xiii ABSTRACT
YUDANTI, HARI CYNTHIA. The Influence of Tiffany’s Character on Pat Solitano in Facing His Conflicts as seen in Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook.Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
The novelThe Silver Linings Playbook is written by Matthew Quick. This novel tells about a thirty five year old guy named Patrick Solitano Junior who has mental disorder. He was diagnosed for having bipolar disorder. Pat is a stubborn, unstable, and motivated person. There is another characters that gives a big effect toward Pat Solitano, Tiffany Maxwell. She is a strong, stubborn, and honest person. Pat faces so many conflicts in his life during the recovery, but by the help of Tiffany Maxwell, Pat can solve his conflicts.
As the material of the discussion, the problem formulations consisted of three questions. The questions are: 1. How are Pat Solitano and Tiffany Maxwell characterized in the novel? 2. What are the conflicts faced by Pat Solitano? 3. How does Tiffany’s character influence Pat Solitano in facing his conflicts? The purpose is to prove that the Minor Character has capability to help the major character in solving his conflicts.
The answers of those questions were found by using new criticism as approach. The writer also used several books about character and characterization, theory of influence, and conflict. The main object of this study was a novel entitledThe Silver Linings Playbookby Matthew Quick.
xiv ABSTRAK
YUDANTI, HARI CYNTHIA. The Influence of Tiffany’s Character on Pat Solitano in Facing His Conflicts as seen in Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook.Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
Novel The Silver Linings Playbook ditulis oleh Matthew Quick. Novel in menceritakan tentang seorang lelaki tiga puluh lima tahun yang bernama Patrick Solitano Junior yang menderita gangguan jiwa dan didiagnosa terkena gangguan bipolar. Pat adalah lelaki yang keras kepala, labil, and seorang yang mudah termotivasi. Karakter lain yang memiliki peranan penting terhadap Pat Solitano adalah Tiffany Maxwell. Dia adalah wanita yang kuat, keras kepala, dan juga orang yang jujur. Pat menghadapi banyak konflik di dalam kehidupannya selama masa penyembuhan, dengan bantuan dari Tiffany Maxwell dia bisa menghadapi dan menyelesaikan konflik-konfliknya.
Sebagai bahan diskusi, rumusan masalah disusun menjadi tiga pertanyaan. Pertanyaan tersebut adalah (1) Bagimana karakter Pat Solitano dan Tiffany Maxwell ditunjukkan dalam novel? (2) Apa saja konflik yang dihadapi oleh Pat Solitano? (3) Bagaimana karakter Tiffany mempengaruhi Pat Solitano dalam menghadapi konflik-konfliknya? Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membuktikan bahwa tokoh pembantu mempunyai kemampuan untuk membantu karakter utama dalam menyelesaikan konflik-konfliknya.
Jawaban dari pertanyaan-pertanyaan ditemukan melalui teori kritik sastra baru sebagai bentuk pendekatan. Penulis juga menggunakan beberapa buku mengenai tokoh dan penokohan, teori pengaruh, dan konflik. Objek utama penelitian ini adalah novel berjudul The Silver Linings Playbook oleh Matthew Quick.
THE INFLUENCE OF TIFFANY’S CHARACTER ON PAT SOLITANO IN FACING HIS CONFLICTS AS SEEN IN MATTHEW QUICK’S
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
HARI CYNTHIA YUDANTI
Student Number: 10 4214 055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
THE INFLUENCE OF TIFFANY’S CHARACTER ON PAT SOLITANO IN FACING HIS CONFLICTS AS SEEN IN MATTHEW QUICK’S
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
HARI CYNTHIA YUDANTI
Student Number: 104214055
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iii
ASarjana SastraUndergraduate Thesis
THE INFLUENCE OF TIFFANY’S CHARACTER ON PAT SOLITANO IN
FACING HIS CONFLICTS AS SEEN IN MATTHEW QUICK’S
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
By
HARI CYNTHIA YUDANTI Student Number: 10 4214 055
Approved by
Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarko,M.Hum. March 13, 2015
Advisor
iv
Co-Advisor March 13, 2015
ASarjana SastraUndergraduate Thesis
THE INFLUENCE OF TIFFANY’S CHARACTER ON PAT SOLITANO IN
FACING HIS CONFLICTS AS SEEN IN MATTHEW QUICK’S
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
By
HARI CYNTHIA YUDANTI
Student Number: 10 4214 055
Defended before the Board of Examiners on March 25, 2015
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name Signature
Chairperson : Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
Secretary : A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.
