A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S
THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S
THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iii
ASarjana SastraUndergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S
THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
Approved by
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A. August 11, 2014 Advisor
iv
ASarjana SastraUndergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S
THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA Student Number: 104214012
Defended before the Board of Examiners on August 29, 2014
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name Signature
Chairperson : Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A. ____________
Secretary : Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D ____________ Member 1 : Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D ____________
Member 2 : Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A. ____________
Member 3 : Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. ____________
Yogyakarta, August 29, 2014 Faculty of Letters Sanata Dharma University
Dean
v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that, to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the text of the undergraduate thesis.
Yogyakarta, August 11, 2014
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama : Cynthia Laurensia
Nomor Mahasiswa : 104214012
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S
THE TIME KEEPER
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 kepada saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 11 Agustus 2014
Yang menyatakan,
vii
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as
though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle
-Albert
Einstein-We often borrow from our tomorrows to pay our debts to
our yesterdays
-Kahlil
Gibran-It is never too late or too soon. Gibran-It is when it is
supposed to be
Albom-viii
For
The Mighty God
&
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Most of all, I praise God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother
for the life, blessings, and miracles that are given to me. I thank for the great
understanding and guidance whenever I lost my way. I would also like to thank
my big family—Mam, Pap, Ko Albert, Ci Irin, Epin, Epon, and all my relatives—
for their support both financially and emotionally throughout my study.
I cannot but express my deepest gratitude to Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A., my
thesis advisor, for his time, patience, motivation, and knowledge during the thesis
preparation. Also, I wish to sincerely thank my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan
Wijanarka, M.Hum., for his criticism and willingness to correct my thesis. To my
academic advisors, Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S and Anna Fitriati, S.Pd.,
M.Hum., as well as all the lecturers and staff, who helped and taught me during
my study in Sanata Dharma University. I am greatly indebted to Miss Arina, who
gave me the opportunity to develop myself by being her assistant and tutor.
My sincere thanks also go to all the staff in WR III, for offering me the
Konkuk Summer Program 2012 and letting me experience new knowledge and
different environment. To my Konkuk fellows, I am thankful for the great time we
spent together in both Korea and Indonesia.
Finally, but not least, I am tempted to individually thank all my beloved
friends in Sanata Dharma University—KKN 14, Sexeh Gela, Class A 2010—for
the wonderful memories throughout the four years. Those are the best moments in
my life.
x
A. The Characterization of Sarah Lemon ... 23
1. Inadequate ... 26
2. Inferior ... 31
3. Pathetic ... 34
B. The Reflection of Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept ... 37
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 60
xi ABSTRACT
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
This study discusses the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an adolescent in one of Mitch Albom’s novels entitled The Time Keeper. There are three main characters that can be found in the novel. However, this study focuses only on one of the main characters. The novel tells about a teenage girl named Sarah Lemon who is kind of an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome and popular boy named Ethan takes an interest in her or so she thinks. When he breaks her heart, she is devastated that she decides to commit suicide.
There are two problems formulated in this study. The first is about the characteristics of Sarah Lemon and the second is about the reflection of Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent through her characteristics.
This study uses library research as the method of the study. It is because the data needed in conducting this study is taken from printed sources. The critical approach that is used is Psychological Approach since the focus of this study is on the self-concept in which it is a part of the study on personality.
xii ABSTRAK
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
Studi ini membahas konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja dalam salah satu novel Mitch Albom yang berjudul The Time Keeper. Ada tiga karakter utama yang dapat ditemukan dalam novel tersebut. Namun, studi ini fokus hanya pada salah satunya. Novel tersebut berkisah tentang seorang gadis remaja bernama Sarah Lemon yang merupakan gadis terbuang karena ia dianggap terlalu gemuk dan terlalu pintar. Seorang pemuda tampan dan populer bernama Ethan tertarik padanya atau begitulah yang ia pikirkan. Ketika Ethan melukai hatinya, ia begitu hancur sehingga ia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri.
Ada dua masalah yang dirumuskan dalam studi ini. Pertama adalah gambaran mengenai karakteristik Sarah Lemon dan kedua adalah refleksi dari konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja melalui karakteristiknya.
Studi ini menggunakan studi kepustakaan sebagai metode penelitian karena data yang diperlukan diambil dari sumber tercetak. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan Psikologis karena studi ini berfokus pada konsep diri yang merupakan bagian dari studi kepribadian.
1
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Human beings, just like other creatures, constantly grow throughout
their lives. However, the growth process of human beings is different from the
other creatures. When a human grows, he undergoes both physical and
psychological changes. This is different from the growth process of the other
creatures, such as animals, which includes only physical changes. This is
definitely one of the traits that makes human beings ‘special’ compared to the
other creatures.
For years, many experts have tried to classify the stages of human
growth. Ultimately, the stages of human growth have successfully been
classified into three stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Each of
these stages has its own characteristics which contribute to human personality.
Among these three stages, however, the most significant stage in human
personality is adolescence. Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1973: 2) defines the stage of
adolescence as “a period of transition when the individual changes physically
and psychologically from a child to an adult.” During the stage of adolescence,
a set of rapid physical and psychological changes occurs. In terms of physical
changes, an adolescent experiences puberty in which physical changes related
to sexual maturation are taking place: those years during which the mature
instance, the breasts and the hips of a teenage girl start to develop and she has
her first menstruation. In a teenage boy’s case, his Adam’s apple starts to
develop and his voice cracks. Also, puberty in boys is characterized by the
rapid increase of their heights. Furthermore, an adolescent also undergoes a
psychological transition from childhood to adulthood. He tries to seek his
identity by discovering new things and experiences. This process often causes
some issues, such as identity crisis, if the adolescent is not guided by adults.
It has been fascinating for psychologists to study about adolescent.
