i
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of
Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
LINDA KURNIAWATI
Student number: 054214057
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iv
"Life is not measured by the number of
breaths we take, but by the moments that
v
This
undergraduate
thesis is
dedicated to my
beloved mother,
my father, and
also my lovely
sister because
of their
affection,
supports, and
viii
First of all, I want to give my deepest gratefulness to Jesus Christ. Because of His
blessings, finally I could finish my thesis. Although I am not His good daughter, I believe He
never leaves me.
I realize that I will never come to this end of my study without the help of my sponsor,
Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S. I really thank her for being so patient with my laziness and
who has sacrifice her time in guiding me to finish my thesis from the beginning until the end. I
also thank my co-sponsor, Harris Hermansyah Setiajid, S.S., M. Hum., for reading my thesis
and who had understood my condition.
For all my lecturers of the English Letter Department, I give my great thanks for their
guidance during my study. I also thank Mbak Ninik and all the secretarial staff who always gave
me a big help in processing my administrative stuff.
I thank my family, who still care about me no matter how I really dissapoint them. This
thesis is a proof that I still can be a responsible person. I thank my father and my mother who
made me understand the importance of being educated. I also thank them for their never ending
loves, prayers, patience, support, encouragements and understanding. My deep love also goes to
my sister, Yuni. I thank my beloved boyfriend, my dear Satya for his love and support. I love
them so much.
I thank my great friends, Vita and Cicil, for lending me their laptop so I can finish this
thesis. I also thank Siska, Febri, and Chandra for our hang outs so I can pass my boredom. I also
ix
x
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization ...
7
2. Theory of Conflict ...
11
3. Theory of Children Rights ...
14
4. Theory of Medical Technology Development ...
20
C. Theoretical Framework ...
22
A.
The Characteristics of the Characters ...
28
1.
The Characteristics of Anna...
28
2.
The Characteristics of Sara ...
30
3.
The Characteristics of Brian ...
32
xi
2.
External Conflicts ...
37
C.
The Children’s Right which are Ignored by Medical Technology
Development ...
44
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION
...
52
BIBLIOGRAPHY
...
54
xii
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
This
thesis
discusses Jodi Picoult’s novel,
My Sister’s Keeper
. The story begins when
Kate is diagnosed with a serious disease. She has a rare form of leukemia. It was difficult to be
cured. The doctor suggested Kate’s parents to do genetic planning, that was creating babies for
health purposes. Anna was born to cure Kate. Anna was conceived to provide a donor match for
procedures that become increasingly invasive. At 13, Anna hires a lawyer so that she can sue her
parents for the right to make her own decisions about how her body is used when a kidney
transplant is planned.
There are three problems to be analyzed in this thesis. They are: (1) How are the main
characters described in Picoult’s
My Sister’s Keeper
? (2) What are the conflicts in the story? (3)
How do the conflicts reveal the children’s rights which are ignored by medical technology
development in Picoult’s
My Sister’s Keeper
?
This study employs a library study method. There are two kinds of sources. The primary
source is the novel itself,
My Sister’s Keeper
. The secondary sources are taken from several
books and articles related to the topic. In answering the problems, several theories on literature
and moral are applied. The moral philosophical approach is chosen since the analysis deal with
morality. There are theories of character and characterization, theories of conflict, theories of
children’s rights, and theory of medical technology development.
The result of the analysis shows that the main characters in the novel are Anna, Sara, Brian
and Dr. Chance. Anna’s characteristics are smart, funny, observant and thoughtful. Sara’s
characteristics are clever, stubborn, compassionate, and unfair. Brian’s characteristics are
perceptive, sensitive, and emotionally weak. The characteristics of Dr. Chance are warm and
optimistic. There are two internal conflicts in the story. The first one is conflict in Anna’s mind
whether she wanted Kate to stay alive or she wanted to be free from medical procedures. The
second one is conflict when Anna intended to sue her parents to get her medical emancipation.
There are four external conflicts in the story, they are conflict between Anna and technology,
conflict between Anna and her mother, conflict between Anna and her father, and also conflict
when Anna sued her parents. Some articles related to Convention on the Rights of the Child
which are broken by Anna’s parents are article on expression of opinion, freedom of association,
parental responsibility, health care, standard of living, play and recreation, best interest of the
child, freedom of expression and information, and periodic review.
xiii
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2011.
Skripsi ini menganalisis novel karangan Jodi Picoult,
My Sister’s Keeper
. Novel ini menceritakan
tentang pengorbanan Anna terhadap kakak perempuannya. Cerita dimulai ketika Kate, kakak
perempuan Anna, didiagnosa mengidap suatu penyakit serius. Dia didiagnosa menderita penyakit
leukemia yang langka. Penyakit ini susah untuk diobati. Dokter menyarankan orang tua Kate untuk
melakukan rekayasa genetika, yaitu melahirkan bayi untuk tujuan kesehatan. Anna dilahirkan dengan
tujuan untuk mengobati Kate. Di usianya yang ketiga belas, Anna menyewa seorang pengacara untuk
menuntut orang tuanya agar dirinya memperoleh hak untuk membuat keputusan tentang transplantasi
ginjal.
Dalam skripsi ini, ada tiga masalah yang dianalisa. (1) Bagaimana karakter utama dijelaskan
dalam novel
My Sister’s Keeper
karya Jodi Picoult? (2) Konflik apa saja yang ada di dalam cerita ini?
(3) Bagaimana masalah dalam cerita ini menunjukkan hak-hak anak yang terabaikan oleh karena
kemajuan teknologi di bidang medis?
Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Ada dua macam sumber pendukung. Sumber
utama adalah novel
My Sister’s Keeper
karangan Jodi Picoult. Sumber kedua diambil dari buku-buku
dan artikel-artikel yang berhubungan dengan topic cerita. Dalam menjawab pertanyaan, beberapa teori
tentang kesusastraan dan moral diaplikasikan dalam skripsi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah
pendekatan secara moral karena analisa novel ini berhubungan dengan moralitas. Teori yang
digunakan dalam menganalisa novel ini diantaranya yaitu teori karakter dan karakterisasi, teori
konflik, teori hak anak, dan teori perkembangan teknologi medis.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
People have different abilities and interests. They also have different
feelings and emotions. One way to develop their feeling and emotion is by reading
literature. Literature is surely a device to learn about everything in our lives.
