Drawing Your Dream

It was Sunday and this young lady was still keen on her laptop and drawing tablet, in her 3mx3m room, green wall, covered with a lot of posters. They were not posters of rock stars or boys and girls bands. They were the masterpieces of the room’s master. It’s Ditra, the girl who is drawing her dream.

Ditra, the girl drawing dreams

Ditra has just graduated from Universitas Indonesia, majoring Japanese Literature. Nevertheless, her dream is not being an ambassador or anything else related to Japanese. She wants to continue her career on graphic design field. She wants to be a great world-wide illustrator.

By the way, what is graphic design actually?

Graphic design is a creative process which includes the combination of art and technology. It is used to convey a message from client to a particular audience. It is usually consisted of images and typography.

One of her typography

“I don’t mind working on Sunday,” she said with a pen tablet on her hand. She was drawing for her client. Her client was a teenage girl who wanted Ditra’s work of art as a gift for her boyfriend. “It is fun helping a young lover,” she added while she was smiling to her grayish laptop. “I’m not only drawing but also helping her to explain her feeling.”

For her, pictures means important. “Pictures can describe things words can’t do.”

She claimed that she was not good at explaining things with words. Thus, she chose to draw pictures to help her to communicate. Her mother was the one who introduced her to drawing.

“When I was little, my mom was used to tell me a lot of stories, but because I seemed confused, then my mom drew me some pictures to illustrate them. However, the more my mom drew me pictures, the more I liked the pictures, not the stories.”

She has drawn since she was about 3 years old, and she never stops drawing. “I’m in love with lines, dots, shapes, and colour,” she said. She has been serious in drawing and graphic design when she was in high school. “I was a freelancer on a graphic design company. It gave me such a great experience and encouraged me to explore my skill more.”

One of her works

Now, at her 21, she has had some achievements in illustration and visual design. In 2012, for instance, she was chosen as “Artist on Tumblr”. Also, her works has been reviewed on gantibaju.com as “Inspirational Illustrator”.

She has had collaboration with some of senior illustrators and communities. For instance, Abang Irenk Community, a graphic design community in Yogyakarta. Moreover, she has also has a collaboration work with Julian Zone, the cover illustrator of Pocong Juga Pocong novel.

However, her career on “drawing world” is not as easy as A B C.

“My parents don’t want me to continue my career on drawing. They think that it will not be prospective for my future.”

This design has been printed as tote bags,
and I HAVE IT! :3

She explained her disappointment about Indonesian people’s perspective on graphic or visual design.

“Most people usually underestimate this field. They think that you will not afford your life just from being an illustrator.”

“Also, the appreciation of graphic design’s work is so little,” she added, “They might think that what’s important of an image or a design. They forget that design is every where. From the humble simple thing like your t-shirts, until the big great thing like the billboard advertisement.”

She said it effected on the salary of illustrator in Indonesia. She explained that the salary of illustrator, for example in Australia, reached three or four times bigger than in Indonesia. 

When she was asked about the reason why she kept drawing even though people’s appreciation of design graphic was so low, she answered it boldly.

“If we have something we are passionate for, fight for it. Explore more. There must be the way.”

She doesn’t care at all even though it is quite hard for her to continue her career in design graphic field since she doesn’t have a degree in design graphic major.

She said that the obstacles came not only from the society and her parents but also sometimes, her self.

“Sometimes, because of the pressure, I find my self tired and just want to give up, but every time I try to stop drawing, I feel twice more depressed than before. And it’s frustrating.”

She added, “As hard I’ve ever said or thought that ‘I have to quit drawing’, yet when I see even a pencil and a sheet of blank paper, I do really want to draw. It seems like they call me, urge me to draw.”

                                                                                                             

Ditra, who is now living with her family in Tangerang, Banten, has a big dream. She wants to go abroad, develop her career there.

“I want to go abroad, go from one country to other countries, experience all of drawing media I can use,” she said.

“I love drawing things, I want to live my dream, and trust me, I will never quit drawing.



*this writing was actually used as my journalistic, profile assignment, yet in this case, I posted it for my friend, Ditra, for her passion and urge to stand up tall for her dreams. 