Member 1 : Elisa Dwi Wardani, S.S., M.Hum.
Member 2 : Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum.
Member 3 : Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum.
Yogyakarta, March 31, 2015 Faculty of Letters Sanata Dharma University
v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text of the undergraduate thesis
Yogyakarta, March 31, 2015
vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya Mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama : Hari Cynthia Yudanti
Nomor Mahasiswa : 10 4214 055
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
THE INFLUENCE OF TIFFANY’S CHARACTER ON PAT SOLITANO IN FACING HIS CONFLICTS AS SEEN IN MATTHEW QUICK’S
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencatumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 31 March 2015
Yang menyatakan,
vii
“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will
find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks,
finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be
opened.”
viii
FOR MY BELOVED PARENTS
MY LOVELY DAUGHTER, SISTER,
BROTHERS, AND MY BEST FRIEND
ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my greatest gratitude to my Savior and Guardian,
Jesus Christ, who always gives His blessing to let me finish my thesis and my
study in English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University. He is always
there when I need Him, I cannot finish my thesis without His blessing.
I also dedicated this thesis to Bapak, Hari Sambudifor his support, given
his faith, his patience, and the most important thing is for his financial support
during my study in college. I also would like to thank Ibu,Susila Triyantifor her
support, prayer, advice, and her patience during my study. Then, I thank my sister,
Hari Alfa Eridani and my brother,Hari Prisna Budiyanto for their support and
prayers. For Zellova Natalie Sakti, my beloved daughter, thank you for giving
me strength and passion to finish my study. I also thank my best friend, Galing
Siwifor her prayer, patience, and care in every condition. She always supports me
during the process of writing my thesis. Without their support from my family I
cannot finish my thesis.
I would like to thank my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarko,M.Hum,
who has given me his precious time to guide me to in completing this thesis. I
thank his willingness to check, read, and give precious feedback to me so that I
can finish my thesis. I also thank my co advisor,Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd.,M.Hum
x
I also thankall English Letters teachers and Mbak Ninikwho have taught me a
lot of things and given me a lot of experiences and helped me to arrange my
schedule.
I would like to thank all my classmates inEnglish Letters class B 2010,I
thank them for becoming my classmates and supporting each other during the
study and during the process in writing undergraduate thesis. I thank Chintia
Arlitafor her support, her motivation during my process of writing this thesis, to
Cynthia Chrisdiananda Happy for her willingness to correct my thesis and
Margaretha Ardini, Yessica Farda, Rosa Delima for supporting me in every
condition during my study, and All Staff in PKKN who give me so much
experience. For my friends who live thousand miles away,Jb, Giuliano, Charlie,
Geo, Marine, Hortense, Benedict, Piotr, and Nacho,I thank them for giving me
a lot of new knowledge and silly things, memorable experience, and their support
to finish my undergraduate thesis.
xi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... ii
APPROVAL PAGE ... iii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. v
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ... vi
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 11
2. Theory of Conflict ... 13
A. The Characterization of Pat Solitano and Tiffany Maxwell ... 21
1. Pat Solitano ... 21
B. The Analysis of Pat Solitano’s Conflicts ... 32
a. A Struggle Against Fate of Destiny ... 33
b. A Struggle Against Another Person ... 34
xii
xiii ABSTRACT
YUDANTI, HARI CYNTHIA. The Influence of Tiffany’s Character on Pat Solitano in Facing His Conflicts as seen in Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook.Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
The novelThe Silver Linings Playbook is written by Matthew Quick. This novel tells about a thirty five year old guy named Patrick Solitano Junior who has mental disorder. He was diagnosed for having bipolar disorder. Pat is a stubborn, unstable, and motivated person. There is another characters that gives a big effect toward Pat Solitano, Tiffany Maxwell. She is a strong, stubborn, and honest person. Pat faces so many conflicts in his life during the recovery, but by the help of Tiffany Maxwell, Pat can solve his conflicts.
