EXISTENTIALISM AS REVEALED IN SOPHIE’S JOURNEY
TO REALITY IN JOSTEIN GAARDER’S
SOPHIE’S WORLD
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
M. FRANCIS GARRY
Student Number: 014214083
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
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DON’T STARE AT THE SKY
v
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma :
Nama : M. FRANCIS GARRY
Nomor Mahasiswa : 014214083
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
EXISTENTIALISM AS REVEALED IN SOPHIE’S JOURNEY TO
REALITY IN JOSTEIN GAARDER’S
SOPHIE’S WORLD
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikankepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya di Internet atau media lainuntuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupaunmemberikan royalty kepada saya sela mA tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagaipenulis.
Demikian pernyatan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 29 September 2008
Yang menyatakan
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I thank Allah SWT for all the abilities and chances I have in this
universe. My gratitude goes to my beloved parents for the greatest love they have
given. I thank my mother for all the beautiful lessons of love she gave me in my
life. I thank my two little sisters for their love and sharing. I also thank my lovely
Ambar for giving me her love, advice, and courage.
I would like to thank Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for being patient,
guiding me as I prepared this thesis and also for my co-advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny
Anggraini, M.A. as she guided me trough the final submission. I would like to
thank my lecturer and friend, Maria Ananta Tri Suryandari, S.S., M.Ed. who
frequently challenged me during my final years in the university. I would also like
to thank my academic advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum., who directed me
for the period of these years. I also thank Dr. P. Hary Susanto, S.J., for the precious
discussions we have done. Finally, I really thank to Dr. Fr. B. Alip, M.Pd., M.A.,
who helped and gave me many chances for my study in the university.
I would like to thank all my friends in the Department of English Letters
Sanata Dharma University: Imbik, Wawan/KardiMan, Yosep, Fariz, Ian, Endra,
Obed, Nova, Sigit, Bima, Wisnu, Farah, Fredy, Sindha, Erna, Dita, Ian, Sandi, Tito,
Dian, and all of 2001 folks. I thank them for the true friendship they have given to
me. I also thank the Bunguls: Ari, Andika, Parjo, Risky, for their friendship. Deep
in my heart, I thank Ka Masrani for giving me a new encouragement in my life.
Last, but certainly not least, I thank all English Letters’ Lecturers and USD
staff, friends, relatives, and all people that I cannot mention one by one whose help
is very significant in the process of this undergraduate thesis writing.
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2. Theories on Existentialism ………... 12
3. Theories on Moral Relativism ………. 15
4. The Interrelation between Literature and Philosophy ………. 17
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ABSTRACT
M. FRANCIS GARRY. Existentialism as Revealed in Sophie’s Journey to Reality in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
Sophie’s World is a kind of a story within a story. The story is written by Albert Knag with a purpose to give it as a birthday gift for her daughter, Hilde. It begins when the character, named Sophie, gets a letter which is inscribed the question: Who are you? The sender is Alberto Knox who, later, will guide her to find her own truth and reality in her existent world. Then, Sophie gets more questions and discussions about philosophy. Sophie tries to be free from Knag’s mind which means that she has to go out from the book. The struggle to find her freedom is discussed in this study. The aspects of existentialism are described in the story along with Sophie’s journey to find the meaning of her life.
This thesis is intended to discuss about the character development, freedom of choice, and philosophical movement in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. First, the writer tries to find out what sort of character is depicted in Sophie’s personality as the major character in the novel. Second, the writer tries to understand why Sophie wants to go out to the reality, the reality that she wants, and examining some philosophical movements that influence her to do this action. Third, the writer tries to find out the aspects of existentialism that are revealed by Sophie’s journey to the reality.
Library research was used in analyzing the story. The writer also used philosophical approach and took existentialism as the main focus to the study. The concept of freedom of choice, subjective truth, and moral relativism were discussed here.
The findings of this study are: First, the characteristics of Sophie are inquisitive, spirited, opinionated, and critical. Second, it reveals the causes of why Sophie wants to go to the reality. The influence comes from Alberto Knox’s lesson about philosophy and some extraordinary events which stimulate her to consider her thought about freedom. Third, it reveals the aspects of existentialism such as the subjectivity of the truth, defining the reality, and individual choice with its moral standard within. Everyone has their own vision about something. It shows that everyone has their own truth. This standpoint has moral standard as responsibility which means we are responsible for ourselves and for everyone because of the interconnection matters. Our freedoms are limited by others who also have freedoms. We are parts of an enormous power which works this universe. We search and try to solve the same problem in sailing the universe. We ask about the meaning of life.
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ABSTRAK
M. FRANCIS GARRY. Existentialism as Revealed in Sophie’s Journey to Reality in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.
Sophie’s World adalah sebuah jenis cerita berbingkai. Cerita ini dikarang oleh Albert Knag dengan tujuan untuk diberikan sebagai sebuah hadiah ulang tahun bagi anak perempuannya yang bernama Hilde. Cerita dimulai ketika seorang karakter bernama Sophie menerima sebuah surat yang bertuliskan pertanyaan:
Siapakah kamu? Sang pengirim bernama Alberto Knox, yang mana nanti akan membimbing Sophie untuk menemukan kebenaran dan kenyataan yang bersifat pribadi di kehidupan nyatanya. Setelah itu Sophie mendapatkan lebih banyak lagi pertanyaan-pertanyaan dan diskusi-diskusi tentang filsafat. Sophie mencoba untuk membebaskan dirinya dari dalam pikiran Knag yang artinya dia harus keluar dari dalam buku cerita itu. Perjuangan Sophie untuk mencari kebebasan dibahas dalam karya ini. Aspek-aspek existensialisme dijabarkan dalam cerita ini bersama dengan perjalanan Sophie untuk me ncari arti hidupnya.
Tesis ini bermaksud untuk mendiskusikan perkembangan tokoh, kebebasan memilih, dan perjalanan secara filsafat dalam Sophie’s World karya Jostein Gaarder. Pertama, adalah untuk mengetahui jenis tokoh yang seperti apa yang digambarkan dalam pribadi Sophie sebagai tokoh utama dalam novel. Kedua, adalah untuk mengerti sebab keinginan Sophie menuju kenyataan yang dia inginkan dan me mpelajari beberapa perjalanan filsafat yang mempengaruhinya untuk melakukan tindakannya. Ketiga, adalah untuk mengetahui aspek-aspek existesialisme yang diangkat dari perjalanan Sophie menuju kenyataan.
