A Synopsis
on
“AGGRESSION IN KHALED HOSSEINI'S NOVEL A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS”

Introduction

Aggression is most frequently defined as a manner in social psychology; which is projected to harm another person, who is motivated to avoid that harm. This type of harm can take many forms "physical injury, hurt feelings, or damaged social relationships" (Allen & Anderson, 2014, p. 922). Although definitions vary slightly, many prominent aggression researchers have utilized more definitions that are similar. Allen and Anderson further explain about subtypes of aggression “any behaviour directed toward another individual that is carried out with the immediate intent to cause harm. In addition, the wrongdoer must believe that the behaviour will hurt the target and that the target is motivated to escape the behaviour” (p. 923).

Spousal violence is a problem that is deep-rooted in many societies around the world. Research related to this field shows that "such type of violence is remained a hidden and persistent problem even though societal awareness and condemnation of the issue has increased" ( The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 2017, p. 1). The main reasons of spousal violence are "power and control held by the abuser and the fear, intimidation and humiliation suffered by the victims of this violence. This type of violence often occurs in relationships that are romantic in nature and then where one partner seeks to dominate and exert power over the other. In such a case, the relationship mostly deteriorates and may become violent" ( The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 2017, p. 1).  In such relationships, "physical, psychological, verbal, emotional, financial and sexual violence are common. Spousal violence can occur in husband-wife relationships, dating relationships, with common-law spouses and also in same-sex relationships" ( The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 2017, p. 1).

When we raise a question, "'Who are the victims of spousal violence?', even if there are some studies that imply men and women are both capable of violence, female victims suffer more physically, emotionally and financially from abuse. While the majority of men are not violent, some men have learned to express their anger or insecurity through violence" ( The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, 2017, p. 1). 

"Literature is simply another way we can experience the world around us through our imagination" (Hidayah, 2009, p. 13). Literary work is the output of human thought, which states us about life and deals with "feeling, ideas, experience, ambition, imagination, and problems" (Hidayah, 2009, p. 13). It presents to give a pleasure and expand knowledge of the reader. Literature is one of the most artistic and widespread means of communicating the spiritual emotion and intellectual concern of humanity. "Literature is also a mirror of society and will be considered by human imagination and ideas of their expression, good form, techniques, and our imaginary world. It can be applied from human of daily life" (Hidayah, 2009, p. 14).

While dealing with literary criticism, we also know about psychological criticism that is portion of our soul to express our sentiments. Psychological criticism is the application of psychoanalysis within literature. In addition, critics use "psychological criticism to explore the motivations of characters and the symbolic meanings of events, while biographers speculate about a writer's own motivations" (Bandura, 1973, p. 14). Thus, psychological criticism is one of theories from literary criticism, and to analyse this research, here is the use of part of social psychology, that is aggression and frustration-aggression. Literature and psychology have close relationship and cannot be in separation form, because psychology is a part of literature, which supports and influences each other.

 

General objective

The over-all aim of this research is to identify and describe aggression and discrimination in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns.

            The specific objectives of this research are described as:

·         To identify different kinds of aggression in Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns.

·         To describe aggression in Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns.

·         To assess domestic violence in Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns.

·         To test the application of Frustration Aggression Hypothesis in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Statement of Problem

            Based on the above research background, research problems of this study are as follows:

·         What kinds of aggression are found in Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns?

·         How are the different kinds of aggression described in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

·         What kinds of domestic violence are faced by women characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns?

·         How are the aggressions in domestic violence explained based on frustration-aggression hypothesis in A Thousand Splendid Suns ?

Significance of the study

            On the one hand, by doing this study, the researcher assumes that it will give useful contribution for developing knowledge on aggression and literary analysis. Theoretically, this research is aimed to enrich the theoretical basis of literary studies. In addition, it will make the readers or the next researcher have well understanding about aggression and its application in literary work, moreover in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. Furthermore, violence is one form of aggressions of social psychology as one of literary criticism which can also be applied in several side of life.

            Similarly, the result of this study is expected to be a reference and alternative information for other researchers to enrich their knowledge with similar research. For other researchers, it is hoped that this study might help them to learn how to analyse fiction especially about violence and aggression on literary work. However, this study still needs to be followed and completed by other researcher with the same subject or object of the study.

 

Literature Review

Literature and psychology are interrelated and cannot be separated, because psychology is a part of literature, they support and influence each other. Learning psychology means an effect to learn the understanding of individuality and its aspects to understand another person who has a unique and specific attitude, which differentiate him or her from the other (Hidayah, 2009, p. 17). Moreover, the relationship between literature and psychology is shown by term of psychology of literature. What mean by “psychology of literature” is psychological studies that are applied in literature works. One of them is the study of psychological types and laws present within works of literature. As Wellek, Rene and Warren state “by psychology of literature, we may mean the psychological study of the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of the creative process, or the study of the psychological types and laws presents within works of literature, or, finally, the effects of literature upon its readers (audience psychology)” (Saadah, 2014, p. 4).

