xv ABSTRACT
Wedaringtyas, Cicilia Dyah Hastha: (2008) THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses a novel by Gwen Hunter entitled Betrayal. The analysis focuses on the personality development of Nicolette Dazincourt DeLande, the main character in the novel. Betrayal tells about the bitterness of life. Betrayal becomes a remarkable novel to read. This is a very interesting novel because it describes a phenomenon of life which resembles our real life and we can take the valuable lessons Gwen Hunter tries to deliver. There are two problems that become the basis of this thesis. The first problem is the description of Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities. The second problem is how Montgomery’s sexual deviation in the novel influences Nicolette’s personality development.
To achieve the aims, this thesis employs library research in collecting the data. There are two kinds of data, primary and secondary data. The primary data are gained from the novel Betrayal. The secondary data are gained from Abram’s and Perrine’s theories of character; Murphy’s theory of characterization; Rohrberger and Woods’ theory of critical approach; Hurlock’s, Craig’s, and Pikunas’ theories of personality; and Rosen, Fox, and Gregory’s and Baron’s theories of sexual deviation. The approach used in this study is the psychological approach.
xvi ABSTRAK
Wedaringtyas, Cicilia Dyah Hastha: (2008) THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas tentang Betrayal, sebuah novel karangan Gwen Hunter. Obyek dari analisa di dalam skripsi ini difokuskan pada perkembangan kepribadian Nicolette Dazincourt DeLande, tokoh utama di dalam novel tersebut. Betrayal menceritakan tentang kepahitan hidup. Betrayal menjadi sebuah novel yang luar biasa untuk dibaca. Novel ini sangat menarik karena novel ini menjabarkan sebuah fenomena kehidupan yang menyerupai kehidupan nyata kita dan kita juga dapat mengambil hikmah dan nilai-nilai hidup yang coba disampaikan sang pengarang, Gwen Hunter.
Untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut, skripsi ini menerapkan studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data. Ada dua jenis data, data utama dan data pendukung. Data utama diperoleh dari novel Betrayal. Data pendukung diperoleh dari teori karakter Abrams dan Perrine; teori karakterisasi Murphy; teori pendekatan literature Rohrberger and Woods; teori kepribadian Hurlock, Craig, dan Pikunas; dan teori penyimpangan seksual Rosen, Fox, dan Gregory dan Baron. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
i
THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’ S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements To Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
In Language Education
By
Cicilia Dyah Hastha Wedaringtyas Student Number: 021214096
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
ii
A Thesis On
THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’ S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL
By
Cicilia Dyah Hastha Wedaringtyas Student Number: 021214096
Approved by:
Major Sponsor
Dr. Wigati Yektiningtyas-Modouw, M.Hum. March 3, 2008
Co-sponsor
iii
A Thesis On
THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’ S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL
By
Cicilia Dyah Hastha Wedaringtyas Student Number: 021214096
Defended before the Board of Examiners on March 12, 2008
and Declared Acceptable
Board of Examiners
Chairperson Ag. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ... Secretary Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. ...
Members Ag. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ...
Made Frida Yulia , S.Pd., M.Pd. ... Markus Budiraharjo, S.Pd., M.Ed. ...
iv
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that the thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or part
of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, March 4, 2008
The Writer
Cicilia Dyah Hastha Wedaringtyas
v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Cicilia Dyah Hastha Wedaringtyas
Nomor Mahasiswa : 021214096
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
The Influence of Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation on Nicolette’s Personality Development as Seen in Gwen Hunter’s Betrayal
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 27 Maret 2008
Yang menyatakan
vi
No temptation has
seized you except
what is common to
man. And God is
faithful; He will
not let you be
tempted beyond
what you can bear.
But when you are
tempted, He will
also provide
a way out so that
you can stand up
under it.
vii
I dedicate this thesis to:
My beloved families
My delightful friends
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to send my greatest gratitude to my Lord,
Jesus Christ and Mother Mary for the blessing and guidance in every little thing I do upon my life. Every little miracle They have given to me makes me believe
that They are always with me. I can never pass the hard times in my life without
Their loves, especially during the hard times in my study and in the completion of
this thesis.
I am deeply indebted to my major sponsor Dr. Wigati Yektiningtyas-Modouw, M.Hum. for her prayer, support, patience, kindness, and for her willingness to spare her valuable time to read my thesis, to criticize it, to share her
knowledge, and to guide me step by step doing this thesis from the beginning until
the end. My deep gratitude also goes to my co-sponsor Ch. Lhaksmita Anandari, S.Pd., M.Ed. for her smiles, prayers, patience, suggestions, and willingness to spend her valuable time, and also for her assistance on every page
of my thesis writing process.
I would like to thank all lecturers for their valuable knowledge and
guidance. My thanks also go to all staffs in secretariat especially Mbak Dhani
and Mbak Tari for their continuous supports. I thank all the librarians who deserve special appreciation for providing my needs in the library services.
I would like to send my special gratitude to my lovely Mom Chatarina
ix
thank her for her guidance during these years. My special gratitude also goes to
my beloved late Father Paulus Singgih Danu Setyo for showing me how to survive in this hard life with dignity and faith in God. There are no enough words
to express how much I love and adore him and how much I miss his warm
embraces. I hope he will be watching me on my graduation ceremony later with
pride and smile from Heaven.
My special thanks also go to my sweet brothers and sisters Mba’ Noer,
Mas Sigit, Mas Tox (thanks for teaching me how to catch my dreams with struggles and prayers), Mba’ Janty, Mba’ Dhanie, Mas Moko (My dream comes true because of him. I was nothing without his love and care), and Mba’ Rossa
(my sister in happiness and sorrow). They are all precious ones for me. I also
thank my sweet nieces and nephews Vitha, Linda, Ayu, Galih, Yayank, Tika “Ndhuut”, and Nesya. They are my little angels.