Literature is the result of human’s creativity to entertain and also to inform and to
give knowledge to its readers.
Literature is human creation in certain time to say something or events in certain period or year. It is intended to share some idea or issue to other human beings, because the greatness of the literature work is brought out by the wisest and the most sensitive mind in the form of information, experience, knowledge or non-aesthetic values (Guerrin, 1979:18)
While for the readers, by reading literature, they can enrich their knowledge, since literature may contain special information of life which is useful to learn. Even though it is not identical with the real experience, it provides a profitable supplement in terms of intellectual and critical values because making a mature evaluation of life without having a great deal of direct experience is also possible (Grace, 1965:7)
According to Rohrberger and Woods, literary works can be divided into
four genres namely short story, novel, poem and play. Each genre has its own
history and particular dimension, and the form and requirement of each must be
considered before evaluative judgment can be made (1971: 19). A novel is a work
of art in so far as it introduces a living world. Novel is an imitation of life. The
novel is the reflection of human life, which the stories that happen in a novel also
happen in real life (1971:163).
A novel as an artistic expression appears to have as its objective the deeper
and richer knowledge of human life. Through the characters in the novel, we can
study the knowledge of the life of human. The description of the characters
enables the reader to get a more understanding on human characters and to
experience people (Henkle, 1977: 86).
In this study, the writer is going to reveal a topic about human rights,
especially the human rights which is ignored by medical technology development.
According to Wikipedia, Human rights are rights and freedoms to which all
human are entitled. Related to human rights which are stated in United Nation
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all human beings are born free and equal
in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should
act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Human rights can be various, like children’s rights. According to
Wikipedia, children’s rights are the perceived human rights of children with
particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to the
young, including their right to association with both biological parents, human
identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal state-paid education, health
care and criminal laws appropriate for the age and development of the child.
This study is related to children’s rights which the writer chooses from one
of Jodi Picoult’s novels, My Sister’s Keeper (2004). As a literary work, this novel has an idea that the writer wants to reveal and elaborate more. My Sister’s Keeper
tells about Anna, the main character, who lost her children's rights because she has
to contribute her part of the body continuously to her elder sister, Kate.
The story begins when Kate is diagnosed with a serious disease. She has a
parents to do genetic planning, that was creating babies for health purposes. Anna
was born to cure Kate. Anna was conceived to provide a donor match for
procedures that become increasingly invasive. At 13, Anna hires a lawyer so that
she can sue her parents for the right to make her own decisions about how her
body is used when a kidney transplant is planned. (Picoult, 2004: 15)
The writer chooses the topic about medical technology development which
ignores the children’s rights because it reminds the reader that all children have
their children’s rights. Moreover, with the rapid development of medical
technology, people have to be wise when using technology, they cannot ignore
children’s rights.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the background above, there are three problems in this study.
The problems are formulated as follows:
1. How are the main characters described in Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper? 2. What are the conflicts in Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper?
3. How do the conflicts reveal the children’s rights which are ignored by
medical technology development in Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper?
C. Objectives of the Study
Based on the problem formulation above, this study aims to reveal the
children’s rights which are ignored by medical technology development in
Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper. In answering the problem, the objectives of the study are explained and applied according to the problem formulations it self.
character, Anna, is described. This part aims to give the characteristics of the
characters. For the second part of the analysis, the writer will observe the conflicts
which the main characters face. The last part of the analysis is to analyze how the
characteristics and the conflicts of the main characters reveal the idea of children’s
rights which are ignored by medical technology development in this story.
D. Definition of Terms
1. Characters: the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are
interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and
emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do.
(Abrams, 1981:20)
2. Conflict: clash of action, ideas, desires, or wills between two individuals or
among people in the society. (Perrine, 1974:44)
3. Children's rights: the human rights of children with particular attention to the
rights of special protection and care afforded to the young, including their
right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the
basic needs for food, universal state-paid education, health care and criminal
laws appropriate for the age and development of the child.
<en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children's_rights> (27 October 2011)
4. Medical technology: a wide range of healthcare products which is used to
diagnose, monitor or treat diseases or medical conditions affecting humans.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
According to Jenny Dressel in her article entitle My Sister’s Keeper in Mostlyfiction.com, Picoult has an amazing ability to take touchy ethical questions
and make them extremely human. Jenny Dressel said that Picoult can present both
sides of human dilemma with such honesty and compassion that our beliefs may
change. She allows us to look at all aspects of the issue, seeing human beings who
may not be perfect, but have the best intentions at heart.
<http://mostlyfiction.com/contemp/picoult2.htm> (20 January 2011)
Allison Block in the article Keeper of the Fate said that the trademark of Picoult is the poetic treatment of prickly topics whose past bestsellers address
such topics as statutory rape and teen suicide. Alternately narrated by each of its
major characters, My Sister’s Keeper revolves around Anna and the life-altering consequences of her very adult decision.
<http://www.bookpage.com/0404bp/fiction/sisters_keeper.html> (20 January
2011)
According to Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum in her article, My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult is the amazing, gut-wrenching, sad, funny, insightful, moving and thought-provoking story of this American family. This new novel is
by far her best achievement and a leap forward in her literary work. Readers are
asked to think about all of the technological wizardry in the world. She also
notices that one of Picoult’s gifts is her sense of humor. Even in the face of the
tragedy that befalls her characters in this highly emotional novel, she manages to
imbue the book with lighter and delightful moments. No one can question the
absolute love this family feels for one another; at the same time, however, they
work at cross-purposes. Readers will smile, they will cry, they will be outraged
and they will cheer. What they want be able to do is put down the book down.
