Seven deadly sins and the psychopathic behavior of John Doe in Andrew Kevin Walker`s Seven screenplay.

(1)

SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE PSYCHOPATHIC

BEHAVIOR OF JOHN DOE

IN ANDREW KEVIN WALKER’S

SEVEN SCREENPLAY

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

In English Letters

By

KEZIA KINANTHI KASIH

Student Number: 094214032

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

(2)

i

SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE PSYCHOPATHIC

BEHAVIOR OF JOHN DOE

IN ANDREW KEVIN WALKER’S

SEVEN SCREENPLAY

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

In English Letters

By

KEZIA KINANTHI KASIH

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

(3)

SEVEN

DEADLY

SINS AFID THE

PSYCHOPATIIIC

BEHAVIOR

OF JOIIN DOE

IN AI\DREW

KEVIN

WALKER'S

SEWN

SCREEI\IPLAY

-Rd

Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani S.S.. M.Hum. Co-Advisor

(4)

SEVEN

DEADLY

SINS AND THN PSYCHOPATHIC

BEHAYIOR

OF JOHN DOE

IN

AI\IDREW

KEVIN WALKER'S SEVEN

SCREENPLAY

By

KEZIA KINAIYTHI KAStrI

Defended before the Bomd ofExaminers on Septentber 2,2013

and Declared Acceptable

BOARD OF EXAMII\ERS

Name Chairperson

Secretary

Member I

Member2 Member 3

Signntu*

I

..

Dr.F.X.siswadiM.A. F

Dra. A. B. SriMulyani, M.A.,

Ph.D. t W

J. Harris Hermansyah S., s.S.,

M.Hum.

#Ltl U -XA

P. Sarwoto, S.S., M.4., Ph.D.

Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum.

lll

llxatr$

Yogyakarta, August 30, 20 I 3.

Faculty of Letters

Sanata Dharma University

(5)

STATEMENT

OF ORIGINALITY

This undergraduate thesis is submitted for the degree of Sorjana Sastra in the

Faculty of Letem at the Sanata Dharma University. The work contained in this

undergraduate thesis has not been previously subrritted for a degree or diploma at any other higlrer education institution. To tre best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except wherc due references are made.

Yogyakarta, Septeinber 4, 2013

Wr--

/r

KeziaKinanthi Kasih

(6)

KEPENTINGAI\I AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama

:KeziaKhanthi Kasih NomorMahasiswa :094214032

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

SEVEN DEAI}LY SINS AI\[D TIIE PSYCHOPATIIIC BEHVIOR OT JOHN DOE IN AITDREW KEVIN WALKER'S SEWN SCREEI{PLAY.

Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan

kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dhamra hak

untuk

menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan datao mendistribusikan se,caf,a terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Intenret 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 : 4 September 2013

Yang menyatakan

(7)

vi

However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived:

the things God has prepared for those who love Him.”

(8)

vii

For my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sugiono

my brother, Yoshua

my sister, Naomi

(9)

viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Apart from Jesus’s blessing for giving me faith and strength, the

completion of this undergraduate thesis also depends on the people that give me

encouragements and guidelines. I take this opportunity to show my gratitude to

them. I would like to express my special thanks to Mr. Sarwoto for being such a

great thesis advisor. I can not say thank you enough for his comments, remarks,

and ideas through the process of this undergraduate thesis. Furthermore, I would

also like to offer my gratitude to my co-advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani to give

me constructive comments.

I also owe a great appreciation to my academic advisors, Tatang Iskarna,

S.S., M. Hum. and Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S., M. Hum. Special thanks to Dewi

Widyastuti for the help she gave me relating to this study. Then, special

appreciation to all the lecturers of English Department for the trust and support

during my study in Sanata Dharma University. My appreciation also goes to all

the staff of Sanata Dharma University for helping my administration.

I would like to thank Pita, Febi, and Mov. Discussion with them have been

illuminating. To my best friends, Dori, Aul, Pucil, Gita, Lia, Kepiks and all of the

class 2009 for giving me such a wonderful experience.

Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my parents, brother, and sister, they

are always there to cheer me up when I feel down.

(10)

ix

ABSTRACT

Kezia Kinanthi Kasih (2013): Seven Deadly Sins and John Doe’s Psychopathic Behavior in Andrew Kevin Walker’s Seven Screenplay. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.

Seven was written in 1994. This story is about a serial killer named John

Doe who murders people by using a religious precept called seven deadly sins. The focus of this study is the character, John Doe who suffers a mental disorder which is psychopathy. It is interesting to analyze the character of John Doe because he takes a concept of religion which is formed basically to be a moral teaching into a concept of murder.

There are two problems to be discussed. The first one is the characteristics of John Doe. The second problem deals with his characteristics which reveal the characteristics of a psychopath and its relation to seven deadly sins.

In order to accomplish this study, the writer applies two methods which are divided into primary and secondary references. The screenplay, Seven by

Andrew Kevin Walker is the primary source. Meanwhile, the secondary references involve library researches and internet sources which help the writer to collect data and information related to the study. The approach which is used is a psychoanalytic approach which is related to John Doe’s unconscious mind.

The result of this study shows that John Doe is a psychopath who is showed through the most of his characteristics which tend to reveal psychopathic characteristics. His psychopathic behavior leads him to be a serial killer. John

(13)

xii

ABSTRAK

Kezia Kinanthi Kasih (2013): Seven Deadly Sins and John Doe’s Psychopathic Behavior in Andrew Kevin Walker’s Seven Screenplay. Yogyakarta: Jurusan

Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Seven ditulis pada tahun 1994. Ini bercerita tentang seorang pembunuh

berantai bernama John Doe yang membunuh orang orang dengan menggunakan sebuah ajaran agama yang dinamakan tujuh dosa kematian. Titik pusat dari studi ini adalah karakter John Doe yang menderita sebuah sakit mental yaitu psikopati. Sangatlah menarik untuk menganalisis karakter dari John Doe karena dia menggunakan sebuah konsep religi yang pada dasarnya dibentuk sebagai sebuah ajaran moral menjadi sebuah konsep pembunuhan.

Ada dua permasalahan yang dibahas dalam studi ini. Permasalahan pertama adalah karakteristik John Doe. Permasalahan yang kedua berkaitan dengan karakteristik John Doe yang mengungkapkan karakteristik dari seorang psikopat dan hubungannya dengan tujuh dosa kematian.

