AN ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITY ON LEADING CHARACTER AS PORTRAYED IN DANIEL KEYES’S THE MINDS OF
BILLY MILLIGAN
A THESIS
BY
FATIH AMALIA NASUTION REG. NO. 100705105
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
AN ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITY ON LEADING CHARACTER AS PORTRAYED IN DANIEL KEYES’S THE MINDS OF
BILLY MILLIGAN
A THESIS
BY
FATIH AMALIA NASUTION REG. NO. 100705105
SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR
Dr. Martha Pardede, M.S. Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum.
Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatra Utara Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from
Department of English
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA
Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatra Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination.
Head, Secretary,
Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatra Utara,Medan.
The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatra Utara on Wednesday February 11, 2015
Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies University of Sumatra Utara
Dr.H.Syahron Lubis, MA NIP.19511013 197603 1 001
Board of Examiners
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION
I, FATIH AMALIA NASUTION DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION.
Signed :
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION
NAME : FATIH AMALIA NASUTION
TITLE OF THESIS : AN ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE PERSONALITY ON LEADING CHARACTER AS POTRAYED IN DANIEL KEYE’S THE MINDS OF BILLY MILLIGAN
QUALIFICATION : S-1/SARJANA SASTRA DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH
I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REPRODUCTION AT THE DISRECTION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA.
Signed :
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bissmillahirrahmanirrahim,
First of all, I would like to thank and praise to the Almighty God, Allah SWT
who gives strength, health, and patience for me as finishing this thesis, entitled An
Analysis of Multiple Personality on Leading Character as Portrayed in Daniel Keyes’s The Minds of Billy Milligan. Thanks for blessing me in order to get a S1 Degree in English from Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara.
I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Dean of Faculty of
Cultural Studies, University of Sumatera Utara, Dr. H. Syahron Lubis, M.A. Dr. H.
Muhizar Muchtar,M.S, as the Head of English Department, and Rahmadsyah
Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D, as the Secretary of English Department, for supporting my
academic study. I would also like to give thanks to all lectures in English Department
for giving me valuable knowledge, advices, times, and facilities during my academic
years. I would also like to express my special thanks to my supervisor Dr. Martha
Pardede, M.S. and Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M.Hum as co-supervisor for helping
me finishing this thesis.
My deepest gratitude is dedicated to my beloved family, to my parents, Ir. H.
Bachri Syamsul Nasution my beloved father, Dra. Hj. Christina Winarsih my
beloved mother who are always give me supports and love. I would also like to say
my dearest sister Annisa Rosa Nasution for the support and help me resolved the
problem of this thesis, honestly I can’t do it without you. Least but not last, thanks to
my lovely Brothers, Togar Rio Nasution and Bima Adiguna Nasution, you guys are
rock!
I also thank to all my friends in English literature especially class of 2010,
Yuni Erika, Annisa Musa, Nadia Marcelina, Uswatun Nisa, Balqis Astarini,
Khairunisa Aziz, Chaesa Ria, and Mak Kiki for the amazing school times, can’t
never forget how crazy we were, I love you all! To my best classmates, best friends,
Mentari, Ozafizah Landau, Depika Shaela, I don’t know how much I have to say
thanks to them, you guys are diamond. To my special friends, Febby Priscilla &
Romi Sandy, thank you so much. Also, to my beloved senior high best friends, Maya
Wulandari, Agung Nugraha, Yudo Utomo, Ahmad Suraya, Yati Sarfina, and Rana
Safira who are the best for me, and can’t never be replaced.
May God Almighty bless them all, Amin.
Medan, February 2015
ABSTRACT
In discussing a literary work, there are many elements that can be made as the object of problems, one of them is psychology. The Minds of Billy Milligan is a literary work that discusses the psychological element, is multiple personality. A novel by Daniel Keyes revealed the disorder in leading character, Billy Milligan. Billy suffers from multiple personality where there are several completely different person in one body. This condition is also known as dissociative identity disorder. This condition occurs due to childhood trauma. To understand more about multiple personalities experienced by Billy, it would be require a discussion of the character, which is one important element in understanding literature. This thesis analyzes the characteristics of which is found in multiple personality through psychological theories, and what impact of abuse is that happen to the victim. The conclusion of this thesis is to find out and to know about multiple personality that may happens to the people around us.
ABSTRAK
Dalam membahas sebuah karya sastra, terdapat banyak unsur yang dapat dijadikan objek permasalahan, salah satunya adalah psikologi. The Minds of Billy Milligan merupakan sebuah karya sastra yang membahas tentang unsur psikologi, yaitu kepribadian majemuk. Novel karya Daniel Keyes ini membuka tabir kekacauan yang terjadi pada tokoh utama yaitu, Billy Milligan. Billy mengalami kepribadian ganda dimana terdapat beberapa pribadi yang sepenuhnya berbeda dalam satu tubuh. Kondisi ini juga dikenal sebagai penyimpangan disosiasi identitas. Kondisi ini terjadi disebabkan adanya trauma semasa kecil. Untuk lebih memahami tentang kepribadian ganda yang dialami oleh Billy, maka diperlukan pembahasan tentang karakter yang merupakan salah satu unsur penting dalam memahami karya sastra. Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang karakteristik apa saja yang terdapat pada kepribadian majemuk melalui teori-teori psikologi, dan apa akibat dan/dari kekerasan yang terjadi pada si penderita. Kesimpulan dari tesis ini adalah untuk mengenal kepribadian majemuk pada seseorang, yang mungkin ada disekitar kita.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUTHOR’S DECLARATION ………..v
COPYRIGHT DECLARATION ………..vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………... vii
ABSTRACT ……….ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………... xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……….. 1
1.1 Background of the Study ………..1
1.2 Problems of the Study ………...5
1.3 Objective of the Study ………...6
1.4 Scope of the Study ……….6
1.5 Significance of the Study ………...7
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ……….8
2.1 Psychology and Literature ………8
2.2 Character ………...11
2.3 Child Abuse ………...14
2.4 Multiple Personality Disorder or DID ………16
2.4.1 The Characteristic of DID ……… 19
CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ………...21
3.1 Research Design ……….21
3.2 Data Collecting ………...23
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS AND FINDING ………..25
4.1 Multiple Personality Pictured in the Novel The Minds of Billy Milligan ………...25
4.1.1 Characteristics of Multiple Personality Disorders ………...25
4.1.2 Leading Character Has Two or More Distinct Personalities ……….25
4.1.3 Leading Character’s Personalities: Own Name, Gender, History, Behavior, and Social Relationship ……...30
4.1.4 Leading Character Experience a Form of Amnesia or Gaps of Time ………...36
4.2 The Cause of Multiple Personality Portrayed in the Novel The Minds of Billy Milligan ………...38
4.2.1 The Causes of Multiple Personality ………...39
4.2.1.1 Emotional Abuse ………..39
4.2.1.2 Verbal Abuse and Physical Abuse ………..41
4.2.1.3 Sexual Abuse ………44
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ………...48
5.1 Conclusion ………..48
REFERENCES ………50
APPENDICES ……….xiv
APPENDIX I: DANIEL KEYE’S BIOGRAPHY AND WORKS ………..xiv
APPENDIX II: SUMMARY OF THE MINDS OF BILLY MILLIGAN ………xvi
ABSTRACT
In discussing a literary work, there are many elements that can be made as the object of problems, one of them is psychology. The Minds of Billy Milligan is a literary work that discusses the psychological element, is multiple personality. A novel by Daniel Keyes revealed the disorder in leading character, Billy Milligan. Billy suffers from multiple personality where there are several completely different person in one body. This condition is also known as dissociative identity disorder. This condition occurs due to childhood trauma. To understand more about multiple personalities experienced by Billy, it would be require a discussion of the character, which is one important element in understanding literature. This thesis analyzes the characteristics of which is found in multiple personality through psychological theories, and what impact of abuse is that happen to the victim. The conclusion of this thesis is to find out and to know about multiple personality that may happens to the people around us.