My sincerest thanks go to Letda Inf Fictor J. Situmorang “Toru Beib”. I am grateful for having kind, wise, and funny friend like him. He always knows how to make me smile and how to give me strength during my hard days. I also
thank Letda Arm Ihalauw Garry Herlambang “Ghe” for being my nice friend and for the friendship we have had, Letda Inf Yudhison Rianta Tarigan “Taggy” for the prayers, Lettu Cpn I Gede Winarsa “Abangkoe” for the smiles, prayers, supports, advices, and suggestions, Letda Pnb Agus Trianto “Mas AGT” for the prayers and supports, and also to my best friend Mba’ Dessy
for the friendship we share, all the times we have had, and all the moments we
x
Those whom I could not forget are my precious friends of PBI 2002: Arai,
Mbakyu Ikas, Regina, Grace for the beautiful moments we have shared. This friendship means a lot for me. I would also thank Whida (she is so special),
Sasha, Lissa, Trondol, Galih, Udjo, Vie, Echi, Itha, Maw, Rury, Ook, Deddy,
Mas Yanu ’98, and others who I can not mention one by one here. I thank them all for smiles, jokes, supports, and prayers. They know how to color my life with
their own ways.
xi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGES ... ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI ... v
PAGE OF LIFE MOTTO ... vi
DEDICATION PAGE... vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS... xi
ABSTRACT... xv
ABSTRAK ... xvi
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ... 1
1.1Background of the Study... 1
1.2Objectives of the Study ... 4
1.3Problem Formulation ... 4
1.4Benefits of the Study... 4
1.5Definition of Terms... 5
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 7
2.1 Review of Related Theories ... 7
2.1.1 Theory of Critical Approaches... 7
2.1.2 Theory of Character ... 8
xii
2.2Review of Related Studies ... 12
2.2.1Personality Development ... 12
2.2.2Changes in Personality... 13
2.2.2.1Characteristics of Changes in Personality... 13
2.2.2.2Conditions Responsible for the Person to Change ... 15
2.2.2.3The Influences in Development Process ... 17
2.2.3Theory of Sexual Deviation ... 18
2.2.3.1Theory of Incest ... 20
2.2.3.2The Incest Taboo... 22
2.3Criticism... 23
2.4Theoretical Framework ... 25
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ... 27
3.1Subject Matter ... 27
3.2Approach ... 28
3.3Procedure ... 28
3.4Organization of the Study ... 29
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS... 32
4.1The Personality of Nicolette and Montgomery... 32
4.1.1The Personality of Nicolette ... 33
4.1.1.1Stubborn ... 33
4.1.1.2Tough ... 35
xiii
4.1.1.4Loving and being Submissive to
Her Husband ... 38
4.1.2The Personality of Montgomery ... 39
4.1.2.1Possessive... 39
4.1.2.2Mysterious... 41
4.1.2.3Having Two Personalities ... 42
4.2Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation ... 45
4.2.1Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation to His Daughter, Dessie ... 45
4.2.2Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation to His Sister, Bella Cecile DeLande... 47
4.3The Influence of Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation on Nicolette’s Personality Development... 49
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS... 61
5.1Conclusions ... 61
5.2Suggestions ... 63
5.2.1Suggestions for Future Researchers ... 63
5.2.2Suggestions for Teaching Learning Activities... 64
REFERENCES... 67
APPENDICES ... 69
Appendix 1 The Cover of Betrayal ... 69
Appendix 2 The Portrait of Gwen Hunter... 70
xiv
Appendix 4 The Summary of Betrayal ... 73
Appendix 5 The Implementation of Teaching Intensive Reading II... 74
xv
ABSTRACT
Wedaringtyas, Cicilia Dyah Hastha: (2008) THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses a novel by Gwen Hunter entitled Betrayal. The analysis focuses on the personality development of Nicolette Dazincourt DeLande, the main character in the novel. Betrayal tells about the bitterness of life. Betrayal becomes a remarkable novel to read. This is a very interesting novel because it describes a phenomenon of life which resembles our real life and we can take the valuable lessons Gwen Hunter tries to deliver. There are two problems that become the basis of this thesis. The first problem is the description of Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities. The second problem is how Montgomery’s sexual deviation in the novel influences Nicolette’s personality development.
To achieve the aims, this thesis employs library research in collecting the data. There are two kinds of data, primary and secondary data. The primary data are gained from the novel Betrayal. The secondary data are gained from Abram’s and Perrine’s theories of character; Murphy’s theory of characterization; Rohrberger and Woods’ theory of critical approach; Hurlock’s, Craig’s, and Pikunas’ theories of personality; and Rosen, Fox, and Gregory’s and Baron’s theories of sexual deviation. The approach used in this study is the psychological approach.
xvi
ABSTRAK
Wedaringtyas, Cicilia Dyah Hastha: (2008) THE INFLUENCE OF MONTGOMERY’S SEXUAL DEVIATION ON NICOLETTE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN IN GWEN HUNTER’S BETRAYAL. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas tentang Betrayal, sebuah novel karangan Gwen Hunter. Obyek dari analisa di dalam skripsi ini difokuskan pada perkembangan kepribadian Nicolette Dazincourt DeLande, tokoh utama di dalam novel tersebut. Betrayal menceritakan tentang kepahitan hidup. Betrayal menjadi sebuah novel yang luar biasa untuk dibaca. Novel ini sangat menarik karena novel ini menjabarkan sebuah fenomena kehidupan yang menyerupai kehidupan nyata kita dan kita juga dapat mengambil hikmah dan nilai-nilai hidup yang coba disampaikan sang pengarang, Gwen Hunter.
Untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut, skripsi ini menerapkan studi pustaka untuk mengumpulkan data. Ada dua jenis data, data utama dan data pendukung. Data utama diperoleh dari novel Betrayal. Data pendukung diperoleh dari teori karakter Abrams dan Perrine; teori karakterisasi Murphy; teori pendekatan literature Rohrberger and Woods; teori kepribadian Hurlock, Craig, dan Pikunas; dan teori penyimpangan seksual Rosen, Fox, dan Gregory dan Baron. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi.
1
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of the Study
Consciously or unconsciously, every single thing that people have
experienced can be a factor that may change and shape their personalities.
However, during their lives, people can experience the changes in their
personalities. Then, it may change for better or for worse. It can be influenced by
biological process they face, their experiences, their past life, their surroundings, their circumstances, or even by other’s behavior.
We can take a look at reality which often happens in our circumstances.
Crimes seem to be a part of life, whereas we never expect those things happen in
our lives. In fact, it cannot be destroyed or wiped out easily. Everyday, there are
always cases of crimes that we can see or hear from news program on television
or radio. For instance, there are some cases where a father has assaulted his own
daughter or a brother has assaulted his own sister. Such cases really happen in this
life.
