Submitted As Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for The Sarjana Degree at English Department Faculty of Art and Humanities State Islamic University
of Sunan Ampel Surabaya
Dinar Rosia Fitri Reg. Number : A73213087
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES
ABSTRACT
Fitri, Dinar Rosia. 2017. The Effect of Friendship on Sam Oliver McQueen’s
Character in Sally Nicholls’s Ways to Live Forever. Thesis. English Department. Faculty of Letters and Humanities. States Islamic University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
The Advisor: Sufi Ikrima Sa’adah, M. Hum
Sally Nicholls’s Ways to Live Forevertells about a unique friendship between two
boys who got cancer. They are Sam Oliver McQueen dan Felix Stranger. In the beggining of the story, Sam is told as an eleven years old who has different personality from Felix who is thirteen years older.They decided to be friends after meeting at a hospital. This study study is aimed to answer the two problems formulated, namely (1)How is the characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen
before he meets with Felix in novel Ways to Live Forever? (2) How is the
friendship between Sam Oliver McQueen and Felix described in novel Ways to
Live Forever ? (3) What are the effects of friendship between Sam Oliver
McQueen and Felix toward Sam’s character in novel Ways to Live Forever ?. The
kind of this research is descriptive qualitative research. This research use a library researchthat collects the books, journals and some articles from internet which have relationship with this research. The result of this research is appropriate with some different theories.The result of this research is appropriate with some
different theories. The researcher uses New Criticism as the main theory and concept of Friendship from Aristotle to describe the friendship between Sam and Felix. In addition, the researcher uses Psychological approach from B.F. Skinner which mainly focuses on the effects of friendship between Sam and Felix toward Sam’s character change.
Key Terms: Psychology of Behavior, Friendship, Children Life.
INTISARI
Fitri, Dinar Rosia. 2017. The Effect of Friendship on Sam Oliver McQueen’s
Character in Sally Nicholls’s Ways to Live Forever. Skripsi. Sastra Inggris. Fakultas Adab dan Humaniora. Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
Pembimbing: Sufi Ikrima Sa’adah, M. Hum
Novel Ways to Live Forever mencerminkan kisah persahabatan unik antara dua
anak yang sama-sama menderita kanker. Mereka bernama Sam Oliver McQueen dan Felix Stranger. Pada awal cerita, Sam diceritakan sebagai adalah anak berusia sebelas tahun dengan sifat dan kepribadian berbeda dari Felix yang berusia tiga belas tahun lebih tua. Mereka memutuskan untuk bersahabat setelah bertemu di rumah sakit. Tujuan dari Skripsi ini untuk menjawab dua pertanyaan, yaitu (1)Bagaimana Karakterisasi Sam Oliver McQueen sebelum dia bertemu dengan
Felix dalam novel Ways to Live Forever? (2) Bagaimanapersahabatan antara Sam
Oliver McQueen dan Felix digambarkan dalam novel Ways to Live Forever? (3)
Apa efek persahabatan antara Sam Oliver McQueen dan Felix terhadap karakter
Sam dalam novel Ways to Live Forever?. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskripsi
kualitatif. Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka, yaitu mengumpulkan buku-buku, jurnal dan beberapa artikel yang diambil dari internet yang memiliki hubungan dengan analisis ini. Hasil dari penelitian ini sesuai dengan beberapa teori berbeda. Peneliti menggunakan New Criticism sebagai teori utama dan konsep Persahabatan dari Aristoteles untuk menggambarkan persahabatan antara Sam dan Felix. Selain itu, peneliti menggunakan pendekatan Psikologis dari B.F. Skinner yang terutama berfokus pada efek persahabatan antara Sam dan Felix terhadap perubahan karakter Sam.
Kata Kunci: Psikologi Tingkah Laku, Persahabatan, Kehidupan anak-anak.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Inside Cover Page ...i
Declaration page ...ii
Thesis Advisor’s Approval Sheet ...iii
Thesis Examiners Approval Sheet ...iv
Motto ...v
Dedication Page ...vi
Acknowledment ...vii
Table of Contents ...ix
Abstract ...xii
Intisari ...xiii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of Study ...1
1.2 Statement of Problems ...5
1.3 Objective of the Study ...5
1.4 Significance of the Study ...6
1.5 Scope and Limitation ...6
1.6 Research Method ...6
17.1Data and Source ...7
1.7.2Data Collection ...8
1.7.3 Data Analysis ...8
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theorical Framework ...10
2.2 New Criticism ...10
2.2.1 Character ...11
2.2.2 Characterization ...13
2.3 Psychological Approach of B.F. Skinner ...15
2.3.1 Concept of Friendship ...17
2.3.2 Peer Group Relationship ...21
2.4 Previous Studies ...26
CHAPTER III: The Effects of Friendship on Sam Oliver McQueen’s Character in Sally Nicholls`s Ways to Live Forever 3.1 The Characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen Before Met Felix Stranger...29
3.2 The Description of Friendship Between Sam McQueen and Felix Stranger...35
3.2.1 Benefit to One Another...36
3.2.2 Pleasant to One Another ...43
3.2.3 Care to Another Unconditionally ...45
3.3 The Effects of Friendship Between Sam and Felix on Sam’s Character...47
3.3.1 Sam Becomes Cheerful ...48
3.3.2 Sam Becomes Brave ...48
3.3.3 Sam Becomes Impolite ...49
3.3.4 Sam Becomes Angry ...50
3.3.5 Sam Becomes Quitter ...51
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION...55
4.1 Conclusion of Analysis ...55
4.2 Suggestion ...57
WORKS CITED ...58
APPENDIX: SINOPSIS OF THE STORY ...61
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Human is created differently from other God’s creatures. They have been
created as the perfect creature by God. Paula J.C. said in her book Human
Developmentthat human is creature who frees to choose meaning in every
situation, taking responsibility for every decision in a sustainable manner, and was
involved in drawing the pattern of relationships with others (50). Therefore, they
have many abilities to choose something appropriate to their life, because they are
given some abilities from God. One of the human’s abilities is described to their
relation with others. The relation to each other is needed in the life of a human
who lives in the real world. The relation itself is divided into the smaller side that
is family and the biggest side that is social community.