ABSTRAK
Dalam membahas sebuah karya sastra, terdapat banyak unsur yang dapat dijadikan objek permasalahan, salah satunya adalah psikologi. The Minds of Billy Milligan merupakan sebuah karya sastra yang membahas tentang unsur psikologi, yaitu kepribadian majemuk. Novel karya Daniel Keyes ini membuka tabir kekacauan yang terjadi pada tokoh utama yaitu, Billy Milligan. Billy mengalami kepribadian ganda dimana terdapat beberapa pribadi yang sepenuhnya berbeda dalam satu tubuh. Kondisi ini juga dikenal sebagai penyimpangan disosiasi identitas. Kondisi ini terjadi disebabkan adanya trauma semasa kecil. Untuk lebih memahami tentang kepribadian ganda yang dialami oleh Billy, maka diperlukan pembahasan tentang karakter yang merupakan salah satu unsur penting dalam memahami karya sastra. Skripsi ini menganalisis tentang karakteristik apa saja yang terdapat pada kepribadian majemuk melalui teori-teori psikologi, dan apa akibat dan/dari kekerasan yang terjadi pada si penderita. Kesimpulan dari tesis ini adalah untuk mengenal kepribadian majemuk pada seseorang, yang mungkin ada disekitar kita.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Study
Violence against children has become a hot topic in the news and social media
these past few years. Violence can be done by anyone, but ironically that violence
done by our own parents as our closest family members. As an example, many
children in the United States suffer from maltreatment, it is estimated that every year
between 1 and 3 million children are physically or psychologically abused and that
the majority of these children are abused by family members. Children are subjected
to verbal abuse; they are starved, beaten, burned out, chained, isolated, left to lie
filthy and in their own excrement, or sexually molested, and not a small number are
murdered. In 2005, in the United States, more than 1.300 children died as a result of
child abuse almost four children every day.
The same case happened in Indonesia, like Seto Mulyadi, the National
Commission on Child Protection, said that child abuse cases in Indonesia had
increased by around 40 to 50 percent per year over the last few years. Last year, the
number of reported cases reached 2,300. This year, however, there were 2,000 cases
reported in the first six months of the year. Another example of this case was last
year, 12-year-old Riri was sent from her village in Central Java to live with her uncle
and aunt in Jakarta, the capital. Over a period of four months, she was repeatedly
raped by her uncle, who threatened to kill her and possess her with evil spirits if she
head of the shelter, for two weeks Riri was forced to charge US$21 per sexual
encounter in East Jakarta, where she is now recovering. After fleeing from her
uncle’s house, she happened to rest mid-escape near the home of a local community
leader, who brought her to the government-run shelter.
Based on the issues above, then there are some negative effects on violence
against children. The correlation of childhood trauma and later health concerns has
been the subject of a number of studies. Research has found that childhood
experiences of abuse contribute to the likelihood of depression, anxiety disorders,
addictions, personality disorders, eating disorders, sexual disorders and suicidal
behavior. A study by Palmer, Brown, Rae-Grant, & Loughin (2001) with 384
survivors of childhood abuse found that survivors of child abuse tended to be
depressed, have low-self esteem, and to have problems with family functioning. A
recent study found that almost 76% of adults reporting child physical abuse and
neglect have at least one psychiatric disorder in their lifetime and nearly 50% have
three or more psychiatric disorder. Adults with abuse histories also present with
physical problems more frequently than those who have not experienced abuse.
Psychology is a scientific discipline that fully struggling with the problems of
man and humanity. Psychology is also the science that tries to explain, predict, and
control the behavior of human mental. The particular combination of emotional,
attitudinal, and behavioral response patterns of an individual is called personality.
Personality disorders are a class of mental disorders characterized by enduring
maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition and inner experience, exhibited across
many contexts and deviating markedly from those accepted by the individual’s
Gleaves, Hernandez, & Warner, in Professional Psychology: Research &
Practice (1999) said Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly Multiple Personality
Disorder remains a highly controversial disorder. The disease theory of Multiple
Personality Disorder is that unhappiness in adulthood from trauma in childhood and
Spanos in his book Psychological Bulletin (1994) also said the trauma is so severe
that the individual creates multiple identities to cope with it. The severe trauma is
thought to be a result of physical or sexual abuse in childhood. The diagnostic
criteria for this disorder as cited in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental
Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), states that an individual
displaying at least two personality states in which these personality states take
control of the persons behavior can be diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder
(DID). The individual diagnosed with this disorder tends to be depressed, passive,
and often displays feelings of guilt. An individual’s personality is apparently split
into two or more distinct sub-personalities, each of which may become dominant at
different times. People with multiple personality disorder suffer from internal chaos,
roller-coaster emotions and terrible memories. They also present confusing and
contradictory images to their family and friends. But in spite of all this, multiple
personality disorder is a treatable disorder.