<http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/0743454537.asp> (20 January 2011)
Katherine Arie, a former staff editor of the Atlantic Monthly and fiction
editor of Atlantic Outbond said in her article A Genetically Made-to-order Daughter Creates a Host of Ethical Dilemmas that Picoult is known for writing fictional page-turners that address controversial issues. Picoult explores the
emotional, legal and moral dimensions of Anna’s dilemma from alternating
perspectives—Anna’s, her parents’, her brother’s, her lawyer’s, her guardian’s—
giving considered balance to both sides of the lawsuit. The novel’s shifting points
of view also help to add depth to a cast of characters who would otherwise seem
rather thinly drawn. Without this device, Anna’s mother could become a one-sided
study in shrill desperation, and Anna’s lawyer, Campbell, could be mistaken for a
base egomaniac.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wpdyn?pagename=article&contentId=A43
483-2004Apr1> (20 January 2011)
From those criticisms above, I find that there is no criticism or comment
that relates to human rights which are ignored by the technology. Therefore, in
this thesis I will try to discover children’s rights which are ignored by medical
B. Review of Related Theories
Before analyzing the main character, the conflicts and the conflicts
revealing the children’s rights which are ignored by medical technology
development, the writer would like to explain some theories that will help the
writer analyze the problems.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
The definition of characters according to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms are the persons who appear in a dramatic or narrative work that have moral and dispositional qualities expressed in what they say and what they do (1981:
20). It means that the character in the novel is having the ability to show the
moral quality in everything they said or did.
In An Introduction to Fiction, Stanton states that the term character is used in two ways; it designates the individuals who appear in the story; and it may refer
to the description of attitudes, interests, desires, emotions, and moral principles of
the individuals (1965:17). He adds that character in a story can be categorized into
two different types: main character and minor character. Major character is a
character that may dominate the whole story and is frequently presented in it.
Meanwhile, the minor character is presented in order to explain and help the other
characters, especially the major character (1965: 17-18).
Meanwhile, E. M. Forster in his book Aspect of the Novel (1974: 47-54) classifies characters into flat and round. According to Forster, flat characters are
formed around a single idea or quality. We will know the flat characters whenever
easily remember them afterwards and the most important thing is that flat
characters are not changed by circumstances. Round characters as it is stated by
Forster are suitable to portray the tragic role for any length of time so that they
can move our heart and feelings except humor and appropriateness. Round
characters can surprise us convincingly.
Ian Milligan’s The Novel in English provides some basic knowledge about character and characterization, which can be applied to drama. He divides
character into two categories:
a. Main or major characters
A major character can be the center of the story. He or she is the most
important character in the story. Usually, the actions of the story are focused in
this character from the beginning to the end of the part. The content of the story is
highlighted to this character.
b. Minor characters
Minor characters appear in the certain setting, just necessarily becomes the
background for the major character. The roles are less important than the main
character because they are not fully developed.
Perrine differentiates fictional character into static and dynamic character.
Static character is character that doesn’t undergo any specific changes in his or her
outlooks, attitudes, or personalities during the course of the story. He or she
remains stable from the beginning until the end of the story. He or she is described
without much detail and he or she is not changed by the circumstances. Dynamic
characters, personalities, or outlooks from the beginning to the end of the story.
The change could be for better or for the worse. It can be a large or small change,
but whatever the change is, it becomes something important and basic (1972: 21).
M. J. Murphy in his book Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry & Novel for Overseas Student (1972: 161-173) states that there are nine ways in which an author can present the characterization of characters in a
literary work. Those nine ways are:
a. Personal description
Personal description means that the author tries to describe the character
through his physical appearances. The author can describe a person’s appearance
and clothes such as his build, his skin-color, his hair or his face.
b. Character as seen by another
The author uses another character’s eyes and opinion to describe a
character. It means that what people in the story think about a certain person can
be significant for the reader’s understanding about the image of the character.
c. Speech
The author can give an insight into the characteristic of the character
through what the character says. Whenever a person speaks in conversation, he
gives a clue to the readers to know his motivation or attitude towards life.
d. Past life
The author gives a clue to a character’s past events that helps the readers
e. Conversation of others
The author uses the conversation of other people and the things they say
about him in order to describe a person’s character.
f. Reactions
The author helps the readers to recognize a person’s character by
describing how that person reacts to various situations and events.
g. Direct comment
The author gives direct description or comment on a person’s character.
h. Thoughts
The author can give the readers a direct knowledge of what a person is
thinking about.
i. Mannerism
The author can convey something about a person by describing his
mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies.
According to Oscar Bracket (1974: 39-40), characterization can be found
in four levels. The first level of characterization is physical and it concerned only
with such basic facts as sex, age, size, and color. The second level is social. It
includes a character’s economic status, profession or trade, religion, family
relationship- all those factors that place him/her in his/her environment. The third
level is psychological. It reveals a character’s habitual response, attitude, desire,
motivations, like and dislikes the inner working of mine, both emotional and
intellectual, which precedes action. The forth level is moral. More nearly than
make when facing moral crises show whether they are selfish hypocritical, or
person of integrity.
2. Theory of Conflict
According to Holman & Harmon, conflict is the struggle that grows out of
the interplay of the two opposing forces. A conflict provides interests, suspense
and tensions. At least, one of the opposing forces is usually a person, or, if an
animal or an inanimate object is treated as though it was a person. This person
usually the protagonist, maybe involved in conflicts of five different kinds: a
struggle against nature; struggle against another person, usually the antagonist;
struggle against society; struggle for mastery by two elements within the person;
struggle against destiny or fate (Holman & Harmon, 1986: 80).
Laurence Perrine (1974: 44) defines conflict as clash of action, ideas,
desires, or wills between two individuals or among people in the society. The
conflict can include physical, mental, emotional, or moral. In the real life, people
try to avoid conflict. They prefer to live without any clash or quarrel. Although
people try to avoid conflict, they will soon get conflict, even without wars or large
scale of disagreement. Conflict in a literary work may consist of one conflict that
is stated clearly and the reader can easily identify the conflict. It may also consist
of multi conflicts or more than one conflict that is difficult to be understood by the
reader. To understand multi conflicts, the reader should analyze the conflict one
by one.
someone else or something. It also implies the existence of some motivations for
the conflict or some goals to be achieved thereby.” (Baldick, 1991: 107-108)
According to Olsen (1991: 101), there are several kinds of conflict,
namely:
a. Latent and overt conflict
Latent conflict exists when two or more actors have opposing interests or
goal but do not interact over them. It can easily erupt into over conflict, which is
expressed in interaction and exertion of social power.
b. Verbal and action conflict
Verbal conflict involves words to persuade, discredit, demand, threaten, or
intimidate other actors. Action conflict involves taking action physically,
economically, socially, or legally in nature.
c. Pragmatic and ideological conflict
Pragmatic conflict involves specific objectives, such as winning an
agreement, obtaining higher wages, and so on. Ideological conflict involves
fundamental beliefs that are deeply held.
d. Regulated conflict and unregulated conflict
Regulated conflict is conducted according to moral, norms, or operating
rules that are accepted by all the participants. Unregulated conflict follows few or
no norms or rules.