The Hours--A Thought of A Smarty-Pants (2)

This smarty-pants thought came out as I was reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. There were three main characters there. If we take a look closer to the characters, most of them depict the illustration of “the problem that has no name”, a theory of Feminine Mystique from Betty Friedan. It is said that woman has a tendency to be insecure of her life when she can not express her self. It is a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that woman frequently suffers. It brings up the silent question of “is that all?” It is vividly appeared on Laura Brown who could not bear living as “only” a house wife, made bed, prepared for meal, cooked, gave goodbye kiss  as her husband went for work, laid beside her husband in the night. She wanted more than that. As for Virginia Woolf, although she had her peaceful and beautiful husband and family, she still didn’t fit in among them. She needed more. There was something wrong with that life and she just felt that she didn't belong in that common suburb life. The need of fulfilling existence as an equal human being mattered in this case. Currently speaking, there are still some women who have that kind of problem. They feel being limited by the title of “a wife” or “a mother” or even “a woman” that stereotypically are placed among those domestic chores and not the other else jobs. They are trapped on their own life. However, since the society fits the perception, then it is hard for them to share, to express the problem. They  think that if they do so, they would be considered a "misfit" in society. Hence, they ignore the voice of dissatisfaction, press it deeper, try so hard to diminish the feeling, then depression and frustration emerge. It is also believed "the problem that has no name" frequently makes woman becoming irrationally frustrated. They get easily bothered then they yell because of something unintelligible.

            Because of that novel, I wonder why some moms and wives so much easily get irritated. You know, the moment when you feel your mom is so super irritating. She is just like screaming out loud on everything she considers wrong or improper and it is usually because of you. She yells without reasons and all. Sometimes I wonder, is it true that even my mom experiences that problem? because she presses the feeling and doesn’t want to bring it up? Since it would be considered a misfit in a society when a woman, especially a mother, complaints about her life as a mother with domestic responsibilities?

            If it is so, then it is so much unfortunate. Depression comes as a result of your silent problems. Woman is somehow oppressed in this case. It is said that we, human beings, have the same rights to life, and so do to speak. However, it seems like it doesn’t apply in woman’s life. We barely have “the rights” to speak. Even, it’s only to share our stories and problems. According to Feminine Mystique theory, a woman will have a tendency to feel loss and depressed about her own self, ask about her own rule in her own life. She understands that there is something incomplete in her life but she doesn’t know what. That is terrible. She thinks that there is nothing wrong with the domestic chores and so on which are usually labeled as “woman’s job”. However, this perception could not be true. Society, which is ruled in a patriarchy way, constructs this discernment.

            The reason of dissatisfaction might be unrevealed until now. It could be anything. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that we need the freedom of being equal. We might want to have the same privilege as the man might have. Either it could be education or career, it depends. One thing for sure, it is actually heartbreaking knowing that we can speak yet in fact you can't.

            Speaking of the matter of expressing feeling, nowadays there are some women who are brave and bold enough to share what they think and desire. Frequently, they choose to struggle for their education and career more than raise a family and have kids. They are usually considered “independent”. However, this “independent” woman is still uncommon. People will give the strange looks for a career woman or education-minded woman after all. Some women will survive, mostly won’t. The pressure is somehow so unbearable, then it will make us to give in and try so hard to be accustomed in the society, get married, have kids, deal with domestic chores. Then the additional pressure will come as we don’t have any willingness to be that “constructed lady”. Living life in a doubled pressure and depression, that’s the upshot. 

            By this writing, it doesn’t mean that I persuade other woman to think that it is unfortunate and useless being a sweet obedient mother and wife. No. I, my self actually desire to be one of wonderful mothers. I want become a mother and a wife. I don’t mind. And I think that I will be that fulfilled. However, the point is that as a woman, we have to be able to express what we feel and hope and think and desire. If your passion is on your education or career or whatever it would be, then fight for it. As it is related to the relationship, it is better for you to negotiate your own thought and decision about your life plan to the man you will live together with. To speak is the most important thing as a human, so is for woman. The figure of femininity, like fragile, oppressed, and subordinated, does no longer represent women in general. When we are able to convey our own thoughts and feeling, then the depression might somehow be decreased. 

             

The Hours--A Thought of A Smarty-Pants (1)

The Hours

by Michael Cunningham

Demanding perfection brings depression. This is what was implied in The Hours, a novel written by Michael Cunningham. The characters, which were women, in this novel seemed to have inner problems which were related to their own life. They refused to live in their own life. Each of these women made a great effort to find their appropriate life as they desired to be; however, unfortunately, depression came out as the result. Sometimes, this is what will happen to all people who only concern about what is wrong in their live. Generally speaking, people nowadays are much alike that.