Talking about disorder, it is often become the high rates of sexual and physical
abuse. After Pope, Olivia, Hudson, Bodkin, and Gruber (1999) surveyed a group of
301 board certified American psychiatrists their results indicated that only 1/3 of
those surveyed felt that Multiple Personality Disorder should be included in the DSM
– IV (1994) without hesitation, while the remaining felt that it should only be a
I chose this topic as my thesis because abuses on children happened in the
novel that I want to discuss. Multiple personality disorder becomes the theme of The
Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes which is based on true story.
William Stanley Milligan or much known as Billy Milligan was born and
raised in a family that struggled submarginal survive the economic pressures and
cultural liberalism. He was 26 years, didn’t finish high school. He was the main
personality of the other 24 personalities. He has became complex personality because
his stepfather treated him rudely. What his stepfather had done, it was never known
by Billy’s biological mother, Dorothy. Violence which his stepfather did, has made
him became afraid of men, especially his stepfather, Chalmer Milligan. William
Stanley Milligan 4 years old when he, for the first time, "creating a" figure of
Christene, 3-year-old girl who became friends playing Kathy, brother Billy,
William’s nickname. Starting from loneliness due to did not have a friend to play at
home: Jim, his brother did not like playing with him, while Kathy was still too small,
so he then created Christene earlier figures. Furthermore, as the painful events in his
life, the other characters begin to be present. Until Billy adulthood. The novel also
tell about conflicts that resulted from his other personalities Adalana, who raped
three girls from Ohio State University (OSU) which made Milligan fell injail.
Novel and other literary works are no longer discussing about social life,
romance, or just entertainment only. Now, novels discuss more serious topic, such as
psychology. Therefore, the reader does not need to buy psychology books. Through
the novel, the reader can learn and understand the cases of psychology in the easiest
Done Dinkmeyer in Child Development (1965) said that psychologists,
educators, and sociologists all agree that the family is the most significant single
influence on the development of the child. The family is the major environmental
influence and remains throughout life the most persuasive of all influences. It is in
the family that the child either learns to trust people or to be fearful and uncertain of
others. The family has a most significant role to play in the development of
personality. Most of early social learning is experienced within the family.
Grace Craig in Human Development Fourth Edition (1986) said that instead of
encouraging and reinforcing the unique, intimate bond between parent and child, the
child abuser destroys the expectations of love, trust, and dependence so essential to
the young child. What constitutes child abuse may depend on the social milieu and
community standards of a particular family. Although much of the damage suffered
by children is due to carelessness or look supervision, the results can be just as tragic
as those of intentional abuse.
There is some opinion by The Washington Post Book World shows that novel
has the meaning and the purpose of the novel, from book itself: “Daniel Keyes has
been carrying out this novel brilliantly, by making this novel not only clear and
accurate, but also exudes a special warmth and empathy for the victims mental state
and failure.”
1.2 Problem of The Study
In order to simplify and to know the subject matter of the story, I make
1. How is multiple personality pictured in the novel The Minds of Billy
Milligan?
2. What are the causes of multiple personality portrayed in the novel The
Minds of Billy Milligan?
1.3 Objective of the Study
The objective of the study tends to answer the questions or the problems of the
study and it would be useless if a study does not have its aim to be achieved. The aim
or the purpose of this thesis is:
1. To find out how is multiple personality pictured in the novel The Minds of
Billy Milligan.
2. To explain the causes of multiple personality as portrayed in the novel The
Minds of Billy Milligan.
1.4 Scope of The Study
To avoid overlapping explanation, I make a clear scope and delimitation, so
that the analysis will be focusable. There are many aspects which can be analyzed in
this novel. But I deliberated discuss into more detail about child abuse in leading
character which could have a negative impact on child’s psychological or
1.5 Significance of The Study
The study gives some advantages to the reader about the novel The Minds of
Billy Milligan. This thesis can be an afterthought and can be an inspiration to us,
especially parents who have children, so as not commit acts of violence beyond
human conscience. This thesis tells parents that their children are not haphazardly
entrusted on others. Teach parents not to use any violence to their children. Because
it was in fact a lot of violence against children occurs at the hands of their own
parents. Also as the science of good parenting, or maybe can be used in teaching for
teachers so they will more understand about their students as well. This thesis will be
useful for the readers or people who need this thesis as a reference.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Psychology and Literature
Psychology and literature are two different things, but through literature we can
learn about psychology. Literary work has become a more serious discussion leads to
psychology. Psychology entered literary works because the writer uses his emotions
in writing literary works.
Wellek and Warren (1977: 139) in their book “Theory of Literature” explains
that psychology can enter to literature by studying the psychology of the writer,
psychology of the character, and also psychology of the reader. Psychology can enter
literature because the author uses his feeling and emotion in creating work as
happens in novel.
Literature is a place for expressing our thoughts, and shed in a letter. Literature
also has an attractive language style, so the reader does not feel bored to keep
reading. Human usually become the object of a literary work, because of many things
that can be discussed in human life, one of which is a person’s psychology.
Terry Eagleton in Literary Theory An Introduction (2008: 4) says, “literature is
a ‘special’ kind of language, in contrast to the ‘ordinary’ language we commonly use.
But to spot a deviation implies being able to identify the norm from which it
swerves.” Thus, literature is a language that uses special way to delivering
Richard Taylor in Understanding The Elements Of Literature (1981: 1) said
that literature is a place of writing which the writer can expresses their imagination,
emotion, feeling through life experience. Human are the basic objects in literary
work. The events that happen in one’s life is the target, of literary work.
“Literature, like other arts, is essentially an imaginative act, that is, an act of the writer’s imagination in selecting, ordering, and interpreting life-experience. In the case of literature, words are the medium of expression and it makes little difference whether those words are recorded in the living memory of a people or by some mechanical means such as writing, sound recording, etc.” (Taylor (1981: 1)
John Peck and Martin Coyle in Literary Terms and Criticism (1984: 1, 102)
said that literature has genre. Genre means a type or class of literature. Today, it is
known as poetry, drama and the novel, different from earlier times the major genre
recognized as epic, tragedy, lyric, comedy and satire. Novels are all about human
condition or people in society. Writers have always been interested in term of human
life, the development of the novel reflects a view of life towards a new interest in the
complexities of everyday experience. Most novels are concerned with ordinary
people and the problems in societies in which they find themselves.
A novel usually begins with a description of a place or a character. A
characters introduced at the beginning of a novel will usually come into collision
with society. Along the story, the characters will be faced with conflict,
confrontation, and problematic situation, which usually come from their own family
or society (John Peck and Martin Coyle, 1984: 110).