In The World of Literature, there are two kinds of conflict. The first kind is called inner conflict. Inner conflict refers to a struggle that happens inside the
not show any physical struggle. The second kind is called external conflict. It
refers to a struggle between the protagonist and an outside force (Redman, 1962:
363). This conflict usually shows physical struggles between the protagonist and
his/her opponents.
Hunt (1995: 31) says that a conflict does not always have forms in direct
ones, such as frontal war, fight, raid, riot or any kind of open hostilities. A conflict
does not always mean hate, hatred or distrust. A conflict can also happen just
through the limit of differences of opinion, perspectives, judgments, and opposing
arguments. This type of conflict happens because a group tends to evaluate certain
matters based on its own perception or point of view, which is influenced by any
aspects of its culture, values, religion, belief, and moral standards.
Robert and Jacobs (1987: 88) define a conflict as the opposition between
two characters. It may also exist between larger groups of people, although in
fiction conflicts between individual are more identifiable and therefore more
interesting. A conflict may also exist between an individual and larger forces, such
as natural objects, ideas, modes of behavior, public opinion, and the like. The
existence of difficult choices within an individual’s mind may also be presented as
conflict, or dilemma. In addition, the conflict may be presented not as direct
opposition, but rather as a set of comparative or contrastive ideas or values. In
addition, Rohrberger and Woods state that a conflict is the struggle that occurs
between the protagonist and antagonist, fate or environment, or within the
3. Theory of Children’s Rights
Children are young human beings. Some children are very young human
beings. As human beings children evidently have a certain moral status. There are
things that should not be done to them for the simple reason that they are human.
At the same time children are different from adult human beings and it seems
reasonable to think that there are things children may not do that adults are
permitted to do. In the majority of jurisdictions, for instance, children are not
allowed to vote, to marry, to buy alcohol, to have sex, or to engage in paid
employment. What makes children a special case for philosophical consideration
is this combination of their humanity and their youth, or, more exactly, what is
thought to be associated with their youth. <http://www.unicef.org/crc/> (06
August 2011)
The writer uses the Convention on the Rights of the Child as the basic rule
because it is the first international treaty to guarantee civil and political rights as
well as economic, social, and cultural rights. Convention on the Rights of the
Child is the world’s most ratified human rights treaty.
The aim of the Convention on the Rights of the Child is to set standards
for the defence of children against the neglect and abuse they face to varying
degrees in all countries every day. It is careful to allow for the different cultural,
political and material realities among states. The most important consideration is
the best interest of the child. The rights set out in the Convention can be broadly
grouped in three sections:
Preamble
Article 1: Definiton of the Child
Every human being below 18 years unless majority is attained earlier
according to the law applicable to the child.
Article 2: Non discrimination
All rights must be granted to each child without exception. The States
must protect the child without exception. The States must protect the child against
all forms of discrimination.
Article 3: Best interests of the child
In all actions concerning children, the best interest of the child shall be the
major consideration.
Article 4: Implementation of rights
The obligation on the States to ensure that the rights in the Convention are
implemented.
Article 5: Parents, family, community rights and responsibilities
States are to respect the parents and family in their child rearing function.
Article 6: Life, survival and development
The right of the child to life and the state’s obligation to ensure the child’s
survival and development.
Article 7: Name and nationality
The right from birth to a name, to acquire a nationality and to know and be
cared for by his or her parents.
The obligation of the State to assist the child in reestablishing identity if
this has been illegally withdrawn.
Article 9: Non-separation from parents
The right of the child to retain contact with his parents in cases of
separation. If separation is the result of detention, imprisonment or death the State
shall provide the information to the child or parents about the whereabouts of the
missing family member.
Article 10: Family reunification
Requests to leave or enter country for family reunification shall be dealt
with in a human manner. A child has the right to maintain regular contacts with
both parents when these live in different States.
Article 11: Illicit transfer and non-return of children
The States shall combat child kidnapping by a partner or third party.
Article 12: Expression of opinion
The right of the child to express his or her opinion and to have this taken
into consideration.
Article 13: Freedom of expression and information
The right to seek, receive and impart information in various form,
including art, print, writing.
Article 14: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
States are to be respect the rights and duties of parents to provide direction
to the child in the exercise of this right in accordance with the child’s evolving
Article 15: Freedom of association
The child’s right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
Article 16: Privacy, honor, reputation
No child shall be subjected to interference with privacy, family, home or
correspondence.
Article 17: Access to information and media
The child shall have access to information from a diversity of sources; due
attention shall be paid to minorities and guidelines to protect children from
harmful material shall be encouraged.
Article 18: Parental responsibility
Both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing of the child
and assistance shall be given to them in the performance of the parental
responsibilities.
Article 19: Abuse and neglect (while in family or care)
States have the obligation to protect children from all forms of abuse.
Social programs and support services shall be made available.
Article 20: Alternative care for children in the absence of parents
The entitlement of the child to alternative care with national laws and the
obligation on the States to pay due regard to continuity in the child’s religious,
cultural, linguistic or ethnic background in the provision of alternative care.
Article 21: Adoption
States are to ensure that only authorized bodies carry out adoption.
Article 22: Refugee children
Special protection is to be given to refugee children. States shall cooperate
with international agencies to this end and also to reunite children separated from
the families.
Article 23: Disabled children
The right to benefit from special care and education for a fuller life in
society.
Article 24: Health care
Access to preventive and curative health care services as well as the
gradual abolition of traditional practices harmful to the child.
Article 25: Periodic review
The child who is placed for care, protection or treatment has the right to
have the placement reviewed on a regular basis.
Article 26: Social security
The child’s right to social security.
Article 27: Standard of living
Parental responsibility to provide adequate living conditions for the child’s
development even when one of the parents is living in a country other than the
child’s place of residence.
Article 28: Education
The right to free primary education, the availability of vocational
Article 29: Aims of education
Education should foster the development of the child’s personality and
talents, preparation for a responsible adult life, respect for human rights as well as
the cultural and national values of the child’s country and that of others.