Dalam rangka menyelesaikan studi ini, penulis mengaplikasikan dua metode yang dibagi menjadi sumber utama dan sumber pendukung. Naskah film,

Seven oleh Andrew Kevin Walker adalah sumber utama. Sementara, sumber

pendukung melibatkan studi pustaka dan sumber internet yang membantu penulis untuk mengumpulkan data dan informasi berkaitan dengan studi ini. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikoanalitik yang berhubungan dengan motivasi John Doe dalam menggunakan tujuh dosa kematian untuk membunuh.

(14)

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Literary work is one of media which gives us sense of pleasure,

improves our knowledge, increases experiences, and also teaches moral values

in our life. It consists of plot, theme, conflict, setting, point of view, message,

and tone. However, the most influential element in literary work is characters.

Characters in literary works have been described in different ways. In Abrams

and Harpham’s A Glossary of Literary Terms, a character is “sketch in prose

of a distinctive type of person” (2009:42). As in real life, literary works have

similar ways to describe characters through human characteristics. In order to

be interesting and understandable, the characters are potrayed as real as human

beings. As stated in The Art of Watching Films:

To be interesting, characters must seem real, understandable, and worth caring about. For the most part, the characters in a story are believable in the same way that the story is believable; in other words, they either conform to the laws of probability and necessity (by reflecting externally observable truths about human nature), conform to some inner truth (man as we want him to be), or they are made to seem real by the covincing art of the actor (Boggs, 1978: 43).

Literary works are included novels, poetry, and play. However, there is

a screenplay which is also one of literary works. Literature has two basic

characteristics that are narrative and fictional (Zanjani, 2006: 8). Since

screenplay brings these two characteristics (narrative and fictional), then it can

(15)

Screenplay: Movie Script or Literature? that screenplay also has elements

which obtain in novel and play but they are different from novel or other

works of literature in the way of writing.

As a "narrative" and "fictional" writing, the screenplay like [sic] the novel and play, carries all the required elements for an "artistic language," it has plot, it has character, it has dialogue, it has description and it has "thought." But the way these elements work within the format of the screenplay, both individually and collectively, are different from those of the other narrative writings (Zanjani, 2006: 9).

Screenplay is also named as blueprints of finished movie which is not similar

with stage play, prose or poetry and more instant structure lacking of complex

method. As Nelmes stated in Analysing the Screenplay:

…the screenplay is considered merely the first stage towards the final product, the feature film, and therefore not on a creative par with the stage play, prose or poetry, which are more immediate creative forms with a less complex production process (2011: 1).

The writer chooses a screenplay because it is more direct rather than

novel. As we could see in novel, the author has freedom to extent the lines

without any limitation. Different from novelist, the screenwriter is allowed to

convey his writing on particular set such as one page has to cover one minute

shot, “a page of script is equivalent to a minute of screen time” (Nelmes,

2011: 204). The setting descriptions in screenplay are also written in short

forms such as INT to abbreviate interior, EXT for exterior, and setting of time;

NIGHT, DAY, or MORNING. Therefore, the screenplay is made to be more

efficient in conveying the information through images. For example:

INT. CAB -- NIGHT

(16)

(about the crowd)

What’s the big fuss?

Somerset looks out at the crowd, looks at the driver. SOMERSET

Why do you care? CAB DRIVER (under his breath)

Well, excuse me all to hell. (Walker, 1994: 3)

It is interesting to analyze screenplay by seeing the character’s speech,

not only observing the narration, since most of the content of screenplay is

dialogues. The screenplay dialogues appear to be everyday conversation in

order to help the reader to understand the contents of the text as living life.

“Because screenplay dialogue is constructed to give the impression of how

people talk in real life it often appears to be inarticulate and lacking in

complexity (Nelmes, 2011: 218)”. Since, it takes daily conversation;

screenplay dialogue is used to cover real theme or meaning of the text. For

instance, in real life, humans usually do not say directly what they mean and

try to disguise it and having intended meaning (Nelmes, 2011: 229-230). In

addition, it does not produce long narrations as the novel does. Along with its

efficiency on telling information, the writer believes that screenplay is able to

create a lot of underlying motives to the meaning.

In a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker entitled Seven, there is a

character that becomes a focus on the analysis of this study in which the writer

has explained previously that character is the most influential element of

literary works. John Doe, the character, is described as a psychopath who

(17)

is one of deviant behaviors that is described as the most unsympathetic,

remorseless, and “pure criminal” (Rimm and Somervill, 1977: 333).

Psychopaths lack of love, loyalty, and empathy which means that they do not

care if a child is left alone in an empty house or a friend’s credit cards are

stolen, they are able to ignore all of that matters (Alloy, Riskind, and Manos,

2005: 292).

What makes this study interesting is a concept of religion which is

basically made to be a moral teaching to make a good life instead of conversed

to be the main reason to kill people. Most of religions teach some moral

values, such as bad things and good things in which the writer believes that

most religions or beliefs have similar lists of do’s and don’ts in life. Yet, there

are some people who misinterpret religion itself. They have different

perspectives on the precepts of belief. They sometimes blend their personal

desires into religion and cause some distinctive interpretations. Religion itself

has important roles to form human’s characteristics. In addition, if their

interpretations are far from what people believe in general, it may influence on

their characteristics to be different from others. Values and beliefs are not

determined generally in every person, so we cannot say that people have the

same thought in taking steps on the relationships with others, how to act

toward the superior, the explanation of main matter, and also the particular

way he or she explains something. As stated by Kalish in The Psychology of

Human Behavior that:

(18)

his definition of his ultimate concern, and his method of explaining the unknown (1973: 388).

As already explained, people have their own perception to understand their

own religion, John Doe chooses his own perspective on seven deadly sins to

be used to murder people and determines to perform it as his motivation.

In this study, the writer analyzes the reason why John Doe uses a

religious concept, seven deadly sins, to murder people and its significant

relation to his psychopathic behavior. To know deeper about how seven

deadly sins are used by John Doe as his motivation of murders and its relation

to his psychopathics behavior, it is really important to do research on Seven

screenplay that is written by Andrew Kevin Walker. The character of John

Doe as the psychopath is the object of this research to understand the

characteristics of psychopath which is related to the possible reasons for using

religious precept, seven deadly sins to his murders.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background, the writer formulates two problems that will

be discussed in this study:

1. How is the character of John Doe described?

2. How do John Doe’s characteristics reveal psychopathic behaviors in

(19)

C. Objectives of the Study

The purpose of doing this research is to find out the relation between

seven deadly sins and John Doe’s psychopathic behavior. This research has

two main objectives. The first is by seeing the characteristics of John Doe.