When people consider their life as something they don’t want, there is a tendency for them to feel uncomfortable and alienated from their own life. Worse, sometimes they force themselves to make the perfect life possible, as much similar as they imagine. They really want lo live the perfect world as in their perception. Nevertheless, when they think only about the perfection, they will have the unsatisfactory feeling, time by time. As in the novel, this condition appeared in Virgina Woolf, she always felt that she didn’t belong living in the suburb of London. She found out that living there was psychologically painful. It was stressful and could not make her condition better in any kinds of ways, considering that she had a mental illness. Clarissa Vaughn, a woman who dedicated her life to take care of Richard, the sick man. She couldn’t accept the reality that Richard could be died. Even tough, Richard him self had already accept the possibility. Laura Brown, a housewife who lived in Los Angeles, seemed to consider her life as a mother of two children wearisome.

Those representative cases can be found in reality as well. Unfortunately, the result of misleading mid set of life is, as it’s mentioned previously, depression. When people keep continuing to do so, it will intoxicate their mind about life. They will obsessively try to make it right as it should have been. They will assume that their life is worthless, mistaken, and meaningless. Worse, there is a possibility for them to find an instantaneous exit to be free from their problems. As in the novel, Virginia chose to suicide for she didn’t stand living her life in order to life in her imaginary peaceful world she desired. Laura Brown, she abandoned her family. However, only Clarissa picked the most logical option to solve her problems. She tried to understand the imperfection of life by listening to Laura Brown’s experience.

Incompleteness and comfortless are common in life. There is no such thing as a perfect world. Other wise, life is imperfectly beautiful. Life will always have two sides, the good and the bad. Synchronizing both sides is somehow essential. As written in the novel, “you can not find peace by avoiding life”. Appreciate life, then you are fulfilled. 

Hijabers: Potrait of Consumerist Moslem Women

“Duh, itu apa sih kepala kok dililit-lilit?”

”Ini di-gimana-in pake nya? kok bisa gini?”

”Itu jilbab ya mbo yang rapi-rapi aja, pake jilbab sampe dua tiga lapis sekaligus gitu...”

Have you ever said those statements when you saw a young moslem girl using such an extraordinary model of veil? Or unintentionally have heard someone said so? I guess, realize it or not, we have ever experienced it. It is because the usage of hijab is now in trend. It is phenomenal. Not only in particular formal occasion, the “out of the box” and eccentric way of hijab use is also worn in campus and even in hangout places, such as malls and cafes.  Hijaber Moslem girls, whom most of them are youngster, are extremely creative on hijab and modification of headscarf. The models of the hijab are also incredibly various from the simplest one until the most complicated and surprising one which can be so much astonishing, and make you frowning then ask or say previous statements above.

HIJABS

JILBABS

Actually, what is exactly the difference between hijab and jilbab? Many people which I have already asked about did not notice the difference. However, some of my friends who are the members of Hijabers Community, a community which is keen on fashion for Moslem women, could answer it short, simple, yet clear. For them, there is a distinct difference between hijab and jilbab. Jilbab is usually considered as “jilbab segitiga” which is ordinarily used by most of Moslem women. Meanwhile, hijab is a headscarf of veil which has been modified and added with some accessories.  “It is sorta winding headscarf,” one of them said boldly.

What makes hijab being so much fond of? This hijab phenomenon is triggered by technology and information. Hana Tajima, a English fashion designer, popularized it. She liked to upload the trendy and uniquely fashionable hijab tutorial on YouTube. From there, a lot of Moslem girls started to follow the new way of using hijab. Not only international designers or public figures, in Indonesia, local designers and celebrities began to show their existence in using hijab, for instance Dian Pelangi, Puput Melati, and so on. The new use of hijab was also expanding when Ramadhan tv serial or sinetron ramadhan was just like competing each other to show the use of hijab on their female casts. Sinetron made hijab which was considered unfamiliar and global, became much more familiar and local. This made hijabers not only comes from upper middle class people who can easily update hijab style development trough internet, but it is expanded to larger scale of class.

