i
THE INFLUENCE OF
SAVANNAH’S
CHARACTERISTICS
AND CONDITIONS IN HER MOTIVATION TO MARRY TIM
AS SEEN IN NICHOLAS SPARKS’
DEAR JOHN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
B y
DONAT A LUK E SIW I P. St udent Nu mber: 08421403 5
ENGL ISH L ET TERS S TUDY PROGR A M M E DEPAR TM ENT O F ENG LISH L ET TE R S
FAC UL TY OF L ET TE RS SANAT A DHARM A UN IVE RSI TY
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma: Nama : Donata Luke Siwi P.
Nim : 084214035
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
The Influence of Savannah’s Characteristics and Conditions in Her
Motivation to Marry Tim as Seen in Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John.
Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan. Dengan demikian, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media yang lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta izin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya. Dibuat di Yogyakarta
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MOTTO PAGE
“Everything is valuable when you value everything.”
(unknown)
FROG :
I can’t
jump high
but…
I never
jump backwards
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to: My Beloved Father and Mother My Dearest Sister
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my God the Almighty, Jesus Christ, and Saint Mary for their everlasting love and blessing in my life. They give me strength for my day, comfort for my tears, and light for my way. I am nothing without Them. I praise Them in every second of my life.
I express my greatest gratitude to my father who always supports and encourages me. I thank for his patience and financial support to finish my study. I would like to thank my beloved mother who always loves, cares, and prays for me. I also thank my sister who always supports me and my family who will always walk with me throughout my life.
My gratitude goes to my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M.Hum. and Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum., my co-advisor, for all the guidance, advice, and patience that helped me in finishing this thesis. I would like to thank all my lecturers in English Letters Department, the secretariat staff, and to the library staff who have helped me during my study.
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day in the boarding house. Thank you for always making the atmosphere become alive in our boardinghouse. I hope this friendship will never end.
I would like to thank my KKN friends, the memories of our KKN will remain deep inside of my heart. Deepest thank goes to all of staffs and my friends in Columbia English Course Klaten, Mbak Yoan, Mbak Intan, Mbak Widdy, Mbak Nita, Mbak Dewi, Mbak Aji, Mbak Tim-Tim, Mbak Anis, Lia, Mbak Agnes, and Mbak Indi who always support and help me. All of you are the good partner in the place where I can work happily.
Last but not least, I thank all people that I cannot mention the names here that have helped and supported me. I could not make these happens without you. Thank you and God bless you all.
Love,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGE ... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ... iii
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI………….. iv
MOTTO PAGE ... v
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ... 6
x ABSTRACT
DONATA LUKE SIWI P. The Influence of Savannah’s Characteristics and Conditions in Her Motivation to Marry Tim as Seen in Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2012.
This thesis discusses Nicholas Sparks’ well known novel entitled Dear John through the perspective of psychology. This novel is a story of a young girl, Savannah, has a goal to get a man to be her husband. In this study the writer
The writer conducted library research method in working in this study by using the novel as the primary data, books of literature, and articles from internet. The theories used in this study are theory of character and characterization and theory of motivation. The writer uses the psychological approach in this study.
From the analysis in this study, the writer finds out that the main character, Savannah is friendly, kind-hearted, caring, dependent, and loving girl. The writer also finds three conditions that Savannah faced. Her characteristics and conditions influence Savannah’s motivation to marry Tim.
The result of the study shows that Savannah’s characteristics and conditions influence her motivation to marry Tim. Savannah is a friendly girl. Therefore, she can be closed with John. Savannah is also described as a loving girl. It can be shown in her behavior toward John. She loves John very much. Savannah is also a kind-hearted girl; it gives John good impression about Savannah. In the first condition, Savannah feels lonely because of Savannah and John long distance relationship. She cannot get physical contact from John. Savannah is a dependent girl. Therefore, she finds someone who can be next to her. Based on the second condition, Savannah needs to be loved by someone. By getting closer with Tim, Savannah can get what she needs. From the third condition, Savannah needs to be needed by someone. Her pity over Alan shows that she is caring girl. She wants to help Tim to take care of Alan. Choosing Tim as her husband is based on her motivations. Her motivations are also influenced by her characteristics and conditions.
xi ABSTRAK
DONATA LUKE SIWI P. The Influence of Savannah’s Characteristics and Conditions in Her Motivation to Marry Tim as Seen in Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2012.
Skripsi ini membahas novel terkenal karya Nicholas Sparks yang berjudul Dear John melalui sudut pandang psikologi. Novel ini menceritakan tentang seorang pemudi, Savannah, yang mempunyai tujuan untuk mendapatkan seorang pria untuk menjadi suaminya. Di skripsi ini penulis berbicara tentang motivasinya untuk menikahi Tim.
Terdapat tiga tujuan dalam penelitian ini. Pertama yaitu untuk mengetahui deskripsi dari tokoh utama. Kedua yaitu untuk mengetahui kondisi-kondisi yang dihadapi oleh tokoh utama. Ketiga yaitu untuk mengetahui pengaruh sifat-sifat dan kondisi-kondisi tokoh utama dalam motivasinya untuk menikah dengan Tim di novel karya Nicholas Sparks yang berjudul Dear John.
Penulis melakukan studi pustaka untuk menganalisa isi dari novel dengan menggunakan novel sebagai data utama, buku-buku tentang karya sastra serta bacaan-bacaan dari internet. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori karakter dan penokohan dan teori motivasi. Dalam studi ini, penulis menerapkan pendekatan psikologi.
Berdasarkan hasil analisa studi ini, diketahui bahwa tokoh utama, Savannah adalah seorang yang ramah, baik hati, peduli, bergantung kepada orang lain, dan gadis yang penuh cinta. Penulis juga menemukan tiga kondisi yang dihadapi Savannah. Sifat-sifat dan kondisi-kondisinya mempengaruhi motivasi Savannah untuk menikah dengan Tim.