The second question, the writer observes the characteristics of John Doe

which reveal the characteristics of psychopath and the relation of using seven

deadly sins to commit murders.

D. Definition of Terms

There are three terms that should be defined in this study in order to

avoid misunderstanding on the undergraduate thesis. The first one is seven

deadly sins. The original seven deadly sins precept comes from the bible

verse, Proverbs 6: 16-19 which declares:

“There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to

Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension

among brothers.”

In the 6th century, Pope Gregory introduced seven deadly sins as pride,

envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth

(http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-deadly-sins.html). In God’s Plan,

Aspenleiter states that seven capital sins or seven deadly sins are pride,

avarice (greed), lust, envy, anger, gluttony, and sloth which bring something

(20)

The writer finds two descriptions of what psychopathic behavior is. In

Coleman’s Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life: Third Edition, it is stated

that “They are frequently trouble, profit little from experience or punishment,

and maintain no real loyalties to any person, group, or code. Such individuals

are often called psychopathic personalities” (1964: 361). Psychopathic people

are described as danger by causing disaster, having no correlation with

society, and also having difficulty to gain benefits on experiences or

punishment.

In Introduction to Psychology: Eighth Edition; Atkinson, et al stated

that antisocial personalities which are also called psychopathic personalities

show inability to be responsible, moral, or loyal for other people (1953: 479).

The last term is precept. In Hornby’s Oxford Advanced Learner’s

Dictionary of Current English Seventh Edition, precept is “a rule about how to

(21)

8

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

Seven screenplay is a story of two detectives who try to discover the

identity of a killer who uses the seven deadly sins for his homicide motivation.

The killer named John Doe chooses seven deadly sins which are pride, envy,

wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust; for making a serial murders and killing

people whom he sees as embodiment of seven deadly sins.

Ebert who is a famous American movie critic, journalist, and also a

screenwriter mentions on his article for Chicago Sun-Times in September 22,

1995 that:

The killer obviously intends his elaborate murders as moral statement. He embodies Evil. Like Hannibal Lecter, his character must be played by a strong actor who projects not merely villainy but twisted psychological complexities. Observe his face. Smug. Self-satisfied. Listen to his voice. Intelligent. Analytical. Mark his composure and apparent fearlessness.

(Seven 1995, http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article,

2011, July 18).

The killer, John Doe chooses to go to a complicated plan for his motivation of

murder only to show the good and bad values toward the seven deadly sins

precept. John Doe represents an evil villain with the characteristics of

psychopath such as Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal Lecter is a fictional character

from serial novels by Thomas Harris who portrays as a pure psychopath

(22)

not describe only his villain characteristics but also his unusual complicated

personality. The character of John Doe personifies detailed, pleased with

one-self, intelligent, calm, and fearless characteristics.

The writer decides to use movie criticism because movie is believed as

the finished product of screenplay and interpretation of ideas of the text. To

criticize a movie is not for one purpose how good or bad a new movie is. A

movie critic who is professional has to find some researches in order to give

the movie a proper context. For example, a complicated movie must have to

be critiqued by using psychological analysis, socio-historical study or moral

philosophical analysis, which means that a movie critic need to study how to

analyze all the elements of the movie by using literary skills. Besides, a movie

criticism evaluates a film not only based on the director‟s work, acting

performances, casting, and editing, but also the work of the screenwriter on

the screenplay as the basic quality of the movie that elaborate all movie

elements. “A screenplay, remember, is a story told with pictures” (Field, 2005:

53).

A study related to psychopathic personality is taken from an

undergraduate thesis by Fredy Wijaya entitled Psychopathic Personality as Seen in the Main Character of Richard Wright’s Black Boy: A Record of

Childhood and Youth (2007: 44):

(23)

take it as the way that a life must be done. But the problem is many people who are suffering from this mental illness do not take themselves as the person who considered [sic] sick by the society.

Wijaya states that a person who is suffering from a symptom of

psychopathic behavior usually has assumption that all his works are correct

and those around him or her are the problems. In the story that is taken by

Wijaya as his study, the character of Richard Wright seems like a psychopath

who does not realize that he is suffering from a mental disorder and tries to

blame the environment as the cause of troubles.

Another study related to psychopathic behavior is studied by Rizky

Dwi Febrianto in his undergraduate thesis entitled The Character of Miss Waynflette as a Psychopath as Seen in Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy

(2012: 46):

The person‟s pattern of thinking and behavior significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere with the person‟s ability to function effectively. This is also something that make people often asking [sic] why and how the psychopathic can do that again and again without any regret and afraid of being in prison. There is something wrong with the way she thinks and solving problem. That is why psychopath cannot be included into criminal behavior.

In this study, Febrianto states that Miss Waynflette as a murderer has

no feeling of remorse after killing people. The feeling of no regret describes

the characteristic of psychopaths which is caused by the distinct way of their

thought in seeing society or everything. Their distinct ways to think are

different from people in general. They do not learn from the punishments

which make them fearless to do such a horrible action more than once. Hence,

(24)

From the three studies above, they have different foci in analysis. The

first one explains how the religious precept, seven deadly sins, is taken by

John Doe as central theme of John Doe‟s serial murders to clarify

moralization and his characteristics which represent villainous psychopath.

The second study explains that a psychopath chooses to blame the society or

world as the problems for him or herself because he or she assumes that there

is nothing wrong with the activity that he or she does. In other words, a

psychopath has no guilty feeling. The last study taken from an undergraduate

thesis focuses on the absence of remorse for murdering people. He explains

that a psychopath as a type of mental disorders is unable to think or behave as

other normal people do. Therefore the psychopaths cannot be included as

criminal behavior because of their disability to think the significance of their

situation, to experience the emotions, and also to obey the laws or rules.

Thus, they are viewed as a deviant by the society.

Those three different studies explain in general the same topic which

is mental disorder of psychopath. Based on the first study, the writer is able to

take a conclusion that John Doe is perfectly able to portray an evil

psychopath using seven deadly sins to murder as moral statement. Then, in

the second study, Richard Wright suffers the similar mental disorder with

John Doe as a psychopath and shows guiltless characteristics. The last study

by Febrianto concludes that the character‟s psychopathic personality has a

typical profile as a murderer which is similar with John Doe; Miss Waynflette

(25)

people. Seeing the character of John Doe, he uses seven deadly sins which is

a religious percept as his fundamental reason and motivation to kill people.

