ix ABSTRACT
Parnika, Vensiana. (2008).The Two Main Characters’ Searching for Self-Identity as reflected in Llewellyn’s If I were You. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Faculty of Teaching Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University
This study discusses the two main characters, Sophie and Natasha, in their self-identity searching in which their decisions are influenced by some factors around them as seen in Juali Lewellyn’s If I were You. The novel deals with friendship as the topic of the novel and takes London and its society in the modern era as the settings. It tells us about Sophie and Natasha’s life experience during their friendship from the very first time they met when they were only eleven until they were adults and their experiences in their relationship with others within their society and environment. Therefore the story is very close to the human’s life experiences since it may also be experienced by people in the real life.
The objective of this study is to analyze the two main characters’ significant attitudes towards their friendship and their relationship with others within the society. There are two problems discussed in this study. The first is the description of Sophie and Natasha’s characters. And the second is the factors that influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision in searching for their self-identity.
There are two kinds of source used in this study namely, the primary data, which was the novel itself, and other supporting sources taken from books, journals, and articles from the Internet.
The theories used in this study are the theory of character and characterization, psychoanalytic theory, psychodynamic theory, phenomenological theory, and theory of friendship. This study also employs the psychological approach to analyze the two main characters’ self-identity influenced by some factors.
The conclusion taken from the analysis shows that Sophie’s characters are ambitious, dreamer, attentive, compassionate, attractive person, and talkative. Then Natasha is described as an independent, attentive, workaholic, lonely, introvert and dishonest person. And the factors influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision in finding their self-identity are their thoughts, motivations, desires, and feelings, which are classified as the internal factors, then the environment including the society, the family and friends’ roles, and the faced conflicts or problems which are categorized as the external factors.
x ABSTRAK
Parnika, Vensiana. (2008).The Two Main Characters’ Searching for Self-Identity as reflected in Llewellyn’s If I were You.Yogyakarta: Program Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta.
Seperti yang tertera dalam judul, jelas bahwa studi ini membahas kedua tokoh utama, Sophie dan Natasha, dalam pencarian jati diri mereka dimana keputusan mereka dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor di sekitar mereka. Novel ini mengangkat persahabatan sebagai topik novel ini dan mengambil London dan masyarakatnya pada jaman modern sebagai setingnya. Novel ini menceritakan pengalaman hidup Sophie dan Natasha selama persahabatan mereka dari pertama kali bertemu ketika mereka masih sebelas tahun sampai dewasa dan juga pengalaman-pengalaman mereka dalam hubungan mereka dengan orang lain dalam masyarakat dan lingkungan. Maka dari itu cerita ini behubungan erat dengan pengalaman hidup manusia karena dapat juga dialami oleh orang-orang dalam kehidupan nyata.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk mengamati tingkah laku-tingkah laku yang berarti dari kedua tokoh utama terhadap persahabatan dan hubungan mereka dengan masyarakat. Ada dua masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini. Yang pertama adalah karakter Sophie dan Natasha. Dan yang kedua adalah faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keputusan Sophie dan Natasha dalam mencari jati diri mereka.
Ada dua jenis sumber yang dipakai yaitu data utama yang adalah novel itu sendiri, dan sumber-sumber pendukung yang diambil dari beberapa buku, jurnal, dan artikel dari internet.
Teori yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah teori karakter dan penokohan, teori psychoanalytic, teori psychodynamic, teori phenomenologi, dan teori persahabatan. Studi ini juga menggunakan pendekatan psikologi untuk manganalisa jati diri kedua tokoh utama yang dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor disekitar mereka.
Kesimpulan menyatakan bahwa karakter Sophie adalah ambisius, pemimpi, perhatian, penuh belas kasih, orang yang menarik, dan suka berbicara. Dan Natasha adalah orang yang mandiri, perhatian, workaholik, kesepian, tertutup, dan tidak jujur. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keputusan Sophie dan Natasha dalam mencari jati diri adalah pikiran-pikiran, motivasi-motivasi, impian-impian, dan perasan mereka yang digolongkan sebagai faktor-faktor internal, dan lingkungan termasuk masyarakat, peran keluarga dan teman-teman, dan masalah-masalah yang dihadapi yang digolongkan sebagai faktor-faktor eksternal.
THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS’ SEARCHING
FOR SELF-IDENTITY AS REFLECTED
IN LLEWELLYN’S IF I WERE YOU
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English language Education
By
Vensiana Parnika Student Number: 041214133
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS’ SEARCHING
FOR SELF-IDENTITY AS REFLECTED
IN LLEWELLYN’S IF I WERE YOU
A THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English language Education
By
Vensiana Parnika Student Number: 041214133
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
v
PAGE OF DEDICATION
Live in this world in full awareness of the oneness of existence, giving and enjoying, experiencing sorrows and joys, but never
unaware even for a moment that this existence comes from the Almighty
and returns to Him
That experiences of transcendence come from prayer, poetry, happiness, sorrow, courage, and love.
They offer answers to what our lives are about
If you ask, ask the Almighty
If you depend on someone – depend on the Almighty
Whoever follows a path of seeking knowledge. The Almighty will make his path to Paradise easy
The final conclusion of all research : The universe did not just happen;
There is a purpose behind it
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN )
Dedicated with love and gratitude to: My beloved parents, my gorgeous brother, and
vi A. Background of the Study ……….…… B. Objective of the Study ……….………… C. Problem Formulation ……….……….. D. Benefits of the Study ………...………… E. Definition of Terms ……….…
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW……….……. A. Review of Related Theories ……….………... 1. Theory of Character and Characterization ……….………….. B. Critical Approaches ……….……… . 1. Psychoanalytic Theory ……… 2. Psychodynamic Theories ……… 3. Phenomenological Theory ……….. 4. Theory of Friendship ………..……….
vii
C. Theoretical Framework ……….……….. D. Criticism ……….………. E. Context of the Novel ……….………...
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY………...…….……….. A. Object of the Study ……….………. B. Approaches of the Study……….………. C. Procedure ……….………
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS……….……….. A. Sophie and Natasha’s Characteristics in If I were You …….………..… 1. Sophie’s Characters………...…………..….…. B. Factors that Influence Sophie and Natasha’s Decisions to Search for
Their Self-Identity………...………... 1. Internal Factors that Influence Sophie and Natasha’s Searching for
viii
Their Self-Identity……….………. a. Sophie and Natasha’s Thoughts ……….……….. b. Sophie and Natasha’s Motivation ……….………... c. Sophie and Natasha’s Desires ……….………. d. Sophie and Natasha’s Feelings ……….………... 2. External Factors that Influence Sophie and Natasha’s Searching for
Their Self-Identity………....………. a. The Environment around Sophie and Natasha ……… b. Sophie and Natasha’s Family and Friends’ Roles ……….………….. c. Problems Faced by Sophie and Natasha ……….………….
