Drama Analysis "Barracoon"

1. Plot

1.1. Exposition

The exposition in the play started when the er hu player introduces himself as Li Tong and what his job.

ER-HU PLAYER

I am Li Tong, a Canton man of the clan Loi. This is a barracoon. I play music here; I will play music here until I die. That day will not be far off; but before I journey to the Land of the Yellow Springs I want you to know the truth about what happened when I was still young. When I worked in a barracoon as a free man. I neither sold coolie slaves nor was I a coolie who had been enslaved. I simply served the various foreigners who ran the barracoons and sailed the coolie ships. I had learned English well from missionaries and in my father's shop I had worked with numbers and an abacus. These skills made me valuable to the foreigners who derived their profit from the coolie trade.

(As LI TONG speaks the last sentence, two similarly dressed CHINESE MEN join him and sit on each side of him, one with a Chinese drum and one with a Chinese brass gong)

The event in the exposition leads us to some elements which create the conflict when Li Tong explains about the situation in Barracoon and what happen in it.

LI TONG (cont)

It was a time when China was in turmoil and many had little or no food. In that turmoil, my father lost everything, and I was content to make money as I could; I was not one of those known as a 'crimp,' a Chinese who kidnaped his own people and sold them to foreigners. And so I could live. And I could live with myself. Then, one day, everything changed. And yet, except for the storm, known today as The Great Storm, it was a day which began much as any other.

LI TONG (cont)

Yes, that's right, I remember now - the wooden venetians at the windows had been nailed shut to prevent coolies from escaping. And so inside the barracoon daytime was hardly distinguishable from the night. There were about three hundred men in the barracoon. All Chinese coolies. Not counting their jailers, of course. They were as they are now - Portuguese and mixed-blood Chinese-Portuguese from Macau. And some, I am ashamed to say, were pure Chinese. The coolies thought they were waiting for a ship to take them to "Gum San - the Gold Country... California;" but they were not. And that is why the door was locked and barred and the venetians were nailed shut and the keepers had keys...and guns and knives and swords and rattan rods and leather whips...

1.2. Conflict

The conflict of the play started with an external conflict, between Li Tong

and Armindo, when Armindo orders Li Tong to kill one of the coolies which is sick but has courage to oppose Armindo and not afraid to die. Li Tong experiencing at the same time on internal conflict whether to kill or to die.

ARMINDO

Shut your trap! (To Li-tong) I'll count to ten. You use that barking iron on him, or, by Christ, I'll load this one and use it on you. One! Two! Three! Four!

However, when Armindo recall his memory that he has been killing many men, Li Tong finally pulls the trigger.

ARMINDO

You've been killing men for years! Helping me send them to the Chinchas to work themselves to death. We're one and the same kind, Li Tong. Haven't you figured that out yet? (beat) What is it? You can send men to a slow death but you can't give a brave man a quick one? Seven! Eight!

(Li-tong pulls back the cock from the safety position)

ARMINDO (cont)

Nine!

(Li-tong pulls the trigger. There is another flash in the pan)

(Li-tong stares at the pistol, then slowly hands it to ARMINDO)

1.3. Complication

The conflict develops when Li Tong’s plan to kidnap Tiang Si brother is disarray from abandon tea warehouse to the Barracoon.

(The last coolie is a YOUNG MAN. His clothes and manner suggest he is from a higher class than the other coolies. He is sobbing)

(DR. MURRAY's speech is slightly slurred as he speaks to the boy)

DR. MURRAY

Here, here, lad. The more you cry, the less you'll piss!

ARMINDO (cont)

Tell the Chinaman to shut his bone-box or 'e'll end up in 'is eternity box.

LI TONG

Keep quiet or the foreign-devil will make it worse for you!

YOUNG MAN

My father was taken by crimps and sent on board a foreign ship. He never returned. My mother has no other sons. If I am taken abroad who will burn incense before our ancestral shrine?

Tiang Si comes to the Barracoon but instead releasing her brother, Armindo wants her to sleep with him. Here, again Li Tong experiences an internal conflict whether to help Tiang Si or to help him self from death.

“This is the time when Tiang Si comes to Barracoon”

(A WOMAN rushes in. The fury of the storm seems to have increased. The MEN have some difficulty closing the door behind her. They do not notice that one of the bones of the Chinese dead has been blown in with her)

(The WOMAN stands surrounded by Armindo's MEN with weapons drawn. As her eyes adjust to the light, she spots her brother tied to the wall pegs and screams. She rushes forward) Brother! Brother!

“This is the time when Armindo wants to sleep with Tiang Si”

TIANG-SI

Let my brother go!

ARMINDO

Well, now, I've got something you want and you...(looking her up and down) you've got something I want.

LI TONG

Please! I will pay you to release her. And her brother. Whatever you ask.

