CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

America has been known as a superpower country. The government is the

reason which makes America has a great power. The power of American

government is unbeatable. Farley (2015: 4) states that American government

spends most of their money to train and protect the US army to make them being

great and create an unbeatable power for the political purpose of the government in

controlling other countries. Most of country in the world are abide to the power of

American government. American government abuses the power which they have to

catch their ambition. They want to show their power and then control countries in

the world. They do something dangerous without notice its effect. Ambition to

control the world makes American government in a muddle. Based on Concord

Monitor (February: 2019), it is said that:

“At the same time, American empire bumps up against so many

nations’ rights to self-determination. Politicians throw money at
the Pentagon, not wanting to be perceived as weak on defense.
The end result is a senseless muddle, leading to a continuation of
endless Middle Eastern wars and knee-jerk imperialism.” (p.10)

The quotation above shows that American government does not give citizens their

right to share their aspiration in their life. The life of citizens still under the control

of government. The purpose of the government to show their power makes their

politics in a muddle. They enter countries that are weak on defense to make their

muddle cannot be seen and to show their power as a superpower country. American

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government does not want to be seen as a weak institution and they cover their

muddle by doing everything to defend their power.

American government acts like a peacekeeper because of their power. They

tend to be a mediator to countries whom have conflicts. Citizens of other countries

look at American government as a kind institution and a good savior. They do not

know something which is planned by American government as a helper for other

countries. American government covers their ambition by doing something kind

which makes people do not aware to their ambition. They become easily to reach

their ambition if nobody knows and it makes them must cover it. Emily Taft

Douglas (1945), in her article which is entitled America’s Second Chance, said:

“We shall not make the same mistake as formerly, but there may
be new pitfalls. For instance, we may go along on political
co-operation but refuse to do so in other fields. It has been said
that the peace structure is an arch supported by two columns, one
political and the other economic. …!” (p.6)

The quotation above shows that peace as the political tool for American

government to make them easily to show their power to the world. They keep the

peace in the world to make their political goals work smoothly. They will reach

their political goals by acting like a peacekeeper. The peace that they bring to other

countries does not repair the situation but it makes the situation is getting worse.

Other countries should be aware of the pitfalls of peace which is brought by

American government to enter their countries.

American government also makes the political in their country in a muddle.

The government keeps their secret from citizens. Citizens do not get the

explanation about the things which the government does. Transparency becomes

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something useless for the government. Citizens only follow the rules from the

government because it eases the government to reach their ambition. In Vox Media

(October: 2015), it is said that:

“… As Charles Calhoun, a leading scholar of Gilded Age politics

has written, the main concern of actual members of Congress
was not policy, but "patronage power, the privilege of placing
one's political friends and supporters in in subordinate offices."
In other words, a member of Congress would get to distribute
federal jobs and contracts to his supporters and in exchange the
beneficiaries of his patronage would support his party's ticket at
all levels. ...” (p.24)

The quotation above shows that American government precedes their own

importance rather than citizens. Although the Congress is chosen by citizens, it

does not make them will serve citizens like it should be. They use their power to

reach their importance by “placing one’s political friends and supporters in in

subordinate offices”. People who have the same importance with them will be

given a good place in government. They will defend their position and power

because they are strong together until they get what they want. They create policy to

hold down citizens and to make them easier to reach their goal. They use the policy

as their shield in doing their action.

The issue about the political muddle of America is interesting to be

analyzed. Ambition of the government makes America become disorganized on the

outside and on the inside of America. Their ambition to show their power to the

world makes the citizen of other countries and the citizen of America live in misery.

This issue is also exposed in literary work entitled Dance Nation (2018) by Clare

Barron. Through this play, she shows the readers about the political muddle of

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America. The writer exposes the way how the politics of America become

disorganized on the outside and on the inside of America.

1.2 Foreign Policy of America

Foreign policy is a device that is needed by America to be connected with

other countries. Foreign policy is related to national interest of a country, such as

political, economic, military, and humanitarian concerns. America is known as a

superpower country after the collapse of Soviet Union and then takes part in United

Nations peacekeeping. Foreign policy of America also include in covert actions to

fall down governments that do not have the same idea with America.