Many psychologists around the world have conducted researches in adolescent
in their society. There are some similarities in the study on adolescent around
the world. One of them is that the characteristics of adolescent seem to remain
the same for the past years. In America, for instance, the study on how
adolescents view and react to their problems has been an interesting subject for
American psychologists. Preceding psychologists have concluded that
American adolescents tend to have some problems in which they want people
to like them better and want to feel important to society (Powell, 1963: 3). This
characteristic of American adolescents, in fact, can contribute to the forming of
their personalities.
Over the last few decades, many psychologists have proposed theories
on adolescent’s personality. These theories are important in order to understand
adolescent’s attitudes and behaviors, along with the reasons of the emergence
of those attitudes and behaviors. Hurlock, in her discussion about adolescent’s
has of himself as a person. It is a composite of the thoughts and feelings which
constitute a person’s awareness of his individual existence, his conception of
who and what he is (1973: 324). The study on adolescent’s self-concept has
received more attention over the years since it is directly related to adolescent’s
personality.
Literature, on the other hand, cannot be separated from human life
experience, considering that literature represents almost everything that
humans face in the real world. John Reichert (1977: x) notes that the forms of
literature are the forms of life. People make sense of a character, a dialogue, a
plot, as they make sense of each other and of their lives, and the shapes of their
experience take provide the shapes of literature and give them their only value.
There are many aspects of human life experience which can be taken as
an interesting theme of a literary work. The representation of human life, for
instance, can be found in an American novel entitledThe Time Keeperwhich is written by Mitch Albom. Albom has been interested in writing a novel about
time, about how human beings spend their time and how they are obsessed
with time. According to him, the idea of writing the novel has been with him
throughout most of the books that he has written; like going back with
Tuesdays with Morrie, getting another day back in For One More Day, and how people spend their time on Earth in Five People You Meet in Heaven
(mitchalbom.com, 2012).
time he ever writes about a teenager, especially a teenage girl, since he has
always written about an old man. In writing the novel, he is inspired by his
nieces; he had been attentively observing the way they talk, the way they text,
and what is important to them. He also discovers that what happens to the
character of Sarah Lemon is something that happens way more often than
American people like to think of their country. Based on this, the
representation of human growth in adolescence stage can be seen through the
character of Sarah Lemon. Sarah Lemon, a seventeen-year-old girl, is kind of
an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome and popular
boy named Ethan, takes an interest in her or so she thinks. She is devastated
when he breaks her heart by rejecting her gift and confession. Then, she sends
him a message on Facebook to clear things up. When pulling up his page, she
finds out that Ethan is just playing on her. She is hurt by the fact that Ethan
does not love her back that she wants to kill herself.
Based on the explanation above, this study focuses on the character of
Sarah Lemon. The background of this study is influenced by a comment of a
staff reporter of Neon Tommy: Annenberg Digital News, Laura Santana. In her review of the novel, she argues that:
She (Sarah Lemon) is an outcast because she is a science whiz. Everyone at school is mean to Sarah because her eyes are ‘too far apart,’ her wavy hair is ‘dry,’ and her ‘flesh’ is ‘doughy.’ Sarah’s father does not speak to her and her mother does not have a clue how to talk to her. Sarah is an ugly loner who nobody likes (neontommy.com, October 8, 2012).
From the comment above, a picture of how the society treats Sarah
society, particularly the peers in her school, influence Sarah Lemon’s
self-concept as an adolescent by examining her characteristics.
B. Problem Formulation
In conducting this study, some questions are needed to raise in order to
prevent the discussion from losing its direction. Considering the background of
the study which has been pointed out, there are two questions that can be
formulated in the following numbers.
1. What are the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in
Mitch Albom’sThe Time Keeper?
2. How do the characteristics of Sarah Lemon reflect her
self-concept as an adolescent in Mitch Albom’sThe Time Keeper?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study aims to examine the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an
adolescent through her characteristics. There are two objectives that are
expected to be attained by conducting this study. The first objective is to find
out the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in the novel. This is
important in order to get a clear description about the character of Sarah
Lemon. The second objective is to identify how the characteristics reflect Sarah
D. Definition of Terms
Certain terms are often used in conducting a study. The terms
sometimes appear to be unfamiliar and therefore, can cause misunderstanding.
This study also uses some terms which may be unfamiliar for the readers.
Therefore, the writer provides some explanation to avoid misunderstanding in
certain terms used in this study. The explanation of the terms used can be
described as follows.
Adolescence
The word ‘adolescence’ comes from the Latin verb adolescere, which means ‘to grow’ or ‘to grow to maturity.’ It is defined as a period of growth
between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is generally considered an
intermediate stage between childhood and adulthood (Rice, 1996: 3).
Self-Concept
Dov Peretz Elkins concludes Carl R. Rogers’ definition of self-concept
as the organization of the perceptions of the self. It is the self-concept which is
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
In conducting a study, it is needed to consider some studies that have
previously been done by other researchers as the supporting materials. This
study also uses some other studies to enhance its discussion. There are three
studies reviewed in this study. All the studies reviewed belong to the students
of English Letters at Sanata Dharma University.
An undergraduate thesis that was done by Nani Arifianti (2009: xii)
entitling “A Study of Frankie’s Identity Formation in Her Adolescence as seen
in McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding,” discusses about the identity
formation of the character of Frankie in her adolescence. The reason of
choosing the topic is because the writer, Arifianti, agrees to most experts’
notion in which they argue that adolescence is the most important stage in
one’s life. In her study, Arifianti formulates three problems to be answered.
The first problem is the changes that are undergone by the character of Frankie
due to her adolescence. The second problem is how the character of Frankie
changes herself into F. Jasmine and what characteristics are different between
the two. The third problem is how the character of Frankie finally achieves her
self-identity. Based on her analysis, Arifianti draws a conclusion that the
character of Frankie undergoes some changes in physical growth, low
adolescence. Arifianti also concludes that the character of Frankie creates an
ideal-self to suit her new situation. Frankie finally achieves her self-identity
after experiencing some catharsis moments in her life.