This study is reasonable since all the facts to reveal his psychopathic behavior

are considered.

On the other hand, this study has a different focus from the three

studies above. None of them explains about the hidden related motivation of a

psychopath using religious precept for killing people. The writer chooses to

explore the dynamic of unconsciousness of John Doe why he uses the seven

deadly sins as his motivation of murder through his psychopathic behavior.

As a result, these three studies show the relevant topics to the study in the

seven deadly sins as the motivation of murder and the psychopathic behavior

of John Doe revealing his hidden relation.

B. Review of Related Theories

In this research of study, the writer applies two theories and two

concepts. They are theory of character and characterization, concept of

psychopath, theory of psychoanalysis, and concept of seven deadly sins.

1. Theory of Character

Character is one of elements which is important in literary genre. It is

represented in short word, usually witty, and described in different type of

(26)

Abrams and Harpham‟s A Glossary of Literary Terms explains that the

readers know the character‟s desires and feelings through the dialogue and

attitude or action from the characters.

Characters are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their distinctive ways of saying it – the dialogue – and from what they do – the action (2009: 42).

Characters in literary works have contributions to express, describe, and show

their influences or roles that are construed and concluded by the readers.

Characters‟ motivation is described through their personality, wants,

and moral quality in the way they speak and act. “The grounds in the

characters‟ temperament, desires, and moral nature for their speech and

actions are called their motivation” (Abrams, 2009: 42).

In Reaske‟s How to Analyze Drama, characters‟ motivation is covered

in the progress of the play which is found through their actions (1966: 41). He

alsostates that there are central motivations in most plays which motivate the

most people in real life through their emotions (Reaske, 1966: 41). One of

them is hope for reward which means that the character has an ambition to get

happiness for himself or others that he loves and plan for his actions to reach

the end of his pretension (Reaske, 1966: 41). Then, there is love as motivation

to extent the hope of reward (Reaske, 1966: 41). The third one is fear of

failure which is the opposite of hope for reward, it means that everything that

(27)

Another motivation is religious feelings. Religious feelings here focus

on the motivation of character which is affected by the faith. This motivation

leads the character to a belief and in a result he or she assumes that what is

done is what God commands to. His or her motivation often causes particular

results towards his or her acts because what he or she does based on his or her

thought.

Occasionally, but not frequently, we discover a character who is motivated by religious faith. The character acts out of deep feelings and convictions that he is acting as God so directs. His motivation is diminished to the extent that he acts as he thinks he is supposed to act

(Reaske, 1966: 42).

The next motivation of characters behind their actions is revenge.

There are many plays that perform the idea to avenge the death of loved

friends or relatives, even the characters are eager to give up their life in order

to murder someone who wrongs them (Reaske, 1966: 42). Besides that, there

is also a greed as the motivation. This is type of motivation “in the category

of „hope for reward,‟ which becomes an outstanding motivation in its own

right in many plays” (Reaske, 1966: 42). The last one is jealousy as one of the

most specific motivation related to both love and the fear of failure (Reaske,

1966: 42).

Zanjani explains in Screenplay: Movie Script or Literature? that there

are three ways to build characteristics of characters in screenplay: description,

dialogue, and action (2006: 67). The first way is started through description.

Zanjani states that it is necessary to create descriptions of the character

(28)

age and so on” (2006: 67). In addition, a setting also has important role to

create characteristics of character connected with his deeds, hobbies, jobs, etc

as he mentions that “Since settings can reveal many things about character, his

attitudes, hobbies, jobs, and so on, describing a set is a way of describing the

character's personality” (Zanjani, 2006: 68). For instance there is a different

identity between a man who is driving an old car and a man with a motorcycle

(Zanjani, 2006: 68).

The second way is through dialogue. Dialogues in screenplay have

similar assignment as in novel and play which is to give information about the

characters‟ emotions, thoughts, feelings, intentions, hopes, or dreams (Zanjani,

2006: 68). The dialogue is not always from the character himself but also from

the other characters that do descriptions about another character as he says “it

is either through the dialogues of the character himself or through the

dialogues of the others that he or she gets revealed” (Zanjani, 2006: 69).

The third way to reveal the characteristics of the character is by

observing the character‟s action. As Zanjani quotes from Field‟s The Screenwriter’s Workbook that “Action is character. What a person does is

what he is, not what he says (Ibid, p.79)” (2006: 70), a character‟s action

reveals his personality. Besides, Zanjani also agrees with Seger‟s theory that

character‟s action is divided into two parts which are “the decision to act and

the act itself” (2006: 70). He mentions Seger‟s argument that the character‟s

(29)

that in a drama we usually see only the action, but it's the decision to act that

helps us understand how the character‟s mind works” (Zanjani, 2006: 70).

Besides the character‟s descriptions, dialogues, and actions, Zanjani

also explains that a name of character can give great value to characterize his

personality and provide a lot of descriptions about the character. “Name of the

character can play an important role in building his identity, because, name

can suggest many things about character” (Zanjani, 2006: 73).

2. Concept of Psychopath

Coleman and Broen‟s Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life stated

that a psychopathic personality is obviously labeled as antisocial and

incompetent to be loyal to others, society, or moral values. Despitefully, he is

intelligent, impulsive, and very pleasant on first introduction. He also has no

business on past or future things, and also behaves insensitively towards other

people‟s matters.

Basically, they are unsocialized and incapable of significant loyalty to other persons, groups, or social values. Typically intelligent, spontaneous, and very likeable on first acquaintance, they seem to live in a series of present moments, without consideration for the past or future and with callous disregard for the rights and well-being of others (1972: 366).

VanderVeldt and Odenwald explain in Psychiatry and Catholicism that

“psychopaths are always interested in people who are newcomers in the

neighborhood” (1952: 305). Psychopaths seem very caring to the newcomers

by visiting their house or even helping voluntarily to sew new curtains (1952:

(30)

Cleckley‟s The Mask of Sanity also states that a psychopathic person

has sixteen characteristics. The first one is superficial charming and good

intelligence. Cleckley explains that a psychopath makes himself as agreeable

person and positive impression at the first time he is introduced (Cleckley,

1988: 339). He tries to perform “well-adjusted, happy person” in order to

show nothing is abnormal in his behavior which is like “the real thing”

(Cleckley, 1988: 339). Besides, psychopath is also well endowed with high

intelligence which is showed in psychometric test. “Psychometric tests also

very frequently show him of superior intelligence” (Cleckley, 1988: 339).

