POPPY’S PERSONAPITY CHANGES AS SEEN IN
AT RISK BY APICE HOFFMAN
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Desi Kristiani
Student Number: 011214042
ENGPISH PANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF PANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACUPTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINAPITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or parts of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 26 July 2007
The writer
This thesis is dedicated to
Bapak
Tugirin
Ibuk
Endang
ACKNOWPEDGEMENTS
First of all, my greatest gratitude is addressed to the Owner of the Universe,
Jesus Christ for His blessing, patience, love, and grace so I could able to finish my
thesis. He always gives me the best thing in my life and guides me back to His arms. I
thank Him for giving me life.
My deep gratitude goes to my major sponsor, Dra. Wigati Y. Modouw, M.
Hum. and my co sponsor Yohana Veniranda, S. Pd., M. Hum. I must thank them for
their guidance, correction, support, patience, and suggestion.
My special gratitude goes to Bapak Tugirin, Ibuk Endang, and my sister, Sari
for their love, kindness, patience, and prayers. I try to be the best that I can.
The same gratitude goes to my friends in English Education Program ’01: Adis,
Shinta,Venta, Widya, Ella, Dyah, Niken, Naomi, Sito, Tuty, Icha, Widi. I thank them
for the great moments and their help during my study. For my SPD team “Prima Vista”,
Asri, Prima, Inul, Pompom, Sapto, and Pingga, I thank them for accepting me as a part
of the team.
I also thank my friends in Komisi Pemuda GKJ Sarimulyo. I thank them for
teaching me to be a tough woman. My deep gratitude is also addressed to Ibu Farsijana
Adeney-Risakotta, Ph.D. I really thank her for the opportunity to work with her and
always support me to finish my study.
I would also like to thank Anna. I thank her for being so helpful to me. My
thanks also goes to Arex. His presence means a lot for me I thank him for the moment
My thanks also go to Decki Firmansyah. I thank him for loving me and giving
his support to complete my thesis.
Last but not least, my sincere thanks would also go to all PBI lecturers, mbak
Danik, and mbak Tari and the librarians.
TABPE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF REPATED STUDY ………..
2.1.2. Theory of Critical Approach ………
4.1. The Description of Polly Farrell’s Character ………..
CHAPTER 5 CONCPUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ………....
5.1. Conclusions ……….
5.2. Suggestions ………..
5.2.1. Suggestion for Further Researchers ………..
5.2.2. Suggestions for the Implementation of Teaching ………
5.2.2.1 Teaching Extensive Reading through Literature ……...
5.2.2.2 Teaching Speaking Using At Risk ………..
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………..
APPENDICES ………
Appendix 1. Summary of the At Risk ……….
Appendix 2. The Biography of Alice Hoffman ………..
Appendix 3. Information about AIDS ………....
Appendix 4. Lesson Plan of Extensive Reading II ……….
Appendix 5. Lesson Plan of Speaking IV ………..
Appendix 6. Material for Teaching Extensive Reading II ……….
ABSTRACT
Kristiani, Desi. 2007. Polly’s Personality Changes As Seen in Alice Hoffman’s At Risk. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Study Program, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study concerns with the personality changes of one of the characters as influenced by the changes of significant people in Alice Hoffman’s At Risk. The character in the novel, Polly Farrell, experiences changes in her personality. Polly’s personality changes are influenced by the change of significant person. The change of significant person is the illness of the daughter. It is interesting to discuss the personality changes since every individual has his or her own personality but the condition of people who live around him or her can influence him or her to change the personality.
There are two problems related to the topic of the thesis :1) How is Polly’s personality described? :2) What are Polly’s personality changes?
In order to answer the problems, a psychological approach is applied because this study concerns with the analysis of the personality changes that are influenced by the changes of significant people. The theory of literature such as the theory of character and characterization is used to answer the first problem. Then, the theory of personality changes is used to analyze Polly’s personality changes.
After analyzing the novel, two main conclusions are drawn. The first conclusion describes Polly’s personality. Before knowing the illness, Polly was a caring, responsible, proud, positive thinking, wise and patient person. The second conclusion is about the changes of Polly’s personalities. The illness makes Polly becomes a possessive, partial, forgiving, and introvert person.
ABSTRAK
Kristiani, Desi. 2007. Polly’s Personality Changes As Seen in At Risk by Alice Hoffman. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas perubahan kepribadian dari tokoh utama yang dipengaruhi oleh perubahan yang terjadi dari orang-orang terdekat dalam novel Alice Hoffman, At Risk. Tokoh dalam novel, Polly Farrel mengalami perubahan dalam kepribadiannya. Perubahan itu dipengaruhi oleh perubahan yang terjadi dari orang-orang terdekat. Perubahannya adalah penyakit yang diderita oleh putrinya. Sangatlah menarik membahas perubahan kepribadiannya karena setiap individu memiliki kepribadiannya masing-masing tetapi kondisi orang-orang disekitarnya dapat mempengaruhi perubahan kepribadiannya.
Ada dua rumusan masalah dalam studi ini. Yang pertama adalah bagaimana Polly digambarkan dalam novel. Yang kedua adalah bagaimana pengaruh penyakit yang diderita putrinya pada perubahan kepribadian Polly.
Untuk menjawab pertanyaan, pendekatan psikologi digunakan karena skripsi ini berhunungan dengan bagaimana menganalisa perubahan kepribadian yang dipengaruhi oleh perubahan yang terjadi dari orang-orang yang terdekat. Teori kesusastraan seperti teori watak dan teori perwatakkan digunakan untuk menjawab permasalahan pertama. Kemudian teori perbahan kepribadian digunakan untuk menganalisa perubahan yang terjadi pada kepribadian Polly.
Setelah menganalisa novel, ada dua kesimpulan yang didapat. Kesimpulan pertama menjelaskan tentang perwatakkan Polly. Sebelum mengetahui tentang penyakit yang diderita putrinya, Polly adalah seorang yang perhatian, bertanggung jawab, tinggi hati, berpikiran positif, bijaksana, dan sabar. Kesimpulan kedua adalah bagaimana pengaruh penyakit yang diderita anaknya pada perubahan kepribadian Polly. Mempunyai seorang putri yang menderita AIDS mengubah Polly menjadi orang yang posesif, pilih kasih, pemaaf, dan tertutup.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of five parts. Those parts are background of the study,
problem formulation, objective of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of
terms. Background of the study contains the reason of the writer for choosing the novel
as the subject of this study. Problem formulation deals with some problems, which will
be discussed in this study. Objectives of the study explain the aims of this study.
