THE INFLUENCE OF DAVID’S DECISION OF TAKING
HIS DAUGHTER WITH DOWN SYNDROME AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY ON HIS FAMILY’S LIFE IN KIM EDWARDS’ THE MEMORY KEEPER’S
DAUGHTER
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial of Fulfillment the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Susanna Purwaninastiti Student Number: 061214080
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
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THE INFLUENCE OF DAVID’S DECISION OF TAKING
HIS DAUGHTER WITH DOWN SYNDROME AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY ON HIS FAMILY’S LIFE IN KIM EDWARDS’ THE MEMORY KEEPER’S
DAUGHTER
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial of Fulfillment the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Susanna Purwaninastiti Student Number: 061214080
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
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"Change your thoughts, and you change your world."
-Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)
"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
-Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
This thesis is dedicated with love and gratitude to:
My wonderful father and my beloved mother up in heaven
vii ABSTRACT
Purwaninastiti, Susanna. (2011). The Influence of David’s Decision of Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away from His Family on His Family’s Life in Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses the influence of David’s decision of taking his daughter with Down syndrome away from his family on his family’s life in Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. This novel tells about a doctor named David Henry who sends his daughter with Down syndrome away into an institution. David tells his wife that their daughter has died as she is born. David never tells his wife that their daughter is still alive.
There are three problems formulated in this study. The first problem is how David is described in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter novel. The second problem is why David decides to take his daughter with Down syndrome away from his family. The third is finding out the influence of David’s decision of taking his daughter with Down syndrome away from his family on his family’s life.
In solving the three problems above, the researcher applied the psychological approach, theory of character and characterization, theory of motivation, theory of fear, theory of decision making process, and information about Down syndrome. The method of this study was library research. There were two sources used in this study, namely, the primary data, which was The Memory Keeper’s Daughter novel itself, and the secondary data taken from the books of psychology, character and characterization, human motivation, decision making process, and Down syndrome.
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In the last part of this thesis, there are two suggestions. First is for the future researcher(s) who will conduct researches on The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Second is to implement The Memory Keeper’s Daughter in teaching English, especially in teaching structure III.
ix ABSTRAK
Purwaninastiti, Susanna. (2011). The Influence of David’s Decision of Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away from His Family on His Family’s Life in Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini membahas tentang pengaruh keputusan David menyingkirkan putrinya yang memiliki Down syndrome dari keluarga dalam kehidupan keluarga David dalam novel The Memory Keeper’s Daughter oleh Kim Edwards. Novel ini bercerita tentang seorang dokter bernama David Henry yang menyingkirkan putrinya yang memiliki Down syndrome ke sebuah institusi. Tetapi David mengatakan pada istrinya bahwa putri mereka meninggal setelah lahir. David tidak pernah mengatakan pada Norah bahwa putri mereka masih hidup.
Ada tiga permasalahan yang dirumuskan dalam skripsi ini. Pertama ialah bagaimana David digambarkan dalam novel The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Kedua ialah mengapa David memutuskan untuk menyingkirkan putrinya. Ketiga ialah menemukan pengaruh keputusan David menyingkirkan putrinya dalam kehidupan keluarga David.
Untuk memecahkan dua permasalahan diatas, penulis menerapkan pendekatan psikologi, teori karakter dan penokohan, teori motivasi, teori ketakutan, teori proses pengambilan keputusan, dan dan informasi mengenai Down syndrome. Metode yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah studi pustaka. Ada dua sumber yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini yaitu data utama yang merupakan novel The Memory Keeper’s Daughter sendiri, dan data pendukung yang diambil dari beberapa buku mengenai psikologi, karakter dan penokohan, motivasi manusia, proses pengambilan keputusan dan Down syndrome.
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Dalam hubungan antar anggota keluarga keputusan David menyebabkan jarak di antara mereka.
Pada bagian terakhir skripsi ini, terdapat dua saran. Saran pertama diperuntukkan bagi (para) peneliti The Memory Keeper’s Daughter selanjutnya. Saran kedua untuk penerapan The Memory Keeper’s Daughter dalam pengajaran bahasa Inggris, terutama untuk mengajar Structure III.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I praised my Lord Jesus Christ for all of His love and blessings. I thank Him for staying by my side, protecting me in any situation and guiding me in my study so that I was finally able to finish this thesis.
With greatest gratitude, I thank my beloved family. It is for my wonderful father and mother, Antonius Sukirno and Theresia Jumarni. I thank them for their love, prayers, supports, and efforts to make me educated. I thank them for everything they have given to me. It is also for my beloved brother Dominikus Dwi Widaryanto who has encouraged me to finish my thesis.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y., M. Hum., who has guided me patiently in the process of writing this thesis. I thank him for his patience, motivation, advices, and time for consultation on this thesis until it is done. I also express my gratitude to Sanata Dharma University which has given me a place and facilities to study. It is also to all my lecturers and the administrative staffs of English Language Education Study Program who have helped me during my study in Sanata Dharma University.
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that I cannot mention one by one, for giving supports, helps and strengths in finishing my thesis. May God bless them all.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
PAGES OF APPROVAL ... ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... iv
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI... v
b. Methods of Characterization... 10
4. Motivation ... 11
a. Definition of Motivation ... 11
b. Kinds of Motivation ... 12
5. Fear ... 13
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b. Source of Fear ... 14
6. Decision-Making Process ... 16
a. Definition of Decision ... 16
B. David’s Motivation in Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away from His Family ... 39
1. Intrinsic Motivation ... 39
2. Extrinsic Motivation ... 44
C. David’s Decision Making Process ... 45
D. The Influence of David’s Decision of Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away on His Family’s Life ... 47
1. On the Daughter ... 47
2. On the Members of David’s Family ... 50
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b. On Norah ... 55
c. On Paul ... 59
3. On Caroline ... 61
4. On the Relationship among Members of David’s Family 63 CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ... 70
A. Conclusions ... 70
B. Suggestions ... 72
1. Suggestion for the Future Researcher(s) ... 73
2. Suggestion for Language Teaching and The Implementation of Literary Work for Teaching Structure III ... 73
REFERENCES ... 75
APPENDICES ... 77
APPENDIX 1 Summary of the Novel ... 78
APPENDIX 2 Biography of Kim Edwards ... 80
APPENDIX 3 Picture of Kim Edwards ... 81
APPENDIX 4 Kim Edwards’s Work ... 82
APPENDIX 5 Pictures of Individual with Down Syndrome ... 83
APPENDIX 6 Lesson Plan to Teach Structure III ... 84
APPENDIX 7 Sentence Structure ... 86
APPENDIX 8 Exercises on Sentence Structure ... 88
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of four parts, namely: background of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, and definition of terms. Background of the study provides information of the topic of the study and the reasons for choosing the topic. Problem formulation states the problem to discuss. In the objectives of the study, the writer conveys the aims of the study. The last is definition of terms. It clarifies terms that are being used throughout this study.