In character, of course it has emotion, feeling, and behavior which support the
knowledge that discusses about human mind in human personality as a character
because character is build by using psychological principles.
Orgel Moskowitz in his book entitled General Psychology (1969: 4) said that
psychology is the study of mental process, based on human behavior, predict, and
control human mind. The process itself included structure and function, stimulus and
sensation, learning, perception, and motivation.
“Psychology is an empirical science based on objective observation and experimental investigation. Its focus is on behavior; its purpose is to provide an understanding of the mechanisms of human activity and adaptation so that man might improve himself.”
The functions of learning psychology are to understand human mind, and
behavior. So, we can easily anticipate an undesirable state, such as its term of mental
disorders. Mental disorders can be happen to anyone, such as, stress, depression, and
more.
Richard Gill in his book entitled Mastering English Literature: Third Edition
(1985: 90) said that character is a reflection of personality on society. Of course there
is a connection between psychology and literature. As we know that psychology is a
study of human mind, the literature itself learning about human aspect in society. So
both of psychology and literature have relevance. How the character is like, the
character speaks, dresses, or maybe the physical appearance of the character, those
are in terms of psychological aspects. If psychology, learn directly from a person,
literature learn attitude, or behavior from a person through literary works.
Guerin, L. Wilfred et. al. in his book entitled A Handbook of Critical
Approaches to Literature: Second Edition (1979: 122) states that human mind in
Sigmund Freud which explains about difference of personality. Personality refers to
those characteristics of the person that account for consistent pattern of feeling,
thinking, and behavior.
According to Freud’s theory, personality has three concepts, id, ego, and
superego. Id has always resided in an individual, in other words it exists from birth.
The Id contains everything that is inherited, that is present at birth, is laid down in
the constitution, the very deep human desire without caring reality. The Ego
comprises organized structure of one’s personality. In other words, the great majority
of the Ego’s operative duties are at conscious level, defensive, perceptual,
intellectual-cognitive, and executive functions. The role of the Ego is to sift through
what is real and what isn’t via organization of our thoughts to make sense of them
and how they relate to the world we live in. The Super-Ego, in its role of moral
authoritarian, is the opposite of the Id. Regulates our sense of right and wrong. It
helps assimilate into the social structure around us via making us act in socially
acceptable ways.
So, psychology of literature is a literature study that reviewing psychology of
behavior, attitude, mental, and mind of human through literature. It can be
psychology of the writer, reader, or the character on a literary work.
2.2 Character
Character is the most important part in writing literary works. Without
any person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work. There are many types of
characters that exist in literature, each with its own development and function.
Gill in his book entitled Mastering English Literature: Third Edition (1985:
94) character have some terms, there are round character which usually full,
complex, and rich, well it is the opposite with flat character which usually much
simple. There are other characters such as open and, closed characters. An open
character can grow and develop, whereas a closed one is fixed and unchanging.
E.M Foster (1990: 73-80) in his book entitled Aspects of Novel said there are
two kinds of characters. There are round character and flat character. Round
character is complex, unpredictable, and usually full of surprise while flat character
is predictable, easy to understand, from the beginning of the story until the end, there
is nothing change.
Roberts and Jacobs (1993: 136) in his book entitled Literature: An Introduction
to Reading and Writing said that character should be true to real life. Their action,
statements, and thoughts must all be what human beings are likely to do, say, and
think under the conditions presented in the story. But, there may be persons in life
who perform tasks or exhibit characteristics that are difficult or seemingly imposible,
such as always getting A+’s on every test, always being cheerful and helpful, or
always understanding the needs of others. Some of these characters are usually
appear in fiction novel.
Novel is not always fiction. Many novels based on the true story as well. The
is real. The novel is based on the true story of the author, or the true stories of other
people.
John Peck and Martin Coyle in Literary Terms and Criticism (1984: 109)
explained that the realistic novelist offers a subtle analysis of his character, but the
fiction novelist takes a simpler view that man’s lusts and desires disrupt life, it might
be a less subtle view, but it is disturbing one, as it emphasizes the irrational impulses
that motivate people.
Characters also distinguish into three subdivisions such as main character,
minor character, and also leading character. Main character is the character whose
appearance is the most frequently appear in the story and dominant of the story.
Minor character can be defined as the supporting character of the main character and
the appearance of minor character is usually infrequently while leading character is
the centered individual who is very dominant. Leading character is focused
personally and it is different with main character which can involve more than one
character.
Billy Milligan is a leading character because he is the center of the whole story.
His appearances construct every event of the novel ‘The Minds of Billy Milligan’. He
has round character. It is reflected by his action, behavior, and also thought causing
by his other personalities. Although Billy, as the host of the body, doesn’t know what
2.3 Child Abuse
There are many kinds of abuse. They are physical abuse, mental abuse, verbal
abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, etc. Child abuse and neglect occurs in a range of
situations, for a range of reasons. For example are, the disharmony in the household,
the low income of the family, or other supporting factors that can be trigger violence.
Phillip L Rice (1987) Stress and Health, Principles and Practice for Coping
and Wellness says “Abused children tend to suffer a damaged self-imaged, poorer
emotional adjustment if not mental disturbance, more disturbed family relationship,
lower impulse control, and interior coping skills. Parents who maltreat their children
have gad a development history that predisposes them to do so. This does not mean
that all abusive parents were themselves abused as children. Parental rejection also
may be a key factor.” This book gives more explanation about what makes parents
abuse their children and any adverse factors that can occur of abuse. Moreover, this
book tells more about mental health in human, adults, teens, and children. Also
informs us, that abuse against children which caused by their own parents, evidently
have similar memories or events that ever happened since they were a child.
Parents are the most influential in the development of children. In a family,
usually parents who are teach, educate, and keep their children. The relationship
between parent and children is so intimate, where children learn, act, behave, and
spoken, all of it comes from their parents. Childhood is a special period of
development, because it has a psychological need, education, as well as the physical
Dinkmeyer in his book entitled Child Development the Emerging Self (1965)
says, “The family is the major environmental influence and remains throughout life
the most persuasive of all influences. It is in the family that the child either learns to
trust people or to be fearful and uncertain of others. The family has a most significant
role to play in the development of personality. Most of early social learning is
experienced within the family.” It gives explanation about the role of the family in
life, and children development. This book explains more in detail about what is the
responsibility of parents in raising children. Teach interact with others, to trust
others, to anxiety others, and those are should be taught by parents. Parents should
not be cited or doing a bad thing, because children are very easy to imitate. Moreover
for parents who are abuse children, then it can affect physical health, and also child’s
mental.