As the material of the discussion, the problem formulations consisted of three questions. The questions are: 1. How are Pat Solitano and Tiffany Maxwell characterized in the novel? 2. What are the conflicts faced by Pat Solitano? 3. How does Tiffany’s character influence Pat Solitano in facing his conflicts? The purpose is to prove that the Minor Character has capability to help the major character in solving his conflicts.
The answers of those questions were found by using new criticism as approach. The writer also used several books about character and characterization, theory of influence, and conflict. The main object of this study was a novel entitledThe Silver Linings Playbookby Matthew Quick.
xiv ABSTRAK
YUDANTI, HARI CYNTHIA. The Influence of Tiffany’s Character on Pat Solitano in Facing His Conflicts as seen in Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook.Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2015.
Novel The Silver Linings Playbook ditulis oleh Matthew Quick. Novel in menceritakan tentang seorang lelaki tiga puluh lima tahun yang bernama Patrick Solitano Junior yang menderita gangguan jiwa dan didiagnosa terkena gangguan bipolar. Pat adalah lelaki yang keras kepala, labil, and seorang yang mudah termotivasi. Karakter lain yang memiliki peranan penting terhadap Pat Solitano adalah Tiffany Maxwell. Dia adalah wanita yang kuat, keras kepala, dan juga orang yang jujur. Pat menghadapi banyak konflik di dalam kehidupannya selama masa penyembuhan, dengan bantuan dari Tiffany Maxwell dia bisa menghadapi dan menyelesaikan konflik-konfliknya.
Sebagai bahan diskusi, rumusan masalah disusun menjadi tiga pertanyaan. Pertanyaan tersebut adalah (1) Bagimana karakter Pat Solitano dan Tiffany Maxwell ditunjukkan dalam novel? (2) Apa saja konflik yang dihadapi oleh Pat Solitano? (3) Bagaimana karakter Tiffany mempengaruhi Pat Solitano dalam menghadapi konflik-konfliknya? Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk membuktikan bahwa tokoh pembantu mempunyai kemampuan untuk membantu karakter utama dalam menyelesaikan konflik-konfliknya.
Jawaban dari pertanyaan-pertanyaan ditemukan melalui teori kritik sastra baru sebagai bentuk pendekatan. Penulis juga menggunakan beberapa buku mengenai tokoh dan penokohan, teori pengaruh, dan konflik. Objek utama penelitian ini adalah novel berjudul The Silver Linings Playbook oleh Matthew Quick.
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the study
As a human being we can create something entertaining from the event, our
experience and even our problems into literature such as poem, novel, movie,
short story, and many things as long as it is entertaining other people. We also
need literature that makes us develop, enrich our knowledge and challenge our
skills.
According to Hudson, “Literature is expression of life through medium of language. Literature present some aspects of human life, such as history, social, moral, psychological, and many more” (1958: 10).
By reading literature, the readers can enrich their knowledge since literature
may contains useful information of life which is worth to learn. The readers may
get knowledge and also learn something new that they have not known before. As
Wellek and Warren stated, literature is something enjoyable to read and valuable
to enrich the reader’s knowledge and experience (1956: 30).
As Larry A. Hjelle and Daniel J. Ziegler state that as human beings, we are
complex and different from one another. Human beings come in many shapes and
sizes and behave in exceedingly complex ways. Of the several billion people who
We are absolutely physically and mentally different one another. As the
unique creatures, we deal with many conflicts and problems that caused by other
people and even our own mind. Nevertheless, we can solved that problems with
the help from other people.