A. Background of the Study
In the website of National Down Syndrome Society titled Down Syndrome, it is stated that Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder. It is caused
by error division of the embryo cell. In a normal division, an embryo has 23 pairs of chromosome or 46 chromosomes. In Down syndrome case, an embryo has 47 chromosomes because of an extra chromosome in the 21st chromosome (Down Syndrome, n.d.).
from a lot of diseases. They are heart defect, hearing and vision problems, leukemia, and other diseases. When the baby is growing older he/she is possible to develop Alzheimer’s disease. It is not only about health problems. In his/her development, a child with Down syndrome may face cognitive development problem (Down Syndrome, n.d.). As cited from the website of National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver adds that a child with Down syndrome has speech delay (longer speech development) even speech error and low-respond ability because he/she takes longer to learn language. Besides, the parents also have to be aware of the delay in their babies doing activity such as sit, walk, and the other activities (“Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008).
People with Down syndrome are people who have to struggle with their limited condition. They may have such characteristics which need special attention, but they are unique. They deserve to be treated without prejudice so that they can develop like other individuals. Buckley (2000) in an overview entitled Living with Down syndrome says that individual with Down syndrome are people
supported by the family or the community they meet, live and grow up. Therefore, parents play the most important role in child’s development (para. 2-5). As cited from the website of National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver insists parents to keep in their mind that children with Down syndrome have a lot of abilities and talents to develop as other children do. It is also suggested that parents should not compare children’s with Down syndrome development to other children’s development (“Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008).
In the website of Parents first for Health by Great Ormond Street Hospital, as cited from an article entitled Raising a Child with Down’s syndrome, Stuart Mills states that some parents go through a grieving process finding their baby have Down syndrome. Families have to face this condition with very complex emotions: fear, protectiveness and images or perceptions that they have a child with Down syndrome. Parents find it hard to see the label of Down syndrome on their child although they try to realize that their child is like other children (“Raising a Child with Down’s syndrome”, 2008).
feels something different with his baby girl. The baby girl has Down syndrome. David Henry is both desperate and disappointed.
David recalls his childhood. His sister, June, could not stay alive because of Down syndrome. The death of his sister causes his mother’s grief and also his family’s grieves. David does not want to see Norah in grief because of having a daughter with Down syndrome. In a short time, David decides to take the baby girl away. He asks Caroline, a nurse in the hospital to put the baby into an institution hoping that the baby will get medical treatment. Then, David tells Norah that the daughter has died and he keeps the secret until his death.
her daughter who has Down syndrome is still alive. The story ends with the meeting of the twins, Paul and Phoebe.
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is interesting to discuss. It tells us how
David’s fear of his sister with Down syndrome and family’s grieves leads him into a decision to take his daughter with Down syndrome away. David’s decision brings greats effect on his family life and gets David to blame himself for all problems in his family. This novel also tells Caroline’s great struggle for Phoebe so that she can stay alive and fight against Down syndrome.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the previous description, there are two problems that can be formulated as follows:
1. How is David described in the novel “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter”? 2. Why does David take a decision to take his daughter with Down syndrome
away from his family?
3. What are the influences of David’s decision on his family life?
C. Objectives of the Study
D. Definition of Terms
1. Decision
In Mallach’s definition (2000), decision is as a reasoned choice among alternatives. That reasoned-choice is considered as solution of the problem. It is a part of problem solving (para. 37). Hansson (1994) in A Brief Introduction Decision Theory states that decision is about options to choose between and in a
non-random way. Those choices are goal-directed activities (para. 6).
2. Down Syndrome
In the website of National Down Syndrome Society entitled Down
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter consists of two parts. The first part of this chapter is theoretical review. It presents some theories that will be used to support the analysis of the novel. The second part is theoretical framework. In the theoretical framework, the writer explains how the theories applied and the reason why the theories are used.
A. Theoretical Review
This part deals with some theories which relates to the study. They are critical approach, theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of motivation, theory of fear, theory of decision-making process, and Down syndrome. Those theories are presented as follow:
1. Critical Approach
According to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr (1971) in Reading and Writing About Literature, there are five kinds of critical approaches. The first approach is
refers to sociocultural-historical background. It emphasizes on the civilization of the work of literature. Civilization itself refers to the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people. Forth is the mythopoeic approach. It considered myth as the reference in understanding the work of literature. This approach is used to find certain universally recurrent pattern of human thought which is found in the work of literature such as ancient myths and folk rites. Fifth is psychological approach. It analyzes the characters’ behavior in a work of literature by means of psychological theories. This approach enables us to explore human thought and behavior deeply (para. 6-15).
Those five approaches have their own value, limitations, strengths, and weaknesses. We can choose the most appropriate approach in order to understand the work of literature because not all approaches are appropriate to be applied to study the work of literature.
From those five approaches, the psychological approach is chosen to explore the character’s motivation in Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Another theory is needed to explore the decision which has been made
by David, the character of the novel. That theory is theory of decision making process.
2. Character
a. Definition of Character
persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say–the dialogue-and by what they do-the action” (p. 23). Stanton (1965) says that character assigns the individuals who appear in the story. It refers to “the mixture of interest, desires, emotions, and moral principles that make up each of the individuals” (p. 17-18).
b. Kinds of Character
Forster divides character into flat character and round character. Flat character “is built around “a single idea or quality” and is presented without much individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in a single phrase or character” (as cited in Abrams, 1981, p. 24). Forster adds that flat characters are “characters who are compelled by a set idea in their creater” (as cited in Henkle, 1977, p.91).
The second character is round character. Foster state that “a round character is complex in temperament and motivation and is represent with subtle particularity; such a character therefore is as difficult to describe with any adequacy as a person in real life and like real person, is capable of surprising us” (as cited in Abrams, 1981, p. 24). Henkle (1997) adds that since it is more complex, it embodies the variations and complexities of human nature (p. 91)
3. Characterization
a. Definition of Characterization
characters’ qualities, likes and dislikes, how the characters live, and what the characters do (para. 52). Henkle (1977) adds that characterization enables the reader to understand and to experience people. Furthermore, characterization functions in transmitting the book’s meaning and social texture. Besides, characterization enables the authors to discuss their human qualities and guides the reader to understand the human themes of the novel (para. 86-87).
b. Methods of Characterization.
person’s character from author’s description on a person’s mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies (para. 161-173).