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
People have their own needs and purposes in life. They want to fulfill their needs and obtain everything they want. They have to struggle to get their needs and purposes. Everyone, not only man but also woman needs love and both of them have motivation to fulfill it. Many people think that to grow up and live their life without knowing love is possible. They can speculate whether or not love is the ultimate purpose of life. However, it is believed that love is the only one worth to be fought for. Some people regard that love can make them happy. It can be proved if someone finds a good partner in his or her life. Sometimes, people feel sad because of love. Love can ruin everything. Someone feels that feeling if he is broken hearted because of love itself. Love can bring people ecstasy which recovers their sore and sickness. Even if people are afraid to bear all in the searching for love, the rewards outweigh the injuries. Love must not to own. The sacrifice is important to make someone happy although he or she has his or her own relationship with someone else. Finally, we cannot be with him or her.
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Making choice and decision are always experienced by every person. Every time people are faced with options and choices in many aspects of their life. Nothing is easy when people decide which options and choices they must take.
Literary works are written as a reflection of the writers in observing the facts in the society. Most of the time, writers of the literary works, such as novellas, prose, poems, novels, short story, and, poetry write their work(s) according to the realities that happen to them or happen in their society. Considering that reason literary works can also be a portrait of life. The problems which appear in a novel can be seen as the problems which may appear in our daily life. Therefore, literature has a close relationship with human life. Literature contains the record of the people’s values, thoughts, problems and conflicts in
their life.
Literature is a good piece of writing which helps us understand human beings, in all times and places, have much in common; there are good and bad people. Literature is not only an idea or theory that an author makes. It is also a creative work to express an experience of the author which is related to human life; where we can learn many aspects from the written form. According to Wellek and Warren’s Theory of Literature, literature can also be defined as the work of
art that represents human life (1956: 94). As one of literary works, a novel consists of many aspects which are interesting to be analyzed.
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Murphy, the greatest novels reflects life and are compounded similarly of many elements, just as life is a mixture of joy, disappointment, hope, sorrow, humor, suffering, and success (1972: 33).
All of those elements have relation with the story of this novel. In this novel, entitled Dear John by Nicholas Sparks, there are much conditions and motivations to choose partner. It is difficult to make decision in choosing between two important people to marry with. Savannah makes a long distance relationship with John. As a woman she becomes motivated to fulfill needs of attention, protection, and affection from her soul mate. However, she does not really get them because John is far away from Savannah. She also needs real love to stay next to her. Savannah who loves John very much has to end their relationship, and then she marries Tim. Actually she still loves John, when she marries Tim. Many conditions are experienced by Savannah. She has to struggle to face her conditions in her life.
The reason in writing this thesis comes from the writer’s curiosity to know
more deeply about the character in the novel. This study concerns with the character analysis of Savannah. The novel is interesting to be discussed because it shows how a person has motivation to decide with whom she marries with. This novel is one of romantic novels by Nicholas Sparks. This novel is also popular in many countries.
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motivations to marry Tim. The writer also tries to explore motivation to marry Tim.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the introduction above, there are three problems that the writer wants to discuss in this study. They are:
1. How is Savannah described in Dear John? 2. What conditions does Savannah face?
3. How do the Savannah’s characteristics and the conditions she faces influence her motivations to marry Tim in Dear John?
C. Objective of the Study
The aim of this study is to find out the answer of the problem formulation in the previous part. There are three objectives of the study. First, the writer tries to find out how Savannah is described in the story. Second, after analyzing the characteristics of Savannah, the writer tries to find out the conditions which are faced by Savannah in the novel. Third, having known the description of Savannah’s characteristics and her conditions, the writer tries to answer and see
5 D. Definition of Terms
According to the Hornby’s Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of
Current English the noun motivation derives from the verb motivate meaning to be the reason for somebody’s action or to cause somebody to want to do
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
The existence of a literary work always invites comments or criticisms from some critics. The criticism can be an agreement toward the story. The criticisms are needed to support the analysis of this study. Not many researches on this novel are displayed in the library. However, the writer can obtain some comments on this novel in the internet.
Nanang’s study (2009), a graduate student from English Letters
Department of Sanata Dharma University uses the psychological approach. He tries to analyze the influence of motivation towards behavior resulted in Griffin’s self-destruction in H. G. Well’s The Invisible Man. He finds Jack Griffin’s five characteristics and his two motivations. His motivations are to achieve glory and fame and to restore his visibility. Then he finds the connection between the motivations of Jack Griffin toward his behavior. His high level of motivation leads him to act aggressive behavior. Finally his behavior leads him to his own death later.
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Another study that uses the psychological approach is done by Marchelynow Alfa Christian (2009), a graduate student from English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University too.
To see Elie’s motivation of survival that revealed in the main character’s conflicts in the novel, three questions are formulated to guide the analysis. They are (1) How are the characters described in the Elie Wiesel’s Night? (2) What are Elie Wiesel’s internal and external conflicts that revealed in the story? (3) In what way the internal and external conflicts reveal Elie’s motivation of survival? The method applied in this study is library research. The approach used in this study is psychological approach. (2009: xi).
In his thesis, he uses psychological approach to analyze the motivation revealed in the main character’s conflicts in Elie Wiesel’s Night. He uses theory
of conflict to analyze what Elie Wiesel’s internal and external conflicts revealed in the story. Then, he analyzes how the internal and external conflicts reveal Elie’s
motivation of survival in achieving freedom.
From the internet sources, there are several criticisms which provide the research about Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John. One of them is from Ababaigalith
(www.bookcrossing.com, July 26, 2011). He states that:
This is the story of how an ideal love can falter, despite its purity and strength. Not every romance results in a happy ending, but with a great deal of luck, those who don't survive will find meaning from the experience. Love, loyalty, friendship--all those sentiments are great. He explains that not every romance or every story has a happy ending. It can be in a sad ending, like in the Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John novel. He focuses
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Those studies give deeper information for the writer in analyzing the story of the novel. In the first studies, Nanang explains about the influence of motivation towards behavior resulted in Griffin’s self-destruction in H. G. Well’s
The Invisible Man. He uses psychological approach to analyze it. The second study presenting the analysis also uses psychological approach to analyze the motivation revealed in the main character’s conflicts in Elie Wiesel’s Night. Two
of them share the same view about motivation and the use of psychological approach. Different from all the previous studies above, the last focuses on love, how true love can lose. Not every love story ends with happy ending. From the previous studies above this study discusses about the influence of Savannah’s characteristics and conditions in her motivations to marry Tim.