In a social relation, we often hear and say about friendship. There is no one
who can live alone in this world. Everyone need friends. Friendship is naturally
built among several people who know and understand each others. In the book of
Love, Friendship, and the Self, Bennet W. Helm said that friendships are
relationships that essentially involve considerably more intimacy than is apparent
just by considering the loving attitudes that ground them (205). In this context,
She also argue more strongly that making sense of friendship requires postulating
rather to both jointly. Consequently, the kind of control over and responsibility for
these joint cares and values must involve the joint exercise of autonomy. All of
this requires that we reject the individualist conception of autonomy, and it leads
to a still richer sense in which we persons are essentially social (214). Basically,
the researcher is excited to discussing about friendship, because in this study will
proof that friendship gives more effects toward the character of a child suffering
from leukemia than the effects of his proximity to the family.
Commonly, a literary work is the best place to reveal the readers about
meaning of friendship. In Knickerbocker and Reninger’s book, the literary works
is stated as composed of words, not of objects or feelings, and it is a mistake to
see it as the expression of an author's mind (4). Moreover, Knickerborker and
Reninger also agreed that in the literary works, the human’s feeling and thoughts
will be seen by the readers only from reading. In modern theories, the literary
works are divided into three parts; the first is fiction; epic, short story, and novel,
the second is drama and the third is poem (277). Furthermore, in this research, the
researcher has decided to choose the novel as primary source.It is because the
novel has a complex storyline than with other literary works.
As one of the literary works,novel is only fictional narrative created by the
author to inspired by the people’s life. In A Glossary of Literary Term, Abrams
said that novel is one of literary product that is applied to great variety in writing.
It is common being extended writing of fiction written in prose (190). The novel
there, the character’s behavior, thought, feeling and speech can be identified and
understood as behavior, thought, feeling and speech people have. Therefore,
characters in a novel represent the people in real life. Especially on the relation of
friendship in children’s area.
There are many novels which are discussing about friendship in children’s
area. In this research, a novel entitled Ways to Live Forever is taken by the
researcher. This novel is published in United Kingdom at 7 January 2008 by Sally
Nicholls. Sally Nicholls is a prize-winning British children’s book author.
Nicholls was born and grew up in Stockton-on-Tees. She attended Great Ayton
Friends School until its closure and subsequently Egglescliffe School until
2001.On finishing school, Nicholls chose to travel around the world. The author
reached Australia and New Zealand, following a period of working in Japan at a
Red Cross hospital. She returned to the UK to begin a bachelor’s degree at the
University of Warwick, covering philosophy and literature. As of 2012, Nicholls
lives in Oxford. In first, Nicholls wrote three novels all have death as a central
theme. Her first novel, Ways to Live Forever was written during her time at Bath
Spa (Water stones Brimigham news).
(https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/birmingham/read/). Accessed on
2th May 8:00 AM.
Briefly, Ways to Live Forevernovel is telling about eleven years old boy
with leukemia cancer. His name is Sam Oliver McQueen. Sam has a closer friend
Felix dies, he doesnot know what to do because he always looked up to style
ofFelix’s life. Sam is puzzled by the sadness and writes in his book that everyone
should have been happy and making jokes and Felix should have worn his
favorite top. Having said, that he told in his book he wanted to make sure no one
would do that at his funeral.
There are some reasons, why the researcher is interested to analyze Sally
Nichols’s Ways to Live Forever novel. They are; First, although the author talked
about death in Ways to Live Forever as the central theme, she also talked about
psychology of character in children’s area. Especially in main character’s
behavior, Sam McQueen. There is the indication of psychology behavior in this
novel. It can found in the friendship condition between Sam with Felix. In this
story, Felix is described as stimulation to change Sam’s character. It also refers to
the theory for analysis later. The second, the researcher taken this novel because
the whole of story contained is hilarious, imaginative, poignant and inspiring. The
third is the words and the sentences in this novel are easier to understand,
lightweight and worth reading, but remains contained of moral values. Based on
those reasons, the researcher becomes curious and interested to apply the
appropriate theories with the topic analysis.
Through the discussion above, Then, the researcher also uses New Criticism
as main theory and concept of friendship from Aristotle to describes the friendship
psychological effects of friendship between Sam and Felix toward Sam’s
character changing by using Psychology approach from B.F. Skinner.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
Based on the background of the research, this study is conducted to answer
the problems formulated in the following questions :
1. How is the characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen Before Meets
Felix in novel Ways to Live Forever ?
2. How is the friendship between Sam Oliver McQueen and Felix
described in novel Ways to Live Forever ?
3. What are the effects of friendship between Sam Oliver McQueen and
Felix toward Sam’s character in novel Ways to Live Forever?
1.3 Objective of the Study
Based on the problems above, the objectives of study are aimed :
1. To describe the characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen Before
Meets Felix in novel Ways to Live Forever.
2. To describe thefriendship between Sam Oliver McQueen and Felix in
novel Ways to Live Forever.
3. To explain the effects offriendship between Sam Oliver McQueen and
1.4 Significance of the Study
Through this research, the researcher istrying to enrich the theoretical bases
of literary studies, especially inNew Criticism theory. It is expected to be a source
of information in understanding literature in field of knowledge. Then, the
researcher will divides the significance of study into two categories. They are
theoreticallyand practically categories.
Theoretically, the results of the research are expected to give contribution to
develop the study and analysis on literary study related to New Criticism theory
represented in Sally Nichols’s novel entitledWays to Live Forever. The researcher
expects that it can give knowledge about the problems from the children’s lives
and the effects to their lives. Particularly, the effects to children’s characters
which illustrated by SamOliver McQueen as main character.
Practically, the researcher hopes by analyzing this novel, it will be useful to
give other views and inspirations about meaning of friendship for every person
and moral values to the readers about how to choose the better things and avoid
the bad things in the real life, in order to get happiness in next top. Then, It hopes
can be a helpful reference for other writer who are interested in conducting other
research on analyzing novel Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls. Especially to
the students in English Department ofUIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
As the limitation, the research will be limited to the main character, Sam
prevent non-relevant problems. Here, the researcher uses New Criticism as the
main theory. Then, the researcher describes the relation between Sam with his
best friend, Felix and the effects from their relation. Here, the researcher uses
Psychological approach from B.F. Skinner and concept of friendshipas the
approach. Based on those scope and limitation, the researcher can focus on the
research problems and objectives.
1.6 Research Method
This chapter discusses about the methodology of the research. It consist of
research data and source, data collection, and data analysis. This research is
library based. The researcher applies descriptive qualitative research method.The
analysis was conducted by descriptive qualitative. Descriptive qualitative research
is an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct methodological traditions
of inquiry that explore a social or human problem. The researcher builds a
complex, holistic picture, analyzes words, report detailed views of information,
and conducts the study in a natural setting (Creswell 8). It means the researcher
describes and analyzes the data which are not numeral data but the data are from
words and sentences.
