In this chapter, it will be discussed internal conflicts faced by Hannah,
Hannah‟s characteristics before experiencing internal conflicts and characteristics
after experiencing internal conflicts to see the character development that is
influenced by her internal conflicts in The House at The Briar Lake novel.
3.1 Internal conflict faced by Hannah
Internal conflicts happen inside people‟s mind, psyche or
personality, self-doubt, desire, and also dilemma because of two choices
that cannot be chosen the two of them. Everybody can experience internal
conflicts in their life, also Hannah. She faces self-doubt and dilemma in
her life. Her conflicts arise when her parent divorced. Her father is harsh
man and never cares of Hannah. Her mother, Laurence, has to deal with
the court because of her father‟s money deception. Laurence losses her teacher‟s license and cannot work in other places, so she cannot support Hannah‟s life from school and house. Hannah and her mother have to
move from place to place. This situation makes Hannah feels lonely
because she has to loss her best friend. The bad memory of father makes
Hannah needs to have new father who really loves her. Her desire of has
friends and father who really loves her causing conflicts in her mind.
Hannah loses her best friend when she leaves her school
and moves often. Since that moment, she feels lonely. She wants to
make a friend to play with, but when she gets a chance to make a
friend, she doubt whether she can or not. Her self-doubt happens
because of her fear of children‟s taunts that she has ever got when
she tries to make friends. As other children who like to play with
their friend, Hannah also wants a friend because she feels lonely.
She feels lonely when she remembers about her best friend who
always plays and cheats with her. The quotation below mentioned
about her loneliness:
Through the lacy network of leaves she saw Michael climb into his car. A pang of loneliness washed through her as she thoughts about how she and Lisa—her longtime best friend—would have giggled and whispered about him, because he sort of look like a movie star. (pg.55)
From the proof above, it can be shown that Hannah has
ever had best friend who always play, giggle and whisper together.
Since she has to move often, she loses her best friend. Now she
feels lonely because she cannot do the same thing alone. Hannah‟s
loneliness is shown at the excerpt below:
Picking at the bark of the tree, she tried imagining what it would be like to have a real dad, like the nice ones on television. Maybe some
brothers and sisters, too, so there would always be someone to play with. (pg.56)
Hannah‟s need of friends makes her to think about brothers
and sisters to play with. It is clear that at that time, Hannah feels
play, she plays with herself. She still needs friends. Hannah‟s
memory of her longtime best friend and her imagination about
having brothers and sisters are proofs that she feels lonely because
she doesn‟t have someone or friends. Hannah tries to make friends so she doesn‟t feels alone. However, she gets taunted when she
tries to make a friend. Here is the proof that shows how Hannah‟s effort to make a friend but she gets taunted:
“Hi!”
One of the girl stared at her for a minute, then turn away. “She‟s just another dumb tourist.”
“Maybe she thinks she‟s at the zoo, “ chimed the younger one.
The tallest boy spared Hannah a swift glace. “Yeah, but she looks like
she oughtta be the one behind the bars.” Hooting with laughter, he lobbed the oldest girl a bright blue missile and screamed, “Race you to the pool!” (pg.58)
Hannah tried to accost children who play in the pool beside
her house, but they neglected and taunted her. The act of the first
girl makes the point that Hannah is neglected when she tried to say
hello. The sentence “dumb tourist” and another word from the
other child mean to taunt Hannah. They do the same thing again
when Hannah climbs the tree to catch the bird. This is their
conversation to taunt Hannah:
They were laughing and pointing at her. The taller boy flapped his elbows up and down squawking like a chicken. They all turn to go, but Hannah caught wisps of conversation as they left.
“What was she doing in Miller‟s tree? Dumb kid…” “…did she think she could fly?”
“…talk about stupid!”
Their laughter felt like physical blows. Her cheeks burning with
These proof shows that the taller boy which parodies the
bird, he taunts Hannah who climbs on the tree. Their words and
laughter make the point that they insult Hannah and make her to be
embarrassed. Bad experiences by those children embittered
Hannah. That emotional shock causes traumatic of making friends.
When one of those children who taunt Hannah comes to apologize
for her taunts and makes a friend, Hannah feels traumatic to accept
the friend request. Hannah trauma is proofed in the excerpt:
Ashley hung her head and scuffed a toe against the cement landing.
