THE INFLUENCE OF MINOR CHARACTERS
ON JESSIE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN SUE MONK KIDD’S THE MERMAID CHAIR
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By:
Rantika Praditya Student Number: 021214117
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
THE INFLUENCE OF MINOR CHARACTERS
ON JESSIE’S PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN SUE MONK KIDD’S THE MERMAID CHAIR
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By:
Rantika Praditya Student Number: 021214117
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
2008
Go confidently in the direction of your dream! Live the
life you’ve imagined.
As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe
will be simpler.
(Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)
This thesis is dedicated to:
My beloved parents, my grandparents, my three sisters, and
my best friends
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to ALLAH SWT for the great blessing to finish this thesis. Thank him for this wonderful life, friends and opportunities.
I would also like to express profound gratitude to my sponsor, Dr.Wigati Y. Modouw., M.Hum., for her invaluable support, encouragement, supervision and useful suggestions throughout this thesis. Her moral support and continuous guidance enabled me to complete my work successfully. I am also highly thankful to Mrs. Laurentina Sumarni, S.Pd., my second sponsor, for her valuable suggestions and corrections to my grammar throughout this thesis. I thank her so much for the time and for helping me and my friend in every debate activity. It was an unforgettable moment that we spent with her. I would also extend my sincere thank to lecturers who have guided me during my study, especially Pak Prast, Pak Purba, Pak Gun, Pak Budi, Bu Lanny, Bu Mita, Bu Henny, Bu Frida, Bu Dwina. Also I would thank to
Bu Yuseva, who help me to improve my English although it is only through e-mail. I would also like to thank PBI’s administration staff (Mbak Tari and Mbak Dani) for their kindness.
I am as ever, especially indebted to my parents, my father and my mother for their love, prayer and support throughout my life. I also wish to thank my sister, Ian for her support, prayer and understanding during my study. I am also thankful to my two sisters, Audy and Dida, for their cute smiles and love. Furthermore, I would
always thank my Grandmothers and fathers for their pray and love. I also thank Nicko who helps me adjusting the page set up.
Moreover, my sincere thanks go to my friends, who shared their love and experiences with me. I thank my beloved college best friend Esta, Ike, Bekti for the wonderful friendship. I thank Ike for being there every time I need, for listening my happy stories and sad stories. I thank My SPD teammates (Hastri, Wawan, Bekti, Ike and Esta) for the ultimate coorporation. My deepest thank is also addressed to Mas Joko who teaches me a lot about accepting things the way they are. I thank him for making me to learn to “thank”. I thank him for the life lesson.
I thank Wawan for always supporting me through phone calls and sms. I would also grateful to my Play Performance teammates for their coorporation, time and friendship. I would also thank Nana, Chrisrian, Amri, Miko, Mbak Adis, Ardi, Gugun, Siro for always keeping in touch with me.
Meanwhile, this work would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of my colleagues and friends, therefore; I would like thank to Angela, Dian, Nizar, Ifa, Saras, Adit, Isti, Lia, Dee for their support. I would like to thank to Odjo and Nizar for songs. Thank you for my students for their prayer and surprises. A great thank is addressed to Lala for lending me the USB.
I thank my debate teammates and my seniors (Mbak Wiwik, Mbak Deta, Mas Guntur) without their willingness to share with me, I would never have been brave enough to speak in front of people.
My special appreciation also goes to all my classmates in PBI especially, Reni, Galih, Wida, Adesti, Ruri, Niken, Ila, Emen, Metty, Udjo, Miko, Dedi, Sasha, Ita, Echi, Mawar, O’ok, Bunga, Cecil and, Vivi.
I thank Inna Garuda’s HRD (Pak Edi and Bu Eko) for the opportunity to work as an English trainer in Inna. Also, I would like to thank my students who will go to the State for their prayer and wonderful moments (Rizal, Ismail, Rahmat Pak Nur, Bu Nur Pak Bekti, Pak Hanung). I would also thank to Bu Ani for her kindness.
For my lovely computer, without it I would not have been able to work this out. I thank Jamie Cullum, Maliq & de essentials, Damien Rice, Radiohead and Sufjan Steven who inspire me.
Last but not least, I thank Fery Pramudya Novada for the love and for reminding me to finish my study. I thank him for the tender loving and care as well as for the calls and the support.
Finally, yet importantly, I would like to thank to those who have helped me and prayed for me during the process of writing this thesis whose names I cannot mention one by one. I thank them so much for the support.
Yogyakarta, January 10, 2008
Rantika Praditya
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE……… i
APPROVAL PAGE………... ii
PAGE OF ACCEPTANCE………. iii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY………. iv
PAGE OF DEDICATION………. v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………. vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS……….. ix
ABSTRACT………. xii
ABSTRAK.……… xiii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the Study……… 1
1.2Objective of the Study……… 4
1.3Problem Formulation………. 5
1.4Benefit of the Study……… 5
1.5Definition of Terms……… 6
CHAPTER 2 : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Theoretical Review……… 8
2.1.1 Theory of Literature ……….. 8
2.1.1.1 Theories of Character ………. 8
2.1.1.2 Theories of Characterization……… 10
2.11.3 Critical Approach………. 11
2.1.2 Theories of Psychology……… 13
2.1.2.1 Personality Development……… 13
2.1.2.2 Theory of Mid-life Transition………. 15
2.1.2.3 Factors Influencing Middle Age Woman’s Personality Development……… 16
2.2 Criticism……… 17
2.3 Theoretical Framework………. 19
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Subject Matter……… 20
3.2 Approaches……… 21
3.3 Procedures………. 21
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS 4.1 The Minor Characters’ Personalities……… 23
4.1.1 Nelle (Jessie’s Mother)………. 25
4.1.1.1 Sensitive……….. 25
4.1.1.2 Reclusive ……… 27
4.1.1.3 Silent……… 28
4.1.2 Hugh (Jessie’s Husband)……… 29
4.1.2.1 Responsible………. 29
4.1.2.2 Caring………. . 30
4.1.2.3 Merciful……… 32
4.1.2.4 Patient……… 33
4.1.3 Whit (The Monk)………. 34
4.1.3.1 Tough………. 34
4.1.3.2 Persistent ……… 35
4.1.3.3 Decisive ………. 36
4.2 How Jessie’s Personality Develops………...………. 36
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 Conclusions……… 50
5.2 Suggestions ……… 52
5.2.1 Suggestion for Future Researcher……….. 53
5.2.2 Suggestion for English Teacher……….. 54
5.2.3 The Teaching Extensive Reading by Using The Mermaid Chair……… 55
BIBLIOGRAPHY……… 56
APPENDICES 1. Appendix 1 The Summary of The Mermaid Chair……… 58
2. Appendix 2 The Biography of Sue Monk Kidd………. 63
3. Appendix 3 Syllabus for Extensive Reading…………..……… 66
4. Appendix 4 Implementation of Teaching Extensive Reading.……….. 67
ABSTRACT
Praditya, Rantika. 2008. The Influence of Minor Characters on Jessie’s
Personality Development in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Mermaid Chair Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discussed Sue Monk Kidd’s novel entitled The Mermaid Chair. The novel was interesting because it tells about a wife who tries to deal with her idle marriage life, her relationship with her husband and her existence as a woman and how others influence her personality to deal with her life. This thesis discussed the main character’s personality and how the minor characters influence her personality development. There were two main problems which were discussed: (1) What are the minor characters’ personalities described in the novel? (2) How is Jessie’s personality development described?
