CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
In this chapter, the analysis will be started by analyzing the stages of the
plot from the film script Carnage. After analyzing the part of the plot which contains five stages, the next step will be finding out the id, ego, superego and
analyzing the clash between them which is followed by theory of anxiety for
analyzing Penelope Longstreet’s anxiety and identify it as the product of the clash
between id, ego, superego. The next step after doing those steps is analyzing the
defense mechanisms that used by Penelope Longstreet to defend herself and
survive from it. As the result from the analysis, Penelope Longstreet’s behavior
can be revealed.
A. Analysis of Penelope’s Structures of Personality 1. Penelope’s Structures of Personality in Exposition
This stage contains the basic information of the story such as
Penelope’s character, settings (place and time), and introduction of the
basic situation in which Penelope was involved.
a) The introduction of the character of Penelope Longstreet.
In the beginning of the script, there are several scene headings
and dialogue that described Penelope directly such as her occupation,
her status in the Longstreet family, how many family members in
Longstreet family including her.
INT. LONGSTREET APARTMENT - DEN – DAY PENELOPE LONGSTREET is seated at the computer.
Her husband, MICHAEL, is standing by amiably, leaning over and already prepared for the words which are to follow.
“...following a verbal dispute in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Zachary
Cowan, age eleven and armed with a stick, struck our son, Ethan
Longstreet, in the face.” (p.1 and 2)
MICHAEL
Houseware supply. Penelope is a writer and she works part time in a bookstore, mostly art books and history books. (p.7)
NANCY Do you have any other children?
PENELOPE
One daughter. Courtney is nine. She's very angry at her father right now. He got rid of the hamster last night.
In this section, Penelope Longstreet was introduced as a wife
of Michael Longstreet and a mother of two children named Ethan
Longstreet and Courtney Longstreet. She lived with her husband and
her son. Penelope Longstreet was also a writer.
b) 1. The setting of the place is in Longstreet’s apartment, Brooklyn.
The setting of the place was clearly described in the
beginning of the scene. Every detail of the place including small
things were mentioned and described in the beginning.
Therefore, it was not that difficult to find the setting of the place.
INT. LONGSTREET APARTMENT - DEN - DAY
A narrow room converted to a home office. Winter light filters through the only window.
PENELOPE (CONT'D)
It's ironic, we always thought the Brooklyn Bridge Park was safe. Compared to Hillside. (p.2)
INT. LONGSTREET LIVING ROOM - DAY
The LONGSTREET’s living room is modest and homey. There’s a
partial view of the elevated subway. The furnishings are improvised and disparate, with a few ethnic touches. There is a large bookshelf.
A few chairs and a sofa are arranged around a coffee table, covered with art books.
There is a large bouquet of tulips in a transparent vase. (p.3)
The setting of the place was described clearly in the
scene heading and a dialogue as the result, the setting took a
place in Brooklyn, Longstreet’s apartment which was converted
to a home office, modest and homey living room.
2. The setting of the time could be on January 11 or the day after that during winter.
The setting of the time was not clear until reading the
dilogue and the scene heading very carefully. The description of
the time was not described as much as the place.
INT. LONGSTREET APARTMENT - DEN - DAY
A narrow room converted to a home office. Winter light filters through the only window. (p.1)
PENELOPE
“January 11, at 2:30 PM.”
(with a glance behind her toward the COWANS:) (p.2)
The incident of Ethan Longstreet and Zachary Cowan
was on January 11, at 2:30 PM during winter season. Penelope
screen and the season was explained on the action heading of the
script. The possible time is either on January 11 after incident or
the day after January 11.
c) Settling the incident with Cowan with a rightful way.
This is the beginning of their discussion about their sons’
incident in the park. Penelope and her husband, Michael were
arranging the meeting with Cowans in her apartment.
PENELOPE
....You’ll make your statement separately, this is ours.
“...following a verbal dispute in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Zachary Cowan, age eleven and armed with a stick, struck our son, Ethan Longstreet, in the face. In addition to the swelling and bruising of Ethan's upper lip, this act also resulted in two broken incisors, including nerve damage to the right incisor."