After World War I, America wants to conquer the world. America uses its

power to do that, but it becomes a serious problem because America oppresses

other countries. Based on Foreign Affairs (June: 2019), it is said that:

“Ever since the end of World War I, the United States has wanted
to transform the world. In the 1990s, that seemed more possible
than ever before. Countries across the planet were moving
toward the American way. The Gulf War seemed to mark a new
milestone for world order, in that it was prosecuted to uphold a
norm, limited in its scope, endorsed by major powers and
legitimized by international law. But right at the time of all these
positive developments, the United States lost interest. U.S.
policymakers still wanted to transform the world in the 1990s,
but on the cheap. They did not have the political capital or
resources to throw themselves into the effort. That was one
reason Washington’s advice to foreign countries was always the
same: economic shock therapy and instant democracy.” (p. 16)

The quotation above shows that America has an ambition to change the world. The

government wants to create a new world like they have arranged. They adjust their

rules in other countries by using international law as a mask to make their plan

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cannot be seen. This thing become a problem that makes the politics of America in

a muddle. The oppression that they do to other countries makes the condition of

other countries and America itself are being unstable. They are too focus to disturb

other countries, until they are forget that this thing also affects America because

they lose the respect from other countries.

America cannot convince their citizens as a good country. There are many

things that the government cannot show to their citizens because they are busy to

show their poweer to the world. In Center for American Progress (June: 2019), it is

said that:

“Instead, and particularly in the last two years, they’ve watched

the United States lose influence on the world stage; undermine
its credibility as a leader on human rights; and fail to live up to its
own ideals on civil liberties, privacy, transparency, and
accountability to the public. The most visible government
investments in their lifetimes have been in attempts to solve
problems overseas rather than at home.” (p. 2)

The quotation above shows that America is full of falsity in their every act. They act

like the best one, but actually they are not. They do that to show their power as a

superpower country and then they are fail to get the attention of citizens of other

countries and citizens of America. They say to the world that everybody has their

own right to live their life. They creat a war that contravenes to the human right.

There are no freedom and transparency in politics that they give to their citizens.

These two are the important things that citizens have to get in their country.

1.3 Political Muddle of America

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 There are two keywords to form the terminology in this study. They are

politic and muddle. In Longman Exams Dictionary (2006), politic means sensible

and likely to gain an advantage. Politic is used to achieve the ambition of an

institution for their importance. Meanwhile, in Oxford Dictionary (2019), muddle

means bring into a disordered or confusing state. Muddle happens when a problem

cannot be solved in an appropriate way.

The term political muddle of America in this analysis refers to how the

politics of America becomes disorganized on the outside and on the inside of

America. They are really obsessed to show their power to the world and do not

notice the sense of humanity. They hide behind the word “peace” that they share to

ease them in creating a war. They do not transparent to the citizens to cover their

secret. They do not notice the prosperity of life of citizens.

1.4 A Brief Description of the Author’s Biography

Clare Barron is an American playwright and actress from Wenatchee,

Washington and now she lives in Brooklyn, New York. She joined Wenatchee

theater when she was 6 years old as a pianist for the choir and then does some role

when she was 12 years old. She graduated from Yale University. As an alumnus of

Yale University, Barron came to New York with her dream to be an actress. She

had to work hard in following the audition process. Before she became an actress,

she wrote for more than 400 very short article for a company called

oddshoefinder.com. In an interview with Go London Newsletter (August: 2018),

Barron said:

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 “I met the playwright and performer Deb Margolin when I was
seventeen. Deb was originally a founding member of the
feminist political theatre troupe Split Britches in the 1980s and
has gone on to write some of my favourite plays and
solo-shows. She believes that everyone can be a writer, and it
was thanks to her that I started writing monologues that I would
perform myself and then later on my early plays.” (p.3)

The quotation above shows that Barron wanted to be a writer after her first met

with Deb Margolin. Her background as a playwright was inspired by Deb

Margolin which convince her that she had to confident to write. She loved Deb

Margolin’s works and wanted to create works like Deb Margolin did. The

confidence of Deb Margolin said that “everyone can be a writer” made Barron

started to write her monologues and then proceed to plays. She imagined that she

was never be a writer if she did not meet Deb Margolin as her inspiration.