This study applied a library research method as the methodology. There were two kinds of data resources used in this study: primary and secondary sources. The primary source was the novel The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. The secondary sources were books of literature, psychology and some sources from the internet. This study employed three main theories. The theories were theory of character, theory of characterization, and theory of psychology. Furthermore, this study used the psychological approach in analyzing the main character’s personality development. This approach was used to analyze the psychology of the main character who was influenced by the minor characters.
There were three minor characters who influenced her personality. Those persons were her mother, her husband and the monk. These persons played their role to influence Jessie’s personality. First, her mother, the silent, sensitive and reclusive person, changes her to be a mature person. Second, her husband who was very responsible, care, patient and, merciful, changed her to be a patient person and a person who can thank everything that she had got. At last, the monk who was very tough, decisive and persistent. He changed her personality from an unconfident person to a confident one. Because of the influence of those people, she finally understood her existence and starts a new life with her husband.
It can be concluded from the analysis that Jessie Sullivan was an egoistic, worried, spoiled, unconfident person. Because of the minor characters’ influence she became a confident, patient and caring person. It showed that minor characters give a strong influence to the main character’s personality development. This thesis provided suggestions for the future researchers who would conduct studies on other topics in The Mermaid Chair. This study also gave suggestions for the English teaching learning activities. Furthermore, this thesis provided lesson plan in teaching English especially on reading class. The lesson plan was focused on the extensive reading class and it used some chapters from The Mermaid Chair as the reading materials.
ABSTRAK
Praditya, Rantika. 2008. The Influence of Minor Characters on Jessie’s
Personality Development in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Mermaid Chair. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma. Skripsi ini membahas novel Sue Monk Kidd yang berjudul The Mermaid Chair. Novel tersebut menarik karena bercerita tentang kehidupan seorang istri yang berusaha mengatasi persoalan rumah tangganya yang membosankan, hubunganya dengan suaminya dan keberadaanya sebagai seorang wanita. Serta bagaimana karakter lain mempengaruhi watak dalam menjalani hidupnya. Skripsi ini membahas karakter tokoh utama dan bagaimana keberadaaan tokoh pendukung mempengaruhi kepribadiannya. Ada dua pokok masalah pada tokoh utama: (1) Bagaimana karakteristik tokoh pendukung digambarkan di dalam novel. (2) Bagaimana perubahan kepribadian Jessie digambarkan?.
Studi ini menerapkan metode studi pustaka. Ada dua macam sumber data yang digunakan: sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utama adalah novel The Mermaid Chair. Sumber kedua adalah buku-buku kesusastraan, psikologi dan beberapa sumber dari internet. Studi ini mengunakan tiga teori pokok. Teori tersebut adalah teori tokoh, teori penokohan, dan teori psikologi. Selanjutnya, studi ini menggunakan pendekatan psikologi sebagai pendekatan dalam menganalisa karakteristik tokoh utama dalam perubahan watak. Pendekatan ini digunakan untuk menganalisa keadaan psikologi tokoh utama yang mengalami perubahan dikarenakan pengaruh karakter pendukung.
Terdapat tiga tokoh yang mempengaruhi perubahan karakter Jessie. Tokoh tersebut adalah, suaminya, ibunya, dan seorang pendeta. Ketiga tokoh tersebut berpengaruh terhadap perubahan watak Jessie. Yang pertama adalah ibunya, seorang yang pendiam, perasa dan tertutup, ia mengubah Jessie menjadi seorang wanita yang dewasa. Yang kedua adalah suaminya, seorang yang bertanggung jawab, peduli, sabar dan pemaaf. Ia yang mengubah Jessie menjadi wanita yang sabar dan mensyukuri apa yang telah dia dapat. Yang terakhir adalah pendeta, seorang yang kuat, tegas dan berprinsip. Ia yang mengubah Jessie menjadi wanita yang percaya diri. Karena pengaruh ketiga tokoh tersebut akhirnya Jessie menyadari keberadaannya dan memulai kehidupan barunya bersama suaminya.
Berdasarkan analisis, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Jessie Sullivian adalah seorang yang egois, pencemas, manja, dan tidak percaya diri. Karena pengaruh dari karakter pendukung, Jessie menjadi seorang yang percaya diri, sabar,tidak egois dan penyayang. Berdasarkan pembahasan tersebut, menunjukan bahwa tokoh pendukung mempunyai peran yang kuat terhadap perubahan watak tokoh utama. Skripsi ini memberikan beberapa saran untuk peneliti-peneliti dimasa mendatang yang akan mengadakan studi pada topik-topik lain dalam The Mermaid Chair. Skripsi ini juga memberikan saran untuk kegiatan belajar mengajar Bahasa Inggris. Sebagai tambahan, skripsi ini memberikan rencana pembelajaran kelas Extensive Reading mengunakan beberapa bab dari novel The Mermaid Chair.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
There are five parts that are discussed in this chapter. The first part is Background of the Study, the second part is Objective of the Study, the third part is Problem Formulation, the fourth part is Benefit of the Study, and the fifth part is Definition of Terms.
1.1Background of the Study
Reading literary work means gaining knowledge and experiences from the characters. Furthermore, it might also open our mind to a new life lesson that is experienced by the characters. The most important thing is how the experience influences the readers and contributes new knowledge to the reader. In reading a novel, there is always a new topic with a new value that we can learn from it. We can put those values into our life. Furthermore, Reading a novel always brings a new portrait of life and characters that can be discussed.
tries to make the readers aware that sometimes a portrait of a perfect marriage does not always guarantee happiness. The most interesting thing to discuss is the main character is influence by some characters when she faces her marriage problem. Furthermore, this novel also tells the readers about the main character’s effort to face her problems.
In the story, Jessie, the main character interacts with Nelle, Hugh and Whit who give influence on her personality development. In a real life, we also interact with other people who live around us in our environment. Usually, these people give influence to our life. Actually, the strongest influence toward someone personality development is people close to us, for example, the influence of a parents’ attitude on their child’s attitude. When parents always curse and shout when angry to their child, their child will do the same thing when he is angry to other people. Unconsciously, the parents are forming a bad habit in their child’s personality. Another example is, when a husband always trusts her wife to handle the family, her wife will feel exist in the family. From the example it is clear that people around us give a great influence on one’s personality.