We can really find a real case which happened to a girl, called Sha, 14
years old (Nova, No. 935/ XVIII, January 29, 2006). She had experienced a
terrible thing in her life. She was sexually abused by her mother and her
grandfather for several years. Since she was 8 years old she was wrongly taught
about sexual intercourse by her mother. In that time, she was taught and forced to
three of them conducted sexual activity together, so-called threesome. That
terrible experience which had happened for several years made her change her
personality. She has lost her happy childhood and she has experienced trauma.
Thus, she became hopeless. Moreover, she became a lesbian and a hypersexual.
Based on this actual case we can conclude that incest itself as one of the sexual
deviations can be a factor that influences the changes of one’s personality.
Betrayal shares a story about a woman, Nicolette Dazincourt who gets
married to a wealthy and charming man named Montgomery Beauregard
DeLande, whose family is the finest and oldest in Louisiana; a man whom she loves, respects, and adores so much; a man who has the authority to control the
politics, the law, and the money; a man who can afford to fulfill all her and her
parents’ financial needs; a man who has given her four sweet children; a man
whom she does not know at all. Because she loves Montgomery so much and she
is afraid of losing him, she never has the willingness to ask him about the bad
rumor of his strange family outside and to learn about his families’ tradition.
However, one day, her point of view towards her husband changes when
knowing that her daughter who is still six years old has been sexually abused by
her husband and her brother-in-law. It is difficult for her to realize the truth that
her handsome, kind, possessive, and charming husband can become a devil. Her
days become nightmares. She just wants to escape from him without any signs
that she has known his evil deeds of sexually assaulting his own daughter.
However, her suffering and her willingness to protect her children make her does
She is forced to do it in order to save her children from him. She confesses to the
police of what she has done, then, she is arrested. However, in the court, finally,
the truth of Montgomery’s sexual deviation is uncovered. The court verdicts she is
innocent. It is because of her friends, witnesses, and outsiders who have supported
her.
There are some reasons that underlie my interest of conducting the study.
The main reason is because I am interested in Nicolette’s personality development
which is influenced by her husband’s sexual deviation. It is a new thing for me to
know that sexual deviation can be one of the factors that influences someone’s
personality to change. This case is similar to the actual case which happened to
Sha (Nova, No. 935/ XVIII, January 29, 2006). It is amazing to find a story where
a woman faces the most terrible and hardest problem in her life, her husband’s
betrayal to her, which leads her personality to change for the worse.
The second reason is I am interested in the author’s style in telling the
story. Gwen Hunter knows well how to present the story well and give it a
rhythm. She also knows well how to take and bring the readers into the story so
that the readers can feel the same fear, happiness, sacrifice, and sorrow as
Nicolette feels in the story. Gwen Hunter successfully presents the reaction of the
characters so that the readers find the story flows naturally.
The third reason is because this novel challenges me to dig more about
human’s conflicts in life which are rich of moral values. Therefore, it can be a
1.2Objectives of the Study
This study is intended to find out how someone’s personality development
can be influenced by someone’s behavior, and to expose how sexual deviation can
be a factor that changes and influences someone’s personality development. In the
Gwen Hunter’s Betrayal we will find out that incest, as one of sexual deviations,
influences the changing of Nicolette’s personality development.
1.3Problem Formulation
The problems of this study are formulated as follows:
1. How are the personality of Nicolette and Montgomery portrayed in Gwen
Hunter’s Betrayal?
2. How does Montgomery’s sexual deviation influence Nicolette’s
personality development?
1.4Benefits of the Study
As this thesis tries to explore Nicolette’s development in the novel which
is influenced by Montgomery’s sexual deviation, the readers are hoped to get a
better understanding about the story, the personality of Nicolette, the personality
of Montgomery, and Nicolette’s personality development in the novel.
I hope this thesis is beneficial for the readers to have a better
understanding about how sexual deviation often appears in real life, then, by
having a better understanding, they realize that incest is taboo and must be
Next, it is hoped that anyone who wants to learn more about literature can
use this study as a reference which can enrich their knowledge. Then, hopefully,
through this study the readers can get important values as the basic for them in
facing their life.
1.5Definition of Terms
There are some terms that need to be defined to avoid misconception. They
are:
1. Sexual deviation
According to Baron (567), sexual deviation or so-called paraphilia is a
sexual disorder involving choices of inappropriate sexual objects; such as
young children, or the inability to experience arousal except in the
presence of specific objects or fantasies.
In my study, sexual deviation is a sexual disorder suffered by Montgomery
involving choices of inappropriate sexual objects that is by having sexual
relationship with his daughter and his sister, whereas the two of them have
close blood relation with him.
2. Personality Development
According to Hurlock (463), personality development means the way the personality changes and develops based on the factors that are responsible for the changes that will affect someone’s life.
3. Betrayal
Fay A. Klinger defines betrayal as the act of not being loyal to a person
who believes you are loyal to him/her, often by doing something that hurts
that person (http://www.meridianmagazine.com/articles/051019Betrayal.
html, accessed on Saturday, October 20).
In this study, betrayal is Montgomery’s act of being disloyal to Nicolette
who believes Montgomery is loyal to her by assaulting their daughter and
by having sexual relationship with his sisters.
4. Incest
Rosen, Fox, and Gregory (288) define incest as sexual activity between
persons whose blood relationship is closer than is sanctioned by the
culture.
In this study, incest is a sexual activity between Montgomery and his
daughter, Dessie, and also between Montgomery and his sister, Bella
Cecile DeLande whom both of them have very close blood relationship
7
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with review about related theories and also involves
some criticisms about Gwen Hunter and her novel Betrayal. In addition to this
chapter, I also present theoretical framework.
2.1. Review of Related Theories
This part consists of two main points, namely theory of literature and theory of psychology. The theory of literature is to give some explanations that
can help the reader to understand the novel, while theory of psychology is to
provide some psychological explanations that can help in analyzing the characters
in the novel.
2. 1. 1. Theory of Critical Approaches
When we want to analyze a novel, we need to know some critical
approaches. The approaches help us to decide how we will analyze the novel, so
that we can understand it. Rohrberger and Woods (6-15) mention five kinds of
critical approaches. They are formalist approach, biographical approach,
sociocultural-historical approach, mythopoeic approach, and psychological
approach.