Benefits of the study discuss the benefits of this study. Definition of terms contains the
description of crucial terms used.
1.1 Background of the Study
Literature has become a part of human life for a long time. Literature has some
different forms and those forms have their own characteristics. According to
Rohrberger, there are four modern literary terms; they are short stories, novels, poems,
and plays :1971:19).
In this study, the writer would like to discuss a novel. Van De Laar and
Schoonderwoerd say, “a novel is a work of art in as far as introduces us into a living
world, in some respect resembling the world we live” :1958:163). A novel becomes a
media in getting pleasure. By reading a novel, the readers can take some moral values.
Through the moral values from the novel, the readers can enrich their knowledge and
their experience.
The authors use a novel to convey their dreams, their thoughts, their
they feel to the readers. The readers will be able to catch what the authors want to
convey if the readers understand the characters, theme, setting, plot, conflict, style, and
the point of view. Characters take an important role in the novel; it makes the story
more alive.
Since the author uses characters in real life in the story, the writer feels
interesting to analyze it. Every person has his or her own personality. The personality
between one people to another is different. It makes the personality so unique. As a
human being, we have passed some stages in our life. People will have past, present,
and future. Along with the stages we will pass, the personality might change. The
personality changes are not only because of human growth, but there are others aspects.
Personality could change because of the changes of significant people. Illness can be
one cause of the changes in significant people, for example AIDS. At Risk is one of the
novels that use AIDS as the theme of the novel.
At Risk is one of the literary works of Alice Hoffman. She has written some novels,
short fictions, and books for children. At Risk is one example of novel that tells about
the personality changes because of the significant person. At Risk was written on 1988.
It tells about the Farrells. Polly and Ivan Farrell are a couple with two kids, Amanda, an
eleven year old, a gymnast, and Charlie, an eight year old, a bright boy interested in
science. The family lives in Morrow, Massachusetts. The story starts when Amanda got
an AIDS when she had blood transfusion five years earlier. Slowly, Amanda’s illness
emerges changes in the family.
Polly, as a mother, has to face the bad situation. She has to prepare losing her
daughter, the one, and the only daughter. It brings sadness to Polly because she does not
be cured. Even though Polly still has Charlie, her son, but her world will not be
complete anymore. Two is better than one. To imagine that she will lose her daughter
becomes a pressure for her.
The pressure from the society also makes her depressed. When the community
knows Amanda’s illness, they start to reject her. The parents in where Amanda goes to
school do not allow her to join the learning and teaching activity. The family has to
survive from the rejection of the community. Her partner, Betty, does not allow her son
to play with Charlie. Betty also prepares to stop their business relationship. The
situation is hard for Polly and she has to handle by herself.
The condition that is emerged by Amanda’s illness makes the changes in Polly’s
personality. The point that the writer would like to analyze is Polly’s personality
changes. The problem that Polly has to face is so real, so close with our lives. We can
find such problem in our community, and that is the reason why the writer would like to
analyze it. Hopefully by reading this novel the reader will get the moral values and a
description of people who is living with AIDS and. One of them is not keep a distance
with the victim. They have already suffered with the illness and do not make it worse by
rejecting them.
1.2 Objectiges of the Study
This study aims to find out how Polly Farrell’s character is described in the
novel. The second aim is to seek the changes on Polly’s personality caused by her
daughter illness. Therefore, this study will focus on Polly’s character and her personality
1.3 Problem Formulation
Based on the previous background, the problems can be formulated as follows:
1. How is Polly’s personality described?
2. What are Polly’s personality changes?
1.4 Benefits of the Study
Through this study, there are some benefits can be acquired. First, the writer will
get better understanding related to the characters and the personalities. Those
understanding will improve the writer’s knowledge in literary. Second, the students of
English Education Study Program can use the topic of this study as an alternative
material in teaching learning activities. Third, the other writers can use this study as a
source or as a comparative study. Fourth, we can learn the moral value, i.e. that is not to
keep a distance with the AIDS’s victims and try to respect them.
1.5 Definition of Terms
1. Character
Abrams defined “character” as the persons presented in a dramatic narrative
work, who are interpreted by reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional
qualities that are expressed in what they say, the dialogue, and by what they do or the
action :1981:20).
2. Personality
“Personality” is the whole integrated pattern of behavior, which distinguishes
:Lazarus, 1976: 9). Meaning to say that personality becomes tool to differentiate
between one people to another because of its uniqueness.
3. Changes
Hurlock in Personality Development states, “change” means to alter or vary; it
does not necessary mean that the alteration or variation will be complete :1974: 108).
4. Personality Changes
Hurlock :1974: 108) proposed “personality changes” as the personality pattern,
which can change in some areas and remain persistent in other as well. The changes
itself is not synonymous with the improvement but can either for the better or for the
worse. Therefore, personality changes are the changes of human behavior in dealing
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF REPATED PITERATURE
This chapter is divided into three parts. First part is the criticism for the novel
and the source of this study. Second is the review of related theories, contain the
theories to analyze the novel. Third is the framework, it is used to guide in answering
the problem formulations.
2.1 Theoretical Regiew
Theoretical review consists of four parts, which are the theory of literature, the
theory of critical approach and the theory of personality changes. Theory of literature
explains the meaning of character and characterization. Theory of critical approach
discusses the used approach, and theory of personality changes is used to analyze the
changes on the personality.
2.1.1 Theory of Piterature
The theory of literature has a purpose to make easier the process of analyzing
the novel. Theory of character and characterization help to recognize the characters that
exist along the story in the novel.
2.1.1.1 Theory of Character
The story of the novel conveys through a character. A character conveys the
story through what he/she says, that is the dialogue and what he/she does, that is the
The writer would like to use the theory of character as stated by Stanton, Holman and
Harmon, and Foster.
Stanton :1965: 17-18) divides the characters based on their roles into two. They
are major or central character and minor character. A major or central character is a
character that may dominate the whole story and is presented frequently to develop the
main story that will never be developed by him. A minor character is presented to
explain and help the other characters especially the major character. He may do
important character in the story, yet he is still to be a minor character to help the major
or other characters.
Holman and Harmon :1986: 83) divide character into static and dynamic. A
static character is the one who changes little or who does not change at all. Until the end
of the story, he/she remains as he/she is in the beginning of the story. It means that the
actions and problems happen on him/her does not influence him/her to develop his/her
characteristic and his/her way of thinking. On the contrary, dynamic character is the one
who changes very often. The character may change to a better character or to a worse
character. The changes occur because of the action and the experience that happens to
him/her. Some aspects that may changes are behavior, way of thinking, the appearance,
and disposition.