Personality development according to Hurlock (1974: 19) is the product of learning during the course of social relationship with people both within and outside his home. In the story, Jessie develops her personality along with her relation with people who close to her. Furthermore, it shows to the readers the process of Jessie’s personality development.
This novel establishes some interesting situations that bring Jessie closer to some people around her. Those situations are her coming to her hometown to take care of her mother, her forbidden relationship with a monk and her marriage relationship with her husband. Through these situations, Jessie establishes a relationship with three people who influence her personality. These people are her mother, her husband and the monk. From these people also she changes into someone better.
Jessie lives with her family. Her husband, Hugh, is a person who gives big influence in her personality. Basically, her husband is a portrait of a perfect husband who gives a perfect marriage. However, Jessie still feels inconvenience with her marriage. For Jessie, being a wife in a perfect family is not enough. She thinks that her life is just a chain of monotonous activities. For that reason she needs to step out from that situation and to be away from her husband for a while.
She falls in love with him.
Many unpredictable things happen in this life beyond our control, which we call it mistakes. Making mistakes is part of life. However, there is always responsibility after making mistakes. Jessie realizes that she makes big mistakes by betraying her husband. However, Jessie takes her responsibility on her mistakes. She also learns something from those people and develops herself become well.
This novel is interesting to discuss since it teaches the reader about value in a relationship. Furthermore, this novel would like to show how people close to us can give a great influence toward one’s personality. This novel also leads the reader to believe that the existence of people near us may have a power to change a person becomes better or worse.
1.2 Objective of the Study
1.3Problem Formulation
This study is focused on two problems.
1. What are the minor characters’ personalities described in the novel? 2. How is Jessie’s personality development described?
1.4Benefit of the Study
This study offers benefit for myself, the readers and the researchers. For me, by analyzing this novel, I get more knowledge about the personality development of the main character. This study also strengthens my thought that the existence of people who close to us can give a great influence to our personality.
Moreover, I learn to appreciate what we have got, to be able to get along with what God gives us and to love it. I also obtain some beneficial values by knowing one’s personality. Furthermore, it gives me a new thought about how one’s personality is developed.
This study will be beneficial for the readers to implement new value to their life and to get the beneficial messages from the main character’s experience. Moreover, this study can be used as pre –reading before reading the novel. I hope the reader can get more knowledge about what minor character is and its influence toward one’s personality.
1.5 Definition of Terms
1.5.1 Personality Development
The word personality, according to Personality Theories, second edition ( 1981: 7) , personality represent an evolving process subject to a variety of internal and external influences, including genetic and biological propensities, social experiences and changing environmental circumstances. According to George Kelly (Chapter 9), personality is individual’s unique way of “making sense” out of life experience.
Furthermore, the word development according to Schiambang and Smith, development means the changes happening to human being during their lifetimes (1982: 5).
According to Allyn & Bacon, 2002 on www.healthofchildren.com, personality development is the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person distinctive. Personality development occurs by the ongoing interaction of temperament, character, and environment.
1.5.2 Minor Character
Milligan describes Minor Character as Characters who appear as the complement of the story (1983: 195). According to www.Humanitiesweb.org by Gilfford, Katya (9 November 2004), Minor Character is those figures who fill out the story but who do not figure prominently in it. 8:05 pm, 06,07,07
1.5.3 Influence
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part is Theoretical Review, second part is Criticism, and the last part is Theoretical Framework. The Theoretical Review includes the theory of Literature and the Review of Related Theory. Furthermore, Theory of Literature includes Character, Characterization and Critical Approach. The review of Related Theory includes the Theory of Psychology and the Theory of personality. Meanwhile the Criticism presents some critics about the novel and the author. The last part is Theoretical Framework, it talks about how theories are used to analyze the novel.
2.1 Theoretical Review 2.1.1 Theory of Literature
A novel is a form of literature; therefore, I support the analysis by using the theory of literature. This part presents the theories of literature, which are divided into two, the theory of character and theory of characterization.
2.1.1.1 Theories of Character
and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue and what they do- the action”. Therefore, a character is usually easily analyzed from his dialog or action.
Abrams (1993: 24) classifies a character into two types: flat character and round character. A flat character is a single idea and is presented in outline and without much individualizing detail. It means flat character has dominant traits and has no desires motivation, or conflict. Therefore, flat character is easy to remember because it does not undergo a change and will have the same character from the beginning until the end of the story. Furthermore, it can be described in a single phrase or sentence.
On the other hand, round character has many dominant traits and complex desire, motivation and conflicts. Therefore, a round character tends to change from the beginning of the story until the end of the story and tends to be complex. Thus, round character is difficult to describe. Round characters can also called as developing characters.
Furthermore, Foster (1947: 47) describes the advantages of flat character and round character. Flat characters are easily known by the readers’ emotionally eye, not by the visual eye. Emotionally eye means, it can be described by using feeling. The reader can also easily remember the characters because they do not change.
On the other hand, round characters cannot be identified directly and quickly because there are some life aspects that influence them to develop. Because of those aspects the readers cannot easily memorize the characters as in the flat characters.
the beginning to the end of the story. Furthermore, the content of the story is focused on the main character. The minor character appears in certain circumstances and times. His role is less important than the main character because the total roles and focus are on the main character.
2.1.1.2 Theories of Characterization
According to (Holman and Harmon, 1968: 81) characterization is the way to create of imaginary persons, so they exist for the reader as life like. Therefore, the author always points out what the character is, how he lives, what he like and dislike. Those traits are called character while the technique to make the traits known is characterization.
one is conversation of others. The readers can have clues about the character from other character in the novel. Reader can get clue from other characters’ conversation about the character. The sixth characterization is reaction. The readers will be able to have clues about the characters by analyzing the character’s reaction when he is facing a problem.
The seventh is direct comment. In the direct comment, the author directly gives his personal reception and comment to the character he creates. The eighth way is thought. The author gives a clue to the reader from the character’s thought. By knowing what the character is thinking, the reader will simply describe the character through the thought. The last way is mannerism. Describing the mannerisms or habit gives the reader clues about the character.
This study will focus on the influence of the Minor Character on the main character’s personality. The Minor Character here is including the main characters’ the family’s influence and her peer.
According to Milligan, the second character or the minor characters are those who appear as the complement of the story. While major character appears more often in the story. (1983: 195)
According to www.Humanitiesweb.org that is contributed by Gilfford, Katya (9 November 2004), Minor Character is those figures who fill out the story but who do not figure prominently in it.
2.11.3 Critical Approach
literary work. Therefore, a researcher should choose an appropriate approach in order to help him to have better understanding in analyzing a literary work.
Rohrberger and Woods (1971: 613) present five approaches to analyze a novel. Those approaches are the Formalist approach, the Biographical approach, the Sociocultural-Historical approach, the Mythopoeic approach and the Psychological approach. Each approach has its own characteristic. Each approach will be defined and explained according to its usage.