Everyone wants recognition or affirmation within ourselves or from other people, and do the Moslem women. We can not deny that each of women wants to be considered beautiful and gorgeous. As for postmodern, beauty is a diverse product, and the most eccentric, dysfunctional, outrageous is the most beautiful one, as long it is the disparity of something that has not been existed before. Before this hijabers phenomenon, the use of hijab or headscarf for Moslem women seemed boring and dull since there wasn’t any kind of variation in the way they wore it. Then, these extraordinary various hijab styles were appeared, giving the new energy and inspirations for those who wore hijabs. Those styles were ingeniously different yet eye-catching. They were considered more fashionable than the ordinary hijab or headscarf for Moslem women. Those eye-catching colour and out-of-box style of hijab can be put together with other up-to-date and trendy fashion items and dresses, not only Moslem wear like gamis, but the fashion items which we can usually see on the fashion magazines. That makes the new definition of “beauty” for Moslem women. According to Baudrillard, consuming product is similar to consuming symbols and image. This point is also related to the usage of hijab nowadays for Moslem women. Obviously, hijab will give them a higher value in term of beauty than other ordinary Moslem women who don’t wear that extraordinary hijab styles. Self branding as “up-to-date” “sophisticated”, and “chic” will be stitched on them. Those labels, clearly, give them prestige and pride on their society due to their capability of being fashionable and standing boldly different among other ordinary Moslem girls.

Desire to be differently fashionable is also depicted on the differences between hijab and jilbab.  Literally, hijab is the border cloth between man and woman in Moslem society. Hijab is actually a cloth to cover some forbidden body area in Islam (it is usually called Aurat). Hence, there is no difference between hijab and jilbab.  However, nowadays, there is a shifting on the definition. Frequently, hijab  is the term of veil of headscarf with extraordinary shapes. Hijab is differed for sake of identity and self-branding of the hijabers. They want to be considered and seen as “unique” and “different”.  

Example of Tausiah and Bazaar Event

Desire to be always fashionable has to be backed up with some brand-new and fresh fashion items. It gives a tendency for hijabes to buy the fashion items compulsively. As it has been said by Faurschou that postmodern people is the people who is triggered to create the endless desire of consuming.  Not only the hijab or the headscarfs, hijabes, frequently, buy some accessories as the complement of the hijab, for instance rings, bracelets, brooches, necklaces, headbands, and so on and so forth. They buy that not for the needs of covering their body parts as it is commanded in Moslem belief, yet it is only for their pleasure. A great number of online shops which sell some hijab and accessories become the indicator of this phenomenon.

Not only in shopping centre and online shops, the quran reading gathering (or pengajian in Indonesia) is also completed with bazaar section in it. the quran reading which is usually held by the hijaber community,  is not the way to listen on preach and the tausi’ah  anymore, but it is also the place for shopping! Ironic is the girls recurrently looking forward to the bazaar which provides them with promos and discounts much more than the tausi’ah  itself.    

This phenomenon shows there is a shifting of consuming meaning. Clothes, or hijab and accessories in this case, they are no longer functioned as the body (aurat) cover, but they are for identity matters and self-branding issue. Moslem women attempt to stick some particular labels on themselves through the use of hijab. The beautiful fashionable and up-to-date Moslem woman is the identity which might appear as the same time of the title of hijabers comes to them.

References:

Banard, Malcomn. 2011. Fashion Sebagai Komunikasi: Cara Mengomunikasikan Identitas Sosial, Seksual, Kelas dan Gender. Jalasutra: Yogyakarta

Soedjatmiko, Haryanto. 2008. Saya Berbelanja, Maka Saya Ada: Ketika Konsumsi dan Desain Menjadi Gaya HIdup Konsumeris. Jalasutra: Yogyakarta

Being Wild Is A Value

When we mention valuable things, what comes in our minds? It is usually associated with something good. For example, they are beauty, delicacy, pleasant, and precious. Meanwhile, wild is associated with recklessness, wilderness, and irresponsible behaviour. It is almost impossible to notice wildness as value. Being wild will always give people trouble and mess. People believe that recklessness leads to nuisance. Nevertheless, it does not always seem like that. Wildness has something which can be appreciated. It is precious for occasionally it gives you lessons. Being wild is a value.

That is what we can figure out from On the Road, a novel written by Jack Kerouac. Wild figure in Dean Moriarty comes into Sal’s life and it is quite inspiring, even tough maybe people around him do not see that as a worth.“Although my aunt warned me that he would get me in trouble, I could hear new call and see a new horizon, and believe it at my young age;” (On the Road:10). Being wild gives people inspirations for living. As in the novel, Sal is so inspired by the Dean Moriarty, one of his acquaintances whom he describes as tedious intelligence. He admires the quality which is totally different from the people in his eastern society. They are rigid, stiff, and regimental. He sees different quality which Dean has and wants to be as free as Dean. The carefree life of Dean captivates him, and even he puts Dean as his role model to life.