Foster, cited in Abrams :1981: 23-24) clarifies a character into two types,
namely flat character and round character. A flat character presents without much
individualizing detail and with a little change or does not change at all. The character
can be described in a single phase or sentence. A round character has complex aspects
in temperament and motivation. The character is capable surprising the readers because
2.1.1.2Theory of Characterization
To get the description of Polly’s character, the writer also uses the theory of
characterization. The writer presents the theory of characterization by Redman and
Murphy. By using the theory, the writer is able to get Polly’s characterization
clearly.
According to Redman :1964: 363), characterization is the development of a
character through what he/she says and does and through what other characters say
about him.
Murphy :1972:161-173) mentions nine methods of how the author reveals
the character’s traits. The first method is personal description. In this method, the
author describes the character through the person’s appearance and clothes. The
readers are given the telling details, such as the skin, the eyes, the face, and the
character’s extraordinary clothing. The way he/she wears can show his/her
personality.
The second method is character as seen by another. Instead of describing a
character directly, the author can describe him/her through the eyes and opinion of
another. The readers understand the character through the others character’s opinion.
The third method is through the character’s speech. The author can give us
an insight into the character of one of the person in the book through what the
person says. Whenever a person speaks, whenever he/she is in conversation with
another, whenever he/she puts forward an opinion, he/she is giving the readers some
The fourth method is through the character’s past life. The author can give
the reader clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character by letting the
readers learn something about a person’s past life.
The fifth method is conversation of others. The author can also give us clues
to a person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they
say about him. People’s talking about other people often gives a clue to the
character of the person spoken about.
The sixth method is through the character’s reactions. The author can detect
person’s character from how that person reacts to various situations and events.
His/her personality can be shown by the character’s reaction in facing a problem or
a situation.
The seventh method is through the direct comment from the author. The
author can describe or gives comment on a person’s character directly. The clue
about the character’s personality is given through the author’s comment on a
character.
The eighth method is through the character’s thought. The author can give us
direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect he/she is able to
do what we cannot do in real life. He/she can tell us what different people are
thinking.
The ninth method is mannerism. The author describes a person’s
mannerisms. Habits or idiosyncrasies, which may also tell us something about
2.1.2 Theory of Critical Approach
There are many approaches to analyze literary works. Rohberger & Woods
Jr :1971: 1-15) suggest five kinds of critical approaches. They are the formalist
approach, the biographical approach, the socio cultural-historical approach, the
mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach.
The formalist approach focuses to apprehend the totality of the literary
object. The biographical approach is an approach that asserts the necessity for an
appreciation of the ideas and the personality of the author to an understanding of the
literary object. The socio cultural-historical approach is the approach that deploys
the social background and the historical background of the literary work.
The myhtopoeic approach is critics who make use of the mythopoeic frame
of references seek to discover certain universally recurrent patterns of human
thought that they believe find expression in significant works of art. The last
approach is psychological approach, it involves the effort to locate and demonstrate
certain recurrent patterns. The proponents of this approach insist that each
character’s behavior could refer to psychology of human beings.
The suitable approach for this study is psychological approach because this
approach can help the writer to analyze Polly’s character. Polly’s characterization
can be seen from the dialogue, the third point of view, or from the author’s
2.1.3 Theory of Personality Changes
Considering the title and approaches used in the study, the writer presents
some theories related with the personality changes to help us to understand the
changes in Polly’s personality.
Hurlock :1976: 6) mentions that personality comes from Latin word
“persona” which refers to mask. Some actors use a mask to hide their identity on
their show. This dramatic technique was adopted by Romans as one appears to
others, not as one actually is.
While Allport, as cited in Hurlock :1974: 137) defines personality as the
dynamic organization within the individual of those psychological systems that
determine his characteristic behavior and thought.
Hurlock :1976: 120-122) classifies changes in the personality pattern into
three major categories. First, some changes are for the better and some are for the
worse. Second, some are quantitative, and some are qualitative. Third, some occur
slowly, and some rapidly.
First, some changes are for the better and some are for the worse. In normal
people, personality changes for the worse frequently occur at the puberty and middle
age. When pronounced changes, especially for the worse, the changes should be
recognized as dangerous signals
Secondly, soma changes are qualitative and quantitative. In qualitative
changes, an already present trait usually a desirable one replaces an undesirable one.
Quantitative changes may create the impression that the person has changed his
personality pattern into reinforced, strengthened or weakened. A person, who is shy,
of intimate friends than in the presence of strangers or those whom he regards as his
superiors, but his behavior is consistent.
The third category is that personality develops slowly and rapidly. Normally,
personality changes are slow and gradual. They are slow because every change
involves the breaking of a previously learned habit and the learning of new habit to
replace it. Rapid changes at any age are danger signals. Changes of shortly duration
are usually due to some artificial stimulation, which temporarily causes the person
to forget his real self-concept and see himself, as he would like to be.
There are several causes of personality changes. According to Hurlock
:1976:124-130), there are eight causes of personality changes. They are physical
changes, changes in environment, changes of significant people, changes in social
pressure, changes in roles, strong motivation, changes in self-concept, and
psychotherapy.
Physical changes may come from maturation and decline or from illness,
organic and glandular disturbance, injuries, or some other condition resulting from
the person’s life pattern but unrelated to the normal changes in the body structure.
Changes in environment may produce changes in the person’s self-concept and in
his characteristics behavior. A change in environment will not guarantee an
improvement in personality. In fact, the change may and often have the opposite
effect.
Changes of significant people are the changes that happen to the closest
people of someone’s life. Significant people refer to the people who live around us,
such as parents, children, brother or sister. In this study the change is Amanda’s
he or she tries to adapt his pattern behavior and his attitudes, beliefs, values, and
aspiration to theirs, changes in his or her personality pattern are inevitable. These
changes may not be marked, nor are they always permanent. Changes in social
pressure encourage changes in certain aspects of the personality. Traits, which are
likely to lead to social rejection, such as shyness, bossiness, aggressiveness, and
greed, are more subject to change than those, which are usually admired, such as
affection, ambition, cooperativeness, and generosity.
Changes in role bring status changes within the group. One’s role may
change because of a change in age. A change in one’s role may also come from
changes in economic conditions. A change in role may also be due to affiliation with
a new group. Strong motivation will gives changes if the motivation to improve the
personality pattern is strong enough. Ordinarily, people are most strong motivated to
change those traits, which they believe will improve their social relationship and
earn them greater social acceptance.
Changes in the self-concept will bring about a change in the entire
personality pattern. Changing one’s self-concept requires tremendous self-insight.