Penelitian dalam perpustakaan dilakukan untuk menganalisa cerita ini. Penulis juga menggunakan pendekatan filsafat dan memilih existensialisme sebagai fokus utama dalam karya ini. Konsep dari kebebasan memilih, kebenaran yang subyektif, dan relatifitas moral dibahas di sini.
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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
A literary work is not created from an inexistent situation. It means that
there are many aspects that can influence the birth of literary works. Some
historical backgrounds or philosophical backgrounds can be the possible ones to
make the works created. Those things can give many perceptions and help us to
reveal many problems even if it is a very sma ll one that we cannot realize easily.
William Barret, in his work Irrational Man, gives Sartre’s view about
literature: “…literature is a mode of action, an act of the writer’s freedom that
seeks to appeal to the freedom of other individuals and eventually to the total free
collective of mankind” (Barret, 1962: 250). The statement is taken from Sartre’s
What is Literature. It is obvious that literary works are related to and are
influenced by the writer’s background and we can analyze many problems inside
it in certain circumstances.
Another meaning of literature is written by Wellek and Warren in their
book, Theory of Literature. They state that literature is a social institution that
uses a social condition and uses language as its medium (1956: 94). What they
want to discuss is about using social creations to represent social reality in order
to gain knowledge about social reality. Furthermore they write that a literary work
does not only please the readers, but also gives them a kind of knowledge (1956:
Graham Little writes in his book Approach to Literature that literature
functions as a representation of the situation and thoughts happening in certain
setting of time, and place (1963: 1). From literary works we can observe the
structure of certain society and notice how human being is treated. We can know
the conditions of the society and, thus, know how to deal with the problems.
A novel by Jostein Gaarder is narrating about the character, named Sophie
Amundsen, who wants to find the reality and understand her own existence in the
world. The story explains about the history of philosophy which is narrated in
simple ways but has deep meanings. This book was the first international best
seller at that time and was republished many times. It had also been known as The
New York Time bestseller. Sophie, as the major character, tries to reveal about her
existing world, her aim to live in the world. Many questions have been given by
her teacher, Alberto Knox, in order to guide her inquiries about the world she
lives in.
The book is a book within the book which means the story of Sophie is
written by another writer inside Sophie’s World itself. It is written by Albert
Knag, the brain behinds Sophie ’s and Knox’s existence. He writes the story about
Sophie as a birthday gift to his daughter Hilde. The content is about philosophical
journey and movement that Sophie experienced. When Sophie knows about her
own existence that she is just a pawn of Knag, who has power to control
everything in her world, she is shocked and decides to get out from it. She tries to
get her freedom with Knox as her teacher. Many philosophical lessons have been
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book Irrational Man writes Plato’s explanation about philosophy. He wrote:
“Philosophy is the soul’s search for salvation, which means for Plato deliverance
from the suffering and evils of the natural world” (1962: 5). Sophie chooses her
own way in order to find her own salvation in her real world and nobody can
stand on her way to find it.
The writer finds it interesting to discuss about the character of Sophie, her
reason why she wants to find her own freedom and the values of existentialism
that are described in the story. The writer analyzes this novel based on
existentialist perspective since the concept of freedom of choice is deeply issued
in exis tentialism. The freedom of choice is the basic matter of human rights which
every person has to obey, respect, and have it with all kind of responsibilities they
have.
Everybody wants to make changes in his life into the better situation. It is
natural behavior and we have to accept that as the matter of human rights. Many
choices are faced to be chosen in our daily life with different characteristic and
qualities. Whether we know the answers or not, it is relevant that we are gaining
our quality of life along with our journey in life if we define ourselves. Sartre’s
point about it is written by Kaufmann. He says that if man as the existentialist sees
him is not definable, it is because to begin with he is nothing. He will not be
anything until later, and then he will be what he makes of himself. It is not just
simply what he conceives himself, but about what he wills (Kaufmann, 1965:
In Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World, there are many ideas that are
revealed by Knox in order to make Sophie understand s about the existing world.
Knox tries to guide Sophie to find her own freedom and be responsible for her
own choices. James A. Gould and Willis H. Truitt in Existentialist Philosophy
state:
“If existence really does precede essence, there is no explaining things away by reference to a fixed and given human nature. In other words, there is no determinism, man is free, man is freedom. … That is the idea I shall try to convey when I say that man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, yet, in other respects is free; because, once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does” (1973: 34).
Human mind is free and people are responsible for their own passion, the passion
that comes from mind. Mind is the source of human acts, the acts that human is
responsible with.
At first glance, the writer was not really interested in this book. But, after
reading the beginning chapter, the writer finds that it is a good book to read. It
tells about the history of philosophy from the ancient Greek until nowadays with
brief explanations but challenges us to think deeply. Sophie’s character gives
reflections to the writer about the world where he lives and helps to understand in
where he stands in his own existing world. That is why the writer is eager to
analyze Sophie’s journey to reality in Jostein Gardeer’s Sophie’s World in
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B. Problem Formulation
In order to have a thorough analysis, this thesis focus on the problems stated
below:
1. What sort of character is Sophie?
2. Why does Sophie want to go out to reality?
3. What aspects of existentialism are revealed by Sophie’s journey to reality?
C. Objectives of the Study
This thesis attempts to discuss about the character development, freedom
of choice, and philosophical movement in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. The
objectives of the study are represented as follows.
First, the writer tries to find out what sort of character is depicted in
Sophie’s personality as the major character in the novel. In this discussion the
writer will identify Sophie’s character development from the beginning until the
end as she makes her own decisions in her life.
Second, the writer tries to understand why Sophie wants to go out to the
reality, the reality that she wants. In this discussion the writer will analyze some
philosophical movements that influence Sophie’s choice to go out to the reality.
Third, the writer tries to find out the aspects of existentialism that are
revealed by Sophie’s journey to the reality. The writer tries to identify the aspects
D. Definition of Term
Since this study focus on the issue of existentialism in the character’s
journey, there is a need to explain about what is existentia lism according to the
title Existentialism as Revealed in Sophie’s Journey to Reality in Jostein
Gaarder’s “Sophie’s World”. Sophie’s journey in the story mostly contains this
kind of philosophy in her aim to get the main purpose.
William F. Lawhead, in The Philosophical Journey, states that
existentialism is a philosophical movement that believes in the priority of
subjective choosing over objecting reasoning, concrete experience over
intellectual abstractions, individuality over mass culture, human freedom over
determinism, and authentic living over inauthenticity. There is a number of
themes that all existentialist thought because he believes that there is no common
list of doctrines to which all the existentialist subscribe and he explains that
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
John Elson states “what you get is an improbable international bestseller”.