The second characteristic of psychopath shows absence of delusions

and other signs of irritional thinking. The psychopath shows no indication of

hearing voices such as a psychosis (Cleckley, 1988: 339). He also performs in

normal emotions. “Not only is the psychopath rational and his thinking free of

delusions, but he also appears to react with normal emotions” (Cleckley, 1988:

339).

The third characteristic of psychopath is absent from nervousness or

psychoneurotic manifestations. These criteria such as hysteria,

obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety state, or “neurasthenia” do not fit in

psychopath‟s attributes (Cleckley, 1988: 339). He is incredible poise rather

than worry or nervous (Cleckley, 1988: 340).

The fourth characteristic is unreliable. In the beginning, the

psychopath shows reaction for being a reliable person but later it will be found

(31)

(Cleckley, 1988: 340). Even, it does not matter for him how important the

circumstance is (Cleckley, 1988: 340). His unreliability and ignorance for

obligations and consequences are explained in both unimportant and important

problems. They are covered by performing nice personality and unable to be

considered as common motives or persuasion.

The psychopath‟s unreliability and his disregard for obligations and for consequences are manifested in both trivial and serious matters, are masked by demonstrating of conforming behavior, and cannot be accounted for by ordinary motives or incentives (Cleckley, 1988: 340-341).

The fifth characteristic of psychopath is untruthful and insincere. He

shows personality which is unable to be trusted. He chooses to lie on every

matter and situation with no good reason, and sometimes he admits his own

errors and performs to face the consequences with singular honesty, fortitude,

and manliness (Cleckley, 1988: 341-342).

The sixth characteristic of psychopath shows lack of remorse or

shame. He cannot accept any blame to his attitudes and denies all the

responsibility and returns to blame others as responsible. He shows no sense

of shame even though he puts his life in trouble for a bunch of times but

leaves without any evidence of regret (Cleckley, 1988: 343).

The seventh characteristic of psychopath shows inadequately

motivated antisocial behavior. He is not only irresponsible, but he will also act

more in active ways. He will show a tendency for cheating and committing

(32)

in which shows a characteristic of remorseless. Therefore, psychopath is

viewed negatively by society.

He will commit theft, forgery, adultery, fraud, and other deeds for astonishingly small takes and under much greater risks of being discovered than will the ordinary scoundrel. He will, in fact, commit such deeds in the absence of any apparent goal at all (Cleckley, 1988: 343). In contrast, his antisocial and self-defeating deeds are not circumscribed (as, for example, in pyromania and kleptomania), he shows little or no evidence of the conscious conflict or the subsequent regret that are not regularly absent in these other manifestations (Cleckley, 1988: 344).

The eighth characteristic of psychopath is poor of judgment and failed

to learn by experience. Psychopath does not appear to learn from their

mistakes. Besides that, he will continue his antisocial behavior instead of

ending it and will not be afraid of getting caught. His poor judgment is found

for example when he wastes the opportunities to produce some money, to get

close with his spouse, to be sent away from hospital (Cleckley, 1988: 345).

The ninth characteristic is pathologic of egocentricity and incapable

for love. This is clear that this symptom is not presented in normal people.

Psychopath is skillful in pretending to be in love with someone else. It means

that he has no emotion to react in pure feelings of loving and he only cares

about his own matters (Cleckley, 1988: 347).

The tenth characteristic of psychopath shows general poverty in major

affective reactions. This symptom is an addition of incapacity for object love,

which explains that the psychopath cannot reveal or show any affective

emotions such as exciting, shouting, etc. This considers the inner feeling to

(33)

showing almost sympathy, bad-tempered, self-pity, childish, unreasonable,

poses of angry are presented obviously in psychopath. However, there is lack

of deep feelings such as mature, wholehearted anger, consistent wrath,

truthful, sorrow, maintain of pride, deep joyfulness, and despair (Cleckley,

1988: 348).

The eleventh characteristic shows specific loss of insight. The

psychopath is absolutely more horrible in insight than some schizophrenic

patients. He has no ability to observe himself as the others observe him. He is

not able to know how others feel about him (Cleckley, 1988: 350).

The twelfth characteristic is unresponsive in general interpersonal

relations. It is stated by Cleckley that psychopath is incompetent to show

ordinary responsiveness to kindness or trust from others. It does not matter

how kind he is treated by his family, friends, police, or hospital attendants, he

is incapable to show any consistent reaction to appreciate those kindness

(1988: 354).

The thirteenth characteristic of psychopath is fantastic and uninviting

behavior with drink and sometimes without. The primary point on

psychopath‟s drinking is found in the shocking, the fantastic, uninviting, or

relatively inexplicable attitude which reveals only when he drinks, although

only a little (1988: 356).

The fourteenth characteristic is showing that suicide rarely carried out.

It is seldom to find out that psychopath who is superficial self-content, ease,

(34)

Besides that, psychopath also shows another characteristic (fifteenth)

in sex life which is impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated. Their sexual

lives reveal unconventional, other deviations such as homosexuality, but this

is not regarded as an important characteristic (1988: 359).

The last characteristic (sixteenth) is that he fails to follow any life plan.

He shows inability to follow any life plan frequently, no matter it is good or

evil, he also has no effort to reach any goal (Cleckley, 1988:364).

In Maladaptive Behavior: An Introduction to Abnormal Psychology,

Lahey and Ciminero also characterize psychopath into thirteen ways. They are

violation of social conventions (breaking the rules of home, job, or school, and

law); violent (aggressive behavior which provoke criminal acts of violence

and vandalism); dishonest (their lies are often skillful and elaborate in order to

avoid punishment); irresponsible; absence of guilt; impulsive (inability to

resist frustrations); fail to learn from punishment; stimulation seeking (they

appear to seek any thrills and excitement); intelligent; underachieving;

socially deviant (they cannot endure long term relationship); sexual

unconventional; and abusive of drugs and alcohol (1980: 318-322).

