the vicous circle of poverty in stephe crane's maggie a girl of the streets

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF POVERTY
IN STEPHEN CRANES’S MAGGIE A GIRL OF THE STREETS
UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
BY
MOH. HARIS SUHUD
NIM. 0811110059
STUDY PROGRAM OF ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITAS BRAWIJAYA
2015

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF POVERTY
IN STEPHEN CRANE’S MAGGIE: A GIRL OF THE STREETS
UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented to
Universitas Brawijaya
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Sarjana Sastra
BY
MOH. HARIS SUHUD
NIM 0811110059
STUDY PROGRAM OF ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE
FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES
2015

ii
DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP
Here with I,
Name : Moh. Haris Suhud
NIM : 0811110059
Address : Desa Dukoh Kidul RT. 14 RW. 02 Kec. Ngasem, Bojonegoro.
Declare that:
1. This undergraduate thesis is the sole work of mine and has not been
written in collaboration with any other person, nor does it include, without
do acknowledgement, the work of any other person.
2. If at a later it is found that this undergraduate thesis is a product of
plagiarism, I am willing to accept any legal consequences that may be
imposed upon me.
Malang, 21 August 2015
Moh. Haris Suhud
NIM. 0811110059

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This is to certify that the undergraduate thesis of Moh. Haris Suhud has been
approved by the Board of Supervisor
Supervisor I
Juliati, M.Hum.
NIP. 19720929 200604 2 001
Supervisor II
Ni Wayan Swardhani W, S.S
NIP. 19810909 200604 2 003

iv
This is to certify that the undergraduate thesis of Moh. Haris Suhud has been
approved by the Board of Examiners as one of the requirements for the degree of
Sarjana Sastra
Melania Shinta Harendika, M.A., Chair
NIP. 19840617 201012 2 005
Juliati, M.Hum., Member
NIP. 19720929 200604 2 001
Ni Wayan Swardhani W, S.S., Member
NIP. 19810909 200604 2 003
Acknowledged by, Sighted by,
Head of Study Program of English Head of Department of Languages and
Literature
Yusri Fajar, M.A Ismatul Khasanah, M.Ed., Ph.D
NIP. 19770517 200312 1 001 NIP.19750518 200501 2 001

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ABSTRACT
Suhud, Mohammad Haris. 2015. The Vicious Circle of Poverty in Stephen
Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Study Program of English, Department of
Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Studies, Universitas Brawijaya.
Supervisor: Juliati; Co-supervisor: Ni Wayan Swardhani W.
Keywords: Poverty, New York, Maggie, Industrial Revolution
There is statement that literary work is mirror of society. Literary work cannot be
separated from social life because its author is a member of society. What is seen
and felt by author can be reflected in the work. This phenomenon can be found in
novella written by famous American writer namely Stephen Crane. The novella is
entitled Maggie, A Girl of the Streets, which tells about Johnson’s family who live
in Poverty in New York. When the novella was written, the industrial revolution
happened in New York. There were massive production and many immigrants
came to the city to find a job. This momentum brought great changes on the social
life at that time. The factory stood almost in every space of the city so the area for
residential was limited. The impact of this industrial revolution seems to occur in
Johnson’s family as the resident of New York as seen in the novella. Therefore,
this work is considered as a real portrayal of the city at that time. Then this study
aims to reveals how poverty affects Johnson’s family as reflected in the work. To
obtain its aim, this study used sociological approach by focusing on the theory of
poverty. The result of this study shows that the poverty experienced by Johnson’s
family drives to other problems, including the problem of housing, health,
alcoholism, crime, violence, prostitution, injustice, and child labor. These
problems connect each other to other problems. This what is called as 'Vicious
Circle of Poverty’.

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ABSTRAK
Suhud, Mohammad Haris. 2015. Lingkaran Setan dari Kemiskinan dalam Novel
Stephen Crane, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Program Studi Sastra Inggris,
Jurusan Bahasa dan Sastra, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Brawijaya.
Pembimbing: (I) Juliati; (II) Ni Wayan Swardhani W.
Kata kunci: Kemiskinan, New York, Maggie, Revolusi Industri
Ada sebuah teori sastra yang mengatakan bahwa karya sastra adalah cerminan
masyarakat. Sebab, karya sastra tidak bisa dipisahkan dengan masyarakat karena
penulis karya tersebut merupakan bagian dari masyarakat itu sendiri. Apa yang
dilihat dan dirasakan oleh penulis dapat tercerminkan pada apa yang ditulis. Hal
ini juga terjadi pada penulis terkenal dari Amerika, Stephen Crane. Pada sebuah
novella berjudul Maggie, A Girl of the Streets, ia menceritakan tentang
kemiskinan keluarga Johnson yang tinggal di New York. Ketika novella ini
dikarang, di New York tengah terjadi revolusi industri besar-besaran. Aktivitas
produksi sangat masif sehingga banyak imigran yang datang ke kota New York
untuk mencari pekerjaan. Momentum ini memberikan pengaruh yang sangat besar
terhadap kehidupan masyarakat waktu itu. Pabrik berdiri hampir di seluruh sudut
kota sehingga kawasan untuk pemukiman semakin menyempit. Kemiskinan yang
terjadi pada era industri itu direfleksikan oleh Crane dengan menghadirkan
keluarga Johnson dalam karyanya. Itulah kenapa karya ini dianggap sebagai
gambaran nyata tentang masyarakat pada waktu itu. Kemudian penelitian ini
bertujuan untuk mengungkap bagaimana kemiskinan yang dialami keluarga
Johnson berdampak pada kehidupan mereka berdasarkan novella tersebut. Untuk
itu, penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi yang fokus menggunakan
teori yang berkaitan dengan kemiskinan. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan,
kemiskinan yang terjadi pada keluarga Johnson menimbulkan beberapa masalah
yang meliputi; masalah tempat tinggal, kesehatan, alcoholism, kriminalitas,
kekerasan, prostitusi, ketidakadilan, dan mempekerjakan anak. Satu masalah
dengan yang masalah lainnya memiliki hubungan erat. Inilah yang kemudian
disebut dengan ‘Vicious Circle of Poverty’.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Praise and gratitude is to God Almighty for His mercy and blessing upon
everything in this world. Peace and salutation be upon to the noble Prophet,
Muhammad S.A.W, who said that “poverty could bring people to the abyss of
infidelity”. He is my greatest inspiration to work on this thesis.
I would also like to give my eternal gratitude to both of my supervisors,
Juliati, M.Hum and Ni Wayan Swardhani W, S.S, for their great patience, guidance,
corrections and constructive suggestions during this thesis writing process.
This undergraduate thesis will never be completed without the
encouragement, assistance and prayers from a lot of people involved in the process of
the thesis completion. Therefore, I would like to give my gratitude to the following
parties:
 My gratitude and thanks to beloved parents, Husnan and Khomsatun, for their
everlasting love, endless prayer, and great motivation.
 My deepest thanks are also dedicated to all of the 2008 English literature
students who are impossible to be mentioned one by one.
 Thanks for the whole family in Pesantren Al Hikam Malang, Umam, Hadi, Didin,
Tebo, Ganok, Tutut, Robi. Thanks for Anas, Arip, Nizal for their great support.
The writer

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................................... i
DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP ............................................................................. ii
SUPERVISORS’ APPROVAL ......................................................................................... iii
BOARD OF EXAMINER’S CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ................................... iv
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................ v
ABSTRAK .......................................................................................................................... vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... x
LIST OF APPENDIX ........................................................................................................ xi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of the Study................................................................ 1
1.2 Problems of the Study .................................................................... 4
1.3 Objectives of the Study .................................................................. 5
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE AND
RESEARCH METHOD ......................................................................... 6
2.1 Sociology of Literature................................................................... 6
2.2 New York in the 19th
Century ........................................................ 8
2.3 Poverty ........................................................................................... 12
2.4 Synopsis of Maggie: A Girl of the Streets ..................................... 19
2.5 Previous Studies............................................................................. 21
2.6 Research Method............................................................................ 22
CHAPTER III FINDING AND DISCUSSION .............................................................. 25
3.1 Image of Poverty in Johnson’s Family ............................................ 25
3.2 The Effects of Poverty in Johnson’s Family.................................... 27
3.2.1 Child Labor .................................................................... 27
3.2.2 Housing ......................................................................... 31
3.2.3 Health ............................................................................. 35
3.2.4 Crime.............................................................................. 37
3.2.5 Injustice .......................................................................... 39
3.2.6 Violence ......................................................................... 43
3.2.7 Alcoholism ..................................................................... 47
3.2.8 Prostitution ..................................................................... 49
3.3 The Vicious Circle of Poverty in Johnson’s Family........................ 51
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION .................................................. 54
4.1 Conclusion...................................................................................... 54

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4.2 Suggestion ...................................................................................... 56
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 57
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................. 59

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
2.1 A Comparison of Ill-being and Well-Being........................................................ 14
3.1 The Circle of Poverty in Johnson’s Family......................................................... 53

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LIST OF APPENDIX
APPENDIX Page
Berita Acara Bimbingan Skripsi ............................................................................... 59

1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of background of study, problem of study, objective
of study, and significant of study.
1.1 Background of the Study
Literature is a product of society because the authors of literary work are
members of society. They can express the idea taken from the social condition
around them into their work. For this reason, literature is suggested as an
expression of society or a mirror of society which can present an image of social
life and culture of society when the work was created. This is supported by Wellek
and Warren’s statement in their book Theory of Literature (1993, p.9) that
literature is social institution that could represent social reality.
Literary work has certain themes which come from the author’s concerns.
If the author lives in a time of poverty, the condition of poverty will be reflected
into the work. In short, the condition of environment and what has been seen by
the author have significant influences. Glicberg (cited in Endraswara, 2003, p.77)
said that "all literature, however fantastic or mystical in content, is animated by a
profound social concern."
This also happens to a famous author, Stephen Crane. Many of his works
contributed so much to the development of American literature. Crane is known as
the American naturalist’s author. Crane is a witness of important affairs in