ALAN Armed?
PENELOPE
Armed. You don't like armed? Michael, what could we say? Carrying? Holding? Carrying a stick, is that all right?
ALAN Carrying, yeah.
MICHAEL Carrying a stick.
PENELOPE enters the correction on the laptop. (p.2)
Penelope were trying to settle the incident between Ethan
Longstreet and Zachary Cowan in a rightful way by inviting Alan
Cowan and Nancy Cowan to her apartment. In the mean time, she
d) The sarcastic moment
Penelope Longstreet in some dialogue showed her attitude
toward Cowans which she was trying to convince and pursue them
for Zachary’s act toward Ethan.
MICHAEL (CONT’D)
We always said, Brooklyn Bridge Park, fine. Hillside, no way.
PENELOPE
Only goes to show you. But hey, thank you for coming. It's so much better than getting caught up in that adversarial mindset.
NANCY Well we thank you. Really.
PENELOPE
I don't think we have to thank each other. At least some of us still have a sense of community, right? (p.2 and 3)
Penelope Longstreet could be sarcastic in order to show the
Cowans that they needed to take the responsibility of Zachary’s act
toward her son Ethan and also making them feel guilty.
As the conclusion of this stage, Penelope Longstreet is a wife and
mother of two children whose her son had an incident which led
Penelope to the discussion with Cowans. The discussion was happening
at Longstreet’s apartment, Brooklyn during winter in January. Penelope’s
id and superego was represented in this stage. Her id is she wanted
Cowans to admit that their son struck Penelope’s son and her superego
2. Penelope’s Structures of Personality in Rising Action
The rising action introduces the conflict or problem in the story.
This part also reveals the events where the conflict or problem becomes
complicated and raised.
a) The incident between Ethan Longstreet and Zachary Cowan.
The incident between Ethan Longstreet and Zachary Cowan
was the root of the Longstreets and Cowans meeting. If it had not
happened, they would not be had a meeting to discuss about their
sons.
EXT. PLAYGROUND IN PARK - DAY
WIDE ANGLE VIEW: A playground in Brooklyn. A winter sun shines brightly. Stark trees and patchy grass.
A boy of about 10 years stands apart from a group of kids his age.
In his hand he is holding a large piece of tree branch, twirling it absently, with the thick end out, for his own amusement.
Another boy, with the support of the group, starts shouting abuse at
him. Though the words aren’t audible, it’s clear that things are
getting tense.
A verbal exchange is followed by some threatening gestures on both sides. One boy shoves, the other shoves back.
It’s all pretty unremarkable until the first boy, practically reflexively,
strikes the second with the branch.
The wounded child is doubled over, his face in his hands. The others crowd around him.
The boy who hit him also starts to take a step toward the group of children. He seems distraught.
The problem began with Longstreet’s son Ethan Longstreet and Cowan’s son Zachary Cowan who got into a fight at Brooklyn
Bridge Park. They fought because of some kids issues, Zachary
bruising on Ethan’s upper lip, two broken incisors, including nerve
damage to the right incisor. This is the problem which led
Longstreets arranged a meeting with Cowans.
b) Penelope asked Cowans if Zachary Cowan could apologize to Ethan Longstreet.
In this part, the atmosphere among the discussion were
increasingly getting tense with the agreement and disagreement
toward each other.
PENELOPE
Would it be possible -- and I’m just going to come out and ask you directly -- could Zachary apologize to Ethan?
ALAN It would be good if they talked.
NANCY
He's got to apologize, Alan. He has to actually say he's sorry.
ALAN Yeah, I mean sure, probably.
PENELOPE Well is he sorry?
ALAN
He knows what he did. He didn't realize how serious it was. He's eleven years old.
PENELOPE Eleven is not a baby.
MICHAEL
It's not an adult either. We didn't ask you, you want some coffee or tea? Is there any cobbler left, Penny? She makes a mean cobbler! (p.8 and 9)
Penelope was trying to ask the cowans if their son Zachary
were agreed and Alan was slightly disagreed with the request. It
turned out with no agreement was made.
c) Convincing Cowans that Zachary disfigured Ethan.