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, SUGGESTIONS AND
RECOMMENDATION……….……… A. Conclusion ………...……….. B. Suggestion for Teaching Implementation ……….……….. C. Recommendation of If I were You for Further Researchers ……….…..
REFERENCES……….……….
APPENDICES……….…………... APPENDIX I. Summary of the Novel ……… APPENDIX 2. The Biography of Julia Llewellyn ………....………….. APPENDIX 3. Lesson Plan for Extensive Reading I ……….…………. APPENDIX 4. Lesson Plan for Speaking IV ……….………….. APPENDIX 5. The Material for Extensive Reading I ………….……….... APPENDIX 6. The Material for Speaking IV ……….……… APPENDIX 7. The Steps to teach Extensive Reading I and Speaking IV……...
ix ABSTRACT
Parnika, Vensiana. (2008).The Two Main Characters’ Searching for Self-Identity as reflected in Llewellyn’s If I were You. Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Faculty of Teaching Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University
This study discusses the two main characters, Sophie and Natasha, in their self-identity searching in which their decisions are influenced by some factors around them as seen in Juali Lewellyn’s If I were You. The novel deals with friendship as the topic of the novel and takes London and its society in the modern era as the settings. It tells us about Sophie and Natasha’s life experience during their friendship from the very first time they met when they were only eleven until they were adults and their experiences in their relationship with others within their society and environment. Therefore the story is very close to the human’s life experiences since it may also be experienced by people in the real life.
The objective of this study is to analyze the two main characters’ significant attitudes towards their friendship and their relationship with others within the society. There are two problems discussed in this study. The first is the description of Sophie and Natasha’s characters. And the second is the factors that influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision in searching for their self-identity.
There are two kinds of source used in this study namely, the primary data, which was the novel itself, and other supporting sources taken from books, journals, and articles from the Internet.
The theories used in this study are the theory of character and characterization, psychoanalytic theory, psychodynamic theory, phenomenological theory, and theory of friendship. This study also employs the psychological approach to analyze the two main characters’ self-identity influenced by some factors.
The conclusion taken from the analysis shows that Sophie’s characters are ambitious, dreamer, attentive, compassionate, attractive person, and talkative. Then Natasha is described as an independent, attentive, workaholic, lonely, introvert and dishonest person. And the factors influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision in finding their self-identity are their thoughts, motivations, desires, and feelings, which are classified as the internal factors, then the environment including the society, the family and friends’ roles, and the faced conflicts or problems which are categorized as the external factors.
x ABSTRAK
Parnika, Vensiana. (2008).The Two Main Characters’ Searching for Self-Identity as reflected in Llewellyn’s If I were You.Yogyakarta: Program Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta.
Seperti yang tertera dalam judul, jelas bahwa studi ini membahas kedua tokoh utama, Sophie dan Natasha, dalam pencarian jati diri mereka dimana keputusan mereka dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor di sekitar mereka. Novel ini mengangkat persahabatan sebagai topik novel ini dan mengambil London dan masyarakatnya pada jaman modern sebagai setingnya. Novel ini menceritakan pengalaman hidup Sophie dan Natasha selama persahabatan mereka dari pertama kali bertemu ketika mereka masih sebelas tahun sampai dewasa dan juga pengalaman-pengalaman mereka dalam hubungan mereka dengan orang lain dalam masyarakat dan lingkungan. Maka dari itu cerita ini behubungan erat dengan pengalaman hidup manusia karena dapat juga dialami oleh orang-orang dalam kehidupan nyata.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk mengamati tingkah laku-tingkah laku yang berarti dari kedua tokoh utama terhadap persahabatan dan hubungan mereka dengan masyarakat. Ada dua masalah yang dibahas dalam studi ini. Yang pertama adalah karakter Sophie dan Natasha. Dan yang kedua adalah faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keputusan Sophie dan Natasha dalam mencari jati diri mereka.
Ada dua jenis sumber yang dipakai yaitu data utama yang adalah novel itu sendiri, dan sumber-sumber pendukung yang diambil dari beberapa buku, jurnal, dan artikel dari internet.
Teori yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah teori karakter dan penokohan, teori psychoanalytic, teori psychodynamic, teori phenomenologi, dan teori persahabatan. Studi ini juga menggunakan pendekatan psikologi untuk manganalisa jati diri kedua tokoh utama yang dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor disekitar mereka.
Kesimpulan menyatakan bahwa karakter Sophie adalah ambisius, pemimpi, perhatian, penuh belas kasih, orang yang menarik, dan suka berbicara. Dan Natasha adalah orang yang mandiri, perhatian, workaholik, kesepian, tertutup, dan tidak jujur. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keputusan Sophie dan Natasha dalam mencari jati diri adalah pikiran-pikiran, motivasi-motivasi, impian-impian, dan perasan mereka yang digolongkan sebagai faktor-faktor internal, dan lingkungan termasuk masyarakat, peran keluarga dan teman-teman, dan masalah-masalah yang dihadapi yang digolongkan sebagai faktor-faktor eksternal.
xii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to give my biggest thank to The Almighty God, Jesus Crhist, who always gives his blessing to me and to every one, especially that He has led me passing my difficult time in doing this thesis. I thank God for always accompanying me through nights and days, good and bad times that He always gives me spirit to struggle more.
I also thank God for sending me the great persons to help me, pray for me, encourage and support me to finish this thesis.
I should thank God for sending me the kindest and the most patient advisor,
Mr. Herujiyanto, who always leads and helps me with his suggestions, attention, support, and correction.
My special ”Thank God” is for giving me a kind family, my Father who is always patient to take and pick me up and teach me to be an independent woman; the best Mother who gives me unconditional love and cares about me when I get sick or have to sleep late doing my work; and my brother who is the only sibling in my family.
xiii and sad time together guys!”
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The first chapter of this study mainly discusses four main things about Julia Llewellyn’s novel, If I were You. They consist of the Background of the Study, Objectives of the Study, Problem Formulation, the Benefits of the Study, and the Definition of the Terms.
The background of the study represents the description of the topic of the study and also represents the personal reasons why this topic is chosen. The objectives of the study are limited by only dealing with the problems, which are found in the Problem Formulations. The problem formulation concerns with the general description of the investigated problems of this thesis. The benefits of this study identify which parties will benefit from the study. The last part is the definition of terms that concerns with special words and their explanation used in this study to avoid the readers’ misunderstanding towards the certain words.
