historywould suggest that people are anything other than selfish and greedy. (p. 189)

49

As an American, ‘I’ thinks that he has the strength to help or support

defenceless people. ‘I’, as someone who has the tendency to be emotional, feels

rightful to protest against Chinese government for what they have done to the

Tibetans. As an American, his curiosity also makes him want to know deeper about

why the Chinese do that. Through his narration, the narrator shows how Chinese tries

to destroy Tibetan culture. “Why are you doing this?” I asked. “The Tibetan people

have a right to their own religious beliefs. You’re trying to destroy their culture. How

can you do this?” I could feel my anger making me stronger. (p.188). Through his

conversation with Colonel Chang, ‘I’ has the confidence to investigate Chang about

the reason why Chinese military treat the Tibetans with no respect. He thinks that the

Tibetans do not deserve to be treated rudely. As an American, he shows his tendency

to defend the Tibetans.

As an American, ‘I’ can not accept underestimation. He considers that

Chinese military underestimates him when they tell him that they used brain wave

scan on him. He is really angry to the military and cannot accept their act. He

remembers how the military did not only use noxious gas, but they also put brain

wave scan on his head at that time to discover the content of his mind.

At first I couldn’t remember what he was referring to, but then I recalled myexperience at the Chinese house in Ali after I was gassed. The soldiers had putme under a machine. A new wave of fear raced through me, but it turnedimmediately into an even deeper anger.“You’re mad!” I screamed. (p.191)

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Through the narration, he views that the acts of the Chinese military is extreme. What

they did at that time to him was inhumane. That is why ‘I’ cannot accept their acts

that seem to underestimate him and treat him with disrespect.

As an American, ‘I’ puts a priority on individual freedom. He narrates his

statement when he has a conversation with Colonel Chang in Chinese military camp.

He seems to tease China who really controls its people. He gives his contrasting

opinion. The narrator narrates that every human is free, and if their freedom should be

limited, there is only something greater that can limit it. In this part, ‘I’ points to the

concept of God. It also shows his mockery and opposition to China, which is

atheistic. “We are free,” I said. “But we also belong to a design that comes from a

greater part of ourselves that we can connect with. Our true self is much larger than

we thought.” (p.197).

From the scenes that he sees in Shambhala, the narrator narrates the

description of people who still try to control and oppress others. As an American, ‘I’

believes that he has to show his concern about this kind of situation. For the

American, individual freedom is important. That is why he tends to refuse violence or

oppression. It also shows his view against oppressive acts of China on the Tibetans. It

is shown in the sentence: At the same time we also began to see scenes of people who

were still in fear, resisting the changes and trying to gain control. (p.211).

Through his narrations that show the way the Chinese treat the Tibetans,

Chinese occupation in Tibet, the restriction of foreigners in Tibet by the Chinese

government, the inhumane acts of Chinese military, and the way the Chinese try to

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destroy the life of Tibetan, the narrator is able to represent Chinese oppression to

Tibetan. As an American, ‘I’ considers China as cruel, atheistic, inhumane,

destructive, and oppressive. ‘I’ feels rightful to be involved in the situation, and then

to show his protest against Chinese oppression and defend the Tibetans.

C. American View of Chinese Oppression to Represent Rivalry between

America and China

Based on the facts that ‘I’ directly sees, hears, and experiences and based on

his conversation with other characters, ‘I’ is able to describe Chinese oppressive acts

to the Tibetans and also the inhumane acts of the Chinese military to the foreigners

who visit Tibet. As an American, ‘I’ feels rightful to be involved in the situation, to

oppose China and defend Tibet. His view shows a strong disagreement about what

Chinese have done to Tibetan. However, his view as an American reflects the

relationship between America and China, that represents the rivalry between the two

of them.

As an educated man and as an American, he certainly has wide knowledge. It

enables the other characters to tell him information in the form of jargon. The

evidence is shown when the narrator narrates Yin’s statement about a helicopter

which is flying not far from them. It happens when Chinese military are running after

them. It is shown in the next sentence. We lay perfectly still as the large helicopter

flew directly over us. “It’s a Z-9,” Yin said. (p.33-34). Yin knows his capacity as an

educated man. That is why he mentions the jargon “Z-9” to him. As an American, ‘I’

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understands that China is able to make its own military equipment and now he sees

the proof himself. It shows that it is not only America as a powerful Western country

which can create many things, like in the past when American Army weapons

systems, i.e. TOW anti-tank missiles, artillery munitions, artillery counter-battery

radar systems, and scout, transport, and attack helicopters attracted Chinese Army in

1980s, but China as a powerful Eastern country is also able to make progress in their

military technology or military industry now. It shows that the fact in the past

influences the relationship between America and China in present time, that contains

a rivalry.