1.7.1 Data and Source
The researcher has the primary and secondary data in this study. The
in 2008. The primary data are in form of the secondary data are from journals,
essays, and other relevant sources to this research.
1.7.2 Data Collection
In collecting the data, the research followssome steps, They are:
1. Reading the novel Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls as the
primary source, to get the complete and well understanding on the
whole story.
2. Reading some references like; journals, essays, and other relevant
sources as secondary sources, to complete the analysis.
3. Marking the text which related to description of Sam’s
characterization and the friendship between Sam and Felix and the
effect of their friendship towards Sam’s character.
4. Selecting and collecting the data in narration form and some
conversations from the novel related to the problem of behavioral
psychology toward Sam’s character.
1.7.3 Data Analysis
In the presenting of the analysis, the researcher follows some steps. They
are:
1. Analyzing the data collected by categorizing them into two points,
friendship between Sam and Felix, then explain the effects oftheir
friendship toward Sam’s characterin novel Ways to Live Forever.
2. Those points above are analyzed using New Criticism theory, the
concept of friendship from Aristotle, and Psychology approach from
B.F. Skinner, which refers to the objective of the study .
3. Then, the researcher will be giving the best conclusion and suggestion
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Theorical Framework
In this chapter, the researcher will discuss about some literary theories to
support the description in the next chapter. There are some quotations, values, and
judgment taken related to the topic in this research for supporting the analysis. In
making description, the researcher will uses New Criticism theory to analyze it.
The researcher focuses on character, characterization and the friendship
condition between Sam and Felix in this novel by concept of friendship from
Aristotle. Then, to reveal the effects of friendship between Sam and Felix toward
to Sam’s character, the researcher will uses psychology approach from B.F.
Skinner theory. These theories are used to answer all of the statement of
problems. In this research, researcher will only focuses on Sam Oliver McQueen
as the main character in this novel.
2.2 New Criticism
New Criticism was active from the late 1930s to late 1950s, also took on
most of the ideas of Elliot and Richards, as well as those Empson (Carter 26).
According to the book of Literary Criticism, New Criticism consist of some
elements formal in the text which will work together to build the organic unity of
the text (136). In this point, some formal elements are including of character,
However, in this research, the researcher will take the character, characterization,
and plot related to the research problems.Tyson also said in the book of Critical
Theory Today that the most important concepts in New Criticism are concerning
the nature and importance of textual evidence – the use of concrete, specific
examples from the text it self to validate our interpretation (135). In other
statement, Selden said that New Criticism wants to explore what is specially
literary in texts, and rejects the limp spirituality of late Romantic poetics in favor
of detailed and empirical approach to reading (Selden 29). Based on those points,
the researcher decided to analyze the whole of text to finding the data without
taking outside the story.
2.2.1 Character
a. Definition of Character
According to the book of Writing Themes About Literature, Edgar V. Robert
said that character in literature is an extended verbal representation of a human
being, the inner self that determines thought, speech, and behavior (65). Thus,
through to the dialogue, action, commentary and suggests details of character’s
traits. It will help the researcher to analyze and make conclusion about the
character in this novel.
In the book of Mastering English Literature, explained that understanding
character is more difficult than understanding any other elements of story such as
plot or setting. Character is much complex. There are two ways in how characters
character is when the author describes the character by its physical appearance
such as the dress, age, how the character looks like, while showing a character is
more complex than telling because the author tries to get the reader’s response to
judge the character’s trait, it is good or bad, or maybe the character has other traits
by showing the character’s way of behave and think in some condition (134).
Then, understanding the character is very important to this research, because the
characters give description as the real actions in human life.
b. Types of Character
Robert Di Yanni said in his book that character can be categorized as major
and minor character. A major character is usually called as the protagonist. In a
story, a protagonist usually has a conflict with the antagonist which sometimes
also called as a static character because they are not changing from the beginning
until the end of the story while major character called as dynamic character
because they are changing (55). Without the role of character, a literary work will
be nonsense because the element which makes the literary work alive is character.
Further, there are two kinds of characters, namely flat character and round
character. A flat character also called as a type of dimensional character. It means
that the character is built on a single idea or quality. Therefore, he/she is presented
in outline and without much individualizing detail, only in a short phrase or
sentence in the novel. Whereas, a round character is called as a dynamic character
which is complex in temperament and motivation (Abrams 24). Characters from
author use the describes the character like a human being in real life. That is make
the novel becomes interesting. Therefore, the researcher excited to observesthe
characters in Sally Nichols’s novel, because observing characters is similar to
observing a real human.
2.2.2 Characterization
a. Definition of Characterization
According to the statement of Rohrberger and Woods Jr. that, define
characterization as the process by which an author creates character (20). Thus, In
literature the characterization refers from step by step process where is an author
introduces and then describes a character. The creation of the imaginary person
presented to the readers as lifelike is called characterization ( Holman and
Harmon 81).Characterization is very important since the reader can explore the
novel by paying attention on the character’s speeches, actions and comments of
the other character in order to understand about the idea of the story (Holman and
Harmon 2). Therefore, the story will not alive and real without any
characterization. An author must has a good ability to make characters because the
great story must has characters with good characterizations.
b. Ways of Characterization
Commonly, there are two methods to characterizing the characters. First,
the author uses direct manner. It means that, the character can be described
directly by the author. Second, the author uses indirect manner. It means that, the
but showing the characters through how the character looks, what the character
does, what the character says, what the character thinks, and how the character
affects other characters (Baldick 37).
To make the readers can understand and get clear the character’s
personality. an author can follow nine ways of characterization which are
described by Murphy (161-171). It is include to the character’s appearance,
thought, speech, attitude, his/her life and so on. There are nine ways of
characterization :
1) Personal Description
It explains the psychal appearance of characters to introduce the
characters to the readers. An author may describe personal appearance of the
character, such as hair, skin, eyes and height.
2) Character as seen by another
To understand characterization of the characters, the author uses other
character’s opinion to describe a character in the story. In the novel the
character may give the opinion from their dialogues .
3) Speech
The personality of the characters can be notified through their speech.
The reader can learn the characters by understanding speeches which are
produced deeply.
The experience of the characters can be a point of characterization. It
is happen by giving information about the character’s past life. In this part
the author will give some clues about the characterization of the characters.