Bintang Berlianti (2007: viii) in her undergraduate thesis entitling
“Edna Pontellier’s Self-Actualization in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: A
Psychological Study,” examines the self-actualization through the behavior of a
character named Edna. Berlianti is interested in choosing the topic because of
the vivid description of a woman’s feelings and intuition which is reflected
through the character of Edna. In her study, there are three problems
formulated. The first problem is the description of Edna Pontellier’s
characterization. The second problem is how the society where Edna lives is
described. The third problem is how the people in the society influence the
development of Edna’s effort toward self-actualization. In the end of her study,
Berlianti concludes that Edna has transformed from an ordinary housewife to
an Artist. The character of Edna deals with a process of actualizing her
potentialities, characteristics, and capabilities. Berlianti also adds that the
society plays some significant role in the process of Edna’s self-actualization
by awakening her desires for music, sexual satisfaction, art, and freedom.
Related to the second study, an undergraduate thesis that was done by
Imelda D. Isem (2006: ix) entitling “A Psychological Study of Maya’s Search
for Self-Identity in Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” also
describes a study of self, particularly self-identity, of both the character and the
the novel is the reason why the writer, Isem, chooses the novel as her object of
the study. She is also challenged to examine the novel as an autobiographical
fiction rather than just a pure autobiography by focusing on the main character
that is in the process of forming her identity. In her study, Isem formulates two
problems to be answered. The first problem is how Maya’s self-concept when
she is a teenager is different from her self-concept in her childhood. The
second problem is how Maya finally forms her identity as a Black woman in
the end of the story. Based on her analysis, Isem draws a conclusion that
Maya’s concept when she is a teenager is the development of her
self-concept in her childhood. She also adds that Maya finally decides to grow up
as a Black woman who has power, dignity, and pride in herself after gaining
some self-images and experiencing some significant events in her life. In the
end of her study, Isem concludes that Maya’s self-concept is always
developing and that she does not stop forming her identity.
Considering the three studies that have been reviewed, this study
discovers something new, that is about an adolescent’s self-concept. However,
having connected to the studies above, this study also discusses about the self.
Therefore, those studies can be used as references in conducting this study.
B. Review of Related Theories
Using some theories in conducting a study is a must, considering that a
study is a theoretical research. Therefore, the writer uses three theories to help
characterization which includes several ways to describe characters in literary
works. The second theory is theory on adolescence which includes the
description of adolescence stage, as well as the changes that occur in an
adolescent. The third theory is theory on self-concept which includes the
description of how the self-concept of an adolescent comes into being. The
following part is the elaboration of each theory.
1. Theory on Characterization
Character is one of the most important elements in literary works.
Character, along with other elements such as plot, setting, and theme,
contribute to build a story. M. H. Abrams (1993: 23) defines a character as the
person who is presented in a dramatic or narrative work. He is interpreted by
the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities
that are expressed in what he says—the dialogue—and what he does—the
action. An author often uses human traits in creating a character. As explained
by Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter (1989: 231), a character is the individual
which is portrayed in literature. It is the particular traits or characteristics of a
person that suggest his character—what makes him distinctive.
There are two classifications of character in a literary work; major and
minor characters. A major character usually takes part both directly and
indirectly in almost the entire story since the story itself focuses on him. In
contrast, a minor character is the other character who supports not only the
major character but also the story to make it complete. Based on this, a minor
According to Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971: 20), the process
in creating a character is called characterization. M.J. Murphy (1972: 161-173)
provides several ways to describe a character in a literary work. This study,
however, applies only some of the ways stated below. This is because the
author of the novel The Time Keeper, Mitch Albom, uses only some of the
ways in describing his characters. The following part is the elaboration of each
way.
a. Personal description: The author builds the character by describing his or
her appearance and clothes.
b. Character as seen by another: The author describes the character through
another character’s eyes and opinions.
c. Speech:The author describes the character through what he or she says.
d. Past life:The author gives a clue about the character through his or her past
life.
e. Conversation of others: The author describes the character through the
conversations of other people and what they say about the character.
f. Reactions: The author gives the readers a clue about the character from his
or her reaction towards some situations and events that he or she faces.
g. Direct comment: The author describes or comments on a person’s
character directly.
h. Thoughts: The author gives the readers a direct knowledge of what the
i. Mannerisms: The author describes the character through his or her
mannerisms and habits.
2. Theory on Adolescence
According to F. Philip Rice (1996: 3), adolescence is “a period of
growth between childhood and adulthood.” There are two periods of adolescent
development; early adolescence and middle or late adolescence. Early
adolescence is usually considered to be 11 to 14 years of age, and middle or
late adolescence is delineated as 15 to 19 years (1996: 5). In the discussion of
adolescence stage, Rice suggests that an adolescent undergoes some changes
which are classified into three parts: physical, psychological, and social
changes (1996: v).
Some physical changes which take place during the stage of
adolescence are marked by sexual maturation and physical growth. Sexual
maturation involves the maturation and functions of the male and female
organs, the development of secondary sexual characteristics. The physical
growth is one of the earliest and most obvious physical changes since it begins
in early adolescence. This growth is accompanied by an increase in height,
weight and changes in body proportion (Rice, 1996: 5). Regarding all the
physical changes, Rice suggests that an adolescent usually becomes more
concerned about his body image: physical attractiveness, body type, body
weight, and timing of his own development in relation to norms. In this sense,
self-evaluation, popularity, and peer acceptance (1996: 119). Furthermore, he also
adds that adolescents are affected profoundly by the images of ideal body
builds taught by their culture. Western culture, for example, overemphasizes
the slim, chic, well-proportioned feminine figure. If a girl does not have a slim
figure, she is likely to be ignored by boys and less likely to have dates (1996:
121).
Considering the occurence of psychological changes in an adolescent,
adolescence is often considered as the most difficult stage in one’s life. This is
because one’s personality is formed in his adolescence. Thus, some issues on
the adolescent’s personality may happen if he is not guided by the adults. Rice
quotes G. Stanley Hall’s notion in which he describes adolescence as “the
period corresponding to the time when the human race was in a turbulent,
transitional stage, a time of great ‘storm and stress.’” (1996: 29) Elizabeth B.