Article 30: Children of minorities and indigenous children
The right of the child belonging to a minority or indigenous group to enjoy
his or her culture, to practice his or her own language.
Article 31: Play and recreation
The right of the child to play, recreational activities and to participate in
cultural and artistic life.
Article 32: Economic exploitation
The right of the child to protection against harmful forms of work and
against exploitation.
Article 33: Narcotic and psychotic substances
Protection of the child from their illicit use and the utilization of the child
in their production and distribution.
Article 34: Sexual exploitation
Protection of the child from sexual exploitation including prostitution and
the use of children in pornographic materials.
Article 35: Abduction, sale and traffic
State obligation to prevent the abduction, sale of or traffic in children.
Article 36: Other forms of exploitation
Obligation of the State vis-à-vis children in detention.
Article 38: Armed conflicts
Children under 15 years are not to take a direct part in hostilities. No
recruitment of children under 15.
Article 39: Recovery and reintegration
State obligation for the reeducation and social reintegration of child
victims of exploitation, torture or armed conflicts.
Article 40: Juvenile justice
Treatment of child accused of infringing the penal law shall promote the
child’s sense of dignity.
Article 41: Rights of the child in other instruments
Article 42: Dissemination of the Convention
The State’s duty to make the convention known to adults and children.
Article 43-54: Implementation
These paragraphs provide for a Committee on the Rights of the Child to
oversee implementation of the Convention.
4. Theory of Medical Technology Development
Medical technology includes a vast array of products used in the diagnosis
and monitoring of human conditions and diseases. It also encompasses the
advancement of medicine that is available to treat diseases that were once fatal,
and the instruments used to perform less invasive operations. Medical laboratory
scientists are aware of the implications of using computers and machinery that can
accuracies than in the past.
The most fascinating aspects of medical technology are the innovations
that occur at the engineering level. There are miniature robots that are used to
perform spinal surgeries that were once considered highly complex and
dangerous. Miniaturized pacemakers function without any disturbance to the
patient, and drugs can be activated by light to seek out diseased cells. Other
medications can be swallowed and their activation is delayed until biological
processes break them down as they reach certain organs.
Medical technology advancements are impacting the job outlook as well.
Automated laboratory equipment is enabling the analysis of samples of blood and
cells to detect diseases much earlier than before. Based on data from the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, work for clinical laboratory technicians is projected to
grow by 14% over the next decade. The ease of access to medical technology is
also allowing more laboratories and diagnostic centers to open up, and for more
hospitals and doctor’s offices to acquire state-of-the-art equipment.
New advances in medical technology are announced almost daily, but the
future implications of ongoing work are numerous. Medical devices continue to
be miniaturized, and as this continues, new therapies and modifications to existing
ones will arise. Technology for diagnosing diseases using molecular and genetic
studies will allow even earlier detection and better outcomes for treating serious
illnesses. The well-being of both professionals and patients is benefited because of
medical technology.
C. Theoretical Framework
In order to analyze the topic above, the writer applies some theories that
already mentioned in the previous part. Each of the theory has its own
contribution to the analysis. Those theories are theory of character and
characterization, theory of conflict, theory of children’s rights, and also theory of
medical technology development.
The theories of character and characterization are used to analyze the
characteristic of the main characters in the story. In analyzing the characteristic of
the main characters, the writer pays attention on the way the main characters
behave as well as how they act on their reaction to some events. The use of the
theories of character and characterization is needed in order to get clear insight
about the main and how they are characterized. The theories of character stated by
Abrams, Stanton, Richard Gill, E.M. Forster, Ian Milligan, Perrine, Holman &
Harmon, and Murphy will be used to answer the question number one in problem
formulation.
The theories of conflict are used to analyze the conflicts of the main
character and what they result to her. The theories of conflict stated by Holman &
Harmon, Perrine, and Redman will be used to answer the question number two in
problem formulation.
The theories of children’s rights are used to give clear understanding of
children’s rights, so the writer can analyze the children’s rights of the character
and answer the question in the next problem formulation.
medical technology that is faced by the character and the result to the character.
Some of criticisms and studies also have relations to this study. These
criticisms and studies help the writer to give affirmations in understanding the
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study of this thesis is My Sister’s Keeper. This is a novel written by Jodi Picoult. She is the bestselling author of seventeen novels: Songs of
the Humpback Whale (1992), Harvesting the Heart (1994), Picture Perfect (1995),
The Pact (1998), Keeping Faith (1999), Plain Truth (2000), Salem Falls (2001),
Perfect Match (2002), Second Glance (2003), My Sister's Keeper(2004),
Vanishing Acts (2005), The Tenth Circle (2006) Nineteen Minutes (2007), Change
of Heart (2008), Handle With Care (2009) — the last three of which debuted at
number one on the New York Times bestseller list, – and her newest novel, House
Rules (2010).
The writer uses the first edition of this book published by Atria Books
2004 with English as the basic language. This novel has 500 pages long.
In 2003, Jodi Picoult was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for
Fiction. She has also been the recipient of Alex Award from Young Adult Library
Services Association, sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust and
Booklist, one of ten books written for adults that have special appeal for young
adults; the Book Browse Diamond Award for novel of the year; a lifetime
achievement award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America;
Cosmopolitan magazine’s ‘Fearless Fiction’ Award 2007; Waterstone’s Author of
the Year in the UK, a Vermont Green Mountain Book Award, a Virginia Reader’s
Choice Award, the Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award, and a
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award. She wrote five issues of the Wonder Woman
comic book series for DC Comics.
My Sister’s Keeper is a gripping story about Anna’s fight to make her own decisions about her body. Fighting for medical emancipation causes a great deal of
friction within the family. The story begins when Kate, Anna’s elder sister, is
diagnosed with a serious disease. She has a rare form of leukemia. It was difficult
to be cured. The doctor suggested Kate’s parents to do genetic planning, that was
creating babies for health purposes. Anna was born to cure Kate. Anna was
conceived to provide a donor match for procedures that become increasingly
invasive. At 13, Anna hires a lawyer so that she can sue her parents for the right to
make her own decisions about how her body is used when a kidney transplant is
planned.
B. Approach of the Study
The writer uses moral philosophical approach to solve the problems since
the analysis deal with morality. Since the writer intends to analyze a literary work,
it was important to get a deep understanding of the content of the novel. The
moral philosophical approach was the most appropriate approach, which could
support the analysis.