5) Conversation of each others
In the novel, there are many conversations. The conversation among
characters may refers to the characterization in whole of story.
6) Reactions
The character’s reaction in facing a certain event or problem may refer
to the personality of the characters and can be hint as the characterization.
7) Direct Comment
Sometimes the author gives comments directly to describe the
characterization. However, it will be not disturb the story.
8) Thoughts
The author describes the character’s thought in order to get the point
out of the characterization.
9) Mannerism
The author may tell the character’s mannerism to the readers in order
to give information about characterization of the characters.
2.3 Psychological Approach of B.F. Skinner
This research will use the psychological approach from B. F. Skinner’s
psychology behavior which is appropriate to the research problems. B.F.
process of "operating" on the environment, which in ordinary terms means it is
bouncing around its world, doing what it does. During this "operating," the
organism encounters a special kind of stimulus, called a reinforcing stimulus, or
simply a reinforcer. This special stimulus has the effect of increasing the operant–
that is, the behavior occurring just before the reinforcer. This is operant
conditioning: "the behavior is followed by a consequence, and the nature of the
consequence modifies the organisms tendency to repeat the behavior in the
future." (Boeree 4).
Behavior is a primary characteristic of living things. We almost identify it
with life itself. Anything which moves is likely to be called alive, especially when
the movement has direction or acts to alter the environment. (Skinner 45).
Human’s behavior is controlled by external factor. It can be environment and
social-culture. Skinner also states that many theories of human behavior,
nevertheless, neglect or ignore the action of the environment. The contact between
the organism and the surrounding world is wholly disregarded or at best casually
described. This is almost always true in clinical psychology, for example. The
clinician often speaks of people, places, and things as "facts" entering into the
interpretation of his patient's behavior, without further specifying their action
(129).
Human comes from the environment. He/she was born by having some
talents which can be developed in every way. By passing shaping process, human
can be the certain character who has certain behavior (Farozin 74). It can be
his/her environment. He/she is known as an active object. So that is way, the
environment has the important role to build human’s character and behavior.
The environment which can build human’s character can be the world
around his/her. It can be from people lives around his/her. Those can be explained
in the following point.
2.3.1 Concept of Friendship
In this section presents the description of friendship and also the kinds of
friendship.
a. The meaning of Friendship
Friendship is a relationship in which friends spend a great deal of time
together, interact in variety of situations, exclude other from the relationships, and
provide emotional support to one another (Baron and Byrne 278). People need
friends because no one can live alone in the world. Friendship becomes the bridge
of two or more people to share something eachother through to the action and
feeling.
There are three reasons of having friends. The first is people need friend
friends to be included in some activities of others or of our own; the second is to
control and to be uncontrolled, dealing with stability and comfort in our
interactions with others; thenthird is to give and receive love, support, warmth and
with stress and uncertainty, taking care of physical needs, and even to helping us
in the development of our personality Beebe (413).
According to Blum statement that, a moral value of friendshipinvolves a
high level of development and expression of the unselfish emotions of sympathy,
care – a deep caring for others and identification with the good of another from
whom one clearly knows oneself to be clearly other (71). In social relation, people
who tried to get a friendship, they will be easier to socialize with another people.
It because they have a good emotion in order to keep their relation with others.
They will not be selfish because friendship need understanding and caring to each
other. Therefore, the human being called as a social creature.
b. Kind of Friendship
Aristotle as translated by Ostwald (218) divides friendship into three kinds.
They are; friendship based on utility, friendship based on pleasure, friendship
based on goodness. Then, in this section the researcher explains them refers to
Ostwald’s statement :
1) Friendship based on utility
This kind of friendship occurs most frequently between the elderly
because at their age what they want is not pleasure but utility. It also occurs
in people who are in their middle or early life and are also pursuing their
own advantages.
2) Friendship based on pleasure
Basically, the purpose of this friendship is talk about pleasure and fun
changes just as the things that please them and the sort of pleasure can
changes rapidly.
3) Friendship based on goodness
The characteristic of this friendship is permanent, reasonably enough,
because it is united all of the attributes that friends tough to possess. This
friendship is based on goodness, people are good to each other without
qualification. Without qualification means that a friend will do a good thing
for his or her friend without asking qualifications. They are also beneficial
to one another whatever he or she is. The kind of this friendship will last for
a long time. Moreover time and familiarity are required. It means one
cannot be a friend of another person until each partner has impressed the
other that he or she is worthy to affection, and until each person has won the
other’s confidence. Friendship based on goodness needs a long process
because it cannot built instantly.
c. The Functions of Friendship
According to Gottman and Parker (130-131), there are six important
functions to friendships. In their research, they state that when a child lacks a
function in a friendship they will experience confusion and conflict and without
comprehending the source of their frustration will lash out in a variety of ways.
This, according to Gottman and Parker, often avoids the true issue considering
friendships are the foundation of adolescent life. Gottman and Parker listed the
following six functions of friendship:
Friendship will give a chance to every person to operate their
functions to another as a friend. They will do it, when both of them do an
activity. As a friend, means someone should give and sacrifice their life in
aspect of time, energy, and even the voluntary cost to common good.
2) Stimulation
Basically, the friendship will provide a stimulus person to develop
his/her potential because of the opportunity in social situations. It means
that through friendship, a person gets interesting information, important, and
spur the potential, talent or interest to develop properly.
3) Physical support
With the physical presence of a person or a few friends, it will nurture
meaningful feelings for someone who is facing a problem. Physical
presence shows the willingness to provide time, energy or rescue that can
inspire life. That is why the sick person needs the care and compassion of a
friend or friend even if he has been attended or visited by his family.
4) Ego Support
Sometimes someone will feel stressed, down, or not excited when
faced with a problem that is quite heavy. It is as if his expertise does not
mean anything when facing the problem. Therefore, friendship provides
ego’s attention and support to a person. What a person faces is also felt,
thought, and borene by others (his best friend). With that attention, finally
and usually a person has the moral strenght and spirit of life to be able to
5) Social comparison
Friendships provide an open opportunity to express the expression of
one's capacity, competence, interests, talents, and skills. In the context of a
social interaction of friendship, a person wants to be accepted, valued,
recognized, and trusted as someone who is competent. However, in that
friendship, neither will they condemn the weaknesses of others. Thus, one
will compare himself with others. That is, others as a mirror for a person,
whether he has more ability 20 or less when compared with others. When a
person is aware of the shortcomings, he or she will be able to learn and
improve to match or be superior to others. Thus, friendship provides a
positive stimulation for one's personal development.