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America, particularly in New York where he lives. In the late of the 19th century,
Crane saw the real bad conditions of poverty in New York. From here, he wrote a
novella entitled "Maggie: A Girl of the Streets" which was published in 1893. This
work reveals a lot of image of poverty in New York at that time.
This novella is very interesting. It is considered as a realistic portrayal of
poverty in urban society of New York in 1890s. The story centers on poor society
in New York’s slum especially on the life of Johnson’s family. This family who
lives in poverty is driven into unfortunate circumstances. One problem of poverty
that is faced by this family leads into the other problem.
Stephen Crane wrote his novella based real social condition of New York’s
side because he is naturalistic author. According to Campbell (2013), naturalistic
writers use scientific method to write the novella. It means that before creating
literary work, they study human beings governed by their instincts and passion as
well as the way in which character’s life were governed by forced of environment.
Stephen Crane also did it when he had received an assignment from the newly-
formed Bachelor-Johnson Newspaper Syndicate to write about the Bowery in
1893 and it gave him material for his novella. Shortly thereafter, Crane wrote this
story. In 1893, this novella had been rejected by publisher’s editor who considered
the subject matter is inappropriate for publication. Then Crane published it with
his expense.
When the novella was created, industrialization era had brought significant
changes in the society of New York. This era was hoped to be one step to get
better life for many people. Thus, the city was received the flow of immigrant

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from countryside. Between 1880 and 1902, America received more than 20
million immigrants. So, life for everyone was to be challenged. This condition
made an improve standard of living, but it also resulted bad living condition for
some people. Nelson Manfred B. (1963, p.248) in his book A History of American
Life and Thought marked that the New York during industrialization era had many
face; slum, criminals, beggars, and grafters displayed one side of urban life.
Moreover, De Forest and Veiller (1903, p.4) noted that there are more than
two-thirds of New York’s population was living in tenement housing. This means
that city’s populations, most of them are living in poverty. According to Townsend
(2006, p.5) people can be said in poverty condition when they are lacked of
income and other resources to obtain the comfort conditions of life. From these
circumstances, poverty may result many disadvantages that potentially connect to
other disadvantages. For example, poverty condition could make someone lack of
education. Then this lack of education brings someone to jobless. And, someone
who has no job can’t gain money to fulfill the needs in life. Thus, the community
who live in poor condition will shape certain behavior of society like bad attitude,
insecurities, discrimination, stealing, and etc. This is what referred to term
‘Vicious Circle of Poverty’.
Based on the explanation above, this study is going to investigate the
vicious circle of poverty to Johnson’s family in Stephen Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of
The Streets. The writer would love to discuss about this work because a study
focuses on poverty using the novella is still rare. Whereas this novella is

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acclaimed as an important work in the development of literary naturalism, a
powerful social novella, and important contribution to American literature
Since this study attempts to reveal the humanity facts related to poverty in
New York’s society based on the Crane’s novella, the theory that will be applied in
this study is sociological approach. This approach provides an understanding that
literary work has a connection to the condition around it. Literary work is an
imaginative expression which does not only have an aesthetic value but also
represents the life in term of a social reality.
A previous study related to this novella was conducted by Mohammad
Faiqul Ihsan, a student of UIN (Universitas Islam Negeri Malang), entitled Social
Problems of New York Slum Society in 1890s as portrayed in Maggie: A Girl of
the Streets by Stephen Crane (2009). In this study, he found that social problem of
New York which is reflected in the novella including: poverty, prostitution, violent
crime, and alcoholism. This study encourages the writer to do advance study
especially for the matter of poverty. In this study, the writer is going to elaborates
more about poverty and its effect to Johnson’s family as reflected in Crane’s work.
1.2 Problem of the Study
Based on background, the problem of study is how poverty affects
Johnson’s family and its vicious circle as manifested in Maggie: A Girl of the
Streets.

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1.3 Objective of the Study
In line with problem of study, the objective of study is to reveal the vicious
circles of poverty in Johnson’ family described in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.

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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents review of related literature: sociology of literature,
New York in the late 19th
century, poverty and its effects, synopsis, previous study,
and research method.
2.1 Sociology of Literature
In analyzing the novel Maggie: A Girl of the Street by Stephen Crane, the
writer uses sociological approach. The writer aims to apply general theory of
sociology to analyze literary work which is called as sociology of literature.
Sociology concept that will be used in analyzing literature bases on
assumption that literary work only comes from society that could represent social
life. As consequence, the text of literary work can be used as source to study about
the social condition in certain era when the work was created. This assumption
comes from Wellek and Warren’s statement (1993, p.94) that:
Literature is a social institution, using as its medium language, a
social creation. They are conventions and norm which could have
arisen only in society. But, furthermore, literature ‘represent’ ‘life’:
and ‘life’ is, in large measure, a social reality, even though the
natural world and the inner or subjective world of the individual
have also been objects of literary ‘imitation’. Literature has also
social function, or ‘use’, which cannot be purely individual.

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According to Endaswara (2003, p.79), there are several different
perspectives that can be applied in sociology of literature in analyzing literary
work. The perspectives that could be applied including:
a. Literary work considered as a mirror of author’s social life.
b. Literary work and its function to the society.
c. Literary work considered as social document that consists of the reflection
when the literary work was created.
Since this study will investigate how far the novel Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
reveals poverty phenomena of New York side in 1890s based on novel’s text—not
about the author’s life or reader’s respond— thus the writer uses only the last
points.
The argument that literature and society have a close connection – literary
work is social document that consists of the reflection of author’s thought when
the literary work created – supported by Marxian theory of consciousness. It
suggested social life and human thought are systematically integrated. It means
that the idea of the authors of literary work is animated by social activities around
them. Then, that idea conveyed through in the literary work’s text by the author.
Moreover, Georg Lukacs said that an author is true realist. The essence of realism
is the honest and the desire of the author to reveal a reality of society (Karyanto,
1997, p.36). So, the author’s is not only influenced by psycho-emotional but also
the development of society.

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Based on the explanations above, this study will apply that approach to
investigate the poverty in New York’s side 1890s that manifested in the texts of
the novel Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.
2.2 New York in the 19th
century
Bad New York side’s and its social life in 1890s inspired Crane to start
writing his novel Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Between I8th
and 19th
centuries
was a period of early industrial era. Agrarian and rural societies became industrial
and urban. During industrial revolution, New York had played a particularly
significant role in economy activities especially after completing the construction
of canal system by 1825 and other transportation infrastructure. As a result, this
condition stimulated manufacturing in New York, created commerce and reacted
on every form of industry, made New York truly the Empire State (Williams,
1915, p.336).
This condition brought significant changes in society. In industrial era, the
city was unable to keep pace with the flow of arriving worker from the
countryside to seek better life. By this great number of immigrant, life for
everyone was to be challenged for competition to get a job in a factory. This flow
of immigration resulted double increasing population of New York every decade.
Ninth Census of the United States released the population of New York in 1870
was 973,106 souls. In 1880, the number of population reaches up to 1,209,561
(McCabe, 1882, p.51). In addition, during the nineteenth century, the Afro-
American population of New York State increased more than 300%. In certain
portion, whole blocks may be found in which English language was rarely heard.

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The dwellers use the tongues of their native countries in their intercourse with
each other (Bulkley, 1906, p.590). To accommodate this great influx of
immigrant, the city governments build tenements to cover these people.
The high cost of living in New York forced the poor and the laboring class
chose and lived in the bad tenement house and put up with discomfort (McCabe,
1882, p.63). As the number of the poor was more than the rich, according De
Forest and Veiller (1903, p. 4), more than two-thirds of New York’s population
lived in tenement housing. In 1864, the number of tenement house in New York
was 15,511. In 1900 reported the number of tenement house in New York
significantly increased. There were 82,652 tenements, of which 42,700 were
located in Manhattan, 33,771 in the borough of Brooklyn, 4365 in the Borough of
the Bronx, 1398 in the Borough of Queens, and 418 in the Borough of Richmond
(De Forest and Veiller, 1903, p.4).
The tenement house accommodated 100 to 150 people in one building.
Tenement building usually was five or six or even seven stories high, about 7, 62
x 27, 43 meters. De Forest and Veiller (1903, p.8) described the tenement
condition; upon the entrance floor there were generally two stores, one on each
side of the building, and these sometimes had two or three living rooms back of
them. In the center was the entrance hallway, a long corridor less than 91, 44 cm
wide and extending back 18, 28 meters in length. This hallway was nearly always
totally dark, receiving no light except that from the street door and light that came
from the small windows opening upon the stairs, which were place at one side of
the hallway. Each floor above was generally divided into four sets of apartments,

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there being seven rooms on each side of the hall. The front apartments generally
consisted of four rooms each and the rear apartments of three room, making
altogether fourteen upon each floor, or in a seven-story house eighty-four rooms
exclusive of the stores and rooms back of them. Of these fourteen rooms on each
floor, only four received direct light and air from the street or from the small yard
at the back of the building. Therefore, this bad condition of tenement house
became full with so much danger to the welfare of the community.
A family lived in such tenement building paid for four rooms of this kind a
rent of from $ 12 to $18 a month. Of these four rooms, only two are large enough
to be deserving of the name of rooms. In summer the small bedrooms are so hot
that a large part of the tenement house population sleep on the roofs, the
sidewalks. Sometimes, buildings that had once been single-family were divided
into multiple families (De Forest and Veiller, 1903, p.9). This place looked very
crowded with the inhabitants.
The place where they lived not only affected upon the health of the people,
but also upon their moral and social condition as well. They were centers of
disease, vice, and crime. The rate of mortality was very high especially the
number of the infant’s death. Some children who remained alive, they never got
an education and grew up to be uncivilized human. Jacob Riis declared on his
book How the Other Half Lives that the tenement dweller often fought and
murdered other gangs. Jacob Riis (1890, p.218) said, “Its gangs are made up of
the American-born sons of English, Irish, and German parents. They reflect