This study focuses on Savannah’s characteristics, her conditions and her
motivations to marry Tim. The writer uses a psychological approach. In this study, the writer emphasizes more on Savannah’s characteristics and conditions in her motivations to marry Tim as seen in the Dear John. The writer tries to discover something new about characteristics, conditions, and motivations. The writer hopes that this study can give new understanding about the story of the novel.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
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Literary Terms, Abrams states precisely that a character is the person depicted in a dramatic or narrative work, which is interpreted by the audiences or the readers that is born with the qualities of moral and disposition, which are performed in human action and speech, or it may be said that all of the characters can be seen in what they say (1981: 20). Character can also be defined as the figure in the story. It gives us the description through the professions, statements, dialogues, and minds. Therefore, looking how they face the problems and how they behave in the daily life are the way to notice what kind of person they are.
Abrams also divides the characters into main or major character and minor character. Major character usually becomes the center of the story, the person who acts, and he must handle the attention of the readers. Therefore, he or she is the most important character in the story. The readers usually focus on this character including his or her behavior, attitude, action, and speech from the beginning up to the ending of the story. However, minor character just becomes the background of the major character. The performance of this character is just presented in a certain event. If it is compared to the major character, their roles are less important than the major character. The function of this character is also to strengthen the development of the major character (1981: 20-21).
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character that is significant to all events in the story. They usually cause the conversion either in her or him in the readers’ attitude towards her or him.
According to Murphy, in his book titled Understanding Unseens, there are some ways of characterizing the characters (1972: 161-163)
a. Character as Seen by Another
Instead of describing the characters directly, the author describes the characters through the opinion of other characters. The other characters will explain further about the characters based on their own opinions, thinking, or feelings.
b. Speech
Sometimes, the author explains about the characteristics of the characters through what they say. From the way of their speech in conversation with others, it can be understood what the characters will be described.
c. Past Life
The past has a relation with the present world. What happened with the characters in the past can shape a person’s character and the character’s past life is
always closely connected to his or her present life. d. Conversation of Others
11 e. Reaction
The description of the characters can be seen through their action to various situations and events. The actions of the characters show his or her personality and the actions are related to his or her motives and thought.
f. Thought
This is also given directly by the author about the way of thinking of the character. The author gives directly what the characters are thinking about so that the readers can find out the personality of the characters.
g. Mannerism
The author gives the description about how the character behaves and talks, we can know the personality of character through his or her mannerism.
2. Theory of Motivation
The writer uses some theories of motivation in this study from the psychology. Because of all of these theories are fulfilled each other, then the writer uses these theories. These theories are discussed by the writer because these theories have relationship with the analysis. The writer is helped by these theories to analyze this novel.
According to Robert C. Beck in his book Motivation Theories and Principles,
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organism persists in this behavior with more or less vigor until some anticipated goal is either achieved or some other goal becomes more dominant” (1978: 24).
From the quotation above, it shows us that motivation is a choice. When we have two different choices, we will choose one which is considered as our best choice. That will be our motivation to do something. Meanwhile, Jung says that motivation includes terms that refer to such diverse states as desire, wishes, plans, goals, intents, impulses, and purposes. Some of these states imply a deliberate and calculated process involving reason.
Based on David C. Edward’s General Psychology, he stated that
motivation is an invented construct which describes certain aspects of behavior (1969: 49). To say that a certain motive is in operation, such as a need to be with others of the same species, directly implies that the behavior of that individual is directed towards satisfaction of this need state rather than others. Thus, if a person seeks out other individuals, we say that he is satisfying the conditions of this particular state of affairs which we call the motive for affiliation, as opposed to describing the behavior in terms of other possible factors (1969: 50).
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desire to perform an action because of external rewards or avoidance of punishment. Though, the writer only uses intrinsic motivation in this study.
3. The Relationship between Literature and Psychology
A novel is one of the forms of literary work that may deal with the psychological aspects of human needs and problems related to human through some representations of the characters. Rene Wellek and Austin Warren state that psychology of literature means the psychological study of the writer, as type, and as an individual, or the study of the creative process, or the study of the psychological types and laws present within work of literature or finally the effect of literature upon its reader or audience psychology (1956: 93). There is another theory that states literature and psychology, in the book Psychology of the Human Behaviour, Richard A. Kalish states that literature also “holds the mirror up to the man”. A good novelist can communicate the feeling of the characters and can
make them more like the real people whose behavior the psychologist attempts to describe (1973: 8)
14 C. Theoretical Framework
In this thesis the writer shows the contribution of the theories to solve the problems stated in the problem formulation. In this section, the writer explains what theories are needed and how the writer applies those theories in the analysis of this study.
The first analysis aims to describe the character of Savannah as one of the major character. To answer first problem formulation, the writer uses theory of character and characterization. These theory are used to observe what characteristics of Savannah revealed in the story is. The writer uses certain dialogues and statements in the novel that explain characteristics of Savannah.
The second analysis aims to find out Savannah’s conditions that she faces as the second question. Some relations between literature and psychology are also added to see how literature and psychology influence each other. In some literary works, such as in Dear John itself, psychological side plays an important role in this novel and its influence can be felt in whole story. It reflects that these two subjects have deep relationship and influence each other.
15 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The writer uses Nicholas Sparks’ Dear John as the main object of the study. Dear John is written by Nicholas Sparks and it was published in New York, 2009 by Grand Central publisher. The novel consists of 335 pages and 20 chapters.
Nicholas Sparks was born on December 31, 1965, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Patrick Michael Sparks, a professor, and Jill Emma Marie Sparks, a homemaker and an optometrist's assistant. He was the middle of three children, with an older brother Michael Earl "Micah" Sparks and a younger sister, Danielle "Dana" Sparks (1966–2000), who died at the age of 33.
Nicholas Sparks is an author specialized in love story. Each novel takes a different perspective of love. He always uses romantic words and romantic plot. In writing his novels, Sparks gets love and life as the themes. The themes are too usual to talk today; the readers can find that sense in his novels. The love and life make his novels so touching to the deepest heart of the readers. For examples in other Nicholas Sparks’ novels are The Notebook and The Wedding. (www.nicholas%20biography/id11.html, August 30, 2011).