This is the part where Penelope was trying to get the
discussion back while everyone else were still having slightly
friendly talking.
PENELOPE
So what does Zachary say? How is he experiencing this?
NANCY
He doesn't talk much. A little overwhelmed I guess.
PENELOPE
But he realizes that he disfigured his schoolmate?
ALAN
No. No, he doesn't realize that he disfigured his schoolmate.
NANCY
Why do you say that? Of course Zachary realizes!
ALAN
He realizes that this violent behavior is unacceptable. Not that he disfigured his schoolmate.
PENELOPE
You don't like the word but unfortunately the word is appropriate.
ALAN My son did not disfigure your son.
PENELOPE
Your son disfigured our son. Come back after school hours, look at his mouth and teeth. (p.17)
They were having slightly friendly time together, drinking
espresso, eating cobbler, and a nice chat suddenly Penelope opened
up the conversation about their son again which she was hoping to
discuss it any further and making a final decision. Nancy was
Alan was still disagreed for what happened between Ethan and
Zachary. The discussion turned to be tense and full of arguments.
d) Alan’s pesimistic thinking about Penelope’s favor
The tension among the discussion was getting worse as
Cowans were about to go home. Penelope was also trying to
emphasized that the Cowans also should took the responsibility.
NANCY
They don't need coaching. Let them work it out like men.
NANCY
Like men. Alan, don't be ridiculous. On the other hand, maybe we don't need to be there. Maybe it's better if we weren't there, right?
PENELOPE
The issue is not whether we should be there or not. The issue is, do they want to talk, do they want to clear this up?
MICHAEL
Zachary acts like a thug, we're not going to wait around for him to see the light.
PENELOPE
If Zachary sees Ethan in a punitive context, because he's forced to, I can't see anything positive coming out of that
ALAN
Mrs. Longstreet, our son is a maniac. If you hope he'll suddenly and spontaneously get all apologetic, you're dreaming. Look I'm sorry, but I really do have to get back to the office. (p.19)
Nancy was asking to arrange another meeting with them but
Alan suddenly threw arguments toward the discussion. The tension
during the discussion made Alan gave a statement that Zachary
would not apologize because a reason such as Zachary was a maniac.
According to the various events in this stage, the root of the
problem is the incident that happened to her son and led to the discussion.
Penelope was angry because of that incident. Penelope Longstreet had
her id and ego represented in this which her id is wanting to scold
Cowans while her ego is scolding Cowans. Those are forces which found
in this stage.
3. Penelope’s Structures of Personality in Climax
In this part, the conflict’s tension in the story were getting increased and the main conflict was finally revealed. It determined how
the conflict was decided.
Exposing Penelope’s temper in front of Michael
Penelope was having temper toward the discussion, atmosphere,
and situation among them. This part is where Penelope show her temper
to her husband but she was still covering it from Cowans.
PENELOPE What a freaking nightmare!
MICHAEL
PENELOPE She's horrible too.
MICHAEL Less.
PENELOPE She's so fake.
MICHAEL She doesn't bother me that much.
PENELOPE
They're both horrible. Why do you take their side?
She sprays the tulips.
MICHAEL
I don't take their side. What is that supposed to mean?
PENELOPE
You mitigate. You're trying to reconcile everything.
MICHAEL I am not!
PENELOPE
You are. You had your gang and you were the leader, and they can do whatever they want with their son. Their son is a threat to homeland security! When a kid is a menace to society it's everybody's business. I can't believe she barfed all over my books!
She sprays the Kokoschka.
MICHAEL holds the Dolgans book so she can spray it, too. (p.43-44)
Penelope Longstreet had her temper toward Cowans because they
made so much mess and lack of agreement, final decision, cooperation,
and attitude. Nancy was having a sickness after eating their cobbler and
threw up on all over the floor and the table which made Penelope even
angrier but still keeping her attitude because she was trying to act nicely
in order to get over the discussion with a good final decision. Penelope
was showing her id and ego. Based on her anger she was expressing her
4. Penelope’s Structures of Personality in Falling Action
This part is when the high tension was finally released and it
performed the necessary plot actions to fulfill the protagonist’s fortunes
that were clear after the climax which eventually winding down to the
resolution.
a) Relaxing time between Penelope and the others
This part is the beginning which the tension was being released.