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exactly the conditions of the tenements from which they sprang. Murder is as
congenial to Cherry Street or to Battle Row.”
On other side, prostitution became an appalling evil in New York that
could source from the tenement’s dweller. There were about 600 houses of
prostitution in New York. The number of women known to the police as
professional prostitutes was about 5000, including several hundred waiter girls in
the concert saloons. Some of them were young women who had been led astray
by her men. Others were wives who have left by their husbands; others chosen the
life in the hope of escaping poverty. They begin their careers with the hope that
they could reach better life, but some of them must go down into a horrible death
(McCabe, 1882, p.474). Some of the wretched people endured themselves by
drinking alcohol. About 35,000 persons were arrested and brought before the
Police Courts of the Metropolis every year for “drunkenness” and drunkenness
and disorder”. More than 35,000 were arrested in a single year for this cause.
Women were also addicted heavily (McCabe, 1882, p.530).
In conclusion, the industrial era has made the significant changes in
society. Million people came to New York to seek the better life but they got
nothing. The tenement houses where they lived are place which thousands people
are living in the smallest space where it is possible for human beings to exist.
From this condition, evils could emerge in social life. Thus, New York in that time
was bad place to live for them.
These explanations about social conditions of New York in 1890s will be
used to identify the images of poverty appears in the novel Maggie: A Girl of the

12
Street which is written during that time. Some facts provided above are assumed
as the result from the poverty which then brought them into vicious circle of
poverty in industrial era.
2.3 Poverty
Because this study is going to investigate the vicious circle of poverty, it is
important to explain the definition of poverty, seeds of poverty, and its effect to
social life.
Poverty has received a variety of definitions. Hurry in his book entitled
Poverty and its Vicious Circles (1921, p.1-2) found several definitions according
to some experts. First, Economist Adam Smith described a man as rich or poor is
according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, the
conveniences and the amusements of life. Second, according to Godard, poverty is
an insufficiency of the things which are requisite for an individual to maintain
himself and those dependent upon him in health and vigor. Third, Loning defines
poverty as a condition in which the economy necessaries for existence are absent
and cannot be obtained. Fourth, according to Anatole Weber, the poor man is one
who being without capital, lives entirely and precariously on his labor. From these
varieties of definition, it can be generally defined that poverty is lack of material
to get enjoyment in life.
Then, how people became in poverty condition is a complex problem.
Etzioni (1976, p.29) wrote that the seed of poverty are inherent in the capitalist
economic system. For more details, Oscar Lewis explains based on studies in

13
several ethnic cultures the root of culture of poverty in societies where certain
condition exists, such as:
1. a cash economy, wage labor, and production for profit;
2. a high rate of unemployment and underemployment for unskilled
labor, and low wages for those employed;
3. the failure to provide social, political, and economic organization,
either on a voluntary basis or by government imposition for the low-
income population;
4. the existence in the dominant class that stresses the accumulation of
wealth and property, and that explains low economic status as a result
of personal inadequacy of inferiority (Julian, 1977, p.254).
Instead of having the cause, poverty also affects the society. Max Webber
(cited in Ritzer, 2003, p.115) says an event will followed by other event. So,
poverty has a profound effect on the style and quality of the lives of the people. It
extends to inequality in education, health care, police protection, job opportunity,
legal justice, housing, and many other areas. These all are usually caused by
discrimination to the poor. For example, the poor frequently subjected to mental
illness. They needed more medical treatment but they have unequal access to
health services and receive less adequate treatment. As the result, their children
are more likely to die than are those of riches.
Furthermore, A. Shadwell (cited in Hurry, 1921, p.209), noted that poverty
is associated with bad habits. They are more likely to become criminals or
juvenile delinquents, alcoholism, divorce, and violence. These factors because

14
they act and react upon each other in such a way. Chambers (2006:4) made a
comparison of the condition of being poor (ill-being) and being rich (well-being)
as the figure below:
Figure 2.1: A Comparison of Ill-being and Well-Being
From the figure above, it is understandable that people who live in good condition
have the links to get more chance to have good life, social relation, health service,
education, and security. It is totally contrasted with the poor who cannot get these
needs because the lack of material. It is very difficult for poor people to get out of
the circle. Because, one problem that exists in poverty has connection with the
other. Then they will always be stuck in that cycle of poverty.
There are many problems from being poor and they influence the society’s
behavior. The issues which will be discussed in this study as seen in in Crane’s
novella include:
a. Housing
House is an important asset to secure a livelihood but the lack of access to
get secure and safe housing is a feature of urban city. The availability of

15
land for housing remains an important influence on housing prices where
the poor have limited capacity to pay. So, the poor are forced to stay in
bad area of the city.
Julian (1977, p.251) states that the poor are isolated and segregated
economically. They are more likely to live in substandard housing—
overcrowded, in need of major repairs, lacking basic plumbing facilities,
and inadequate heated. The separation and isolation into such bad areas,
thus the poor are often obliged to live where physical, mental, and moral
health suffers.
b. Injustice
According to Julian (1977, p.252), poor adolescents are more likely than
their other counterparts to be labeled as juvenile delinquents. This labeling
could emerge because poor children are considered as uneducated.
Moreover, the poor often received injustice treatment when they break the
laws. By the definition, justice should be even-handed but in practice it is
not. Poor people are more likely than members of the middle and upper
classes to be arrested, imprisoned, and given longer sentences for the same
offense. Conversely, they are less likely to receive probation, parole, or
suspended sentences. These reason because they can’t afford to influence
the official of the court with their material.
c. Health Care
The poor are less healthy by almost measure of health. Hunter (cited in
Hurry, 1921, p.130) said, “Poverty and sickness form a vicious

16
partnership, each helping the other to add to the miseries of the most
unfortunate of mankind.” From this statement, it can be seen that sickness
is a result of being poor. It is understandable that the poor who with ill-
housed, ill-feeding, ill-clothed, they have the tendency to suffer chronic
disorders from this condition.
From that condition, mortality rates for poor are almost double. The life of
the poor is up to six years shorter on the average. This high rate of death of
the poor is encouraged by an unequal access to health service and
inadequate treatment. For instance, when they have to go to doctor,
treatment may be cursory because the physician aware of financial distress
to prescribe extensive diagnosis or hospitalization.
d. Alcoholism
In Julian (1977, p.84), the sociologist Robert Straus said that there are two
types of alcoholic: addictive and non-addictive alcoholism. Non-addictive
alcoholic are those who drinks to the point of stupefaction and who
frequent drinks interfering with their health, interpersonal relationships,
and economic functioning. Nevertheless, they are not addicted to alcohol.
Alcohol addicts have an uncontrollable need to achieve peak of
intoxication. Except these two types of alcoholic, there is also what is
called Skid Row. Skid Row alcoholics usually drink and stay at home in
their usual setting. The purposes of consuming alcohol are clearly to
divorce themselves from their past or to escape the realities of social
living.

17
The cause for alcoholism is believed as a complex variety of
physiological and sociological factors. According Julian (1977, p.86), the
person who develops an alcoholic drinking is most likely to be one
whose:
(1) responds to beverage alcohol in a certain way, perhaps
physiologically determined, by experiencing intense relief and
relaxation, and who (2) has certain personality characteristics,
such as difficulty in dealing with and overcoming depression,
frustration, and anxiety, and who (3) is a member of a culture in
which there is both pressure to drink and cultural induced guilt
and confusion regarding what kinds of drinking behavior are
appropriate.
Poverty resulted in depression, frustration, and anxiety. To escape from
these situations, the poor have to drink alcohol to forget all the sadness
they have as alcohol produces the desired oblivion and euphoria. So they
may be considered to be problem drinkers.
e. Crime
Crime is defined as an act or omission of an act for which the state can
apply sanction (Julian, 1977, p.57). George Bernard Shaw says “poverty
does not produce unhappiness; it produce degradation.” By this statement,
the poor condition is very close to the crime.
The reason that poverty has much to do with crime is encouraged by the
conditions of life. Where people are badly housed, fed, clothed and
educated they will be inherited or acquired mental instability. For thus, the
tendency to do crime increases. A large proportion of crime comes from

18
juvenile delinquency, drunkenness, and prostitutions. This is often the
result of poverty (Hurry, 192, p.101).
f. Violence
Violence is defined as behavior designed to inflict physical injury to
people or damage to property. Violent behavior can be used in the pursuit
of specific goals—aggression by children and adolescents to secure
attention, by adults to express dominance in certain place (Julian, 1977,
p.208).
Poverty connects to violence because unfulfilled need produces the
frustration and then frustration is manifested in aggression. The strength of
the impulses, needs, or wishes determines the amount of frustration so the
degree of aggression is based upon the amount of frustration. In short,
violence toward others and toward society is a form of aggression
resulting from individual frustration.
g. Prostitution
Prostitution can be defined as sexual intercourse on a promiscuous and
mercenary basis, with no emotional attachment. Prostitutes sell sexual
favors, to those who will pay, as a way of making a living (Julian, 1977,
p.455).
Julian (1977, p.457) also arranges several levels among prostitutes ranging
from the call girl, a house girl to the streetwalker. Call girl is the best
educated, best dressed and most attractive, and may often do part-time
work as a model or actress. A house girl works in a brothel, or house of