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it. Therefore the novel is very homey and it has a little bit of spirit to it. Its style demonstrates celebration.”
Dear John is about a young man with unresolved father issues who enlists in the army because he wants to get better life. On one of his vacations back home, he meets a girl, Savannah who is spending her college summer vacation building houses for people who need them but cannot afford them. They spend a lot of times together and grow to understand and like each other. Then they spend time on fun activities like surfing, and also just talking to each other.
Finally they fall in love. They communicate with the letter when they are apart. One day the letter from Savannah changes everything. Sadly, Savannah’s
long distance relationship with John makes her fall in love with someone else. “Dear John,” the letter read and with those two words, a heart is broken and two
lives are changed forever. Returning home, John must come to face that his father died and Savannah is married. What is lasted is John’s true love. He has to face
the hardest conditions of his life.
Savannah’s decision to leave John and marry Tim is a difficult decision for
17 B. Approach of the Study
The writer develops this study by applying the Psychological approach. Rohrberber and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature, state that “the psychological approach is an approach that is used to explain human motivation, personality, and behavior pattern written in literary object (1971: 12). A psychological approach outlines a psychology theory in order to help readers in understanding the literary works.
In analyzing the character of Savannah the writer uses the psychological approach through the interpretations are needed in order to get deep understandings the psychological condition of the character. Here the psychological approach becomes the important element. By using psychological approach the writer tries to analyze and search the inner point of view of the major character. Since this thesis deals with the major character’s motivation it is
valuable in search the motivation using psychological approach. This approach lets the readers to examine the character’s psychological aspect in the literary
works.
C. Method of the Study
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sources and books of literature, which are related to primary data that support the analysis. They are books and internet to get the information. It means that the study is based on books and some sources from the internet. The writer took the data from the Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
A. The Description of Savannah
Characters are always found in a story. In A Glossary of Literary Terms, Abrams states that characters in novel are divided into major and minor characters. The major character usually becomes the center of the story, the person who acts, and he must handle the attention of the readers. Therefore, he or she is the most important character in the story. The readers usually focus on this character including his or her behavior, attitude, action, and speech from the beginning up to the ending of the story (1981: 21). According to Nicholas Sparks’
Dear John, there are three main characters, namely John Tyree, Savannah Lynn Curtis, and Tim Wheddon. This study focuses on Savannah Lynn Curtis only. Savannah Lynn Curtis is categorized as the major or main character because she plays in the important role of the story and as the center of the story as well.
In order to find out the characteristics of the character, Murphy’s (1972:
20 1. Friendly
Savannah is majoring in Special Education in the University of North Carolina. She is 21 years old and the only child in her family. She is from Lenoir and she grows up on a ranch. She enters the story when she spends her summer coordinating a group from her college to build homes for Habitat for Humanity in John’s hometown.
Savannah in the beginning of the story is described as a friendly girl. Savannah and her friends walk up the pier and meet John as a stranger for them. John greets them and Savannah answers John’s greeting friendly. John also
considers Savannah as a friendly person. John feels that the words she says are friendly. The author uses the other character’s thought to describe about Savannah. It is shown in John’s thought after his conversation with Savannah. It
can be seen in the quotation below.
“Hey,” I called out when they were close. Not very smooth, and I can’t say I expected anything in response.
“Hiya, stranger,” she answered with a smile. She motioned toward my board. “I’ll bet the waves were great today.”
Her comment caught me off guard, and I heard an unexpected kindness in her words. (p. 29).
Using Murphy’s theory the author uses the description about how
Savannah reacts. The readers can know the personality of character through reaction by greeting John in the beach. Savannah’s greeting to John shows that she is friendly. She says “hello” to John too, who is as a stranger she has just met.
She also states to John that the waves are great when she looks at John’s board. She can show familiarity at the first time she knows John. Savannah’s behavior
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Then, Savannah and her friend continue down to the end of the pier. They talk to each other. Savannah does not talk too much, sometimes she just laughs. John just watches them from the distance. At this time, John also has impression toward her as a friendly girl. Her voice can comfort him. From the quotation below, it is clear that Savannah’s characteristic is a friendly girl. It is the same as John’s impression about Savannah through her voice. The author describes
Savannah through John’s thought.
Again, I heard something friendly and understanding in her voice, something akin to coming home, which I’ll admit made no sense at all. (p. 30).
While they are talking, one of her friend’s hands hits Savannah’s bag.
Suddenly, her bag tumbles over the edge. John who watches that event runs immediately toward the edge of the pier, and then he jumps into the waves to retrieve her bag. John’s reasons why he jumps into the waves are because of Savannah’s smile and warmth of her laugh. Behaving in a pleasant, kind way
towards someone is a kind of friendly person. It can be described in the way she smiles and laughs show her characteristic of friendliness, as the way as John’s thought about her. It is also shown at the previous John’s impression of Savannah at the explanation above. Through those things, Savannah can give impact to John.
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After that event, Savannah and John talk to each other. In only one day, they have known each other well. She is seen as a friendly girl, because she can easily associate with other people. Especially is John whom she has just known. She likes to talk and have friendship with other people. This quotation below shows about John’s and Savannah’s friendship. They feel close each other, whereas they have just met.
I felt the same words could be used to describe her, and I wasn’t sure what to say.
“I can’t believe that I only met you yesterday,” she added. “It seems like I’ve known you much longer.”
Her hand felt warm and comfortable in mine. “I was thinking the same thing.” (p. 89).
The relationship between Savannah and John becomes intimate after they know each other. They often have dinner and hang-out together.
From John’s description, it is obvious that Savannah is a friendly girl. John visits Savannah’s house and meets her parents. John thinks that Savannah and her
mother have same characteristics as stated in the quotation “Savannah’s mom, Jill, is a lot like Savannah: friendly, open, and a lot sharper than she first came across.” (p. 187). The readers can find that Savannah is a friendly girl from John’s opinion.
2. Kind-hearted
Based on Murphy’s theory, the readers can find that she is kind-hearted girl through Savannah’s behavior. Savannah is a kind-hearted girl because
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with her friends. These behaviors show that Savannah has sincere heart. It is shown it this quotation below
“Well, I feel like I should do something for you.” (p. 35). “You don’t need to do anything.”
