Main Article Content
Abstract
Love and belonging are universal and essential to human needs as they transcend cultural boundaries. This comparative study conducts an analysis of Xi Xi's A Woman Like Me, set in Hongkong, and Agus Noor's Kisah Cinta Perempuan Perias Mayat, set in Indonesia. Both short stories narrate the struggles of their protagonists with love, belonging, rejection, and social isolation. Therefore, this study aims to analyze how the social stigma associated with professional activities related to or leading to death stands in the protagonists' way in regard to satisfying their emotional needs, to establish how social rejection and isolation contribute to their self-concept development, and to show attempts they make to fulfill the need to be loved and to belong in spite of cultural barriers. This literary criticism applies Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and a qualitative comparative literature approach to illustrate the cross-cultural challenges in Hong Kong and Indonesia. The results indicate that while both protagonists strive for love and belonging, they are alienated by society due to their professions. Cultural aspects also revealed how Hong Kong and Indonesia's view of death shape their experiences of rejection. This study places emphasis on the intersection of character motivation in the pursuit of love and belonging, societal isolation and rejection caused by negative stigmatisation across cultures.
Article Details
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Jihan al Humairoh, Muhammad Edy Thoyib
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree with the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Love and belonging across cultures: a comparative study of two Asian short stories. (2025). JOALL (Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature), 10(1), 247–266. https://doi.org/10.33369/joall.v10i1.37547
References
-
Allen, K. A., Kern, M. L., Rozek, C. S., McInerney, D. M., & Slavich, G. M. (2021). Belonging: a review of conceptual issues, an integrative framework, and directions for future research. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1883409
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (2017). The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation. In Interpersonal Development. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351153683-3
Boon, J. A. (1979). Mysticism and Everyday Life in Contemporary Java: Cultural Persistence and Change. The Journal of Asian Studies, 38(2).
Carducci, B. J. (2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, Models and Theories. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547143.ch45
Chenail, R. J. (2012). Conducting qualitative data analysis: Qualitative data analysis as a metaphoric process. Qualitative Report, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2012.1818
Cohen, A. P., & Ahern, E. M. (1976). The Cult of the Dead in a Chinese Village. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 96(2). https://doi.org/10.2307/599871
Djumadin, H. (2021). Hierarki Kebutuhan Tokoh Utama Dalam Novel Edensor Karya Andrea Hirata. Retorika: Jurnal Pembelajaran Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.37478/rjpbsi.v2i2.1499
Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. (2020). In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8
Fard, S. F. (2016). A Short Introduction to Literary Criticism. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 328–337. http://www.ijhcs.com/index.php/ijhcs/index
Gifford, H. (2021). Comparative literature. In Comparative Literature. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003091837
Hokenson, J. W. (2000). Comparative Literature and the Culture of the Context. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.1084
Leetsch, J. (2021). Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. In Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67754-1
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
Mehrpouyan, A., & Zakeri, E. (2021). The Impact of Cultural and Translational Studies on Modern Comparative Literature Studies. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 4(10). https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.10.3
Nasir, C., Daud, B., & Maulina, M. (2019). Living a Shared Soul Mate (Perceiving love and sense of belonging in a polygamous household based on “Antara Ibuku dan Ibuku” by Desni Intan Suri). https://doi.org/10.2991/icollite-18.2019.2
Nurhasanah, N., Siwi, P., & Pawiro, M. A. (2023). Love and belonging needs in Istiqomah’s novel seribu musim merinduimu. Journal of Language, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.30743/jol.v5i1.6900
Noor, A. (2019, 29 Desember). Kisah cinta perempuan perias mayat. Kompas.id. https://www.kompas.id/baca/utama/2019/12/29/kisah-cinta-perempuan-perias-mayat
Sahin, E. (2016). On Comparative Literature. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.s.2016040101.12
Ugwu, C. N., & Val, E. (2023). Qualitative Research. IDOSR Journal of computer and applied sciences, 8(1).
Wang, C. (2021). Comparative literature, variation theory, and a new construction of world literature(s). Cultura. International Journal of Philosophy of Culture and Axiology, 18(1), 7–22. https://doi.org/10.3726/cul012021.0001
Xi Xi. (1984) A Woman Like Me (H. Goldblatt, Trans.). Lianhebao. (Original work published 1982)
Yimer, D. M. (2019). On the Interaction Between Literature and Psychology. Ieee-Sem Publications, 7(8).
References
Allen, K. A., Kern, M. L., Rozek, C. S., McInerney, D. M., & Slavich, G. M. (2021). Belonging: a review of conceptual issues, an integrative framework, and directions for future research. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1883409
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (2017). The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation. In Interpersonal Development. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351153683-3
Boon, J. A. (1979). Mysticism and Everyday Life in Contemporary Java: Cultural Persistence and Change. The Journal of Asian Studies, 38(2).