According to Guerin (1979: 39) in his book A Handbook of Critical Approach, moral philosophical approach is an approach, which insist or finds out and states what is exposed and taught. From this definition, the writer needed to
take the approach to solve the problem faced by human being.
being. It needed intellectual and rational ability to develop the moral quality of
human life. The proponents of this approach emphasized that moral lesson
beneath the story was needed to govern human attitude and behavior. Moral
attitude of individual was confined by his personal circumstances. Therefore, the
writer analyzes the person’s character developments that reveal moral lessons. It
was reasonable to apply the moral philosophical approach.
C. Method of the Study
The method of the study in this thesis is library research. It means that the
data used in the analysis were collected from books, dictionaries, and internet. The
analysis is done through the sources from the books and articles from the internet.
There are two kinds of sources that are used. Those were primary and
secondary sources. The primary source was the novel itself that is My Sister’s Keeper (2004) by Jodi Picoult. The secondary sources were taken from some books and articles that can be used as references to the novel.
There were some steps in conducting this study in order to answer the
questions stated in the problem formulation. The first step was having a through
reading of the novel for several times to help understanding the story and the
subject that was going to be analyzed. It also helped in making notes of points,
quotations, and summary of the story which were used to find the significant
element of the story.
The second step was referring to some references that are related to the
references supported the study in gathering more data to link all of the findings.
The third step was applying the moral-philosophical approach in order to
answer the problems formulated in this work. The approach and the theories were
used to analyzed the character and make the analysis based on the three questions
that were formulated earlier.
The last step was drawing a conclusion from the analysis. This part
contained the statement that is based on the answer to the problems and a broader
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
A. The Characteristics of the Main Characters
In this part of the analysis, the writer will explain the characteristics of the
main characters in the story. The characters are Anna Fitzgerald, Sara Fitzgerald
(the mother), Brian Fitzgerald (the father) and Dr. Chance (the doctor). Actually,
Sara has three children, which are Jesse, Kate, and Anna. Here, the writer will not
explain the characteristics of Kate and Jesse because their role plays are not really
significant to the topic.
1. Anna
a. Tough
Anna was a tough little girl. She could make a big decision in her age. Her
decision to sue her parents was a big decision. This decision has big
consequences. Anna has thought all of the consequences when she sued her
parents. For example, she could not live in the same place with Sara after she sued
her. Besides as her mother, Sara was also her opponent side. They could not live
together in the same house because Anna can be influenced by Sara to change her
decision. As the result, Anna lived together with her father, Brian, in Brian’s
office. A thirteen years old little girl like Anna still need mother to take care of
her. But because of this, Anna could not live together with Sara. Not all kids can
do something like this. But Anna could do it and she could stand on her feet
although without her mother.
I don’t answer. I don’t move a fraction of an inch.
“Because if you’re still not sure, maybe it’s not such a bad idea, having some breathing space. I mean, I’ve got that extra bed in my room at the station.” He rubs the back of his neck. “It wouldn’t be like we were moving out, or anything. Just…” He looks at me. “…breathing,” I finish, and do just that. (Picoult, 2004: 221)
b. Smart
Anna was a smart girl. She could think something differently than her
classmates. She could see something from other point of view. For example, when
there was a lesson related to baby born, other children were busy looking for the
vocabulary on the word penis and vagina. But Anna paid attention to different
details. For example, she paid attention on why some mothers only have one
child, while families seemed to multiply before your eyes, and so on.
When I was little, the great mystery to me wasn't how babies were made, but why. The mechanics I understood—my older brother Jesse had filled me in—although at the time I was sure he'd heard half of it wrong. Other kids my age were busy looking up the word penis and vagina in the classroom dictionary when the teacher had her back turned, but I paid attention to different details. Like why some mothers only had one child, while other families seemed to multiply before your eyes. Or how the new girl in school, Sedona, told anyone who'd listen that she was named for the place where her parents were vacationing when they made her (“Good thing they weren't staying in Jersey City,” my father used to say). (Picoult, 2004: 7)
c. Funny
Anna was a funny girl, especially when she was a little kid. She is so
funny and innocent. She likes to imitate the animal's voice.
In the rearview mirror, her face is luminous. Objects are closer than they appear. I watch her hold up the first cracker. “What does the tiger say?” I managed.
“Rrrroar.” She bites off its head, then waves another cracker. “What does the elephant say?”
d. Obedient
Anna was an obedient girl. She wanted to do anything that people asked
her. Since she was born until now she is thirteen, she has donated so many things
to Kate. Although no one ever asked her willingness in doing that, she never
complained when Sara asked her to give her parts of the body to her elder sister. It
shows that she was observant to her mother.
When Kate needs leukocytes or stem cells or bone marrow to fool her body into thinking it’s healthy, I’m the one who provides them. Nearly every time Kate’s hospitalized, I wind up there, too. (Picoult, 2004: 11)
2. Sara
a. Clever
Sara was a smart person. She was a civil attorney when Kate was still
healthy. A civil attorney is not an easy job. It needs a high education, especially in
formal education. Sara can be said as an intelligent person because she finished
her study at law education and then became a lawyer.
In my previous life, I was a civil attorney. At one point I truly believed that was what I wanted to be—but that was before I'd been handed a fistful of crushed violets from a toddler. Before I understood that the smile of a child is a tattoo: indelible art. (Picoult, 2004: 32)
b. Stubborn
Sara was a stubborn person. When she wanted something, she felt that she
has to get it. For example, when she knew that Anna sued her to get her medical
emancipation, she felt so angry to Anna. She thought that it's not a matter of
choice and Anna has no choice whether she wanted to give her kidney or not. She
thought that it is a must for Anna to give her kidney to save Kate. So, she felt so
Anna's face hard enough.
“For God's sake, Anna,” my mother says. “Do you even realize what the consequences would be?”
My throat closes like the shutter of a camera, so that any air or excuses must move through a tunnel as thin as a pin. I’m invisible, I think, and realize too late I have spoken out loud.
My mother moves so fast I do not even see it coming. But she slaps my face hard enough to make my head snap backward. She leaves a print that stains me long after it’s faded. Just so you know: shame is five-fingered. (Picoult, 2004: 63-64)
c. Compassionate
Sara was a civil attorney before Kate was diagnosed having an APL (Acute
Promyelocytic Leukemia). APL is an unusual kind of leukemia which is difficult
to be cured. After Kate is diagnosed having an APL, Sara quitted from her job.