“Have you eaten?” she asked, ignoring my comment.
“We’re getting ready to have a cookout, and there’s plenty to go around. Would you like to join us?” (p. 36).
“Sounds good. Let me go grab my board from the pier and I’ll be there in a bit.”
“I’ll walk with you,” Savannah said, breaking away from the group. “It’s the least I can do.” She adjusted the bag on her shoulder. (p. 36).
Another proof about Savannah’s characteristic as a kind-hearted girl is
while they are in the beach, they are talking together and sharing about their life. At one of the conversation, John asks Savannah’s comment about her friends.
Then, John gets his comment about her.
As she answered, I got the feeling she was the kind of person who would never say a bad thing about anyone. Her regard for others struck me as refreshing and mature, and yet, strangely, I wasn’t surprised. It was part of that indefinable quality I’d sensed about her from the beginning, a manner that set her apart. (p. 41).
Through the John’s thought also, the readers can find that she is kind-hearted girl
because she never thinks badly to the other people. John also can feel that she has good personality at the first time they meet. It can be concluded that Savannah is really a good person.
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John walks alone and John’s house is too far. Although John refuses Savannah’s offer, she even forces him to go home with Tim.
“Do you want to call him? You can use the phone.” “No, I think I’ll just head out. It’s a long walk.” “You don’t have a car?”
“No. I hitched a ride this morning.”
“Do you want Tim to drive you home? I’m sure he won’t mind.” “No, that’s okay.” clothes. Immediately, she tells John that she will get John some clothes. She tells Tim to borrow John some clothes. The way of Savannah’s reaction shows how
kind she is.
She gave me the once-over. “Good.” She patted my knee, the second time she’d touched me. “I’ll get you some clothes.” (p. 61).
3. Caring
Savannah shows her characteristic as a caring girl. She cares about people and helps build a couple of houses for people who need them. She becomes a volunteer of Habitat for Humanity. She is willing to give a hand and help the others who need help. It is shown in this quotation below at her conversation with John.
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Her care for people can also be seen when she builds houses with her church since she was sixteen. According to Murphy’s theory past life can be used to describe Savannah’s characteristics. In that age, Savannah has shown her
characteristic as a caring girl. Then, Savannah is off to Chapel Hill, Savannah and Tim make group there. She offers the students to make something different which is in order to build houses. Savannah and her friends do not get the fee from other people of what she does. Through her statements in this quotation below, it shows that she prefers to help people build the houses without fee on her summer holiday to doing useless jobs.
“You’ve done this before?”
“Every summer since I was sixteen. I used to do it with our church, but when off to Chapel Hill, we started a group there. Well, actually, Tim started it. He’s from Lenoir, too. He just graduated and he’ll start on his master’s degree this fall. I’ve known him forever. Instead of spending the summer working odd jobs at home or doing internships, we thought we could offer students a chance to make a difference. Everyone chips in for the house and pays their own expenses for the month, and we don’t charge anything for the labor we do on the houses. That’s why it was so important that I get my bag back. I wouldn’t have been able to eat all month.” (p. 38 -39).
Another example of Savannah as a caring girl happens when Savannah enters the Special Education. From the conversation between Savannah and John, John asks Savannah why she chooses Special Education, because she wants to help autistic kids. From the quotation below of Savannah’s answer through her
past life when she was a little, she felt so bad because of Alan’s condition. Moreover, she mentions that she has decided to help kids like Alan. It can be seen that she even cares about the other kids who are autistic like Alan, Tim’s young
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“There’s this boy in Lenoir named Alan, and I’ve known him all my life. He’s autistic, and for a long time no one knew what to do with him or how to get through to him. And it just got me, you know? I felt so bad for him, even when I was a little.” (p. 49).
“Alan’s not perfect by any stretch - he still lives with his parents, and he’ll be on his own –but he’s not as lost as he was when he was younger, and I just decided that I wanted to be able to help kids like Alan.” (p. 50).
This is another quotation of Savannah as a caring girl. The quotation tells about her interested in curing the autistic kids like Tim does. The author lets the readers recognize Savannah’s kindliness from the way of Savannah thinking. The
quotation below is considered to show that Savannah is very concerned about her planning and expectation to help the autistic kids. She wants to apply the way of Alan’s and Tim’s experiences to make a good effort for them. From that event,
she actually knows what she should do. She wants to open a riding camp as a facility for autistic kids, where Savannah and Tim can work together with the autistic kids. She prepares a riding camp, so that the other autistic kids can be happy like Alan does. Her future planning through her statements shows that she cares about autistic kids and she concerns to make a better life for them.
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Besides caring about the autistic kids and people who need help, she also cares about pets. She has a gentle old mare named Slocum. Savannah promises her mother that she has to take care of her, feed her, brush her and keep her stall clean. She also has to take care of the rest of pets. She keeps the pets carefully. While she is growing up, her house is like a farm because she likes to take care of the pets. She always has compassion feeling to the stray pets.
“When I was growing up, our house was kind of like a farm. Dogs, cats, even a llama for a while. I was a sucker when it came to strays. My parents got to the point where they wouldn’t even argue with me about it. There were usually four or five at any one time. Sometimes an owner would come, hoping to find a lost pet, and he’d leave with one of our recent additions if he couldn’t find it. We were like the pound.” (p. 84).
The character of Savannah also can be found out from the conversation between Savannah and John. The quotation below is taken from Savannah’s statement. The readers can get the clue of the character of the story in the novel through what the person says. According to Murphy, the way of that characterization is called speech. In this novel, Savannah shows her caring about concern to the poor. She also has desire to help those in need. Savannah tells that she spends her Saturday mornings in Raleigh to serve them. She dedicates herself to the poor without pressure.
“I joined a couple of Christian student groups, I spent Saturday mornings at a shelter in Raleigh serving the poor, and I feel no pressure at all to go to this or that party or date this or that guy.” (p. 87).
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of mental disorder syndrome. Savannah finds that John’s father always talks about
coin and does not have a social interaction. Moreover, John’s father does not look at people when he talks to them. She cares about them. That is why she buys a book about autism and Asperger’s. There are several information in that book, so
that John can understand more about his father’s condition and can make good
relation toward his father. The readers may find that Savannah is a caring girl through her reactions to John by looking at John’s father condition.