Being wild turns people to be a better person. It is fascinating because when people have gone wild or even mad, they do the things that they want, and it is relieving. It is freeing souls and mind. When it turns to free souls, it casts away the burdens in life which is good to life. “’Criminality’ was not something that sulked and sneered; it was a wild yea-saying over burst of American joy” (On the Road: 10). Wild minds or behaviours might be in everyone. However, not everyone is brave enough to make it happens. It might be the society who pushes them, so they just do not do that. By being wild, it makes people to be honest of them self and life. People just free their mind, do the thing that they want to do. They do not have to pretend that something is bad or immoral because of the society’s sake. That is another point that makes people a better person.

Wildness, which can be considered as a spontaneous thing, makes people to do the things that they might not try before. Wildness does not require people to think much and do less. ”…he didn’t care one way or the other.” (On the Road: 10). Being wild just wants people do things, experience, and get lesson from it. When they do something they have never strived before, they develop our self. By being wild, they encourage themselves to do anything different.

All and all, being wild does not always mean being nuisance or even criminal. It is worth something. Being wild gives you the opportunity to be more than you right now. It encourages you to do the things which maybe you have not done before. It free your self. Hence you become more honest of your life. Being wild helps you to act more than just only sit and think about your life. It is carefree. You are not afraid anymore to experience your life. Then, as a result, you earn lesson to be a better person.

Reference:

Keroac, Jack (1975). On the Road.  New York : Buccaneer Books, Inc.

Love In A Fallen City-An Essay

Good Family Is a Nightmare

“It seemed that she was trapped in a nightmare.”

 (Love in a Fallen City: 118)

This quotation is quite tickling since it is taken from a story about a good family who still holds the traditions in its life. It makes us wondering about the impact of being in a good family. Is it really advantageous? Or even is it harmful? Family is the first place or first agent when we learn norms or customs. Family is the primary agent for socializing what is right and wrong in this life. It teaches you the norms and customs to be guidance in this life. It trains you to be more aware of the regulation and obeys it. Generally, when the family grasps the regulations, norms, and customs for each of the members, it makes the family becomes the good role model. People frequently judge as the good family which has the good life since the family attaches to the regulations, norms, customs and so on. However, have we ever realized that kind of family is exceedingly frustrating? Good family does not always means good life.

It is figured in Love in a Fallen City, when the family discusses the future husband of Seven Sister. Engaged marriage, for example, is one of the horror. They pick future husband for Seventh Sister. They consider about the age, the intelligence, the job, the family, and so on. It gives the standard on the member’s life, even a high standard. It also happens in Sealed Off.  “The Wu was a modern, model household, devout, and serious. The family had pushed their daughter to study hard, to climb upward, step by step, right to the very top...” (Sealed Off: 241) When the family likes to interfere the personal business of each member or pushes so hard its member to be what they want to be, they dominate the member’s life. It is extremely demanding, consequently, it might not make them happy.

Good family is sometimes exhausting. It gives you tendency to do the ‘family things first’. “But in this time like these I have to think of their needs too.” (Love in a Fallen City: 117) Setting aside personal matter and concerning more on the family matters is important. it is an honour to serve the family. However, does it make you contented? Occasionally, it is not. Moreover, it can be burdens for some people.

Good family is frustrating. When family tends you to achieve those life standards, whether you like it or not, you have to do so. “I can’t stay here in this house any longer. I’ve known for ages how much they resent me,” (Love in Fallen City:118). To be perfectly excellent in order to keep the good name of the family needs a lot of efforts. When you can not fulfill that, people around will murmur or even consider you as a failure. Moreover, at an extreme point, they will hate you. It is trammeling.

All and all, in a society, a good family is the one which obeys the regulations, norms, and customs. When the family sticks to the right things, it is believed that they will bring happiness in their life. Nevertheless, all of the tendency to reach the standards of life is grating. They have to keep the dignity of the good family by accomplishing the proper life as it is shaped based on the standards. It might be said that even the standards are constructed from the society. Hence, good family is sickening at times since they live for the society, not for themselves. 