Grace Craig in Human Development (1986) says, “What constitutes child
abuse may depend on the social milieu and community standards of a particular
family. Although much of the damage suffered by children is due to carelessness or
look supervision, the results can be just as tragic as those of intentional abuse.” This
book gives explanation about parents who are intimately bond with children. How
parents should give preferential treatment to their children, and not abuse children.
Because abusing children can be destroy the hope of love, trust, and mentality of
them. The drawback affection, attention from parents, also may be an important
factor in child development.
Children have often been the target of abusing. The characteristics of children
who have often been the target of abuse, they usually are afraid of getting close to
abusing children, it causes a very deep trauma, and imprint in his mind. Mental
become incoherent, and can provoke the splitting of personality.
2.4 Multiple Personality disorder or Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
In literature, a lot of things that can be used as a literary work, one of which is
psychology. Many aspects of psychology that can be used in the manufacture of a
novel, multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder as one of the
example which often appears on novel.
Ann M. Kring and Sheri L. Johnson in Abnormal Psychology; Eleventh Edition
(2010: 161) said that a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) requires that
a person have at least two separate personalities, or alters different modes of being,
thinking, feeling, and acting that exist independently of each other and that come
forth at different times. Each determines the person’s nature and activities when it is
in command.
Lauren B. Alloy and John H. Riskind in their book Abnormal Psychology;
Current Perspectives Ninth Edition (2005: 184) said that dissociative identity
disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder, this pattern, the
personality breaks up into 2 or more distinct identities or personalities states, each
well integrated and well developed, which then take turns controlling the person’s
behavior.
Richard P. Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne in Abnormal Psychology;
Clinical Perspectives on Psychology Disorders (2009: 193) said that in dissociative
personality. These personalities are referred to as alters, in contrast to the core
personality, the host. This condition was formerly called multiple personality
disorder (MPD), a term that continues to be used by some lay authors and even a few
health professionals. In dissociative identity disorder, each alter is understood to be a
consistent and enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the
environment and the self.
Multiple personality disorder (MPD) or dissociative identity disorder (DID) is
appear with many events, and the events that normally happen is very bad, and
imprint on the memory of the person. For example, things that we cannot forget in
our mind, and it could become trauma are abuses. There are many kinds of abuses,
such as physical abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and verbal
abuse. The effect of these abuses, may cause a very deep trauma that can make
someone, cannot control his/her own mind. They inadvertently leave their own mind,
and they don’t realize that they have another personality. Usually this trauma begins
when they are in childhood phase, and continue until adulthood.
Ann M. Kring and Sheri L. Johnson in Abnormal Psychology; Eleventh Edition
(2010: 162) said that DID usually begins in childhood, but it is rarely diagnosed until
adulthood. It is more severe and extensive than the other dissociative disorders, and
recovery may be less complete. Other diagnoses in particular, post traumatic
disorder, major depressive disorder, substance abuse, phobias, borderline personality
disorder, sexual dysfunction, and somatization disorder. DID commonly
accompanied by other symptoms such as headaches, hallucinations, suicide attemps,
and self-abuse behavior, as well as by other dissociative symptoms such as amnesia
Richard P. Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne in Abnormal Psychology;
Clinical Perspectives on Psychology Disorders (2009: 195) said that traditionally,
dissociative identity disorder has been attributed to the experience of abuse during
childhood. According to this view, traumatized children fail to develop an integrated
and continuous sense of self. In one of the largest studies of psychiatric outpatients,
interviews revealed high prevalence rates for both physical and sexual abuse in
childhood among those with dissociative symptoms (Foote et al.,2006).
Richard P. Kluft in Childhood Antecedents of Multiple Personality (1987: 24)
explains about the cause of multiple personality disorder:
We would like to believe most sexual abuse of children is done by strangers (most often drifters and “perverts’), or occasionally by individuals who insinuate themselves into settings in which children are vulnerable and easily accessible (that is, schools, daycare centers, clubs, camps, and so forth). Most sexual abuse, however, occurs within the family or the neighborhood. Both male and female infants and youngster may be sexually abused by both parents and other relatives of both sexes. Female children have been subject both to rape and to other forms of abuse as sexual objects by their fathers, brothers, male neighbors, or the paramours of their mothers, sisters, or the caretakers. Male children can be abused by comparable female figures.
DID or multiple personality disorder reflects a failure to integrate various
aspects of identity, memory and consciousness in a single multidimensional self.
Usually, a primary identity carries the individual's given name and is passive,
dependent, guilty and depressed. When in control, each personality state, or alter,
may be experienced as if it has a distinct history, self-image and identity. The alters'
characteristics—including name, reported age and gender, vocabulary, general
Certain circumstances or stressors can cause a particular alter to emerge. The various
identities may deny knowledge of one another, be critical of one another or appear to
be in open conflict.
2.4.1 The Characteristic of Dissociative Identity Disorder or Multiple Personality Disorder
Multiple personality disorder would have some criteria that indicate to the
person who has the symptoms of multiple personality disorder. Here are described
some of the characteristics of multiple personality disorder.
Richard P. Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne in Abnormal Psychology;
Clinical Perspectives on Psychology Disorders (2009: 193-194) said that the
characteristics of DID, has at least two distinct identities or personality states, each
with its own pattern of perceiving, thinking, and relating, as well as its own style of
behavior, personal history, and self-image. People with dissociative identity disorder
also experience a form of amnesia, in which they have gaps in their memory about
some aspects of their personal history. Some individuals have gaps that span years,
or even a decade or more. Sometimes only when other people tell them about events
do they become aware of something they have done or said.
Barlow and Durand in Abnormal Psychology; An Integrative Approach,
Seventh Edition (2012: 201) said that the diagnostic criteria for DID are:
A. Disruption of identity characterized by two or more distinct personality
B. Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday events, important personal
information, and/ or traumatic events that are inconsistent with ordinary
forgetting.
C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in
social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. The disturbance is not a normal part of a broadly accepted cultural or
religious practice. In children, the symptoms are not attributable to
imaginary play mates or other fantasy play.
E. The symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a
substance, or another medical condition.
Richard P. Kluft in Childhood Antecedents of Multiple Personality (1987: 40)
explains that there are three diagnostic criteria for multiple personality disorder in
DSM-III: 1) the existence within an individual of two (or more) distinct personalities,
each of which is in control of the body at different times; 2) the personality that is
dominant determines ongoing behavior; and 3) each personality is complex and has
its own unique history, behavior patterns, and social relationships.