A. Background of the Study
works, is psychological knowledge that can be explored through the characters of the novels. The author of a novel usually creates characters that psychologically reflect the real human characters and implicitly describes their personalities, desires, feelings, ideas, relationship to others, their motivation of doing something, and their searching for self-identity. And those above mentioned statements become the inspiration for the general topic and for choosing a novel to be the subject of this study.
In this novel, the author takes a common and popular topic about human interactions that includes the relationship between the two main characters and their families, the relationship between the two main characters and their society, and the relationship within the two main characters itself. By those relationships, Llewellyn builds the two main characters’ personalities through their progress in searching their identities.
The novel itself contains 57 chapters. In the first chapter, Llewellyn introduces the two main characters, Sophie and Natasha who were best fiends from the first day they entered Betterton Ladies’ College Senior Division when they were eleven years until they were adults. Then when Sophie and Natasha had been adults, they had different career and style of life. Sophie had to take big efforts to make some money for herself and shared life with her boy friend; meanwhile Natasha has been a success career woman who lived in luxury flat, but she felt alone that she hadn’t got any boyfriend. The author also tells about Sophie and Natasha’s families and people close to them. Sophie was always influenced by her mother while Natasha was not.
But Natasha had successful career as a TV show programmer and had many famous clients. Sometimes, Sophie and Natasha felt jealous to each other because of their life condition and problems they faced. The two main characters exercised their mentality trough the conflicts created by Llewellyn so that in the end of the story they became tough persons by helping each other and finally both of them could be the better persons.
But most of all, the thing that interests the writer at the story of If I Were You is the two main characters’ searching for self-identity. It is embodied by the two main characters’ self-development when they faced some problems coming to their life that made them discover their truly identity or personality.
This study is, therefore, meant to find out the factors that influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision to search their self-identity. There are some factors that can be analyzed from the novel. The other things that make this novel special and can be learnt are the ways Sophie shares her view about life, helps her best friend, Natasha, by letting her boyfriend marries Natasha, and changes herself to be a more mature person. And to get the deeper analysis about the two main characters’ self identity, it is necessary to know Sophie and Natasha’s characteristics and personalities.
as Reflected in Llewellyn’s If I Were You. Psychoanalytical criticism treats the two main characters as real people who have complex psyches. From it, the characters of a novel can be perceived as mirrors for their psychological fears, motivation, and desires (Cirese, 1985: 53). This study also employs some supporting theories, such as theory of character and characterization, psychoanalytic theory, psychodynamic theory, phenomenological theory, theory of relationship, theory of friendship, and the relationship between Psychology and Literature. The depth explanation is clarified more in chapter two.
B. Objective of the Study
The objective of this study is to look into ones’ significant attitudes on searching for their identities through their beliefs, thoughts, motivations, feelings, friendship and relationship with environment or society, and the problems they face as seen in Sophie and Natasha, the two main characters of Julia Llewellyn’s If I were You.
C. Problem Formulation
Considering the explanation above, there are two problems that are going to be discussed deeply in this study. Those two problems are:
D. Benefits of the Study
From the conducted study on one of Julia Llewellyn’s master pieces, it indirectly introduces her novel; If I Were You and her other works to the readers. It also provides some information for those who may obtain the benefits of this study. First, the benefits may be obtained by the readers who read this study in which they can get some knowledge they do not know yet and as well as being entertained also. Second, for the students who concern on the same study that they can use this study as the references. Third, for other researchers, this study can be used as the comparison. And for English teachers, they can use the conclusion and teaching implementation of this study in the appendixes as the reflection and references in teaching.
E. Definition of Terms
In this part, some key words used in this study are going to be elaborated to avoid misunderstanding. In doing so, some sources from the Encyclopedias, Hornsby’s Learner’s Dictionary, Cirese’s Quest : A Search for Self, Davidoff’s Introduction to Psychology, and some websites on the internet are needed. Those terms are:
1. Character
that characters are widely considered as an essential element of fictional works, especially novels, and plays (accessed on March 15th, 2007). It means that the persons on the novel’s story play big roles to make the story seem real. Characters are described through their actions, dialects, thoughts, and desires.
2. Characterization
According to Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia (1995), characterization is defined as “The representation in fictional or drama of human character or personality”. From www.wikipedia.org it is said that “Characterization is process conveying information about characters in fictional literary work” (accessed on March 15th, 2007). In characterizing people, it involves the psychological make up of the characters such as fears, emotion, beliefs, motivation, and desires.
3. Identity
Identity can be defines as “A person’s sense of who she or he is as a unique individual, whole and separate from others” (Cirese, 1985: 14). A person has to know and has a feeling about who he or she is, to be who a person believes he or she is. And one’s identity is more than his or her name or social roles. It establishes and results from one’s “uniqueness” and “togetherness” in the society. One’s identity also depends on how society perceives him or her.
4. Personality
affected by the environment around him or her.
5. Self-identity
“It is the concept of oneself as a person, unique and distinct from all others and as a whole being, existing as a unity through his or her life time” (Cirese, 1985: 176). It reflects a person’s idea of himself or herself, including the image or picture of himself or herself. Here, one thinks not only of himself, but also of the ways he evaluates himself and the ways he presents himself to the society. And it is a life-long process.
6. Social Role
Social role can be defined as the characteristic and expected behavior pattern associated with a particular social status (Cirese, 1985: 177). It is an essential part on one’s searching for identity process that he or she has to struggle to be accepted in the society.
7. Self-actualization
Maslow said that “Self-actualization is the process of becoming more competent, of developing capacities that serve to maintain or enhance on self “ (Cirese, 1985: 62). It is the highest of human needs. It includes the development of ones’ interests, skills, and behaviors in harmony with ones sense of self.
8. Self-presentation
charming, intelligent, cool, and other impressions.
9. Influence
As said in Hornby’s Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “Influence means the power to affect somebody’s actions, characters, or beliefs, especially by providing example for them to follow, winning their admiration or making them afraid to disagree” (437). Related to this study, influence is defined as something that brings effect on ones’ life. It is related to Sophie and Natasha’s friendship, families, beliefs, views, motivation, desires, thoughts, and problems.
11. Internal Factors
From Hornby’s dictionary, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, internal is defined as thing derived from within the thing itself. Here, the internal factors of self-searching come up from the inside of an individual itself, such as feelings, desires, and thoughts.
12. External Factors
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
This following chapter elaborates the five sections namely the Review of Related Theories, Critical Approaches, Theoretical Framework, Criticism, and Context of the Novel. In this study, those five sections are used to analyze and comprehend Llewellyn’s novel, If I were You deeper.