“There’s more to it that just that,” she said. Her voice was quiet. “I want you to read it because of your father. And the way you two get along.” (p. 140).
When she spoke again, her voice trembled. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that. But I just wanted you to understand him.” (p. 142).
“I was trying to help,” she said, eyes downcast. “I just wanted you to be able to relate to him.” (p. 143).
Finally, John can understand his father’s condition. He is successful to
have a good relationship with his father. All of those things are because of Savannah’s action. Her caring makes good result for them. John thanks Savannah who gives the book to John. “For the book. I think I understand my dad a little
better now. We had a good time last night.” (p. 161).
Another thing about Savannah’s characteristic as a caring girl can be seen
when she follows Tim’s words to take care of his brother, Alan, and do everything
while Tim has got sick. It can be seen in the quotation below. Tim asks Savannah to get Alan a bottle of soda and talk Alan to eat.
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Savannah and Tim have their own problem in life. Savannah’s problem is she wants to see John who is on duty in the army, whereas John is far away from Savannah. Tim tries to make her happy and consoles her.
Tim has a problem with his brother. Savannah helps Tim to take care of Alan. From this fact that Savannah behaves, the readers can say that Savannah is kind because she helps Tim and Alan. “I tried to help him, and he tried to help me, and we both tried to help Alan.” (p. 281).
4. Dependent
John is back to the army. Savannah writes first letter to John. In her letter, she says that she wishes she can hold John’s hand and watch his smile. She really
wants John to stay near her. Having been separated with John makes Savannah always hopes to have physical contact with John. From her thought, it can be seen that Savannah really needs John and physical contact from John.
All I can think is that I wish I were with you now, holding your hand and watching for your elusive smile. (p. 168).
Savannah always wants John is close to her, but because of the long distance relationship they cannot be close to each other. Savannah is a dependent girl because she cannot live alone. The only thing which can be seen that Savannah cannot live alone is looking at her imagination.
Savannah’s imagination can be seen in her letter for John. The author
gives what Savannah is thinking about John’s condition. She writes about John’s
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something exists or true, although in fact it is not real or true. She thinks that John sits in a tent at a makeshift table, with an oil lamp burning beside him while the wind blows outside. Based on the reality, John is in the condition of the fluorescent-lit, government-issued desk in side his wooden barracks.
I like to imagine the way you looked when you wrote it: what you were wearing, your surroundings, the way you held your pen. I know it’s a cliché and it’s probably off the mark, but I keep thinking of you sitting in a tent at a makeshift table, with an oil lamp burning beside you while the wind blows outside. (p. 175).
After John is far away from her, she always imagines and remembers when she and John have been through together. All those things can make Savannah feel that their soul will be linked together. She remembers all the activities they have done with John. It is shown in this quotation below when Savannah sends John a letter to share about what she feels.
For the past two and a half years, I’ve been staring at every full moon and remembering everything we’ve been through together. I remember how talking to you that first night felt like coming home, and I remember the night we made love. I’ll always be glad that you and I shared ourselves like that. To me, it means that our souls will be linked together forever. (p. 228).
The only thing she can do is just imagining something that is not based on the facts. She likes to think of some unreal events. She just imagines all those things. “When I close my eyes, I see your face; when I walk, it’s almost as if I can feel
your hand in mine.” (p. 228).
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in her mind. Savannah cannot get John in reality. Therefore, she just plays with her imagination.
The readers may find that Savannah is a dependent girl through her reaction in the situation. When John is apart, Savannah is always with Tim. She needs Tim while John is in the army. Savannah and Tim spend time together. “Anyway, we spent a lot of time together, and he was good at consoling me
whenever I got down.” (p. 280). They do activities together too. Here, Savannah tries to replace John’s absence with Tim’s presence. Savannah needs Tim to
replace John who is not next to Savannah.
5. Loving
Savannah shows her characteristics as a loving girl. It can be seen in Tim’s
statement. Based on the conversation with John before John goes back to the army, Tim tells John that Savannah loves John. He also asks John for does not break her heart. “Don’t break Savannah’s heart, okay? I know she loves you, and
I just want her to be happy.” (p. 153).
She loves John very much. She is going to hold John’s promise to marry
her. Besides that, she proves her seriousness by marrying John too after he come back. Her love for John can be proven by her statement to John in her first letter below.
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Another part of Savannah’s characteristic as a loving girl can be seen in her loving toward John from the other Savannah’s statements in her letters. The
way of her thoughts and memories of John show that she loves him. She loves John forever that is why she dreams that John will take her in his arms. Those proofs are mentioned in the quotation below.
And that’s how I always want to remember my time with you.
I’ll think about you every day. Part of me is scared that there will come a time when you don’t feel the same way, that you’ll somehow forget about what we shared, so this is what I want to do. (p. 168).
I love you, not just for now, but for always, and I dream of the day that you’ll take me in your arms again. (p. 178).
The quotations below are Savannah’s letter to John. Her letter can support that Savannah loves John very much. Savannah tells John that he is the best thing that has ever happened to her. Here Savannah is sure that John is her true love. John takes a special place in her heart and no one else can ever replace it. She believes that John is her future.
It reminded me that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. (p. 179).
I fell in love with you, but more than that, meeting you made me realize what true love really means. (p. 228).
I want you to know that you’ll always be a part of me. In our time together, you claimed a special place in my heart, one I’ll carry with me forever and that no one can ever replace. You’re the first man I ever truly loved. And no matter what the future brings, you always will be, and I know that my life is better for it. (p. 229).
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“I can feel that. Just like I can feel how much you care for me and how much I love you. I know in my heart that this isn’t over, and that we’ll make it through this. (p. 164).
When John is in the war, she is afraid all the time. She tries to watch the news and newspaper to know that John is in good situation. She tries to find out where he is and what he is going through. Her love for John can be seen in her letter. Savannah tells John that she always prays every night that John will go home safely. (p. 228).