In this study, I would like to choose the Psychological approach to analyze Jessie’s personality development. Furthermore, this study will focus on the influence of the minor characters on the main character’s personality development.
2.1.2 Theories of Psychology
The theory of personality development is part of the theory of psychology. Therefore, it is important to apply the psychology theory to analyze one’s personality development.
According to Floyd L. Ruch (1963: 8), literarily the word “psychology” means “the science of mind”. Unfortunately, psychologists have never been satisfied with that definition. Therefore, most psychologists would agree on a definition of psychology as the science of the behavior of organism.
Behavior is including internal processes –thinking, emotional reactions and the like-which one person cannot observe directly in another but which can be inferred from observation of external behavior.
Theories of psychology are used to help analyze Jessie’s personality development. I use the theory of psychology, since personality has a close relationship with human psychology.
2.1.2.1 Theory of Personality Development
According to Hurlock (1976: 108), people change throughout their lifetime. It is so because they are not completely satisfied with their personality. Therefore, they always have a desire to change their personality. Change here means that they alter or vary their personality. The changing of personality can be better or worse. If the environment gives a good influence, he will improve his personality. If it gives bad influence he may be influenced by the bad influence
Therefore, the change in one’s personality is not always synonymous with improvement.
Hurlock (1974: 19), an individual’s personality pattern is in the product of learning during the course of social relationship with people both within and outside his home. Moreover, socialization and every value during one’s life will influence the personality.
their role. For example: sex and occupation. The last determinant is Situational determinants. Situational determinants may include things that have happened a thousand times as well as those that happen only once. It plays important part in helping shape the kind of person one become.
On the other hand, Pikunas (1961: 22) states that development is a series of sequential changes in an organism leading to its maturity. Development occurs as new kinds and levels of differentiation and integration, learning and maturation, emerge.
2.1.2.2 Theory of Mid-life Transition
According to Daniel J. Levinson (1978: 191-192), the mid-life transition ordinary has its onset at age 40 or 41 and last about 5 years. The average age at termination was 45.5, the range 44 to 47. The Mid-life Transition is a bridge between early adulthood and middle adulthood. There are three major tasks that must be worked on.
The first is to terminate the early adulthood. He has to review his life in this era and reappraise what he has done with it. The initial focus in the Mid-life transition is on the past. The major task is to reappraise the life structure of the settling down period.
in social outlook, in personal value, in what he wants to give the world, in what he wants to be for himself. The inner changes may be highly out in dramatic external changes. (1978: 191)
The last one is to deal with the polarities that are sources of deep division in his life. In this period a man must modify the early adult self. Greater individuation is needed if he is to form a life structure more appropriate for middle adulthood.
When a man begins his Mid-Life Transition, it is the time of moderate or severe crisis. Every aspect of his lives comes into question, and he is horrified by much that is revealed. Moreover, he is full of recrimination against himself and others. He cannot go on as before, but need time to choose a new path or modify the old one. However, to modify the old one he needs to pass a period that is known as Mid-Life Transition.
2.1.2.3 Factors Influencing Middle Age Women’s Personality Development According to Hurlock (1974: 352), there are two kinds of factor that influence one’s personality in the family. Those are the direct and indirect influence.
In direct influence, the role of parents is to transmit attitude and values by telling their children how they should feel and behave in different situation. Furthermore, communication is a direct method of personality transmission by which family member try to influence the personality development of other members.
constantly criticizes the way he behaves and talks will develop an unfavorable self- concept from his association with her.
Furthermore, the climate of the home directly influences the person’s characteristic behavior and his characteristic adjustment to life. If the home climate is favorable, the individual, the individual will react to personal problems and frustrations and in a calm, philosophical manner.
Those theories present that family has a strong influence to ones personality development. Family is a strong factor that can alter or form a child personality.
An individual is part of the society, his ability to interact and to contribute something in his social life can influence his existence in the society. The way an individual behaves also influence the society approval to him. Therefore, social life determines one’s existence in his social life.
According to Hurlock (1974: 232), a person whose behavior comes up to social expectations and who tries to play the social role prescribe for him by the group can be assured of reasonable approval and acceptance.
2.2 Criticism
In analyzing Sue monk Kidd’s The Mermaid Chair, this study needs supports from some critics to reveal Sue Monk Kidd’s work. Many readers say that this novel is a novel that is a woman’s coming-of-middle-age novel. Therefore, this novel is very suitable for middle-age woman.
Time magazine stated, “Her writing is so smart and sharp, she gives new life to old midlife crises, and she draws connections from the feminine to the divine to the erotic that a lesser writer wouldn’t see, and might the guts to follow”
The critic comes from Fort Worth Star-Telegram., it says that the novel is a well- told tale about marriage, mystery and mermaid. It also says that Kidd at a deeper emotional level fabulously popular Bees. In this novel the character are more tormented, more complex, in their process of coming unwound and then healing. Furthermore, it also states that in the novel there is a quite powerful feminist statement on the basis of Kidd’s beautiful use of language.
While according to Philadelphia Inquirer, The Mermaid Chair is a woman’s coming –of-middle-age novel. It says that Kidd can really turn a phrase and her descriptions of nature’s archetypal element are magnificent.
Booklist is also adding that Kidd’s second offering is just as gracefully written as her first and possesses an equally compelling story. It should appeal to the many readers who mad her first novel a hit with book clubs. Publisher Weekly starred review states that “rewarding second novel by the author of the bestselling Secret Life of Bees. Writing from the perspective of conflicted discontented Jessie, Kidd achieves a bold intensity and complexity that was not possible in The Secret Life of Bees, narrated by teenage Lily. Jessie’s efforts to cope with marital stagnation, Whit’s crisis of faith and Nellie’s tormented reckoning with the past will resonate with many readers. This emotionally rich novel, full of sultry, magical descriptions of life in the South, is sure to be another hit for Kidd.”
works. Her first famous novel The Secret Life of Bees attracts many people to read her another novel. It shows that her works is stunning and enjoyable to read.
2.3 Theoretical Framework
There are some theories that are reviewed for references to help to analyze the novel. The theory of character by Abrams (1993: 24) helps to analyze Jessie’s character and people around her. The theory of characterization by (Holman and Harmon, 1968: 81) and M.J Murphy, Understanding Unseen (1972: 161-173) are used to get better understanding about the personalities and characters in the novel. By applying this theory, the reader will be more easily to understand how the characters are analyzed.
Furthermore, in understanding Jessie’s personality development this study applied some theory about personality and psychology. Hurlock’s theory is used to analyze Jessie’s personality development Hurlock (1976: 108). The theory of human development is by Murray (1981: 165). Furthermore, the theory of minor character that influences Jessie’s personality development is based on the theory of Milligan (1983: 195). By understanding the definition of minor character, it gives the reader a picture of the main character itself and its role in the novel
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
This chapter includes three sections. The first section is Subject matter, the second is Approaches and the third is Procedures. The object of the study states that the work to be discussed with its physical description. The approach deals with the approach that is used to analyze the novel. The procedures are concerned with the research steps taken, starting from reading up to report writing. It also deals with where to gather data and what aspects of the topic include.