Sophie’s World was written by a schoolteacher for teens and young adults. It is
also something like a modern-day versio n of Through the Looking Glass. By
comparing the two texts, what can we get from the text of Sophie’s World?
What John Elson wants to say is that the story, Sophie’s World, is just a kind of
repetition from the latest identical story, Through the Looking Glass. That is why
he wrote that the book is not for anyone (http://www.timemagazine.com/review of
sophie’s world).
Reviewing Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World, John Elson in his
“Looking-Glass Philosophy” writes that:
Gaarder, who is married and the father of two sons ages 10 and 18, teaches at a high school in Oslo. He wrote Sophie's World to fill a gap. Stores were full of New Age pap and other mystical mush, but there were no books that would introduce young people to serious philosophy. By trying to blend fantasy with head-cracking summaries of deep thought, Gaarder feared that he had "sat down between two stools. But I was mistaken. Sophie's World fell on top of all the stools” (http://www.stjohns-chs.org/general_studies/philosophy/TIME'SREVIEWOFSOPHIE/TIMES OPHIE.html).
Elson wants to tell that the certain text is for no one. It cannot go further than a
Richard Gehr made a review about the certain issues of existentialism in
Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. He writes about the lack of quality about the
philosophical questions within the book. He states:
“Gaarder's book is a philosophical Idea, whose clean lines and slick marketing offer a one-size- fits-all coziness masking the bitter ideological rivalries and utter radicalism characterizes so much of the field's history. On the other hand, any Sophie's World reader inspired to further investigation will collide with all that soon enough, which suggests an even more provocative sequel”(http://www.google.co.id/review of Sophie's World, by Jostein Gaarder (Richa rd Gehr)).
Steven Wu has given more review about what he saw in Sophie’s World.
He writes that Sophie’s World is a curious book and a much-simplified but
well-written exposition of the history of Western philosophy, covering many of the
major thinkers and providing capsule summaries of their major thoughts
(http://www.scwu.com/bookreviews/). Wu sees Sophie’s World as a summary of
the history of western philosophy with a good expositio n within. It has a good plot
to explain briefly about western philosophy. Every philosopher has a major
thought, and, in Wu opinion, Gaarder presents an excellent overview when he
draws major thoughts of every philosopher, especially when he draws connections
between philosophers.
On contrary, Wu questions about Gaarder’s presentation of philosophy
about women. The problem is the ordinate amount of time Gaarder spends talking
about women, women’s issues, and women’s place in philosophy.
9
exploring an interesting aspect of the philosopher's thinking (http://www.scwu.com/bookreviews/).
Jostein Gaarder has another work and the title is The Solitaire Mystery.
The Solitaire Mystery is a story about twelve-year-old Hans Thomas and his father
set out by car from Norway to search for Hans Thomas' mother in Greece, he is
unaware that his life will be changed forever. Gaarder, once again, writes a novel
about philosophy with a story plot inside which has intentions to give simple
explanations and interpretations about philosophy and he has a good ability to do
such kind of works (www.readinggroupguides.com/thesolitairemystery). From his
two works, it is conspicuous that Jostein Gaarder mostly writes some
philosophical story for his works.
It is obvious that the writers, who present some reviews, tend to give the
opposites perceptions about what Gaarder wants to reveal. According to Richard
Gehr, the text is so brief if we talks about the history of the philosophy in a whole.
But, it is a novel about the history of philosophy and it gives another world to see
and feel about the fiction that has been made. Otherwise, the target readers are for
general readers and Gaarder has good intuition to build this story. With all of the
problems, characters, and plots within, the text is not just what so called a skillful
performance. It gives another perceptions and stimulates a more broad point of
view about the existing world where we live. In this undergraduate thesis, the
writer will focus in the idea of free will as a part of human existence. This study is
different from other studies since the writer analyzes Sophie’s World based on
philosophical approach that gives a deep discussion about free will, truth, and
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theories of Character
Character in a literary work is ve ry important, so that the reader can
understand the story. Therefore, the theories of character are needed. Richard Gill
writes about character in his book, Mastering English Literature. He says that a
character is someone in a literary work who has some sort of identity (it needn’t
be a strong one), an identity which is made up by appearance, conversation,
action, name and (possibly) thoughts going on in the head (Gill, 1995: 127).
E.M. Forster, in Aspects of the Novel, introduces two kind of characters;
they are flat character and round character. A flat character is also called as a type
or ‘two-dimensional’. Forster says that this type of character is built around ‘a
single idea or quality’ and it is presented without much individualizing detail.
(Forster, 1927: 37). With this condition, therefore it is enough to describe flat
character into a single phrase or sentence. It is different from the flat character, a
round character is complex in temperament and motivation. It is represented with
subtle particularly. With this condition, it is difficult to describe this type of
character in a phrase or sentence. Like most people in general, their character
sometimes are unpredictable; therefore they are capable to make the readers
surprise.
Mario Klarer’s An Introduction to Literary Studies says that there are
‘kinds of characters’ and ‘modes of presentation of characters’. ‘Kinds of
characters’ explains tha t characters in a text can be rendered either as types or as
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characters. Klarer’s typified character, which means that the character has one
specific trait drawn by the author, has identical characteristic with Forster’s theory
about flat character. The individualized character in Klarer’s idea also has some
identical characteristic with Forster’s theory about round character. Klarer’s
‘Modes of presentation’ has two basic explanations, ‘explanatory method’ and
‘dramatic method’. The explanatory method describes a person through a narrator.
The character is represented through the filter of a narrator. Narrator plays direct
role for the specific attributes of the characters. The dramatic method means that
the narrator tends to give impression to the reader from the characters he made.
He creates the character and makes any movement to the characters without any
intervening things from him.
“The image of a person is “shown” solely through his or her actions and utterances without interfering commentary, thereby suggesting an “objective” perception which leaves interpretation and evaluation solely to the judgment of the reader” (Klarer, 1999: 23).
Another theory comes from Henkle (1977: 20). In his book it was stated
that character can be described as major and secondary ones. Major characters are
the most important and complex character in the novel. They can be identified as
such through the complexity of their characterization, the attention given to them
(by the other characters), and the personal intensity that they seem to transmit. It
is the major characters that deserve our fullest attention because they perform a
key structural fiction, upon them. We build expectation and desire, which in
modification, shift or establish our values. Secondary characters are characters
characters are not. They may be less sophisticated, so that their responses to the
experience are less complex and interesting (Henkle, 1977: 20).