‘I’ also narrates how his view against Chinese oppression represents the

rivalry between America and China when he has a conversation with Yin Doloe. ‘I’ is

curious about a building in Chinese area in Tibet that he sees. He then asks Yin about

it. Yin perceives ‘I’ question as a suspicion of ‘I’ as an American to China.

As we drove on, I looked very closely at the grounds. Most of the windows ofthe building were draped.“What is that place?” I asked.“An oil exploration station, I think. But who knows?” (p.112)

Yin’s answer contains connotation meaning. The uncertainty of Yin’s answer tends to

show some possibilities that can be done by Chinese in that place. It means that it

may not be a real oil exploration station. Related to the past, when the United States

was able to identify the Chinese nuclear and missile programs which were located in

a remote area in Inner Mongolia in the 1960s through its satellite, it is also possible

that this building refers to that kind of place. It proves that the fact in the past

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influences the relationship between America and China in present time that represents

the rivalry between the two of them.

The rivalry between America and China is shown through the conversation of

‘I’ and Lama Rigden, a spiritual leader of the Tibetans. The narrator narrates his

conversation with Lama Rigden about the description of World War II based on a

movie which was made by an American. It happens when he is hiding from the

Chinese military. Through the statement “They moved me very much” in the next

quotation, ‘I’ seems to be proud of the American military and their heroic acts in

World War II era. Through this narration, the narrator seems to tease China about

what China had already done in World War II, i.e. when China betrayed America.

“Ah yes,” the Lama said. “I’ve seen your American movies about this landing.Have you seen them?“Yes, I have, “ I said. “They moved me very much.”“They told of the soldiers’ fear and courage,” he went on […]They saved the world at the time of its greatest peril.” (p.45)

The statement of Lama Rigden also strengthens his view, that actually considers

America as the hero of World War II. It also proves that the fact in the past influences

the relationship between America and China in present time.

The relationship between America and China also shows rivalry when ‘I’

narrates his conversation with Colonel Chang, the Chinese military leader, when he is

captured in a Chinese house in Ali. In this conversation, Chang seems to be ignorant

about his request to contact the American embassy. Based on the relationship

between America and China in Nixon era, both countries once held a diplomatic

relationship. ‘I’ seems to expect that the Chinese military will be more cooperative.

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However, because China also considers itself as a powerful country and the

government has the power to control the situation, it does not matter for them to

capture an American. “Why was I attacked? Does the American Embassy know I’m

being held?” […] “I am Colonel Chang. No one knows you are here, and if you have

broken our laws, no one can help you. (p.121). Colonel Chang’s statement shows that

China has the right to protect its own privacy. They seem to dislike anyone who tries

to get involved in its internal matters. China also dares to do everything to everyone

who tries to get involved in their internal matters. Even though they have ever made a

diplomatic relationship in the past, it does not mean that its relationship always goes

well. It then represents their rivalry in power.

The different way between America and China’s ideology also represents

their rivalry. It can be seen through the narrator’s narration when he has a

conversation with Colonel Chang again. As a citizen of a democratic country, ‘I’

views that the way China governs its people is not as good as the America’s way. He

criticizes China that tyranny is not a perfect way to control people. ‘I’ seems to

expect China to follow the American way. It is suitable also to the past, in the early

1980s, when America would really pay attention to China when China was perceived

as an ideological threat. However, through the character Colonel Chang, the view of

‘I’ about Chinese government is argued.

“Do you know why your so-called democratic governments are doing this?”he went on. “Because they are far more afraid of the people then we are. Ourcitizens know the role of government is to govern. They know that certainliberties have to be limited. Your people think there can be individual self-direction.” (p.189)

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Chang has opposite opinion to ‘I’. He feels that Chinese government has a better way

than America to control its people. The way America governs its people makes them

too free and individualistic. It is different from China, which is able to control its

people and make them realize that there is no absolute freedom in this world.

The rivalry between America and China is also depicted when the narrator

shows the enthusiasm of the Tibetans to live in America. ‘I’ narrates his conversation

with the character Tashi, a Tibetan teenager who feels interested to come and live in

America. He views that besides as a powerful country, America is also a democratic

country which gives freedom and safety for its people and also for oppressed people

from other countries.