A. Review of Related Theories
Here, the theories related to the study are going to be identified. To analyze the work of literature, such as novels, and short stories, this study needs to employ theory of literature including Theory of Character and Characterization. The theory will be explained as follows:
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
According to Holman and Harmon, character is “The idea of moral or constitution of human personality, the presence the moral value of the creature in the art in the form of human being. The character is also the description of a person who has some definite qualities.” (18)
from reading a book of Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995), there are found some definitions of the word of character. The first definition is defining character as a descriptive, often satiric analysis (usually in the form of short
literary sketch) of a human virtue or vice or of a general type of human character. The second is character as the personality that is presented or realized in fiction or drama. The third one is character is defining as one of the person of drama or novel. From those definitions, it can be assumed that characters may be widely considered as an essential element of fictional works, especially novels and plays. Characters make the story of a literary work seems to be real. The readers can enjoy and follow the story through the characters actions and speeches. So, it is necessary for the authors who write novels or other literary works that they have enough skills in order to present their ideas into the story through the characters’ descriptions.
In their book, Barnet, Berman, and Burto (71-72) classify four things to figure out what the characteristics of the character in the novel are, those are;
a. From What the Characters Say
From what the characters say or from the way they speak, the readers are able to predict what the author creates the personality of the speaker or character. It provides the readers the clue whether the actor is protagonist or antagonist. The readers can determine the characteristics from the statements the characters utter.
b. From What the Character Do
This classification relates to the characters’ action. By analyzing what the character does, the readers are able to know whether the character is from upper or lower class, educated or not, good or bad person. The readers will understand through the characters’ attitude. The readers will be able to predict the personality from the characters actions in the novel. It can be the reflection of the character.
c. From What Other Characters Say about the Main Character
enemy. Therefore, the readers may get different opinions of the character’s personality.
d. From What Other Characters Do
What other characters do toward a certain character also can determine the analysis of the character. It is very important to know the characterization of the main character such as whether the main character is a lazy, clever, happy, kind, wicked, or careless person. Other characters’ responses in specific events in the story can be used as the reflection and can help the readers to understand the character’s personality.
As quoted by Larver and Schiever in their book, Perspective on Personality, Allport says that “The characteristic of a character is related to his or her behavior, thoughts, and feelings” (5). Here is clear that the way of thinking, feeling, and behavior will influence one’s character. Therefore it is important for the readers to analyze the characters and the main character’ thought, feelings, and actions to figure out the characters’ personalities.
occupation, financial status, marital status, social status, cultural background, beliefs, ambitions, motivation, personalities, and many more else.
Basically, there are two general ways in identifying information about a character. Those areDirect orExplicit Characterization that the author directly tells what the character looks like through the narrator, another character, or by the character himself. The second way is Indirect or Implicit Characterization that the readers have to guess what the character looks like through the character’s thoughts, actions, speech, and interactions.
However from the explanation above, this study only chooses five ways that are included in Indirect Characterization to analyze the two main characters of If I were You, Sophie and Natasha. They are;
1. Characters as Seen by Another: The author of the novel describes the characters through other characters’ words, views, and opinions.
2. From What the Characters Say: The author can give the readers overview into the characterization of the character in the novel through what the character says and the way he or she speaks.
3. From What the Characters Do: The author can give clues to the character’s characteristic by letting the readers know how the character reacts to various situations or events.
5. Direct Comment: The author of the novel may describe or give comment on one’s character directly. Here, the author usually has a role of the narrator of the story.
B. Critical Approaches
There are several approaches that can be used to analyze literature works. Critical approaches provide methods for the readers to obtain deeper understanding of literature works. According to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr, there are five approaches that can be used to analyze literature works. The first approach is the Formalist Approach. It analyzes literature without reference to facts of the author’s life, without reference to the genre and in which the literary object takes place. The second is the Biographical approach. It emphasizes on the importance of acknowledging the author’s personal life for the deeper understanding to his or her work. The author’s life and personality are considered to be important elements. Then the writer knows Sociocultural-Historical Approach. It includes the social, cultural, and historical backgrounds in which the literary works created and influences the literary object. The fourth is Mythopoeic Approach. It concerns on finding particular recurrent patterns of human thought, which are considered as the same sharing of universal beliefs to certain community mind. It generally involves death and rebirth, sacrifices and guilt, and patterns of basic behavior to Christian theology. And the last is Psychological Approach. Davidoff in his book (1987: 6) states that:
human personality, motivation, and behavior patterns within the literary work. And psychology itself focuses on behavior and mental processes that include cognition (knowing, perceiving, attending, remembering, reasoning, solving problems, dreaming, fantasizing, wishing, anticipating, and etc.)”
Therefore, this study employs the psychological approach since it can identify how a character influences one another, how a character develops or changes in behavior with his or her age, how and why a character differs from one another and how those differences can be analyzed. For instance, a person has different reactions to jokes, conflicts, and under stress.
The study also employs some supporting theories come from the knowledge of psychology to analyze and investigate the problems. Those theories are Psychoanalytic Theory, Psychodynamic Theory, Phenomenological Theory, Theory of Friendship, and Theory of the Relationship between Psychology and Literature.
1. Psychoanalytic Theory
There are psychological view points that try to understand and explain people in general, to apply to all or most human beings rather than to the individual. And psychoanalytic, one of psychological view points is a body of theory originated by Sigmund Freud that stresses the influence of unconscious motivation and drives on all human behavior (Cirese, 1985: 53).
2005: 74). Here it concerns with consciousness, which is the contents of mind, something that we are aware of or not (unconscious). Flahive in his book has an opinion on the psychoanalytic theory of personality (2005: 77) suggests that:
“Much of our behavior, perhaps the majority of it, is determined by the unconscious forces, and that much of our psychic energy is devoted either to finding acceptable expression of unconscious ideas or to keeping them unconscious.”
And in using psychoanalytic view to analyze one’s personality, it is found some important terms such as ID (the most primitive part of the personality, containing unconsciousness and aggressive impulses), Superego (the conscience part including the internalization of moral standards set by one’s parents), Ego (part of the personality that mediates between ID and the Superego, as well as responding to the environment, the rational, reality-oriented component of personality), Ego defense that is the ego’s unconscious mechanisms distorting feelings or perceptions that make some people turn aside feelings of anxiety, guilt, and conflict (Cirese, 1985: 53-55).
According to Freud, ID represents the source of all drive energy. It pursues pleasure and avoids pain. In the other word, it is the basis of personality, the energy source for the whole system, and the foundation from which the Ego and Superego later become differentiated (Mischel, 1976: 31). ID functions according to primary process and the pleasure principle, unconsciously seeks immediate satisfaction of biologically based drives, and is the source of psychic energy (libido).