3. Theory of Psychoanalysis

Freud‟s basic concept of personality theory in levels of mental life

which is stated in Theories of Personality by Jess Feist and Gregory J. Feist, is

to focus on an analysis of the unconscious mind that makes people to be

motivated in which they are not aware of (Feist, 2006: 23). It consists of all

(35)

actions (Feist, 2006: 24). The unconscious mind does not exist in the

conscious mind. Hence, the existence of the unconscious mind is found

indirectly (Feist, 2006: 24).

Freud explains that the unconscious is “the part of the mind beyond

conciousness which nevertheless has a strong influence upon our actions”

(Barry, 2002: 96). This unconcious mind has connection with what Freud calls

repression which includes “the forgetting or ignoring of unresolved conflicts,

unadmitted desires, or traumatic past events”, that is lifted up out of

conciousness (Barry, 2002: 96-97). The repressed feelings might multiply and

grow extensively driving away from the consciousness in result they will

come back through the unconsciousness.

Hidden away from the influence of consciousness, and an idea can grow more profusely. It actively „proliferates in the dark‟ (ibid: 148) as Freud puts it.

This being the case there is always likely to be „a return of the repressed‟ (ibid: 154) (Easthope, 1999: 32).

For example, Freud mentions in a case of a medieval monk who tries to push

away a sexual temptation in a way of viewing the image of the Crucifixion,

but suddenly an erotic image of naked woman emerges in the same crucified

image (Easthope, 1999: 32).

However, the repressed materials in unconscious mind find the way

out through daily activities not only through dreams but also through “slips of

the tongue, slips of the pens, or unintended actions” which are named as

(36)

Gemes‟s Freud and Nietzsche on Sublimation states that a repression

has a drive that includes both an ideational component which is the content of

the drive and aim and an energetic component which is the force and strength

of the drive; as Freud called a quota of affect (2009: 43). There is also a

sublimation which is similar to the repression where the things that are

repressed is being forced out to be something greater or disguised into

something “noble” (Barry, 2002: 96-97). For instance, a sexual desire is

sublimated into religious actions intensely (Barry, 2002: 97). Sublimation is a

picture which includes a quota of affect which is not released. Repression

itself is considered as a link of former or earlier things which are brought up

through sublimation process. Sublimation removes the repressing of energetic

component and drives it out in form of an aim which differs from original one.

All sublimations involve an expression of a pent-up quota of affect. The picture suggested here is that all sublimations typically take repressions as causal antecedents. In this sense sublimations are another manifestation of the phenomenon that Freud calls “the return of the repressed.” What sublimations undo is the repressing of the energetic component; they steer it to an outlet, an aim that deviates from its original aim (Gemes, 2009: 43-44).

Freud also mentions that all human drives are acceptable to be

sublimated, included all cultural activities such as art, science, professional

life, religion, and ethics; and believes that those drives have pleasure quality,

especially art and religion which have moral significance and important role in

spiritual feelings of human drives (Vergote, 1998: 202-203). The objectives of

sublimation can be different, but they all have one same point as what Freud

(37)

4. Precept of Seven Deadly Sins

Aspenleiter explains in God’s Plan that seven deadly sins are basically

indicated as vices or bad habits instead of sins. He stated that they are actually

the basic evil tendencies as the origins of sins in human beings. They are also

called as seven capital sins because of the significance of their influence

which is damaging. They are pride, avarice, lust, envy, anger, gluttony, and

sloth (1959: 208).

Pride is exaggerated love of oneself superiority. It is also described as

over desire to be honored and recognized for authority without considering

God‟s will. It can cause sins such as “false ambition, vanity, disobedience,

hypocrisy, and boasting” (Aspenleiter, 1959: 208-209). Avarice is also named

greed. It is exaggerated desire to have all worldly goods. From greed, it may

affect desires to sins for covetousness and stealing (Aspenleiter, 1959: 209).

Lust is the habit of impurity. It is a vice for seeking the pleasure of flesh

(Aspenleiter, 1959: 209). Envy is sadness and jealousy over other‟s prosperity.

It is stated that there is a sad feeling to know another person has more than he

deserves and desire to wish that the person cannot live in richness. It may lead

to sins such as “hatred, selfishness, detraction, and calumny” (Aspenleiter,

1959: 210). Anger or wrath is a description of explosion of emotion which is

usually based on the desire to revenge. Anger might cause sins such as

profanity, blasphemy, quarreling, and hatred (Aspenleiter, 1959: 210). There

is gluttony as a vice of over desire to possess foods and drinks (Aspenleiter,

(38)

disregard acts to spiritual and temporal duties. It may lead into sins of

indifference, laziness, and carelessness (Aspenleiter, 1959: 211).

C. Theoretical Framework

The first problem in this study is to understand the characteristics of

John Doe by seeing descriptions in the screenplay. The theory of character and

characterization is used to know John Doe‟s characteristics through the

devices of characterization.

In the next step, the characteristics of John Doe bring the writer to

analyze the second problem which is characteristics of psychopathic behavior

and how his psychopathic behavior is related to seven deadly sins. In order to

be able to analyze the second question, the writer employs the concept of

psychopath to find the detailed specifications of the characteristics of John

Doe which reveal the characteristics of psychopath.

The writer uses theory of psychoanalysis and the concept of seven

deadly sins to uncover the dynamic of the unconscious of Doe motivating him

to use seven deadly sins as the motivation of murder. The result for using

those theories and concepts to reveal the psychopathic behavior of John Doe

(39)

26

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of this study is a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker

entitled Seven. The screenplay was printed in 1994. Seven consists of 122

pages. It is written by Andrew Kevin Walker who is a screenwriter that

specializes in “violent and dark noir-type screenwriting”

(http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Walker__Andrew_Kevin.html).

Seven is his first screenplay. In order to finish Seven, it took several years for

Walker to complete the story. This film is described as a dark film which is

showing a serial killer kills people based on the seven deadly sins.

Seven had won 15 awards in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1999. In 1995, Seven won Society of Texas Film Critic Award, New York Film Critics Circle Award, and National Board of Review, USA as Best Supporting Actor, Kevin

Spacey (as John Doe). In 1996, Seven was successed to win Universe

Reader’s Choice Award as Best Horror Film; MTV Movie Awards as Best

Movie, Best Villain (Kevin Spacey), and Most Desireable Male, Brad Pitt (as

Mills); Hochi Film Award as Best Foreign Language Film, David Fincher (as

the Director); International Fantasy Film Awards as Best Film (David

Fincher) and Best Screenplay (Andrew Kevin Walker); Chicago Film Critics

Association Award as Best Cinematography (Darius Khondji); Saturn Awards

(40)

ASCAP Award as Top Box Office Films. Then, Seven also won several awards

in 1997, they were Blue Ribbon Award as Best Foreign Language Film,

Empire Award in UK as Best Actor, Morgan Freeman (as Somerset) and Best

Film, ALFS Award as Actor of the Year (Morgan Freeman), and Audience

Award as Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera) by David Fincher.