6) Intimacy or affection
The true sign of friendship is the sincerity, warmth, and intimacy of
one another. Individuals, there is no intention or intention to betray others
because they trust each other, respect, and respect the where abouts of
others. Both when together and when alone, each friendly individual feels
affinity, trust, and acceptance in a social group. Although there are
differences of thought, attitude or behavior, the differences are the basis for
feeling the need for emotional support and social support in order to
maintain intimacy, warmth, and intimacy.
2.3.2 Peer Group Relationship
According to the Law of the Republic of Indonesia; Number 23 Year 2002
on Children Protection, Article 1 and Paragraph 1, children is a person not yet 18
(eighteen) years of age, including a child who is still inContent. Meanwhile,
according to WHO the age limit of children is from child in the womb until Age
19 years. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Childrenadopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations On November 20, 1989 and ratified by
Indonesia in 1990, Section 1 of article 1, referred to by the child is any person
under the age of 18, except under the law applicable to the child determined that
adulthood is achieved early.(http://www.depkes.go.id/download
/infodatin-anak.pdf). Accessed on 25th May 7:54 PM.
According to the standard of WHO (World Health Organization),the
researcher tries to applying this standard to clarify the children age of Sam
McQueen and his peer, Felix Stranger. Where Sam who told as an eleven years
old boy, he still included to the children area. Also Felix who told as a thirteen
years old boy, he also stayed in children age.
b. Definition and Characteristic of Peer Group Relationship
Peer group relationship is a form of mutual relations where peer are
expected to maintain a balance (reciprocal) from the relationship. Some of the
clear manifestation of the relationship is the acceptance or rejection. Acceptance
by peers refer to the a level popularity among children, while the peer group
rejection by the peers refer to the lack of popularity among the peer group (Reitz
to give more new information outside the world of family (220). Children's
friendships have inevitable ups and downs. Yet the feelings of satisfaction and
security that most children derive from interacting with peers outweigh periodic
problems. For a number of children, however, peer relations are persistently
problematic. Some children are actively rejected by peers. Others are simply
ignored, or neglected. It even appears that some popular children have many
friends but nevertheless feel alone and unhappy. Children who are unable to form
close or satisfying relationships with peers should be of concern to parents and
teachers alike. For one thing, these children miss out on opportunities to learn
social skills that will be important throughout their lives. Especially critical are
the skills needed to initiate and maintain social relationships and to resolve social
conflicts, including communication, compromise, and tact (Asher 1982).
Furthermore, the children’s peer group relationship is very important among the
children’s area.
These children may develop little faith in their own abilities to achieve
interpersonal goals. Thus, are easily overwhelmed by the normal ups and downs
of social interaction. Implications for the children's future social and professional
adjustments are obvious. According to Asher said that children without satisfying
friendships may suffer from painful feelings of isolation (1984). School may be an
unpleasant place for the children. They may ultimately become truant or drop out
altogether (Kupersmidt 1983). Or, in their search for a sense of group belonging,
the children may become vulnerable to the influence of delinquent or
adolescence times. One of the most obvious changes in adolescence is that the
relation around the that this decreased frequency of contact with family does not
mean that family closeness has assumed less importance for the adolescent
(O’Koon 32).
In fact, family closeness and attachment has recently been confirmed as the
most important factor associated with not smoking, less use of alcohol and other
drugs, later initiation of sexual intercourse, and fewer suicide attempts among
adolescents (Resnick, Bearman, &Blum et al., 1997). In youth, they are together
to form their own culture; social pressures within the peer group increase,
gradually eclipsing that exerted by adults. Similar claims of declining parental
influence accompany theories of parent de idealization (Blos 23). According to
this view, identity development and individuation require youth to separate from
their parents.
As adolescents recognize that parents arenot infallible, they increasingly
question andresist parent influence attempts. This creates an influence vacuum,
which tends to be filled by peers. But other scholars have noted that influence is
not necessarily a zero-sum proposition. According to this view, parent influence is
not necessarily tied to peer influence (Brittain 28). If absolute levels of influence
are unrelated across relationships, change in influence accorded to one
relationship does not necessarily prompt change in influence accorded to another.
It follows that when peers become more influential, parents do not necessarily
become less influential. In other words, the influence of parents may not decline
relative to that of peers. A more nuanced version of this model holds that
developmental changes in influence are domain specific (Kandel & Lesser, 1972).
Different developmental patterns of influence may arise for different out comes.
For instance, Peer influence may increase over matters such as attire but not over
matters such as future career aspirations.
c. The Role of Peer Groups and Peer Relationships in
PersonalityDevelopment
Group socialization theory (Harris, 1995) is one of the few approaches that
explicitly consider the role of peers in personality development. As outlined
before, it posits that with children’s advancing age, socialization in peer groups
becomes an increasingly important determinant of personality development that
accounts, for example, in large parts for personality differences between siblings.
Even though siblings may as well experience environmental differences within the
family (called unique niches or microenvironments; Dunn & Plomin, 1990),
birth-order studies and studies that included children with and without siblings suggest
that intrafamiliar influences cannot fully account for the observed non-genetic
differences that make siblings different (Bleske-Rechek & Kelley, 2014; Harris,
2000). Group socialization theory proposes that siblings who grow up in the same
family become different from each other not only because 50% of their genes
differ, but also because they belong to different peer groups (Harris, 1995).
Building on Harris (1995) and in view of the previous review that sustained
substantial share of variance in lifespan personality development. In particular, we
suggest that the distinction between social group (i.e., group-level) and dyadic
relationship perspectives (i.e., relationship-level) is essential for understanding
peer effects on personality development. Peer group processes of within-group
assimilation lead to peer group members’ personalities becoming more similar
over time; at the same time, between-group differences increase. Nevertheless,
peer group members also differ in their personality development, which is driven
by unique dyadic relationship experiences. In the following sections, we will first
address group-level effects and elaborate on how peer group processes account for
betweengroup differences. We will then turn to relationship-level effects and
delineate how specific dyadic relationship experiences determine individual
differences within peer groups. We will conclude with examples that illustrate
future research prospects that capitalize on the integration of both research
perspectives.
2.4 Previous Studies
Actually, the novel Ways to Live Forever include on new category in the
English department. So, still there is no thesis which conducted by this novel.