19
prostitution; she is in the position of employee to the madam who runs the
house. Streetwalker, she solicits customers wherever she can find them.
Women who become prostitute are usually due to society’s rejection. In
Julian (1977, p.460), according to Jackman, O’Toole, and Geis, who had
interviewed fifteen prostitutes who are all streetwalkers, they noted that:
“In general, the women were alienated from their parents. Before
becoming prostitutes, they had felt themselves to be isolated in an urban
society, without real friends. From this solitary, they become prostitution
to get money to fulfill their needs.”
h. Woman and Children Labor
According to Hurry (1921, p.155), the employment of women and children
as wage-earners is closely linked to poverty. The more wretched
community, the more often are the father’s wages supplemented by
earnings of his wife or children.
There are many reasons to the industrial company for employing women
worker, because mothers have to care of others. The wife’s wages
doubtless supply addition to the family budget. Then, the use of child labor
to supplement the father’s earnings is stimulated by the demand for cheap
labor.
2.4 Synopsis of Maggie: A Girl of the Street
The story opens with Jimmie Johnson a young boy from Rum Alley who is
fighting with Blue Billie from Devil’s Row. The fighting stops when Jimmie’s
father comes and takes him home, which is a dirty tenement with poor

20
neighborhoods. On the street, they meet Maggie and Tommie (Jimmie’s sibling).
When they arrive at home, Mary (Jimmie’s mother) fights with Mr. Johnson.
As time passes, Tommie and Mr. Johnson both die. Jimmie grows into a
rude young man who works as a truck driver. He often fights with other truck
driver. Maggie grows into a very attractive young woman among inhabitant in the
tenement. She begins to work in shirt factory. Their mother is deeply addicted in
alcohol.
One day, Pete visits Johnson’s family home and attracts Maggie’s attention
with his aristocratic look. Eventually, Pete visits Maggie’s home again and asks
her on a date. Pete takes Maggie on various dates in New York City on the later
day. Her mother curses Maggie because of dating with Pete that makes her leaving
home with Pete permanently.
Jimmie becomes angry for Maggie’s situation with Pete. Then, Jimmie
goes to the Pete in the bar where he works and decides to invite Pete for fighting.
This fighting gains the attention of policeman. Fortunately, he can escape from the
policeman. After several days, he returns home and Mary is still angry because
her daughter’s choice to live with Pete becomes gossip and judgments toward the
Johnson’s family. It is embarrassing.
One night, Pete runs into a woman named Nellie, who has better
appearance than Maggie. With her broken heart, Maggie decides to go home.
When Jimmie comes homes, he discovers that his sister is already home. Both
Jimmie and Mary reject her return.

21
When Pete is working in the bar, Maggie tries to run to Pete’s again but he
rejects her. Thus, Maggie walks without any destination in the streets of New
York. At one point, she attempts to approach a well-dressed man to seek help but
he turns away.
As time passes away, Maggie has descended into the world of prostitution.
She goes to a river then she disappeared. Meanwhile Pete is a drunkard, he is
surrounded by women. Nell is among them.
One day, Jimmie comes home telling his mother that Maggie is dead. Miss
Smith suggests Mary to forgive Maggie’s sins.
2.5 Previous Studies
Ihsan (2009) has conducted a study on Stephen Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of
the Streets entitled Social Problems of New York Slum society in 1890s as
portrayed in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. In that study, the writer focuses on the
social problem of New York which is reflected in the novel. The result of the
study reveals that there are some social problems that happened in New York slum
society in 1890s including poverty, violent crime, prostitution, and alcoholic
abuse.
Ihsan’s study only reveals the social problem that seen in New York based
on the Crane’s Novella. In this study the researcher wants to conduct deeper study
that the poverty is turning point which develops the social problem. Moreover, in
this study will show that the one problem can lead to the other problems.

22
2.6 Research Method
This sub-chapter contains an explanation about the type of research and
research method including data’s sources, how the writer analyzes, and presents
the data in conducting this study.
This study uses a qualitative approach. According to Dharminto (2014,
p.6), qualitative approach emphasizes on analyzing the connection between
phenomena that are observed scientifically aim to gather in-depth understanding.
This approach often results in narrative.
Unlike quantitative approach, qualitative approach uses data which does
not indicate ordinal values. Qualitative research involves collecting or working
with text, images, or sound. The primary data of this study are taken from the
novel Maggie: A Girl of the Street by Stephen Crane that is written in 1890s.
These data are all information that exists in the novel; it might be in form of
words, phrases, or sentences. Because of the purpose of sociological study is to
bring the positive study, the primary data must be supported with secondary data
that covering the historical data and some information of social life including
poverty that happened in New York in 1890s. All data source used in this study is
written literature.
The data analysis in this study based on research method that is explained
in the book Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design (Cresswell, 2007, p. 157).
There are six steps to analyze the data and to present it:

23
1. Managing Data
Managing data is by organizing files that will be used as research’s data. In
this study, the writer gathers the data from a novella entitled Maggie: A
Gilr of The Streets and some information which has connection with the
novella, such as information related to social change in New York and
poverty which occur in the city when the novella was written.
2. Reading
After the writer determines the file that will be used as data source the next
step is to read it. Before conducting this study, the writer must read the
whole texts of novella carefully to get deep understanding.
3. Describing
The next step in analyzing the data, the writer of this study describes the
story in short or makes a synopsis of the story.
4. Classifying
After reading the entire texts and getting deep understanding, the next step
is to classify the data according to the object of study that will be
discussed. The data are taken from the word, phrase, or sentence of novella
then inserted into pre-defined categories.
5. Interpreting
In this step, the writer tries to interpret the text by using sociological
framework so the discussion can be done
.

24
6. Representing
When all steps have been done, then the final step is to present the data
which is adjusted to the theory and finally get the results of research.

25
CHAPTER III
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
In this chapter, the writer discusses about Stephen Cranes’s Novella
entitled Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, the discussion is mainly dealing with the
poverty in Johnson’s family and its effects to this family using sociological
approach and supported with the historical data.
3.1 Image of Poverty in Johnson’s Family
In the novella which is written in 1893, Crane presented Johnson’s family
as the poor family who lives in slum area of New York. It is mentioned that this
family lives in an apartment located in the Bowery, at the southern of Manhattan,
New York. This can be proved through the statements when Maggie was visiting
an entertainment venue with Pete. Crane said, “In the balcony, and here and there
below, shone the impassive faces of women. The nationalities of the Bowery
beamed upon the stage from all directions.” (Crane, 1893, p. 50). From the last
sentence, it is understood that the entertainment venue is located in the Bowery.
So, if a literary work is an imitation of society where and when the work is
written as described by Wellek and Warren in his book Theory of Literature
(1993), it can be concluded that that Maggie and her family is a poor family who
live in New York.
Johnson’s family is described as a family consisting of five members:
Johnson, Mary, Jimmie, Maggie, and Tommie. This family is a poor family.
These unfavorable circumstances can be known through the expression from one

26
of the members of Johnson’s family, Mary, wife of Johnson, "She rocked to and
fro upon chair, shedding tears and crooning miserably to the two children about
their “poor mother” and “yer fader, damn 'is soul,” (Crane, 1893, p. 16).
Tearfully, Mary told her children that his mother is poor. Their father is the man
who condemned his soul. From here, Crane would like to emphasize that they are
suffering because of poverty.
Due to financial limitations to live in the urban-industrial revolution era in
New York, this family has to live in a small and slum tenement. The building
accommodates so many families who have been in the same fate with the
Johnson’s family: they’re all living in poverty. Many poor people forced to stay
in this place because this place is the only option to take shelter.
Every single day, this place is getting crowded as many immigrants come
to New York to search his fortune. Based on historical facts, the numbers of
people who come to New York double increased in each decade (McCabe, 1882).
That's why this cheap tenement is the chosen home for the newcomers.
Because of the immigrants from outside New York were increasing and
they chose to stay in the apartment, this place was getting not conducive; not only
for the Johnson’s family but also for other families. A descriptions related to the
atmosphere in the tenement can be found when members of Johnson’s family,
Maggie, complaining about the condition of the residence that this place is not
comfortable for her. “At times Maggie told Pete long confidential tales of her
former home life, dwelling upon the escapades of the other members of the

27
family and the difficulties she had had to combat in order to obtain a degree of
comfort,” (Crane, 1893, p. 94).
These are the descriptions of Johnson’s family and the community who
lives in poverty. They have to stay in a place that is uncomfortable. This situation,
of course, is in contrast with the industrial revolution jargon that often echoed at
the time that many people have the notion that the industrial revolution will be the
beginning of the welfare for all.
Furthermore, living in poverty can cause other negative effects on the
family. As described in chapter II of this research it is suggested that poverty will
bring several problems that affect on both physical and moral side. For example,
poverty has great influences to drive into violence acts, criminal acts, injustice,
health problems, alcoholism, and so on. Furthermore, one effect leads to the other
problems. This is what referred to term "Vicious Circle of Poverty".
3.2 The Effects of Poverty in Johnson’s Family
3.2.1 Child Labor
The industrial revolution in Europe, particularly in the New York in the
late 19th century, brought an enormous impact on social life. The standard of
living and lifestyle increased. For a family who lived in such urban society, there
were many needs that must be fulfilled. To meet the standards of living, someone
who wanted to live properly has to work hard, and of course, having enough
salary.