Moreover, multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder come
from depression, and a very deep trauma that cause several mental disorder which
the effect of this disorder is the outbreak of multiple personalities. Usually the typical
of the sufferer from this disease usually experience some sort of symptoms, such as,
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
In analyzing the thesis, I use descriptive qualitative method. Bogdan and
Taylor (1975: 5) explains that qualitative method is a research procedure that
descriptive data such as written word or verbal expression from the people and their
behavior that have been observed. Through this method, I use qualitative method by
analyzing the and sentences which are related to the topic of this study about
multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder found in leading
character of novel The Minds of Billy Milligan.
There are three kinds of research methods, library research, field research, and
laboratory research. By analyzing The Minds of Billy Milligan I use library research
by using some books which are related to the topic of this thesis. Library research is
research you do from books. First step, the writer read the novel ‘The Minds of Billy
Milligan’ as the source of data of multiple personality in leading character and, then
used some psychology textbooks to understand the principles of psychology which is
applied by the author of that novel. Data will be collected and selected before it is
Collecting
Reducing
Analyzing theory and literature
Conclusion & Suggestion
Documents
Reading/Selecting
Processing Data
• Data Collecting, collect and underline the
important things from the novel and related books and references.
• Data Selecting, select all the information that has been collected and only the significant data are used in the process of doing this thesis.
• Data Analyzing, all the selected data are being analyzed to achieve what has been planned in the objective of this thesis.
Interpreting • Data displays using text.
• Examining comparing, discussing data and information. • Identifying the problem.
• Using some theories of Multiple Personality Disorder.
Analyzing
• Factors affecting multiple personality disorder. • Assessing and revising.
• Qualitative descriptive method
Conclusion & Suggestion • Summarizing all problems
3.2 Data Collecting
Library research is applied to support the topic which is being discussed in this
thesis by using some related books as references. The writer also got some
information from the internet and used that as the supporting reference of this thesis.
The primary source of data is acquired from the novel which being analyzed in
this thesis entitled The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes. The secondary
source of data is obtained from other books as the references which are most
concerned about multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder as the
cause of abused child and theory of personality.
The writer of this thesis applied some steps in collecting data. Firstly, the
writer read the novel The Minds of Billy Milligan and tried to recognize what the
story about. The writer read both the English and Indonesian version of the novel.
Secondly, the writer underlined the important things from the leading character.
Thirdly, the data from some books which are focused on multiple personality and
abused child are collected. Finally, the writer selected some best quotations which
are appropriate to support the idea of multiple personality through the leading
character.
3.3 Data Analysis
In analyzing the writer uses descriptive approach. There are some steps of
descriptive analytical method. First, data is identified from dialogues or statements
which lead to the certain characteristics of multiple personality. Then, the writer will
Milligan’. Second, those quotations will be analyzed to give interpretation about
multiple personality through the leading character of the novel. The interpretation
will be supported by quotations from some other books about multiple personality,
encyclopedias, and some documents from the internet. Finally, conclusion will be
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND FINDING
4.1 Multiple Personality Pictured in the Novel The Minds of Billy Milligan
4.1.1 Characteristics of Multiple Personality Disorders
Multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder has some
characteristics which shown on leading character, and the characteristics are; 1) The
person has at least two or more distinct personalities, 2) Each personality has its own
name, gender, history, behavior and social relationship, and 3) The person experience
a form of amnesia or gaps of time.
4.1.2 Leading Character Has Two or More Distinct Personalities
David H. Barlow and V. Mark Durand in Abnormal Psychology; An
Integrative Approach, Seventh Edition (2012: 200) said people with dissociative
identity disorder (DID) adopts as many as 100 new identities, and the average
number is closer to 15.
Billy as the leading character shows the characteristic of multiple personality
disorder, which is he has two or more distinct personalities. The story begins when
22 year-old Billy is arrested and charged with rape and robbery case in October,
1977. The defenders who are handle the case, feel the difference of the attitude and
attitude that commonly happens in other people. However, Billy’s behavior
changeable with a very accentuate difference.
Garry saw Milligan’s smile, the excitement in his eyes he had no seen before. He was relaxed, easygoing, trading jokes in an almost light-hearted way. A very different person from that bundle of nerves he’d met the first day. It might be a lot easier to defend him than he’d thought.
(Keyes, 1981: 20)
From the quotation above, shows that Billy has two distinct personalities. He
shown different attitude and behavior away from the first time the defenders saw
him. A similar case is also recognized by Dorothy Turner, a psychologist from
Southwest Community Mental Health Center who interviews Billy in January, 1978.
Turner sees something different on Billy. When Billy, whom has height of 180 cm,
thick mustache, and long beard, come along with Sergeant Willis into the interview
room, but Billy’s eyes show like a frightened child. Turner asks something about
social security number, but Billy answers that he doesn’t know anything about it. He
says that it is not his social number, but it is Billy’s social number. There, he shows
that he has two distinct personalities, he doesn’t admit something which is not his,
but someone else, where actually he lives in one body with the host personality.
“Well, aren’t you Billy?” “No,” he said. “Not me.”
She frowned. “Wait a minute. If you’re not Billy, who are you?” “I’m David.”
“Well, where’s Billy?” “Billy’s asleep.” “Asleep where?”
He pointed to his chest. “In here. He’s asleep.” (Keyes, 1981: 24-25)
Billy looks like instead of himself. Speak fluently like a professional figure and
existence of "the people" that lived in Billy Milligan. David knows, he should not
say that he is not Billy. David must keep a secret that actually there are other
personalities live in Billy.
On the other times also shown significantly the differences in Billy is, at the
time he was in the cell. Billy as Christine was drawing, but a guard mocked him,
because of his drawing was like made by kindergarten children. For no reason, the
guard threw a glass of water to Christine’s drawing. The guard was surprised by the
change in behavior that is far different from Billy that he just mocked earlier.
But the guard who had thrown the water drew away from the bars when he saw the expression on Milligan’s face. The rage was unmistakable. He seemed to be looking around for something to throw. Suddenly, the prisoner grabbed the toilet bowl, ripped it out of the wall and threw it against the bars, shattering the porcelain. The guard stumbled back and ran to hit the alarm button.
“Jesus, Milligan!” Hill said.
“He threw vater on Christine’s drawing. Is not right to destroy the vork of children.”