The formalist approach concentrates on the importance to comprehend the
literary work without concerning reference from outside literary work itself. The
second approach is the biographical approach. In the biographical approach, the
biography of the author is the basic unit in understanding a literary work. The
third approach is the sociocultural-historical approach. In this approach, the
readers analyze the literary work based on the civilization that produces the
literary work. The fourth approach is the mythopoeic approach. This is used to
discover certain universally recurrent patterns of human thought which share the
same universal belief to certain community mind. The last approach is the
psychological approach. In this approach, the reader analyzes the literary work
from the psychological point of view of human being.
I decide to use the psychological approach to analyze this novel in
accordance with the matter of this thesis. In this approach, I analyze the literary
work from the psychological point of view of human being. Rohrberger and
Woods (14) state that the psychological approach uses the theory of human
psychology as the reference to understand the character in the story. This
approach also insists that each character’s behaviors could be referred to the
psychology of human being. Through this approach, the character’s thought and
behavior can be analyzed. I also choose the psychological approach since this
study focuses on the character’s personality development.
2. 1. 2 Theory of Character
her dialogue and activity. The following theories will be helpful in getting better understanding about the characters in the novel and in analyzing whether the character is static or dynamic.
Abrams (65) defines a character as the person, in a dramatic narrative
work, endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what
they say, i.e., the dialogue and what they do (the action).
A character, according to Perrine (71), can be classified into two
categories that are static character and dynamic character. Static character is a
character that does not undergo any changes in his/ her outlook/ personalities
during the course of story as at the beginning. This character is described without
many details and he/ she is not changed by the circumstances. On the other hand,
dynamic character is a character who undergoes many changes in some aspects of
their characters, personalities, ways of thinking, or outlook from the beginning
until the end of the story.
Furthermore, Perrine (71) also states that in order to be more convincing,
the changes in a character need to meet three conditions. Those conditions are
first, it must be within the possibilities of the character that makes it; second, it
must be motivated by the circumstances in which the character finds him/ herself;
and third, it must be followed by sufficient time for a change of its importance to
take place.
2. 1.3 Theory of Characterization
This study deals with personality development of a character in the novel
characterization in order to see the author’s ideas about the character. The
following theories will be helpful in getting better understanding and in analyzing
the characterization of Nicolette and Montgomery in Gwen Hunter’s Betrayal in
chapter four later.
There are some techniques which an author can use to make his characters
understandable and come alive for the readers as he expected. According to
Murphy (161-173), there are nine ways of characterization. They are personal
description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others,
reaction, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerism.
The first way is personal description. Using this method, the author can
describe a person’s appearance in terms of build, face, skin-color, hair, and
clothes in order to describe the character. From this personal description, human
character can be portrayed as a hero, soldier, strong, weak, and blind.
The second way is character as seen by another. Instead of describing a
character directly, the author can describe the character through the eyes and opinions of another. Therefore, the readers can get a reflected image.
The third way is speech. Using this technique, the author can give the
readers an insight into the character as one of the persons in the book through
what that person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he/she is in
conversation with another, whenever he/she gives an opinion, he/she gives us
some clues of his/her character.
The fourth way is past life. The author can give us clues to events that
about a person’s past life. This can be done by direct comment by the author,
through the person’s thought, through his conversation or through the medium of
another person.
The fifth way is through the conversation of others. The author can also
give the readers clues to a person’s character through the conversation of other
people and the things they say about him. People talk about other people.
Therefore, the things they say often give us a clue to the character of the person
spoken above.
The sixth way is reactions. The author can also give the readers a clue to a
person’s character by letting us know how that person reacts to various situations
and events. For example, the readers will know that a person is tough through
his/her reaction in facing some problems.
The seventh way is direct comment. The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. Usually, the author gives his comments through the narrator’s eyes.
The eighth way is thoughts. The author can give the readers knowledge of
what a person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we can not
do in real life. He can tell the reader what different people are thinking. The
readers have a secret listening to the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel.
The last way is mannerism. The author can describe the person’s
mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies which may also tell something about his
character. For example, the habit of a character who cares to other people who
From those nine ways, the author usually does not apply only one in
describing the story, but he blends up skillfully to bring the reader into the stream
of narrative. Thus, the readers are usually unaware of the skill with which the
author is revealing characters and personalities as piece, so that the reader will
tend to think of the author’s creations as real people.
2.2 Review of Related Studies 2.2.1 Personality Development
People change throughout their lifetime. This is so because people live in a certain place with certain people that are called society. This situation affects our
behavior and personality. Therefore, according to Hurlock, there is always desire
to follow the surroundings and it makes us change (108). Further, Hurlock says
change here means to alter or to vary; it does not necessarily mean that the
alteration or variation will be complete.
The personality pattern can change in some areas and remain persistent in
others. The change does not always result with improvement, but it can be for
better or for worse. It depends on the input and the output from the society and
also depends on the person who accepts it. Craig (10) states that there are some
developments such as parental growth, physical changes which are influenced by
biological factors. However, there are also developments that depend highly on
the environment, for example one’s personality development. In other words,
one’s development is also influenced by his interaction with his environment.
process of someone has to be better or worse. This theory will be helpful to
analyze what influences the character’s personality development in Gwen
Hunter’s Betrayal. The character experiences a process of changes in her
personality for worse. The character deals with some factors that influence her
personality development during her life. Her interaction to her family, including
her husband take an important role in the process of her personality development,
whether the process she has becomes better or worse.
2.2.2 Changes in Personality
Changes in personality may happen to anyone. It may happen to children,
adolescents, or adults. Then, the factors of the personality changes can vary.
2.2.2.1 Characteristics of Changes in Personality
Hurlock (120-122) classifies changes in the personality into three major
categories. Those categories are the personality that changes for the better and the
personality that changes for the worse, the personality in quantitative and
qualitative changes, and the personality that occurs slowly and rapidly. Therefore,
these following theories will be helpful in analyzing the characteristics of changes
on Nicolette’s personality.
The first category is the personality which changes for the better and for
the worse (120). Personality which changes for the better or for the worse reflects the kind of life adjustment the individual is making at the time. People experience
factors that influence the changes on their personalities. People who make
successful adjustment during their development process will develop their
personalities better. On the other hand, people who fail to adjust will develop their
personalities for the worse. Generally, personality changes for the worse
frequently happen at puberty and middle age, and these changes should be
recognized as danger signals. For example, a person becomes sensitive, weak,
hopeless, and introvert after experiencing the hardest moments in his/her life. The
example above shows us that his/her personality changes for the worse.