She leaved her job as a lawyer because she wanted to concentrate to cure Kate.
She spent her time at home to accompany Kate and to make sure that Kate was
alright. She was always in Kate’s side whenever Kate was. When Kate needed
something, she served it immediately. When Kate needed to be hospitalized, Sara
always accompanied her. She served everything that Kate needed.
It drives my sister Suzanne crazy. She’s a finance whiz who decimated the glass ceiling at the Bank of Boston, and according to her, I am a waste of cerebral evolution. But I think half the battle is figuring out what works for you, and I am much better at being a mother than I ever would have been as a lawyer. I sometimes wonder if it is just to me, or if there are other women who figure out where they are supposed to be by going nowhere. (Picoult, 2004: 32)
d. Unfair
Sara gave almost all of her attentions to Kate. She tried every ways to save
Kate. Because of it, Sara seemed like to lessen her attention to her other children,
a child, Sara has promised Jesse to accompany him to the dentist and to buy him a
new pairs of cleats. When Jesse asked this to Sara, she cancelled her promise to
Jesse. It was all because of Kate’s health.
“Your sister,” I say evenly, “is incredibly sick. I’m sorry if that interferes with your dentist’s appointment or your plan to go buy a pairs of cleats. But those don’t rate quite as high in the grand scheme of things right now.” (Picoult, 2004: 201)
Sara did not lessen her attentions to Jesse only. She also did it to Anna. At
that time, Anna has an invitation from Goal Summer Hockey Camp. Of course
Anna was really happy because she loved playing hockey very much. But Sara did
not give permission to Anna to follow that camp. Sara worried if Kate’s disease
suddenly relapses while Anna was at the camp. If it happened, Anna could not
help to cure Kate. It shows that Sara put Kate on the top of her attention than her
other children. In other words, it can be said that Sara ignored her other children’s
needs.
“Honey,” I say carefully, “you can’t do this.”
She shakes her head, as if she’s trying to make my words fit. “But it’s not now, or anything. It’s not till next summer.” (Picoult, 2004: 322)
3. Brian
a. Perceptive
Brian was a perceptive father. He became more perceptive rather than
Sara. When everybody only concerned on Kate, Brian did not forget Anna who
became Kate’s donor. He gave a beautiful necklace to Anna when Anna was six
years old. That necklace was given to Anna because she has donated her bone
marrow to Kate. That necklace was a symbol of Brian’s attention to Anna. It was
was a perceptive father.
I walk to find Brian’s big hands fumbling Lilliputian clasp on the back of a necklace, as he hangs a locket around Anna’s neck. “I thought you deserved your own gift, since you were giving one to your sister,” he says. (Picoult, 2004: 282)
b. Sensitive
Brian was the one who could view the situation from his children’s
perspective. Sara gave almost all of her attentions to Kate so her other children
felt so unfair. Brian was the one who can feel what Jesse and Anna’s felt. He could
take himself in his children’s perspective. That’s why he became more
understanding rather than Sara. Like for example when Sara knew that she was
sued by Anna, she was so shocked and so angry. Then Brian stopped her and
asked her to give Anna a chance to explain. He did not judge Anna, but he tried to
give Anna a chance to explain so they could understand what actually Anna
wanted from them.
“Sara.” My father’s voice is an ax. It comes between us, and sends us both spinning. “I think we need to give Anna a chance to explain. We agreed to give her a chance to explain, right?” (Picoult, 2004: 63)
c. Emotionally weak
Brian was not really a tough man. Actually he was a weak man, especially
in relation to his emotional. As a leader of the family, he could strengthen other’s
heart. But sometimes he could feel so down. When Kate needed to be
hospitalized, he felt so down. He felt so sorry for what had happened to Kate. He
blamed himself for what had happened to Kate. He did not want to loose Kate.
He cried aloud in Sara’s shoulder.
Then Brian presses his face against my shoulder, sobs into my skin. He wraps his arms around me and holds on as if he’s losing his balance. “I’m not,” I repeat, but even to myself, it sounds like I am trying too hard. (Picoult, 2004: 43)
4. Dr. Chance
a. Warm
Dr. Chance was Kate’s doctor. He was a warm person. When he was doing
his job as a doctor, he also tried to understand his patient or his patient’s family.
Like for example when there was no match donor for Kate. Jesse has already
tested to be the match donor, but the result of the test said that he did not match to
be Kate’s donor. Sara felt so sorry and so disappointed. Then, Dr. Chance came to
her and tried to cheer her up. He also gave Sara a handkerchief when she cried.
“Sara,” Dr. Chance says. “You all right?”
I turned around slowly, tears springing to my eyes. “I’m fine. I’m healthy. I’m going to live a long, long life.”
Handing him the planter, I apologize. He nods, and offers me a handkerchief from his own pocket. (Picoult, 2004: 78)
b. Optimistic
Dr. Chance was a kind of person who keeps struggling. He always tried to
look for other medical treatments when a medical treatment was said to be failed.
He always tried to look for other possibilities to save his patients. When Kate
could not be saved only by chemotherapy, Dr. Chance suggested Sara and Brian to
create a match baby as a donor to help Kate to make her life longer.
B. The Conflicts in the Story
In order to understand the conflicts in the story, the writer obtains by using
Redman’s theory that distinguished the conflict into two kinds, which are internal
conflict and external conflict. Internal conflict refers to a struggle that happens
inside the heart and mind of the protagonist. This conflict usually does not show
any physical struggle. The external conflict refers to a struggle between the
protagonist and an outside force. This conflict usually shows physical struggle
between the protagonist and his/ her opponents.
1. Internal conflict
The internal conflict in this story is the conflict in Anna’s mind. In one
side, Anna wanted Kate to stay alive. In another side, she wanted to be free, free
from medical procedures. She wanted to be herself.
… I dried whatever she handed me, and we both tried to pretend we didn’t know the truth: that in addition to the piece of me that’s always wanted Kate to live, there’s another, horrible piece of me that sometimes wishes I were free. (Picoult, 2004: 463)
Anna had an internal conflict. In one side, she really loved Kate. In her
family, she considered Kate not only as her elder sister, but also as her closest
friend. Kate was the one who became her best friend since she has a little amount
of friends. Her relationship with Kate was built since she was born until now she
is thirteen. They looked like a twin that could not be separated by each other.