Another award was in 1999, Seven won Golden Trainer Award as Best of the

Decade (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/awards).

Seven is a story which tells about two main characters, the detectives

who want to discover the homicide case which is perpetrated by a psychopath

named John Doe. John Doe takes the seven deadly sins as his motivation for

killing people. Seven is a good work to analyze the characteristics of

psychopathic behavior as seen in John Doe which is related to seven deadly

sins as the motivation of murder.

B. Approach of the Study

To analyze the psychopathic behavior of John Doe and its relation to

seven deadly sins in Seven, the approach that is used is psychoanalytic

approach since it helps to give explanation on “the hows and whys of human

actions” (Bressler, 1999: 148). Barry also mentions in Beginning Theory: An

Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory that psychoanalytic approach is

the criticism of literature that applies psychoanalysis methods to interpret the

literature works (2002: 96). Psychoanalysis itself is a method to cure mental

disorder through an investigation between the interaction of unconscious and

(41)

Hence, the psychoanalytic approach is appropriate to analyze Seven to

understand the characteristics of a psychopathic behavior as one of mental

disorders. Also, it is helpful to analyze the hidden motivation of John Doe

using seven deadly sins to murder people by observing the thoughts and

actions of John Doe through his unconscious mind.

C. Method of the Study

The writer used a library research for analyzing Seven screenplay by

Andrew Kevin Walker. The references used in this study were divided into

two parts; primary and secondary references. The primary one was the

screenplay itself, Seven and the secondary one involved some books of theory,

such as, Abrams and Harpham’s A Glossary of Literary Terms, Reaske’s How

to Analyze Drama, Zanjani’s Screenplay: Movie Script or Literature?,

Cleckley’s The Mask of Sanity, Coleman and Broen’s Abnormal Psychology

and Modern Life, VanderVeldt and Odenwald’s Psychiatry and Catholicism,

Lahey’s and Ciminero’s Maladaptive Behavior: An Introduction to Abnormal

Psychology, Feist’s Theories of Personality, Barry’s Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, Easthope’s The Unconscious,

Gemes’ Freud and Nietzsche on Sublimation, Vergote’s Ethics and

Sublimation,and Aspenleiter’s God’s Plan.

In order to finish this study, the writer took some steps in analyzing the

screenplay. The first step was to read the screenplay for several times to get

understandings of the idea of the story, and then specified systematically the

(42)

related to the study of Seven, and the theories focused on character and

characterization, characteristics of psychopathic behavior, psychoanalysis, and

seven deadly sins. The third step applied the theories of character into the

character of John Doe in the screenplay. Then the fourth step, the writer found

out the symptoms or characteristics of psychopath in John Doe’s character

based on the concept of characteristics of psychopathic behavior. The last one

was to try to observe the significance relation of seven deadly sins as the

motivation of murder and the psychopathic behavior through the

(43)

30

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter contents two sub-chapters according to the problem

formulation of this study. The first sub-chapter is the descriptions of the

characteristics of John Doe in Seven. The second sub-chapter is to explain

John Doe‟s characteristics revealing psychopathic behavior characteristics and

its relation to seven deadly sins as the motivation of murders.

A. Characteristics of John Doe

John Doe is one of main characters in Seven screenplay besides

Detectives Somerset and Mills. He is a sadistic serial murderer which is

addicted to kill people who suffer one of seven deadly sins. In the beginning

of the story, Walker does not mention the name of John Doe. He starts to

introduce John Doe indirectly through the first homicide scene where an obese

man is killed by eating spaghetti forcibly and there is found a note and a letter

written gluttony. This murder brings Detective Somerset to suspect that there

will be six homicides continued to complete. His suspicion is showed by the

first one named gluttony as one of seven deadly sins. Then, what Detective

Somerset suspects is true through the second homicide named greed, the third

homicide which is found as sloth murder, the fourth homicide which is lust,

and the fifth homicide which is pride. John Doe‟s name is not discovered yet

until Detective Somerset and Mills find Doe‟s apartment with the help of

(44)

characteristics is defined by observing John Doe‟s action, thought, and

physical appearance. The following lists are the characteristics of John Doe

which are analyzed by using the theories of character by Zanjani.

1. Loner

The first characteristic of John Doe is a loner. The writer sees loner in

two types. The first one is a loner by own choice. The second type is a loner

because he is rejected socially by people. John Doe is both types of loner. He

likes for being solo. According to Zanjani, the character is described through

his clothes description and setting (2006: 67-68). “A male figure, JOHN DOE,

is standing at the stairwell, wearing a hat and standing in shadow…” (Walker,

1994: 65). John Doe is found by Detective Mills and Somerset in his

apartment building because Somerset got a help from his friend in Bureau for

John Doe‟s location. From the description above, he wears a hat which means

that he wants to cover his face. Besides, his standing in shadow brings an

interpretation that Walker intentionally hides John Doe‟s appearance for not

being discovered by the detectives.

In addition of the setting description, his apartment is also full of

darkness and creepy things. He encases himself in his apartment whose entire

rooms are covered in black color.

The room is bizarre, with some areas cluttered and others barren. All the walls are painted black. All the large, curtainless windows are painted over.

(45)

By observing Walker‟s description about Doe‟s apartment which is

full of black colors, the writer interprets that John Doe lives in solitude. It is

hidden in black color which means unknown, mysterious, and secretive

(Scott-Kemmis,

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-black.html). Even, the windows are painted. The room is very strange,

unusual, and untidy. Moreover, it shows a desolate place which describes

nothing is pleasant or attractive and also full of emptiness, “The room is

bizarre, with some areas cluttered and others barren” (Walker, 1994: 73).

Besides that, his oddity is showed in the depiction of his bed that has no

matress and only the metal frame and springs covered with a sheet which has

stains of sweat and rust dots. This information states vividly that he lives by

himself because there is no possibility of indication of any other person who

stays with him. His apartment completes the interpretation that he is indeed

loner by his own.