Barron has written several plays as a playwright. Her works are a boy puts

this girl in a cage with a dog and the dog killed the girl, Dirty Crusty, Solar Piexus,

Baby Screams Miracle, You Got Older, I’ll Never Love Again, and Dance Nation.

You Got Older did its world premiere under the production of Page 73 and was

directed by Anne Kauffman in 2014. In 2016, another play, I’ll Never Love Again

did its performance with Bushwick Starr Production. Next year, in early 2017,

Baby Screams Miracle also did its production with Woolly Mammoth Theatre

Company. In 2018, her latest play, Dance Nation also did its world premiere at

Playwright Horizons.

A lot of Barron’s work told about problems of her experience and the

reality that happens around her. She became easily to write her work because she

is directly in that problem. In an interview with Playwright Horizons, Barron

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declared that people live in an unhealthy ecosystem because of the competition of

life in the world. People will do everything to achieve their goal by ignoring

others because this world is full of hypocrisy.

Barron received a lot of awards such as Page 73 Playwriting Fellowship

(2014), Paula Vogel Playwriting Award at the Vineyard (2014), Obie Award for

Playwriting (2015), Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play (2015) as the

nominee, Relentless Award (2015), Susan Smith Blackburn Prize (2017), Whiting

Award in Drama (2017) and Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2019) as nominee. She

entered twice for Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, as the nominee in 2014 for her

work entitled You Got Older and as the winner in 2017 for her work entitled

Dance Nation. She also entered Kilroy’s Listin 2015 as the #1 most-recommended

play. In an interview with The Broadway Blog (2017) about her latest work Dance

Nation, Barron said:

“I think every artist hopes in some way that their art will have
the power to heal or make the world a better place. Otherwise,
we’d do something else. But I certainly doubt its capacity to do
that all the time.” (p.11)

The quotation above shows that Barron wanted to open people’s mind through her

play Dance Nation. She saw the world is getting worse and she wanted people

also recognize it. She shared her aspiration in her writing to make people look at

the phenomenon which is happened around them. The world should be a better

place for people to live. People cannot live better if the situation in the world is

bad. She wanted her power in writing also can be her power to heal the world and

create a better life for people. She was not sure if she can do other ways to make

people became considerate to the world today.

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1.5 Dance Nation (2018)

The play Dance Nation (2018) by Clare Barron reflects the issue about the

political muddle of America on the outside and on the inside of America. The

political muddle of America in this analysis refers to how the politics of America

becomes disorganized on the outside and on the inside of America. American

government is really obsessed to show their power to the world by creating war in

other countries. They hide behind the word “peace” to ease them in creating a

war. They do not care about the victim of the war. Their ambition to control the

world also affects their country. There is no transparency of the government to

citizens. They ignore the prosperity of life of citizens to pursue their ambition.

The political muddle of America in this analysis can be seen in two sides; outside

of America and inside of America.

On the outside of America, American government has an ambition to show

their power to the world. They use their power to reach their goal by ignoring the

sense of humanity. They create a war as their way to enter other countries. They

hide behind “peace” that they always share to the world. They fire the bullet

without having care to its victim. They make other countries become abide to

them. They control countries in the world under their policy.

On the inside of America, the citizens of America realize that their country

has been played by the officials. The government is not transparent to citizens.

They hold down citizens to obey their rules. They utilize citizens to reach their

ambition. There is no peace in neighborhood of citizens. There is no equality and

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unity in social life of citizens. Women and children are not protected. They do not

notice the prosperity of life of citizens.

1.6 Problem of the Study

This analysis is focused on the political muddle of America in play script

Dance Nation (2018) by Clare Barron. Therefore, in order to reveal the issue of

the political muddle of America, research questions are needed. The research

questions are:

1. How far does the whole play script Dance Nation (2018) expose the

issue about the political muddle of America?