28
Typically, in a family, a man was a major source of income for the family.
From the salary obtained, then it is used to fulfill all the needs of the family
member. Thus, the family needs are met properly. Unfortunately, the breadwinner
of the family or the income of father is often not sufficient to meet all the needs of
the family. It is due to the salary which is obtained from the company where he
worked is not good enough. So, to cover this shortfall, the other members of
family have to go to work. In some conditions, children must be able to help this
condition.
The phenomenon above can be found in this novella. Johnson’s profession
as head of the family is not explicitly mentioned. However, from Mary statement
saying, "yer fader, damn 'is soul" (Crane, 1893, p.16) asserts that Johnson is a
man who could not make the entire family happy. When Mary was having dinner
with her children, after fighting with Johnson, she said that their father was not a
reliable man. Therefore, Mary mentioned Johnson as a father whose soul was
condemned. From this, it can be concluded that Johnson as breadwinner of the
family can be said that he is not responsible in giving livelihood to his family. It
is impossible for Mary to say that her husband’s soul damned if he could be
responsible in giving families a good life. For this reason, it can be concluded that
Johnson has a very small income which is not sufficient to meet all the needs of
the family.
To help the family, Maggie has to work in her early age. Going to work to
earn money actually is not wanted by Maggie at her age. But she has no choices
because there are only two options; going to work or her family’s life is getting

29
worse. This can be seen when Jimmie forces his sister to seek a job, “Mag, I’ll tell
yeh dis! See? Yeh’ve edder got teh go teh hell or go teh work,” (Crane, 1893, p.
35).
Maggie finally got a job in a factory. This is proved in the following
quotation, "By a chance, she got a position where they made the establishment
collars and cuffs. She received a stool and machines in a roller where sat twenty
girls of various shades of yellow and discontent, " (Crane, 1893, p. 36). From the
word 'collars' and 'cuffs' can be seen that Maggie works at a company that
produces clothing. Then, in the last sentence of the quotation can also be seen that
there are a lot of girls who work there. The girls and Maggie work almost all day
and returned to home when it is night (Crane, 1893, p. 36).
Previously it is mentioned that working in early age is certainly not the
dreams for a girl like Maggie. Girlhood, in ideally world, is supposed to be filled
with happiness, not to work in factory to help the financial problems that occur in
the family. Therefore, when Maggie meets the man who wears fine clothes, Pete,
she is haunted by the sadness of her work in the factory. In this novella, Crane
described Maggie’s response when she saw Pete’s appearance as following,” She
reflected upon the collar and cuff factory. It began to appear to her mind as a
dreary place of endless grinding,” (Crane: 1893, p. 45). Pete brings Maggie into
the imagination of girl’s happiness. This is what makes Maggie wants to make
relationship with Pete, hopefully he can change her poor fate to be better.

30
Maggie used to imagine that Pete could bring her into better life because
he was considered as aristocrat. While sad feeling always arose when she
remembered the difficulty of the job which she has in factory. The feeling in the
factory can be found in this paragraph:
“The air in the collar and cuff establishment strangled her. She
knew she was gradually and surely shrivelling in the hot, stuffy
room. The begrimed windows rattled incessantly from the passing
of elevated trains. The place was filled with a whirl of noises and
odours.
She became lost in thought as she looked at some of the grizzled
women in the rollers, mere mechanical contrivances sewing seams
and grinding out, with heads bent over reviews their work, real or
imagined tales of girlhood happiness, or of past drunks, or the
baby at home, and unpaid wages
She imagined herself, in an exasperating future, as a scrawny
woman with an eternal grievance. She thought Pete to be a very
fastidious person concerning the appearance of women.” (Crane,
1893, p. 58).
Maggie has been forced to take a job to help her family. However her
efforts do not enough to help her family. The reason is that the factory where
Maggie works predicted that it gives uncertain salary for the girl. This is proved
when Maggie told Pete about her work, "What een hell do you sink I pie fife dolla
a week for? Play? No, py damn." (Crane, 1983, p. 60) From this sentence can be
known, Maggie denied that she earns five dollars in one week. She said, "No, py
damn”, meaning that her wages was not enough to go to entertainment. Moreover,
Maggi often imagine that many workers in the factory she works do not get paid.
(Crane, 1893, p. 58).
In addition, in the industrial era, according to Hurry (1921, p.155), it is
common knowledge that employing children is an advantage for the company.

31
Employing children means to get cheap labor. Thus, the company can get a higher
profit because they have to spend small fund to pay their wages. This what is
called as oppressive capitalist system.
In conclusion, Maggie has to work hard is only for helping her poor
family. Her father who is supposed to be the breadwinner of the family cannot
fulfill the needs of the family. Finally, this is one of the effects of poverty that
affects to Johnson’s family, especially Maggie.
3.2.2 Housing
As explained above, Johnson’s family is a poor family. To meet the all
needs of the family, a little Maggie must also work in a factory. Ordering a child
to work in company is one of the negative effects that arise from a poor condition.
Furthermore, poverty has also an impact on matter of housing. It can be assumed
that the lack of material of the poor family would make them not be able to buy a
healthy and comfortable home for family life; especially for those who live in the
industrial revolution era while the land prices began to climb. This idea is
supported by Julian (1977, p.251) that the poor are often isolated from the city
and forced to live in substandard housing.
When the industrial revolution happened in America, particularly in New
York, many factories started to be built there. Based on historical fact, in the 19th
century when the novella was written by Crane, New York experienced a rapid
growth in industrial construction. New York has significant role in economy

32
activities. There are many factories until this city called as The Empire State
(Williams, 1915).
In such rapid expansion of factory made the location for human habitation
limited. As a result, the price of land was very expensive. In the other hand,
during the industrial era, there a lot of people came from other countries side to
find a job in New York. In 1870, according to Ninth Census of the United States
(McCabe, 1882, p.51) the population of New York was only 973,106 inhabitants.
In 1880 or ten years later, the population of New York increased to 1,209,561
souls. That means that the population of New York is almost double increased
every decade. So, when this novella is written about 1890, it expected that
population of New York had reached about two million inhabitants.
To accommodate these newcomers, the local government built some
tenements. For immigrants who were mostly poor people, they were forced to
stay in tenement which had been provided by the government. This place was the
best choice for those who did not have enough money to buy a more comfortable
place to live.
From year to year, this place increased in numbers. De Forest and Veiller
(1903, p.4) wrote that in 1900 there were 82,652 tenements in New York. Of
these numbers, Manhattan consists of 42,700 tenements. In this place, Johnson’s
family were lived, in lower Manhattan namely the Bowery. This residence was
very crowded and slum settlement. About the bad condition of this residence,

33
Stephen Crane describes when Johnson with his son walk together to their house.
In the novella stated that:
“Eventually they entered into a dark region where, from a
careening building, a dozen gruesome doorways gave up loads of
babies to the street and the gutter. A wind of early autumn raised
yellow dust from cobbles and swirled it against an hundred
windows. Long streamers of garments fluttered from fire-escapes.
In all unhandy places there were buckets, brooms, rags and
bottles.” (Crane, 1893, p. 9).
The place that is described above which is dark and dirty is not a worth
and comfortable place to stay. In fact, tenement is a place that holds many
families in urban communities. About the complexity of this building Crane
described as the following paragraphs. "A thousand odours of cooking food came
forth to the street. Building quivered and creaked from the weights of humanity
stamping about in its bowels," (Crane, 1893, p. 10). By the word ‘quivered’ and
‘creaked’, Crane wants to reveal that this place is crowded with the people who
were forced to live there.
This dirty place could be a source of disease. Then, the complexity of the
inhabitants make the house that should be a place of privacy could not be
complied. According De Forest and Veiller (1903, p. 9) the dweller of this
tenement, they should have to share room with other families. Even sometime one
room accommodates two until three families.
These conditions make the problems within a family that is supposed to be
a secret, easily known by others. In fact, when Johnson and Mary were in
fighting, the old woman who lives in the same apartment always knows the

34
conflicts that occurred in Johnson’s family. "Eh, Gawd, child, what is it dis time?
Is yer fader beatin' yer mudder, or yer mudder beatin' yer fader?" (Crane: 1893,
p.17). By the way this old woman questioning to Jimmie, she seems to follow all
quarrel of Johnson and Marry.
For Johnsons family, dwelling in uncomfortable place like Bowery
tenement raises other problems. For Johnson himself, house which is usually
regarded as a haven for family falls into a sort of hell, “My home reg’lar livin’
helll! Why do I come an’ drink’ whisk’ here thish way? ‘Cause home reg’lar
livin’ helll !” (Crane, 1893, p. 21). From Johnson’s statement, it can be
understood that a place like this is considered as uncomfortable place for its
complexity.
This place is also the bad environment for the inhabitant, especially for
children development. Children were left in the street while the women are busy
doing negative things, and so forth. Cranes described that this tenement has bad
culture. It can be proved in the following quotation:
“In the street infants played or fought with other infants or sat
stupidly in the way of vehicles. Formidable women, with
uncombed hair and disordered dress, gossiped while leaning on
railings, or screamed in frantic quarrels. Withered persons, in
curious postures of submission to something, sat smoking pipes in
obscure corners.” (Crane, 1893, p. 9)
In conclusion, the poverty of the Johnson’s family forces them to live in
this bad environment. This poverty could not be separated from the industrial
revolution that took place in New York at that time. The problem of housing

35
begins to lead to other problems in this family. The other problem that might arise
from such a bad place is about health issue.
3.2.3 Health
There is a statement that said that the life of the poor was shorter
comparing to the rich people. These words do not sound weird, it is due to the
poor are relatively more susceptible to diseases. These diseases may be resulted
by many factors; one of them due to bad housing, malnutrition, or other factors.
In addition, when the poor are sick, they tend to let the disease alive because the
poor do not have sufficient funds to check and treat the disease in the hospital.
There is no exceptional to the poor society in New York during industrial
revolution era. In 1882, Jacob Riis found that the mortality in a block located
between Bayard (the high road to Jewtown across the Bowery), Park, Mulberry,
and Baxter Streets is very high and the numbers of death are dominated by
children. Riis mentioned that the mortality of the children reached 68.28 % of
population and in the whole city is 46.20 %. These deaths said that it was caused
by the bad sanitation in that area.
The high rate of death in New York at that time is captured in Crane’s
novella by telling that either Jimmie or Johnson die. "The babe, Tommie, died.
He went away in an significant coffin, his hand clutching a small waxen blower
that the girl, Maggie, had stolen from an Italian. "(Crane, 1893, p. 26). There is no
evidence about the cause of death of Tommie. However, if it is judged from the
poverty condition of the family and where they live, Jimmie may die because of
malnutrition. This assumption is supported by the evidence that children of

36
Johnson’s family looks like lack of food. This can be seen as in the following
quotation:
“The children scrambled hastily. With prodigious clatter they
arranged themselves at table. The babe sat with his feet dangling
high from a precarious infant chair and gorged his small stomach.
Jimmie forced, with feverish rapidity, the grease-enveloped pieces
between his wounded lips. Maggie, with side glances of fear of
interruption, ate like a small pursued tigress.” (Crane, 1893, p. 16).
With this paragraph, Crane described that Johnson’s children—when they
have dinner—look like very hungry. Tommie has very small stomach. Jimmie
eats with haste like he never eats for so long time as well as Maggie.
The other probability about these causes of Tommie’s death is due to the
other diseases but this poor family can not afford to treat it because they do not
have some money. This is supported by the Hurry’s statement (1921) in the book
Poverty and its Vicious Circles that the poor are tend to suffer a disease because
they stay in residence that is ill housed, then it is supported by ill feed, ill cloth,
and others.
About how this family in dealing with health problems it appears as
preventing Tommie from folio that this poor family only supplied him with
orange peeling. This can be seen in the following quotation, “He made heroic
endeavors to keep on his legs, denounce his sister and consume a bit of orange
peeling which he chewed between the times of his infantile orations,” (Crane:
1883, p.10).