(Keyes: 1981: 56)
The change is very spontaneous, with anger and mentioning other name which
is not his self is the characteristic of multiple personality. They have their own way
to survive, despite living in the same body.
Other personalities have begun to manifest themselves. Now there are other
names that appear besides David, that’s Arthur. He is most often set up the situation,
and knows a lot of things. Arthur also who gives the name ‘the spot' for those who
are on the outside world, or the holder of consciousness. In turn, or take over 'the
“What’s ‘the spot’, David?”
“That’s what Arthur calls it. He explained to us how it works when one of the people has to come out. It’s a big white spotlight. Everybody stands around it, watching or sleeping in their beds. And whoever steps on the spot is out in the world. Arthur says, ‘Whoever is on the spot holds the consciousness.’” (Keyes, 1981: 26)
Barlow and Durand in Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach,
Seventh Edition (2012: 201) explains that the transformation from one personality to
another is called a switch. Usually, the switch is instantaneous. Physical
transformations may occur during switches. Posture, facial expressions, patterns of
facial wrinkling, and even physical disabilities may emerge.
Billy’s other personality Arthur, tells Ragen that there is another woman,
besides Christine who lives in Billy. Ragen and Christine are also the other
personalities of Billy. Arthur introduces Adalana, and also tells Ragen that she who
stole the time at the time Ragen robbed last October. The conversation goes in with
rapid-fire switching, sometimes aloud, sometimes in the mind as speech without
sound. Here’s the quotation below, shows the conversation:
“Adalana, I want you to meet Ragen. Since Ragen is our protector, he has a right to know what happened. You will have to explain yourself and justify you actions to him.”
A soft, delicate voice echoed in his mind, as if from the darkness beyond. It was like a hallucination or a dream voice.
“Ragen, I’m sorry for the trouble—“
“Sorry!” Ragen snarled, pacing. “You filty slut. Vy for you go around raping vomans? Do you realize vat you put us all trhough?”
(Keyes, 1981: 76-77)
The characteristic of has at least two distinct personalities, is they often speak
for themselves. Whether an openly situation or by heart to heart. Kluft (1987:175)
asserted behavioral dominance. The conversation can be seen clearly from the
quotation above that the personalities talked each other, even arguing. Talking to our
self is unusual thing in a normal person. Usually, things like these considered as a
crazy person. However, this symptom has been a characteristic of multiple
personality.
At the hospital Arthur is in charge. He allows Billy the core personality take
the spot more frequently, especially for his treatment. He lets Billy speak to Dr.
George about him, and other personalities. Billy finally found out about the others.
Arthur explains to him, who he is, and why all this time Billy doesn’t know his
existences.
Kluft (1987: 40) explains that an alter personality will be aware of the original
or “host” personality. However, the “host” personality usually claims to be unaware
of the existence of other personalities. In addition, information acquired while the
other personalities had executive control of the body may not be accessible to the
“host” personality.
Billy Milligan has at least two distinct or more personalities as the
characteristic of multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder which
Billy, as the host personality who at first did not know the existences of other
personality figures, must accept the consequences of the crime that he actually never
did. Multiple personality disorder tends to be more on changing behavior, and
attitudes, than normal person. Multiple personality disorder has at least two or more
4.1.3 Leading Character’s Personalities: Own Name, Gender, History, Behavior and Social Relationship
As has been explained previously in chapter two that, one of the characteristic
of multiple personality disorder is each personality has its own name, gender, history,
behavior and social relationship which shows on Billy as the leading character.
Richard P. Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne in Abnormal Psychology;
Clinical Perspectives on Psychology Disorders (2009: 193-194) said that the
characteristics of multiple personality disorder, on each personality has its own
pattern of perceiving, thinking, and relating, as well as its own style of behavior,
personal history, and self-image.
Billy the host personality, was born in Miami, United States. He dropouts from
high school, has blue eyes and brown hair. His height is 180cm, and 86kg weight.
Billy has one older brother and one younger sister. Since he was a child, his character
was such a boy who filled with the spirit of exploring, finding out a lot of things, and
has a high enthusiasm of something.
Jimbo never forgot that although he was a year and four months older than his brother, it was Billy who, at the age of seven, instigated running away from home that summer. They would pack some food, Billy told him, and take a knife and some clothes, and they would go off and have adventures. They would come back rich and famous.
(Keyes, 1981: 152)
His courage has seen when he was a boy. However, when he becomes adult his
character shown depressed, because of he unable to remember the events that
happened to him, and it’s all because of the other personality who alternately “use”
Billy’s body, where Billy himself did not know that he has another personality.
His gaze seemed to turn inward. His lips twitched as if he were talking in his sleep.
Suddenly his eyes opened wide.
“Oh my God!” he cried. “I thought I was dead!”
He jerked around in his seat. Seeing people looking at him, he jumped out of the chair onto the floor on all fours and scuttled crablike to opposite wall, as far from them as he could get, squeezing between the writing arm rests of two chairs, cowering and sobbing.
“What’d I do now?” (Keyes, 1981: 54)
From the expression, attitudes, behaviors, and the words that come out from
Billy, shows that he is depressed, timid, and very careful. He had left ‘the spot’ for a
long time. Kluft (1987: 32) said that decompensated multiple personality disorder
patients may lose access to their skills or training, become unable to use talents and
intelligence, and experience frightening episodes of time loss; that is, amnesia. The
patients’ loss of health, opportunities, and access to their natural ability to learn and
profit from education, seriously compromise their abilities to live, love, and work.
Arthur as Billy’s another personality is a figure of helper personality. He is the
first figure who by reason aware of any other personality figures. He also who
creates the rules of what and who is controlling the situation when one of them is on
‘the spot’. Arthur is a smart, intelligent, rational, emotionless man, and he reads a lot.
He comes from London, England, he has British accent and wears glasses.
Arthur knew very well there were others around, because as he checked the dates on the calendar, he knew something was wrong. According to everything he read and observed, other people didn’t sleep as long as he seemed to be sleeping.
(Keyes, 1981: 170)
would put his mind to it and come up with something that would be fair, workable and – above all – logical.
(Keyes, 1981: 171-172)
Nolen in her book Abnormal Psychology: Forth edition (2007) said that there
are some types of dissociative symptoms, and the third type is the protector, or helper
personality. The function of this personality is to offer advise to other personalities or
to perform functions the host personality is unable to perform, such as engaging in
sexual relations or hiding from abusive parents. Helpers sometimes control the
switching from on personality to another or act as passive observes who can report
on the thoughts and intentions of all the personalities.