“And I am sorry we laughed at you.” She took a tortured breath. “It was really mean.”
Her words came out in a rush, as if she‟d recited them all the way over.
When she finally found the courage to look up, her face was as pink as
Hannah‟s, and her eyes were filled with embarrassment.
After a long pause Hannah nodded. (pg.137)
Hannah‟s response shows that she accepts the asking for forgiveness thoughtfully but doesn‟t answer the friendship demand
because she feels traumatic, so she just nods her head. Moreover,
her trauma makes Hannah refuse the friend request. The quotation
below shows about her trauma of friendship:
Knowing how hard it was for her daughter to give her that small measure of response, Lauren heart lifted.
“Could you two girls take Daisy to her pen?”
Sue held out the leash to Hannah, who shook her head. “Ashley can
lead her, if she wants.” The girl reached out eagerly. (pg.137)
Hannah shook her head to refuse going with Ashley
she can make a friend with Ashley or not. Her self-doubt shows in
the quotation bellow:
“So, what do you think? Are you two going to be friends?” “Maybe…”
“She seems like a nice little girl.”
“She likes Daisy a lot and she said I could maybe come over
sometime.” A wobbly grin appeared on Hannah‟s face. „Could I?”
(pg.139)
First, she just says “Maybe…” and then she says “Could I?”. Those two words reveal the meaning of doubt. Her internal
conflicts are her loneliness which asks her to make a friend but her
desire to make friend is hindered by her trauma of children taunts.
Her traumatic experience leads to doubt herself that she can make a
friend or not.
3.1.2 Hannah‟s desire vs her traumatic experience about having father.
Every child wants to have father to protect and support the
family. Hannah‟s father never cares enough to Hannah, he also
neglects Hannah. Her father never does the nice things to the
family. Since her father does not do his responsibility and goes
away, Hannah wants to have new father so she has someone to
help her. Beside, her trauma about her father always reminds in her
“Daisy, come back here!”
“Maybe the neighbor can adopt her,” Michael said wryly. “I‟II bet he likes her a lot better than I do.”
“He‟ll kill her!” Hannah sat back on her hills and turned toward him, her green eyes tricken. “If my dad was here he would help.” Her
meaning was clear. (pg.43)
From the above quotation, the sentence “If my dad was here” shows that she needs father in her live to help her. However,
the fact is her father never care of her. Michael is the nephew of
who offers the house around Briar Lake to Hannah and her mother.
Firstly, Hannah did not like him. A long with the time, Hannah
wants him to become her new father because Michael is always
nice to her and always helps her. When she remembers about
Michael‟s kindness, her desire about having new father becomes
stronger. The evidence below shows that Hannah wants Michael to
be her father:
Hannah bit her lip, remembering the day Michael fired that carpenter
because he‟d been mean to her. The day he captured Daisy. How he‟d
gone into the burning building to save Baxter. He was strong and brave,
and even looked like he could be a movie star. Maybe it wouldn‟t be so
bad, if Mom and Michael got married. (pg.155)
The memory about Michael‟s good things leaves good impression in Hannah‟s mind. When she thinks that Michael is
strong, brave, and handsome toughens her desire to have new
father. The more Michael does the nice things to Hannah, the more
her sense of belonging of Michael becomes her father. Hannah‟s
statement below proofs that she really wants Michael to be her
Hannah stretched up to give Michael a kiss on the cheek, then released
him and displayed her new cap. “Isn‟t it cool?”, she asked, running a
finger along the nautical emblem on the bill. Her voice lowered to a
whisper. “I sure wish I had a dad like you.” (pg.228)
The statement is clear that Hannah really wants Michael to
be her father. If she has father, she has someone who protects her
and support her school. Besides, her bad memories about father in
the past always pass through her mind. She remembers her father‟s rowdiness and his neglect. Those bad memories become trauma for
her. The following quotation shows Hannah‟s trauma:
Of course, her dad had never loved her. He was always angry with her, no matter how much she tried to please him. What kind of worthless kid
had a dad who didn‟t love her? Didn‟t even care enough to visit for a
whole year and a half. (pg.39)
Hannah‟s father who always angry and does not care of her
leaves trauma in her mind. She feels that she is worthless daughter
because her father does not love. All Hannah‟s feeling about her
father are the trauma. Trauma is the very distressing experiences
that cause emotional shock and have long lasting psychological
effect. The anger of her father and the neglect leaves bad
impression who always be remembered. Further evidence of
Hannah‟s bad memory about father is excerpted in this quotation when Hannah strikes her father‟s car:
One teensy scratch, made when she was a kindergartener as she took
her tricycle out of garage, and he‟d screamed at her until the neighbors
started looking out their windows. He was angry all the time and he
yelled a lot, but this time he‟d hauled her into the garage and spanked
her hard.