"In social psychology, aggression is most commonly defined as a: (1) behaviour, (2) that is intended to harm another person, (3) who is motivated to avoid that harm" (p. in Allen & Anderson 3; Bushman & Huesmann, 2010). This harm can take many forms such as "physical injury, hurt feelings, or damaged social relationships (to name just a few)" (Allen & Anderson, 2015, p. 3). Although definitions vary slightly, many prominent aggression researchers have utilized highly similar definitions. For example, in order to better distinguish between certain subtypes of aggression, Anderson and Bushman (2002, p. 28) more specifically defined human aggression as “any behaviour directed toward another individual that is carried out with the proximate (immediate) intent to cause harm. In addition, the perpetrator must believe that the behaviour will harm the target and that the target is motivated to avoid the behaviour” (Allen & Anderson, 2015, p. 3).

There are different factors that cause human aggression: environmental, social, learning, etc. Aggression is not variable which emerges incidentally or automatically. The cause factors of behavioural appearance of aggression are frustration, stress, compliance and power, attendance of weapon, provocation, alcohol and drugs, and air temperature.

A large proportion of previous research into bullying and aggression for example, (Olweus, 1980) has focused on aggressive physical behaviour in boys, in part because physical aggression is more easily observed and of a form that is stereotypically male (Underwood, Galen, & Paquette, 2001). Bjorkqvist and Niemela (1992) suggest that aggression can be categorized into the dichotomies physical versus verbal and direct versus indirect, a definitional theme that is apparent in much of Björkqvist and colleagues’ pioneering work in this field (Björkqvist, 2001) and one that has driven much related research for example at (Tapper & Boulton, 2004).

Moreover, Björkqvist, Lagerspetz, and Kaukiainen (1992) propose that there are three main types of aggression. They are i) direct physical, ii) direct verbal and iii) indirect aggression. Physical aggression includes such direct behaviours as pushing another, punching, hitting, or kicking. In which verbal aggression may abuse by yelling at another, name-calling, using insulting expressions, or make verbal threats. Indirect aggression uses less direct forms of aggressive behaviour such as excluding a person from the group, spreading malicious rumours about another, or disclosing another’s secrets to a third person (Bjorkqvist, Lagerspetz, & Osterman, 1992).

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Violence and aggression have quite close relationship and become part of daily life. Harris, Gergen and Lannaman in Andris’s thesis (2006: 4) as presented in Hocker Wilmot believe that violence is related to increase in verbal aggressiveness. It appears that violence occurs when a person’s goal attainment is blocked (the frustration-aggression hypothesis), and the end result from increase in verbal aggressive-part of an “aggression ritual”.

Frustration is external obstacles that obscure someone’s target. The experience of frustration can arise of desires to do aggressive that are cause of frustration. Aggression can arise or not, as reaction of frustration is depend on influence connection variable, that is anxious toward punishment because doing aggression, or nothing existence is cause of frustration as factor that can aggression not arise.  While, Baron and Robert (1977: 449) say that frustration is the blocking of ongoing, goal-directed behaviour, it has long been held to be one of the major elicitors of aggression, but recent findings suggest that it may play a smaller role in this respect that was previously suspected.

 

Research Methodology

The Research Design

Research design comprises identifying participants for the research, and preparing for data collection activities, which are part of the whole research process. Thus, this study adopted a qualitative research design. This study is a descriptive qualitative research. Creswell (Creswell J. W., 2014, p. 233) states that qualitative research is a research that begins with assumptions, a worldview, the possible use of a theoretical lens, and the study of research problems inquiring into the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. The multiple data sources of this research are words or images (Creswell J. W., 2014, p. 235). While analyzing results, we can use the form of words, clauses and sentences instead of numerical data.  It is said that under qualitative design, a researcher, as a key instrument in the field, uses multiple sources of data, respects informant’s viewpoint, adopts flexible research schedules, and performs holistic account of research findings. Moreover, the qualitative research design was adopted because it is appropriate for descriptive purposes and it allows the researcher to test the validity of certain claims and assumptions in the real-world contexts that is natural settings (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010, p. 11).

The Data and the Source of Data

Vanderstoep and Johnston (2009:7) state that the data of qualitative research are described in a narrative fashion rather than in the forms of number. Since this research is qualitative, the data were the expressions taken from a novel entitled A Thousand Splendid Suns. The data were related to: (i) kinds of aggression that were found in the novel and (ii) application of frustration-aggression hypothesis.