There are so many differences between Arthur and Billy. The differences can
be seen from their ability, skill, and behavior between them. Not only that, even the
way of speaking, accent, and their background of life is also different.
During Milligan lives in prison, but of course it’s not the real Billy, Ragen
figure who dominated situation, the consciousness in dangerous places. His
disposition is the strongest of all the people who lives in Billy. That’s why he
controls the situation at the time in prison. This is overly different with Arthur’s
characteristic. Where Arthur is who has perceptivity and such a clever person to see
the situation.
“Let me put it this way. In different circumstances, spot is ruled by me or Arthur, depending on situation. In prison I control spot – decide who goes on, who stays off—because is dangerous place. As protector, I have full power and command. In situation where is no danger and where intelligence and logic are more important, then Arthur dominates spot.”
(Keyes, 1981: 41)
Ragen is a figure of protector, it is he who keep all the family members from
speaks English with a noticeable Slavic accent, and reads, writes and speaks
Serbo-Croatian. Weighs 95kg, has enormous arms, black hair and long, drooping mustache.
He sketches in black and white because he is color-blind.
Ragen knew his last name was Vadascovinich, that his homeland was Yugoslavia and that his reason for existence was to survive and to use any means to protect the others – especially the children. He was aware of his great strength and his ability to sense danger as a spider feels the tingling presence of an intruder on his web. He was able to absorb all the others’ fear and transform it into action. He vowed to train himself, perfect his body, study the material arts. But that was not enough in this hostile world.
(Keyes, 1981: 173-174)
Kluft (1987: 71) said that the personalities described by clinicians working
with multiple personality disorder patients usually include a number of frequently
encountered types of alternate personalities, which perform specific functions or
roles in the individual’s life. These alternates commonly include: child personalities,
who may serve to hold or buffer traumatic experiences; persecutor personalities, who
inflict pain and punishment on the individual (often through suicide attempts or
self-mutilation); helper personalities, who provide advice or perform functions that the
host or central personality is unable to accomplish; and recorder or memory
personalities, who maintain continuous awareness in spite of the amnesias
experienced by other personalities. In addition, there may be personalities who
perceive themselves as being of the opposite sex, or having opinions and life-styles
that are in dramatic opposition to that of the host or main personality.
Ragen is so much away from Billy characteristic, the core or ‘host’ personality.
Billy is a figure who afraid of men. It is because of his past trauma with his
Kluft (1987: 51) said that whenever the host personality is unable to express its
anger, the alternate personality takes over and may express this affect in an extreme
or inappropriate manner.
Billy as The Teacher, remember the chaotic time suffered by Billy. The teacher
is Billy personality that has merged or fused. He is very intelligent, sensitive, and has
a sense of humor, he himself Billy completely if the twenty-three other personalities
merge into one. The teacher remembers every single events that happen on the
twenty-three other figures, and he knows all the figures very well.
Mark, who had a short attention span for anything but manual labor, would have wandered away. Tommy would have rebelled. David would have suffered. “Jason,” the pressure valve, would have screamed. “Bobby” would have gotten lost in a fantasy. “Samuel,” who was Jewish, like Johnny Morrison, would have prayed. Any one of them or the others might have done something wrong and gotten Billy into a worse mess. Only Christine, who never got older than three, could stand there patiently and say nothing.
(Keyes, 1981: 160)
Allen and Tommy are the two most similar figures. Tommy is often mistaken
for Allen. Nonetheless Allen is a person skilled in speaking, he’s also good at getting
along with others. Whereas Tommy, he is anti-social, do not like to associate with
others, especially with those who do not know him. Allen is the most frequently
appear in front of people, because of his shrewdness in communication. Here’s the
quotation which shows Allen’s expertise in communicating:
mostly portraits. He was eighteen and loved baseball, though Tommy hated the game.
(Keyes, 1981: 51)
From the quotations above, we can conclude that, in every “person” who lives
in Milligan, have their own character, and their own view. Moreover they have limits
or authority in the form of rules that they must obey to. In each personality has its
own behavior patterns, history, and social relationships. From the explanation of
www.psychologytoday.com that on each personality has a name, a fundamental
nature, history, self-image and different identity. Having different gender, age,
knowledge, vocabulary, mood, which contrast with the core personality or the host.
Christine describes as a child alter, Nolen (2007) said that a child alter may be
created during a traumatic experience to become the victim of the trauma, while the
“host” personality escapes into the protection of psychological oblivion. Christine is
a bright little English girl, she can read and print, but has dyslexia. Likes to draw and
color pictures of flowers and butterflies. Blond shoulder-length hair, and has blue
eyes. She has an older brother name Christopher. Christine is the first personality
who appears in Billy.
Christine didn’t know who Billy was or why she was being called that, but she was happy she could play with Kathy. She took a red crayon and went to the wall beside the crib to draw Kathy a picture of a doll.
(Keyes, 1981: 148)
From all of the quotations above, it can be concluded that, Billy, Arthur,
Ragen, and Christine are fourth different figure which through behavior, attitudes,
personality which are not described, but all personality has its own life background
also vary.
4.1.4 Leading Character Experience a Form of Amnesia or Gaps of Time
One of the characteristic of multiple personality disorder is experience amnesia
or gaps of time. Richard P. Halgin and Susan Krauss Whitbourne (2009: 193-194)
said that people with multiple personality disorder experience a form of amnesia, in
which they have gaps in their memory about some aspects of their personal history.
Some individuals have gaps that span years, or even a decade or more. Sometimes
only when other people tell them about events do they become aware of something
they have done or said.
Memory in everyone’s mind is different. But, as a normal human being, we can
still remember the events that already happened one or two days earlier even is a
month. However, Billy is not able to remember the event, at the beginning how he
could be in jail. This is an unnatural thing, because bad event is usually hard to be
forgotten. However, Billy does not know about it. Billy Milligan has the
characteristic of multiple personality, which are time gaps or amnesia.
“Tell me Billy, why did you smash you head into the wall the other day?”
“I thought I was dead,” he said, “and then I woke up and found myself in jail.”
“What was the last thing you remember before that?”
“Going up to the school roof. I didn’t want to see any more doctors. Dr. Brown at the Lancaster Mental Health Center couldn’t cure me. I thought I jumped off. Why ain’t I dead? Who are all of you? Why you lookin’ at me like that?”
(Keyes, 1981: 54)
What was he doing in class? How had he gotten here? He remembered getting up in the morning, but not getting dressed or coming to school. He had no idea what had happened between waking