Hurlock (1974: 20-21) states that the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called the ‘concept of self,’ and an integrated system of
learned responses, called ‘traits.’ These are interrelated, with the core
influencing the traits, which are the individual’s characteristic methods of
adjustment to life situations. Practically speaking, the importance of the
self-concept stems from its influence over the quality of one’s behavior and his
methods of adjustment to life situations.
One also experiences some social changes in his adolescence. In this
sense, sexual maturation brings new feelings, the need for emotional
Adolescents now turn to their peers to find the support formerly provided by
their families. Also, they are oriented toward their peers and rely on them for a
sense of self-worth. This is different from children who look to their parents for
fulfillment of their emotional needs and seek their praise, love, and tenderness
(Rice, 1996: 270-271).
3. Theory on Self-Concept
F. Philip Rice (1996: 182) defines the self-concept as the “conscious,
cognitive perception and evaluation by individuals of themselves; it is their
thoughts and opinions about themselves.” He also adds that self-concept
implies a developing awareness of who and what one is. It describes what
individuals see when they look at themselves, in terms of their self-perceived
physical characteristics, personality skills, traits, roles, and social statuses. It
might be described as the system of attitudes they have about themselves
(1996: 183). Richard G. Warga states that the self-concept develops through
experiences with other people, primarily through interpersonal relationships.
As a person develops, he has a strong need for warmth, for being accepted and
liked. If he get these indications, he begins to fill a secondary need, that of
positive self-regard. Bad social experiences, however, may lead to a negative
self-concept (1983: 23).
Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1974: 22-23) classifies four major categories
four categories of self-concept are the basic, the transitory, the social, and the
ideal. Each of them is explained further in the following part.
a. The Basic Self-Concept
The basic self-concept is the person’s concept of what he really is. It
includes his perception of his appearance, his recognition of his abilities and
disabilities and of his role and status in life, and his values, beliefs, and
aspirations. The basic self-concept tends to be realistic. The person sees
himself as he really is, not as he would like to be. Sometimes the basic
self-concept is to the person’s liking. More often, it is not. The person finds flaws in
himself which he would like to change. Even when the treatment he receives
from others would seem to encourage greater self-acceptance, a person may
cling to his basic self-concept.
b. The Transitory Self-Concept
In addition to a basic concept, a person has a transitory
self-concept. This means that a person has a self-concept which he holds for a time
and then reliquishes. Transitory self-concepts may be favorable or unfavorable,
depending largely on the situation in which the person finds himself
momentarily. They are generally influenced by some passing mood or
emotional state or by a recent experience. They are transitory and unstable
because they lack the perspective found in the basic self-concept. People differ
in the frequency with which their behavior is quided and influenced by
transitory self-concepts. Some experience frequent and intense fluctuations
c. The Social Self-Concept
The social self-concept is based on the way the individual believes
others perceive him, depending on their speech and actions. It is usually
referred to as a ‘mirror image.’ Social self-concepts may in time develop into
basic self-concepts if the person believes that he is as others see him. Since
social self-concepts derive from social interactions, whether the concepts will
be favorable or not depends on how the social group treats the individual.
People build up different social self-concepts, depending on the kinds of social
groups—home, peer, or community—with which they are most often
associated. The effect of the social self-concept on the behavior of the
individual will depend largely on how important the opinions of others are to
him at that time and on what person or persons are most influential in his life at
that time. In the stage of adolescence, the social self-concept is derived from
the opinions of the peer group as a whole—the ‘generalized others.’
d. The Ideal Self-Concept
The ideal self-concept is made up of perceptions of what a person
aspires to be and what he believes he ought to be. It may be related to the
physical self-image, the pyschological self-image, or both. It may be realistic in
the sense that it is within the reach of the person, or it may be so unrealistic that
it can never be achieved in real life. Almost everyone has an ideal self-concept
in addition to his basic and transitory concepts. Whether the ideal
self-concept is realistic or unrealistic is determined chiefly by whether the basic or
example, will increase a person’s dissatisfaction with his mirror images and
basic self-concept so much that he will become self-rejectant. This will have an
adverse effect on his behavior and on his personal and social adjustments.
Based on the elaboration of the theories above, the writer focuses on the
third classification of self-concept, that is the social self-concept, since the
focus of this study is to examine how the peers influence the character of Sarah
Lemon in obtaining her self-concept as an adolescent.
4. The Relation between Psychology and Literature
David Daiches (1981: 338) concludes that the function of literature is to
provide ‘a just and lively image of human nature.’ He also adds that the end of
literature is some kind of illumination of the human situation.
To get a better understanding about a literary work, one sometimes
needs to use other related disciplines. There are many related disciplines that
can be used in a literary work. One of the related disciplines that is often used
is psychology. As stated by Daiches (1981: 329) that “in explaining the nature
of a work of literary art, the critic is often led into psychology, into a
discussion of the state of mind out of which literary creation arises.” In relation
to the use of psychology in literary works, Rene Wellek and Austin Warren
classifies the psychology of literature into four parts.
Concerning on the object of this study, the psychology of literature that
is used is the third type: the psychological aspects in the literary works. Wellek
and Warren describe this type.
There remains the question of ‘psychology’ in the works themselves. Characters in plays and novels are judged by us to be ‘psychologically’ true. Situations are praised and plots accepted because of this same quality. Sometimes, a psychological theory, held either consciously or dimly by an author, seems to fit a figure or a situation (1977: 91).
Based on the quotation, it appears that psychology can be applied in
literary works. The characters in literary works which are the manifestations of
human in real life, have characteristics and traits that can be examined by using
theories of psychology.
C. Theoretical Review
Both the review of related studies and theories that have been explained
above contribute to solve the problems of the study. The review of related
studies functions as the comparison as well as the encouragement to develop
the study. Furthermore, the review of related theories is useful to solve the
problems of the study that are related to the study of Sarah Lemon’s
characteristics, as well as the reflection of Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an
adolescent through her characteristics. First, the theory on characterization is
used to identify the character of Sarah Lemon and how the characteristics
reflect her self-concept. Second, the theory on adolescence gives the notions
about the nature of an adolescent. Third, the theory on self-concept gives a
19 CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into three parts; the object of the study, the
approach of the study, and the method of the study. The object of the study
includes the description of the object used in this study which is the literary
work itself. The approach of the study includes the approach that is used in
analyzing the literary work and the reason why the approach is used. The
method of the study includes the procedure that is taken in analyzing the
literary work.