2. To what extend does character, setting, plot (conflict) and stage direction

in play script Dance Nation (2018) support the issue about the political

muddle of America?

1.7 Purpose of the Study

The aim of this study is to find out how far the play script Dance Nation

(2018) by Clare Barron reveals the issue about the political muddle of America. It

is also intended to find out how character, setting, plot (conflict) and stage

direction give contribution in revealing the meaning of the political muddle of

America.

1.8 Previous Study

The analysis of Dance Nation (2018) that focuses on analyzing about the

political muddle of America has not been found yet. However, there are two

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studies that are related to this analysis and give contribution and inspiration in

analyzing this play script. They are the study which is done by Warren G.

Rochelle (1999), entitled The Literary Presidency and the study by Joseph H.

Lane, Jr. (2001), entitled The Stark Regime and American Democracy: A Political

Interpretation of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men.

The first study is done by Warren G. Rochelle (1999), entitled The

Literary Presidency, discusses about the president who cannot distinguish

between his own interests and the interests of America because of unimaginable

power. This study analyses six novels; Advise and Consent series (1959 to 1975),

Fall-safe (1962), and The Man (1964). It uses the concept of mythology by Carl

Gustav Jung. It focuses on how literary text represents the president of America

by using symbols. The president of America is symbolized as a good and wise

president by showing the good deeds. His good deeds is used to reach his own

interests to maintain his position in the White House. He cannot control himself

for his interests because of his power as a president.

The second study is done by Joseph H. Lane, Jr. (2001), entitled The

Stark Regime and American Democracy: A Political Interpretation of Robert Penn

Warren’s All the King’s Men, discusses about the strategy that is used by the

politicians to get attention of citizens in democracy. It uses the concept of power

and knowledge by Michel Foucault. Character and setting are used in revealing

the issue of the strategy of politicians to face the American democracy. This study

focuses on the political agenda that is arranged by the politician to use the needs

of citizen. They act like they will help citizens to fulfill their needs because they

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are also the part of citizens. Politicians try to be kind to citizens to get their

attention and ease them to operate their strategy by using the needs of citizens.

Both of those study give contribution to the topic of political muddle of

America. The first study discusses about the abuse of power by the president

because of his own interests. The second study discusses about the strategy of

politicians to face the American democracy by using the needs of citizens. Unlike

the previous studies, this analysis focuses on the problem that happens in the

politics of America. This analysis uses the fictional devices such as character,

setting, plot (conflict), and stage direction in revealing the issue of political

muddle of America. Furthermore, this analysis is based on the concept of power

relation by Michel Foucault.

1.9 Theoretical Framework

The analysis about the political muddle of America in this study is

dealing with the concept of power relation by Michel Foucault. Power relation

deals with the discipline that someone uses to others. The discipline is used to

create the rules to do a domination towards others. In his book Discipline and

Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Foucault says that:

“But in the course of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

the disciplines became general formulas of domination. They
were different from slavery because they were not based on a
relation of appropriation of bodies; indeed, the elegance of the
discipline lay in the fact that it could dispense with this costly
and violent relation by obtaining effects of utility at least as
great.” (p. 137)

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The quotation above shows that the discipline is not a new strategy in dominating

an area for them who have power. The discipline is another way to make people

become abide to a great power without any violence that has to do, like the

slavery that happened a long time ago. There is no physical contact to people in

discipline because it they dominate slowly to make people believe in a great

power. The discipline can be done by using a persuasive way that makes people

do not feel demur to follow it. When people follow their discipline, they has

dominated that area.