The second category is the personality in qualitative and the personality in quantitative changes (121). In qualitative changes, characteristics already present
are reinforced, strengthened, or weakened. This changes the undesirable actions
into desirable ones. For example, a cruel husband who always punishes his wife
regrets his mistake and changes into a loving husband after he experiences the
moment where his wife is dying. The stronger the motivation to win social
approval and acceptance, the stronger will the motivation be to strengthen
desirable traits.
Quantitative changes may create the impression that the person has
personality pattern-self-concept, whether it is weakened or strengthened by the
action. These changes happen more commonly and more frequently than
qualitative changes and usually in the direction of movement.
The third category is the personality in slow and in rapid changes. Hurlock
clarifies that changes regarded as slow if they are barely perceptible, while rapid
and gradual. Every change happening in personality involves the violation of
previous habit and the learning of a new habit to replace it.
2.2.2.2 Conditions Responsible for the Personality to Change
People experience changes during their lives. One of the changes is
changes in their personalities. Therefore, there are some conditions which can
influence the changes in their personalities. The following theories will be helpful
in analyzing some conditions which influence the changes on Nicolette’s
personality.
Hurlock (124-129) mentions the changes in personality do not occur by
themselves; they are physical changes, changes in environment, changes in
significant people, changes in social pressure, changes in role, strong motivation,
and changes in self-concept and psychotherapy.
Hurlock states that physical changes may come from maturation and
decline from illness, injuries, or some other conditions resulting from the person’s
life pattern. A person will find it is difficult to adjust him/her into new condition
when physical changes immediately occur. As a result, the physical changes will
influence the person’s self-concept (124).
Changes happen in either physical or in the social environment will not
guarantee an improvement in personality although the changes may have the
opposite effects. Just by moving to a new environment will not automatically
or not will depend largely on how well we are accepted in the new environment
and whether it meets our needs or not (Hurlock 125). A person must have
significant people in their life that may affect their personality. When the
significant people in an individual’s life change and when the individual tries to
adapt the pattern of behavior, attitudes, beliefs, values, and aspiration to theirs,
changes in his personality pattern are inevitable (Hurlock 126).
One’s role may change because of a change in age, in economic
conditions, or a change in society. One will experience changes for the better in
his/her self-concept, if the results are in more favorable status. A child changes
from being a dependent to being economically independent when he/she is old
enough to be a wage earner. Ordinary people are strongly motivated to change
his/her personality than one who is popular. The motivation comes because they
believe it will improve their social relationship and broaden their social
acceptance. When the motivation is strong enough to happen, changes can be
affected (Hurlock 126-127).
Self-concept is the core of the personality pattern, which determines the
kind of adjustment the person will take. Therefore, a change in self-concept will
lead to change in the entire personality pattern. This change becomes increasingly
more difficult as people grow older. Changing the self-concept requires
remarkable self-insight and this means that a person must be able to see
him/herself as he actually is, not as he would like to be or as others perceive
2. 2.2. 3. The Influences in Development Process
Pikunas (58-73) states that there are five factors that influence the
development process. Those factors are environment, family, peers as models,
society, and culture.
The first factor is environment. The environment is the place in which a
person lives, both physically and socially. The environment influences the
development process of a person. During his/her life, a person lives, interacts, or
depends on their environment. Therefore, the environment, which consists of
physical and social factors can continually affect in shaping their traits, features, or personalities. Location, climate, size, and convenience of the home can be
some examples of physical factors.
The second factor is family. The family is an enduring social group based
on marriage and blood relationship. The family’s orientation and atmosphere
grow out of commitments of husband and wife to each other and their children.
The family takes important role on the person lives around the family which affect
him/her in shaping and developing traits, features, or personalities.
The third factor is peers as models. Most people enjoy associating with
those who are similar in age, maturity, and status. Peers affect the development
process of people from middle childhood to the years of late adulthood. It is
because peers usually modify the child’s thoughts, feelings, and aspirations as he
learns to give and take.
The fourth factor is society. In this life people live, interact, communicate,
large social structure that serves as a framework for socioeconomic and cultural
life. People learn about norms, social rules, values around their societies.
Therefore, a society affects the development process of a person.
The fifth factor is culture. Culture refers to the total patterns of people’s
way of life seen in terms of artifacts and achievements distinguishing large but
similar societies. It consists of the technology and civilization, law and morality,
religion, politics, arts, and history. Culture maintains from generation to
generation. During their lives, people tend to live according to the culture where
they live and grow. Directly or indirectly, cultural traits, norms, and expectations influence everyday living.
In the analysis of Betrayal in chapter 4 later, point (1) environment, (2) family, and (3) society will be helpful as the influences in developmental process of the characters. It is aimed in helping to answer the first and second questions
which are stated in the problem formulation. As we know, people live around their environment, family, and society. Then, they can not be separated from culture they hold on, believe, and have in their lives. During their lives, these
factors may influence the developmental process that makes them change for better or for worse.
2. 2. 3Theory of Sexual Deviation
Rosen, Fox, and Gregory (274) define sexual deviation as a failure of
development associated with anxiety and conflict, culminating in a persistent or
frequent for, and does not terminate in, genital coitus with an adult of the opposite
sex. From psychological point of view, sexual deviation is also termed as
perversion or paraphilia.
Paraphilias come from the Greek para, which means”amiss” and philia
which means “love”, it may be said to exist only when unusual images, acts, or
objects are required for sexual arousal and fulfillment (Baron 567). He also stated
that paraphilias is a sexual disorder involving choices of inappropriate sexual objects, such as young children, or the ability to experience arousal except in the
presence of specific objects or fantasies.
Three points should be noted about the concept of sexual deviation (Rosen
et al. 274). First, a sexual deviation is relative to the culture. For example, in
Ancient Greece, homosexuality was not considered a deviation. Second, although
most deviations are offenses, a large number of offenses are not deviation, for
example, extramarital intercourse or non genital heterosexual foreplay. Third, an
important component of the concept of deviation is its stress on persistence in
habit patterns.
Rosen et al. (276-290) also define that there are some major varieties of sexual deviation. Those are deviations in the mode of sexual behavior, deviations
in the sexual object, and the deviations in the social and physical context.