The trauma of her father‟s yells and anger, as well as his
behavior dwells in her mind for long time. All of her memories are
the distressing experiences. The psychological effect of her trauma
always appears every time and everywhere she sees something that
can remind her about her father.
Those words had sent fear slicing through Hannah as memories of Dad and his car
crowded into her thoughts. (pg.56)
Quotation above tells about the effect of her trauma that
always appear when she sees something related with her father.
Her mother tells her to not touch Michael‟s car because it is very expensive. Hannah suddenly remembers about her father‟s car. The
words “fear slicing” are clearly seen that Hannah really feels
trauma about her father. She feels afraid just by seeing an
expensive car. Her trauma sometimes affects her mind about
Michael. She likes Michael because he is a kind man, but
sometimes she doubts with Michael‟s kindness. The quotation
below shows about Hannah‟s doubt of Michael‟s kindness:
Maybe he was just acting nice because she and her mom lived in the same house. Maybe her dreams of having new dad were as hopeless as wishing for a school cancelation the day of a big test. (pg.124)
Hannah feels doubt of Michael‟s kindness, she thinks that
Michael just acts nice. Her negative thought appears as the effect
her father and just lies about his kindness. This case blurs her wish
to make Michael becomes her new father.
From the two internal conflicts that Hannah faces, the main
internal conflict of Hannah is her desire. She wants friend but she
feels afraid to accept the friend request, and also she wants father
but the trauma of father always reminds that causes doubts to have
new father. The desire is the main point of her character
development. Her character before she faces her desire is different
with her character when she faces her desire.
3.2 Hannah‟s characteristic before and after experiencing internal conflict to see her character development.
Hannah‟s characteristic can be found by seeing the action,
behavior, dialogue, idea, gesture, and expression.. The analysis of
Hannah‟s characteristics is divided in two ways, before she experiences
internal conflict and after she experiences internal conflict.
3.2.1 Hannah‟s characteristics before experiencing internal conflict.
Hannah is ten years old girl who looks like a common girl. She
attends school and has friends in her school and Minneapolis, her city. She
before she experiences internal conflict are explained in the analysis
below:
3.2.1.1Communicative
Before she experiences internal conflict, she looks like as
other ten years old girls. She is interested in everything around
them with giving comment or other statement by talking with their
friends. The proof below shows that Hannah is communicative girl:
Through the lacy network of leaves she saw Michael climb into his car. A pang of loneliness washed through her as she thought about how she and Lisa—her longtime best friend—would have giggled and whispered about him, because he sort of looked like a movie star. (pg.55)
Communicative person is someone who is ready to talk.
The proof above evinces that before she experiences internal
conflict, she has friend. She likes to chat with her best friends. She
whispers with her friend, means that they have chats, even the topic
is about handsome man. She readies to talk with her friend and
with many topics around her. It points out that she is a
communicative girl.
3.2.1.2Cheerful
Hannah has friend to play with. When she plays with her
friend, she likes to laugh. Her face is full with cheer when she
Through the lacy network of leaves she saw Michael climb into his car. A pang of loneliness washed through her as she thought about how she and Lisa—her longtime best friend—would have giggled and whispered about him, because he sort of looked like a movie star. (pg.55)
Cheerful is the character that shows willingness or good
humor and without resentful feeling. She likes to giggle with her
friend, it means that she doesn‟t feel resentful. Her willingness of
joking with her friend tells that at that time she is cheerful girl.
Having someone to play with make her happy. From her action
giggle, it shows that she is cheerful because she is happy.