Savannah’s love to John also can be seen when she is very concerned with
John’s condition. Moreover, from her feeling to other character, John, the readers
will find that she loves John. It can be seen in the following statement, “Leaning over, she grasped my leg. “Does it hurt when I squeeze right here?” (p. 190). She
finds out that John hurts when he can barely move. He limps toward the car because he rides horse one day before. Savannah adopts a concerned expression, and then she reaches out to stop him. In addition, through her reaction too, the readers can understand that she is a loving girl. Savannah takes good reaction of John by trying to cure his leg and ask him. By seeing Savannah’s reactions and all of her statements above show how much she loves John describes that she is a loving person.
B. The Conditions that Savannah Faces
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marry. There are also reasons that make Savannah marries Tim. The writer finds out three major conditions that Savannah faces related to her life.
1. Loneliness
The first condition of Savannah is presented from the beginning when Savannah and John have just met. Being a friendly girl, makes John gets closer with Savannah. They often go together. One of Savannah’s behaviors when
Savannah invites John to eat together with her friends describes Savannah as a kind-hearted girl. All of those events make Savannah and John love each other. Finally they make a relationship. A few days before John go back to the army; Savannah says to John that she will not fall in love with no one else.
She paused, as if trying to organize her chaotic thoughts. “I didn’t want to fall in love with anyone,” she said. “I wasn’t ready for that. I’ve been through that once, and afterwards I was a mess. I know it’s different, but you’ll be leaving in just a few days and all this will be over . . . and I’ll be a mess again.” (p. 138).
From the quotation above, it is described that Savannah is afraid of her life after John goes back to the army. She feels that she is not ready for the relationship because she has ever fallen in love. Then, her life became a mess when she broke up with her ex-boyfriend. She is afraid that situation will happen again in her life. Although she thinks that her relationship is different from her past relationship, but the situation is the same as Savannah’s and John’s condition. John will leave Savannah because of his duty in the army and her life will be a mess.
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distance relationship, Savannah knows that during their relationship she can communicate each other by phone and letter. However, it is not the same when John is next to Savannah. Savannah tells John that she cannot see John’s expressions and cannot get in touch with John; for examples she cannot sit across, talk, and share their secrets. She also will not feel John’s arm around her, as stated
in the quotation below.
“I know we can write and talk on the phone now and then, and we could see each other when you come home on leave. But it won’t be the same. I won’t be able to see your silly expressions. We won’t be able to lie on the beach together and stare at the stars. We won’t be able to sit across from each other and talk and share secrets. And I won’t feel your arm around me, like I do now.” (p. 138).
From the quotation below, it can be seen that John tells Savannah that he will marry Savannah after he comes back from the army. Then, to convince his promise to Savannah, John promises to come back to her. As a loving girl, she is going to hold John’s promise to marry her. She loves John very much.
“I’m going to marry you one day, you know.” “Is that a promise?”
“If you want it to be.”
“Well, then you have to promise that you’ll come back for me when you get out of the army. I can’t marry you if you’re not around.” (p. 162).
At that time, Savannah also knows that their relationship will be hard. However, she realizes that life moves fast and as the time goes by they will meet again. It is shown when she tells John as below:
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and phone when they begin to drift apart. Her loving toward John can be seen in her letter. She says that she will love John forever as stated in this quotation. “I
love you, not just for now, but for always, and I dream of the day that you’ll take
me in your arms again.” (p. 178). Then as time goes by, John leaves the army and
goes home immediately to meet Savannah.
In their meeting, Savannah tells John about her feeling during this relationship. Again, in this part Savannah feels broken hearted when John leaves her. That feeling makes Savannah has no desire to do anything, such as works on the houses. She is frustrated because she cannot achieve what she wants. The absence of John in Savannah’s life makes Savannah feels like that. The way how
Savannah cries every day and her expectation of John’s presence are the proofs that she really needs John around her.
There are struggles over the time in their long distance relationship. Savannah should hold the desire of yearn and want to get close with him all the times. Savannah’s yearning is proven by the way she looks for someone else
whose appearance resembles John, but in fact the man is not John. Inside her heart, she wishes that the man she sees is John. In this case, Savannah can understand about John’s condition in the army, in other hand Savannah cannot
understand about her feeling during this relationship.
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overcome Savannah’s bad feeling when John is not around her, Savannah makes
some activities to avoid her heart from turning into a mess. All of that is stated in Savannah’s statement to John below:
“I wasn’t kidding about that. Last summer meant so much to me. More that you can ever imagine, and when you left, I was wreck. I barely worked on the houses. I know I sent you letters that made you think all was well and good, but it wasn’t. I cried every night, and every day I’d sit at the house and keep imagining and hoping and wishing that you’d come strolling up the beach. Every time I saw someone with a crew cut’ I’d feel my heart start beating faster, even though I knew it wasn’t you. But that was the thing. I wanted it to be you. Every time. I know that what you do is important, and I understand that you’re posted overseas, but I don’t think I understood how hard it was going to be once you weren’t around. It seemed like it was almost killing me, and it took a long time to even begin to feel normal again. And on this trip, as much as I wanted to see you, as much I love you, there’s this part of me that’s terrified that I’m going to go to pieces again when our trip is up.” (pp. 207-208).
“So I tried to keep us busy, you know? To keep my heart from being broken again.” (p. 208).
The time when John goes back again to the army comes. They are apart in the airport. Savannah says John that she will be fine and stronger this time. John also tries to convince Savannah that it is going to be okay. Considering all activities happen in Savannah life, she will feel how fast time goes by. John goes only six months. On the plane, John thinks about Savannah. From John’s thought below, it is shown that love is not enough for a relationship. There must be time when they can be together. John can feel what Savannah’s feeling about this
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I suddenly understood that even love and caring weren’t always enough. They were the concrete bricks of our relationship, but unstable without the mortar of time spent together, time without the threat of imminent
Where once her letter comes weekly, it starts arriving every ten days, and then as the days begin longer, it comes only every other week. John also starts to realize that the tone of Savannah’s letters has changed. There are no long passages in which she describes the way she imagines their life together.
In John’s leaving from the army, John is supposed to visit Savannah, but
John has to visit his father because his father is sick in hospital. Savannah accompanies John in the hospital. Here, John’s relationship with his father is
closer than before, but John’s relationship with Savannah is farther. John spends
more times in the hospital, so that Savannah’s and John’s relationship becomes
bad. They often fight, because Savannah feels that John has lack of time to spend with her. In quotation of John’s thought below, John has opinion that the thing
which they need is just time to be together where they can cure their belonging during the long distance relationship.