It decreased the tension.
PENELOPE
And the tulips, who went to get them? All I said was it's too bad we
didn’t get any tulips. I never said anything about going all the way
up to Sullivan at dawn.
NANCY
Don't get all bent out of shape over this, Penelope, it’s not worth it.
PENELOPE
He got the tulips! Him and only him! Don't we get a drink?
NANCY
Penelope and I would like a drink, too. (p.62-63)
MICHAEL serves NANCY some scotch.
PENELOPE
Ha, ha! You're right, it's laughable!
NANCY And her?
MICHAEL
I don't think that will be necessary.
PENELOPE
Pour me a drink, Michael. (p.63)
The tension among the discussion was getting low and made
Penelope also should have had a drink. However Michael did not
allow Penelope to have a drink but she insisted him to give her a
drink. As the small talk was going with drink, the tension was finally
a bit decreased and made the situation better than before.
b) Confession of Penelope’s act
Since the tension was decresing, in this point, Penelope was
showing her good side to the Cowans but still following her desire to
end the discussion for good.
NANCY I'm so sorry.
PENELOPE
It's not your fault. I'm the one who sprayed like a madwoman. And why can't we just take it easy once in a while? Why does everything always have to be so exhausting?
ALAN You think too much. Women think too much.
NANCY (sarcastic:)
There's an original response! (to Penelope:)
Which must be pleasantly disconcerting to you.
PENELOPE
I don't know what that means, to think too much. And I don't understand how you can go on living without some moral sense of the world. (p.66)
Nancy apologized to Penelpe after the mess that Cowans made
and Penelope gladly accepted it, she even admitted that she was the
one who acted according to her temper like a madwoman. She was
thinking backward and questioned why did not the discussion go
well and why did everything had to be exhausting for them to reach
c) Giving the advice to Cowans
Penelope was getting wiser in handling the situation and most
importantly in handling herself by trying to make everyone realize
that everyone in the room must equally concerned about what
happened to their sons.
PENELOPE
I don't see why. I don't see why. We're all citizens of the world. I don't see why we shouldn't have some sense of community. (p.76)
PENELOPE
I was saying that, whatever my husband thinks, whether it happens here or thousands of miles away, we must be equally concerned.
ALAN
Equally concerned... Yeah... Nancy, it's absurd to drink in your condition.
NANCY
What condition? I’m perfect.
ALAN It's an interesting idea...
(picks up cell) Yes.
DENNIS (O.S. - TEL)
We’re saying nothing before the release, right? Interviews?
ALAN
No, no interviews before we get this release out.
DENNIS (O.S. - TEL)
He wants to appear humane. He thinks the stockholders may be sensitive to an expression...
PENELOPE
Mr. Cowan, would you please put an end to this nerve-racking conversation?! (p.77)
In order to make everyone in the room realize that they are all
must be equally concerned about what happened to their son,
some sense of community and must be equally concerned. In the
process of giving the advice, Penelope had her temper went out
because of Alan keep talking on his phone which it did not respect
Penelope who was talking to everyone.
d) Calming Nancy who had gone mad
The discussion was out of range and everybody was not
thinking straight. Moreover, the tension was still continuing to
increase.
PENELOPE
Nancy, let's not lose our cool here. I mean Michael and I have gone out of our way to be conciliating and fairminded...
NANCY
Not so fair-minded.
PENELOPE
Oh really? How's that?
NANCY
Superficially fair-minded.
ALAN
Doodle, I really have to go.
NANCY So go. Coward.
ALAN
Nancy, right now I'm in danger of losing my most important client. So this caring parent crap and the bickering that goes along with it...
PENELOPE
My son lost two teeth. Two incisors.
ALAN
Right, yeah. I think we got that.
PENELOPE
One of them permanently.
