The Analysis of TheGood Person of Szechwan: BrechtEvils

Portrayal on the Characters

Members of group

Dwi Pratiwi

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Sandra

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Tomy Christianto O

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Derry Kurnia

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ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITAS AIRLANGGA
SURABAYA
2015

Introduction
The good person in szechuan is story about the missery in people life. People can not be a
good person in reality life. Life is so difficult to do without become bad person. Anything can
happen in real life, nor bad or good person. On the Brechts story, we can learn about the
character of Yang sun and Shen Te on their life. The view of chinese life face so many obstacles
in their life. The job, money, heart, and love are become important which crush each other. The
definition of good or bad person is depend on what have you done. Not of your intention to do it.
The writers try to analyze the non binary between bad and good person in this character story.
There is something that will be discussed between bad and good person. On the Brecht story,
there is evil character between two characters Yang sun and Mrs.Mitzu.
Yang sun is ShenTes boyfriend, unemployment, which he try to be a pilot. Mrs.Mitzu is
building owner of some shop. The writers analyze two person who has evil character and the
cause of its character. The story represent bad and good character but our group analyze bad
character as important thing in the story line. The bad character is appeared by Brechts story
line. Our group will divide into some scene in analyzing of story. Trying to focus on scene and
interlude, then analyze on where the appearance of evil character is.

Analysis
On the analysis of good person in Szechwan, there are some scene which is important
thing. There is conversation between Mrs. Mitzu and Shui Ta which justify an evil character
appear on Mrs. Mitzu. She try to ignore and impolite of Shui Ta condition. There is situation
Shui Tas cousin must hide from policeman. How Shui Ta beg for Mrs. Mitzu then Mrs. Mitzu
give permission that Shui Ta must pay high for rent for shop. In this story line, our group
conclude that Mrs. Mitzu take benefit from the situation. That is the evil character from Mrs.
Mitzu who try to push Shui Ta on bad condition. The justify about the Mrs. Mitzu is bad person,
but there is cause why Mrs. Mitzu ignore the Shui Tas cousin.
On the last conversation, Mrs. Mitzu explain that is respectable building. It means that
Mrs. Mitzu just want accepted good person. Thats why evil character appears on Mrs. Mitzus
attitude towards Shui Ta.
MRS. MI TZUBut not for people like your cousin.
SHUI TAWhat does that mean?
MRS. MI TZUIt means that people like your cousin must pay six months rent in
Advance.
MRS. MITZU Thats not my concern. You shouldve thought of that before. Six
Months in advance, or back she goes to the street where she came from.
MRS. MI TZUThis is a respectable building, sir.

Another portrayal of Brechts evil are depicted in the event:

The carpenter asking for the payment of shelves to ShenTe.
CARPENTER Robbery. Robbery and fraud. I bet you and that Mrs. Shin are in on this together.
I want fifty dollars for the work I did
SHEN TE

How can I pay you? I haven't made any money yet.

CARPENTER Then I'll have all your assets (liquidated) sold off. Immediately. So pay up or be
sold off, your choice.
This event shows how the carpenter extorting Shen Te by asking the payment that she did not
even know how much it cost.
Other scenes that depicts Brechts evil character happened in Shui Tas character:
This event happened when Shen Tes alter ego or known as Shui Ta chasing away the homeless
family from her house. She said some rude words in order to chase away the homeless people.
This rude words depicted in :
SHUI TA

She's attending to other business, so I'm giving the orders now - no more
charity, no more helping hand.

WIFE (shaken) And we thought she was a good person ...

NEPHEW (to SHUI TA) I don't believe you. Start looking for her.
This mean words are coming from her confusion oftaking of the homeless family, especially by
the arrival of homeless aunties. She briefly said My beautiful shop and followed by the
presence of The little lifeboat, Is quickly swamped. Too many greedy hands Pull it under. It
means her shop could not handle homeless people anymore. The homeless poeple will keep
multiplying since many of homeless people were coming to Shen Tes house. Hence, her
rudeness cause is explicitly depicted in her alter ego, Shui Tas conversation:

SHUI TA (calmly) They won't find her. She sends her regrets that her hospitality towards you
must end. There's far too many of you. I want this shop to be run
like a
HUSBAND

shop.
ShenTe wouldn't do this to us.

This conversation happened when replying Nephews argumentation about Shui Ta expulsion.
Shortly after Shui Ta replies Nephews argument, there were a Husband disappointment of Shui
Tas hospitality which depicts how rude Shui Tas words is. AnotherShui Tas evilness depicted
in negotiating the price of shelves. Here are the Shui Tas conversation with Carpenter:
CARPENTER

Your cousin owes me forthe shelves. Fifty bucks.

SHUI TA(takes out money) You don't think fifty's a bit on the steep side?
CARPENTER

No. And I dont discount. Ive got a wife and kids to feed.