37
By this reason, it can be seen that Johnson’s family who live poverty has
to face with health problem but they likely can not give much attention in term of
health. Finally, Poverty has brought them in such bad conditions.
3.2.4 Crime
Another problem that can arise from the poverty is a moral crisis. The
poor who live in limitations has a greater tendency to commit criminal acts.
Bernard Shaw (1928) in his book The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Socialism
and Capitalism said that poverty does not produce unhappiness, but poverty
drives to moral degradation.
The reason above is based on the assumption that the poor is more likely
to experience mental instability. This instability caused by the deficiencies that
occur in the lives of poor people which led him to commit a crime. Poor people
definitely could not be able to buy the goods they want because they do not have
enough money. They do not have money due to they do not have a good job that
earned them adequate salary. Unfortunately, the poor people are often in an
urgent financial problem that will encourage them to steal. This problem makes
mental instability which leads the poor think that stealing is the easiest way to get
what the poor want.
Such moral degradation as the result of poverty can be found in the phrase
that will be presented as following that Maggie has to steal an item that she could
not afford to buy it. "... His hand clutching a small waxen flower that the girl,
Maggie, had stolen from an Italian. "(Crane, 1893, p. 26). Maggie might not have
stolen flower when her younger brother died if her family was able to buy this

38
flower. Unfortunately, because they are lack of money, so the only way to get the
desired goods is by stealing. The act of stealing like this, of course, it can be
categorized as criminal acts that break the law.
The criminal act against the law is also done by other members of
Johnson’s family, Jimmie. When he became a truck driver, he often violates
traffic laws even challenges the police in the street. "He invaded the turmoil and
tumble of the down-town streets, and learned to breathe meledictory defiance at
the Police," (Crane, 1893, p. 29). Furthermore, Jimmie’s name in the list of police
is really familiar because Jimmie often commits offenses, such as fighting with
other truck driver or brawling in the bar-room (Crane, 1893, p.33).
Jimmie’s attitude could not be separated from the culture of poor family
who live in bad environment. A boy who lives in such poor families tends to be
uneducated. To live in the community, the children from poor family have a very
limited understanding of morality. It can be understood that most children of the
poor seldom get good education. It was mentioned earlier, that the children in this
neighborhood do not have a good education. They were left in the streets as
shown in the following paragraph, “In the street infants played or fought with
other infants or sat stupidly in the way of vehicles,” (Crane: 1893, p. 16).
The last, members of Johnson’s family who deals with the police is Mary
who has been arrested for drunkenness (Crane, 1893, p.103). This woman is very
addictive to alcohol. This is also because of the problem of poverty that

39
experienced by her. About the relationship between poverty and alcoholism will
be explained in next sub-chapter in this study.
So, almost all members of this family have to deal with the police. Finally,
it can be concluded that poverty and its bad culture has been totally driving the
family into crime. From affairs that has been mentioned above; from the act of
stealing is done by Maggie, Jimmie’s attitude, drunken Marry, it can be inferred
that the statement of Bernard Shaw mentioned in the beginning of this sub-
chapter is true, poverty does not produce unhappiness, but poverty will drive to
moral degradation.
Unfortunately, when the poor do criminal acts they often have unfair
treatment. Related to this injustice, it will be discussed in the next.
3.2.5 Injustice
Injustice experienced by poor families includes several fields. In Crane's
novella, there are at least two kind of injustice that can be found and experienced
by Johnson’s family. First is injustice in terms of law; second, injustice in
education.
In matter of law, in Crane’s novella it is described that Jimmie, member of
poor Johnson’s family, has often dealt with the police when he was a child.
"When Jimmie was a little boy he began to be arrested. Before he reached a great
age, he had a fair record, (Crane, 1893, p. 33). According to Julian (1977),
children of the poor are tend to get labeled juvenile delequins. This is because the
children of the poor are considered to be uneducated as well as other children.

40
Thus, children of the poor more often blamed by police when there are problems
such as fights between children.
Such negative judgment to children of the poor makes the relationship
between police and the poor getting worse. These conditions turn on the
hostilities between police and youth from poor families. As a result, polices as
law enforcements are easier to make decisions teen accused among the poor. On
the contrary, children of poor also look towards the police as enemy. For
example, in the eyes of Jimmie, the police are apparatus that is trying to take
advantage of the poor. "To him the police were always actuated by malignant
impulses, and the rest of the world was composed, for the most part, of despicable
creatures who were all trying to take advantage of him...” (Crane, 1893, p. 30).
In addition, Jimmie also considers that the law is unfair to the poor. This
bad treatment to the poor is highly recognized by Jimmie as the citizen who lives
in New York and stay at the Bowery. He is always blamed for what is happening
on the road. Related about how injustice felt by Jimmie, it can be described in the
following paragraph:
"When he paused to contemplate the attitude of the police toward
himself and his fellows, he believed that they were the only men in
the city who had no rights. When driving about, he felt that he was
held liable by the police for anything that might occur in the
streets, and the he was the common prey of all energetic officials
(Crane, 1983, p. 31).
As problem of injustice that mentioned above, there is still some unfair
treatments to Johnson’s family as a representation of poor families.
Appropriately, justice should not differentiate between high and low status of

41
someone in society. However, in the reality, poor people tend to be treated
unfairly. Poor people are likely to get a longer sentence because the poor are not
able to make a defense of their mistake that has been made (Julian, 1977, p. 260).
The poor usually can not afford to hire a lawyer throughout court session. Thus,
when the poor is found guilty, they can not defend themselves with the help of
lawyer. Finally, they are difficult to get a lighter sentence.
A condition in which poor people are not able to defend in front of the law
can be found when Mary, wife of Johnson, has to deal with the court in the case
drunkenness. In front of law enforcement, Mary has nothing to do. She could only
beg them to forgive her but it is denied. Moreover, the judge in the court degrades
Mary by calling with her first name which according to local culture, it is the way
a humiliating attitude. This can be proven in the following paragraph:
"Court officials called her by her First name. When she appeared
they pursued a course which had been theirs for months. They
invariably grinned and cried out: ‘Hello, Mary, you here again?’
Her grey head wagged in many a court. She always besieged the
bench with voluble excuses, explanations, apologies and prayers.
(Crane, 1893, p. 36).
The judge doesn’t just call Mary by her first name, but also shouted at her
which makes her frightened. This treatment, of course, for to those who do not
have good social status or despicable people.
In another occasion, when Mary re-entered to the court could, she only
make Maggie’s downfall as a reason but none of those reasons is accepted by the
court. Crane described the situation in the paragraph below:

42
“When arrested for drunkenness she used the story of her
daughter's downfall with telling effect upon the police justices.
Finally one of them said to her, peering down over his spectacles:
‘Mary, the records of this and other courts show that you are the
mother of forty-two daughters who have been ruined. The case is
unparalleled in the annals of this court, and this court thinks—‘
(Crane, 1893, p. 103).
That all above are the images how a poor treated unfairly in matter of law.
It is the representation on how the law was conducted against poor in urban
industrial revolution society at that time by presenting Johnson’s family
conditions.
Discussing about injustice in the poor community, it is not just happening
in the term of law. Furthermore, poor people often treated unfairly in terms of
education services from the government. In the case of injustice in education, it
can be proved that Jimmie and Maggie in childhood—as well as other poor
children— they aren’t served by a good education. The children at the Bowery
tenement are mostly seen fighting each other in the streets rather than go to
educational institution. "In the street infants played or fought with other infants or
sat stupidly in the way of vehicles (Crane, 1893, p. 9). As a result, children who
are never educated properly, they will have dark future. For instance, Jimmie is
unemployed for several years due to low education he has, although he got a job
as a truck driver in year latter (Crane, 1893, p. 26).
Crane says that Jimmie, the urchin from Bowery, doesn’t learn in good
educational institution. Crane uses hyperbole with the word ‘gutter’, which means
he learn from what he sees around him even though it is bad for another’s view.
This can be seen in the quotation bellow:

43
“He studied human nature in the gutter, and found it no worse than he thought he
had reason to believe it. He never conceived a respect for the world, because he
had begun with no idols that it had smashed,” (Crane, 1893, p. 26).
3.2.6 Violence
Violence is defined as actions that could injure another person or damage
certain properties. At first glance, violence and poverty have no relation.
However, when it is analyzed deeply, between poverty and violence have a very
close relationship.
Previously, it has been already explained that poverty is the lack of
material that make person can not fulfill the need to get a comfortable life. When
people live in poverty with all its misery, it will bring frustration every day. Then,
this frustration becomes an embryo of violence. Julian (1977) supported that
poverty will drive someone to frustration. Then, the frustration will manifest in an
act of aggression. The type of aggression can be damaging properties or injuring
others.
There are many poor families found that to vent their frustration, they
make their children as target. Here, the violence that occurred in Johnson’s family
is considered as the effect of the poverty as described above.
An image of violence that occurred in Johnson’s family in Crane's novella
can be found in the following scene. When Johnson found his son Jimmie was
fighting with a neighbor's child, he immediately kicked him. "His parent kicked
him, 'come home, now,' he cried, 'an' stop yer jawin ', or I'll lam the everlasting