This means that a person must be able and willing to see himself as he actually is,
not as he would like to be or others perceive him. Use of psychotherapy helps a
person to gain better insight into the reasons for his unrealistically favorable or
unfavorable self-concept, to realize how his self-concept affects the quality of his
behavior, to achieve both the motivation and know-how to change his self-concept,
to secure the guidance necessary to make his change, without upsetting the entire
personality pattern, and to change the condition in the environment which contribute
2.2 Criticism
The criticism about Alice Hoffman and her works come from many sources
like daily news, magazines, and from the readers.
Alice Hoffman is an author who came from Long Island. She started to write
novel at the age of twenty-one. Some of her writings are Practical Magic, Here on
Earth, and Blue Diary. Her novel has received mention as notable books of the year
by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library
Journal, and People Magazine.
Caryn James in his review of the novel says, “If Alice Hoffman had set out
to write a calculated novel, she could have done better that At Risk, the story of an
11-year-old girl, from a perfectly average middle-class family, who has AIDS.”
Based on that statement, the writer can see that the novel is interesting and the novel
become popular in the reader’s community.
Jayebirck, a teacher from Dallas, Texas says, “Another winner by Alice
Hoffman! Every book I read of hers convinces me that she is one of our best
storytellers. Hoffman tells this story with light moments and a lot of heart. I am
placing this book in the basket in the teacher's lounge.”
:www.bookcrossing.com/journal, accessed on September 24, 2006).
Publishers Weekly says, “With this moving novel, Hoffman has written a
story about a family attacked by tragedy, and has given it a larger relevance by
confronting one of the most frightening issues of our times. This will be a book that
people will talk about and recommend.” :www.bookcrossing.com/journal, accessed
From the reviews above, the writer has a conclusion that At Risk is a favorite
literary work, the novel that tells about an interesting issue in the society. The
readers are able to apprehend the feeling of the victim and the family by reading the
novel. The story builds the reader’s attention from the beginning and leaves the end
to the reader’s hand.
2.3 Theoretical Framework
The writer would like to analyze two problems in this study. The first one is
the description of Polly’s characterization. The second is the changes of Polly’s
personality. In analyzing the characterization of Polly, the writer would like to
employ some theories.
The first one is the theories of character and characterization. The theories
present some methods to understand the character. Those theories help the writer
depicting Polly’s character by her actions, and dialogue. The writer also applies the
criticism towards the novel and Hoffman’s work in order to reach a greater
understanding about the theory. The second is the theory of personality changes.
The writer uses the theory of personality changes proposed by Hurlock. The theory
helps the writer to analyze and observe the changes of Polly’s personality.
In addition, to make the analysis complete, the writer chooses to apply the
psychological approach. This approach guides the writer to observe Polly’s
CHAPTER 3
METHODOPOGY
This chapter consists of three parts, namely the subject matter, the approaches,
and the procedure. The subject matter concerns the object of this study. The approaches
contain of the approaches that the writer uses in the analysis. The procedure explains the
steps of analyzing the novel.
3.1 Subject Matter
The subject matter of this study is At Risk, a novel written by Alice Hoffman in
1988. The novel takes place in Morrow, Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The novel contains
219 pages and consists of 13 chapters. Hoffman’s seventh novel grew from her own
fears bout AIDS, and mirrors the world of family and children. The novel was printed in
1989 by Berkley Books.
The novel is about the illness of Amanda, Farrell’s daughter. It tells the
conditions of the Farrell family in facing the illness. The family consists of Ivan Farrell,
an astronomer, Polly, a photographer, 8-year-old Charlie, a smart boy interested in
science, and 11-year-old Amanda, a champion gymnast.
The main theme of this novel is the reaction of the family on Amanda’s illness.
Slowly, the illness changes the atmosphere of the family, the personality of the family
3.2 Approach
In analyzing the novel, the writer decides to apply the psychological approach.
The writer uses this approach because the aims of this study are to portray Polly’s
personality and her personality changes. Personality is one of the subjects of
psychology. It covers patterns of behavior, thought, and feeling. By using this approach,
the Polly’s personality changes can be analyzed deeply.
3.3 Procedure
The writer took several steps to analyze this study. The first step was reading the
novel over and over again. The writer tried to find the theme of the novel, what is the
novel about. The focus in this study is Polly Farrel. The writer made some notes about
her personal description, her thought, her mannerism, her behavior, her reactions, and
her past life. The first step of the procedure ended with some formulated questions due
the character’s personality.
The second step was gathering some books about the theories of literature and
psychology. The writer used the theory of character and characterization, the theory of
critical approach, the theory of personality changes, and the theory of AIDS.
The third step was searching the criticism of Alice Hoffman and At Risk through
the internet.
The fourth step was observing Polly Farrell’s character. The writer used the
theory of character by Abrams, Stanton, and Holman-Harmon, and the theory of
characterization by Murphy.
The fifth step, the writer observed the changes of Polly’s personality caused by
The last, the writer made conclusion of this study, suggestions for future
CHAPTER 4
ANAPYSIS
This chapter deals with the analysis of the novel. It is divided into two parts that
focus on the problem formulations stated in the first chapter. The first part aims to
explain Polly’s character through the theory of character and characterization. The
second part aims to find out the personality changes caused by her daughter’s illness.
4.1 The Description of Polly Farrell’s Character
As we know, Holman and Harmon divide character into static and dynamic. In
Hoffman’s At Risk, Polly has a dynamic character. Polly’s character has some changes
and the changes happen from the beginning of the story until the end of the story. The
narrator of the novel is the author, who uses simple words to tell the story.
Polly Farrell, a 36-year-old woman, is the protagonist character of the story. She
is a wife of Ivan Farrell and a mother of Amanda and Charlie. Polly works as a
photographer. Her husband is an astronomer and a lecturer. In this first sub heading, the
writer uses the theory of characterization proposed by Murphy, in order to analyze
Polly’s character.
We can analyze someone’s character through nine methods proposed by Murphy
:1972:161). One of them is by looking the physical appearance. Hoffman uses her direct
comment to describe Polly physical appearance.
From the description above Polly is described having short dark hair, which has
different color with her daughter :p.5) because Amanda’s hair is blonde.
4.1.1 Caring
Polly loves her family. She always gives her affection and attention to her
family. As a mother of two children who have different interest, Polly tries to give
support of what they do. Amanda loves gymnast and Charlie loves science and
dinosaurs. When Amanda has to follow a competition in her school, Polly always comes
to give her support. This can be seen from the direct comment :Murphy, 1972:170).