4. Motivation
a. Definition of Motivation
Petri (1979) defines motivation as “a concept we use when we describe the forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and direct behavior” (p. 3). This concept is used to indicate the direction of behavior. Petri also adds that some theorists state that motivation is the result of physical needs. Those physical needs are food, water, sex, and avoidance of pain (para. 4). According to Beck (1978), “motivation is broadly concerned with the contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of goal-directed behavior” (p. 24). Huffman, Vernoy and Vernoy (1997) convey their idea about motivation as the process of activating, maintaining and directing behavior to achieve certain goal. It deals with human’s needs, desires, and interests (para. 364).
Maslow conveys his idea about human motivation into hierarchy of needs. It consists of five needs that must be fulfilled to gain satisfaction. The lower level must be accomplished first so that individuals could meet the needs of the higher level.
in order to gain comfortable life. The third is love or belongingness needs. People need affection. They yearn for affectionate relationship with others. Accomplishment of belongingness needs can be seen in many ways. Getting married, having a good relation with people around, joining a certain group or organization can be one of ways to satisfy belongingness needs.
The forth level of hierarchy needs is esteem needs. Maslow classifies esteem needs into two subcategories. Those categories are a need for self-esteem and a need for esteem from others. The needs for self-esteem encourage people to struggle for achievement, strength, confidence, independence, and freedom. On the other side, the needs of esteem from others motivate people to gain reputation, status, recognition, appreciation, and feeling of importance.
The higher level of Maslow’s hierarchy is self-actualization. It is also called level of development. At this level, one’s behaviour is motivated by a new set of needs. Those are truth, honesty, beauty, and goodness. In addition, one is motivated to grow and become all that one will be (as cited in Petri, 1979, para. 303-304).
b. Kinds of Motivation
Beck (1978) states that intrinsic motivation deals with factors that encourage certain activities rewarding in and of themselves. Extrinsic motivation refers to the kinds of reinforcement situation in which a person makes a response and is reinforced for it by external agent (para. 144).
Hunt states that organism is still intrinsically motivated when the major needs are absent. Under the low need conditions, organism still displays exploratory behavior, curiosity and manipulatory behaviors (as cited in Petri, 1979, p. 315). Meanwhile, Staw defines intrinsic motivation “as the value or pleasure associated with an activity as opposed to the goal toward which activity is directed”. While extrinsic motivation refers to “the external goals toward which the activity is directed” (as cited in Petri, 1979, p. 315).
5. Fear
a. Definition of Fear
Watson states that fear is caused by innate stimuli which can be limited to loud noise, sudden loss of support, and pain (as cited in Gray, 1971, p. 11). According to Beck (1978), “fear is an aversive state of the organism aroused by stimuli that signal a future aversive event” (p. 184). Robinson et al. (2004) in their book entitled Fears, Stress, and Trauma: Helping Children Cope, define fear as affective, cognitive, motoric and physiological response to a perceived threat. It is a response of a certain object or concept (para. 21).
they resolve in childhood, but in certain situation fears may continue into adolescence further, they cause a problem in adulthood (as cited in Du, Jaaniste, Champion, and Yap, 2008, “Theories of Fear Acquisition”).
b. Sources of Fear
Hebb points out some sources of fear. Hebb classifies source of fears into three categories. The first is conflict. It includes fears aroused by pain, loud noise, dead or mutilated body and strange persons or animal. Fear snake or mammals is included in this category. The second is sensory deficit. This category includes loss of support, darkness, and solitude. In other words it is stated as an absence of customary stimulation. Hebb explains that “this is the result of familiarity and adaptation to having others around” (as cited in Beck, 1978, p. 194). The third category is constitutional disturbances and maturation. Individuals may have this fear while they are sick because, as Hebb says, the disease produces a nervous system function different from the normal cerebral activity of the healthy adult. Beck adds that children may have fears as they grow up which represent temporary neural disorganization due to maturational changes (as cited in Beck, 1978, para. 194-195).
1) The Environmental Learning Pathways
Fears can be learned through one or a combination of the following environment learning pathways.
a) Direct Conditioning
In this acquisition, a single exposure to characteristics related to an intensely aversive event can cause a person to remain fearful of those characteristics. It results in excessive fear.
b) Vicarious Learning
Fear can occur by observing the fear responses of others. Infants can find emotional information from their caregiver. It is called social referencing.
c) Negative Information Provision
It is explained that “negative information can increase beliefs about the danger posed by a particular stimulus”. It results in avoidance of certain stimulus and reduces the chance of correcting the negative information.
2) The Non-Associative Pathways a) Biological Preparedness
Biological preparedness deals with fears that are considered to be innate. It includes fear of heights, strangers, and loud noises.
b) Genetic Factors
6. Decision-Making Process a. Definition of Decision
Mallach (2000) states his idea about decision as a reasoned choice among alternatives. That reasoned-choice must be considered as solution of the problem. Mallach adds that making decision is part of the broader subject of problem solving (para. 37). Hansson (n.d.) in A Brief Introduction Decision Theory states that decision is about option to choose between and in a non-random way. The choice is goal-directed activity. Then, Hansson sums the idea of decision into goal-directed behavior in the presence of options (para. 6).
Each decision is characterized by a decision statement, a set of alternatives, and a set of decision making criteria. Decision statement is what we are trying to decide. In other words, it deals with what decision we are going to make. It is important to keep focus on the main subject.
b. The Decision Making Process
Condorcet conveys his idea related to decision process. He divides a decision process into three stages. The first stage consists of discussing the principles that will serve as the basis for decision and examining the various aspects of this issue and the consequences of different ways to make the decision. It results in a set of alternatives. In the second stage, the question is clarified, opinions which have been discussed in the first stage combined to each other in order to achieve small number of more general opinions. The third stage is where the decision has already been made and is going to be applied (as cited in Hansson, n.d., para. 9).
Guy (1990) states in her book entitled Ethical Decision Making in Everyday Works Situations that in order to achieve a rational decision, there are
six steps to go through. The first step is defining the problem. It includes formulating key factors in question, examining the situation and identifying the limits of the situation. The second is identifying the goal to achieve. In the third step, the decision maker is insisted to make a list of the possible solutions to the problem. The forth is evaluating each alternative to determine the best solution. In this step, the decision maker should analyze each alternative and its benefits, costs, and risks. Fifth is selecting alternative that has the most important value and the sixth is making a commitment to the choice and applying it (para. 28-30).
decides what to decide. It results in the decision statement. The second phase is design phase. In this phase, the decision maker develops the alternatives of choice. The last phase is the choice phase. The decision maker evaluates the alternatives and chooses them. Choosing a decision can be helped by creating decision-making criteria (as cited in Mallach, 2000, para. 39). Mallach states that “decision-making criteria are what we want to optimize in a decision” (p. 38). As an alternative chosen, a decision is also chosen. Then, the decision maker should proceed on the effect of the decision.