ALAN
NANCY
It was a mistake not to consider the source of the problem.
PENELOPE
There is no source. There's an elevenyear-old kid who hits people. With a stick! (p.49-50)
Nancy was provoked by the statement that Zachary Cowan
was a snitch in Ethan’s gang and she also stated that Ethan was the
person who snitched on Zachary. The situation could be handled
well, so Penelope was trying to calm Nancy down but Nancy fight
back with her argument toward her and with Alan’s attitude that so
attached to his work.
e) Preventing Michael from making peace with Cowans.
In this part, Penelope was showing her temper and even
increased than the previous part. This is when Penelope have already
lost her emotions and did not know what to do besides pushing
Cowans and preventing Michael from making peace with them
because it will end up making no decision in the end.
MICHAEL
Listen. We're all decent people. All four of us. How do we get all carried away, losing our tempers? It's entirely unnecessary.
PENELOPE
Oh Michael, stop it! That's enough mitigating. We're only superficially
fair-minded, so let's not be fairminded at all!
MICHAEL Oh no, I'm not going to be led down that path.
ALAN What path?
MICHAEL
The path those two little shits led us down! All right?
I'm afraid Pen doesn't see things that way.
PENELOPE Penelope!
ALAN Sorry.
PENELOPE
So now poor Ethan is a little shit. That really takes the cake.
ALAN OK, that's it. I really have to leave now.
NANCY So do I.
PENELOPE Go. Go. I give up. (p.51-52)
Michael was trying to make peace with Cowans in order to
settle the discussion in a good way and make a fair final decision in
the end. However, Penelope prevented him for making peace with
Cowans because she did not like it that way and still acting selfish on
making Cowans to take the full responsiblity implicitly.
f) Penelope’s regret for having the meeting with Cowans
This section is where Penelope finally realized that nothing
was going to work out as long as everyone did not follow the straight
line to solve the problem and get over the meeting with the solution.
Penelope showed her surprised feeling and slightly disappointed of
Michael’s statement.
PENELOPE
That's the thing. I am living with a totally negative person.
ALAN Who's negative?
PENELOPE
This was the worst possible idea! We should never have had this meeting at all!
MICHAEL I told you so.
PENELOPE You told me so?
MICHAEL Yeah.
PENELOPE
You told me that you didn't want to have this meeting?!
MICHAEL
I didn't think it was a very good idea. (p.60-61)
PENELOPE
You told me it wasn't a good idea, Michael?!
MICHAEL As I recall.
PENELOPE As you recall! (p.61)
PENELOPE
Look me in the eyes and tell me again we didn't both agree to this!
NANCY
Calm down, Penelope, calm down. This is going nowhere. (p.61)
Penelope Longstreet has finally revealed her honest thought
that she lived with totally negative person which is her husband
Michael. They were arguing about the decision of meeting with
Cowans and Penelope regretted for having the meeting but turned out
that Michael disagree at the first place which is Penelope did not
know. It looks like Penelope and Michael had an agreement for
having the meeting with Cowans in the first place but when the
circumstances got very tense, Michael changed his mind.
Penelope’s superego is represented by the way she showed her
trying to make everything is possible to be understood for everyone in
the room.
5. Penelope’s Structures of Personality in Resolution
At this point, all of conflicts that Penelope faced throughout the
story were worked out, the story was concluded and the conflicts were
resolved. The story concluded with either a happy ending or sad ending.
a) Penelope’s confession about her feelings
Then tension was nearly gone as the Penelope started to calm
her temper down in order to make the discussion going well, she did
something to make the others feel pity and simpathy or even gained
empathy.
PENELOPE Do I have to listen to this crap?
PENELOPE tears the cigar box away from MICHAEL and slams it shut.
PENELOPE (CONT'D)
I'm sorry, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't see things with pleasant serenity. To tell you the truth, I've never been so unhappy. I think this is the unhappiest day of my whole life.
MICHAEL You're an unhappy drunk.
PENELOPE
Michael, every word out of your mouth just slays me. I don't get drunk. I had a sip of your shitty eighteenyear old single malt... that you trot out like it's the eighth wonder of the world. I don't get drunk, and believe me I wish I could.