In A Glossary of Literature terms, Abrams also states about the theory of
character. He writes that character is the person who appears in dramatic or
narrative work that has both moral and dispositional qualities. Those kinds of
qualities can be seen through his action and speech constitutes his motivation
(Abrams, 1980: 20). Furthermore he adds that character is “the person presented
in a dramatic work, which is interpreted by readers as being endowed with moral,
dispositional, and emotional of qualities that are expressed in what they say—the
dialogue—and do—action” (Abrams, 1980: 23).
2. Theories of Existentialism
William F. Lawhead, in The Philosophical Journey, states that
existentialism is a philosophical movement that believes in the priority of
subjective choosing over objecting reasoning, concrete experience over
intellectual abstractions, individuality over mass culture, human freedom over
determinism, and authentic living over inauthenticity. There is a number of
themes that all existentialist thought because he believes that there is no common
list of doctrines to which all the existentialist subscribe and he explains that
individualism is one of the major themes of existentialism. He also explains that
philosophy means the love of wisdom and the root of words. Philosophy is the
love and pursuit of wisdom, and also means the asking questions about the
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about human freedom and his presence in the world. Blackham, in his book Six
Existentialist Thinkers says:
“Human presence in the world is not a form of being, but a form of doing, of choosing and making itself” (Blackham, 1959: 128).
H. J. Blackham also writes about existential philosophy does about in his
Six Existentialist Thinkers and explains about the ambiguity of the existing
individuals.
“Existence lies beyond thought, and beyond existence is possibly some form of transcendence: this is the field of personal venture and experience in which the manoeuvre takes place. The business of existential philosophy in he lping the person to make himself and get his experience is to furnish analyses of the concrete structures of first-hand experience in which the ambiguities are operative: certain affective states (nausea, ennui, dread, joy) which revel being by wiping away the familiar face of things and dissolving subjective pre-conceptions;…the bounded situations which have to be lived in faith or despair” (1959: 154).
The ambiguities of existence are not in a situation to destroy the other, but rather
than that, it can reinforce the other side. It leads us to the idea of subjective truth
which means that every truth is subjective, no matter how and where we stand as
the experiencer or the spectators, and man is nothing else but that which he makes
of himself.
It is not easy to find the truth because truth is different to each other. Truth
depends on the environment and culture, so, in conclusion, truth is subjective. The
idea of subjective truth is supported by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.
Truth is subjectivity which means that it must be personally appropriated and
there is no visual and conceptional perspective- free stand point. Every judgment is
truth and action imply both an environment and a human subjectivity (Blackham,
1959: 154, Kaufmann, 1965: 288, Lawhead: 192).
Walter Kaufmann in Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre writes that
existentialism is not a school of thought nor reducible to any set of tenets. Many
of existentialists are not in agreement on essentials. Kaufmann writes about the
differences between Pascal, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and even Dostoevsky as
examples. They are different in the basic thoughts (Kaufmann, 1965: 11).
Again, Kaufmann writes that existentialism is a doctrine that does render
human life possible; a doctrine, also, which affirms that every truth and every
action imply both an environment and a human subjectivity (1965: 288). It means
that every truth is subjective, no matter how and where we stand as the
experiencer or the spectators, and man is nothing else but that which he makes of
himself. William F. Lawhead in his book The Philosophical Journey wrote that
according to Kierkegaard, truth is subjectivity which means that it must be
personally appropriated, it must make a difference to your life and you as a person
must be intimately involved in it. Friedrich Nietzsche also stated that we do not
have any objective knowledge at all and he believed that there is no visual and
conceptional perspective- free stand point, for every judgment is made from
someone’s concrete, personal perspective (Lawhead, 2000: 192).
More over, Kaufmann explains about two kinds of existentialists. There
are Christians and existential atheists. These two kinds of existentialists have the
same view about what they believe. They believe that existence comes before
15
We, as human being, encounter ourselves, surges up in the world, and, then,
define ourselves afterwards because we are in possession of ourselves as we are,
and places the entire responsibility for our existence honestly upon our own
shoulders (1965: 290-291).
3. Theories of Moral Relativism
Moral relativism is the view that ethical standards, morality, and positions
of right or wrong are culturally based and therefore subject to a person’s
individual choice. We can all decide what is right for ourselves and every person
has rights to choose his own destiny.
Existentialists regard human existence as ultimately unexplainable and it is
different from theists point of view who believe that human are created by God
and are given a purpose by that Maker. Although theists and existentialists
generally agree on “freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of
one’s acts,“ but they differ significantly in that theists hold to an absolute moral
standard, while existentialists believe in moral relativism
(www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism-theory-faq.htm).
Existence precedes essence and our responsibility is thus much greater
than we had supposed (Kaufmann, 1965: 290). It means that when a man commits
himself to anything, fully realizing that he is not only choosing what he will be,
but is at the same time a legislator deciding for the whole of mankind.
Resposibility for the moral value is the important thing for deciding choices.
existence squarely upon his own shoulders. And, when we say that man is responsible for himself, we do not mean that he is responsible only for his own individuality, but that he is responsible for all men (Kaufmann, 1965:291).
James A. Gould and Willis H. Truitt in Existentialist Philosophy also state:
“If existence really does precede essence, there is no explaining things away by reference to a fixed and given human nature. In other words, there is no determinism, man is free, man is freedom. … That is the idea I shall try to convey when I say that man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, yet, in other respects is free; because, once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does” (Gould, 1973: 34).
Our freedom is limited by others because every body has freedom too in life.
Sartre’s idea about it is that our responsibility is thus much greater than we had
supposed, for it concerns mankind as a whole (Kaufmann, 1965: 292). It means
that every one is committing not only for oneself, but humanity as a whole. The
theory of subjective truth can give people wrong impression and tends people to
rationalize what they are doing. So, there are ethical standards, morality, and
positions of right or wrong as a base and it is called moral relativism. Moral
relativism leads people to their responsibility, and responsibility is an important
thing for deciding choices (Kaufmann, 1965: 291,
www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism-theory- faq.htm).
This kind of subjectivity above is the principle of existentialism and it
called “subjectivism”. Subjectivism has two kinds of basic understanding. First, it
concerns in the freedom of the individual subject. The second is about the
freedom of the individual subject, which means that man cannot pass beyond
17
explanation that every one chooses himself for all men, or, in choosing for himself
he chooses for all men (1965: 291).
4. The Interrelation between Literature and Philosophy
Cicero in De Officiis said that “philosophy is the study of wisdom.” Also
in De Oratore, he said that a philosopher is one “who strives to know the
significance, nature and causes of everything divine or human, and to master and
follow out as whole the theory of right living.” That is to say that philosophy is
perhaps the most important object in its relation to literature rather than the others
(McFarland, 1976: 25).