7. Down Syndrome
a. Definition of Down Syndrome
In the website of National Down Syndrome Society, it is stated that Down syndrome was identified by John Langdon Down in 1866 (“Down Syndrome”,n.d.). For many years, as Buckley (2000) says, the term Down’s syndrome was used before they change the term into Down syndrome. The reason is that John Langdon Down neither had nor owned the syndrome so the possessive form is not appropriate. Buckley also adds that for children with Down syndrome’s self-image and self-esteem, they are not labeled as ‘a Down’s child’ or ‘a Downs’ but they are labeled as ‘a child with Down syndrome’ (para. 5).
cells contain 47 chromosomes in individual with Down syndrome instead of 46 chromosomes. The presence of additional chromosome is detected by using karyotype. It is a visual display of the chromosomes categorized by size, number
and shape. From this detection, it is shown that ninety percent of Down syndrome is the result of the presence of an extra (third) chromosome.
According to the presence of the extra chromosome, Down syndrome is categorized into three, namely non-disjunction, mosaicism, and translocation. In non-disjunction, the extra chromosome is replicated in every cell of the human body. It is the most common case of Down syndrome. Mosaicism is an error cell division that occurs after fertilization which results in a mixture of two types of cells. They are the cells with 46 chromosomes and the cells with 47 chromosomes which have an extra chromosome in the 21st chromosome. Meanwhile, translocation occurs when part of the 21st chromosome breaks off during cell division and sticks on the other chromosomes. Individual has a normal 21st chromosome. It also has 21st chromosome’s material on the other chromosomes (“Down Syndrome”, n.d.). However, Buckley (2000) says that the difference of the presence of extra chromosome does not significantly influence the learning difficulties of individuals with Down syndrome. Children with mosaic Down syndrome are less affected by physical and mental characteristics of Down syndrome. Meanwhile, the risk of the highest illness is in translocation (p. 9).
The risk is about 1 in 2000 at 20 years old and 1 in 45 at 45 years old. However, since the number of babies who are born from younger mother is higher than the number born from older mother, most of babies with Down syndrome are born by mothers under 35 years old (para. 9).
b. Characteristics of Down Syndrome
A child with Down syndrome can be identified first from the physical characteristics. According to National Down Syndrome Society, there are some physical characteristics of Down syndrome. The most common characteristics are, oblique palpebral fissure (an upward slant to the eyes), epicanthal folds (small skin folds on the inner corner of the eyes), a flat facial profile (a flat nasal bridge and small nose), and dysplastic ear (abnormal shape of the ear). The other characteristics are muscle hypotonia (low muscle tone), excessive space between first and second toe, and large tongue in relation to size of mouth (“Down Syndrome”, n.d.).
As cited from the website of National Institutes of Health, Shriver says that those physical characteristics are a flat facial profile, an upward slant to the eye, white spots on the iris of the eye (Brushfield spots), a short neck, and a single palmar fold. Shriver also adds that a baby with Down syndrome may have a reduced muscle tone and a protruding tongue which cause on taking longer to feed the baby. As Shriver says, hypotonia can affect the muscles of the digestive system and causes constipation (‘Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008).
confident, being extrovert, enjoying lively social lives and loving sport. Some are quieter, shy and prefer quiet pastimes with a few close friends (para. 4-5). However, individuals with Down syndrome do not have all those characteristics. The possible of having those characteristics may vary.
c. Development of A Child with Down Syndrome
Development of a child with Down syndrome can be summed up into physical, medical and cognitive development. Shriver states that a child with Down syndrome will also have much longer physical development. She/he may be low at doing basic activities such as, sitting, standing, walking, or turning around because of the lack of muscle tone power (“Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008). A child with Down syndrome might have the following health problems. Those are heart defects, respiratory problem, hearing problems, obstructive digestive tracts, sleep apnea, and leukemia. It increases as she/he is growing to be adult to have a risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A child with Down syndrome will get cognitive delay and does not indicate that he/she may have strengths and talents as each individual has. A child with Down syndrome has speech delay, speech error (he/she finds difficulties in arranging sentences to speak), and lack of understanding speech (“Down Syndrome”, n.d.).
visual learners who prefer learning through pictures or reading information to learning through spoken information (para. 13-14). The website of National Down Syndrome Society adds that a child with Down syndrome have high response to their physical and social environments. They have the same emotions and needs just like other people in common. They insist to reach the same chance in many aspects of life as common children. They need positive support in their lives so that they can adapt successfully. Adapting successfully means they can attend school, have friends, find work, and do other activities. Those are the ways they survive and are accepted in society (Down Syndrome, n.d.).
B. Theoretical Framework
Those theories above are used to analyze the problems which are stated in previous chapter. Three problems are going to be analyzed. The first problem is to find the description of David as portrayed in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. In the first problem, theory of character and characterization are used to explore the characters of David.
The second problem is to find the reasons why David makes a decision to take his daughter with Down syndrome away. The theory of motivation is applied to explore David’s motivation to take his daughter with Down syndrome away in an institution. In the second problem, information about Down syndrome is needed to help in analyzing David’s motivation.
24 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter presents an explanation of the methodology to analyze The Memory Keeper’s Daughter novel. This chapter consists of three parts. They are
object of the study, approach of the study, and method of the study.
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is a novel entitled The Memory Keeper’s Daughter written by Kim Edwards in 2005. This novel is divided into seven parts, namely in the years of 1964, 1965, 1970, 1977, 1982, 1988 and 1989. The years show the growth of Paul and Phoebe from they are born until they are adult. Paul and Phoebe are born on March 1964. In 1989, they have been twenty-five years old. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter was published by Penguin Books and was
considered to be one of New York Times bestsellers. The novel was adapted to television film and broadcasted on Lifetime Television on April 12, 2008. The film is starred by Dermot Mulroney as David, Gretchen Mol as Norah, and Emily Watson as Caroline. The adolescent and adult Phoebe is played by Krystal Hope Nausbaum, an actress with Down syndrome. The film's DVD release was in October 2008.
witnessed what the syndrome can do to her sister. His sister cannot stay alive and it causes his mother’s grief even his family’s grieves.