(Lindgren, 1969: 189). Freud describes it in this way:
The Ego is in direct contact with the external world. It is governed by considerations of safety, and its task is preservation of the organism. The Ego wages its battle for survival against both the external world and the internal instinctual demands of the id. It has to continuously differentiate between the mental representations of wish-fulfilling images and the actual perceptual characteristics of the outer world of reality (Mischel, 1976: 31-32).
In another word, it can be said that Ego mediates between the instinctual demands of the ID and the outer world of reality.
But Superego represents society’s restrictions and produces guilt and ego ideal (Cloninger, 2004: 63). As said by Freud, “Whereas the ID seeks pleasure and the Ego tests reality, the Superego seeks perfection or the ideal” (Mischel, 1976: 32). Superego involves the morals and standards of society that have become part of the internal world of the individual in the course of the development of one’s personality. It is the conscience, the judge of right and wrong, of good and bad related to the internalized standards of the parents and indirectly of the society. In another word, Superego represents the internalized moral standards of the society, achieved through the internalization of parental control and characteristics in the course of socialization. It is more related to the conscious part of human mind.
crucial in the development of a personality. The oral stage characterizes the first year of life, which occurs at time when an infant is totally dependent upon others for satisfaction of his needs. The anal stage occurs in the second year of life in which a child has experience with imposed control of an instinctual impulse through trainings that can later affect traits and values and show character traits of obstinacy, stinginess, precision, and orderliness. Next the phallic stage occurs after the age of five which remains a vital force in later personality. It is characterized by masturbatory stimulation and the observation of the anatomical distinction between the sexes. For example, as Freud said “Both boys and girls love their mother as the satisfier of their basic needs and resent their father as a rival for their mother’s affection” (Mischel, 1976: 41). The genital stage is the final phase of maturity and in it; the individual is capable of genuine love and adult sexual satisfaction. “The love objects of the pregenital period are essentially selfish or narcissistic: that is, others are loved only because they provide additional forms of body pleasure to the person” (42).
According to Freud early personality development occurs in the setting of the family. In that context, Freud strongly emphasized the child’s attachment to the mother and the rivalry between son and father (43).
2. Psychodynamic Theories
there are many branches of theory that can be used to analyze one’s personality and identity, and one of it is psychodynamic theories.
mind, genetic constitution and their environment
In conducting this study, psychodynamic theories are used to analyze the two main characters’ personalities deeply. Factors involved in psychodynamic are usually divided into two types. First, Interaction of Emotional Forces: the interaction of the emotional and motivational forces that affect behavior and mental states, especially on a subconscious level. Second, Inner Forces Affecting Behavior: the study of the emotional and motivational forces that affect behavior and states of mind. And there is relationship between psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theory. A focus in psychodynamic theory is the connection among the emotional experiences, motivation, and desires in the Id, Ego, and Superego. On the other words, psychodynamic focuses on the dynamic interaction between the Id, Ego, and Superego that analyzed in psychoanalytic theory also. And psychoanalytic theory also assumes that personality development is as dynamic psychological conflicts that are resolved (Davidoff, 1987: 444).
anxiety (the fear of real dangers in the external world). Then Mechanisms of defense are developed to avoid anxiety and to come to terms with the instinctual impulse or reaction serving as disguises through which a person hides his motives and conflicts from himself as well as from others (Mischel, 1976: 34). And according to Mischel’s view, Psychic energy is the essence of motives transformation, the objects at which a person directs and expresses the manner in form of energy or libido attached onto aspects of the internal and external environment (36). Thus, the character’s personality development can be analyzed through the character’s reactions in facing conflict that involve emotional experience.
3. Phenomenological Theory
discover in each its essence. They may be things or thoughts, persons or events, categories or states of affairs, or they may be mental constructs such as numbers or geometrical figures.
The central structure of an experience is its intentionality (the directedness of experience toward things in the world, the property of consciousness that it is a consciousness of or about something), which is directed toward something, as it is an experience of or about some object. The most popular idea comes from Carl R. Rogers who assumes that the best vantage point for understanding behavior is from the internal frame of reference of the individual itself (Rogers, 1951: 494). And behavior depends on how one perceives the world, that behavior is the result of events as they are perceived and interpreted by the individual.
primary motive in the people’s lives is to actualize, maintain, and enhance their selves through their direct experiences with the environment or society and may also incorporate their perceptions of others.
According to Rogers, actualizing tendency comes from the experiences that someone perceived from the world around them, in this case is the environment or the society. For example actualizing tendency of a person are wanting to achieve good status, obtain a good job, enrich and satisfy himself as the ways the person tries to adapt himself in the condition of the society around him. Here the relationship between the person and his environment or the society is also important. The objective situation in which a person is involved needs to be considered. It means that a person has to know his society, how the society perceives him as an individual, and how the society responds to his behavior and his self-actualization. Therefore, one needs to interact to others and build relationship within the society in order to assure that the society perceive and give positive responses.
And the way people actualize themselves can be identified as the way of self-searching in which a person tries to search his identity or personality within the society where he is involved. Here, phenomenological theory can be used to analyze the external factors such as their relationship and their roles in society affecting the two main characters searching for their self identity.
4. Theory of Friendship
book, Inter Personal Communication Relating to Other , Beebe explains the nature about friendship. “A friend is someone we trust, the one whom we share a good and bad time with. Someone who will always be there for you, even in the worst time, holds your hand when you are lonely and wipe your tears when you cry” (412). According to Beebe, there are three reasons why people need to build friendship with others, they are:
a. The Need of Inclusion
Everyone has a need to be included in events, activities, and beliefs. And to be included in events, activities, and beliefs, everyone needs human contact and fellowship. One needs to be invited by others to join with or vise versa, one probably need to invite others to join in. And since humans are unique, that everyone has different personality, it will be different to treat one to another. Besides that, the types and the qualities of the relationship can also be different from one and another. For example, the friendship among girls is different from boys; the friendship among children is different from teens or even adults.
b. The Need for Control
and harmony in their relationship and interactions with others.
c. The Need of Affection
Inevitably, according to Beebe, everyone needs to get and give love, encourage and motivate each other, support warmth and intimacy each other, even though the quality and the amount are different from each other. From the love, support of warmth and intimacy, people know that they are accepted in one community especially in their closer relationship with others, and people also can fell that they are worth enough for others.
From those needs, Beebe concludes and states that the meaning of friendship is dealing with one’s physical and mental needs. In his book (413), Beebe says “Besides helping us enjoying a healthy life, friends help us to cope with the stress, take care of physical needs even help us in the development of our personality. Friends help us with uncertainty and have a profound influence on our behavior”.
As said by Beebe about friendship (413), it can be concluded that friendship can influence someone’s personality and self-identity. A friend can give love, support, views of life, and can help in deciding whether something are good or bad.