Samuel Taylor Coleridge thinks that literature and philosophy tend to
merge their interests. He argues “that delightful harmony, which ever will be
found where philosophy is united...with poetry.” Again he says that a great Poet
must be, implicit if not explicit, a profound Metaphysician (McFarland, 1976: 27).
The most admired way of mingling philosophy and literature is to have
perspectives on being arise from the work of art. It means that a body of thought
can be clothed in literary form. Schelling at one time try to do the presentation of
his philosophy in the form of a poem, and Coleridge proposed to convey his own
thought in a vast poem and at another time thought of relate it into a novel.
Another example is the Bhagavadgita, which is a dialogue between Arjuna and
Krishna about the nature of reality and about the meaning of human action, is a
philosophy. It means that this work is a vehicle of philosophy and at the same
time that this is one of major poems (McFarland, 1976: 31).
The distinction between literature and philosophy may also be regarded as
the abstract and the concretely particular as their character. Some art looks from
the immediate and particular to the abstract, while some philosophy looks from
the abstract to the more particular.
C. Theoretical Framework
In order to understand and solve the problem of study, review of related
studies and theories are needed. It gives some basic understanding about the
problems and give a lot of point of views to analyze the story.
Character is an important element in a novel and it makes dynamic
movements in the story. Thus, it is significant to apply the theories on character to
examine the novel and understand the story. The theories on existentialism is also
informed and applied as an important elements to study the novel. It gives some
basic understanding about philosophical movements that has been applied in the
novel, especially about Sophie’s reason to go out to reality in the second problem
formulation, while theories on moral relativism explain deeper inside the
philosophical movements and its responsibility as seen in the third problem
formulation. The philosophical movements in the novel are not happened in a
wink of the eye, but they have phases to go through and share the ideas of those
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The novel, Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World was published in 1991 and
originally written in Norwegian under the title Sofies Verden by H. Aschehoug & Co
(W. Nygaard). In 1995, the novel was translated into English and published in Great
Britain by Phoenix House. Then, in 1999, Sophie’s World was adapted into a
Norwegian movie by screenwriter Petter Skavlan and also adapted into a PC
CD-ROM game by Learn Technologies in 1998. It was shown on the BBC as part of The
Late Show in 1995 which adapted by Paul Greengrass. Now, it has been translated
into fifty-three languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie's_World).
Jostein Gaarder saw that there were gaps and lack of interests in youth
generations in Norway to know about the basic history of philosophies. They tend to
read comics and anything that showed heroic characthers rather than knowing some
basic philosophies as the source of knowledges. Gaarder knew that it is important to
understand the path and the philosophers’ thought from the ancient time until modern
day as the journey of human evolution.
Sophie’s World began when Sophie was just in front of her garden gate and
took a letter addresed to her. She opened it and found only a slip of paper. The paper
questions. The other qustions, such as: Where does the world come from? and What is
philosophy?, came into Sophie’s daily life. Every question that was received had a
deep meaning and Sophie did not know if those questions would change her life.
The story is actually a book within a book. The character, Albert Knag, was in
Lebanon and writing a book of philosophy for his daughter’s fifteenth birthday, Hilde
Moller Knag. Albert Knag created a character named Alberto Knox, the person who
sent letters to Sophie and later would be Sophie’s advisor and teacher, in his book. He
wrote it to give his daughter new perceptions of life and made it in such a story to
attract her. Yet, Alberto Knox, one of the character in Knag’s book, guides Sophie to
find her way to what she believed and gave many basic explanations about certain
philosophies.
B. Approach of the Study
Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World tells a story about philosophy and the
journey of it. In analyzing the story, the writer uses philosophical approach and takes
existentialism as the main focus. Philosophical approach is the approach which is
stating and ascertaining what is taught in the text and this is not superficially didactic
(Guerin, 1999: 26). Literature and philosophy have similar problems through the
society and this issue is presented by Knight in his book Literature Considered as
Philosophy. He writes that it has some things in common. It critisizes the issue that
21
approach means finding the basic interpretation about the truth, the good and the
reality through the text.
Sophie, the main character in the novel, tries to find the truth and reality. Her
journey to find the truth is supported by Knox by giving her many philosophical
questions. Because of that, the writer uses philosophical approach to reveal the idea
of existentialism and explain the aspects of it. This theory can analyze her journey
and expose the philosophy of existentialism as Sophie has gone through. The aspects
of existentialism are analyzed by giving many reasonable interpretations according to
the theory.
How to choose your own way is the main issue as the writer sees in the novel.
We are faced with many choices every day and the most important thing is, we
choose our own destiny. Based on the philosophy of existentialism that Kierkegaard,
Nietzsche, and Heidegger have said, truth is subjective and every person is
responsible for their choices. Sophie’s World gives many basic philosophical
questions and explanations without any absolute answers inside it, and according to
the writer, her journey gives many reflections and should be analyzed in such ways.
C. Method of the Study
Library research was used to analyze the story. From the library and internet
the writer could find some references and reviews about the story. The sources were
sources might give unreliable statements which could mislead the writer into the
wrong appreciations if the writer did not select it carefully. So, it was better for the
writer to make deep research and cross-examination for some internet research.
The novel of Gaarder Sophie’s World became the primary source of this
study. The secondary sources were taken from the books and references related to the
story and theories, and also from internet. The books and review of character and
characterization, existentialism, and philosophy were needed and could be found in
the library and internet.
There were four steps that the writer did in doing the research. The first step
was read and reread the story until the writer understands and got the impression from
the story. The idea that had been conveyed by the novel could be received
appropriately after the writer did this step, so the writer could formulate the problem
analysis.
The second step was searching and gathering some books and papers about
existentialism which could explain the concept of it. The books such as The
Philosophical Journey written by William F. Lawhead and Six Existentialist Thinkers
written by H. J. Blackham were used in this study. Some internet research could also
help the writer to find some important data such as some reviews about the book and
the study whether it was supporting ideas or against the ideas that the owner had
23
The third step was analyzing the study based on the problem formulations that
had been made before. Here, the writer was examining about truth, moral relativism,
and freedom of choice as the main problem beside the study of character and
characterization. The first discussion was about the characteristic of main character,
Sophie, who is eager and struggled to find the truth. The second was about Sophie’s
reason, willingness and choices. The writer tried to explain some basic understanding
about Sophie’s philosophical movement and the causes from Sophie’s choice. The
third is about revealing the aspects of existentialism with the theory of moral
relativism as its basic understanding to the view of individual choice responsibility.