The discipline focuses on the strategy to use power. It does not relate to

the strength of body because the discipline is used to show others the ascendancy

that people have. Foucault says that:

“Discipline increases the forces of the body (in economic terms

of utility) and diminishes these same forces (in political terms
of obedience). In short, it dissociates power from the body; on
the other hand, it turns it into an 'aptitude', a 'capacity', which it
seeks to increase; on the other hand, it reverses the course of the
energy, the power that might result from it, and turns it into a
relation of strict subjection.” (p.138)

The quotation above shows that the discipline is used in politics as a strategy to

make the ascendancy can work appropriately. The discipline does not need the

strength of body to execute that, it needs the ability to persuade people to believe

in them and then dominate the area. They improve their ability to ease them in

dominating and then adjust their rules in that area. The discipline is their first step

to attract people attention and they pretend to help people to enter and read the

situation in that area.

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 Power emerges in all the sides of human’s life because power plays its

own role that make it keep going in that sides. In that every side of life, power are

related to each other and work together. In his book, The History of Sexuality Vol.

1: An Introduction, Foucault says that:

“It seems to me that power must be understood in the first

instance as the multiplicity of force relations immanent in the
sphere in which they operate and which constitute their own
organization; as the process which, through ceaseless struggles
and confrontations, transforms, strengthen, or reverses them; as
the support which these force relations find in one another, thus
forming a chain or a system, or on the contrary, the disjunctions
and contradictions which isolate them from one another; and
lastly as the strategies in which they take effect, whose general
design or institutional crystallization is embodied in the state
apparatus, in the formulation of the law, in the various social
hegemonies.” (p.92)

The quotation above shows that when the power in every side of life unites, it can

strerngthen the power that has existed. Those powers become one and give people

an ascendancy to execute their domination. Those powers have its own strength

that make them become a great power for people when it unites. This great power

is used by people as their strategy to reach their own importance. This great power

is usually used by an institution to make people follow their rules without feeling

demur.

This analysis is done through text and context-based interpretation in order

to bring out the issue of the political muddle of America. There is a connection

between text and reality in this analysis. Bennet and Royle (1999: 33) states that

the text and the world' names a false opposition. Text cannot but be part of the

world. To talk about texts as ‘representing’ reality simply overlooks ways in

14
which texts are already part of that reality, and ways in which literary texts

produce our reality, make our worlds. It can be said that by reading literary text,

the reader can find the reality of the world which is shared behind the text. The

reality in the text could be political, social, culture, etc. In this analysis, the play

reveals the political muddle of America. It becomes the reason to focus on the

political problem that happens on the outside and on the inside of America.

The analysis of this play script is also done by its fictional devices such as

character, plot (conflict), and setting. Character gives contribution in revealing the

meaning of the play script. According to Letwin and Stockdale (2008: 16),

character not only means the individuals who are in the drama, but it also, and

more importantly, refers to the true essence of those individuals -their character-

which can only be revealed through the actions they take over the course of the

story. Characters in this play are used as the representative of American citizens

whom know the political muddle that happen on the outside and on the inside of

America.

Another fictional device that is used to analyze the play script is plot

(conflict). According to Gwynn (2012: 7), plot defines as the combination of

incidents, or things done in the story. Conflict is used to show the problem that

happens on the outside and on the inside of America. The citizens of America

know about the ambition of American government that cause the muddle.

Setting is another fictional device in the play script that helps this analysis.

Setting is everything that makes up the story in a literary work. Abrams (1999:

24) says that the overall setting is the general locale, historical time, and social

15
circumstances in which its action occurs. The setting of the play is related to

foreign policy of America. Foreign policy of America begins the political muddle

on the outside of America and it also affects the condition on the inside of

America. Stage direction as a fictional device also helps in analyzing the play

script. It helps in revealing the movement of the character and the situation of the

play.

1.10 Methodology

The analysis of the play script Dance Nation (2018) by Clare Barron is

done through text and context-based interpretation. The play script is analyzed by

using fictional devices of drama such as characters, plot (conflict), setting and

stage direction. The fictional device of drama is used to reveal the meaning of the

play script. Character is used as the representative of American citizens who

realize the political muddle of America. Plot is used to show the problem that

happens on the outside and on the inside of America. Setting is used to show the

condition that creates the political muddle of America. Stage direction is used to

show the movement of the character and the situation of the play. This analysis

deals with the concept of power relation by Michel Foucault.

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