The first category is deviations in the mode of sexual behavior. Sexual
ano-genital activities, voyeurism, exhibitionism, transvestism, sadism, and
masochism. The second category is deviations of the sexual object. Sexual
deviations which are included in this category are homosexuality, fetishism,
zoophilia, and incest.
The third category is deviations in the social and physical context. Sexual
behavior which is included in this category is pornography.
In this study, incest, one of sexual deviations, becomes the main factor
which influences Nicolette’s personality development. Hopefully, the theories of
incest in the following part will help the readers understand this study.
2.2.3.1 Theory of Incest
Since incest is considered as a subtype of pedophilia and included as a
sexual deviation, it is important to get better understanding about incest. The
theory of incest itself will help me in analyzing the novel.
According to Rosen et al. (288-289), incest is sexual activity between
persons whose blood relationship is closer than is sanctioned by the culture. Some
societies permit marriage between cousins, or between uncles and nieces or aunts
and nephew, and some prohibit the marriage of persons of any degree of blood
relationship, no matter how distant.
Some other definitions of incest are:
custom or law because of their close kinship. (http://www.answer.com/ topic/incest; accessed on February 23, 2007)
2. According to psychoanalysis, incest refers to sexual relations between close relatives. (http://www.answer.com/topic/incest; accessed on February 23, 2007)
3. According to science, incest refers to sexual relations between relatives who are forbidden by law to marry, for example, between father and daughter or mother and son. (http:// www.answer.com/ topic/ incest; accessed on February 23, 2007)
Biologically, there is a theory that the observance of the taboo would lower the incidence of congenital birth defects caused by inbreeding.
Inbreeding leads to an increase in homozygosity, that is thae same allele at the same locus on both members of a chromosome pair. This occurs because close relatives are much more likely to share the same alleles that happen to be deleterious, which are harmless and inactive in a heterozygous pairing, but when homozygous can cause serious developmental defects. Such offspring have a much higher chance of death before reaching the age of reproduction, leading to what biologists call inbreeding depression, measurable decrease in fitness due to inbreeding among populations with deleterious recessives (Leavitt 974).
Those definitions of incest will be useful to get knowledge that incest is a sexual activity of two persons who are so closely related. It is forbidden and avoided by most countries in the world. However, incest is considered as a crime and it is one of sexual deviation. Therefore, it is useful to help in answering the second question of the problem formulation which will be analyzed in chapter 4 later.
2.2.3.2 The Incest Taboo
crime. It is forbidden by law and by culture. Therefore, its prohibition varies around the world.
The Freudian theory of psychosexual development states that a violation of the incest taboo may take three forms. The first one is intrafamilial incest, including both Oedipal and non-Oedipal relationship, which are father-daughter, mother-son, brother-sister, and so forth. Second, incest is a secondary aspect of an indiscriminate promiscuity that involves various sexual objects, blood relatives and non-relatives. The third one is incest as a secondary aspect of pedophilia. It usually involves father and daughter. (Rosen et al. 288)
Incest is also forbidden by religion. The Bible mentions prohibitions against relations between various pairs of family members. It proves incest is taboo for Catholics. The theory will be helpful to analyze the sexual deviation of Montgomery, whereas it should not be done because Montgomery is a Catholic. Therefore, Montgomery’s act of molesting his daughter and having sexual relationship with his sister are considered as sexual deviation that can influence the development of Nicolette’s personality.
The Bible, primarily in Leviticus 18.1-18, contains prohibitions against sexual relations between various pairs of family members. Father and daughter, mother and son, and other pairs are forbidden on pain of death to engage in sexual relations (Father/daughter incest is covered by a prohibition on sexual relationship between a man and any daughter born to any woman he has had sexual relationship with, thereby prohibiting not only incest between father and any possible daughter, but many women where it would be impossible for the daughter to be the man’s). It prohibits sexual relations between aunts and nephews but not between uncles and nieces.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/incest-taboo; accessed on April 18, 2007) Besides Catholic, Muslim Religion also considers incest is prohibited and
must be avoided. This shows us that incest is a taboo for almost religions.
The Qur’an in the surat An-Nisa 23-24, prohibits sexual relationship with the following closely related women: mother, daughter, sister, mother’s sister, father’s sister, brother’s daughter, and sister’s daughter. Breastfeed mother and breastfeed sister are also prohibited. Several women who are related through sexual relationship and in certain situations are also prohibited.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/incest-taboo; accessed on April 18, 2007)
2. 2 Criticism
There are some criticisms of the novel Betrayal and of the author Gwen
Hunter. In this part, I present some criticisms that may be helpful in understanding
the novel better.
According to Alexandre Louis, from Magizine Litteraire, there is most
certainly of Faulkner and Caldwell in that implacable novel, but perhaps, more
still, of Flannery O’Connor of whom Gwen Hunter could definitely be, at this end
of twentieth century, the direct heiress. That which is sure in every way, is that
with her one is faced with authentic romantic. Not only does she know quite well
how to present a story and give it a rhythm, but moreover, she possesses the art of
reproducing the soul and the manners of the real Louisiana. (http://www.Gwen
hunter. com/ betrev.htm)
According to Hazel Leslie, London times, Gwen Hunter’s writing has that
compulsive quality that spells bestsellerdom. She really knows how to attract the
readers through the plot of her writing. She also knows how to create spectacular
story in different way. (http://www.Bellarosabooks.com//betrayal-rev.htm,
Charles Serman, The State, stated that Gwen Hunter’s characters are
solidly drawn and appealing. The readers’ curiousities are aroused by the rhythm
of Gwen Hunter’s writing. Her ending should leave most readers in good spirit.
(http://www.Bellarosabooks.com//betrayal-rev.htm, accessed on November 27,
2006)
Toby Bromberg, Romantic Times, said that Betrayal is a story of passion
and danger that takes the reader into the heart of a family that is pure evil. Readers
will find themselves sympathizing and empathizing. They will feel like they are
parts of the story itself. It is because Gwen Hunter creates the story naturally.