However, the researcher found only one thesis which has talked about novel Ways
to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls from other major. The researcher put it as
previous study. The researcher also found one thesis using the same theory but
1. The thesis entitled “Perancangan Visual Komik dari Novel “Ways to Live
Forever- Setelah Aku Pergi”by Rizky Fergi Pradipta (2011) from Visual
Communication Design of Multimedia and Communication department
Binus University Jakarta. He used novel Ways to Live Foreverby Sally
Nichols to explained how the author wrote the plot through to the visual
design.
2. The thesis entitled “The Effect of Family Condition on Krystal Weedon’s
Character Reflected in J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy” by Fathatun
Ni’mah (2016) from English Department Faculty of Letters and Humanities
State Islamic University Sunan Ampel Surabaya. This thesis focuses on
analyzing Krystal Weedon’s family life and the problem in her family. The
aim of this thesis is to explain some effects of Krystal Weedon’s family
condition toward her character. The writer uses New Criticism as the main
theory and B.F. Skinner’s theory as psychology approach to analyze
Krystal Weedon’s behavior.
Based on both of thesis above, the researcher has found similar novel will
used to this research from thesis“Perancangan Visual Komik dari Novel “Ways to
Live Forever- Setelah Aku Pergi” by Rizky Fergi Pradipta. The researcher also
found similarity theories will used to this research from thesis“The Effect of
Family Condition on Krystal Weedon’s Character Reflected in J.K. Rowling’s The
Casual Vacancy” by Fathatun Ni’mah (2016). However, the researcher will uses
characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen before he meets with Felix, thenhowis
friendship between Sam and Felix described in this novel. Also what arethe
CHAPTER III
The Effect of Friendship on Sam Oliver McQueen’s Character in Sally
Nicholls`s Ways to Live Forever
This chapter analyzes the data which refer to the research problems in
chapter 1. The researcher analyzes the novel Ways to Live Forever in three parts.
The first part, the researcher discusses the characterization of Sam before he met
Felix, then the description of friendship between Sam McQueen and Felix
Stranger. Here, the researcher applies New Criticism and the concept of friendship
from Aristotle to describe a whole of friendship’s condition between Sam and
Felix. The last part is discussion on effect of Sam and Felix friendship toward
Sam’s character. The researcher applies psychology approach from B.F Skinner,
to reveal the changing character of Sam. The data are from the form of paragraph,
the conversation among the characters, or in direct and indirect quotation from the
utterances of the author.
1.1 The Characterization of Sam Oliver McQueen Before Meets Felix Stranger
To emphazise the readers understand and get clear description on
character’s personality, an author can follow nine ways of characterization which
are described by Murphy (161-171), such as; personal descriptions, character as
seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of each others, reaction, direct
characterization of Sam, who becomes the center discussion in the novel. It can be
seen by the domination of Sam’s character in the whole story, because the form of
Ways to Live Forever novel is like a private diary belonging to Sam McQueen. In
this part the researcher focused to Sam’s character before he met Felix and got the
effects from his friendship, as Robert DiYanni said that, from the beginning until
the end of the story a major character is called dynamic character because they are
changing (55). The characterization of Sam in this novel show by some parts,
such as:
Sam lives with a family who love him very much. They are; Sam’s mum
whowas very strong and sensitive toward her son, Sam’s daddy who was very
quiet and a little stiff but in fact he was very care toward his son’s condition, a
younger sister named Ella, who was an annoying girl which sometimes becomes a
good girl, and Sam’s grandmother who was always warm with Sam. In Ways to
Live Forever Sam was described as an eleven years old boy who got leukemia
since he was six years old. He has got leukemia in three times, including when he
has met Felix. Leukemia is a dangerous disease for a child as old as Sam
McQueen. In this condition, Sam must adapted with his condition and also his
environment. One of the way to adaptation with his condition, Sam tried to find
out what is leukemia exactly. It can be found on the paragraph below;
Based on the paragraph above, the researcher concluded that the people who
get leukemia must keep their lives away from some painful things, as like;
collision, injury of slice and also they can not doing many activities hardly to
avoid worse condition. They should stay with the medicines and have bed rest
during their medicinal treatment like chemotherapy. It was the same with Sam in
his experience about leukemia. He thought that this condition is still mysterious
for him, start from the first time he got leukemia and how he should accept this
bad destiny with chemotherapy and any medicines. He was considered as a strong
child when he thought to face this disease. He must go to the hospital to get a
chemotherapy for a month and had to take many pills in long times.
I’ve had it three times,including now. The first time was when I was
six. I was in hospital having chemotherapy for a month and I had to take pills for ages afterwards. But they thought they’d cured it, for sure.
It came back again when I was ten. That’s when I met Felix. They gave me the chemotherapy drugs then as well and my hair fell out again and everything. And they thought they’d cured it then too. Well, kind of. (49-50)
It becomes obvious that Sam’s leukemia always came back again in his life.
He must go to trough this situation with many healing efforts. And because of the
leukemia, Sam becomes a weak boy. Sam had to go to private school a long time
ago. This is because Sam has a very weak physical condition. If he tried do the
severe things, he will got nosebleed suddenly. This also indicated that Sam feeling
quickly.Then, Sam decided that he don’t want to go back school again. It was
expressed when Sam talked to his father below;
“If you’re putting that much effort into your homework, don’t you think it’s time you went back to school? That poor woman’s been coming out here long enough.”
“I like Mrs Willis, “I said quickly. I don’t want to go back to school. The kids all stare and ask questions. Like: “How come you get to go
home when you tired?” Or: “How sick are you really?” (Nichols 28).
However, behind his condition, Sam has his own ways to pass his days. One
of them iscreates some fantastic stories about his life. Besides the fact of his
disease, he also tried to learns of how science has the role to his life, and he also
has many wishes to make about death. That is why Sam becomes an imaginative
boy and curious about the fact of death. As the quotation below;
“Do you believe in demons?”
“Demons?” said Granny. “You mean with horns and pitchforks?” “No,” I said.
“Absolute rubbish.” Granny firmly.
“But you believe in ghosts and things,” I said.
“There’s no point in inventing devils to be scared of,” Said Granny very strenly
“We’ve enough real things to worry about without making up more for ourselves.”
“Right,” I said “And I wasn’t scared. I only wondered.” (Nichols 46
-47).
In the situation above, Sam tried to think about the thing which still makes
him imagine about something living in his body and making him do creepy stuff.
It happened after he get inspired by the real story of demons after a person died in
have covered in this situation. In this part, Sam always tried to takes the answers
about his curious feeling to Granny.