44
head of yehs, (Crane, 1893, p. 8). When Jimmie got home, his mother also violate
to her son Jimmie. "The mother's massive shoulders heaved with anger. Grasping
the urchin by the neck and shoulder she shook him until he rattled, "(Crane, 1893,
p. 12). From this scene, it can be seen that this family has a very strong culture of
violence to their son.
Violence as seen above does not happen only once. It can be seen through
Johnson’s statement that he could not sleep because Mary always beat Jimmie
every night, “Let the damned kid alone for a minute, will yeh, Mary? Yer allus
poundin' 'im. When I come nights I can't git no rest 'cause yer allus poundin' a
kid. Let up, d'yeh hear? Don't be allus poundin' a kid,” (Crane, 1893, p. 13).
All parents may be furious when they see their sons do things that are not
commendable, such as fighting. But Jimmie is often in fighting though his parent
forbids him. "Youse allus fightin', Jimmie, an' yeh knows it puts mudder out
when yehs come home half dead, an' it's like we'll all get a poundin'." (Crane,
1893, p. 10). From the expression from Maggie reveals that Jimmie is very
difficult to be advised in order not to fight. This is will be the root of the violence
in Johnson’s family to the sons.
Unfortunately, Jimmie is only a son of a poor family who is influenced by
the bad environment he lives. From here, the frustrated feeling starts which make
Johnson and Mary as parents may be confused on how to educate his son
properly. Finally, to educate the son in order to retain good values of morality,

45
Johnson was forced with violence. This is how the description about the
relationship between poverty and violence that occurred in Johnson’s family.
What has been described above is one of violence that occurs in Johnson’s
family to the children. There is still some violence that occurred in this poor
family. Poverty and its problem often cause quarrels between husband and wife.
One scene that illustrates the great quarrel between Mary and Johnson can be seen
in the following scene:
“The husband seemed to become aroused. ‘Go teh hell,’ he
thundered fiercely in reply. There was a crash against the door and
something broke into clattering fragments. Jimmie partially
suppressed a howl and darted down the stairway. Below he paused
and listened. He heard howls and curses, groans and shrieks,
confusingly in chorus as if a battle were raging. With all was the
crash of splintering furniture.” (Crane, 1893, p. 22).
From the paragraph above can be seen how this family was extremely
brutal. Besides throw dirty word each others, they also damage the property
around them.
Other than that, Maggie often finds her mother is drunk and damages the
furniture when she returns from the work. The frustration of poverty becomes the
cause of drinking alcohol and aggression. This is the way of Mary to release the
pile of frustration due to poverty problem in her life. The scene of violence seen
in the following quotation:
"Her mother drank whiskey all Friday morning. With lurid face
and tossing hair she cursed and destroyed furniture all Friday
afternoon. When Maggie came home at half-past six her mother
lay asleep amid the wreck of chairs and a table. Fragments of
various household utensils were scattered about the floor, "(Crane,
1893, p. 47).

46
According to Julian (1977) there is a purpose of an act of violence. If
violence is committed by adults, violence is to show the dominancy in certain
place. In the case of Johnson’s family, Merry attempt to show that she has a
power in the family. It’s contrasted with the purpose of violence committed by
adult; the purpose of violence committed by children is to attract an attention.
This can be understood that the children of the poor have nothing to be proud of.
To get the attention, they rely on pride when they have committed violence.
Hence, violence is a symbol of braveness. Thus, showing the braveness is the
pride of the children of the poor. Therefore, when Jimmie brought home by his
father from battlefield he was very disappointed. This can be seen in this Crane’s
story:
“He swore luridly, for he felt that it was degradation for one who
aimed to be some vague soldier, or a man of blood with a sort of
sublime license, to be taken home by a father,” (Crane, 1893, p. 8).
Then from this understanding, it can be analyzed why Jimmie love to
fights with other children from tenement neighborhoods. Violence in the fighting
that involves Jimmie and other children are an attempt to attract the attention
from people around him. In the Crane’s novella, when Jimmie fought with other
children around tenement he got that attentions. This can be proved in this scene:
“From a window of an apartment house that up reared its form
from amid squat, ignorant stables, there leaned a curious woman.
Some laborers, unloading a scow at a dock at the river, paused for
a moment and regarded the fight. The engineer of passive tugboat
hung lazily to a railing and watched,” (Crane, 1893, p. 1).
Furthermore, fighting among children was phenomenon of New York in
that time. From the historical facts the children in New York of the 19th century,

47
there were many gangs that consist of children member. Jacob Riis wrote in his
book How the Other Half Lives (1890) that every block in New York had gang.
He stated "The gang is an institution in New York."
3.2.7 Alcoholism
In Crane’s novella, it can be found that Johnson’s family is a family that
has a culture of alcoholism in high levels, even almost uncontrollable. "Her
mother drank whiskey all Friday morning. With lurid face and tossing hair she
cursed and destroyed furniture all Friday afternoon, (Crane, 1893, p. 47). In this
novella, there a lot of data that shows that Mary is a heavy drinker. For this
reason, she often deals with the police court (Crane, 1893, p. 103).
Johnson’s family is the family who live in pathetic poverty. The poverty
has brought this family into a heap of troubles. Mary’s drinking alcohol is to
alleviate the problems that have been faced. From the phrase "with lurid face" the
paragraph above shows that Mary is in anger and depression. So, to relieve it all,
she must neutralize mental stress by consuming alcohol.
Alcoholism in Johnson’s family is not only experienced by Mary. Mary
husband, Johnson, also has the same habits. The cause of becoming alcoholism is
the same, namely encouraged by problem of poverty in the family. "During the
evening he had been standing against a bar drinking whiskeys, and declaring to
all comers confidentially. 'My home reg'lar livin' hell! Why do I come an 'drink'
whisk 'here thish way? 'Cause home reg'lar livin' hell!’ (Crane, 1893, p. 21). This
is evident that the poverty that afflicts Johnson’s family is the cause of becoming
alcoholism, both for Johnson and Mary. Thus, alcoholism has a very close

48
relationship with poverty. It is similar with the violence but the frustration of
poverty here drives the poor to consume alcohol.
According to the Julian (1977), alcoholism is due to several factors.
Alcoholism is not only due to psychological pressure, but in some cases it is due
to a certain culture. First, if it is due to psychological factors, the purpose of
drinking alcohol is an attempt to get relaxation to face hard problem of life. The
poor who are often under pressure every day tend to have a greater chance to fall
into alcoholism. Previously, it has already mentioned that the poverty often make
a person depressed. Second, alcoholism is due to environmental factor. For
example, if particular culture is very welcome to alcohol then it is likely to affect
people who live in that environment.
From this novella can be seen that people in New York had the habit of
drinking alcohol. For some people, drinking alcohol is to get stupefaction or just
to keep warm during the winter. But for Mary and her family, it can be concluded
easily that they become alcoholism is due to the problem of poverty. The family
was very addicted to alcohol to escape from the hard life they face. This can be
proven that Mary is always drunk for almost all day in every Friday (Crane, 1893,
p. 47) and then makes aggression by destroying the furniture around her to pour
the frustration.
Alcohol drinker like Mary can be categorized as highly addictive drinkers
or even be categorized as skid row. Robert Straus classified alcoholism into three
categories: non-addictive, addictive, and skid row. Non-addictive are people who

49
drink alcohol with a specific purpose but they drink frequently. Addictive are
people who drink alcohol to achieve peak of intoxication. This habit is
uncontrollable. Skid rows are people who drink alcohol to escape the realities of
social living.
In conclusion, Johnson’s family became alcoholism is due to poverty that
occurred to this family. To get rid of the life difficulties, the only way they do is
by drinking alcohol though actually it makes their life worse.
3.2.8 Prostitution
If poverty is defined as lack material, becoming a prostitute is a way to
earn money to cover that lack. Prostitute is the act of selling a ‘service’. From
these activities they will get money to buy all the necessities in life. Becoming a
prostitute is the easiest way to earn money for the poor. Moreover, this profession
does not require special skills. This is why the world of prostitutes has a close
relationship with poverty.
In Crane’s, the writer finds that in the end of the story, Maggie the girl
from Johnson’s family becomes a prostitute. This is done by the girl after she gets
rejection from her own family and left by Pete, the man she hopes that he can
help her into better life. The evidence in the Crane’s novella that Maggie becomes
prostitute can be found in the following:
"A girl of the painted cohorts of the city went along the street. She
threw glances at men changing who passed her, giving smiling
invitations to those of rural or untaught sedately seeming pattern
and usually unconscious of the men with a metropolitan seal upon
their face, (Crane, 1893, p. 131).

50
For Maggie, the daughter of poor family, being the prostitute is the most
possible way to reach the dreams that she wants. Since by becoming a factory
worker, of course, she might not be able to reach her dream of becoming a noble
woman, happy girl, like she wants.
Instead of poverty, the choice to become prostitutes is due to social
rejection. These two conditions have brought Maggie into the dark of the
prostitution world. Not having the approval from family about her relationship
with Pete, Maggie makes a decision to go away from home. Eventually, when she
was left by Pete, Maggie wants to go back home but she was rejected by her own
family. After that, Maggie has no one else. So, to survive in her difficult world
she chooses to become a prostitute.
Maggie had to come to the man wherever she encountered. According to
the explanation of Julian (1977), the way Maggie does by approaching a rich on
the street can be regarded as a street walker. Street walker is the prostitute who
sells herself on the street. With this profession, at least she can continue her life.
But finally her fate must end up with the death.
“She went into the blackness of the final block. The shutters of the
tall buildings were closed like grim lips… At the feet of the tall
buildings appeared the deathly black hue of the river. Some hidden
factory sent up a yellow glare, that lit for a moment the waters
lapping oilily against timbers. The varied sounds of life, made
joyous by distance and seeming unapproachableness, came faintly
and died away to a silence.” (Crane, 1893, p. 135).