Being afraid of his wife experiencing the same grief, he decides to take the daughter away in a certain institution which takes care of children. He asks the nurse, Caroline, to get his daughter out. As Caroline arrives at the institution, she sees the bad condition of the institution and the unfriendly nurses. Caroline feels that it will be terrible for Phoebe to live there. Finally, she takes care for the baby. She fights for Phoebe so that she can study in a school although the board of education does not accept Phoebe to study in a public school.
As Phoebe is growing older, she grows up being a beautiful and smart girl who can earn money for herself although she has Down syndrome. She is also full of talent in music. In the end of the story, Kim Edwards, the author of the novel, described this separated-family finally met each other after the death of David.
B. Approach of the Study
The study of The Influence of David’s Decision of Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome Away From His Family On His Family’s Life employs the
psychological approach to analyze the novel. The psychological approach enables the writer to understand David’s motivation in taking such decision. The psychological approach also enables the writer to explore deeply the influences of David’s decision.
psychology are needed to explore human motivation to answer the formulated problems.
C. Method of the Study
The method that was used in conducting this study was library research. There were some steps which the writer took in conducting this study. First, the writer read the novel eleven times. Second, the writer tried to find the summary and any information about this novel. That information is the background of writing this novel, Kim Edwards’ view about this novel, and any other information.
27 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter consists of four major parts. The first part concerns about David’s characterizations. The second part deals with David’s motivation deciding to take his daughter with Down syndrome away from his family. The third part concerns about the decision making process of David to take his daughter with Down syndrome away from his family. The last part, the forth part, has analyzing on the influences of David’s decision on his family’s life as portrayed in The Memory Keeper’s Daughter.
A. The Characterization of David
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1. Kind
David is very kind. It is seen from the author’s direct comment about him. As he is a doctor, he opens a free clinic on Tuesday nights for patients who are not able to pay.
She put Phoebe back into the box and tucked the blankets lightly around her, thinking of David Henry, edged with weariness, eating a cheese sandwich at his desk, finishing a cup of half-cold coffee, then rising to open the office doors again on Tuesday nights, a free clinic for patients who could not afford to pay him. The waiting room was always full on those nights, and he was often still there when Caroline finally went home at midnight, so weary herself that she could barely think. This was why she had come to love him, for his goodness. (p. 38)
David comes from a poor family that causes him to work very hard in order to be a doctor. He does a free clinic to give something back over gifts and talents of being a doctor and to realize his words to help the world. When he dies, a lot of people, even hundreds of people, come to his funeral to honour because they love him. It is seen as Norah, his wife, says about him. Norah says to Paul that hundreds of come to his funeral when he dies. It is because David provides his time to help people by doing the clinic work. A lot of people love him (para. 422). For David, it is pleased to be able to help people in the world. One of the ways is offering healing, as a doctor. Something that he cannot do for people he loves the most (para.137).
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with him causes a big debate with his wife and his leaving to another house, he keeps providing a place for Rosemary to stay (para. 395). “’What do you want?’ his father was asking. ‘What do you want from me, Norah? I’ll stay, or I’ll move out. But I can’t turn Rosemary away. She has no place to go’” (p. 366).
David is very kind to Rosemary. David brings Rosemary into a house which he buys and divides into two parts, for him and Rosemary. Because of David’s suggestion and support, she goes back to school. Rosemary is really thankful to David.
“We will.” She put her hand on his knee. “Look, I know we never talk about it. I don’t even know how to bring it up, really. But what it meant to me-how you helped me-I’m so grateful. I will be forever.”
“I’ve been accused of trying too hard to rescue people,” he said. She shook her head. “In many ways, you saved my life.”
“Well. If that’s true, I’m glad. God knows I’ve done enough damage elsewhere. I never could seem to do Norah so much good.” (p. 400)
From the speech of David in the conversation above, it is shown that David feels he cannot make Norah happy. On the other hand, for Rosemary, David has changed her life through everything David does and gives for Rosemary so that she can go back to school and find a job (para. 398-399). David is a hero for her.
2. Protective
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David finds himself wanting to protect her such as carrying her up stairs, wrapping her in blanket, and bringing her cups of custard (para. 5).
When Norah gets into her labor, Norah delivers twins. A son and a daughter are born, but the daughter has Down syndrome. It is the same with his sister who is born with Down syndrome. David recalls his memory of his mother, walking uphill to grave, June’s grave, every morning with her arms folded no matter what weather it is, which shows depth and endurance of her grief (para. 21). Seeing his newborn daughter, he thinks of his sister who is pale and thin. While she is trying to catch breath, his mother is turning to window to hide tears (para. 23-24). In order to protect Norah from having the same grieves as what his mother has, David sends the daughter in an institution.
In his childhood, David experiences pain and loss because the death of his sister, June. So, he wants to protect Paul away from pain and loss he has ever had by separating Phoebe from Paul. David tries hard to be a good father. He makes time for collecting, organizing and labelling fossils with Paul. Then, they display the fossils in the living room. He also takes Paul fishing. “He had tried to protect his son from the things he himself had suffered as a child: poverty and worry and grief“(p. 327-328). David does not only protect Paul from grief he has experienced when he is a child but also protect Paul from poverty and unhappiness.
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go to Juilliard, one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories which concerns in drama, dance, and music, so that he can learn playing guitar and can be a great and famous musician. On the opposite, David does not want Paul to be a musician. He wants his son, Paul, to be a basketball player. He says, “’… Look at that height. Think what he could do on a court. But he doesn’t give a damn about basketball’” (p. 226). When David says that, Paul is grinning, from Paul’s expression it is known that Paul does not like basketball. Although Paul does not want to be a basketball player, David still puts a hope that Paul wants to be a doctor. He tries to ensure Paul that Paul has a big chance to be a doctor (para. 256). David’s reason is that he wants something which is more secure and more promising for Paul’s future life.
“I don’t know,” David said slowly. “I just think he’s too young to shut doors.”
“He’s so talented, David. You heard him. What if this is a door opening?” “But he’s only thirteen.”
“Yes, and he loves music. He says he’s most alive when he’s playing the guitar.”
“But-it’s such an unpredictable life. Can he make a living?”
Norah’s face was very serious. She shook her head. “I don’t know. But what’s that old saying? Do what you love, and the money will follow. Don’t shut the door on his dream.”
“I won’t,” David said. “But I worry. I want him to be secure in life. And Juilliard is a long shot, no matter how good he is. I don’t want Paul to get hurt.” (p. 250)
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3. Calm
From direct comment of the author, it is seen that David is calm. He keeps being calm in every situation even in an emergency situation. He can control himself not to be in a rush. It is seen when Norah is going into labor. The way he drives shows that he is careful. “Methodical, purposeful: even in an emergency he could not change his nature. He came to a full stop at every light, signalled turns to empty streets” (p. 14).