3.1 Subject Matter
The subject the matter of the study is a novel written by Sue Monk Kidd, published in 2005 by Viking Penguin, a member of penguin group (USA) Inc. It consists of 403 pages. This novel is about Jessie’s, a middle age women, experience in her married. It tells from the time she lived happily with her husband and daughter than she got an affair with a monk until she realized her mistake and came back to her husband, Hugh. In this novel, there are characters that influence Jessie’s personality. They are Jessie’s husband (Hugh), Jessie’s mother (Nelle), The Monk (Whit). The story will also deal with Jessie’s effort to figure out the mystery behind her mother’s severe sickness. The conflicts in Jessie’s character are dealing with these characters.
Jessie’s personality development is mostly influenced by family and people around her.
3.2 Approaches
This study uses psychological approach to get an easy understanding about the novel. The description of the approach can be read through this part.
The psychological approach helps us to analyze from the point of view of human being. The approach relates with the human being’s behavior patterns and unconscious thought. Jessie’s personality development in this novel is effected by her psychological factor. In order to understand the development of Jessie’s personality, this study analyzes it from the psychological point of view. Automatically, this study analyzes Jessie’s personality from psychological field. In this case the psychological field will not only help this study to understand Jessie’s personality but also how her personality is influenced by other characters.
3.3 Procedures.
This study was done through reading and analyzing a novel. Therefore, we call this study as a library research. In order to be easier in analyzing this novel, this study uses some books concerning with psychology and literature as references.
In order to conduct this study, this study used some procedures. Some steps are taken to answer the problem.
The first step was reading the novel for several times. It was done in order to get more understanding on the novel. Some necessary notes were made while reading the novel, the notes were focusing on the personality development. Some dialogues which illustrated the development of Jessie’s personality and the influence of other characters were also taken into account.
The second step was reading some references related to the theory of literature relate to personality development. Furthermore, finding the criticisms about Sue Monk Kidd on the internet was also taken.
The third step was making notes of character detailed explanation. This part was also related to definition of Jessie’s appearance, attitude and personality.
The fourth step was observing the main character’s personality development by applying psychological approach. The study focused on Jessie’s personality development. It used the theory of psychology.
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS
This chapter analyzes the minor characters’ personality and Jessie’s personality development which are described in the novel. The first analysis will be the minor characters that influence Jessie’s personality development. Furthermore, it will also analyze Jessie’s personality development.
4.1 The Minor Characters’ Personalities
There is a factor that influences Jessie’s personality development which is minor characters. Minor characters are characters which appear as the complement of the story. Therefore, in this study I would use Murphy’s theory of characterization. This theory is used to analyze each minor character’s character.
Jessie lives with her beloved husband and her only daughter. Jessie’s friends describe Jessie’s family as a perfect family. She has a handsome, kind and dependable husband and an amazing daughter.
Jessie’s family is described as a family that can give Jessie happiness and composure.
When I came down stairs, Hugh was making breakfast. I heard the hiss of Jimmy Dean Sausage before I got to the kitchen. ‘I’m not hungry,’ I told him. ‘But you need to eat,’ he said. ‘You’re not going to throw up again, Trust me.’ (p. 24)
Before coming downstairs, he’d booked me a one-way ticket to Charleston and arranges to cancel his early- afternoon patients so he could drive me to the airport. (p. 24)
Hugh’s aging seemed more benign, his handsomeness turning ripe, but it wasn’t that so much as the combination of intelligence and kindnesses in his face that drew people. I had captured me back in the beginning. (p. 25)
He said, ‘I hardly know anything about you, but I love you’. And from that moment his commitment had been unyielding. Even now he rarely went a day without telling me. (p. 28)
Not only her husband but also her daughter loves her. The way her daughter makes fun of her mother shows how she loves her. Jessie usually responds to her daughter’s joke with another ridiculous joke.
The ‘Rapuzel tower’. She’s always teasing me about it. ‘Hey, Mom, When are you gonna let your hair down?’ that’s Dee being playful, being Dee, but we both knew what she meant- that I’d become to stuffy and self- protected. (p.8)
This past Christmas, while she was home, I’d posted a Gary Larson cartoon on the refrigerator with a magnet that proclaimed me WORLD’S GREATEST MOM. In it, two cows stood in their idyllic posture. One announced to the other, ‘I don’t care what they say, I’m not content.’ I’d meant as a little joke, for Dee (p. 8)
Those conditions describe that Jessie is very lucky to have such a family, a lovely husband and a great daughter. However, Jessie still feels that she needs to do something to excite her routine.
On the other hand, she has a brother and a mother who live in the Egret Island. Jessie was raised in a quite religious family. She has a brother named Mike; furthermore, Mike and she have a strong family relation. When she was a child, it was only Mike who always accompanied her to play around. Shealso has a very nice father, who always spoiled her. He named his boat after Jessie and he always had stories to tell to Jessie. He usually told the story and sat Jessie on his lap.
silence and her action of cutting her hand are the example. Moreover; Jessie keeps blaming her self for her father’s death. She speculated that the boat explosion was caused by the pipe that she gave to her father in the father’s day. Jessie’s and her mother’s condition show that losing a father’s figure in the family affects much in one’s personality.
4.1.1 Nelle (Jessie’s Mother)
Nelle is Jessie’s mother. This character is also considered as a character who influences Jessie’s personality. Nelle’s sickness makes Jessie aware of life and the relation between mother and daughter.
4.1.1.1 Sensitive
According to Murphy’s theory of characterization, a character can be analyzed through reaction. This character is considered as a sensitive character. It can be seen from her attitude toward other people. Once, Nelle’s relationship with Jessie is fine but after Jessie’s father died, their relationship turns bad. The condition is getting worse after Jessie’s marriage. Nelle seems to lose everything, she lost her daughter as well as her husband. She becomes a very sensitive person. One day, Jessie is visiting her mother. She buys her a silk pajama with a Chinese dragon embodied on its top. Her mother does not like it, so she throws it away. Jessie is angry and she packs her clothes. Since that moment, she has never come back to home to visit her mother.
Since Nelle is very sensitive, she feels that she is abandoned, but she never tells about her feeling and condition to Jessie that she is lonely. After her husband’s death, her mother’s attitude becomes strange. Jessie as her child feels that the cause of her mother’s strange attitude is her. Her relationship with Jessie has never been fine since the boat’s explosion. The worst thing is that Jessie has never come to visit her mother for five years more. ‘I do believe our little island could sink into the sea, and it wouldn’t faze you’. Kat said. ‘What’s it been? Five years, six months, and one week since you set foot here. (p.16)
Because of Nelle’s attitude to her daughter, Jessie feels that she is not expected by her mother. Nelle’s five years of silence influences Jessie’s thought that she does not have a mother. Nelle’s attitude makes Jessie do not want to visit her mother. Furthermore, Jessie thinks that her mother does not want her. ‘My excuse,’ I said, ‘is that she does not want me there, She’s_’. (p.18)
Unconsciously, Nelle makes Jessie have a sense that she killed her own father. Nelle’s silence and her strange behavior left thousand accusations to Jessie’s thought that she is guilty.