(MORE) (p.82)
PENELOPE (CONT'D)
It would be such a relief to drown every little sorrow in a good stiff drink. (p.83)
Penelope Longstreet began to confess her feelings toward the
realize that there was a one person who had a desire and purpose to
make things right but unfortunately they were careless, selfish,
attached to their own things and completely irresponsible. Penelope
confessed that she was the only who did not see things with pleseant
serenity and unhappy.
b) Penelope’s disagreement about the blame sharing between Ethan Longstreet and Zachary Cowan
In this part, the problem was actually going to be solved in a
good way but unfortunately Penelope was completely disagree with
the decision that both sides share the blame. The tension got
increased again but it led to the final result of the discussion.
NANCY
All right, should we wrap this up? Should I come back tonight with Zachary? Let's decide. This is getting to be like, who cares? That is what we're here for, after all.
PENELOPE
Now I'm going to be sick. Where's the bucket? (p.85)
MICHAEL takes the bottle of scotch and puts it out of NANCY’s
reach.
MICHAEL That's enough.
NANCY
I'd say both sides share the blame. So there you are. Both sides share the blame.
PENELOPE What, you're serious?
NANCY Excuse me?
PENELOPE Is that what you really think?
PENELOPE
Our son Ethan, who took codeine last night at three in the morning, shares the blame?
NANCY He's not necessarily innocent.
PENELOPE Get the fuck out! Get out of my house.
She grabs NANCY's handbag and throws it against the door.
All the contents spill out.
PENELOPE (CONT'D) Get the fuck out! (p.86)
PENELOPE
The blame is not shared! The victim and the criminal are not the same! (p.87)
Nancy proposed her decision that she would come back to
Longstreet apartment with Zachary and both sides which Ethan and
Zachary would share the blame. However, Penelope Longstreet
without hesitation against her by stating that his son would not share
the blame because Ethan was the victim of Zazhary. In the end,
Penelope kicked the Cowans out of her apartment. Penelope threw
the discussion into chaos again after the nice situation.
c) Friendly moment between Ethan Longstreet and Zachary Cowan
After the discussion and chaos that Longstreets and Cowans
had from the beginning, it turned out no final decision was made
not based on the result of their discussion but based on the kids
themselves.
EXT. PARK AND PLAYGROUND – DAY
At the foot of an oak tree, CLOSE on a hamster.
He is shaking himself out on the ground, where leaves and roots from the tree are all tangled together. The very happy hamster nibbles on an acorn.
WE MOVE UP revealing the same playground as the opening scene of the film.
In the distance, the same group of children who had been in the fight.
They are all playing together happily. (p.91)
The Longstreets and Cowans did not get the final decision
which supposed to be the solution of their sons’ incident but at the
end, their sons Ethan and Zachary found their solution themselves.
They had peace and were playing together as kids.
Penelope Longstreet’s id and ego once again appeared. She was showing that she was angry and wanting to express it directly while her ego
was working, making her expressing it to Cowans.
B. The Operation of Penelope’s Structure of Personality
In this part, the structure of personality which contains id, ego and
superego; anxiety; and defense mechanisms operate in a sequence. The
strcuture of personality will find the presence of id, ego, superego from the
events of the stages which finally leads to one id, ego, superego and then
followed by anxiety and defense mechanisms. The operation will lead to the
According to the theory which says that id represents source of energy
in which reduces tension and brings pleasure, in this part of the structure,
Penelope’s id is revealed from many events that found in the stages of the
plot.
As the result from the interpretation of id found in the events of each
stages in the plot, Penelope’s id overall is to express her anger. She was angry
because her son got attacked and resulting several injuries. The id was
represented in several events such as in the exposition, Penelope demanded
the Cowans to admit that their son, Zachary armed with a stick struck Ethan
Longstreet in the face and made him badly injured. Penelope’s id was
represented by her act which writing a statement letter to Cowans and
emphasized Zachary’s act toward Ethan; “...Zachary Cowan, age eleven and
armed with a stick, struck our son, Ethan Longstreet, in the face” (p.2). Another events that represented her id is in the climax, Penelope had her
anger toward Michael because he kept defending Nancy from Penelope’s statement toward her; “They’re both horrible. Why do you take their side?”