SHUI TA

How many?

CARPENTER

Four.

SHUI TA

I'll give you ten dollars.

CARPENTER(laughs)

Funny guy. Those shelves are walnut.

SHUI TA

Take them down then.

CARPENTER

What d'you mean?

SHUI TA

They're too expensive. Take them down.

This conversation depicts Shui Tas disagreement over Carpenters shelves bill. He keeps
negotiating the price even though the carpenter maintain his shelves price by saying his family
life condition. Unfortunately, Shui Ta still stand in his position after rudely commanding
Husband to help the carpenter unpacking his shelves. Finally, Shui Tas evilness win the fight
price after knowing the shelves made of.

The other characters that have evil personality are Elderly couple (Husband and Wife)
and Shu Fu. Shu Fu is a wealthy barber who runs a shop near Shen Tes tobacco business.
Actually, Shu Fu has both good and evil points. The evil point of Shu Fu appears when he attacks
Wang with curly tongs and breaking his hand. At that time, Shu Fu does nothing to help Wang,
the man he injured. On the other hand, Shu Fu is interested by Shen Te. He donates several
buildings on his property to her so that she can give house to the homeless. He offers to marry
her to save her business, though she ultimately declines. Here is the dialogues in scene four that
depict the evil of Shu Fu :
SHUI TA Mrs. Shin, go get Mr. Shu Fu, the barber, right away!
MRS. SHIN rushes out the door to the tobacco shop as the door to Shu Fus barber shop
flies open and lights possibly dim in the tobacco shop. SHU FU, possibly in his shirt
sleeves, tosses WANG out into the street followed by all his water paraphernalia.
Meanwhile Shui Ta either continues pacing in the tobacco shop or remains frozen during
the following:
SHU FU Thatll teach you to harass my customers with your damn water! (Wipes Wangs
dirt from his hands). Next time I call the police!
He huffs back into his shop as Mrs. Shin appears on the street. She rushes into the shop as
Wang massages a hurt arm or leg. A moment later she rushes back out with Mr. Shu Fu,
who puffs after her possibly buttoning up his jacket or affixing a flower to his lapel or
some such. Wang gathers his stuff and sadly shuffles off. Lights back up to full in the
tobacco shop. SHUI TA pacing. SHU FUwalks in, followed by MRS. SHIN, who
withdraws back outside at a wave from SHU FU.
The Elderly couple (Husband and Wife) were Shen Tes first landlords when she moved
to the city from the countryside. They made her leave when she ran out of money. However, as
soon as Shen Te opens her tobacco shop, they appear at her door with six relatives and demand
lodging. They take the advantages of Shen Tes generosity, though they also try to protect her.
When creditors and beggars come into her shop, it is they who suggest making up a relative so
that Shen Te can put them off. Their suggestion leads to Shen Te creating her cousin Shui Ta.
Shui Ta later has them and their family to work in her tobacco factory. For the most part, the
elderly couple only like Shen Te because they benefit from her kindness, and dislike Shui Ta he

is tough on them. Here is the dialogue that shows the evil character of Elderly couple (Husband
and Wife) :
The WIFE and HUSBAND enter, along with their shabbily dressed NEPHEW. All carry
sacks over their shoulders.
WIFE My dear Shen Te, we heard how well you're doing. Look at you, a businesswoman
now. Us, we've nowhere to live at the moment. Our tobacco shop went bust. We
wondered if we could stay a night with you (and put these two bags in storage)? Have
you met my nephew? He came along too, he goes everywhere with us.
NEPHEW (looking around) Nice shop you've got here.
MRS. SHIN Who in Gods name are they?
SHEN TE They were my first landlords when I came to the city from the country. (To the
audience.) When my small bit of money had gone they turned me out onto the street.
They'll be afraid now that I'll do the same.
They're poor.
They're homeless.
They've no friends.
How could anyone turn them away?
(Warmly to them.) You're welcome. I'd be glad to put you up. All I have though is a small
room at the back of the shop.
HUSBAND Don't worry. That'll do us.

Conclusion

The good person of Szechwan was written by Brecht that has several characters. These
characters has its own personality which construct the theme of the story. The story were made
up by its protagonist called ShenTe, a young lady who had been judged as good person by GODS
towards her behavior. She is a good person in Szechwan even though working as a prostitute
lady. Her generosity were utilized by the people around her. Hence, there were many people are
becoming opportunist while dealing with her. These people are the carpenter, the homeless
family, Mrs. Mi Tzu and Yang Sun. Occasionally, they say something mean in utilizing ShenTes
generosity. Unfortunately, ShenTe had been taught by one of them in utilizing her relatives. As a
result, Brechts evil portrayal is depicted in ShenTes alter ego who had shown some more mean
words than the other characters.

Works Cited