The fourth step was rereading again the analysis and giving conclusion. In the
conclusion, the writer gave the idea about what he had concluded from the analysis.
As the last part of discussion, the conclusion part explained the connection between
truth, freedom of choice, and moral relativism as the reflections of the problems and
24
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer tries to answer the question based on the
problem formulation. There are three parts of explanation. First, the writer will
explain the character of Sophie as the main character in the novel. Second, the
writer explains about the individual choices that Sophie has made in her life.
Third, the writer wants to show and explain the aspects of existentialism in
Sophie’s journey to reality.
A. The Character of Sophie
Mario Klarer writes his analysis about ‘dramatic method’ that the image of
a person or a character is “shown” solely (Klarer, 1999: 23). As the main
character in the novel, the writer put Sophie as the main focus to his analysis. The
Character of Sophie grows as she learns many objects of philosophy and its
history. She learns it from her teacher, Alberto Knox. From the beginning until the
end of the story, Sophie is given many questions about the basic meaning of life
and Jostein Gaarder, as the writer of the story, never explained and judged the
character of Sophie directly in the novel. He lets the readers analyze the character
without any interfering commentary.
The character of Sophie grown in temperament and motivation. As Knox
tells the history of philosophy, Sophie learns many philosophical lessons. Her
25
journey in the novel shows the rise of her character frequently. The statements and
opinions that have been said by Sophie also draw her stand point. Therefore, the
writer sees that the character of Sophie is a kind of round character which is
represented particularly.
Sophie is a fourteen years old girl who is very eager to know something
new. She is also a kind of mature before her age because she wants and able to
learn about philosophy critically. Usually, children around the age of Sophie just
want to read some superficial books or find another entertainments rather than
reading or learning some serious but simple philosophy. Until she finds a letter
with a simple and common question, she just answers it in a simple way, but deep
in her mind she is very concerned about the question.
“’I am Sophie Amundsen,’ she said.
The girl in the mirror did not react with as much as a twitch. Whatever Sophie did, she did exactly the same. Sophie tried to beat her reflection to it with a lightning movement but the other girl was just as fast.
‘Who are you?’ Sophie asked.
She received no response to this either, but felt a momentary confusion as to whether it was she or her reflection who asked the question” (Gaarder, 1996: 4-5).
That is the simple action that Sophie did when she received the letter from
Knox. She just gets confused about the question and cannot throw it from her
mind while other children around her age, commonly, cannot deal with this kind
of question and just try to forget it. That question always in her mind and
questions herself about the meaning of her being.
What was a human being?” (Gaarder, 1996: 5)
That simple question just spreads in Sophie’s thought and shows that she is not a
common girl in her age.
Sophie is an inquisitive girl even for one simple question like that. Her
concern about the questions is really deep. She does not try to find some absolute
answers, but she tries to wonder and examine the meaning behind the questions.
From this kind of behavior, she may know many points of view according to the
questions or problems she had. Knox, as her teacher, also guides her to be critical.
When Kno x writes about cultures and explained about historical roots, he lets
Sophie found her answer to be discussed.
“Sophie sat for a while staring into the garden through the little holes in the hedge. She was beginning to understand why it was so important to know about her historical roots. It had certainly been important to the Children of Israel…
She would not be living on this planet for more than a few years. But if the history of mankind was her own history, in a way she was thousands of years old” (Gaarder, 1996: 137).
Even at the early page of the novel, Sophie has shown her character as an
inquisitive girl. The basic questions about philosophy have crushed her head. For
Sophie, the world is widely opened along with the philosophical lesson she has.
“Could it be true that she had lived before? Had her soul existed before it got a body to move around in? And was it really true that she carried a little golden nugget inside her-a jewel that cannot be corroded by time, a soul that would live on when her own body grew old and died?” (Gaarder, 1996: 79)
Not only being inquisitive, but also Sophie shows her cha racteristic of
being spirited. As Sophie waits for the next letter from Alberto, her mother told
27
behaviors at that time. But Sophie just ignores her request because she is very
eager to know the next letter from Knox.
“Her mother was clearly worried. She had started speaking to Sophie in a different tone since the business with the white rabbit and the top hat. Sophie hated to be a worry to her mother, but she just had to go upstairs and keep an eye on the mailbox.
When her mother came up at about eleven o’clock, Sophie was sitting at the window staring down the road.
‘You’re not still sitting there staring at the mailbox!’ she said. ‘I can look at whatever I like’”(Gaarder, 1996: 43).
She tries to fulfill her curiosity about philosophy. Even if she has to go out from
home to see her teacher for the purpose of studying some examples, Sophie feels
it has to be done with high spirit.
“Sophie’s mother always took it easy on Sundays, so she would probably sleep for another two hours.
Should she go a bit farther into the woods and try to find Alberto Knox? And why had the dog snarled at her viciously?
Sophie got up and began to walk down the path Hermes had taken. She had the brown envelope with pages on Plato in her hand. Wherever the path diverged she took the wider one ” (Gaarder, 1996: 80).
Sophie is also an opinionated girl. If she gets a new lesson, she tends to
say what she thinks about the problem at first. She maintains her point of view
and then after a long discussion, she will conclude it with help from Knox. It will
take a while for Knox to explain some philosophical views. Not because Sophie is
not able to understand it, she often gives opinions about what she stands for.
“’St. Augustine’s point was that no man deserves God redemption… He taught that we must live in awareness of being among the chosen. He did not deny that we have free will. But God has “foreseen” how we will live.’
The text above tells about how Sophie just gets explained about the
Middle Ages by Knox and gives opinion about the problem. Fortunately, she has
good memory and can remember many things, especially that Knox has been
taught. So, her opinion is not just like an assumption. She has some references to
deal about it. After that, Knox adds other explanations to Sophie in order to give
her views about the problems.
When Alberto Knox talks about Spinoza’s “nature”, Sophie does not agree
with the thought of Spinoza. She gives her opinions frequently to Knox and then,
Knox explains more about it. He explains about the involvement and the
expression of something infinitely bigger.
“’So it follows that all thoughts that we think are also God’s or nature’s thoughts. For everything is One. There is only one God, one nature, or one Substance.’
‘But listen, when I think something, I’m the one who’s doing the thinking. When I move, I’m doing the moving. Why do you have to mix God into it?’
‘I like your involvement. But who are you?...’ ‘Are you saying I cannot decide for myself?’ ‘Yes and no…’” (Gaarder, 1996: 209).