“No, I keep thinking about somehow going to the outer cultures. Will you tellme about them?” […] I told him as much as I could about the current state ofaffairs in the world: the way most people lived, the diets most ate, the struggleto institute democracy around the globe, the corrupting influence of money ongovernment, the environmental problem. Far from being alarmed ordisappointed, he soaked it all in with enthusiasm. (p.151)

In the quotation above, ‘I’ generalizes his explanation to Tashi about global condition

that also occurs in America. He gives more negative images than positive images

about America to Tashi. Even so, Tashi does not seem to worry about the situation

that is explained by him. He feels enthusiastic and curious to get out of Tibet and see

the outer world. It is also suitable to the past when Dalai Lama in 1964 wrote to

President Johnson, to ask for the United States’ support to Tibet and to raise world’s

awareness of this issue. It also represents the rivalry between America and China in

ideology and power.

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Most of the rivalry between America and China are shown through the

narrator’s conversation with Colonel Chang or his descriptions and statements about

Chang. Through the narrations, it can be seen that the rivalries between America and

China mostly compete in creating high technology, other than in military, industry,

power, and ideology. The evidences are shown in the quotations below.

The narrator narrates Chang’s statement when Chang teases the American

government, who in fact does not fully give freedom to its people, either. It is not

only China that is inhumane. Chang mentions that America is also inhumane to

everyone who is considered as a trouble-maker and is able to freely accuse everyone

as a trouble-maker. ‘I’ narrates how Chang accuses the American government of

using chips that are inserted to the trouble-makers’ body. Chang also suspects that the

chips are inserted into the body of American soldiers. Indirectly, American

government becomes able to monitor and control them. Thus, America also has its

own way to solve its ‘certain problem’. “Your own government is developing ways to

control you too. Chips that can be inserted into the body of troops and unsuspecting

trouble-makers” (p.188).

However, the narrator also narrates Chang’s statement that it is not only

America that can monitor everyone they want. Through Chang’s statement, it can be

seen that China also have their own equipment to monitor everyone’s mind as they

wish. While America uses chips to monitor and control people, China uses brain

wave scan to read the mind of people who are considered as rebels or trouble makers.

Chinese military used this machine on ‘I’ when they captivated him in a Chinese

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house in Ali. “And that’s not all. I don’t even need to use my instincts to locate you

anymore. I have your brain wave scan.” (p.190). The two quotations above show that

it is possible that both China and America use the technology, because in relation to

the past, in the 1950s both countries already used explosives to paralyse their

enemy’s troops. It represents the rivalry between the two of them.

Both America and China also compete in monitoring ‘certain people’ through

their satellites. It is shown when ‘I’ narrates his conversation with Chang when he is

captured for the second time by the Chinese military in their camp near Kunlun

Range. He seems to disbelieve that China is able to know wherever he goes. The

narrator tends to show his underestimation of the Chinese’ ability. It matches the fact

in the past, since the early 1960s, America has started to use the NSA. In fact, soon

China was able to build a technology that enables them to search and find everyone

that they want. Through Colonel Chang’s statement, the satellites of America and

China are compared. It is described that the satellites have the same abilities to

monitor the Internet. “Oh yes, we have known all about you. We operate more freely

in America than you think. Your NSA can monitor the Internet. Do you think we

cannot?” (p.190).

On the other hand, through the character Tashi’s father, a Tibetan man, the

acts of America seem to be justified and better than what China does. The narrator

narrates the statement of Tashi’s father about some restrictions that have to be done

by democratic countries to their people to combat the drug dealers or terrorists. It is

better than establishing a country based on a central authority. Even though America

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is also possible to change its control into a central authority, in fact, it does not

happen. The statement of Tashi’s father shows a criticism to China, as a country

which governs its people based on the central authority which only causes sufferings

to its people. The narration shows the contrast between America and China in

ideology.

“Most imperative is the situation of government power and surveillance, evenin the democratic countries. Citing a need to combat drug dealers or terrorists,the government has infringed more and more on the privacy of the commonman. Already, cash transactions are being restricted and the Internet fullymonitored. The next step will be forcing the move to a cashless societycontrolled by a central authority.” (p.170)

The way the Tibetan praises America can be linked to the past, when between 1950s

and 1960s, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secretly financed and armed Tibetan

guerrillas to fight against China. America at that time tended to defend Tibet. It then

also represents the rivalry between America and China. America justifies its use of

chips or monitors the Internet in order to combat crime. On the other hand, China

uses brain wave scan or monitors the Internet to oppress its people and make them

lose their opportunity to reach a proper life.