51
3.3.1 The Vicious Circle of Poverty in Johnson’s Family
From the previous discussion can be found that there are eight effects of
poverty that occur in the Johnson’s family, covering: child labor, housing
problem, health problem, criminal, injustice, violence, alcoholism, prostitution.
These point not only a result of poverty but also a cause which lead to poverty
itself. One point to another has connection. So it is called as ‘Vicious Circle’.
To explain the connection between them, in this study will use a graphics
created by Chambers (2006). In his article entitled What is Poverty? Asks Who?
Who answers ?. What Is Poverty? Concept and Measures, he states that poverty
has five dimensions namely Lack of Materials, Powerless, Insecurity, Physical
Weakness, and Bad Social Relation.
1. Lack of Material is a situation where a person lives in material deprivation
such as lack of money, do not have the necessary furniture, which all of
this are needed to achieve a comfort in life. This situation can be seen that
the Johnson‘s family live in poverty as described before. This problem
then leads to other problems that covering all dimensions of poverty.
2. Powerless is a condition where a person can not do or can not be what is
desired. Because Maggie is the daughter of a poor family, she has to work
in factory to reach a better life. However, this job makes her very
uncomfortable. Eventually she must be prostitute. She hopes to get better
life. However, prostitution is not the solution get out poverty. Being
prostitute brings her on the death. Hence, this dark profession, as it is
known, is fraught with danger.

52
Poverty also makes this family powerless when they deal with an unfair
treatment. Let's say, Jimmie is often blamed by police for whatever
happens in the streets so he responds this treatment by considering that the
police is the opponent. Thus, there is a high tension between them.
3. Insecurity is an uncomfortable condition that is often experienced by poor
people. This situation occurs because the poor are marginalized
communities. With all of their limitation, they can not afford to get
conducive residence; forced to live in a bad neighborhood and slum. In
such place, raises the other problems covering physical illness, negative
habits as crime, violence, and more. Besides being as effect, these
negative issues are also the cause or root of poverty. In this study, it can be
seen how Johnson’s family’s life in a tenement and its bad culture in
Bowery of New York that the environment gives very bad impact on
Johnson’s family.
4. Physical Weakness is a problem that makes a body becomes weak, either
due to disease or violence. This problem usually considered as the effect
of poverty but it also has a great impact on the larger dimensions of
poverty. For example, because of a weakness of body makes a person has
limitedness to do something to achieve a good life. In this study can be
seen on the fate of Tommie that he should die due to malnutrition and also
can be seen on Maggie’s situation that experienced misfortune when she is
prostitutes.

53
5. Poor people who live in the bad environment and corrupting culture
automatically face with Bad Social Relation. The bad habits such as
violence, alcoholism, and other negative things easily infect someone in
the community.
To make easier to understand on how all the dimensions that include problems of
poverty which are found in the Stephen Crane’s novella, can be seen in the
following figure:
Figure 3.1: The Circle of Poverty in Johson’s Family
Powerless
Labor, Prostitute,
Injustice
Bad Social
Crime, Violence,
Alcoholism
Insecurity
Housing
Physical
Weakness
Health problem
Material
Lack

54
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
This chapter presents the conclusion of the findings and suggestion for the
next researchers.
4.1 Conclusion
After conducting a deep study on the novella entitled Maggie: A Girl of
the Streets, the writer concludes that this novel is a portrayal of poverty that
occurred in New York around 1890s when the work is written. Johnson’s Family
who lives in poverty is the representation of poor people. Being analyzed with
theory of sociology, it is found that poverty has several effects on the life of
Johnson’s family. At least, there are eight effects of poverty that can be found
based on Crane’s novella, including: child labor, housing, health problem,
criminal acts, injustice, habit of violence, alcoholism, prostitution.
The poverty in the Johnson’s family makes them powerless. They can not
afford to buy a proper house. Johnson and his family are forced to live in bad
environment in tenement. The other members of this family try to help get out of
the circle of poverty by working in a factory. However, it could not change the
situation because the wage is very low. The slum tenement where they live has an
impact on the physical term. Children in Johnson’s family looks like
undernourished and they are not healthy. This makes one member of this family,
Tommie, dies due to malnutrition. Then, living in corrupt neighborhood make this

55
family deals with bad social relations. In this environment, most of inhabitants are
uneducated so here emerges bad culture such violent, criminal, and many others.
The last, poor families often feel insecurity. All these issues are interconnected
with one another.
Seeing from these conditions, it is difficult for them to get out from poor
condition. Poverty is something that is very complex, covering multiple
dimensions that have cause and effect. To alleviate the poverty can not be resolved
by completing one dimension. For example, poverty can not be resolved by giving
money to the poor, then this community will automatically come out from the bad
condition. Although they have been given the money, if the other dimensions—
such as the environment’s problem, education, and the other problems—are not
fixed, they will come back again to the poor culture.
In addition, there is another interesting thing that can be concluded from
this research. The novella entitled Maggie: A Girl of the Streets which is written
during industrial era actually reveals the social’s life of New York at that time.
People used to know that industrial era is the beginning of prosperity for
everyone. In the other hand, this era makes major negative changes in society; the
rate of poverty increases and poverty guides people experiencing degradation in
sense of humanity.

56
4.2 Suggestion
The study related to Stephen Crane is still rare when this novel is the work
that is very important for the development of American literature. For next study,
the writer has two suggestions for those who want to use Crane's work:
1. The next researcher can use Maggie but with a different approach.
Using more specific sociological theory like genetic structuralism is a
good idea. With this approach, the relationship between literature and the
society will be clearly resolved.
2. Second, further study about Johnson’s family can be conducted from
psychological point of view. For example, the study is aims to analyze
psychologically development of Johnson’ children in such a bad
neighborhood.

57
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Appendix 1. Berita Acara Bimbingan Skripsi
BERITA ACARA BIMBINGAN SKRIPSI
1. Nama : Moh. Haris Suhud
2. NIM : 0811110059
3. Program studi : Sastra Inggris
4. Topik Skripsi : Poverty
5. Judul Skripsi : The Vicious Circle of Poverty in Stephen Crane’s
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
6. Tanggal Mengajukan : 18 September 2012
7. Tanggal Selesai Revisi : 26 Agustus 2015
8. Nama Pembimbing : I. Juliati, M.Hum
II. Ni Wayan Swardhani W, S.S
9. Keterangan Konsultasi *)
No. Tanggal Materi Pembimbing Paraf
1. 18 September 2012 Pengajuan Judul Pembimbing I
2. 18 September 2012 Pengajuan Judul Pembimbing II
3. 09 Maret 2012 Pengajuan BAB I Pembimbing I
4. 16 Maret 2012 Pengajuan BAB I-II Pembimbing I
5. 05 November 2014 Revisi BAB I-II Pembimbing I
6. 10 November 2014 Revisi BAB I-II Pembimbng I
5. 12 Desember 2014 ACC Seminar Proposal Pembimbing I
6. 12 Deseember 2014 Pengajuan BAB I – II Pembimbing II
7. 20 Desember 2014 Revisi BAB I – II Pembimbing II
9. 24 Desember 2014 ACC Seminar Proposal Pembimbing II
10. 26 Desember 2014 Seminar Proposal Pembimbing I
11. 26 Desember 2014 Seminar Proposal Pembimbing II
12. 2 Februari 2015 Revisi Sempro Pembimbing I
13. 20 April 2015
Pengajuan BAB III –
IV
Pembimbing I
KEMENTERIAN RISET TEKNOLOGI DAN
PENDIDIKAN TINGGI
FAKULTAS ILMU BUDAYA
JURUSAN BAHASA DAN SASTRA
Jalan Veteran Malang 65145 Indonesia
Telp. (0341) 575875 Fax. (0341) 575822
E-mail: fib_ub@ub.ac.id http://www.fib.ub.ac.id

60
14. 1 Mei 2015 Revisi BAB III – IV Pembimbing I
15. 15 Juni 2015 Revisi BAB III – IV Pembimbing I
16. 10 Juli 2015 ACC Seminar Hasil Pembimbing I
17. 13 Juli 2015 Pengajuan BAB III-IV Pembimbing II
18 14 Juli 2015 Revisi BAB III – IV Pembimbing II
19. 14 Juli 2015 Pengajuan Abstrak Pembimbing I
20. 15 Juli 2015 ACC Seminar Hasil Pembimbing II
21. 10 Agustus 2015 Seminar Hasil Pembimbing I
22. 10 Agustus 2015 Seminar Hasil Pembimbing II
23. 20 Agustus 2015
Revisi Seminar Hasil
dan ACC Ujian Skripsi
Pembimbing I
24. 20 Agustus 2015
Revisi Seminar Hasil
dan ACC Ujian Skripsi
Pembimbing II
25. 21 Agustus 2015 Ujian Skripsi Pembimbing I
26. 21 Agustus 2015 Ujian Skripsi Pembimbing II
10. Telah dievaluasi dan diuji dengan nilai :
Malang, 21 Agustus 2015
Dosen Pembimbing I Dosen Pembimbing II
Juliati, M.Hum Ni Wayan Swardhani W, S.S
NIP. 19720929 200604 2 001 NIP. 19810909 200604 2 003
Mengetahui,
Ketua Jurusan Bahasa dan Sastra
Ismatul Khasanah, M.Ed., Ph.D.
NIP. 19750518 200501 2 001

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