(p.43). Penelope was angry and could not hold herself to demand him to
avoid taking Nancy’s side and the other event is when Penelope was making
Michael believe that she was right about having agreement of meeting up
with Cowans in the first place because he changed his mind from agreeing to
arrange the meeting. Finally, the strongest evidence of Penelope’s id
blame is not shared! The victim and the criminal are not the same!” (p.87). In
this event, Penelope’s temper went up and could not hold it any longer.
As the theory said that ego brings about the unity of personality and it
operates according to the reality principle. In this part, Penelope had her ego
which represented by several events from the stages in the plot.
According to the particular events events of each stages in plot which
the events are exposition, rising action, resolution, climax and interpreting the
ego, Penelope’s ego could be concluded which is expressing and showing her
anger towards Cowans. In the exposition, Penelope was writing a statement
letter that stated Zachary armed with a stick struck Ethan in the face and
made him badly injured which it was her willing to express her anger in such
a way; “....You’ll make your statement separately, this is ours” (p.2).
Penelope also tried to convince Cowans that their son disfigured Ethan in the
rising action; “Your son disfigured our son. Come back after school hours, look at his mouth and teeth” (p.17). It did not stop at that point, Penelope
finally expressed her anger but not to Cowans, as the subtitution, she
expressed her anger to Michael in climax;“You are. You had your gang and
you were the leader, and they can do whatever they want with their son. Their son is a threat to homeland security!” (p.44). In the final stage which is
resolution, Penelope had her ego represented by pushing Cowans that Ethan
should not share the blame with Zachary and in the end she could not hold
herself to show her temper and asked Cowans to leave her apartment; “The
fuck out! Get out of my house” (p.86). Those events were representing
Penelope’s ego.
Superego represents morality aspect which follows the reality in society.
It operates based on moral principle. Superego controls Penelope’s act
according to the society rules and values.
Based on the interpretation of Penelope’s superego from the events in
each stages of the plot, the superego could be concluded which it said that
expressing her anger directly to Cowans were inappropriate. The superego
made her avoiding inappropriate ways in expressing her anger towards
Cowans. It was proven by her actions in several events, for example in the
first stage of the plot which is exposition, while Penelope was writing
statement letter she changed the word “armed” into “carrying” because that
word might be inappropriate which also considering the situation when the
incident happened; “You don't like armed? Michael, what could we say?
Carrying? Holding? Carrying a stick, is that all right?”(p.2). Another proof
of Penelope’s superego was in rising action. Penelope asked Nancy whether
she could come and talk to Zachary directly about apologizing to Ethan in a
polite way; “Would it be possible -- and I’m just going to come out and ask you directly -- could Zachary apologize to Ethan?” (p.8). Those were the
proves of the interpretation of Penelope’s superego found in the events.
Penelope Longstreet had her id, ego, and superego that found from the
events in every stages of the plot. As the theory explained that anxiety is a
ego faced with an influx of stimuli which it cannot cope. In a simple words,
anxiety is a result of clash between id and superego.
Penelope Longstreet experienced anxiety since her id and superego
were clashing. Penelope was angry in the first place because of the incident
which her son got attacked by Cowans’ son and it triggered her id which is
wanting to express her anger to Cowans, and she followed her ego which is
expressing her anger while her superego responded by avoiding inappropriate
ways in expressing her anger. Penelope experienced anxiety which is she felt
distressed whether she wanted to express her anger to the Cowans directly but
the social norm and value were existed as the barrier. She thought expressing
her anger symbolically to the Cowans in appropriate ways was a good way
and she also felt proud of doing that, although she did a cruel way in the end
because she could not hold her anger any longer.