The tendency to suspect China for monitoring America also shows that

America considers China as its rival. It can be seen when he sees from a far two

suspicious-looking men near his house. It happens when he already arrives back in

the United States with Tashi and his friend, Wilson James. The narrator narrates how

Wil suspects the two men as Chinese Intelligence officers who spy them. It seems

that China has the courage to monitor his activities even when he is already in his

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country. It is shown in the following statement. Two men got out, saw us, and walked

out to an overhang a hundred feet above us. “They’re Chinese Intelligence,” Wil said.

“Chang must have alerted them.” (p.233).

In to the past, the involvement of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or

American Intelligence in the 1960s in China’s internal matters has possibly

influenced their relationship in the present time. China soon also feels rightful to

maintain its own privacy and at the same time gets every significant information that

they want. That is why they also use their Intelligence to spy an America. It also

represents the rivalry between the two of them. All of them show that America’s

opposite view against Chinese oppression represents the rivalry between America and

China. As the representation, this view can be signified as how in fact America

considers China, a powerful Eastern country, as its rival.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

A literary work like a novel can present the reality of human life. The novel

The Secret of Shambhala in Search of the Eleventh Insight presents the American

view of Chinese oppression to Tibetan. It is revealed from the point of view of ‘I’ as

the narrator. His characterization as the central character in the story proves the

narrator’s reliability as an American in viewing Chinese oppression to Tibetan.

Furthermore, the view actually represents the past rivalry between America and

China.

The point of view used in the novel is first person point of view, and it is told

by ‘I’ character as the narrator. As the narrator, ‘I’ is omniscient. He totally involves

in the story. His description as the central character can support his reliability as the

narrator. Even though ‘I’ is described as a man who feels curious and worry easily

and has difficulty in controlling his emotion, he also shows optimism, easily helps

people in difficult situation, is used to thinking logically, and adapt easily in a new

situation. He is also educated, an expert of his work, and has wide knowledge and

many experiences.

As the narrator of the story, ‘I’ is reliable because he narrates the events based

on what he directly sees and hears, has the capacity as an educated man that makes

him able to explain detail situation and condition of Tibet and the Tibetans, and has

an authoritative account of the truth he presents. His reliability is also shown through

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his ability to convince the readers that the story he narrates does not contain deceit.

‘I’ is also reliable because he forms the correct conclusion about events he witnesses

and gives statement of fact and judgment based on the facts that he knows.

Through the description of central character and the point of view of the

narrator, the American view of Chinese oppression is revealed. Through ‘I’, the facts

about Chinese oppression to Tibetan is represented. ‘I’ is able to narrate the ironic

situation of Tibet under Chinese occupation, the pathetic condition of the Tibetans,

the arbitrary acts of Chinese military, the way Chinese try to destroy Tibetan culture

and religion, and even kill the Tibetan. These facts make ‘I’ as an American feel

rightful to get involved in the situation and show strong disagreement to China. He

has tendency to oppose China and defend the Tibetans.

However, the opposite view of ‘I’ as an American gives the writer a deeper

comprehension about the relationship between America and China. The facts that

occurred in the past influence the relationship between America and China in present

time. The present facts are related with the situation in World War II era, the

American Intelligence’s involvement in the internal matters of China in the 1960s, the

diplomatic relationship between America and China in President Nixon’s era, the

America’s suspicion about the property of China in Mongol in the 1960s, the event

when Dalai Lama wrote to President Johnson, to ask for the United State’s support to

Tibet, and America’s awareness of Chinese ideology since the 1980s. The

relationship between the two of them then reflects their rivalry in military, industry,

power, ideology, and also technology. As the representation, this view can be

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signified as how in fact America considers China, a powerful Eastern country as its

rival.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Praag, Michael C Van Wait Van. The Status of Tibet: History, Rights and Prospectsin International Law. Lungta. 1989<http://tibet.dharmakara.net/tibethistory.html> (February 4th, 2008)

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Summary of the James Redfield’s The Secret of Shambhala inSearch of the Eleventh Insight

Because of the words of one of his neighbors and the request of Wilson James

(Wil), an old friend, ‘I’ agrees to arrange a journey to Tibet, a country in Central Asia

to discover Shambhala, the mythical community of Tibetan Buddhist lore, which is

believed to exist in Kunlun Range, Tibet. ‘I’ actually feels some doubt to do this,

because he knows that Tibet is a country under oppressive government of China, a

powerful Eastern country. It may put him in danger as a foreigner in Tibet, especially

because he is a citizen of America, a powerful Western country. However, ‘I’

encourages himself to take the risk. He and Wil make an appointment to meet at the

Hotel Himalaya in Kathmandu.