The author gives direct comment on how calm David is when Norah gets hurt. The way David gives her first aids gets Norah to admire him. “She watched him picked out the glass. He was careful and calm, absorbed in his thoughts. She knew he would attend to any patient with these same practiced motions” (p.110).
It is also shown from David’s speech that he is a calm fellow. When Paul’s arm is broken, David calmly picks Paul up to the clinic. He tries to throw Paul’s fear away.
“Well, I’m not sure, “he said calmly, though he was nearly certain that it was. He rested Paul’s arm gently on his chest, then put one hand on Norah’s back to comfort her. “Paul, I’m going to pick you up. I’m going to carry you to the car. And then we’re to go to my office, okay? I’m going to show you all about X-rays.” (p. 193)
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When David and his family are enjoying their holiday in a beach, David finds Norah, his wife, having an affair with Howard, a man they meet in the beach. David makes a choice to leave Howard’s cottage where Norah and Howard’s laughter fill the air with Norah’s clothes scattered. David goes back to their family’s cottage and works with the photos. He says nothing about Howard to Norah. His darker secret about Phoebe, his daughter with Down syndrome, is David’s reason to keep silent about Norah’s affair (para. 259). That David is a calm man is seen through his way of responding situations above.
4. Secretive
David is a secretive man. He grows up in a poor and uneducated family. He has hard past life, but he never tells anyone about all his past life. He keeps silent for some parts of his life. He tells Norah some pieces of his difficult past, his parents and their hard work to earn money, his effort to afford the school fee, and his sister who dies at her twelve year of age. He tells no one, even Norah, that the death of his beloved sister is caused by heart defect. He also tells no one that his sister has Down syndrome as she is born. The death of his sister remains grieves for the family which cause his mother and his father’s death a year later.
“My parents love being outside,” he added. “My mother planted flowers everywhere. There was a cluster of jack-in-the-pulpit by the stream up from our house.”
“Yes,” he said nodding. “That’s true. They were proud and sorry both. They didn’t like the city. They only visited me once in Pittsburgh.”…”After my father died, my mother went to live with her sister in Michigan. She wouldn’t fly, and she never learned to drive. I only saw her once after that.” (p. 143)
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June and his family’s grieves because of the death of June. When he is telling Norah about his parents, his mind flies away remembering a moment when they are sitting in David’s single student room. His mother is startled every time a train whistle sounded. June, the centre of all their lives has died. After June dies, they do not know what to do with themselves without June to take care for (para. 143). David keeps all the memories of June in his mind, and he does not share them to Norah.
David also tells Paul about his family. David tells Paul that his sister dies because of a heart defect (para. 279). He tells Paul how hard their lives are. He also tells Paul about June who is very good at singing. “’My mother, Paul, your
grandmother. She had a hard life. I had a sister, did you know that? Her name
was June. She was good at singing, at music, just like you’ “(p. 359). In fact, David never tells about June who has Down syndrome.
David is a secretive man. He keeps his secret of his sister with Down syndrome and the family’s grieves because of June’s death. Then, David keeps secret out from Norah that her daughter has Down syndrome. He asks Caroline, the nurse who helps him, to keep the daughter with Down syndrome into another room so that Norah does not know. “’All right. Clean her up, please,’ he said, releasing the slight weight of the infant into the nurse’s arms. ‘But keep her in the other room. I don’t want my wife to know. Not right away’” (p. 23).
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“My darling,” he began. His voice broke, and the words he had rehearsed so carefully were gone. He closed his eyes, and when he could speak again more words came, unplanned.
“Oh, my love,” he said. “I am sorry. Our little daughter died as she was born.”(p. 25)
He keeps this secret until his death except to Rosemary, a pregnant girl who meets him in his parents’ old house. He tells Rosemary that he has a daughter named Phoebe. He has not seen her since the day she is born because he gives the daughter away. Phoebe has Down syndrome which means she is retarded. He says to Rosemary that he never tell this to anyone (para. 344-345).
David has ever tried to tell the secret. He writes a letter to Caroline, the nurse who finally takes care of Phoebe. He asks Caroline to let him meet Phoebe and let Phoebe meet his brother, Paul. “I would like very much to meet Phoebe, he wrote. I would like her to know her brother, and for him to know her” (p. 259). Instead of answering David’s request, Caroline doesn’t write David back.
When David holds a photography exhibition in Pittsburgh, Caroline makes herself bravely meet David. Caroline gets herself there to talk to David that she is afraid of losing Phoebe. She is afraid that David will take Phoebe away if David meets Phoebe. Caroline has created in her mind her own prediction of David‘s taking Phoebe away after David meets Phoebe although David says that he does not have that kind of intention. It is also the reason why Caroline stop writing letters to David (para. 314).
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knew something no one else did. It’s a kind of power, isn’t it, knowing a secret? But lately I don’t like it so much, knowing this. It’s not really mine to know, is it?’” (p. 401). David is not able to tell the truth although Rosemary has suggested it. David is doubtful to tell Norah about Phoebe. He is afraid of losing Norah and Paul as he tells the truth. “He had never been able to tell her the truth, knowing he would lose her entirely-and perhaps Paul too-if he did” (p. 394).
Once he tries to tell the truth to Norah. He thinks that Norah should know the truth. He will go to their old house and tell Norah although he cannot imagine how Norah will respond. When he arrives at the house, he starts to write on a paper. He writes that their daughter does not die. Caroline Gill has taken her and raised her in another city. In fact, he crosses out and writes that he gives away their daughter. Again, he crosses out (para. 408-411). Then, he fixes the faucet and puts a hope that Norah will be happy with the faucet. He finally writes that he fixes the faucet. “I fixed the bathroom sink, he wrote. Happy Birthday” (p. 412). The secret is still with him.
5. Griefful
David has experienced a hard life in his past. It is seen from David’s speech. His father and mother keep working hard so that the family can stay alive. Although they work so hard, they cannot afford school fee for David. The family condition causes David to be a hard worker. David has to find a job in order to pay the school fee.
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was a hardworking man. And it pained my mother, because they couldn’t get much help for June. When I was about your age, I got a job so I could go to high school in town. And then June died, and I made a promise to myself. I was going to go out and fix the world.” (p. 279-280)
From David’s thought, it is known that catching snakes, like rattlesnakes, is one of the ways of David’s father earns money. It is his father who teaches him how to catch a snake. By using a forked stick, his father pins the snake by its neck. With two strong fingers, he grips the snake tightly behind its jaw, then puts it into a metal box and closes the lid. The older and the bigger the snake is, the more money they can earn. The money not only pays for their food but also pays for a doctor in Morgantown (para. 150-151). This doctor in Morgantown is the one who finds something wrong with his sister. It is Down syndrome.