Besides his own choice to be a loner, he is also a loner for being

rejected by society. In the story, it begins with Detective Mills‟ chance to have

an eye contact with John Doe. It happens in time of his visiting to John Doe‟s

apartment with Somerset. John Doe suddenly shoots Mills and Somerset when

he sees them in front of his apartment door. This action makes Somerset and

Mills run to catch him. In the end of city alleyway, Mills cannot find John Doe

and all of sudden Doe attacks him and takes Mills‟ gun. Mills is trapped and

his mouth is inserted his own barrel of gun by John Doe. However, Doe leaves

(46)

They get angry by Doe‟s action to shoot them, so they decide to go back to

Doe‟s apartment to find out his identity. They pay a thin vagrant to make false

statement so they have a right to enter his apartment accompanied by cops. In

this case, Mills asks a sketch artist to draw John Doe‟s face through Mills‟

description. Considering with the characterization by looking the facial

features (Zanjani, 2006: 67), John Doe is described through his face‟s sketch

by the sketch artist.

SKETCH ARTIST You‟re sure this is him?

Mills stands over the sketch artist. Two deputy detectives, SARA and BILLY, are at work along with two other forensics searching, photographing and dusting.

MILLS Just put it in circulation.

SKETCH ARTIST

You got it. Tomorrow morning, this city‟s good citizens will be on the lookout for Elmer Fudd. (Walker, 1994: 75)

John Doe‟s face is portrayed as similar as Elmer Fudd. Elmer Fudd is a

cartoon character from The Looney Tunes Show. He is a created as an odd

figure with an egg-shaped head, squat body, and bulbous nose

(http://looneytunes.wikia.com/wiki/Elmer_Fudd). Egg-shaped head is famous

with the nickname of nerd or geek. Considering with the description of the

character‟s look (Zanjani, 2006: 67) and dialogue from other characters to

describe another character (Zanjani, 2006: 69), Walker implicitly puts a name

of Elmer Fudd through the sketch artist‟s description as an explanation that

[image:46.595.101.515.268.581.2]

(47)

people to meet someone whose face looks strange and unearthly. For another

instance, John Doe finds difficulty to stay in conversation with people.

SOMERSET (reads)

“On the subway today, a man came to me to start a conversation. He made small talk, this lonely man, talking about the weather and other things. I tried to be pleasant and accommodating, but my head began to hurt from his banality. I almost didn‟t notice it had happened, but I suddenly threw up all over him. He was not pleased, and I couldn‟t help laughing.” (Walker, 1994: 77)

The quotation above is John Doe‟s notebook which is found by

Somerset in his apartment. Through Zanjani‟s statement that the character‟s

action is his mind which reveals who he is (2006: 70), the writer interprets that

John Doe‟s saying shows his disability to stay in long conversation with

people. He even says “tried” (Walker, 1994: 77) which means that he makes

an effort to make the man to be more comfortable. He cannot stand the man‟s

boring subject conversation and it causes him to behave unpleasant action. He

does not apologize about it. Instead, he keeps laughing on his unintended

mistake which afflicts the man. His reaction shows an action which is

considered as a social mistake and not polite. This action shows that John Doe

is a loner because he wants to be and he is rejected by people.

Another example to show that John Doe is loner by social rejection is

found when John Doe comes to visit Detective Mills‟ house and suddenly

wants to play a husband with Mills‟ wife. His action is very impolite because

he does not know Mills‟ wife. Even, he never meets Tracy (Mills‟ wife), but

(48)

what happens in the end, John Doe kills Tracy for not following his will. “I

tried to play husband…, but it didn‟t work out. So, I took a souvenir… Her

pretty head” (Walker, 1994: 117).

2. Sadistic

The second characteristic of John Doe is sadistic. He is proven to be a

sadistic person in the way he kills his victims. It shows obviously that he gives

no mercy to the victims. These sadistic murders for people who offend of each

sin are divided into five parts based on how John Doe kills five victims.

i. Gluttony victim

In the first case, he kills an obese man. John Doe forces him to eat a

big plate of spaghetti. It is obvious how John Doe murders the man through

the dialogues between one character and another character to describe John

Doe‟s action (Zanjani, 2006: 69). This description of John Doe‟s characteristic

happens through conversations among Mills, Doctor Santiago, and Somerset

when they are in autopsy room. They describe how sadistic murder that is

done by John Doe.

SANTIAGO

Are you looking here? First… see how big this stomach is. And, see the strange thing. Stretches. And, here it is distended. Look at the size of that, because of all the foods.

MILLS

I can see what you‟re pointing at, but… SANTIAGO

(49)

SOMERSET (disbelief)

Doctor, are you saying… this man ate till he burst? SANTIAGO

Well, he didn‟t really burst. Not all the way. But, he was bleeding inside himself, and there is a hematoma on the outside, on the belly. Very large. (Walker, 1994: 15)

John Doe makes the obese man finish the spaghetti until his own stomach

rejects them and bleeds inside. The stomach is forcibly swollen. There is also

a big hematoma on the outside of the obese man‟s belly and swelling in his

throat. Even, John Doe is not only finished with his cruelty to make the obese

man bursting his own stomach, but also he completes the murder with a

kicking on the obese man‟s stomach until it causes a huge hematoma on the

surface of the stomach.

SOMERSET

…The victim‟s throat was swollen from the effort, and there was probably a point where he passed out. That‟s when killer kicked him in the stomach. Popped him. (Walker, 1994: 18)

Another indication of his sadistic murder is that there are some bruises

on the victim‟s head caused by a mouth of the gun which is a type of

forty-five. The killer threatens an obese man to keep eating the spaghetti or be

killed.

SOMERSET

(50)

ii. Greed victim

In the second case, John Doe kills a prominent lawyer named Mr. Eli

Gould in his apartment. It is obvious through Walker‟s narration and

conversation between Mills and Somerset in Mills‟ apartment; they are

investigating about how John Doe kills the lawyer by paying attention on

photos of the crime scene.

Mills picks up one photo and shows it to Somerset. Long shot: it shows the greed murder scene. Gould sits dead in the leather chair, near the desk where the counter-balance scale sits.

MILLS

Gould was tied down, nude. The killer left his arms free and handed him a big, sharp butcher‟s knife. See… the scale here.

Seven deadly sins and the psychopathic behavior of John Doe in Andrew Kevin Walker`s Seven screenplay.