As the writer said before, Sophie is a critical girl. This behavior is the root of
being opinionated. Sophie tends to think thoroughly about something and knows
the consequences of her activities.
In every questio n that has been given by Knox, Sophie gives good
attentions. She receives the information and the messages carefully. She tends to
introspect herself after having serious conversations and discussions. Beside that,
Knox often gives many points of view and perspectives from different
29
critical by that and her critical character helps the writer to understand the content
of the problem.
“’A person who has never seen gold will never be able to visualize streets of gold.’
‘He was very clever. What about Descartes having a clear and distinct idea of God?’
‘Hume had an answer to that too’” (Gaarder, 1996: 225).
The quotation above shows Knox’s explanation about Hume’s impressions
and ideas. Sophie just makes a comparison to the idea of Descartes after she heard
that. She is able to remember quickly and ask some critical question.
Another indication which shows Sophie as a critical girl is when she gets
her test about The Religious Knowledge. She has no time to prepare for the test
but she does it well. The questions are about philosophy and it needs a critical
mind to make such good answers. According to her teacher, Sophie does a good
job for the test and she gets an A from it. It convinces the writer that she is critical.
“She wrote that we know the moon is not made of green cheese and that there are also craters on the dark side of the moon, that both Socrates and Jesus were sentenced to death, that... Finally she wrote: ‘Personally, I think Philosophy is a more important subject than English Grammar. It would therefore be a sensible priority of values to have Philosophy on the timetable and cut down a bit of English lessons.’
In the last break the teacher drew Sophie aside.
‘I have already read tour Religion test,’ he said. ‘It was near the top of the pile’” (Gaarder, 1996: 104-106).
Sometimes Sophie character is unpredictable in the story. She just acts like
most people in general. Her eagerness may make people surprised. But Sophie has
a good spirit to live her life and to know about her life. When Knox explains
when Sophie does something to the computer because he does not expect Sophie
to do that.
“’Now we can sit down again,’ said Alberto. But Sophie had already pressed some other keys. ‘Knag,’ she wrote.
Immediately the following message appeared on the screen: ‘Here I am.’
Now it was Alberto who jumped” (Gaarder, 1996: 204).
When she suddenly asks her mother about lives, it is very surprising for her. They
just get serious debates between daughter and mother then.
“’Mom—don’t you think it’s astonishing to be alive?’ she began.
Her mother was so surprised that she didn’t answer at first. Sophie was usually doing her home work when she got home” (Gaarder, 1996: 18).
Many questions have been given by Knox and Sophie can show her ability
to look problems from another perspective. In other word, she is a philosopher too,
because she is able to do that. She can come up with her own philosophical
propositions. At least Knox tells about the importance of being a philosopher
which means that seeing the problems in a different side.
“’There is almost something symbolic in the fact that he lived by polishing lenses. A philosopher must help people to see life in a new perspective. One of the pillars of Spinoza’s philosophy was indeed to see things from the perspective of eternity’” (Gaarder, 1996: 206).
B. Sophie’s Reason to Go to the Reality
As Sophie is an inquisitive and critical girl, her mind grows and tends to
know the meaning of her own life. Many discussions have been through by
31
by Albert Knag in his novel. She feels powerless when she knows it but she is
aware that she has to make her own choice to her life.
Sophie’s individual choice is a problem that the writer wants to discuss in
this part. Sophie’s thought, activity, and education influence her choice in life.
She is taught explicitly that by knowing the essence of life, she can make her own
life. There are two causes that influence Sophie’s choic e to go out to reality:
Knox’s lessons that essentially influence her to her choice and events which
stimulate her to consider her thought about freedom. Those causes construct a
turning point for Sophie as its connection to her choice.
1. Alberto Knox’s Lessons
From the beginning until the end Alberto Knox always guides Sophie to
find her meaning of life. Every questions and problems that they have has
different characteristic and interest. From Knox’s lessons, Sophie has gained her
ability as a philosopher. She actually is able to see problems from different views.
Alberto Knox has an important role for the development of Sophie’s mind.
He explains many things about philosophy from the basic to the complicated ones.
He gives examples and makes interactive conversations. Then, frequently Sophie
knows about her own existence because of the lessons.
Some basic questions are given by Knox. He makes Sophie gives attention
to her own life and be conscious about what she does. After that, Sophie questions
herself and tries to know about her own existence. The writer sees that in the first
“Who are you?
She had no idea. She was Sophie Amundsen, of course, but who was that? She had not really figured that out—yet.
What if she had been given a different name? Anne Knutsen, for instance. Would she then have been someone else?” (Gaarder, 1996: 4)
From that question, she thinks about her life and being alive in the world. She
becomes more serious about the matters of human being and, importantly, she
becomes serious about her own self.
Knox gives another lecture about philosophy by giving Sophie explanation
about something that everybody needs. It means that everyone has their own
expectation in this life and it is different from each other. But at another point,
different from that, they have the same basic needs to live in this world. Knox
talks about figuring out the meaning of life and the same basic need that everyone
tries to find. The curiosity about herself and her life begins here.
“What is the important thing in life? If we ask someone living on the edge of starvation, the answer is food. If we ask someone dying of cold, the answer is warmth…
But there is something else—apart from that—which everyone needs, and that is to figure out who we are and why we are here” (Gaarder, 1996: 12).
Knox develops Sophie’s ability to be a good philosopher since his early
letters. It is important for her as she knows the scope of philosophy itself. Basic
references are needed for her to follow her curiosity. He tells about the theory of
“a brand-new reality” which generally speaks about the importance of having pure
thought on everything. This theory tries to push down some prejudices about
anything that has been made by human along with his life in the world.
“…the only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder.
33
If a newborn baby could talk, it would probably say something about what an extraordinary world it had come into. We see how it looks around and reaches out in curiosity to everything it sees” (Gaarder, 1996: 14).
Many opinions and interpretations from different philosophers have been
explained to Sophie. The history of western philosophy is also drawn and Knox
can provide almost all of the information for every discussion they have. Sophie
grows to be more critical and this is also the important step for her to make her
own choice later.
The taught of many different philosophers that were shared by Knox
increases Sophie’s ability to think philosophically. The writer sees in the novel
that she is able to question, discuss, share, and think deeply.
“’Are you saying I cannot decide for myself?’
‘Yes and no. You may have the right to move your thumb any way you choose. But your thumb can only move according to its nature. It cannot jump off your hand and dance about the room. In the same way you also have your place in the structure of existence, my dear. You are Sophie, but you are also a finger of God’s body’” (Gaarder, 1996: 209).