The doctor had felt transported back in time. His sister had been born with a heart defect and had grown very slowly, her breath catching and coming in little gasps whenever she tried to run. For many years, until the first trip to the clinic in Morgantown, they had not known what was the matter. Then they knew, and there was nothing they could do. All his mother’s attention had gone to her, and yet she had died when she was twelve years old. … (p. 21)
David has a sister, June, who has Down syndrome. June gets a heart defect along her life. He loves June very much. He protects June as his mother asks him. “Watch your sister, his mother would caution, looking up from the stove. Feed the chickens and clean the coop and weed the garden. And watch June” (p. 153). He
protects June although he does not stop June from digging the dirt. He also does not comfort June when she trips over a rock and falls down, but his love for June is very deep.
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(para. 136). Once, David attends his son’s concert in school. His son, Paul, likes music very much. He is good in playing guitar. Paul is playing guitar in the concert. David thinks of his sister when his sister is standing on the porch and singing. “…; music was a silvery language it seemed she’d been born speaking, just as Paul had. A deep sense of loss rose up in him, …” (p. 249).
It is June who always waits for David back from school and understands the day David passes. In a weekend, David comes home from school with no one waiting for him just as usual, then his mother comes down the hill and finally says to David that June has died.
She did not speak until she reached the steps, and then she looked up at him and said, David, your sister died. June died. …David, she’s gone. And when he stood and hugged her she broke down, weeping, and he said, When, and she said, Three days ago, on Tuesday, it was early in the morning and I went outside to get some water, and when I came back the house was quite and I knew right away. She was gone. Stopped breathing. He held his mother, and he could not think of anything more to say. The pain he felt was deep inside him and above that was numbness and he could not cry. (p. 154)
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B. David’s Motivation in Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away from His Family
In this section, David’s motivation in taking away his daughter with Down syndrome is explored. Petri (1979) defines motivation as “a concept we use when we describe the forces acting on or within an organism to initiate and direct behavior” (p. 3). Petri adds that some theorists state that motivation is the result of physical needs. Those physical needs are food, water, sex, and avoidance of pain (para. 4).
In the discussion, David’s motivation for taking his daughter with Down syndrome away is divided into two, namely intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
1. Intrinsic Motivation
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protruding tongue which cause on taking longer to feed the baby (“Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008).
As a doctor who has ever learned about the syndrome, David can recognize that his daughter has Down syndrome from her physical characteristics. He also knows further problems of having Down syndrome.
Creamy white vernix whorled in her delicate skin, and she was slippery with amniotic fluid and traces of blood. The blue eyes were cloudy, the hair jet black, but he barely noticed all of this. What he was looking at were the unmistakable features, the eyes turned up as if with laughter, the epicanthal fold across their lids, the flattened nose. … (Edwards 21)
He held the infant, forgetting what he ought to do next. Her tiny hands were perfect. But the gap between her big toes and the others, that was there, like a missing tooth, and when he looked deeply at her eyes he saw the Brushfield spots, as tiny and distinct as flecks of snow in the irises. … (p. 22)
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have possibility to experience a flaccid muscle tone. They may have delayed growth and mental development. Just like his sister, they have a chance to get heart complications which cause them to die (para. 21).
Regarding people with Down syndrome is susceptible to diseases, they need a best place where they can get medical care. David believes that an institution is the best place for his daughter because she can get best medical treatment. “’… I believe the home in Louisville is the right place for this child. … She will need medical care she can’t get elsewhere’” (p. 83).
It is not merely because he is a doctor so that David recognizes Down syndrome characteristics and the possible problem may arise. It is because of June, David’s sister. She dies because of a heart defect as a result of having Down syndrome. June’s death causes David and his family to grieve.
The family’s grieves because of the death of June and David’s witnesses of June’s struggle living with Down syndrome cause fear in David. Beck (1978) says that “fear is an aversive state of the organism aroused by stimuli that signal a future aversive event” (p. 184). Robinson et al. (2004) define fear as affective, cognitive, motoric and physiological response to a perceived threat. It is a response of a certain object or concept (p. 21).
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which made her wheeze and gasp for breath” (p. 154). June’s condition is getting worse years by years. She moves slowly and tries hard to catch breath. David learns more about this symptom in the college. It is about a narrowing of the aorta or an abnormality of the heart valve (para. 136). As his daughter is born with Down syndrome, he recollects his memory of his sister who also has Down syndrome. His sister grows up very slowly and always tries hard to catch breath whenever she tries to run. Then, she dies because of heart defect.
After June dies, David feels guilty. It is because June is dead, but he is still alive and feels the moving of the breath in and out of his lung. He can do nothing to help June staying alive. That is why he decides to be a doctor so that he can help sick people, like his mother has asked him, “’You go off to school. Learn something that could help in the world’” (p. 155). He is in pain losing June. He
does not have anyone who welcomes him back from school. “… but when he went inside the house was still dim, the air still silent, and June was still gone” (p. 154-155). He feels empty when he comes inside the house. The house has been different without June there. It is like he lives without joy. From the discussion above, David’s experience is called direct conditioning. In direct conditioning, a single exposure to characteristics related to an intensely aversive event can cause a person to remain fearful of those characteristics. It results in excessive fear (“Theories of Fear Acquisition”, 2008).
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Acquisition“, 2008). David knows that his mother is fully in grief losing June. ”Still, he remembered the depth and endurance of his mother’s grief, the way she walked uphill to grave every morning, her arms folded against whatever weather she encountered“ (p. 21). June is their spirit to keep working hard. They get emptiness in their lives without June amid them. “June’s death had broken their mother’s spirit, and David could no longer believe himself immune from misfortune” (p. 149). After June dies, David’s mother lives without any spirit to keep staying in the world. When June is still alive, June is the reason for them to keep working hard. Now, they like do not have anything to do without June to take care for.
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As a good father, David wants to provide a secure life for Paul. David knows how hard June’s life is because having Down syndrome with her. David remembers how soft June’s voice when she is singing and how weak June is.
… His son, at least, he had sheltered from grief. Paul would not grow up, as David had, suffering the loss of his sister. He would not be forced to fend for himself because his sister couldn’t.
… He wanted to believe he’d done the right thing when he handed his daughter to Caroline Gill. Or at least that he’d had the right reasons. But perhaps he had not. Perhaps it was not so much Paul he’d been protecting on that snowy night as some lost version of himself. (p. 144)
David experiences pain and loss because the death of his sister, June. David carries the memories of June, family grieves, pain and loss along his life. In order to avoid Paul experiencing the same grief, pain and loss as David’s David decides to put his baby girl away in an institution.