A. Object of the Study
This study is conducted by choosing a novel which is written by Mitch
Albom as the object of the study. The novel which is entitled The Time Keeper, is published in 2012 by HarperCollins. This first-edition novel consists of 224
pages which is divided into 12 chapters.
Mitch Albom’sThe Time Keeperis a novel which tells about a fable of the first person on Earth to ever begin to count time. The person, named Dor,
becomes so infatuated with counting time that he forgets to live his life.
Ultimately, he is punished for trying to count time. His punishment is that he
has to live in a cave for eternity and listen to all the voices of all the people
who come after complaining about time, the thing that he invented. He is there
given the opportunity to return to Earth with an hourglass. His job is to find a
girl and an old man and to teach them what they do not understand about time.
If he can succeed then he is free from the purgatory. The old man named Victor
Delamonte, is one of the richest men in the world. He suffers from a disease
which gives him only a little time left before he dies. Considering himself as an
important person, he cannot imagine the world without him in it. Therefore, he
decides to freeze himself cryonically and comeback in a couple hundred years
to live all life all over again. The girl named Sarah Lemon, is a teenage girl
who is alienated by the society because of her physical characteristics. Her
parents divorced when she was twelve years old. Since then, she lives with her
mother and grows up without her father’s love. Sarah Lemon wants to stop the
time by committing suicide after she finds out that the boy she loves does not
love her back.
B. Approach of the Study
In order to get a good understanding about the study on literary works,
critical approaches are needed. Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971:
3) state that “a critical approach to literature necessitates an understanding of
its nature, function, and positive values. One must know what literature is, how
to read it, and how to judge it.”
There are some critical approaches to literature. In this study, the
critical approach that is used is Psychological Approach. David Daiches (1981:
genetic: it helps us to explain how literature comes into being.” He also adds that psychology can be used to examine the characters’ behaviours in literary
works.
We can look at the behavior of characters in a novel or a play in the light of modern psychological knowledge and, if their behavior confirms what we know about the subtleties of the human mind, we can use modern theories as a means of elucidating and interpreting the work (Daiches, 1981: 337).
In relation to the explanation above, there are many aspects of
psychology that can be applied in literary works. Among those aspects, the
study on one’s personality has received more attention over the years.
Elizabeth B. Hurlock quotes Gordon W. Allport’s definition of personality in
which he states that “personality is the dynamic organization within the
individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic
behavior and thought.” (1974: 7) In the study on personality, many experts
have argued that self-concept has an important role in shaping one’s
personality. Hurlock notes that “the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called ‘concept of self.’” (1974: 20)
C. Method of the Study
This study uses library research as the method of the study. Robert Dees
(2003: 15) states that “library research is done in order to get a good
understanding about the subject of the study and to know what other
There are several sources used in conducting this study. The primary
source is the literary work itself, that is Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. The secondary sources are some books, such as two books on Psychology, entitling
The Adolescent: Development, Relationships, and Culture and Personality Development, which are written by F. Philip Rice and Elizabeth B. Hurlock. These two books include several theories on adolescence and self-concept
which are important in aswering the problems of this study.
Several steps were taken in the analysis. The first step was reading the
literary work carefully in order to understand the story and determining the
topic of the study: a study on Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent. The
second step was formulating the problems of the study: what the characteristics
of Sarah Lemon are and how the characteristics reflect her self-concept as an
adolescent. The third step was taking some important details from the primary
source, Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper, that are related to the study and finding the appropriate approach to be applied in the analysis. It was found that
the most appropriate approach is Psychological Approach. The fourth step was
gathering the theories of psychology and the information that are related to the
study. The fifth step was analyzing the literary work and answering the
problems of the study. The first problem of study was answered by using the
theory of characterization, whereas the second problem of the study was
answered by using the theory on adolescence and theory on self-concept. The
last step was drawing the conclusion which includes the review of the analysis
23 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In the previous chapter, certain theories that are needed in conducting
this study have been proposed. The application of those theories in answering
the problems formulated is presented in this chapter. This chapter consists of
two sections in which every section represents the analysis of each problem
that has been formulated. The first section represents the first problem that is
about the description of Sarah Lemon’s characteristics. The second section
uses the characteristics of Sarah Lemon that have been identified in the first
section to show how those characteristics reflect Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as
an adolescent.
A. The Characterization of Sarah Lemon
The focus of this section is to identify the characteristics of Sarah
Lemon. In literary works, such as novels and short stories, character is one of
the most dominant elements in building the story. Without any characters, an
author cannot write a story and therefore, he cannot produce any literary works.
Considering M. H. Abrams’s definition of character in which he points out that
a character is the person who is presented in a dramatic or narrative work
characters as the representation of human in real life. Each of them is
interpreted as being endowed with human qualities—moral, dispositional, and
emotional—that are expressed through their dialogue and actions found in the
novel (Abrams, 1993: 23).
Referring to Abrams’ classification of characters in literary works, the
characters in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeperare divided into two; major and minor characters. What makes the novel special is that Albom creates three
main characters with the same portion of the novel. According to Abrams, a
major character usually takes part both directly and indirectly in almost the
entire story since the story itself focuses on him (1993: 23). This study,
however, only examines one of the major characters, that is a character named
Sarah Lemon.
In answering the problems formulated in the first chapter, this study
involves the process in creating the character of Sarah Lemon which is called
characterization (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971: 20). The writer uses the ways
to describe a character that are proposed by M. J. Murphy (1972: 161-173).