“Knock them dead,” Polly tells her when they reach the door to the school. She hugs Amanda tightly, and when Amanda runs off to the locker room, Polly and Charlie head over to the gym :p.18).
Polly knows that Amanda loves gymnast very much and Amanda really wants to
win in the competition. By coming to the competition, Polly wants to gives her support
and sees her daughter and son’s effort.
Polly also shows her attention by giving reward for the children because she
realizes that they have been worked hard to reach the best result. When Amanda is
announced as the highest scorer :p.22), Polly has a plan to celebrate it.
Tonight they will take Amanda out to dinner to celebrate, maybe to Dexter’s, which has great friend clams and fries. Polly will sneak a call to Ivan so he can stop on the way home and buy flowers; after all her hard work, Amanda deserves to be treated like a champion :p.22).
Not only supports what the children do, Polly really cares about her children’s
health. She does not want something happen to her children. This can be seen from the
conversation between Polly and her daughter, Amanda :Murphy, 1972:162).
Polly quickly feels Amanda’s forehead. Amanda has been dragging around a summer cold since June and, although she insists her throat no longer hurts, her forehead is still warm.
From the conversation above, the writer tries to describe how Polly take care her
children. Polly does not want Amanda to get serious illness that is why she asks
Amanda to take the medicine soon.
As a mother, Polly tries to make the children safe and secure. It happens when
the children are sick. Polly will convince them that they will recover soon and tries to
make them comfort. When Polly meets Amanda is vomiting after the competition, Polly
tries to make sure that everything will be fine and there is no need to get worry.
“You’ll be okay,” Polly says :p.25).
“You’ll be better in the morning,” Polly says.
It’s what she always says when the children are sick, and they always believe her :p.26).
The conversation between Polly and Amanda shows that Polly convinces Amanda that
she will be better soon, and Polly does not want to make Amanda worries about it. Polly
will do the same thing if Charlie also gets sick. When the children get sick, Polly gives
full protection to the children. Polly wants the room is dark, when one of the children is
sick.
Amanda’s door is open and the room is dark. All the shades have been pulled down. Charlie stops at the door and looks in.
“Hi,” Amanda says from under the quilts.
Charlie comes into the room and switches on the light on the table. “Mom is so crazy about keeping things dark whenever anyone’s sick.” :p.39)
Polly wants the other to guard and accompany the sick one. When Charlie has an
appointment with Sevrin, Polly asks him to accompany Amanda while she buys
medicine. Although Charlie said that he has to meet Sevrin, Polly insists that he has to
accompany Amanda first and makes Sevrin has to wait for Charlie.
“Stay with Amanda,” Polly tells him.
“I can’t,” Charlie groans. “Sevrin’s waiting.” “Let him wait,” Polly says :p.38).
“Mom,” he says apologetically.
“Oh,” Amanda says, understanding completely.
Her mother’s done the same thing with her, forcing her to spend time with Charlie when she doesn’t even want to be in the same room with him :pp.39-40).
When the children get sick Polly always covers the children with the quilt. The
children believe that the quilt will make them will be better soon and they often fight to
get the quilt when both of them are sick.
She’s holding onto the quilt his mother always covers them with when they’re sick. It is blue and white with a border of stars and a few boxes of red in the center. They used to believe it was the quilt that made them well, and if both of them were sick they fought over it :pp.40-41).
As a caring mother, Polly does not give the attention for the children only, but
also for her husband, Ivan. She loves her husband. For Polly, Ivan still looks as young
as he did when they met :p.6). Polly loves the way he looks and one of the aspect in
which Polly put her attention to is about the physical appearance.
He’s happiest wearing frayed sweaters and unwashed chinos: he’d never have his hair cut if Polly didn’t remind him :p.6).
4.1.2 Responsible
Every parent wants to give the best thing for their children. Environment in
which the children spend their childhood and the education are the main consideration
for the children. Polly responsibility as a parent can be seen from the reason when the
family moves from Boston to Cape Ann. Polly tries to give the best environment and
education for the children, that is the reason why the family moves. The author uses the
direct comment to show Polly’s responsibility :Murphy, 1972:170).
Originally, Polly and Ivan moved to Cape Ann from Boston for the children :p.10).
Polly does not want the children to live in bad environment and she considers
that Cape Ann is a good environment for the children to spend their childhood and to
grow up.
Polly also supports Amanda and Charlie’s hobbies. Amanda likes gymnastic and
Charlie has an interest in science and pets. The fee to support their hobbies is not small
and that is why Polly has to work. Actually Polly does not feel happy with her work and
tries to hide her job :p.8). But realizing her role as a parent who has gives the best thing
for the children, Polly still works to earn money. Once, Polly has a project but she does
not feel comfortable with it, Polly almost turns down the project but when she realizes
that she needs money for the children, she takes the project.
She almost turned down the project, but the fee was too seductive, enough to pay for gymnastics camp and orthodontists and hamster cages for year to come :p.15).
The money that Polly gets from her job is not only being used to support the
children’s hobbies but also to fulfill their children’s needs, such as clothes and
stationeries. Polly always brings the children to Bradlee’s and chooses the children’s
need.
Polly has always taken the children shopping to Bradlee’s for new clothes and school supplies, and she doesn’t intend to stop now :p.91).
Before Amanda gets sick, Polly always brings the children to Bradlee’s and after
Amanda gets sick she still bring the children to go there because she wants every thing
4.1.3 Proud
Polly does not have a good relationship with her parents, Claire and Al. It was
because something happened in the past. When Polly was a child, Al left the family for
nine days. Al did not give any news or leave any messages for Claire and Polly. Soon
Polly realized that her father left to meet his lady friend. Al has an affair. However, the
problem which made Polly felt upset was not because the affair but because Claire
forgave Al’s mistake. This can be seen from the conversation between Polly and Claire,
her mother, when Al went back to the house :Murphy, 1972:162).
By the time Al came back, nine days later, Polly hated him. He was visiting a friend, he said, but Polly knew it was a lady friend.
[…] “That’s it?” Polly had said to her mother. “You’re taking him back?”
“Don’t think you understand everything about grownups, because you don’t,” Al told Polly :p.75).
Polly ignored her father. She watched as her mother searched through a drawer for her vegetable. She hated her father, but what she felt for Claire was worse. She didn’t know what it was called, but it was pity, and it changed something between them forever :p.76).
The relationship between them started to change. That problem makes Polly
keep a distance with her parents. Polly feels when she sees her mother Polly willl
remember about the past :p.76). After Polly married with Ivan, Polly lives separately.
Polly lives in Massachusetts and her parents live in New York. She meets her parents
rarely. Polly prefers to visit them rather than her parents come to visit Polly.