5. Theory of the Relationship between Psychology and Literature
such as feelings, desires, cognitions, reasoning, decisions, etc, and their conditions” (15). Meanwhile, literature is the work that is related with imagination and creativity in writing representing human expressions and feelings. Readers can look into the fictional characters as the real characters and consider they look alive. The author of literary work can use the understanding from psychology side to enrich his or her fictional characters and vice versa, a psychologist can enlarge their understanding of human behavior by analyzing the deep sensitivity of a good author in creating a person’s character in a literary work.
There is other supporting opinion from Wellek and Warren in their book, Theory of Literature. They argue that psychology has four possibilities of understanding related to literature or literary work (90). First, psychology in literature means the psychological study of the author as a person. Second is the process study of creativity. Third is the study of the type and the application of psychological conditions applied in literary work. The fourth, psychology in literature means the study of the effect of literature towards the readers.
Literature may include the application of the psychology rules in the work (93).
C. Theoretical Framework
Here, this part of this study is written to explain briefly the contribution of the theories in analyzing and solving the problems of the study, why the theories are needed and applied in this study.
This study uses the theory of literature, including Theory of Character and Characterization, to answer the first problem that is “How are Sophie and Natasha, the two main characters of the novel described in the story of If I Were You?” Those theories mentioned above are used to analyze the characterization of the two main characters deeply. Using the theories, the characteristics of the two main characters can be explored and revealed through the way they speak, act, think, and express their emotion.
Besides, this study also uses some theories of psychology to answer the second problem that is “What can influence Sophie and Natasha to find their self-identity?” Some theories that are going to be used are Psychoanalytic Theory, Psychodynamic Theory to analyze the internal factors of self-searching, and Phenomenological Theory, Theory of Friendship, and Theory of the Relationship between Literature and Psychology.
content of thought that can influence one’s attitude and personality (Cloninger, 2004: 34). Thus the main character’s thought can be used to figure out their personality.
Psychodynamic Theory is used to reveal one’s personality. This theory concerns with one’s behavior or reaction toward some situation or problems related to one’s mind in which ID, Ego, and Superego are involved. This way will make it easy to find out how the characters’ reaction and attitude towards problems or certain situation can influence their personality. The way a person perceives self and experiences his world in their society probably different from one another. It depends on the environment or the society around him or her, the way others treat or judge him or her. Therefore one may have subjective experiences and feelings. For the deeper understanding of one’s subjective experiences caused by environment and others, Phenomenological Theory is preferred to use.
Talking about one’s personality, it will be also related to the relationship an individual builds with. In another word, friendship will also influence one’s personality. The Theory of Friendship is used to analyze what kind relationship that the two main characters have. It has motivated them to find their identity and to solve their problems.
D. Criticism.
Julia Llewellyn is the author of The Love Trainer, If I Were You and Amy's Honeymoon. Julia lives in London. Besides writing novels, she also writes regularly for The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times and many other publications.
If I were You is her second novel which is a non-fiction story wrote in 2006. It is such a kind of popular novel, which is written for entertaining the readers. The novel has 487 pages and divided into 57 chapters. It is published by the Penguin Group in London, England. And it has published and sold into many countries. This novel is based on a subject very close to Llewellyn’s heart – a subject she realized the readers never hear anyone talking about: Friend Envy. “My girl friends have always been the most important constant in my life yet at the same time I am ashamed to admit I have often harbored deep feelings of envy for them” said Julia Lewellyn.
Like every kind of literary work, the novel of If I were You by Julia Llewellyn also gets many reactions from publics. In one side, there are readers who admire and enjoy reading the novel. But in the other side, there are also readers who criticize this work. As quoted in an articles entitled If I were You by Julia Llewellyn (http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/thenextbigthing/index.html accessed on 23 August 2008),there are some critics directed to the novel:
“As soon as I read the title of Julia's second novel I was already hooked. I can't think of a single woman who hasn't contemplated what it would be like to live someone else's life, particularly their best friends. I read a lot of women's fiction and more often than not, I find myself quite disengaged from the main female characters largely because I cannot relate to them in any way.”
Natasha and Sophie and I constantly found myself remarking out loud 'I do that!' or 'I've so been there before!'. Her writing is refreshingly witty, playful and honest and you find yourself completely entangled in the lives of her characters.”
”Make sure you set aside a whole day to read this book because you wont want to put it down, not even for a minute.”
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler in his book (Mitchtav M’Eliyahu, volume 5, page 123) suggests that “Whenever someone wishes to criticize others, he or she should project the criticism upon himself or herself. It is impossible to detect anything around them unless he or she is sensitive to it. It is only for talented artist who can see the beauty of something that would otherwise go unnoticed to a layman. It is only he or she who has experienced some levels of pride and arrogance within himself or herself will notice pride and arrogance in others.”
E. Context of the Novel
1. Upper class: mainly aristocracy and landowners, politically represented in the house of Lords, owning and administrating land.
2. Upper-Middle class: usually work as managers, civil servants, businessmen, become very important stratum in society, has a lot of influence in politic, administration and civil service.
3. Lower-Middle class: usually become the owner of small businesses, office workers, skilled workers, became the biggest stratum of British society, and they are the most expanding group in Britain.
4. Working class: usually become factory workers, waiters, shop assistants, the so called semi-skilled, cleaners, he unskilled, having close family and community ties.
5. Lower class: usually unemployed, the elderly, the disabled, unsupported mothers, casual labors, low paid, living below the poverty line, depending in state benefits.
abroad. This group is also very ambitious about the education of their children. Sometimes they make enormous financial sacrifices to send their child to public school. They prefer to live in modern suburbs and avoid contact with colored immigrants. The third group is the poor and the working class lifestyle. They live in terraced houses, often a council house close to their neighbors and mix easily with colored people. They spend their holidays, if they can afford any, in cheap holiday camps in Britain or in Mallorca. They separate themselves from the other groups. There is another social problem in London in 2006 era. “The growing problem of binge drinking among young women is one that must be dealt with at a societal level”, says Ian Gilmore (ian.gilmore@rcplondon.ac.uk accessed on 19 August 2008). As women quite rightly seek greater opportunities for equality in the workplace and in other aspects of life, we see signs of them falling prey more and more to so called lifestyle diseases. Young women are all too commonly seen huddling outside enjoying a cigarette; and while lung cancer rates fall overall, they continue to rise in women. Women are also conspicuously heading for equality in their drinking habits.
young women will be scarred for life through drunken brawls and arguments. Scotland about 30% of women committing violent crime are drunk (http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/336/7650/952 accessed on 19 August 2008).
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
For this chapter, there will be three sections. Those are, Object of the Study, Approach of the study, and Procedures. Object of the study gives brief discussion of the subject on which this study is conducted. Approach of the study gives clarification on particular approach and theories used to investigate the study. The Procedures contains the steps conducted in this study. .