However, considering the limited ways that are used by Albom, only some of
the ways are applied in describing Sarah Lemon’s characteristics. Also, the
writer uses some theories on adolescence which are taken from F. Philip Rice’s
The novel tells about a seventeen-year-old girl named Sarah Lemon
who struggles in living her life as a teenager. Her parents divorced when she
was twelve years old. After the split, she stays with her mother, Lorraine, since
her father, Tom, decided to marry another woman and move to another city.
Sarah Lemon and her mother used to be closer, but as she grows to be a
teenager, they gradually become apart even though they live together. In the
social group, Sarah Lemon is considered as a girl that is too fat, too smart, and
too weird. No one in her school wants to talk to her. Since she is socially
rejected by the peers in her school, she often spends her time alone. At a
homeless shelter, Sarah Lemon first meets a handsome and popular boy named
Ethan. He becomes the only one who is willing to talk to her. One day, she
finally has the gut to give a movie watch as a present and tell him that she likes
him. However, he rejects both her present and her feeling for him. Hoping to
get him back, Sarah Lemon tries to send him a message on his Facebook.
When pulling up his Facebook page, she reads his last post and all the
comments on it. She is devastated by the fact that no one likes her and decides
to end her life by committing suicide.
According to Rice’s definition of adolescence, the character of Sarah
Lemon can be considered as an adolescent. She is a seventeen-year-old girl and
therefore, she is in the period of growth between childhood and adulthood
(1996: 3). Moreover, she is also classified into Late Adolescence which is
delineated as 15 to 19 years (1996: 5). This is supported by a quotation found
final year of high school, Sarah Lemon was seventeen years old and...” (2012:
49) Considering the general description of Sarah Lemon above, the following
part demonstrates the application of Murphy’s theory on characterization in
describing the character of Sarah Lemon as an adolescent. Shortly, the
character of Sarah Lemon is portrayed as a teenage girl who is inadequate,
inferior, and pathetic. The explanation of Sarah Lemon’s characteristics is
elaborated as follows.
1. Inadequate
As an adolescent, the character of Sarah Lemon undergoes physical,
psychological, and social changes (Rice, 1996: v). In terms of physical
changes, Sarah Lemon grows up to be a teenage girl who has undergone the
process of developing the primary and secondary sexual characteristics. Both
primary and secondary sexual characteristics identify sex, either one is male or
female. However, the former presents when one is born whereas the latter starts
to grow during puberty. One of Murphy’s ways of describing a character, that
is through Sarah Lemon’s thought “She was big enough up top but too big on
the bottom, she thought...” (Albom, 2012: 49) implies both primary and
secondary sexual characteristics of Sarah Lemon. She is described as a young
female whose breasts and bottoms have developed.
Besides sexual maturation, Sarah Lemon also undergoes the physical
changes that are mostly marked by the physical growth. Rice (1996: 5) notes
that one of the earliest and most obvious physical changes of adolescence is the
changes of Sarah Lemon, in the same way, begin when she was 11 to 14 years
old. As mentioned by Rice, despite the growth in height, the physical changes
of Sarah Lemon is also accompanied by an increase in weight and changes in
body proportion (1996: 5). However, the most prominent physical change of
Sarah Lemon is her increasing in weight and body proportion. In this sense, her
physical changes is not only influenced by the hormone but also triggered by
an event that happened in her early adolescence. In the novel, Sarah Lemon’s
parents divorced when she was twelve years old. This is stated through her past
life below.
Sarah finds time in a drawer.
She opens it looking for her black jeans and instead discovers, buried near the back, her first watch—a purple Swatch model with a plastic band. Her parents gave it to her for her twelfth birthday.
Two months later, they divorced (Albom, 2012: 14).
When she is looking for her black jeans she plans to wear, Sarah Lemon
discovers her first watch which was given by her parents for her twelfth
birthday. However, it is kind of ironic how her parents divorced not long after
she celebrated her birthday. The divorce definitely affects Sarah Lemon since
she was too young to face the fact that they would never be together as a family
again. She was so sad that she vented her grief by eating too much food.
Therefore, she has gained weight since her parents divorced “...the doughy
flesh she had never really shed since gaining weight after her parents split up.”
(Albom, 2012: 49)
According to merriam-webster.com, the term ‘inadequate’ is defined as
can be described as physically inadequate to be a part of the social group in her
school. This can be seen through the direct comment of Albom.
What mattered in high school was popularity—based mostly on how you looked—and Sarah, who could whiz through a biology exam, disliked what she saw in the mirror as much as she figured everyone else did: the hazel eyes, too far apart, the dry, wavy hair, the gap between her teeth, the doughy flesh she had never really shed since gaining weight after her parents split up (2012: 49).
From the above quotation, it appears that the most important thing in
the social group is popularity which is based on how a person looks. A person
is socially accepted if he meets the requirement of being physically attractive.
Though there is no clear description about how a person can be considered as
physically attractive, it is clear that the character of Sarah Lemon fails in
meeting the requirement to be accepted by the peers in her school. She is
described as physically inadequate through the quotation “...disliked what she
saw in the mirror as much as she figured everyone else did: the hazel eyes, too
far apart, the dry, wavy hair, the gap between her teeth, the doughy flesh she
had never really shed...”
Another quotation that portrays the character of Sarah Lemon as being
inadequate can also be seen through the direct comment of Albom: “In her
final year of high school, Sarah Lemon was seventeen years old and
considered, by most kids, to be too smart, too weird, or both.” (2012: 49)
According to the peers in her school, Sarah Lemon is too smart and too weird
that she lacks of qualities for being accepted in the social group. Again, the
characteristic of Sarah Lemon as an inadequate girl is presented in her thought:
pondered how much ‘gratitude’ she was supposed to show him for that.”
(Albom, 2012: 95-96) Just like her awareness of Ethan being a handsome and
popular boy, Sarah Lemon is aware of her unattractiveness as a teenage girl.
She thinks that Ethan likes her too and feels grateful because he wants to
accept her just the way she is. From the quotation “...Ethan was a
better-looking boy than she was a girl...”, the character of Sarah Lemon appears to be
physically inadequate. As the author of the novel, Albom illustrates Sarah
Lemon’s characteristic as an inadequate girl through his direct comment below.