Even now, Polly cannot look at her mother without thinking of the night her father came home, and so she stays away. She sees her parents as little as possible, and she prefers to visit them instead of having them come up :p.76).
Polly never tells her disappointment with her parents, but Claire and Al realize
that there was a problem happened in the past which makes Polly disappointed but they
Amanda, Polly gets angry because she does not feel comfortable when her parents visit
them.
“Next weekend, “Al says. “We’ll drive up Friday night.” “I’m going to hang up on you,” Polly tells him.
“What have you got against us?” Al says. “What we did we do to you that was so terrible?”
“Nothing,” Polly says :p.115).
Polly also does the same thing to Claire. Polly gives unpleasant respond if she
comes. Claire realizes that Polly hates her but she does not know the reason because
Polly does not want to tell the reason.
Late in the afternoon, Charlie’s grandmother sews one of the tyrannosaurus patches on his denim jacket, while his grandfather gets the cooler and packs apples and cheese and beer for the ride.
[…] Charlie’s grandmother will not be driving up with them. She has pointedly not been invited. Claire knows Polly is afraid she’ll will break down; Polly has never forgiven her disappointments that happened so long ago Claire doesn’t even remember what they were :pp.81-82).
After what was happened in the past, Polly considers that her mother is a weak
woman because she forgave Al. Al knows about it but there is nothing he can do.
It’s nowhere near the truth and Al knows it, he laughs in a peculiar, dark way. Ever since her mother took him back, Polly has not trusted Claire to be anything but weak :p.115).
4.1.4 Positige Thinking
As a photographer, Polly has to meet various clients and it can be anyone.
Polly’s client now is Laurel Smith, the occult. The presence an occult is unusual in the
society Polly lives in. Knowing that Polly works with an occult, some people give
comment on it. Hearing some comments on Laurel Smith does not make Polly has
negative thinking on her, on the contrary she always has positive thinking on Laurel
Smith. When Ivan, her husband tries to make a joke about Laurel Smith Polly does not
“No Laurel Smith today?” Ivan teases Polly as she gets the kids into the Blazer. “Don’t make fun of Laurel,” Polly tells Ivan. She leans on the open door of the Blazer, only now remembering she has appointment to take it in for new shocks this afternoon.
“I knew it!” Ivan says. “You’re falling for her garbage. You’re so suggestible.” “I am not,” Polly says :p.12).
From conversation above, it is shown that Polly does not want Ivan to tease and make
fun of Laurel Smith.
Betsy Stafford, Polly’s partner, does not believe Laurel’s talent. Betsy thinks
that Laurel is a crazy person. When they have a conversation, Polly is not sure that
Laurel Smith has an ability to read people but she does not give any bad comment
although Betsy says bad thing to Laurel.
“Either she’s a great actress,” Polly once told Betsy Stafford, “or something real is going on here.”
Betsy, who is much more of cynic than Polly, had smiled and said, “You’ll have to wait and read the book to find out the answer.” Even after she’d seen some of the photographs, Betsy had refused to admit that Laurel might be anything but a charlatan. “Let’s just accept Laurel for what she is,” Betsy insisted. “A nut” :p.14).
Betsy also finds out Laurel’s background and she makes her own conclusion.
Hearing what Betsy has said, Polly still thinks positively. She does not want other
people to influence her in giving opinion on Laurel Smith.
Betsy, who unbeknownst to Laurel has been researching her background and discovered a small trust fund left to Laurel by her parents, doesn’t give Laurel any credit for generosity. But Polly is not so quick to judge her :p.16).
When Polly comes to the school to watch the gymnast competition she meets
with another parents. Polly meets Fran, Evelyn Crowley’s mother. Fran is asking about
the occult. Fran considers that it is a strange thing for Polly.
“Polly, I’m hearing strange things about you.” It is Evelyn Crowley’s mother, Fran.
Having that kind of question, Polly does not get angry, otherwise she responds it calmly
and does not take it as a big problem.
“If you mean I’m photographing Laurel Smith, you’re right,” Polly says, more coolly than she means to. “It’s pretty darned occult,” she adds with a laugh :p.19).
4.1.5 Wise and Patient
Children will pass stages in their life. There is a stage in which children make a
distance with the parents and enjoy their own world and it happens to Amanda. Polly
realizes that now Amanda keeps a distance with her. She does not want to listen what
Polly has said but she prefers to listen what Ivan has said. When Polly has to say
something she has to say it twice then Amanda will hear it :Murphy, 1972:170).
Suddenly, Amanda is interested in how Ivan feels and what he thinks. When he talks, Amanda listens. When Polly talks, Amanda puts on her Walkman. And, Polly knows, it’s only the beginning :p.9).
As she’s backing down the driveway, Polly gets a glimpse of Amanda’s thoughtful, unreadable face in the rearview mirror. Amanda is always distant before a meet; her nervousness takes the form of an unearthly calm so that Polly has to say everything to her twice before Amanda hears :pp.13-14).
Every mother does not like to have this kind of situation. Every mother wants to
have a close relationship with her children. Realizing the situation between Amanda and
her, Polly does not want to force herself to get closer with Amanda. She does not want
the situation will getting worse by forcing herself although she really wants to.
Maybe Polly can persuade Amanda to give up one day’s practice and go to the beach with her tomorrow, just the two of them :pp.23-24).
Having two children who are growing up sometimes spend a lot of energy and
emotion. Polly has to manage her feeling to be patient in handling Amanda and Charlie.
The children fight often and Polly has to control them and she has trained herself to be
“You are really disgusting, “Amanda tells Charlie. “Mom!” she yells. “Chicken,” Charlie says to his sister.
“Moron,” Amanda counters.
Their mother, Polly Farrell, who is out in the garden, can hear the children arguing. It’s been hard, but she has trained herself to tune out their squabbles; otherwise she’d spend most of her time refereeing :p.4).
Polly is being patient with the children’s behavior. She is a typical mother that
does not like to hit the children when they do something wrong and she avoids yelling
to the children because she does not want the children will get hurt because of Polly’s
words. Charlie loves read very much and he could not stop to read no matter where he
goes and does. That habit makes Polly is going crazy because it makes Charlie does not
put attention to his surrounding and Polly tries to be patient about it.
Charlie continues to read as he walks up the bleachers; it drives Polly crazy that he doesn’t watch where he’s going, but she bites her tongue. She’s learned to save her reprimands, to dole them out carefully, in the hopes that they might actually count for something :p.18).