The Thing-I-Made-With-All-Efforts-And-Blood

M. Butterfly: The Power of Oriental Women Streotypes

 “Because a man knows how a woman supposed to act”

(Act 2, Scene 7)

The quotation above makes me wonder about the men’s power upon women. Is it really men who have the absolute power to women? From the previous quotation, it is obvious that it is men who have control of women. They are the ones who understand how women should do or act. In short, they are the ones who dominate woman.  This play, “M. Butterfly”, written by David Henry Hwang, an Asian-American playwright, portrays the power and superiority between men and women. This play has Orientalism background in it. This Orientalism makes the sense of East and West stereotypes vividly occur in this play. Rene Galimard, one of the main characters, is the symbol of the Western man himself. He is a Frenchmen, a diplomat or a leader of people, and he analogizes him self as Pinkerton, a character in the adopted play,Madama Butterfly by Giociamo Puccini, who left his Japanese woman in desertion. In contrast, the interesting part of Hwang’s version is that Gallimard who is ‘used’ by Song Liling, the Chinese spy disguising actress who is analogized as Butterfly, to get advantages from him. He is not as conquering as Pinkterton to Butterfly. This switch also deconstructed the stereotypes of oriental women as weak people. Oriental women stereotypes become power to conquer western men.

According to the Beginning Postcolonialism by John McLeod, “Orientalism is Western fantasy” is one of the shapes of Orientalism. It is said that the orient are not based on the actual observation in Oriental land, yet it is something fabricated construct. It comes from Western men’s dreams, assumptions, or fantasies. Orient is generally described as the one who serve the Western for their superiority. It also happens to oriental women value. It occurs in the text, “It’s one of your favorite fantasies, isn’t it? The submissive Oriental woman and the cruel white man.” (Act 1, Scene 10). They tend to think that oriental women are submissive and sexually sensual. There are some lines in the play which show that. “I saw Pinkerton and Butterfly, and what she would say if he were unfaithful…nothing.”(Act 2, Scene 6). This indicates that oriental women are submissive. They even don’t show their displeasure when they feel so. The sexually sensual fantasy upon orient girls is shown when Marc has a conversation with Gallimard about the party in act 1, scene 4:

Marc: Of course you don’t! you never know…They stripped, Rene!

Gallimard: Who stripped?

Marc: The girls! (Act 1, Scene 4)

They keep believing with their fantasy about oriental women until they take that stereotypes as if as it is the truth. “It is true what they say about Oriental girl. They want to be treated bad!” (Scene 3, Act 1). This is what they believe that Oriental women are weak and feminine. Unfortunately, as they earnestly believe, it makes them failed to see that probably there is something behind those oriental women’s feminine attitudes. They always imagine things from their own spectacles. That is why Song Liling can deceive Gallimard. They forgot that their fantasy-based stereotypes upon Oriental women mislead them.

The fantasy of Oriental women is supposed to create the image of “perfect women” in the Western men’s mind. They long for woman who has the grace, the delicacy, the beauty, and the willing attitude. The “perfect woman” is imagined as Butterfly. “Its heroine, Cio-Cio-San, also known as the Butterfly, is a feminine ideal, beautiful and brave” (Act 1, Scene3). It is occurred in some of the lines in the play. “She has the grace, the delicacy….” (Act 1, Scene 6) and “Unlike a western woman, she didn’t confront me, threaten, even pout” (Act 2, Scene 6). However, the idea of “perfect woman” becomes the strategy to mesmerize and weaken the Western men. As in the play, Song knows that to win the man means to win his heart. Song deliberately creates the image of “perfect women” as just as Gallimard would like it.

Song: Please….it all frightens me. I’m a modest Chinese girl.

Gallimard: My poor little treasure (Act 1, Scene 13)

“Please. Hard as I try to be modern, to speak like a man, to hold Western woman’s strong face up my own…in the end, I fail. A small, frightened heart beats too quickly and gives me away. Monsiour Gallimard, I’m a Chinese girl.” (Act 1, Scene 10)

She intentionally feminine her self based on the oriental women stereotypes. As a result, Gallimard falls for her. The falls turns into the enslaved position for Gallimard. “And it worked! He gave in! Now, if I can just present him with baby. A Chinese baby with blonde hair—he’ll be mine for life!” (Act 2, Scene 7).  Song definitely realizes that being delicate is the way to conquer men. “All he wants is for her to submit. Once woman submits, a man is always ready to become ‘generous’” (Act 2, Scene 7). Gallimard eventually gives the American info to her because he thinks that she is not that harmful. For being a “perfect woman”, Song gets what she has aimed for.

All and all, Western men’s stereotypes unconsciously weaken their own domination. It is because their fantasy of the image of Oriental women misleads them. They fail to see that probably there is something behind that feminine image. In this play, the Oriental woman deliberately forms the image of the “perfect women” in order to get her purpose. Moreover, she succeeds. The feminine images of oriental women can be the weapon to control the Western men’s domination.