The discussion about nature has given Sophie fundamental foundation for her
perspective. Many different opinions have been discussed, whether it is
contradictive or not. Unconsciously, Sophie is directed to separate from herself
and from the world to raise the philosophical questio ns as H. J. Blackham has
explained about “the peculiarity of existentialism” (H. J. Blackham, 1959: 151).
There are many contradictive opinions from philosophers according to
Sophie’s point of view and of course this is the custom for every philosopher. She
begins to get accustomed for the matter that everyone is free to give opinions with
“’I see what you mean, but I still don’t like the idea that I don’t decide for myself.’
‘…tree is free…But if it is an apple tree it will not have the ability to bear pears or plums. The same applies to us humans.
‘…Man can strive for freedom in order to live without outer constraint, but he will never achieve “free will” (Gaarder, 1996: 210-211).
From this point, Sophie is introduced to Spinoza’s thought. It is important for her,
because by learning this she has a basic understanding about law of nature and its
connection to the freedom of choice. Effectively, by giving her a brief history
about western philosophy, Sophie is easier to understand the problem.
2. Extraordinary Events
Other causes are events which stimulate her to consider her thought about
freedom. Sophie sees many unusual and strange things or events toward her life.
Those strange things and events really never happened before. It makes Sophie
worried and also gets curious. She searches the answers together along with the
lessons she got from Alberto.
Letters and notes to Hilde are the most annoying things according to
Sophie. It ought to be sent to Hilde, but unexpectedly, it always goes to Sophie.
As the writer reads when suddenly she finds a postcard, Sophie just gets confused.
“Suddenly she noticed a pho tograph lying on the sidewalk…
Sophie turned the picture over and saw that is was a regular postcard. To ‘Hilde Moller Knag, c/o Sophie Amundsen…’ It had a Norwegian stamp and was postmarked ‘UN Battalion’ Friday June 15, 1990…
Who was Hilde? How could her father as good as take it for granted that Sophie would find her?” (Gaarder, 1996: 102-103)
Sophie absolutely does not know Hilde or even the sender. She tries to understand
35
she tries, the more she gets confused. She receives more notes in extraordinary
ways that no one could imagine it in her existing world.
“‘There’s something written here,’ she said suddenly. ‘Where?’
‘Here—inside the banana peel. It looks as if it was written with an ink brush.’
Sophie leaned over and showed Alberto the banana. He read aloud: Here I am again, Hilde. I’m everywhere. Happy birthday!” (Gaarder, 1996: 211)
Being confused, Sophie tries to analyze and find some related clues but
she gets mo re confused along with her journey. Not only notes but also stuffs that
belong to Hilde are found by Sophie and she knows that it is intentionally sent to
her. The feeling of being annoyed appears and Sophie eager to look for the answer.
“…But what was tha t? Right by the wall there was something red. A scarf, perhaps?
Sophie edged herself in under the bed and pulled out a red silk scarf. It wasn’t hers, that was for sure!
She examined it more closely and gasped when she saw HILDE written in ink along the seam.
Hilde! But who was Hilde? How could their paths keep crossing like this?” (Gaarder, 1996: 47-48)
Continually Sophie finds stuffs in her daily life and she feels uncomfortable from
that because it does not belong to her. Every stuffs she has been found has
interconnection with something, besides for the fact that it is Hilde’s stuffs, but
Sophie just still does not know the meaning of all these happening. When Sophie
finds a postcard that said about Hilde’s belonging which has lost, she is getting
irritated.
“’He gets more and more audacious. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t using us as a kind of birthday diversion for his daughter.’
With that he tore the postcard into small pieces and threw them into the wastepaper basket.
‘And I found it, the same one, under my pillow at home. Can you understand how it got there?’” (Gaarder, 1996: 162)
Cartoon characters and other fictitious characters also appear and it
surprised her. It never happened before and more than that, Sophie thinks that it is
impossible as she meets one of the characters:
“She went nearer. The figure was no bigger than a doll…Sophie stopped dead in her tracks when she realized it was a teddy bear.
That someone could have left a teddy bear in the forest was in itself no surprise. But this teddy bear was alive, and seemed intensely preoccupied. ‘Hi,’ said Sophie.
‘My name is Winnie-the-Pooh,’said the teddy bear,’…” (Gaarder, 1996: 281).
For Sophie, there are too many coincidences beside those imaginary characters
which appear in front of her. Hilde’s “extraordinary” notes and stuffs, computer
which can give information about Albert Knag although Alberto Knox did not put
any information about him, and many incidents that Sophie finds very difficult to
understand. But, she knows one thing. She knows all of these happenings have
connection with Albert Knag.
3. Counterpoint
Albert Knag seems to have rules like God according to Sophie and she
does not like it. Not because she does not like God, but it is more about the
freedom that she struggles for. She feels powerless because there is nothing she
can do to resist it. Lucky to Sophie, she is helped by Knox to find the truth. Knox
knows this is not easy to give explanations about it. He teaches philosophy step by
37
After long discussion and lessons, Sophie experiences a counterpoint
about what she believes and how she sees her world. Knox tells about their
existence that they are just creations of Hilde’s father. They are characters in the
story that has been written by Albert Knag and it has been given to Hilde as a
birthday present. In short, they are fictive.
“’But therein also lies a built- in contradiction. If we are fictive, we have no rights to “believe” anything at all. In which case this whole telephone conversation is purely imaginary.’
‘And we haven’t the tiniest bit of free will because it’s the major who plans everything we say and do. So we can just as well hang up now.’ ‘No, now you’re oversimplifying things’” (Gaarder, 1996: 256).
From that conversation, Sophie begins to start her efforts to find the reality, the
reality that she believes.
Knox tries to help Sophie and himself to reach their own free will. He
talks about their existence and their faith to Sophie in the universe. He says about
the possibility that Albert Knag himself is a creation of different author. He sets
out if the possibility exists, there must be reasons. Knox tells that different author,
who created Albert Knag, may permit them to have that conversation. It means
that they do really have their free will with their nature.
“’Maybe the major is also a shadow in a book about him and Hilde, which is also about us, since we are a part of their lives.’
‘That would be even worse. That makes us only shadows of shadows.’ ‘…To us, that author would be a “hidden God.” Although everything we are and everything we say and do proceeds from him, because we are him we will never be able to know anything about him. We are in the innermost box.’
‘…He is sitting somewhere, hiding both Hilde and me deep inside his head. Isn’t it just possible that he, too, is part of a higher mind?’
Alberto nodded.