Carducci, B. J. (2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, Models and Theories. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547143.ch45
Chenail, R. J. (2012). Conducting qualitative data analysis: Qualitative data analysis as a metaphoric process. Qualitative Report, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2012.1818
Cohen, A. P., & Ahern, E. M. (1976). The Cult of the Dead in a Chinese Village. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 96(2). https://doi.org/10.2307/599871
Djumadin, H. (2021). Hierarki Kebutuhan Tokoh Utama Dalam Novel Edensor Karya Andrea Hirata. Retorika: Jurnal Pembelajaran Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.37478/rjpbsi.v2i2.1499
Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. (2020). In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8
Fard, S. F. (2016). A Short Introduction to Literary Criticism. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 328–337. http://www.ijhcs.com/index.php/ijhcs/index
Gifford, H. (2021). Comparative literature. In Comparative Literature. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003091837
Hokenson, J. W. (2000). Comparative Literature and the Culture of the Context. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.1084
Leetsch, J. (2021). Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. In Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67754-1
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
Mehrpouyan, A., & Zakeri, E. (2021). The Impact of Cultural and Translational Studies on Modern Comparative Literature Studies. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 4(10). https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.10.3
Nasir, C., Daud, B., & Maulina, M. (2019). Living a Shared Soul Mate (Perceiving love and sense of belonging in a polygamous household based on “Antara Ibuku dan Ibuku” by Desni Intan Suri). https://doi.org/10.2991/icollite-18.2019.2
Nurhasanah, N., Siwi, P., & Pawiro, M. A. (2023). Love and belonging needs in Istiqomah’s novel seribu musim merinduimu. Journal of Language, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.30743/jol.v5i1.6900
Noor, A. (2019, 29 Desember). Kisah cinta perempuan perias mayat. Kompas.id. https://www.kompas.id/baca/utama/2019/12/29/kisah-cinta-perempuan-perias-mayat
Sahin, E. (2016). On Comparative Literature. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.s.2016040101.12
Ugwu, C. N., & Val, E. (2023). Qualitative Research. IDOSR Journal of computer and applied sciences, 8(1).
Wang, C. (2021). Comparative literature, variation theory, and a new construction of world literature(s). Cultura. International Journal of Philosophy of Culture and Axiology, 18(1), 7–22. https://doi.org/10.3726/cul012021.0001
Xi Xi. (1984) A Woman Like Me (H. Goldblatt, Trans.). Lianhebao. (Original work published 1982)
Yimer, D. M. (2019). On the Interaction Between Literature and Psychology. Ieee-Sem Publications, 7(8).
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (2017). The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation. In Interpersonal Development. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351153683-3
Boon, J. A. (1979). Mysticism and Everyday Life in Contemporary Java: Cultural Persistence and Change. The Journal of Asian Studies, 38(2).
Carducci, B. J. (2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. In The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, Models and Theories. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547143.ch45
Chenail, R. J. (2012). Conducting qualitative data analysis: Qualitative data analysis as a metaphoric process. Qualitative Report, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2012.1818
Cohen, A. P., & Ahern, E. M. (1976). The Cult of the Dead in a Chinese Village. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 96(2). https://doi.org/10.2307/599871
Djumadin, H. (2021). Hierarki Kebutuhan Tokoh Utama Dalam Novel Edensor Karya Andrea Hirata. Retorika: Jurnal Pembelajaran Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.37478/rjpbsi.v2i2.1499
Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. (2020). In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8
Fard, S. F. (2016). A Short Introduction to Literary Criticism. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 328–337. http://www.ijhcs.com/index.php/ijhcs/index
Gifford, H. (2021). Comparative literature. In Comparative Literature. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003091837
Hokenson, J. W. (2000). Comparative Literature and the Culture of the Context. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.1084
Leetsch, J. (2021). Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. In Love and Space in Contemporary African Diasporic Women’s Writing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67754-1
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4). https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
Mehrpouyan, A., & Zakeri, E. (2021). The Impact of Cultural and Translational Studies on Modern Comparative Literature Studies. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 4(10). https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.10.3
Nasir, C., Daud, B., & Maulina, M. (2019). Living a Shared Soul Mate (Perceiving love and sense of belonging in a polygamous household based on “Antara Ibuku dan Ibuku” by Desni Intan Suri). https://doi.org/10.2991/icollite-18.2019.2
Nurhasanah, N., Siwi, P., & Pawiro, M. A. (2023). Love and belonging needs in Istiqomah’s novel seribu musim merinduimu. Journal of Language, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.30743/jol.v5i1.6900
Noor, A. (2019, 29 Desember). Kisah cinta perempuan perias mayat. Kompas.id. https://www.kompas.id/baca/utama/2019/12/29/kisah-cinta-perempuan-perias-mayat
Sahin, E. (2016). On Comparative Literature. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.s.2016040101.12
Ugwu, C. N., & Val, E. (2023). Qualitative Research. IDOSR Journal of computer and applied sciences, 8(1).
Wang, C. (2021). Comparative literature, variation theory, and a new construction of world literature(s). Cultura. International Journal of Philosophy of Culture and Axiology, 18(1), 7–22. https://doi.org/10.3726/cul012021.0001
Xi Xi. (1984) A Woman Like Me (H. Goldblatt, Trans.). Lianhebao. (Original work published 1982)
Yimer, D. M. (2019). On the Interaction Between Literature and Psychology. Ieee-Sem Publications, 7(8).