(http://www.Bellarosabooks.com//betrayal-rev.htm, accessed on November 27,
2007)
Betrayal is a shocking tale of secrets and lies. Upon the completion of the
book she actually had felt that she had visited Louisiana and left with a thorough
understanding of the word betrayal. (Gwendolyn J. Brantly, affair de Coeur)
Last but not least, in the back cover of the novel, says;
“So begins this spellbinding, passionate novel, the story of a young girl’s marriage into a family so monstrous that only an extraordinary woman could escape from it alive…” (Hunter Gwen, Betrayal)
2. 3 Theoretical Framework
The study on the influence of sexual deviation on one’s personality
development gives the opportunity to analyze the influence of sexual deviation on
Therefore, the theories of character and characterization and the theories of
psychology are used to answer the problems formulated in the previous chapter.
The first problem is the understanding about how the author describes the
major characters in her novel. In order to solve them, I use the theories of
personality suggested by Hurlock, Craig, and Pikunas. Since someone’s character
is a part of his/ her personality, then I also use theory of character and
characterization by Abrams, Perrine, and Murphy. These theories help me to
understand the characteristics of the main character in the Betrayal by Gwen
Hunter. Then, I will relate the theories from Hurlock and Craig to Nicolette’s
personality development. The theory of development process from Pikunas will
give explanation on how some factors can influence the development process.
Therefore, I also use the theory of sexual deviation from Rosen et al. and
from Baron in order to help in understanding kinds of sexual deviation. Here, in
the novel, incest as a subtype of sexual deviations becomes the phenomenon of
sexual deviation suffered by Nicolette’s husband. Then, her husband’s sexual
deviation has influenced her personality development.
The psychological theories from Hurlock, Craig and Pikunas that discuss
personality, development, and the factors that influenced human development will
be used to analyze the influence of sexual deviation of Nicolette’s husband on her
The Influence of Montgomery’s Sexual Deviation on Nicolette’s
Personality Development
Theories of Character and Characterization
Theories of Personality and Personality
Development
Theories of Sexual Deviation
Abrams, Perrine, Murphy
Hurlock, Craig, and Pikunas
Rosen, Fox, and Gregory and Baron
Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s Personalities
Nicoletee’s Personality Development
27
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into four sections. The first is Subject Matter,
which contains the statement of the work of literature I analyze in this study. The
second is Approach, which contains approach I use in this study. The third is
Procedures, which talk about the steps I take in doing the analysis, and the last is
the Organization of the Study.
3.1 Subject Matter
The subject matter in this study is Betrayal. It is one of the most popular
novels by Gwen Hunter. I use the novel Betrayal that was published in 1994 by
Pocket Books. The book itself consists of 372 pages.
There are some characters in Betrayal, but the main character is Nicolette
Dazincourt DeLande or Nicolette. Other characters are Montgomery Beauregard
DeLande, Sonja, Desma Collette or Dessie, Dora Shalene or Shalene, Adrian
Paul, Miles Justin, Richard, and Philippe. The setting in this novel is in the 1970s
and the place is in South Louisiana, New Orleans.
loves, adores, and respects, dares to betray her. He has affairs with some women around and outside the city. Even, he also betrays her by sexually assaulting their daughter. Nicolette considers Montgomery’s act of molesting their daughter as his biggest betrayal for her. However, his husband’s sexual deviation influences her to change her personalities for worse.
3.2 Approach
From the five approaches proposed by Rohrberger and Woods, I use the
psychological approach to analyze the novel in accordance with the matter of this
thesis. In this approach, the reader analyzes the literary work from the
psychological point of view of human beings. Rohrberger and Woods (14) states
that the psychological approach also insists that each character’s behavior could
be referred as the psychology of human being.
The psychological approach is the most appropriate approach for
analyzing this study. Through this approach, the character’s thought and behavior
can be analyzed. I chose the psychological approach since this study focuses on
the character’s personality development.
3.3 Procedures
The procedure in this study is concerned with the steps that I took in doing
the analysis, so that I was able to obtain the answer to the problem formulation of
this study. Therefore, several steps were taken in this study.
The first step was, I read the novel many times in order to get a good
character, Nicolette, and made notes of the important descriptions of her which showed her personality.
Secondly, I determined what kind of approach that would be used to help
in analyzing this thesis. In this writing, then, I use psychological approach since
my study was focused in the personality changes of the character. The theory of
the approach that was used to give the limitation in this study was taken from the theory of approach written by Rohrberger and Woods (6-15).
Thirdly, I did the analysis. The analysis was divided into two parts. The
first part was in relation to how Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities were
portrayed. At this point, theories of character and characterization from Abrams,
Murphy, and Perrine were employed to identify the personalities of Nicolette and
Montgomery. In this second part, I employed the theories from Hurlock and
Pikunas that would be helpful in analyzing the personality development of
Nicolette. Therefore, the theories of paraphilia from Baron and other sources
would be helpful in analyzing the influence on Nicolette’s personality
development. Eventually, it assisted me to dig up more valuable aspects of the
central character that could be applied in our lives.
3. 4 Organization of the Study
description of the problem and formulates the problem in the form of questions. The fourth is benefits of study which give the explanation of who could gain the benefit from the study. The last part is definition of terms.
Chapter two includes all the theories that support the analysis of the novel
which is divided into three parts. The first is theoretical review which gives the
explanation of the theory of critical approaches, the theory of character, the theory
of characterization and the theory of personality development. The second part
gives several criticisms about Gwen Hunter and her masterpiece, while the last
part gives the basic guidance of the analysis of the novel.
Chapter three is about methodology which is divided into four sections.
The first is subject matter which contains the statement of the work of literature I
analyze in this study. The second is approach which contains approach I use in
this study. The third is procedures which talk about the steps I take in doing the
analysis and the last part is the organization of the study.
Chapter four contains the discussion of the questions formulated in the
problem formulation. It answers the two questions stated in the problem
formulation. The first problem is how Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities
are portrayed in Gwen Hunter’s Betrayal. The second problem is how
Montgomery’s sexual deviation influences Nicolette’s personality development.
Chapter five is about the conclusion and suggestion which is divided into
two parts. The first part of this chapter presents the conclusion of the study based
on the analysis. The second part presents the suggestion for the future researcher
The whole study is closed by giving the complete information about all books and
websites that are used in this study in the bibliography. Biography of Gwen
Hunter, the summary of Betrayal, and the Implementation of Teaching Reading
32
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS
Chapter four deals with the analysis to answer the problem formulation as
stated in chapter one. This chapter consists of three parts. In the first part, I
present the analysis of Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities. The next part
is the description of Montgomery’s sexual deviation that appears in the
surrounding where he lives. In the last part, I discuss the influence of
Montgomery’s sexual deviation on Nicolette’s personality development.