Unfortunately, Wil does not appear when ‘I’ arrives in Kathmandu. A Tibetan

man named Yin Doloe shows up and introduces himself to ‘I’. He explains that Wil

asked him to guide ‘I’ to Lhasa. Again, it is unfortunate for ‘I’ that he does not see

Wil. Through a friend of Yin, they receive a message from Wil which says that he has

to go on ahead and asks Yin to guide ‘I’ to Kunlun Range. It makes ‘I’ feel anxious,

but he has to continue the journey. From Lhasa, they move to Lama Rigden’s

monastery near Shigatse. Chinese military start to pursue them when they arrive. That

is why both of them hide in the monastery. ‘I’ then understands the situation and how

pathetic the condition of Tibet and the Tibetans under Chinese rule is.

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When the situation is getting calm, they move to Tingri. After that, they

continue their journey to northwest Tibet. Next to Saga, they have to avoid many

Chinese military checkpoints. Many foreigners are inspected by the military. After

they pass the military checkpoints, they move to Zhongba. Here, ‘I’ furtively sees

how the Chinese soldiers load many Tibetans into some trucks. He also sees and

hears a soldier asks a Dutch foreigner harshly. In Paryang, ‘I’ and Yin meets the

Hollander by coincidence. He can give them the information that Wil goes to Dormar.

‘I’ and Yin continue their journey to Hor Qu, and then to Lake Manasarovar. They

next drive into Darchen, the closest town to Mount Kailash. The wonderful

panoramas of both the lake and the mount amaze ‘I’, but it also makes him feel

concerned about how ironic the situation in Tibet is.

The next morning, they continue their journey to Ali. Yin explains that Ali is

mainly Chinese area. It is also the town where his father was killed and many

Tibetans have experienced the same thing. When they continue to travel to north, a

Chinese helicopter runs after them. Yin asks ‘I’ to hide and continue the journey

alone to Dormar. Unfortunately, ‘I’ gets caught by the military. They use noxious

gas. ‘I’ is captivated in a Chinese house and investigated by Colonel Chang, the

military leader. The military even uses mind-scanner to detect his mind. After that,

they release him. He accidentally meets Yin again, but Yin asks him to go on alone to

Kunlun Range. ‘I’ is expected to reach Shambhala succesfully.

A friend of Yin helps ‘I’ to reach Kunlun Range. A couple minutes after they

move, ‘I’ sees that many Chinese soldiers fill the area where Yin is there. The Tibetan

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asks ‘I’ to continue the journey. After Dormar, they move to Kunlun Range. Later, ‘I’

has to go on alone. Here, it exists the ruins of a monastery. Soon, through a mystical

way, ‘I’ enters the mythical community of Shambhala. He meets Ani, Tashi, Tashi’s

father, and their neighbors. They show him the way to reach the center of Shambhala

where a transition will occur. Tashi chooses to come with ‘I’. By coincidence, they

meet Wil.

Suddenly, the Chinese helicopters run after them. It makes them separated. ‘I’

once more gets caught by the military. He is captivated in the military camp near it.

Here, ‘I’ shows his opposite attitude to the military. As an American, he criticizes the

way Chinese military treat the Tibetans and also the foreigners. The opposition

emerges as the rivalry between America and China. Surprisingly, ‘I’ meets Yin in this

place. Yin warns ‘I’ to control his anger. A sudden storm comes. Yin asks ‘I’ to run

away. ‘I’ succeeds to escape from the military camp. He can meet Wil and Tashi

again. Finally, they move suddenly to America through the miraculous way of

Shambhala.

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Appendix 2: Biography of James Redfield

James Redfield was born on March 19, 1950 and grew up in Birmingham,

Alabama. Redfield majored in sociology at Auburn University and then received a

Master's degree in counseling. Redfield spent fifteen years working as a therapist to

abused adolescents. He published The Celestine Prophecy and it has turned into a

spiritual guide for the New Age. Redfield was awarded the Medal of the Presidency

of the Italian Senate in 1997.

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