Defense mechanisms are strategies used by the ego to protect itself
from anxiety and the threats which give rise to it. Penelope was experiencing
anxiety because of the clash between her id which is wanting to express her
anger towards Cowans and her superego which is expressing her anger
directly to Cowans were inappropriate. As the result, she experienced an
anxiety which is she felt distressed whether she wanted to express her anger
to the Cowans directly but the social norm and value were existed as the
barrier. In order to survive she used defense mechanisms; they are Repression, Rationalization and Reaction Formation. As the theory says repression is used to protect ourselves from the various dangers by eliminating the dangers
more rational and unacceptable. Most importantly, in this type of defense
mechanism, conscious explanation is offered rather than true unconscious
motivation which is Penelope’s id in this case. Reaction formation in which
the person thinks or behaves in a manner opposite to the unacceptable
unconscious impulse or in other word, changing it with the behavior that
more socially accepted. The three of them were collaborating in order to
survive and reveal Penelope’s behavior.
Repression was the first defense mechanism that Penelope used to
survive from her anxiety. The ego reacted to the demand of id and superego
reacted which providing the morality principle, Penelope repressed her desire
to express her anger and eliminate the anger. As the proof, it was shown from
her actions as being polite to Cowans. Some events represented the repression
such as in the exposition; “But hey, thank you for coming. It’s so much better
than getting caught up in that adversarial mindset.” and also in the falling action; “It’s not your fault. I’m the one who sprayed like a madwoman” .
The use of rationalization in Penelope’s case began from her anxiety
which is the result of the clash between her id which as the theory says the
demands of id normally operate outside conscious awareness or in a simple
word it is unconscious motivation and her superego which is the morality
aspects. Penelope felt distressed whether she wanted to express her anger
directly to Cowans but the social norm and value were existed as the barrier.
Penelope’s ego reacted and responded by re-interpreting her behavior to
become more rational and acceptable which is re-interpreting her unconscious
behavior by using indirect ways to express it such as writing the statement
letter which emphasizing Zachary’s bad act towards Ethan and asking politely
to Nancy about Penelope’s favor meeting with Zachary directly in the
exposition; “....You’ll make your statement separately, this is ours” and
making Cowans realize that their son disfigured Ethan; “But he realizes that he disfigured his schoolmate?”.
Reaction formation, her ego was also used it to change the impuls that
produce the feeling of distressed with the socially acceptable behavior.
Penelope could not just propose her unconscious demand without making it
rational and more socially acceptable. As the proof of this defense mechanism,
Penelope could not just walk into Cowan’s place and push Zachary to
apologize to Ethan, instead of doing that she asked Nancy politely for
allowing her to talk to Ethan in the rising action; “Would it possible – and I’m just going to come out and ask you directly – could Zachary apologize to Ethan?”. Another proof was found in the falling action when she was trying
to decrease the tension among the discussion; “....And why can’t we just take
it easy once in a while? Why does everything always have to be so exhausting?”
According to Penelope’s id which is based on her anger, trigerred her
desire to express her anger towards Cowans directly as represented the way
she treated Cowans with her judgements. In responding to id, ego said to
express the anger directly as she was trying to express her anger and show it
to Cowans how angry she was by her action towards Cowans but her
values as the barrier. As the result, Penelope experienced an anxiety because
of the clash between the id and superego. She was feeling distressed whether
she wanted to express her anger to the Cowans directly but the social norm
and value were existed as the barrier which it led her ego to use defense
mechanisms; Repression, in which she repressed her anger from expressing it directly to Cowans such as she was being polite to Cowans in order to cover
her anger and repress it; Rationalization, which she re-interpreted her behavior from expressing her anger to Cowans into rational and acceptable
behavior by using indirect ways to express it; and Reaction formation, as she could not just propose her demand of expressing her anger directly without
making it socially acceptable. Therefore, as the process from the clash of id
and superego until the use of defense mechanisms, Penelope’s behavior could be revealed which is being thoughtful; in a brief explanation, she was thinking things carefully how to express her anger in appropriate ways so she
would not cross the social values and norms, showing her thoughts, and
considerate of the feelings or well-being of others. She was trying to act and
showed her thoughts in a good sense and also concerned about the social
values and norms although her defense mechanisms were only funcioned