4.1 The Personality of Nicolette and Montgomery
It is interesting to analyze individual’s personality since personality is
unique and it is a personal signature that makes the individuals different from
another. Therefore, in this study, I analyze Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s
personalities. In understanding Nicolette’s and Montgomery’s personalities as
revealed by Gwen Hunter, the theory of characterization is needed. As stated in
the theories of characterization in chapter two, there are nine ways of
characterization mentioned by Murphy (161-173). In the novel Betrayal, Gwen
Hunter describes the character through conversation of other people, speech or
what the character says, past life, reaction, thought, and mannerism. The theory of
characterization by Murphy is aimed to give a better understanding about the
personality of Nicolette and Montgomery in the novel Betrayal. Moreover, it is
4.1.1 The Personality of Nicolette 4.1.1.1 Stubborn
Nicolette is stubborn. This can be seen from her thoughts. It is stated by
Murphy that an author can give the reader direct knowledge through the thought
of the character (161-173).
Being stubborn is a Dazincourt trait. Dazincourt is Nicolette’s maiden
name. She inherits her stubbornness from her father who is a Dazincourt. Her
father has taught her how to be independent, how to use her competences to fulfil
the life demands, and how to live with courage and dignity since she was a child.
During her childhood and her youth, she is accustomed to have self-confidence
and to trust herself in order to handle everything by herself. It makes her stubborn.
In the beginning of her marriage with Montgomery, Nicolette tends to
remain stubborn. In general, new couples tend to discuss new things together in
order to get closer each other. It is common to show their weaknesses in front of
their couples. A husband is a partner of life whom one can share opinions,
problems, pride, satisfaction and many other things. Nicolette’s stubbornness
makes her limit herself to her husband, even just for a simple subject.
I almost asked Montgomery what species his family bird was, then shut my mouth. When I got back to my set of encyclopedias, I could look up the bird and identify it. I didn’t have to ask him anything.
I pressed my lips together, feeling stubborn, and liking the sense of strength that came from defiance. Being stubborn was a Dazincourt trait. Half of what I had learned from my daddy was swamp lore and veterinary medicine. The other half was pure bullheadedness. (29)
According to her thought, we can see that Nicolette is stubborn. She
encyclopedias by herself than asking him. It is not because she is afraid towards
Montgomery, but it is because of her stubbornness. She thinks she can find out it
by herself and she does not want anybody, even her husband, to help her just for
that simple subject.
We can also see that Nicolette is stubborn based on her speech. Murphy
states that an author describes the character through the speech or what the
character says (161-173).
Sonja sighed and pulled out into traffic. “There are other men out there. Good men.”
I smiled tightly. “One man in a lifetime is enough, thank you. Besides, I want nothing to do with some sex-starved male out to prove himself on the horizontal battleground.” (53-54)
Nicolette stays to her conviction to be loyal to her husband though she
knows that Sonja’s suggestion is good for her. She, herself, knows that there is
something wrong with her husband. Her husband often punishes her physically
and mentally for unreasonable reasons. She also knows that Sonja, her best friend,
always wants the best thing for her. Because she is stubborn, she does not want to
accept Sonja’s good suggestion to leave her mysterious possessive husband.
Even when Sonja hired a detective for her to get some information about
Montgomery’s betrayal, she gets rather mad.
“Well, isn’t my busybody friend just oh so generous. You’ll have to refund her money, honey, because I’ll pay my own way, thank you very much.” Suddenly Sonja relaxed back against the sofa and laughed softly. “You aren’t even a little bit mad, are you?” (125)
According to her reaction, we can also know that she is stubborn. Murphy
his/her reaction in a certain situation and/or events (161-173). Nicolette thinks that
Sonja has interrupted her too much and Sonja has made decision for her without
asking her opinion first. Therefore, she thinks she can hire a detective by herself.
4.1.1.2 Tough
Nicolette is a tough woman. She has been accustomed to live as a country
girl during her childhood. She is accustomed to handle everything by herself.
After she gets married with Montgomery, she tries to be strong in facing problems
of her marriage with him.
I batted back my tears with swollen lids and bit my lips to keep from crying or begging Montgomery to talk to me. I wanted comfort, and I knew I could find it in my childhood home. And then I thought about the new roof, and Paris, and the Montgomery I had known before we went to the DeLande Estates. And again I fought back tears. (30-31)
When Montgomery punishes her by not talking to her during the journey to their new house, not even care during the journey, she tends to cry. However, she tries to be tough before her husband. She does not want to drop her tears though she wants to. She is disappointed to find that Montgomery has changed into the new one. She finds the differences of Montgomery’s attitude after visiting her mother-in law, The Grand Dame. He becomes a distant and volatile husband. She realizes that her marriage with him is her own decision. Therefore, Nicolette does not want to show her disappointment to him. Her toughness can be seen through her manner (161-173).
It wasn’t that I stopped being me. It wasn’t that I stopped fighting to make life better, to make a safe haven for the girls and my son and myself. And it wasn’t that it was all bad. (47)
Nicolette tries to bear the hard things she experiences with her husband
just for her children’s and her sake. She thinks that everything she has done is for
her children. Nicolette starts to understand Montgomery’s bad attitudes. She
learns that Montgomery is a loving and good husband if she is submissive to him.
Moreover, she tries to please Montgomery by doing what he asks to do or doing
what he wants.
Also there was the fact that I had never told anyone about my marriage. About Montgomery’s punishments and Montgomery’s subtle violence. I had learned to live with it for the children’s sake. (115)
She actually has something secret she could not share with anyone. It is
about her suffering from her husband’s cruel behavior. She realizes that her
marriage is not what she has ever thought before. She does not even know her
husband at all, whom she loves, adores, and respects much. Then, she has to face
the truth of her husband’s punishments and subtle violence by herself.
4.1.1.3 Religious
Nicolette is a religious person. Firstly, it is proven by seeing her past life
as stated by Murphy (161-173). Murphy states that an author can give a clue about
the character through his/ her past life. Nicolette has a good basic of religion. We
can see it through the lesson given by her father when she was a teenager. She
learnt what is good and what is bad.