3.2.1.3Enthusiastic
Enthusiastic is people expression showing passionate
interest or eagerness about something. Like any other ten years old
girls, she has eagerness to play with her friend. Hannah‟s enthusiasm of play is proven with the quotation below:
She could imagine the fun they were having. She and Lisa had gone to
the public pool near her house a lot. They‟d cannonballed into the
water, chased each other and collapsed together on the soft grass in a fit of giggles. (pg.58)
From Hannah‟s action and response to her friend, she has
passion and eagerness to doing something with her friend. Her
3.2.2 Hannah‟s characteristic after experiencing internal conflict
Hannah has desires to have someone in her live, whether that
someone is friend or father, she needs them to accompany so she can talk
and play with. When she has struggle with her desire, she turns to gloomy
and apathetic girl. She also becomes uncommunicative girl.
3.2.2.1Gloomy
Gloomy is the expression of someone who has feeling of
sadness. Like Hannah, she is sad when she lost her friend. She
doesn‟t have someone to play and talk with. This case makes her
heart sad and creates gloomy face. The quotation below gives proof
that Hannah becomes gloomy girl:
Hannah trudged into the kitchen in her stocking feet. From her wildly curly red hair, caught in a lopsided ponytail, to her freckled nose, she looked the essence of childhood innocence. Until one looked at her eyes and saw the deep sadness that always lurked there. (pg.21)
Hannah‟s facial expression that can be seen by everyone
gives signal that she is sad. Her expression hints her gloomy face
that always there.
3.2.2.2Uncommunicative
She also keeps silent because she feels sad and doesn‟t have
someone to share with. When people feel sad, most of them will bit
has these characteristic. Here is the proof of the uncommunicative
Hannah:
Odd little kid. She‟d looked away when he‟d said good morning to her. She didn‟t even seem to interact with her mother very much. And for the past ten minutes, she‟d even been ignoring Baxter‟s overtures of friendship, finally deigning to stroke the old dog‟s head—but only after
glancing up at her mom to make sure she wasn‟t watching. (pg.32)
For the action of responding the greeting and her behavior
to her mother, Hannah shows her uncommunicative trait. As the
meaning of uncommunicative character which means that not
willing to say much, Hannah gives the point that she doesn‟t like to say much with her mother. She also doesn‟t like to say much with
someone who gives a greeting.
3.2.2.3Apathetic
Apathetic or can be called as indifferent and unenergetic is
the character which doesn‟t interest with anything. Hannah also
changes turn apathetic girl after she experiences internal conflict.
Her apathetic character shows in the quotation below:
Hannah trudged into the kitchen in her stocking feet. From her wildly curly red hair, caught in a lopsided ponytail, to her freckled nose, she looked the essence of childhood innocence. (pg.21)
Her action indicates that she doesn‟t have enthusiasm
because she feels indifferent with her activity. After she losses her
best friend, she doesn‟t have someone to play with, so she just
other children. This case makes her feels indifferent. Because of
her desire to have someone, she isn‟t interested in anything. Her
apathetic character also shows in the following quotation:
But Hannah hadn‟t felt like playing in a long, long time. Most of the
time she wanted to cry, but only little kids did that, and how would it help? (pg.39)
The quotation above clearly explains about Hannah‟s characteristic. She doesn‟t like other children who interested with
playing around, Hannah is different. Her apathetic makes she likes
to cry.
From the statement above, it can be seen that Hannah‟s characteristic before she faced conflicts and her characteristic after
she faced conflict is different. The differences of her characteristics
can be seen in the table below:
Characteristics
before experiencing
conflict
Main Internal
Conflict
Characteristics after
experiencing conflict
Communicative Her desire of
having someone
to protect and
play with her
Uncommunicative
Cheerful Gloomy
The table above shows the alteration of Hannah‟s characteristics. Her character changes after experiencing internal
conflict. Hannah is a communicative, cheerful and enthusiastic girl.
She attends school and has friend in her school. In Minneapolis,
her native city, she also has best friend. They always play together.
Her father always angry, but she can amuse herself by playing with
her best friend. Her internal conflict is the conflict within herself
because of she loses someone important in her life such as father
and friend. Although her father never cares and always acts badly
that becomes her trauma, as the children, she still loves him. As ten
a friend, losing best friend is pitiful. As a child, losing father
causes deep depressed. Her internal conflict changes her