‘I almost laughed. I could no more pretend I didn’t have a mother than the sea could pretend it had no salt. My mother existed for me with a vengeance. Sometime her voice would come piping through my bones and practically lift me off my feet.’ (p.18)
4.1.1.2 Reclusive
In chapter two, there is a part that describing that Nelle is a reclusive woman. It is analyzed by using character as seen by others. This character is described as a character who always does everything alone. Although she looks strange, the monks in the monastery really miss her existence in the monastery. It is proven from other monks who really miss her when she gets sick. Moreover, she is also considered as a mother who does not have any sense of humors. She is very different from Jessie in this case. She can be considered as a very serious religious woman. She sees things in a very serious way. Moreover, after her husband’s death, she becomes someone who really cares of the benediction monastery.
Mother had always been what you’d call fervent, making me and Mike drop pennies into empty milk jars for pagan babies’ and every Friday lighting the Sacred Heart of Jesus candles in the tall glasses and going to her knees on the floor in her bedroom. Where she said all five decades of the rosary, kissing the crucifix on which Jesus had been rubbed down to a stick man from all the devotion. (p.20)
Nelle becomes very religious and silent after the ship explosion. Her husband’s death affects her to devote herself to the monastery. Her attitude makes Jessie think that her mother is crazy. Jessie thinks that her mother is abnormal. Moreover, after her mother severely cuts her own finger without reason.
Even then, though, I’d thought of her as normal-crazy, just a couple of degrees beyond fervent. When she wore so many saints’ medal pinned to her bra that she clinked, when she started cooking at the monastery, behaving as if she owned the place, I’d told myself she was just an overextended Catholic obsessed with her salvation. (p.21)
4.1.1.3 Silent
Nelle is considered as a very silent character and it is analyzed by using character as seen by others. Her silence makes her daughter hard to understand her. Nelle’s strange attitude is simply a form of self blaming of her husbands’ death. She cuts her fingers twice and put those two fingers into the mayonnaise jar. This strange attitude really spends Jessie’s thought and feeling. Moreover, this character keeps Jessie in her guilty feeling toward her father’s death. She keeps thinking that her father is killed because of the pipe that she gave. Nelle never tells her the cause of Jessie’s father’s death. I had an overwhelming impulse to shake Mother awake and ask why she’d let me grow up believing that my pipe had been the cause of everything. (p. 98)
However, Nelle finally tells the truth about her husband’s death to Jessie. Although it is hard for Jessie, Nelle is trying to convince Jessie that the unwanted condition is not Jessie’s fault. She just wants to keep it all for herself, she does not want Jessie to feel sad to hear the true story about her father’s death.
‘I slid forward and reached out of her touch. I wanted her. I wanted my mother. I wanted to bend over and kiss her injured child. My love for her was such rubble.’ The rosary fell onto the floor. She began talking to my father as if he were sitting in the room with us. ‘Don’t ask me to do this, Joe. Please don’t ask me. I’ll walk on my knees across the island if I have to. I won’t eat. I’ll sleep on the floor, on the dirty ground. I’ll make God hear me. Jesus and Mary. Don’t ask me to do this.’ (p. 337)
how she really loves and wants her mother much. She realizes how much her mother loves her father. She finds that her accusation to her mother about her mother’s affair with Father Dominic is totally wrong.
The novel proves that Nelle’s silence is for the sake of her daughter’s goodness. Unfortunately, she does not realize that her silence keeps Jessie in her guilty feeling.
4.1.2 Hugh (Jessie’s Husband)
4.1.2.1 Responsible
This character is analyzed by using the theory of character as seen by others. Jessie, who plays as other characters, leads the reader to have a picture about Hugh. For Jessie, Hugh is a very good man. She feels so lucky to have Hugh as her husband, a very dependable husband. He works for the family, he gives Jessie a very nice daughter, he knows how to cook and above all he is handsome. It would take million pages to describe how perfect Hugh is. People would be gladly saying that Jessie is the luckiest wife in the world, Hugh really loves Jessie. However, those perfections make Jessie live in a very ordinary life. She feels that everything is set and she cannot do anything that makes her different from others.
Hugh is definitely a handsome husband, the older he is the more handsome he becomes. Even Jessie feels jealous at him.
As a husband, Hugh has already given a good role for the family. He earns money for his family. Moreover, he loves her daughter very much. They are as close as friend, even Dee wove a bracelet for him and he wears it. Furthermore, He likes keeping things that have memory about people he loves. He keeps all those things in his drawer. It shows that Hugh is a loveable person. He would give his deep attention to people he loves. Moreover, it is kind a rare for a man to keep memorable thing in his drawer. He is considered as man who shows his affection to his family.
‘….., while putting away the laundry. I came upon Hugh’s jewelry case in the back of his underwear drawer. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I at on the bed and went through it. It held all Dee’s baby teeth, tiny and yellowed like popcorn kernels, and several drawings she’d done on his prescription pad. There was his father’s Pearl Harbor pin, his grandfather’s pocket watch, four pairs of cuff links I’d bought him for various anniversaries….(p.28)
4.1.2.2 Caring
A character can be analyzed from reaction to other people. This character is analyzed from Hugh’s reaction toward his wife and his family. Hugh is a very caring character. He cares not only his family but also his wife’s family. Even, he would not be sorry to cancel all his appointment in order to put attention to her wife. Hugh would prepare all the things that Jessie needs. He also knows what he should do when Jessie’s emotion is uncontrolled.
When I came downstairs, Hugh was making breakfast. I heard the hiss of Jimmy Dean sausage before I got to the kitchen. ‘I’m not hungry.’ I told him. ‘but you need to eat,’ he said. ‘You are not going to throw up again. Trust me.’ Whenever a crisis of any kind appeared, Hugh made these great big breakfasts. He seemed to believe in their power to revive us. (p.24)
she will go and who will take her to the airport. Sometimes Hugh’s affection is really amazing for Jessie, but this treatment is sometimes too much for Jessie. She feels not free because of Hugh treatment. Therefore, Jessie needs something to excite herself. Before coming downstairs, he’d booked me a one-way ticket to Charleston and arranged to cancel his early afternoon patients so he can drive me to the airport (p.24)
Considering Hugh’s attention to Jessie, it is proven that Jessie is being spoiled by her husband. Therefore, Jessie insists that she needs something to alter her life. Hugh puts too much attention to her and it is bothering her. As I descended the stairs, the years between us seemed accumulated everywhere, filling the house, and it seemed strange to me, how love and habit blurred so thoroughly to make a life. (p.34)
His love to Jessie is above all things in the world. He could even cry for Jessie. The fact that Jessie has an affair with a monk leaves a very deep scar in Hugh. Hugh is known as a very patient and strong husband. However, there is a condition when Jessie’s mistakes change him into someone who is weak and impatient. However, he is trying to handle his condition.