Standing in the hallway, holding the wrapped present, she looked away as the other kids passed—the ‘hot’ girls in their designer clothes; the thick, sculpted jocks; the hipsters in black-framed glasses and funky hats; the sour-faced, deeply emotional types in ragged black T-shirts and studded earrings. Some of them she had seen for four years without exchanging a word. But that was how high school worked; it issued a verdict and you behaved accordingly. The verdict on Sarah Lemon was too smart, too fat, too weird—so few kids bothered to talk to her (2012: 126).
When Sarah Lemon is waiting for Ethan in the school hallway to give
him a movie watch as a present, she sees the popular girls whom she has never
talked to during four years of studying. Through the quotation “...the “hot”
girls in their designer clothes; the thick, sculpted jocks; the hipsters in
black-framed glasses and funky hats; the sour-faced, deeply emotional types in
ragged black T-shirts and studded earrings,” the requirement to be a popular
girl is implied. In her school, Sarah Lemon is regarded as not good enough to
socialize with other kids who are popular like the ‘hot’ girls “The verdict on
Sarah Lemon as being inadequate is presented. Furthermore, Sarah Lemon is
also defined as being inadequate in her thought below.
“Wait. What’s the end-of-the-world part?”
“I don’t know, it’s Indian or religious or whatever. One of those freakoid things.”
She had read more but didn’t want to sound too smart. When had being smart ever gotten her anywhere with boys? (Albom, 2012: 135-136)
Sarah Lemon tries not to show her smartness when she is talking about
the end of the world with Ethan on the phone. She pretends that she does not
know well about the topic since she does not want Ethan to find out how smart
she is and accept the possibility that he may not want to see her anymore. From
the quotation above, Sarah Lemon realizes that being smart is inadequate to
make her get along with boys “When had being smart ever gotten her
anywhere with boys?” Being aware of her smartness, Sarah Lemon prefers to
pretend that she is not that smart in order to make Ethan like her more.
Moreover, the characteristic of Sarah Lemon being inadequate is also seen
through the comments of the kids in her school about Ethan’s last post on his
Facebook page“Sarah Lemon made play 4 me. Whoa. Ain’t happening. That’s what u get 4 being nice.”
From all the comments from the peers in her school above, it appears
that Sarah Lemon is a girl that is considered as inadequate to be with a
handsome and popular boy like Ethan “U+Sarah=gross,” “C movie: he’s just
not into u,” “Run, dude!” “2 bad, Ethan.”. Her ‘label’ as being too fat and too smart which classifies her as an inadequate girl, is outlined in the quotations
“That butt’s too big, bro.” and “Isn’t she the science geek?” Moreover, she is
also regarded as a girl who does not know her place as an outcast “She’s
delusional.”
2. Inferior
According to merriam-webster.com, the term ‘inferior’ has the meaning
of ‘low or lower in rank.’ In the novel, the character of Sarah Lemon is
depicted as a teenage girl who is inferior to the peers in her school. Albom
presents two divisions of social class in Sarah Lemon’s school. The first
consists of those who are popular because they are physically attractive and
sociable, whereas the second includes those who are considered as being
physically unattractive and not too sociable. These divisions are implied in the
direct comment of Albom “But that was how high school worked; it issued a
verdict and you behaved accordingly. The verdict on Sarah Lemon was too
smart, too fat, too weird—so few kids bothered to talk to her.” (2012: 126)
Because of the verdict that is given to her “...too smart, too fat, too
weird...”, there is no kids in her school who is willing to talk to her. By this,
those who are not attractive because she is ‘too smart, too fat, and too weird.’
Thus, it is likely that no one in her school wants to talk to her. When she first
meets Ethan at the homeless shelter, Sarah Lemon feels ‘special’ because she
has never been received attention from a handsome and popular boy like him
(Albom, 2012: 22). Another quotation that reflects the character of Sarah
Lemon as an inferior girl can also be seen through her thought about Ethan.
His name was Ethan.
Tall and bony, with sleepy eyes and thick, coffee-colored hair, he was also a senior, well-liked and surrounded by male and females friends. Ethan ran on the track team. Played in a band. In the astronomy of high school life, Sarah would never have entered his orbit (Albom, 2012: 50).
The above quotation pictures how Sarah Lemon sees Ethan as the most
perfect boy she ever meets “Tall and bony, with sleepy eyes and thick,
coffee-colored hair, he was also a senior, well-liked and surrounded by male and
females friends. Ethan ran on the track team. Played in a band.” Being aware of
her social status, she realizes that a girl like her will never get someone like
him. By this, the quotation “In the astronomy of high school life, Sarah would
never have entered his orbit.” reflects Sarah Lemon’s characteristic as an
inferior girl. Because of her image as an inferior girl, Sarah Lemon must act
like one. She cannot wear any feminine clothes because she is afraid of being
laughed at. The only place where she has more confidence to express herself is
at the homeless shelter. Through the direct comment of Albom “...she left
behind the social message T-shirts she sometimes wore in favor of lower-cut,
more feminine tops...” (2012: 49-51), the characteristic of Sarah Lemon being
When Sarah was in eighth grade, a girl in gym class stuffed a volleball under her shirt and, unaware Sarah was within earshot, cooed to a group of boys, “Hey, guys, I’m Sarah Lemon, can I have your French fries?” Sarah raced home crying and buried herself in her mother’s lap (2012: 71).