A. Object of the Study
This study discusses one of literary works, thus this study focuses on the novel If I were You. Llewellyn’s If I Were You novel is kind of modern literature and written for entertaining the readers. It is one of Julia Llewellyn’s master pieces after her first work, The Love Trainer. If I were You novel was published in 2006 by Penguin Books in 495 pages and was illustrated by Bill Brown. The novel is not only read for adults, but also it is suit enough for teenagers even though the story of the novel is more about adulthood. It is proved by the author’s bright mind in creating the story and in describing the characters and the settings that are close to the real life. The settings are so clear that the readers can easily imagine the distinctive settings of places and situations described in the novel as if they were involved and witnessed in every incident in the story.
For the novel, Llewellyn chooses a big issue in friendship that she has ever
experienced in her life. The novel is about the jealously had by Sophie and Natasha as a close friend. The author can easily bring the story to the readers’ attention since it reflects her own experiences in having friendship with her girl friends, getting jealous each other, helping each other passing their problems they have and in actualizing their views about them selves and others.
And there are distinctive versions of the way people search for their self-identity that are showed through the two main characters’ life experiences, actions, desires, thoughts, and feelings. There is Natasha who is more intelligent, has a successful career, a gorgeous penthouse flat, but she has trouble by loving a man who already has a girlfriend. On the other hand, there is Sophie who has a man she loves, and who is more attractive and beautiful. But she has trouble with her relationship with her boyfriend.
B. Approach of the Study
This second section discusses the approach used in analyzing the novel of If I were You. From the novel and the topic that has been chosen about the two main characters’ searching for self-identity, it is clear that this study focuses on the Psychology point of view. Therefore, the psychological approach is used to analyze the two conducted problems in this study and to achieve the objectives of this study. Besides that, psychological approach is used here to explain the human motivation, personality, and behavior patterns in the literary works as knowledge of psychology concerned with behavior and mental processes insight of an individual.
C. Procedures
This following part is going to describe the ways taken in analyzing this study. There were some steps needed to do. First, to conduct this study, it was important to choose the literary work that was Llewellyn’s novel If I were You, and then it was needed to read the novel several times to get deeper understanding and consideration of the problems that were going to discuss. Here, the problems of discussion were formulated.
approach and theories, then the answers to the problems could be found out.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter discusses the two questions mentioned in the problem formulation. First, it deals with the characteristics of the two main characters, Sophie and Natasha, as described in the novel of If I were You. Second, it discusses the factors that influence Sophie and Natasha’s decision to search for their self-identity.
A. Sophie and Natasha’s Characteristics in If I were You.
characters’ characteristics are as follows:
1. Sophie’s Characteristics
a. A Dreamer
From the novel, it is considered that Sophie is a dreamer because she always dreams about happiness, pleasure, and popularity. In the story of the novel, she always dreams to have a wonderful future life, a great work, and she also dreams to be popular that everyone will turn their head on her. Those can be known from what Sophie thought and said and also from what other characters said.
When she was a child, Sophie lived in a wealthy family in which her mother married a rich man. From the marriage, Sophie got a stepbrother named Marcus who had been her best friend. In her puberty, she used to play game called “If I were You” with her friends, Natasha, Marcus, and Andy who later became her boyfriend. There, Sophie stated her dream of marriage.
“…., then you might as well all know that I plan a huge wedding on midsummer’s eve in Betterton church followed by a massive reception in the Betterton arboretum,” Sophie said. “As many people as possible. A band. Loads of food. Everyone legless. And a photographer fromTatler.” (3)
That was Sophie’s dream of her future marriage when she was a teenager and that still became her dream even when she had grown up. Being adult, Sophie dreams to have not only a great wedding party, but also a happy family with her beloved boyfriend.
“…., as she could remember she had wanted to get married, hold cozy dinner parties, have babies and create the perfect family life she had never had. She still would do that, everything would still come out all right. It had to.” (92)
But then Sophie had to leave all her enjoyable life after her mother had divorced from her rich stepfather. As her mother got divorced, Sophie and her mother had to provide their life by own. Since then, Sophie lost her opportunity to get better education and job. She had to bury her desire that she wanted to be one of the Oxford University students like Natasha was instead of just being a student of Betterton Secretarial Ladies’ College in her small town. Even when both of them had graduated from their study, Natasha who had graduated from Oxford University, and Sophie who had graduated from her secretarial college, and then they met in London to continue their life and find a job, Sophie still had to lose her fortune to get a great job. For her pity, she only got a plain job as an administrative staff in a publisher named Daily Post. Sophie always dreams to get a great job to work as an actress as Natasha
did who had a job as head of drama for the most successful independent TV Company in Britain.
“But when she was fifteen, she went to an agency, who told her that lovely as she was, at five foot six she simply wasn’t tall enough. That dream shattered, she vaguely dabbled in the idea of acting, but when she auditioned for drama school they told her she had no talent at all.” (40)
And as her best friend, Natasha knows that Sophie dreams of being popular. She is undoubtfully sure that Sophie is fond of being interviewed and appearing in famous publisher, magazine, and TV.
“When we were at school, she always used to moan about what a dump it was and why did we have to hang out with boys from the comprehensive rather than the boys from Eton where Marcus went. She’s always wanted to be posh and now she is.” (460)
dream of luxurious life she wants to have. “All Sophie wanted was a five-star hotel. With a private plunge pool. And maybe a private beach as well. And a pile of paperbacks. And a waiter bringing her cocktails.” (447)
From those quotations above, it can be concluded that Sophie is a dreamer. Sophie is used to being a dreamer because of her unfortunate conditions in which she became poor after her mother got divorced, failed to get a perfect life in her teenage as she only could enter unpopular secretarial girl college, and then failed to get a great job.
b. Ambitious
Besides being a dreamer, Sophie is also an ambitious person. She becomes an ambitious person because she truly hopes that someday her dreams can be realized. Sophie has big enthusiasm and is mad of her dreams as well she always tries to realize her dreams. She does not give up for the unfortunate conditions she has. Being a student of secretarial girl college and spending her teenage years only in small town do not unnerve her confidence. “Now don’t get all soppy on me. Betterton girls are made of stronger stuff than this.” (205) What Sophie says shows that she still gets her confidence to raise her dreams even though she only comes from Betterton, unpopular small town.
her dreams.