She went on calling him for unbearable amount of time. When she finally left, tears shot up behind his eyes. He sat on one of the twin beds, trying to choke down the urge to cry. He wouldn’t have Jessie hearing him cry. He needed to get hold of himself. (p. 331)
Jessie’s confession. We can see the evidence from the quotation from the novel above.
4.1.2.3Merciful
We can analyze this character by using other people’s opinion about this character. Hugh is in a very big problem when it is about his marriage problem. However, Hugh is considered as a person who is merciful. Although Hugh has known the fact, He still does not believe that Jessie has done an affair. He believes that he knows Jessie and he trusts her much. Hugh believes that their marriage is perfect, he has done as perfect as he can for the sake of a perfect family.
When he’d first seen the image and the crazy idea had seized him, he’d stood there for several minutes, then thought, No. it was preposterous to think Jessie capable of that. Preposterous. He’d always trusted her. Without question. (p. 312)
Hugh is not stubborn. He forgives Jessie or her mistakes. Jessie goes back to Hugh, hoping he will forgive her. Jessie believes that Hugh will forgive her. However, she is not too sure. She has been hurting him that much.
Part of it was pure, cowardly fear, but it was also the hope that I might catch him off guard, and in those one or two moments he would forget what I’d done, and his heart would fill with so much love it would override every justified reason to send me away. That was my foolish, unreasoned hope.
(p. 365)
Jessie is making a big mistake but deep inside Hugh’s heart has forgiven Jessie. His love to his wife is very deep. He understands that it was just a mistake and he believes that Jessie will come back. He starts to understand Jessie’s situation.
in spoonfuls, and he would feed it to me. And it would be enough. (p. 370)
The quotation above shows that Hugh is always a good husband for Jessie. 4.1.2.4Patient
Hugh’s patience and love conquer Jessie’s ego and selfishness. She finally comes back to Hugh. Hugh is the one she calls when she needs help. Hugh is the one she depends on. Hugh is the real love she has had. Hugh was the most patient person, always the champion of letting things settle, run their course ,come slowly to a head- all pet phrases of his. (p.244)
This character is analyzed by using other people’s opinion about this character. It is shown from Jessie’s opinion about her husband. Hugh is a person who is always sure what he believes and he will wait patiently to reach the result.
Yes, I’m coming back, Hugh. When I die, it will be your face I see hovering over me, whether in flesh or in memory. Don’t you know? What I want is you. What I want is the enduring. The beautiful enduring. (p. 377)
Because of his patience, he is able to lure Jessie. He waits and finds Jessie come back home. Because of his patience he can make Jessie realize her mistake of abandoning him for another man.
4.1.3 Whit (The Monk) 4.1.3.1 Tough
Jessie believes that she needs something to excite herself, in her boring activities as a mother who always stays at home and takes care the house. Her return to her hometown for her mother takes her to one condition, in which she meets a junior monk and learns about life, things that she has never undergone before.
Whit is a junior monk at forty-four with his temporary vow. His depression of losing his wife and his child on a car accident takes him to the benediction to devote him to the religion. His past keeps haunting him but he hangs tough.
His name is Whit O’ Conner. He had been a successful attorney in Raleigh thwarting developers and industrial pollutants on behalf of various conservation environmental groups. He had a wife whom he loves much. Everything changes after his wife and his unborn child’s died in a car accident. It takes his attention and life.
Firstly, the author describes him as a person who lives in his own depression and a person who tries to find life. He left his job and chose the Benedictine for his life. Later in chapter 6 the author describes him as a tough person. His sense of abandonment had been bottomless not just by Linda and his promise of family but by God, whom he’d actually believed in. this kind of believing one does before immense suffering. (p.55)
4.1.3.2 Persistent
According to the author, Whit is a person who is rather difficult to trust to certain belief or people. He has his own belief in judging something. Therefore, the author states that Whit is someone who is searching for faith. The novel explains that Whit has less faith to religion. He does not really understand about God’s existence. The main reason he comes over to the Benedictine because he wants to leave his past behind. He doubts God. Perhaps he would find there had never been God or he would lose one God and find another. He didn’t know (p. 59)
Since he does not know exactly about his coming to the Benedictine besides his intention to leave his past life, he spends most of his time writing in his note book. He writes down every doubt, sad feeling into his note. This character is analyzed based on Murphy theory which is analyzing character by using direct comment (1972: 170). In this novel the author explains Whit’s character through the author’s direct comment.
…..and he’d written them all down. Question about evil and whether it could exist without God’s collusion, about Nietzsche’s claim that God is dead, even theories that God is not being in heaven but merely some guiding aspect in human personality. (p. 59)
He believes in something that is quite mythical; such as, a certain belief about Senora the Mermaid Saint that always hears and helps people in the Egret Island. The Saint is symbolized as a chair and it is called Mermaid chair. From the moment he’d seen the mermaid chair, he’d loved Senora, not just for her mythical life but how supposedly she’d heard the prayer of Egret. (p. 60)
4.1.3.3 Decisive
The good point in Whit is that he is daring enough to make a choice about his life. When he knows Jessie and he falls in love with her, he doubt whether he would take his Solemn Vows or not. He cannot think clearly, his head is fulfilled with Jessie. However, he is bold enough to tell the truth about what he feels about God and his condition right now. Although at the first time he chooses Jessie over his vow but later in the end of the story he chooses his own freedom.
‘I can’t because I don’t know if the desire of my heart is God’ (p. 259)
This character is analyzed by analyzing the reaction of the character in facing a situation, Murphy (1972: 168). In the novel, Whit is asked to do the solemn vow but he refuses that vow. He does not want to lie to himself that his desire in that moment is not God but Jessie. I leave the monastery February 1st. I took solemn vows last august, hut, ironically enough, decided at Christmas that I would not stay after all. (p. 376)
After some considerations, Whit decided to leave both the solemn and his feeling about Jessie. He accepts the reality that Jessie is another man’s wife and is still engaged in marriage. Moreover, he realizes that he is a man who looks for peaceful heart not merely a relationship. He has tried to find it in the monastery but he cannot find it. Finally, he decides to leave the monastery and starts a new life. It is shown from his letter to Jessie.
4.2 How Jessie’s Personality Develops
Jessie is a middle age married woman. She feels something is missing in her happy marriage and she feels it more after she arrives at her home land, Egret Island. Egret Island is located along the coast of South California. Egret Island is a place where she spent her childhood and a place where she tried to leave her past about her father’s death. In the story, Jessie returns to her hometown to take care of her mother, who is suffered from strange mental attitude. Her mother deliberately cuts her own finger. In her days in her hometown, she meets a monk who opens her mind and she is falling in love with him.