A Thousand Splendid Suns was written by Khaled Hosseini, which was published for the first time in 2007 by Riverhead Books. Its epic story has made it gain popularity among people around the world and in 2008 Bloomsbury Publishing published it again in paperback version. The novel has 432 pages that are divided into four parts and fifty-one chapters. Part one, which consists of chapter 1-15, tells about Nana and Mariam, part two which is from chapter 16 to 26 focuses on Laila, part three with chapter 27 to 47 tells about Mariam and Laila, and part four which is from chapter 48 to 51 has Laila as its heroine.

In this study, the researcher also used some books, journals, and websites, which dealt with feminism and gender discrimination. Those resources were taken to enrich the researcher's knowledge and comprehension in conducting this study. 

Research Instruments

The primary instrument in analysing the data was the researcher himself, as Creswell (p. 38) states that in qualitative research, the researchers collect data themselves through examining documents, observing behaviour, and interviewing participants. The researchers are the ones who actually gather the information and they do not tend to use or rely on questionnaires or instruments developed by other researchers. They use their own capacity to collect, interpret and analyse the data.  Thus, the primary instrument of this research is a set of data collected from the novel entitled A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Hosseini, 2013). This instrument functions as a guide for the researcher in the process of identification and analysis.  In addition, the secondary data are previously published reviews, articles, theses, etc. related to the novel and theories used in this research.

The Technique of Data Collection

In this study, the researcher used the technique of analysis of documents and material culture since the source of the data was a written text (Creswell J. , 2007, p. 38). The process of data collecting technique consists of four steps, namely careful and comprehensive reading, note taking, data interpreting, and data categorizing. Firstly, the writer read Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns carefully and comprehensively. In order to get the trustworthiness of the data, the researcher read and reread the novel to get more vivid understanding about it. 

To obtain the necessary data, the researcher also took notes and highlighted the data, which were related to aggression and types of it. The data, which had been gathered through note taking process, were interpreted using lens of aggression. 

Finally, the data were categorized into the units, which were relevant with (i) kinds of aggression, which were faced by the women in A Thousand Splendid Suns and (ii) the application of frustration-aggression theory used in the novel. The researcher wrote the categorized data in a table of data collection and classification. The researcher marked some sentences bold, which support and emphasize the categories he made to ease the analysing process. 

The Technique of Data Analysis

Kothari (2004, p. 23) mentions that data analysis is an integral part of qualitative research and constitutes an essential stepping-stone towards both gathering data and linking one's findings with higher order concepts.

According to Creswell (2007, p. 185), data analysis in qualitative research involves six steps namely organizing and preparing the data, reading the whole data, coding the data, sorting the data, interrelating description, and interpreting the meaning of description. Below is the description of those six steps.

1. First, the researcher identified the data that were taken from the novel by making some notes.

2. Second, the researcher read and re-read the whole data and arranging them into two major topics under the study. The first analysis was exploration of aggression and the second analysis was kinds of aggression.

3. Third, the researcher categorized the data into thematic categories related to aggression and the kinds of aggression.

4. Fourth, the researcher sorted the data to get the more relevant data. Thus, the irrelevant data were excluded.

5. Fifth, the data analysis process moved towards the process of making interrelation between the description of the data and the theories to get findings based on the objectives of the research: to explore aggression and kinds of aggression in Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns.

6. Sixth, the researcher engaged in making interpretation of the findings based on his comprehension about the theories, which were used.   

The Trustworthiness of the Data

According to Creswell (2014, p. 124) in qualitative research trustworthiness has become an important concept because it allows the researcher to describe the virtues of qualitative terms outside of the parameters that are typically applied in quantitative research. In essence, trustworthiness can be thought of as the ways in which qualitative researchers ensure that transferability, dependability, confirm-ability and credibility are evident in their research.

Transferability refers to the applicability of the research to the different contexts (broad or narrow). In this way, a study is not deemed unworthy if it cannot be applied to broader contexts; instead, a study's worthiness is determined by how well others can determine to which alternative contexts the findings might be applied. To prove the transferability, the researcher provided the rich, thick description to enable the readers to transfer information to other settings and to determine whether the findings can be transferred because of shared characteristics.

Conformability deals with the accuracy of the researcher in conceptualizing the study. The interpretations and findings of a study should match the data. Meanwhile, dependability refers to the idea that if the other researchers collect data in similar conditions, a similar explanation for the phenomenon should be found. Both conformability and dependability in this study was achieved by reading the data comprehensively and rechecking it carefully.