In this study, the writer prefers to use a novel to be analyzed. A novel is a
work of art that is very common in society. The novel is the reflection of human
life in, which the stories happened in a novel also happen in real life. It is
supported by Perine that “People who read literary works, can learn not only
literary itself but also about social issue of human life” (1974:3).
From the quotation, by reading literary works the readers can enrich their
knowledge. Concerning the human’s personality development in literary works
the writer figures out that Quick’s novel,The Silver Linings Playbookalso has the
same issues. In this study, the writer tries to examine and analyze the personality
and conflicts that face by the main character, Pat Solitano as seen in Matthew
Quick’sThe Silver Linings Playbookwho has mental disorder.
The Silver Linings Playbookis one of literary works whose theme is about the
portrayal of person with mental illness. The story is about an unstable person
named Pat Solitano who formulates a theory about silver linings: he believes that
positive thinking and emotionally supportive person and his goal will be the
return of his estranged wife, Nikki.
Quick’ describes this story clearly. The novel is quite famous because it has
become the major film directed by David O. Russell. In this brilliantly written
debut novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat’s mind which show the world
from his distorted perspective. The author of this novel tries to tell the readers
how Pat find his happy ending in his life. The author also describes Pat’s
appearance is for physic condition in his social life. This description allows the
readers to examine and explore Pat’s judgment towards people around him. The
author also pictures the change of his perspective about life after he meets Tiffany
Maxwell, a physically fit but clinically depressed widower at a dinner party.
Therefore, the issues above make the writer interested in examining the
personality of the major character and the minor character as seen Matthew
Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook. The writer wants to explore deeper about
Pat’s and Tiffany’s personalities from the beginning of their struggle to face their
conflicts until they find his silver linings.
B. Problem Formulation
From the explanation above, there are three questions that can be discussed:
2. What is the conflict faced by Pat Solitano ?
3. How does Tiffany’s character influence Pat Solitano in facing his
conflicts ?
C. Objectives of the Study
Human is a unique creature. They have mind and consideration to share,
feeling to other human beings. As a human we need to interact with other people
to learn about life, problems and problem solving. They also can share their
feelings, thinking, problems, advice through literary work. Through literature,
people express the way they think and feel about the world, society, dilemma,
relationship and life. The other words, there is a relationship between literature
and human life.
This state’s meaning is supported by Wellek and Warren, a literary work may
presents a real life since literature ‘represents’ ‘life’, in large measure, a social
reality, even though the natural work and the inner or subjective world of the
individual have also been objects of literary ‘imitation’ (Wellek & Warren1956:
54).
The study aims to answer the writer questions which have been stated before.
Therefore, the first objectives of this study is to understand the characteristics of
Pat and Tiffany characters in the novel. The second objective is to examine the
Tiffany’s character influences Pat Solitano in facing his conflict and how both of
them find their goal of life together.
D. Definition of Terms
In this part of study, the writer would like to explain the meanings of some
important terms in this research that are used as ‘the keys’ in this research.
First is character, there are two characters that are defined in literary works. The
first is called asmajor character. It is a character that always appears more often than
the other characters. The story focuses on major character’s experience in this case,
such as problems, and conflicts that can be found in the story. The second is minor
character. It is a character that appears in the story to make the story more interesting
and to help the major character to reach the goals.
Second is influence, the word “influence” means any past or present condition,
experienced as or actually playing a part in determining one behavior, or course of
thought in the present. The term “influence” also means “the effect of one thing (or
person) on another, a power to affect or events especially power based on prestige”
(Drever, 1958: 134). Every character has influence to the other character. It makes the
story of the novel become interesting.
Third is conflict, as a human being we always face conflicts. Conflicts may
happen in social life, in the family, in relationship with others. Human beings are
struggle between two opposing forces, ideas, or beliefs, which is the basis of the plot
(1964: 363).