In Egret island there is a holy spot named the mermaid chair. The people there believe that the chair is very sacred. It protects the people in Egret Island who mostly work as fisherman. Mermaid chair is a holy chair that represents oppression and freedom. Mermaid chair is a metaphor of Jessie life, mermaid chair is symbolized as freedom because it is part of the sea. In the novel, Jessie is described as a woman who is searching freedom from her monotonous daily life as a wife.
Jessie is a woman who needs to release her boredom as a housewife and mother. She believes that she has to do something for her life, something that she never dares to do. At forty-two I’d never done anything that took my own breath away, and I suppose now that was part of the problem- my chronic inability to astonish myself. (p. 2)
Mid-life crisis is the condition in which an individual takes a big role to be able to make a choice for his life. According to Daniel J. Levinson (1978: 191-192), the Mid-life crisis also brings significant changes in the internal aspects of a man’s life structure. In this study, Jessie as the main character of the novel is still trying to live in her marriage crisis and to face the individual crisis.
According to Hurlock (1974: 19), an individual’s personality pattern is in the product of learning during the course of social relationship with people both within and outside his home. In the novel, there are three characters who influence Jessie’s personality. Those characters are her mother (Nelle), her husband (Hugh) and the monk (Whit).
The existence of those people influences Jessie’s way of thinking about life and self awakening. Self awakening means Jessie’s encouragement to understand and find her own life.
Her mother, Nelle is the most silent character; however, this character gives a strong influence on Jessie’s character. In the novel Nelle is described as a good secret keeper, she keeps the case about her husband’s death from Jessie for thirty three years. Her silence results in Jessie’s depression. Jessie keeps blaming herself for something she did not do, harmed her father.
‘It wasn’t the pipe that caused it,’ I said to her.’ It was never the pipe’ I stood up, shaking my head
How do you suddenly revise images and understandings you’ve carried in the cells of your body for thirty- three years? (p. 339)
strange attitude. Jessie understands that she has to tell the truth to her husband about her affair.
According to Murray (1981: 165), person’s personality develops against the background of both their past history and their future goals. On the other hand, an individual must understand where he has been and where he intends to go as a person. This novel shows how a tangled and guilty feeling experience are haunting Jessie for thirty- three years without clarification from anyone. This experience teaches Jessie to live with guilty feeling for years, and she realizes that it is hard. Therefore, she decides to tell the truth about her affair to her husband. His name is Brother Thomas. She had said it with complete condor and matter-of- factness as if she were telling him the name of her dentist. (p. 310)
Nelle really loves her husband. She even makes a sacrifice ritual for her husband. She cuts her finger to show her sacrifice to return her husband. She lifted her hand to Dad’s face in the photograph, and her eyes welled up. ‘I wanted to make up for what I did. To undo it. I just wanted him back. (p. 349)
According to Murphy (1972: 164), there are two ways to analyze one’s personality. There are by her speech and by her reaction (1972: 169). Jessie’s personalities are analyzed based on those theories.
Jessie has just realized her husband’s existence after she is facing a problem. Moreover, she is amazed by her husband’s kindness that can conquer her ego. Egoistic is the most dominant character in Jessie’s personality.
It is described in the novel that Jessie is an ordinary married woman, who has a perfect family with a great husband and a nice daughter. While for Jessie herself, she is just a woman who needs freedom and something new in her life. She realizes that she lives in a monotonous way in her marriage. Unfortunately, she chooses the wrong option to free herself from her boring daily activities as mother and wife by having an affair with a monk. The egoistic character is analyzed from her utterance. The selfishness comes from her strict life and self protected. -That I’ve become too stuffy and self- protected. Too conventional. (p. 8)
The novel tells that she is an egoistic one, she lives as if she lives in her own
world. She thinks her twenty years marriage is like a chain of monotonous days. She even does not think about her husband and her daughter’s feeling when she makes a promise to stay with the monk, Whit. However, she sometimes still doubts her decision.
He reached for me, holding me almost painfully close. ‘We could live near Asheville,’ he said. ‘At the end of some dirty roads in the middle of nowhere. And the hike on the weekends. Or go to Malaprop’s Bookstore and sit in the café.’ I realized then that there would be small domestic details and a flow of days, of anniversaries. It was as if it had all somehow just become real to him. ‘I would love that’. (p. 270)
She knows that Whit is a monk who will take his vow but her passion to live together with him is stronger than her sense to Whit’s condition. Jessie makes Whit play with his imagination about his next life with her. On the other hand, she is not really sure about what will happen between them. The reality is she still has a husband and a daughter.
Personally, Jessie does not want to lose both her husband, Hugh and the monk, Whit. She is afraid of being alone and abandoned. With Whit she finds a new longing and with Hugh she is engaged. It is analyzed from her speech that Jessie does not want to lose both of the men. It is hard for Jessie to make a decision for her own life. This part shows how selfish Jessie is. What if I lose Hugh and Whit both? What if I give up Hugh and only have Whit turn away? I’ll be alone and abandoned.
That was the deep, silent terror, wasn’t it? (p. 229)
On her age, forty-two years old, she knows that what she has done is unthinkable. Actually, Jessie is afraid of what she has done but she is sure herself that what she has done is the right way. However, she defeats all her doubt and keeps doing what she thinks is right. Her ego does not allow her to think about her marriage life, her only daughter and her husband who really love her.
I’d done something unthinkable, and yet I didn’t regret it. I felt pulled unaccountably, almost forcibly to Whit, and yes, there was transgression and betrayal and wrongness in it, but also mystery and what felt like holiness, an actual happiness. (p.229)
her guilt by covering it with good reasons. In this case, Jessie’s reaction toward Hugh’s coming is analyzed by using Murphy’s theory, analyzing character by reaction.
‘You know what’s going on. I’m trying to deal with this situation with mother. And I told you I wanted to handle this by myself, so of course here you are- Hugh to rescue.’ ‘Look. It’s true that I don’t think you should be trying to deal with this by yourself, but I didn’t come all this way because of that.’ (p. 189)
Jessie does not want Hugh to come to visit her, moreover to help her with her problem. She believes that she can handle this problem alone. This time Hugh is very sad and confused of his wife’s attitude. However, Hugh tries to understand his wife’s situation. Deep inside Jessie’s heart, she is afraid if Hugh realizes that she has an affair with another man in the Island.
Hugh comes with a good intention that is to give her wife surprises. However, Jessie’s egoistic response makes the surprises no longer meaningful. Hugh keeps trying to understand his wife by giving a space to his wife. Patiently, Hugh treats his egoistic wife.
I made reservations for us in Charleston, at the Omni. We’ll take the afternoon ferry and check in at the hotel. We can have dinner at Magnolia’s. It’ll be an evening just for us, and I’ll bring you back to the ferry in the morning.’ (p.189)