ARMINDO

Well I'll be water bewitched and rum begrudged; our heathen friend fancies the wench! Hell, Li Tong, they can both be released. But only if I get what I want from this rigged-out bit of calico.

(TIANG-SI continues to struggle. SHE scratches ARMINDO's face)

TIANG-SI

Pig seller!

However, when Tiang Si has been taken to the cockpit, she screams and moans that makes Li Tong aware that he must help Tiang Si. But both Dr. Murray and Captain Elliot said it is useless and they fight for the pistol.

(As TIANG-SI's crying and moaning rises in volume, LI TONG moves toward one of ARMINDO's pistols. He places his hand on one of them while looking up toward the cockloft)

DR. MURRAY

Leave it be, Li Tong.

CAPTAIN ELLIOTT

It's a bad business.

DR. MURRAY

Aye. But his getting himself killed won't help her. Li Tong Leave it be!

(LI TONG suddenly lifts the pistol and rushes forward. DR. MURRAY and CAPTAIN ELLIOTT restrain him and struggle to remove the pistol from his hand. The struggle ends abruptly when TIANG-SI gives one final loud cry of anguish)

(The pistol is now with CAPTAIN ELLIOTT)

1.4. Climax

The climax happens when the incorruptible emigration agent comes to deal with Armindo. Armindo finally kill the agent because Tiang Si opens her mouth about the coolies. After kills the agent, Armindo abuse her brother and cause Tiang Si hits him with a bone. Furious Armindo stabs Tiang Si, that makes Li Tong angry and sad. After Li Tong has stopped grieving, he kills Armindo with a knife.

“The time when the Agent comes to the Barracoon to deals with Armando”

(The EMIGRATION AGENT is in his late 20's or early 30's. He is clean-shaven and very straight-forward. He could almost be mistaken for a missionary. His clothes are similar to the others. He takes off his cap and jacket and, crestfallen, LI TONG hangs them on a wall nail. He then returns to his cooking area)

“The time when Tiang Si speaks about the true to the Agent”

TIANG-SI

Lies! Lies! Listen to those who witness! Dead but not silent!

(In the complete stillness, no one moves. The sound of wind and of bones being blown against the exterior are clearly audible.

After several seconds, TIANG-SI begins descending the stairs

TIANG-SI (cont)

These men were kidnapped or tricked into coming here. Most of them still think they are going to the Gold Country! They do not want to go to the Chincha Islands. No Chinese has ever returned from there. I will translate for you!

(ARMINDO stands and reaches for his pistol. HE holds it but does not lift the barrel up)

ARMINDO

You've got enough tongue for two sets of teeth! Get back upstairs and stay there!

EMIGRATION AGENT

Who are you?

TIANG-SI

I came for my brother. He was kidnapped by these men. They have whipped him almost to death.

1.5. Resolution

The play ends with a tragedy for Li Tong, because he is forced to remain in the Barracoon forever. But it ends well for the coolies, that there will be no more coolies.

“He wanted to make certain that I would be forced to remain inside the barracoons forever”

“And now I have heard some of them say that the coolie slave trade may be coming to an end. Not because anyone cares about coolies, but because the guano on the Chincha Islands is almost exhausted....No matter”

2. Character

The main character in this play is Li Tong because he is the character who starts the conflict. Through the exposition, it can be seen that he is the main character when he is introduce all the things happen in his life. The conflict of the play resolves around him and seems to prepare the audience about his moral choices. In the complication, Li Tong continues to bind the events and create the possibility of climax which ends up with Armindo’s death.

Meanwhile, the first subordinate character who has a bad characteristic is Armindo. The plot shows how he is responsible in creating a problem for the main character when he asks him to kill the coolies and allows his loveone to be raped. Another subordinate character who is supported by the plot is Tiang Si, the main character love one. Her death supports Li Tong to finally have courage to kill Armindo. Another important subordinate character is Tiang Si’s brother who is the person that gives Li Tong the choice to choose whether to help Tiang Si or not.

3. Setting

The physical setting in the play is a Barracoon, a large room for the coolies, with a stairs leading to a cockloft “This is a barracoon.”. Meanwhile the social setting is cruelty, because we can see from the beginning of the play until the end there is man abuse and rudeness among the coolies. The symbolic or metaphoric setting in this play can be related to the depressive condition of the main character in taking decision. Li Tong the one who makes moral choices, either to help or not to deliver a better result, has brings a situation which seems real in life. One is supposed to choose which is the best decision for oneself.

4. Theme

Through the element of plot, readers can see the hesitancy of Li Tong in taking every decision. Through the setting the reader can understand situations that Li Tong deals with. Finally the setting is important to show the social condition of each person. Based on the elements, the theme of this story is every decision has it own risk, so it depends on each of us to take it or leave it.