He also has the same character with his father. That is a quite person. As
the explanation below.
...Dad’s just quiet, like me. He’s shy.When it’s just our family, he’s no
quiet... He just doesn’t like it when there’re loads of people in the house, like now when they keep coming to visit us.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I wish I could go and hide sometimes too. (Nichols 18)
Father is the important figure who is giving affection and love. He becomes
the example for his family, especially to his child. He is the first teacher who
teaches his child in any times and situations since his child was born. Therefore, at
least the character of a child can not stand away from the father’s character. It also
happened to Sam character. It was proved that Sam has the same character like his
father.Sam tends to be a quiet character and always leaves the crowd just like his
father.
In this novel, Sam isalso characterized as a boy who loves to collect the
facts about his life. He made the lists of difficult to answer by older. Almost his
questions include as the critical questions. As like an excerpt below;
Based on Sam’s speech above, the researcher found the indication that Sam
was counted as a critical person. He thought that there is no one can answer his
complex questions. It was expressed trough his curious feeling toward detail of
his death or other questions related to his life.
Even, in eleven years old, a child like Sam Oliver was characterized as a
brilliant dreamer. It was more press of the argument that Sam wants to be a
scientist who does something unusual. It becomes the indication that Sam is really
a smart child. Here's the excerpt in the page of 7.
If I grow up, I’m going to be a scientist. Not the sort that mixes chemicals together, but the sort that investigates UFOs and ghosts and things like that. ... I’m going to find out the answers to all the
questions that nobody answers. (Nichols 7)
In addition, he has other dreams to make various things before he died.
However, in fact Sam cannot make his dreams come true. He only wrote his
dreams into a diary. Those all are very boring for him. It was concluded that Sam
needs an external stimulation to help his dreams comes true. Finally, he met Felix
Stranger at the hospital. Felix was older than Sam. He was thirteen years old
boy.He also got the same cancer like Sam. Whereas his character was contrary to
Sam’s character. Felix was a brave boy who has many ideas about the new and
absurd things. As following the quotation below;
Based on the quotation above, indicated in Sam’s mind Felixcharacterized
brave to do anything appropriate to the his mind in real situation. Even he was not
afraid to face the death. It becomes the indications that Felix has a role to
influence Sam’s life.
1.2 The Description of Friendship Between Sam McQueen and Felix Stranger
Baron and Byren said that, friendship is a relationship in which friends
spend a great deal of time together, interact in variety of situations, exclude other
from the relationships, and provide emotional support to one another (278). As
one of creation of God, every human needs friends. Therefore, human being is
called social creature because no people can live alone without friends. It is likely
in a friendship. In every life of a person, he or she needs friendship to share
anything. It happens eitherin happy or difficult situations. Those all because
friendship has the role which can make human’s life more colorful and valuable.
In addition, a person with friendship will be feeling useful to another person.
It is similar with Sam and Felix. They were getting along in a friendship
together very intimately. It also made Sam’s life becomes more colorful during
friendship with Felix indirectly. Basically, Felix’s character was very contrary to
Sam’s character. In this part the researcher describes the friendship of Sam and
Felix focusing to the kind of their friendship and the function of their friendship as
functions to friendships. They state that when a child lacks a function in a
friendship they will experience confusion and conflict and without
comprehending the source of their frustration will lash out in a variety of
ways.Those functions :Companionship, Stimulation, Physical support, Ego
support, Social comparison and Intimacy or affection.Based on the concept of
frienship from Aristotle, the researcher has proved that the friendship between
Sam and Felix is categorized as friendship based on goodness. As the result, it can
be seen from their relationship. Such as; they are benefit to one another, they
please to one another, they also care to one another.
1.2.1 Benefit to One Another
1) Sam to Felix
One of the function of friendship is Companionship. It mean that friendship
will give a chance to every person to operate their functions to another as a friend.
They will do it, when both of them do an activity. As a friend, means someone
should give and sacrifice their life in aspect of time, energy, and even the
voluntary cost to common good (Gottman and Parker 130). This function was
described when the first time Sam met Felix. In this part, Samstarted his function
as a friend who gives and sacrifice his time and energy to help Felix getting the
cigarettes. There are some funny actions when Sam stays in this situations. It
happened last year, when Sam was in a hospital for six whole weeks. There has
been a couple days when he met Felix in the hospital. It was evening and Sam was
bored and also tired and sort of heavy because of his disease. He only looked into
the corridor and was looking at the fuzzy reflections of the lights on hospital floor.
Suddenly, there was a boy who was older than him went past in a wheelchair,
precisely in front of Sam’s corridor room.At the first time he met Sam, Felix has
taken Sam’s attention with his attitude. As the paragraph below;
He was acting like a spy too. He wheeled himself to the end of the corridor where the nurse’s station was. Then he peered around the corner, just quickly. Then he reserved back into my corridor. Then he did the same thing again...
I reckoned he was putting it out, mostly, because he really didn’t need to do all that forwards-and-backwardsing just to look round a corner. I leaned forward in bed, wondering what he was going to do next. (Nicholls 32).
Based on the paragraph above, Sam described Felix as a silly boy. It could
be found from Felix’s attitude and his appearance. He did something childish by
playing role as a spy in a hospital. Sam thought that Felix really didn’t need to do
it all. Besides, Sam was very curious with what Felix was going to do next. Sam
kept staring at him very seriously. He was bending over his back to Felix and
waiting what the next Felix doing. However, Sam saw Felix was gone from Sam’s
corridor quietly.
He’d only been gone half a minute when he came back, reversing
frantically. Only this time he he came right up to my room and in through the door. He scrabbled for the door-edge with fingers, caught it, and flung it back.
I went shy. Felix didn’t. Felix isn’t ever shy. I would never have barged into some strange kid’s room without asking, but he wasn’t bothered at all. (Nicholls 33)
At Sam’s first impression, Felix was indicated as a boy who has no rules. It
was looked from his ways to met Sam in Sam’s room. Without permission he
came to the other’s room directly, although Felix was older than Sam. It becomes
one of evidences that Felix has different behavior from Sam. Sam still has the
manner on how to met somebody else but Felix does not.
“Why’re you hiding?” I said.
“I am going to the shop,” said the boy. He fumbled in the cloth pocket on the side of his wheelchair and pulled something out,... It was a packet of cigarettes.
“Where did you get those from?” I said, staring.