4.2 The Personality Changes
In order to answer the second question, the writer would like to discuss about the
personality changes of Polly Farrell. Hurlock in her book said that personality is able to
changes because of some causes and one of it is caused by the changes of significant
people. Significant people refer to the people who live around us, such as parents,
children, brother or sister. In this study Polly’s personality changes are caused by the
changes of the significant people, which is her daughter’s illness.
4.2.1 Possessige
Being a mother who the daughter is living with AIDS makes Polly becomes
routine activity. She is afraid something will happen to Amanda and it makes Amanda’s
condition is getting worse. This can be seen from the direct comment :Murphy
1972:170).
Buying Amanda new school clothes feels like signing her death warrant; what Polly would like to do is keep her daughter home and lock all the doors :p.92).
[…] She would not spend one minute in the darkroom Ivan made out the laundry room in the basement if that meant a minute away from Amanda. Everything that excludes Amanda is wasted time :pp.92-93).
Polly wants to spend every minute with Amanda because she does not want to loose any
single memory about Amanda.
Polly no longer gives permission for Amanda to attend the birthday party. It
makes Amanda gets angry. Finally Ivan allows Amanda to attend the party with one
requirement that is not sleepover after the birthday party. This decision does not make
Amanda feels happy on the contrary it makes her angrier.
Tomorrow night there is a birthday party, a sleepover, and everybody is going, but Amanda is not allowed. She has already gone to the mall with Jessie and Mrs. Eagan and bought a birthday present, six colorful plastic headbands and six matching bangle bracelets.
“You hate me,” Amanda says to her parents.
She has a terrible look on her face. She pushes the plate of cake away from her, hard. The plate skitters across the table and crashes on the floor.
“We love you,” Polly says. She holds herself back from crouching down and cleaning up the cake. She holds herself back all the time.
“Oh, yeah,” Amanda says. “Sure. That’s what you say. You have to say that.” “This is not up for discussion,” Ivan says. “You can go to the party but you can’t sleep over.”
“Just embarrass me in front of everybody,” Amanda cries. “My life is ruined anyway.” :p.140)
Polly realizes that Amanda will die soon, that is why Polly does not want to
waste time :p.113), and Polly does not want a minute away from her. She wants
Amanda to spend time with her not with someone else. That is why when Laurel Smith,
Polly hasn’t opened the screen door; she’s talking to Laurel through the mesh, as she would to a peddler.
“I heard that your daughter was sick, so I came to visit her,” Laurel says. “I bought a pie.”
“You should have waited,” Polly says. “She’s not dead yet.” Laurel steps backward, as if she’d been slapped :p.144).
When Laurel Smith comes to visit Amanda, Polly does not give good respond.
Polly tries to reject her. She feels suspicious with her visit, and Laurel Smith knows
about that.
“You don’t have to invite me inside if you don’t want to,” Laurel Smith says.
“I don’t know why you‘re here,” Polly says. “Why are you here?”
“I just thought most kids liked apple pie,” Laurel says. “I always loved it.” :p.144)
Polly does not want Laurel Smith is getting closer with Amanda because it
means that Amanda will spend her time with Laurel, not with her own mother. Still,
when Laurel enters the house, Polly does not give good respond, she does not ask her to
sit down.
Laurel Smith is still standing when Amanda comes upstairs; she has not been invited to sit down :p.145).
Amanda likes the flower which Laurel Smith brings and she is interested with
Laurel’s hair that is pulled back into French braid. Knowing that Amanda has interest
on her hair, Laurel offers Amanda how to make the braid and Amanda agrees. Polly
realizes if she allows Amanda to go with Laurel, she has to share Amanda’s time with
Laurel, and it seems not a good idea for her. Polly does not want it happens and it makes
her to reject Laurel’s offer indirectly.
“I could teach you to do your hair like this,” Laurel says.
Polly narrows her eyes; she realizes that she has read Amanda’s mind just easily as Laurel has.
“Yeah?” Amanda says.
“I’m sure you’re busy,” Polly says.
“No,” Laurel says. “The most important thing I have to do today is buy cat food.”
“You have a cat?” Amanda asks, as if this were the most fascinating piece of information she’d ever heard.
“Grandma and Grandpa are coming over,” Polly says weakly.
“Not for a while,” Amanda says. She looks very small, and younger than her age. “Oh, please!”
Polly and Laurel Smith look at each other. “All right,” Polly says :p.146).
Finally Polly allows Laurel to teach Amanda in making the braids. Polly is still
wondering and asking what is the purpose behind that. She feels suspicious and asks
directly to Laurel about it.
“Why are you doing this?” Polly says, suspiciously. She figures she has a right to be suspicious when a woman who communes with spirits wants to brush her daughter’s hair :pp.146-147).
Polly has a dynamic character, in which it changes from the beginning and at the
end of the story. By the end of the story, Polly is described not to be a possessive
mother anymore. She dismisses her possessive feeling after she talks with Laurel Smith.
They meet in the tournament in which Amanda does the last performance. Actually
when Polly knows that Laurel comes, she does not want to say hello with Laurel but
finally she does it because Ivan persuades her.
“I can’t believe this,” Polly says to Ivan. “Laurel Smith is here.” “It’s a free country,” Ivan says. “It’s a free gym.”
“Hah,” Polly snorts, and Ivan wonders if she’s thinking about all the meets he missed last year.
“We should go over and say hello,” Ivan tells Polly. “Absolutely not,” Polly says.
“Fine,” Ivan says. “I’ll go.”
“Don’t,” Polly says, and she’s not kidding :p.179).
Polly finally says hello to Laurel but she says something rude to her. She shows
that she does not like Laurel comes to their family life, especially Amanda. But Laurel
Laurel makes Polly realizes that it is correct. Amanda is her daughter and no one can
take her away from her side.
“I’ll go over and get her,” Polly finally says.
[…] You’re sitting on the wrong side,” Polly calls from the floor.
[…] “Why don’t you sit with us?” Polly says with absolutely no warmth. “Oh, no. I couldn’t,” Laurel says.
“You’ve already forced yourself on us, you might as well go ahead and sit with us,” Polly blurts out.
She turns away from Laurel, shocked by what she’s said. “I’m sorry,” Polly says now.
“If she didn’t love you, she wouldn’t need to talk to me,” Laurel Smith says. “Don’t say that,” Polly snaps. “Don’t you dare tell me what my daughter needs.” […] “I could never steal her away from you,” Laurel says. “She can’t be stolen. She’s yours.”
Polly can’t speak, but she nods her head. “I don’t have to sit with you,” Laurel says.
“Sit with us,” Polly says. “Really,” she says. “I want you to.” :pp.180-181).