From the analysis above, intrinsic motivations of David’s decision are to provide the best medical care for Phoebe (his daughter), to avoid Norah from the same grief like his mother and to avoid Paul from the same pain and loss like him.
2. Extrinsic Motivation
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A classic case, he remembered his professor saying as they examined a similar child, years ago. A mongoloid. Do you know what that means? And the doctor, dutiful, had recited the symptoms he’d memorized from the text: flaccid muscle tone, delayed growth and mental development, possible heart complications, early death. The professor had nodded, placing his stethoscope on the baby’s smooth bare chest. Poor kid. There’s nothing they can do except try to keep him clean. They ought to spare themselves and send him to a home. (p. 21)
From the citation above, it seems that there is nothing they can do for children with Down syndrome except sending them to an institution. It is also David’s experience in the past how his family can do nothing for June until her death.
It is also called extrinsic motivation. According to Beck (1978), extrinsic motivation refers to the kinds of reinforcement situation in which a person makes a response and is reinforced for it by external agent (p. 144). David is encouraged by external agent. The external agent is his professor. It is concluded that the external factor which influence David to do his decision comes from his professor.
C. David’s Decision Making Process
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There are steps or a process to come into a decision. Herbert Simon defines decision process into three phases. They are intelligence, design, and choice. The intelligence phase deals with finding, identifying, and formulating the problem. In this phase, the decision maker decides what to decide. It results in the decision statement. In the design phase, the decision maker develops the alternatives of choice. The choice phase evaluates the alternatives and chooses them (as cited in Mallach, 2000, p. 39). Choosing a decision can be helped by creating decision-making criteria. Mallach states that decision-making criteria are what we want to optimize in decision. It helps us to select which alternatives that support the problem solution (p. 37). As an alternative chosen, a decision is also chosen. Then, the decision maker should proceed on the effect of the decision.
People with Down syndrome have possibility to suffer from diseases. David’s daughter will be susceptible to diseases because the daughter has Down syndrome. David’s biggest fear is that both the daughter and the family will suffer because of it.
The doctor had felt transported back in time. His sister had been born with a heart defect and had grown very slowly, her breath catching and coming in little gasps whenever she tried to run. For many years, until the first trip to the clinic in Morgantown, they had not known what was the matter. Then they knew, and there was nothing they could do. All his mother’s attention had gone to her, and yet she had died when she was twelve years old. … (p. 21)
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people with Down syndrome should be sent to an institution. The professor says that there are no other options. They should be sent to an institution (p. 21).
David has no other options except sending his daughter to an institution. David considers the institution as the best place because the daughter can get the best medical treatment compare to other places. “’… I believe the home in Louisville is the right place for this child. I don’t make the decision lightly. She will need medical care she can’t get elsewhere …’” (p. 83). So he decides to do it. He asks a nurse to send the daughter to the institution. He believes that it is the right choice. “He spoke with conviction. He believed his own words” (p. 24).
To summarize, the decision making process happens to David in the novel involves his consideration on the condition of his daughter that needs medical care. The best choice is sending her to an institution.
D. The Influence of David’s Decision of Taking His Daughter with Down Syndrome away on His Family’s Life
David’s decision of taking his daughter away from his family life causes influence. The writer divides the influence of David’s decision into four parts. The first is the influence on his daughter with Down syndrome (Phoebe). The second is the influence on the members of his family. The third is the influence for Caroline. The forth is the influence on the relation among members of the family.
1. On the Daughter
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psychological development. David’s decision does not bring influence on the daughter’s physical development. Physically, Phoebe grows up with the characteristics of individual with Down syndrome. Shriver states that a child with Down syndrome will also have much longer at doing basic activities such as, sitting, standing, walking, or turning around because of the lack of muscle tone power (“Facts about Down Syndrome”, 2008). At eleven months, Phoebe should be able to grasp small object, but she is not able to do it (p. 126). It is because of the lack of muscle tone power. At six years old, she is chubby. She has dimpled knees and winning smile. She also has upslanted eyes and small hands (p. 202). She is also short and stocky (p. 403). Over all the characteristics, she has frequent respiratory system (p. 121). On the contrary, she does not have any heart defect like David has ever been afraid of (para. 315). Phoebe does what ordinary children do. She is able to do activities which other children do although it takes longer for her to learn. At six years old she is able to use the bathroom and to get herself dressed (p. 208). As some individuals with Down syndrome, she also likes playing basket and weaving a scarf. She earns money by working in a copier.
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For Phoebe, her mother is Caroline. Phoebe loves Caroline very much. It is described by the way she says, “You okay, Mom?” or “I love you.” (p. 208). Caroline loves Phoebe too. It is shown by the way she fights against the Board of Education so that Phoebe can be accepted in public school. Her worry when Phoebe is allergic of bees and her worry when Phoebe is gone to catch a cat describe how Caroline loves Phoebe as her own daughter.
When finally Caroline tells the truth to Norah about Phoebe, it is hard to tell Phoebe that Norah is her mother.
“You’re my daughter, Phoebe, do you understand that? This is Paul, your brother.”
Phoebe took hold of Caroline’s hand. “This is my mother,” she said.
“Yes”. Norah glanced at Caroline and tried again. “That’s your mother”, she said. “But I’m your mother too. You grew in my body, Phoebe.” She patted her stomach. “You grew right here. But then you were born, and your mother Caroline raised you.”
“I’m going to marry Robert,” Phoebe said. “I don’t want to live with you.” (p. 494)
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home. When Norah invites her to go to France for a holiday, she says, “’And I’m coming back home’” (p. 505). Hebb also divides fear in sensory deficit category. It deals with an absence of customary stimulation which is familiarity and adaptation to having others around (as cited in Beck, 1978, p. 194). Phoebe is accustomed to be with Caroline and knows Caroline as her mother. She has not been comfortable yet with the presence of Paul and Norah. However, Phoebe keeps holding enthusiastic conversation with Paul. Both of them tell their stories about their daily activities, hobbies, interest, and family (para. 495-498). It is related to the characteristic which is usually had by some individuals with Down syndrome. As Buckley (2000) says that they are usually enjoying lively social life (p. 5).
From the analysis above, it is concluded that David’s decision influences Phoebe psychologically. People say that Phoebe inherits Caroline temper. For Phoebe, her mother is Caroline. She still considers Norah as stranger who offers house to visit and a vacation to France.
2. On the Members of David’s Family a. On Himself