Through the discrimination that she experienced, it appears that Sarah
Lemon has been an inferior girl for years. Being a fat girl, she often becomes
the target to be played on. When she was in eighth grade, for instance, a girl in
gym class made fun of Sarah Lemon’s physical characteristic as being fat. The
girl stuffed a volleyball under her shirt, trying to appear as a fat girl like Sarah
Lemon. Through the quotation “Hey, guys, I’m Sarah Lemon, can I have your
French fries?”, the girl also made fun of Sarah Lemon since a fat person is
often related to an excessive eating. At a homeless shelter, Sarah Lemon first
meets Ethan, the only person that she becomes close with. She is happy to have
him since she can tell him about her true feeling of being an outcast “She tried
talking, nervously, about how she didn’t really have friends at school because
they all seemed so immature...” (Albom, 2012: 94-95) Through the direct
comment of Albom, it is likely that she blames on the peers in her school for
treating her as an outcast. She thinks that it is their fault for being immature
that they reject her. She does not think that her being too fat and too smart is
the reason they ostracize her. By this, the characteristic of Sarah Lemon being
inferior is presented through the quotation “...she didn’t really have friends at
school...” Again, Sarah Lemon’s inferiority can also be seen through her daily
By high school, her friends were few and her routine was predictable: science labs, bookstore browsing, weekends at home on the computer, parties something she heard about—past tense—during Monday morning homerooms when other kids were bragging (Albom, 2012: 176).
Being an outcast in her school, Sarah Lemon has no friends whom she
can hang out with. Her predictable daily routine “...science labs, bookstore
browsing, weekends at home on the computer...” indicates that she often
spends her time alone. Also, Sarah Lemon is described as lower in rank
through the quotation “...parties something she heard about—past tense—
during Monday morning homerooms when other kids were bragging.”
3. Pathetic
In the novel, the character of Sarah Lemon is portrayed as a pathetic
girl. After meeting a boy named Ethan at the homeless shelter, she begins to
view him as her destiny, the way young girls often do with young boys. Far
from school and its unwritten rules of who can talk to whom, she has more
confidence, she stands up straighter, she leaves behind the social message
T-shirts she sometimes wears in favor of lower-cut, more feminine tops. As the
weeks passed, she grows bold enough to believe that he is feeling for her what
she is feeling for him. Sarah Lemon, who suffers from feeling of rejected,
considers her meeting with Ethan to be a fate, just like what she reads in
characteristic of Sarah Lemon being pathetic is presented through her thought
below.
She leaned against a traffic sign and tried to tell herself it was not her fault, he had not bailed out because she was too geeky or too fat or she talked too much or anything like that. He had something to do. It happened, right? (Albom, 2012: 58)
The above quotation shows her disappointment toward her cancelled
date. When Ethan finally accepts her offer to have a date with her, Sarah
Lemon could not be happier. She is so excited to meet him outside the shelter
that she tries really hard to prepare everything to make a good impression.
However, when Sarah Lemon is on her way to meet him, Ethan suddenly texts
her and tells that there is something urgent happens and that he cannot go to the
place where they promise to meet. Because of his cancellation, Sarah Lemon is
so disappointed and yet, convinces herself that Ethan does not show up because
he does have something to do and not because of her being too geeky and too
fat. Sarah Lemon does not want to think about the possibility that Ethan is just
the same as the others who alienate her just because of her physical
characteristic.
She thought back to him kissing her. He wanted her. Someone wanted her. This time around, she told herself, she would be more relaxed about the whole physical thing. She’d let him do more. He’d be happy about that, too. It was fun thinking about making him happy (Albom, 2012: 135-137).
Through her thought above, the character of Sarah Lemon is portrayed
as a pathetic girl. She feels happy because Ethan ‘wants’ her, despite her
weaknessess. Thus, she can do everything to make him happy. She is so
and she does not want to lose him. Her characteristic as a pathetic girl is also
presented through her thought of being rejected by Ethan: “Ethan was, in her
mind, the only boy she would ever love. But he did not love her back.”
(Albom, 2012: 143)
Sarah Lemon was only seventeen, but at that moment, she began to disengage from life. She felt alone, abandoned. And it was all her fault. How could she have blown something that rare a boy like Ethan who had never looked at her before and would never look at her again? They had kissed and he wanted her, but she had pushed him off and he’d obviously decided she wasn’t worth the bother—which she’d known all along she wasn’t—and why hadn’t she just shup up and done whatever he desired, who was she saving herself for, honestly, like someone better was going to come along? (Albom, 2012: 143-144)
Again, the characteristic of Sarah Lemon being pathetic is depicted
through the her thought above. She feels so hopeless because Ethan “...she
began to disengage from life. She felt alone, abandoned,” the only person who
cares for her, rejects her. Also, she blames on herself for ruining the chance to
be with a handsome and popular boy like Ethan. From Sarah Lemon’s
assumption about what the peers in her school feel about her, the characteristic
of her being pathetic is also presented.
It was like one of those dreams where you are naked on stage and everyone is pointing. Ethan had told the world, the world symphathized, and Sarah Lemon was now and forever (because wasn’t cyberspace instantly forever?) someone you had to be nice to, a pathetic girl who just didn’t get it, the scourge of her generation, the lowest rung on the ladder, a loser (Albom, 2012: 151).
Another quotation that shows Sarah Lemon’s characteristic as a pathetic
girl is clearly shown through her thought about being humiliated by Ethan and
the peers in her school. According to her, Ethan is the one who changes her
the world for him. However, it turns out that Ethan has never really wanted her.
In the end, he exposes her for what she has always feared she was: pathetic
(Albom, 2012: 176).
B. The Reflection of Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept
In the previous section, the characteristics of Sarah Lemon—
inadequate, inferior, and pathetic—have been identified using the ways of
describing a character that are proposed by M.J. Murphy (1972). This section,
however, will focus on the analysis of how the characteristics of Sarah Lemon
reflect her self-concept by implementing the theories on adolescence and
theory on self-concept that are taken from Elizabeth B. Hurlock’s Personality Development and F. Philip Rice’s The Adolescent: Development, Relationships, and Culture.
Based on F. Philip Rice’s classification, Sarah Lemon undergoes
physical, psychological, and social changes in her adolescence (1996: v). In
social changes, sexual maturation brings new feelings, the need for emotional
fulfillments and for emotional independence and emancipation from parents
(1996: 270-271). In the novel, Sarah Lemon grows to be a teenager who
distances herself from her mother, Lorraine, the only parent who lives with her.
She no longer depends on her mother in fulfilling her emotional needs. She
thinks that as a teenager, she has the right to choose what is best for her