Credibility is a concept of internal validity of the findings. A credible study is one where the researchers have accurately and richly described the phenomenon in question. To provide corroborating evidence and prove the credibility of the study, the researcher employed triangulation method. According to Kothari (2004, p. 89) triangulation is the way to establish the trustworthiness of the data using more than methodology to address the same question. There are four types of triangulation namely multiple and different sources or data, methods, investigators, and theories triangulation (Creswell J. W., 2014, p. 280).

In this research, the researcher engaged multiple and different theories and methods. To collect the data, the researcher conducted multiple techniques, which were reading and note taking. The theory applied in this study was not only frustration-aggression, but also some other supporting theories related to aggression.

Investigator triangulation was employed to prove the trustworthiness of this study. The research consultation was conducted with his advisor who is competent in the study of literature. In completing triangulation techniques, the researcher also made a discussion with two peer-reviewers.

To increase the credibility of the research findings, the researcher also conducted multiple and data sources triangulation by gathering evidence taken from a variety of data sources such as books, theses, journals and websites which were related to her research matter. Each type of source of data strengthened the evidence and gave different insights regarding the phenomena under study.

 

Chapter Plan

I am planning to complete my dissertation on the proposed format of following chapter division.

Chapter – I

            This chapter is introductory chapter. It consists of nine subdivisions, namely, background of the study, statement of problem, significance of the study, objectives, philosophical worldviews, theoretical framework, definition of key terms, delimitations and limitations of study, and chapter plan.

Chapter – II

            This chapter deals on literature review.

Chapter – III

            This chapter will deal methodology.

Chapter- IV

This chapter will deal on analysis of data.

Chapter – V

            This chapter will be about conclusion and recommendations.

References

The Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime. (2017, May). Spusal Abuse. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from Spousal Abuse: https://www.crcvc.ca/docs/spousalabuse.pdf

Allen, J. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2014). Aggression and Violence: Definitions and Distinctions. In P. \sturmey, The Wiley Handbook of Aggression and Violence (pp. 921-951). John Wiley & Sons, Limited.

Allen, J. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2015, The Wiley Handbook of Violence and Aggression). AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE: DEFINITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS. In P. Sturmey, The Wiley Handbook of Violence and Aggression (pp. 1-28). Retrieved from https://public.psych.iastate.edu/caa/abstracts/2015-2019/16AA.pdf

Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 27-51.

Bandura, A. (1973). Aggression: A social psychological analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Björkqvist, K. (2001). Different names, same issue. Social Development, 10, 272-274.

Björkqvist, K., & Niemelä, P. (1992). New trends in the study of the female aggression. In K. Björkqvist, & P. Niemelä, Of mice and women : Aspects of female aggression (pp. 3-16). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Bjorkqvist, K., Lagerspetz, K. M., & Osterman, K. (1992). Direct and Indirect Aggression Behavior (DIAS). VASA, Finland: Department of Social Sciences. Abo Akademi University.

Bushman, B. J., & Huesmann, L. R. (2010). Aggression. In B. J. Bushman, & L. R. Huesmann, Handbook of Social Psychology (pp. 833-863). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.iastate.edu/docview/622138255/A1E0C40520564C2

Creswell, J. (2007). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches (Second Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Reasearch Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (Fourth ed.). London: Sage Publications Inc.

Hidayah, L. W. (2009). Aggression in Domestic Violence Based on Frustration-Aggression Described in Khaled Hosseini’s AThousand Splendid Suns.

Hosseini, K. (2013). A Thousand Splendid Suns. New Delhi: Thomson Press India Ltd.

Kothari, C. (2004). Research methods: methods and techniques. New Delhi: Wiley Eastern.

Leedy, P., & Ormrod, J. (2010). Practical Research: Planning and Design (Ninth Edition ed.). Boston: Pearson Education International.

Olweus, D. (1980). Familial and temperamental determinants of aggressive behavior in adolesent boys: A causal analysis. Developmental Psychology, 16, 644-660.

Saadah, F. (2014). CARLO VENTRESCA’S AMBITION THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION IN DAN BROWN’S ANGELS&DEMONS. Semarang. Retrieved November 14, 2015, from http://download.portalgaruda.org/article.php?article=314805&val=4704&title=CARLO%20VENTRESCA%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2S%20AMBITION%20THAT%20LEADS%20TO%20DESTRUCTION%20IN%20DAN%20BROWN%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%E2%84%A2S%20ANGELS&DEMONS

Tapper, K., & Boulton, M. J. (2004). Sex differences in levels of physical, verbal, and indirect aggression amongst primary school children and their associations with beliefs about aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 30, 123-145.

Underwood, M. K., Galen, B. R., & Paquette, J. A. (2001). Top ten challenges for understanding gender and aggression in children: Why can't we all just get along? Social Development, 10, 248-266.