“Natasha shrugged. She knew that whatever she told Sophie to do, it would make no difference. Her friend was determined to bring things to a head and at this point Natasha couldn’t blame her.” (157)
And like what must be experienced by others, sometime Sophie also feels down on her unfortunate conditions. She gets sad of being weak because of her adverse relationship with her boyfriend who hasn’t been ready to marry her. It makes her think that it is impossible for her to realize her dream of holding a great wedding party and having a happy family like what her fiend, Lainey, who got married with Sophie’s stepbrother, has.
“She was sick of keeping her life on hold; she wanted to be like Lainey, tucked up in bed with the man she loved, who had promised in front of everyone to have and to hold her until death did them part.” (124)
But as what is told by Natasha about Sophie that she has strong enthusiasm towards her dreams, Sophie doe not give up easily in passing her unfortunate fate. She always convinces herself to be tough and that she can pass her difficulties. It can be known from how Sophie tells her view to herself and encourages herself to persist. “I’m going to be a cool, single woman,” she told herself. “Even if my room doesn’t look much, I’m going to turn it into a haven with loads of bright pink cushions everywhere and I’ll always have fresh flowers and I’ll do all my shopping at farmers’ markets and I’ll light all my scented candles at last.” (195)
career or provide her life better. Sophie also got desperate on her job of just only being a secretary in the Daily Post in which people used to turn their head away from her because of it. Thus she becomes so enthusiastic to attend an audition of TV presenter for a cooking TV program.
c. Attentive
From the story of the novel, it is described that Sophie is an attentive person. It can be known from the way she treats her friends especially her best friend, Natasha. Even sometimes Sophie envies Natasha’s great life, she always helps and accompanies her friends during their difficult days. She regards Natasha as her family since they have been close friends in their childhood. Sophie always pays attention at her best friend feeling. She doesn’t want Natasha to get hurt from the relationship with a man that Natasha has. It is described in this quotation:
“I will.” Sophie smiled again. “Listen, sorry if I was a bit harsh earlier. But dodgy men aren’t good for you. So just be careful, Tasha.” (123)
“Well, be careful, Tash,” she said crossly. “I don’t want you getting hurt.” (267)
And since Marcus is her only stepbrother, Sophie also worries about Marcus life. Even he is only her stepbrother but Sophie always loves and cares about him. It is showed in this quotation:
As a good friend, Sophie is also willing to be a good listener or a place her friends unburden their hearts and problems on whenever her friends ask to, and then she likes to give them advice or help as long as she can. And Sophie can feel whenever her best friend is facing problem or sad, she would like to help. It can be read from what Sophie said in the conversation with Natasha written in the novel.
“Are you all right?” Sophie asked, peering at her. “You seem a bit …. weird today.”
….
“No, you’re not. Something’s going on. Tell me.” ….
“No, it’s not. You never get like this about work. Tell me. It’ll distract me.” (153 -154)
“…. But I’m going to call you tomorrow and the next day and the next day and whatever happens you will not be alone. We are going through this together.” (345)
And one thing Sophie very likes the most is cooking food for her friends because cooking is her favorite thing to do. In the novel, Sophie always offers to cook for her friends whenever they visit one each other. It is written in the novel: “I could cook for us all, Sophie suggested. She had been so looking forward to a rare night out but then she did love cooking too – ….” (86)
Sophie thinks that people who come to her are people who need someone to listen to every single word they speak. Sophie realizes that everyone needs others to share so that if they have pleasure or even problem they will automatically know where to go to share with. It is what she feels of Natasha’s affection on her when she needs a friend to share:
like a match. After so long growing further and further apart, in the last few days their friendship had got up firmly back on track.” (205)
d. Compassionate
Being a compassionate person is not easy. Feeling sorry or pity for others’ suffering is neglected by people nowadays because many of them think that it is not their business. However, Sophie considers compassion to others is important because humans are social creatures that cannot be separated from their relationship with others. And to have and maintain a good friendship or relationship with others, everyone should be compassionate.
Sophie’s encounter with compassion grew when she was in her childhood. She comes from a broken home family; therefore she needs friends that she can share her life with. And then from her mother’s second marriage, Sophie got a fine family with a kind stepfather and stepbrother. Sophie started learning to be compassionate and loved her new family, and even though her mother got divorced again, she still kept in touch with her ex-family. From the author’s direct comment on Sophie, it is showed that she still loves her ex-family that she does not like others criticize on them. “You hardly ever saw him before the wedding,” Sophie pointed out, a tightness in her throat. She didn’t like any criticism of Marcus. (263)
knowing that Natasha has chosen the wrong man to love. It can be known from what Sophie thought and did.
“She hung up, feeling hollow. She hated keeping something from her friend but she also had no desire to be the bearer of bad news. Time to think of other, more cheerful things.” (334)
Sophie always tries to be a good friend. She always offers to help her best friend, Natasha, passing her suffering when Natasha got pregnant and was neglected by the man she made relationship. Sophie’s compassion is described in the story of the novel. It can be seen from what Sophie says in her conversation with Natasha and also from the things Sophie does for Natasha.
“But still, Tash, before you do anything, I think you should wait at least a week. It’s not going to make any difference and you need some time to calm down. And remember, whatever you do, I’ll help you. I’m your friend.” ….
“Yes I bloody well do. You’ve always tried to pretend you don’t need anyone, Tash, but you do. We all do. So just let me be there for you.” (343-344) From the conversation, it can be concluded that Sophie is a compassionate friend that she knows her best friend very well. Sophie knows whenever her friends are suffering and she always tries to take the problems down together.
e. Attractive
In the novel, Sophie is described as an attractive person who is gorgeous, good looking, talkative, and an easy-going person. Everyone who meets her definitely admits that she is pretty and attractive. Even sometimes others know her because she looked like an actress or a TV star as quoted below:
“You know. My friend. The one you met in Jamie’s that time.” “Oh, her! The one who looks like Catherine Zeta-Jones.”
“…. People often said that about Sophie. Before that, when CZJ was still a B-list television star, they had said Elizabeth Taylor – ….” (8-9)
An attractive person is always considered as a chic or stylish person. So is Sophie that she is considered as an attractive person as she is very chic on her style. It is showed by what her mother says on her: “Don’t you look nice? You’ve always been so good at that English eccentric look.” (13) And as her best friend, Natasha also admitted that Sophie is a beautiful woman in which Natasha always envies on her. It is stated through Natasha’s thought:
“She had come to terms with the fact that, no matter how many facials she had or designer clothes she bought, her friend would always be prettier than her, always have an adoring boyfriend on her arm.” (10)
Sophie knows that she is used to having nice looking that makes every one turn their head looking at her. And being attractive is Sophie’s contentment on her self that finally she has something to be proud on. In the novel, it is written that people always have a look at her: “She stood at the arrivals gate, conscious of other people staring at her, wondering who the excited girl (Sophie still couldn’t bring herself to think of herself as a woman) was.” (146)