“The machine in my uncle’s pub,” he said. “Only I’m out and I? Want some more.” He put the empty packet lovingly back into the pocket. “If I can get past them,”-he jerked his head towards the nurses’
station- “then maybe I could get someone downstraits to buy me
some. You know, tell them my last dying wish on earth is for a cigarette.”He grinned at me, daring me to say something. (Nicholls 33-34)
In this situation, Sam saw Felix with a face that still looks like a spy. Felix
claims to be looking for an opportunity for a mission to go to the store but Felix
can not got past the nurses in front of the corridor. At that moment, Felix opened
his hand and it was a pack of cigarettes. With his whiny accent, Felix wishes that
he wants to buy a new pack of cigarettes before he died. Then, from here Sam
After passing through some conversations with Felix, Sam finally helps
Felix to bought the cigarettes for Felix. Then they decided to go outside. They
assume that this situation was like a game. The nurses in the corridor were just
enemies for them, whereas Felix and Sam were resistant forces. In their journey,
they met some people in the corridor of the hospital. Then they asked help to
some people in there. Firstly, Sam and Felix were difficult to get the helping
from people in the corridor of hospital. However with Felix’s braveness, Sam
and Felix got cigarettes.With such a childish style, Sam is feeling happy so
much to help Felix in this mission. As like the quote,We had great fun trying to
get people to buy Felix cigarettes (Nicholls 35).From there it can be identified
that Sam starts to believe and finds his comfort zone with Felix.Sam thought that
Felix was a boy who brave to get risks, funny and also encourage boy to do
anything which doesn’t make sense. As the reaction from the whole of story
when Sam met Felix in the first time.
Then the researchers found the indication of benefit to one another from
Sam and Felix in the situation above. As Aristotle said that one characteristic of
friendship which is based on goodness is benefit to one another (220).In this
case is portrayal trough toSam’s efforts and times to help Felix to find a
cigarette. In other way, Sam also got the energy and motivations to do something
new and also he can express his happiness from Felix in one time. Although, it
was seem so childish. So, from there it was indicated that Felix Stranger will be
McQueen. It was because Felix was a boy who more loves with actions than the
imagination.
2) Felix to Sam
The function of Companionship also was described when Felix helped Sam
realized the wish to be a teenager. In this part was started when Sam came to
Felix’s house. In this situation, Sam told Felix that he was very confused and
hesitated to wrote a list of his wishes. Sam just thought that to be a teenager was
stupid thing to put in his diary. He thought that it was something impossible to do.
However, Felix said that being a teenager is not impossible for Sam. With his
style, Felix tried to convince Sam that he will help Sam to make Sam’s list to be
real. As in the quotation below;
“What?” said Felix. He was watching me.
“Nothing,” I said. Then, “I was just thinking about my list. ‘Be a teenager’.” I hesitated. “It was a stupid one to put.”
“Cheer up! The most important bit is doing the things, really, isn’t it? Go drinking and smoking and have a girlfriend.” He fumbled in the pocket on his chair and began pulling things out. A mobile phone, a fisful of Starburst wrappers and a map of Newcastle(Nicholls 82).
In this part, it looks that Felix has tried to give the spirit for helping Sam
believe that he can be a normal teenager. Felix showed his position as a friend
who give spirit for his friend. Then, it is indicated that the function of Ego
Support is also applied in their friendship.As like Gottman and Parker (131) said
that Sometimes someone will feel stressed, down, or not excited when faced with
a problem that is quite heavy. It is as if his expertise does not mean anything when
person. What a person faces is also felt, thought, and borne by others (his best
friend). With that attention, finally and usually, a person has the moral strength
and spirit of life to be able to solve the problem as well as possible. But, it can be
said that Felix’s ways are very naughty to do by children. Those are the things
what a teenager usually does like : smoking cigarettes, invited Sam to go pub, and
asked Sam to kiss a girl.
“What are you doing?” I said suspiciously.
“Making all your wishes come true,” said Felix. He found a crumpled and pulled one out.
“Here.”
I took the cigarette from him and held it between my first two fingers , the way smokers. I hesitated, then put it to my mouth and sucked. It tasted of hot and bitter and smoke.
“Like?” he said.
“It’s all right,” I said warkwardly. I was going to say smoking gives you cancer, then I realized what a stupid thing it was to say (Nicholls 82-83).
In the situation above Felix began influence Sam to do things that Sam did
not like. That was smoking. Where in the conversation above, Sam has different
thought with Felix. Felix thought that it was a fun thing to do for children. Instead,
Sam thought that smoking was not good for human’s health. But in fact, Sam
received the cigarette provided by Felix and smoked a cigarette like a teenager.
Felix also invited Sam to go the pub. This pub belongs to Felix’s uncle. When
they arrived in there, Felix and Sam meet up with Felix's cousin. she is Kayleigh.
Directly, Felix went to the pub and told Kayleigh to prepare alcohol for himself
“Sam wants to know what it’s like going out drinking. Haven’t you got anything interesting we could have?”
“We’ve got lost of things,” she said. “There are loads of bottles Dad never uses all along the top shelf. D’you want one of them?”
“Depends what it is,” I said cautiously. “Creme de menthe...that’s
mint...creme de cacao..that’s coffee, I think, or chocolate... cherry
brandy...”
“That’s cherry, “ said Felix unhelpfully. “That’s nice –have some of
that one.”
I would never go into someone else’s pub and start serving them drinks, but Kayleigh was as fearless as Felix. “Go on, then,” said Felix, reaching up for his cherry brandy.I took the shot glass and sniffed at it.. then it was gone. “Well?” said Felix.
“Yeah,” I said. (Nicholls 86-87)
Here, Felix and his cousin are described as fearless people.The conversation
above indicated that Felix tried to change Sam’s character who was fear with the
sensitive thing like drinking alcohol becomes fearless to try it. Felix more shows
his position as a good friend for Sam. In the last, Felix tried to help Sam for
realizing the last wish for being a teenager. That is kissing a girl.
“That’s two teenage things down,” said Felix. He looked up at Keyligh.. “And one to go.”
I knew exactly what he was thinking. “No!” I said.
“What?” “No way!”
“Oh, shut up,” Felix leaned forward in his chair. “Hey, Kayleigh.” “Yes sir.”
“If I dared you to do something, would you do it?” “It depends what is it.”
“You’ve got to kiss Sam. Properly. On the mouth.” “Felix!”
Kayleigh started giggling.
“This is nothing to do with me,” I told her. “ It’s all his idea.” “Shut up. Will you do it, Kayleigh?”
“No! I mean, no! Not with you watching!”