Nowadays, Kate had a serious disease. She was diagnosed a kidney failure and
only Anna who can help Kate to stay alive. She really wanted Kate to stay alive.
She was really afraid if someday Kate will leave this world and never come back
In the other side, Anna wanted to be free. She was so tired of being part of
other person. She was so tired to do many kinds of medical procedures to help to
cure Kate. She was so tired when doctors put her parts of the body every time
Kate needed that. She was so tired of being a sick person even though she was not
sick at all. She wanted to be free. She wanted to enjoy her life.
There, they understand: I am a monster. I started this lawsuit for some reasons I’m proud of and many I’m not. And now, Campbell will see why I couldn’t be a witness—not because I was scared to talk in front of everyone—but because of all these terrible feelings, some of which are too awful to speak out loud. That I want Kate alive, but also want to be myself, not part of her. That I want the chance to grow up, even if Kate can’t. That Kate’s death would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me… and also the best. (Picoult, 2004: 463)
The quotation above shows that Anna has an internal conflict in her heart.
An internal conflict which brought her to make a big decision. An internal conflict
which derived her to make a lawsuit and to sue her parents. An internal conflict
which she herself could not solve it. The facts between Anna wanted Kate to stay
alive and Anna wanted to be free which was really difficult to choose.
Another internal conflict faced by Anna was happened when she intended
to sue her parents to get her medical emancipation, which was to be free from
medical procedures to save Kate. There, the internal conflict happened in Anna’s
heart. She thought it hardly. She thought all of the consequences if she has sued
her parents. In her mind, she thought that if the court grants her suit, Kate will
lose her match donor. When Kate has no match donor anymore, the biggest
possibility is she could be dead. She did not want Kate to leave this world because
If the courts refuse her suit, she could not get her medical emancipation. It
means that she could not change her life. Her life will stop like this. She will
become Kate’s match donor again which should give her parts of the body to Kate
every time Kate needs that. She could not be herself. She could not be free from
medical treatment. She could not get a change to grow older.
Besides that, when Anna was so confused whether she wanted to come to a
lawyer or not, her sister, Kate, supported her and suggested her to do so. Kate
asked Anna to kill her. Kate was so tired on living like this. She thought it’s just a
matter of time. At the end, she will be dead sooner or later. Kate did not want to
make other become so busy because of her disease. Anna thought that if she gets a
lawyer, Kate did not need to do this medical treatment again. That was what’s on
Anna’s mind.
“No,” Kate said. “I’m just sick of waiting for something that’s going to happen anyway. I think I’ve fucked up every one’s life long enough, don’t you?” (Picoult, 2004: 460)
2. External conflicts
The external conflicts in the story can be divided into two. The first is
conflict between Anna and technology, and the second is conflict between Anna
and her parents.
a. Conflict between Anna and technology
Conflict between Anna and technology was started many years ago when
Kate was diagnosed having an APL. Kate has already done chemotherapy as her
therapy to cure her disease. Chemotherapy could not be done continuously. It was
retrieving Kate’s own cells and reinstilling them in Kate’s body. The purpose of
this action was to get Kate’s body producing healthy bone marrow. If Kate’s
disease was relapsed, the doctor will try to transplant someone else’s marrow into
Kate to produce blood cells.
“With APL, you’ll want to be vigilant for signs of relapse. She’ll have to come into the ER if she has any hemorrhaging, fever, cough, or infection. And as far as further treatment, she’ll have some options. The idea is to get Kate’s body producing healthy bone marrow. In the unlikely event that we achieve molecular remission with chemo, we can retrieve Kate’s own cells and reinstill them—an autologous harvest. If she relapses, we may try to transplant someone else’s marrow into Kate to produce blood cells. Does Kate have any siblings?” (Picoult, 2004: 73-74)
Jesse, as the only sibling of Kate, has been tested to be the match donor. In
fact, he did not match at all. He could not be the match donor for Kate. When
everyone seemed to be desperate, Dr. Chance offered a new hope. He suggested
Sara and Brian to create a new baby which has the same chromosome as Kate’s
chromosome. The new baby will be created as match as Kate’s chromosome so
that in the future she could be an allogenic donor or a perfect sibling match for
Kate.
“We all did,” Dr. Chance answers. “Listen. Twenty years ago, the survival rate was even smaller. And I’ve known lots of families where one sibling isn’t a match, but another sibling turns out to be just right.” (Picoult, 2004: 78)
At first, Sara was confused to decide to have a new baby. She was afraid if
the baby was not match to Kate. Then, she told this idea to her husband, Brian.
Brian was so shocked when he heard it. After Sara explained him the purpose of
creating a new baby, Brian understood and he agreed with this idea.
He shifts in his seat. “What about?”
I lean forward, so that I catch his eye. “Having a baby.”
Brian’s eyes narrow. “Jesus, Sara.” He gets to his feet, turns his back to me. “Jesus.”
I stand up, too. “It’s not what you think.”
When he faces me, pain draws every line of his features tight. “We can’t just replace Kate if she dies,” he says. (Picoult, 2004: 84-85)
By the development of medical technology, the scientist tried to hook up
Sara’s eggs and Brian’s sperm to create a specific combination of precious genetic
material. Here, the technology was really needed to help to make it successful,
especially the medical technology. Without the development of the medical
technology, it would never be successful. Then, a year later, Anna was born to the
world.
Anna’s life was dedicated to help Kate to make her live longer. Since Anna
was born until now she is thirteen, she has to give many parts of her body to Kate.
Then Anna felt so tired of being Kate’s donor. Now, she is suing her parents to get
her medical emancipation. All of this will not happen if at the past the doctor did
not suggest Anna’s parent to create a match donor for Kate. And Anna will not
become a match donor if there was no medical technology development. By this
medical technology development, scientist could create Anna to be an allogenic
donor. And it causes so many problems.
b. Conflicts between Anna and her mother
Conflict between Anna and her mother is started when her mother never
asked her opinion whether she agrees to donate her part of the body to Kate or
not. When Anna came to Campbell, she told him everything. She told what had