Amanda will always be her daughter, now and forever. That’s why she can stand and watch as Amanda runs outside so quickly you’d think she was weightless, you’d think she was flying straight into the sun :p.189).
4.2.2 Partial
As a good mother, Polly should give her attention and affection for the children
equally. Slowly, Amanda’s illness makes Polly gives her attention and affection for
Amanda only. When Polly takes the children to Bradlee’s to buy the new clothes, Polly
helps Amanda to choose the clothes on the contrary Polly does not help Charlie. It can
be seen from the conversation between Charlie and Polly :Murphy 1972:162).
“Mom,” Charlie says, “I don’t know what kind of jeans to get.” “Don’t act like such a baby!” Polly snaps. “Get whatever you see.”
Polly realizes that she starts to give attention for Charlie inequality but she cannot do
something because her focus right know is Amanda.
Having the new atmosphere in the family, Charlie knows that her mother does
not give an equal attention anymore. The condition that know happens to him makes
Charlie hates both his mother and sister, although he does not want to :p.96).
There is no a lot of time for Amanda to live, and Polly really wants to spend the
rest of the time with Amanda only. If it is possible, she does not want to share it with
anyone. The consequence is the limited time for giving attention to Charlie. What Polly
has in her mind is all about Amanda. When there is meeting between the teachers and
the parents, Polly prefers to spend her day with Amanda, only Amanda not both of the
children. The direct comment shows that the time belongs to Amanda only.
Although Linda Gleason phones Polly each time there’s a parents’ or teacher’s meeting, Polly doesn’t bother going to them; she can’t waste the time better spent at home, with Amanda :p.122).
4.2.3 Forgiging
Polly’s parent, Al and Claire, visit the family often since Amanda living with
AIDS. They usually come on the weekend. Because of the conflict in the past between
Polly and her parents, Polly does not feel comfortable when Al and Claire come. The
condition is shown by the direct comment :Murphy 1972:170).
Every time Al and Claire want to visit the family, Polly tries to delay their
coming. She uses any reasons for it. Al knows about what happens between them and he
asks about it but Polly still does not want to tell the truth, on the contrary she uses
another reason.
“We want to come up for a visit this week,” Al says.
He acts as though they haven’t been through this a dozen times before. “Daddy,” Polly says tiredly.
“Your mother can pack a suitcase, including wrapping everything in tissue paper, in ten minutes flat.”
This is no idle threat, Polly has seen her mother do it. “Absolutely not,” Polly says.
“Next weekend,” Al says. “We’ll drive up Friday night.” “I’m going to hang up on you,” Polly tells him.
“What have you got against us?” Al says. “What did we do to you that was so terrible?”
“Nothing,” Polly says. “Look, I don’t want Mom to be upset.” :p.115)
When her parents come and stay with them, they will take care the house. Claire
will clean the house and Al will fix the stuffs that broken. Amanda and Charlie are
happy if their grandparents come but still Al and Claire’s presence do not make Polly
feels comfortable.
One night, while Polly sits down in the basement, she thinks about her past, her
father for particularly. Polly knows that she has done unpleasant things to her father,
and that night Polly thinks about the kindness of her father.
But tonight, as she sits in her own basement, she thinks more kindly of her father than she has in years. She thinks of what he taught her: how to change a washer, how to check the underside of a painted dresser drawer and know if it’s made out of oak or pine, how not to be afraid of dark basements, of the noise steam pipes make when they moan and send up heat :p.76).
Al and Claire come often. Their routine visit makes Polly accustoms with their
presence. Polly starts not to behave cynical anymore. She realizes that her parents help
It was not quite the disaster that Polly imagined, even though Claire, who has never believed that dishwashers do as good a job ass she can, managed to wash the dishes by hand every time Polly turned her back and Al has sworn to return and fix the broken porch step. Al played endless rounds of Monopoly with Charlie and lost every game, and on Sunday he drove Amanda and Jessie to the theater at the mall and took them to see a movie their parents had forbidden them to see :pp.121-122).
Polly also starts to forgive her parents. She does not put a wall between them
anymore. Suddenly Polly realizes that she needs her parents to accompany her. Polly
does not want to be alone. When Al and Claire want to go home, Polly asks them to stay
a little bit longer although it makes them trapped in traffic if they go home later.
On Monday evening, when her parents were getting ready to leave, Polly felt that she was being abandoned. She insisted that her parents stay for dinner, even though this meant they would hit the worst of the Labor Day traffic returning to New York :p.122).
Al and Claire know that her daughter gives signs that she starts to forgive them.
Realizing Polly’s responds, Al and Claire use the opportunity to come to the house
every weekend.
It’s a Saturday, so when Polly hears someone at the door, she assumes it’s her parents, earlier than expected. She gave them an inch and now they’re up every weekend. She has the feeling they start to watch the clock on Friday nights, so they’ll be ready to jump into Al’s car at dawn on Saturday :p.143).
The relationship between Polly and her mother is getting better. She feels glad if
her mother comes to the house. She feels glad with the presence of her mother not
because she can talk in personal with Claire but it is more to the feeling that she has
someone who really cares about her condition. Deep down in her heart Polly wants to
have a closer relationship with her mother.
doesn’t know what to say. But when she smells the leek and cabbage soup her mother’s cooking, Polly feels like crying. She wants to be in the kitchen with her mother; after all these years, she wants to be close to her :p.217).
4.2.4 Introgert
Polly turns into an introvert person. She begins to keep her own feeling. Before
Amanda living with AIDS they have a good and nice relationship. In the beginning of
the new condition :when they know about the illness for the first time) they still support
each other. The illness makes their relationship is getting cold. Every time Ivan wants to
give his support and affection, Polly rejects it. By using the direct comment :Murphy
1972: 170), the author describes the situation.
She leans toward Ivan, she’s missed him. Falling together through space, they reach for each other, and hold hands, and they don’t let go until they get to the lobby :p.71).
When Polly meets Betsy Stafford, she gets angry because Betsy does not permit
Sevrin, his son, to play with Charlie anymore. Ivan wants to make her calm down by
holding Polly’s hand but Polly rejects it.
“That absolute bitch,” Polly says of Betsy Stafford.
Ivan reaches to take Polly’s hand, but she moves away as if she’d been burned. Ivan cannot bear his loneliness, and he knows Polly cannot bear hers much longer :p.103).
Ivan offers to Polly to talk with him about what her feeling but Polly does not
want to. Polly does not want to turn to Ivan because she does not want to see how hurt
Ivan is.
“Talk to me,” he says to Polly when she starts to cry. “There’s nothing to say,” Polly tells him.