“Still, what we needed was time together. Time alone. If our relationship was a battery, my time overseas was continually draining it, and we both needed time to recharge.” (p. 219).
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that she has to end their relationship. In this quotation below, it is clear that Savannah really suffers in the relationship. The time when they are apart is too much and they are far to each other. Those make this relationship does not go in a good way. Savannah tells again of what she feels during this relationship, which has explained before.
When I walk, it’s almost as if I can feel your hand in mine. Those things are still real to me, but where they once brought comfort, now they leave me with an ache. I understand your reason for staying in the army, and I respected your decision. I still do, but we both know our relationship changed after that. We changed, and in your heart, I think you realized it, too. Maybe the time apart was too much, maybe it was just our different worlds. I don’t know. Every time we fought I hated myself for it. Somehow, even though we still loved each other, we lost that magical bond that kept us together. (pp. 228-229).
Savannah’s hard feeling is also proven by Tim’s statement. Tim says John
about Savannah’s condition when John and Savannah has long distance
relationship. Tim tells John that Savannah is very frustrated about their relationship. She really missed John, but John is not around Savannah. The quotation below is the dialogue between Tim and John.
“That whole first year you were gone, she missed you so much. It was like her heart was breaking a little bit every single day. You we’re all she could think about. And then she found out you weren’t coming home.” (p. 323).
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condition when she has long distance relationship with John is very hard. Another proof that Savannah feels hard of the relationship is shown in this quotation.
“How much I missed you and how hard it was to be apart. And it was hard. I thought you’d be home by then.”
“He’d always remind me that you’d be back on leave before I knew it, and I can’t tell you how much I wanted to see you again.” (p. 280).
By the time, Savannah cannot handle her hard feeling during her long distance relationship with John as stated above. Then, she decides to end her relationship through her letter to John.
2. Savannah Needs Someone to be Loved
The second condition is the fact that Savannah gets closer with Tim while Savannah is having a long distance relationship with John. Tim and Savannah have been friends. Tim is a graduate student; they end up having a couple of classes in the same building during Savannah’s last year in college. And
afterwards, they have coffee and it is end up by staying together.
During Savannah’s relationship with John, Savannah and Tim spend time
together. Savannah shares with Tim about what she feels toward John. When Savannah misses John and needs John around her, Tim is next to Savannah there. Tim always encourages Savannah whenever she feels down by her long distance relationship. It can be seen in these quotations when Savannah tells John about what happens between Savannah and Tim when John serves for the army.
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“Anyway, we spent a lot of time together, and he was good at consoling me whenever I got down.” (p. 280).
On the other hands, Savannah and Tim also consulate each other when they have problem. Savannah cares so much about Tim and Alan. Her caring makes Savannah tries to help Tim to take care of Alan, Tim’s brother. Tim also
tries to help Savannah to overcome her hard feeling during the relationship. Little by little since they often spend time together, they begin to fall in love. This quotation below is also from Savannah’s statement to John.
“We just ended up consoling each other. I tried to help him, and he tried to help me, and we both tried to help Alan. And little by little, I guess, we began to fall in love.” (p. 281).
Here, Savannah needs someone to be loved. Tim is always near Savannah when Savannah needs someone. However John is not near Savannah.
3. Savannah Needs Someone to be Needed
The next condition happens between Savannah and Alan, Tim’s brother
who is an autistic boy. After finishing Savannah’s classes and working at the developmental evaluation center in town, Tim’s parents have a horrible accident
and they died on impact. Knowing that Alan’s parents died, Alan becomes inconsolable and sick. Alan always screams all the time and pulls out his hair. The only person who can stop Alan from hurting himself is Tim, but it takes all of Tim’s energies.
Since Savannah is a caring girl, she cannot stand still and doing nothing. Looking at Alan’s condition Savannah feels that it is the time that she must take
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following quotation, from Savannah’s statement when she tells John about Alan and Tim. “I guess that’s when I first started coming over here. You know, to help
out.” (p. 281).
Tim tells John about Tim’s illness, Alan who is also there hears about
what they talk about. Alan becomes inconsolable. It is shown by Alan’s head rolled faster and he begins to slap his tights. Savannah as a caring girl will never stand still when she looks Alan becomes inconsolable. Then, Savannah takes action. From Savannah’s reaction toward Alan, it can be seen that Savannah has ability to hold Alan who is inconsolable. Savannah realizes that she can make Alan begins to calm down. Here, it can be said that Savannah is needed by Tim and Alan. Tim also tells John that Alan is in the good hand. We can see it in this conversation below between Tim and John.
Alan’s head rolled even faster, and he began to slap his thighs. Savannah turned away. I already knew I shouldn’t have asked.
“That’s what the doctors are for,” Tim replied. “I’m in good hands.” I knew the answer was more for Alan than me, and Alan began to calm down. (p. 291).
C. Savannah’s Motivation to Marry Tim
In the beginning of this chapter, the writer has already discussed about the main character’s characteristics and the main character’s conditions. This part of
discussion focuses on Savannah’s motivations to marry Tim by considering the explanation of conditions which have been mentioned above.
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these states imply a deliberate and calculated process involving reason. Furthermore, Robert C. Beck says that motivation is a choice (1978: 24). When we have two different choices, we will choose one for our best choice. That will be our motivation to do something.
Combining Savannah’s characteristics and her conditions at the previous
parts, the writer is helped by using the theory of motivation to explain about Savannah’s motivations to marry Tim. It also supports the writer about the
analysis. Marriage has become a goal for Savannah. Her goal itself is derived from motivations. She has to decide whether she keeps her relationship with John or ends up the relationship with him, and then marries Tim. Marriage, in Dear John, becomes significant because this novel deals with the activity in choosing husband. The choice is chosen as the best choice and it involves the reasons.
In this novel, it can be seen clearly that the character of Savannah shows her motivations to marry with. The motivations that Savannah experienced are based on her conditions. These motivations lead her to approach a goal. There are reasons why Savannah decides to choose Tim as her husband. It is started when Savannah has long distance relationship with John.