Conflict does not always mean hate, hatred, or distrust. Conflict also can
happen just through the limit of differences of opinion, perspectives, judgments,
7 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
In this study, the writer discussed Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook. The Silver Linings Playbook is a fictional novel made into a major film directed by David O. Russell which won The Big Five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay). In analyzing the novel The Silver Linings Playbook the writer provided three previous studies about the influence of minor character toward major character. There are several studies that have been done previously by other researchers. There are three undergraduate theses to analyze the
minor character influence toward the major character. The first related study is “The Influences of Minor Characters on Harriet’s Personality Development in Rumer
Godden’s The River” taken from the thesis of Sanata Dharma University’s 2005 English Letters by Alvin Ginardi. The second related study is “The Influence of Minor Character toward The Main Character’s motivation for a better life as seen in
Constance Briscoe’sUgly” taken from the thesis of Sanata Dharma University’s 2008 English Letters by Rissa Egitia Yuniarti.
From those undergraduate theses, three of them use the minor character to
The first one is as seen in undergraduate thesis entitled “The Influences of Minor Characters on Harriet’s Personality Development in Rumer Godden’s The River” is taken from the thesis of Sanata Dharma University’s 2005 English Letters by Alvin Ginardi. Ginardi says in his undergraduate thesis:
This study shows that the major character, Harriet in The River. Harriet’s personality changes into a maturity in the way of thinking for a grown-up girl because of the influence of the minor character. The changes can be seen in the way of thinking by the changing of her personality from an extroverted person motivation for a better life as seen in Constance Briscoe’sUgly” taken from the thesis of Sanata Dharma University’s 2008 English Letters by Rissa Egitia Yuniarti.
Yuniarti says in her undergraduate thesis:
This study shows that the major character does not only act good things but also acts bad thing. All of the suffering of the major character is caused by people that are
really close to the main character. This study shows that the major character has motivation from the minor character in bad and good way to reach her goal of life.
The last, as seen in the undergraduate thesis entitled “The Major Characters’
Conflicts and Their Inability to deal with The Conflicts as seen in Williams’ The Glass Menagerie”taken from the thesis of Sanata Dharma University’s 2004 English Letters by Irene Sulistyo Utami. This study shows that the major character can deal with the conflicts in their life without any help of other characters in the novel. Utami states that the personality of major characters are strong. Although they have difficult
conflicts in their life, they have ability to solve the conflicts. Utami says in her undergraduate thesis:
This study used new criticism approach because the focus of the writer’s analysis in the text without involving other extrinsic elements. The characters in The Glass Menagerie are Laura, Amanda, Jim, Tom all of those characters have their own problems but they have their own motivation to keep moving on for better life. All the characters are having their own characteristics that are shown in their attitude and behavior. The result of this study is conflict that they experience in the play will give a clearer image about difficulties they face in their life, because of the stress and tension in life, the characters are having own way to deal with the conflicts (2011: x).
From the previous statements it can be seen clearly that the writer states the minor characters influenced character development because of many factors. Experiences,
emotions, and society are the factors that influence the main character’s development. It is right that those factors influence characters development, but the writer thinks that statement above is too general. Therefore, in this research the writer want to
know more about the factors that influence major character to develop the main character. Since this novel has never discussed before. Those three undergraduates
thesis stated that the minor character have capability to help the major character to reach the goals. In this study the writer found the minor character helps the major character find his silver linings.
The main character in this research is Patrick ‘Pat’ Solitano Jr. in The Silver Linings Playbook. In this research Pat’s has conflicts with his mind. He is overthinking about his ex-wife, Nikki and he become sad, angry like crazy when he
heard Kenny G’s song. After eight months of treatment in mental hospital in Baltimore he lives with his parents. He has new understanding about life. He believes
in Silver Linings, his life is like a movie and God is the creator. He keeps thinking that his Silver Linings is getting back with his ex-wife, Nikki. The day when Pat meets Tiffany and they spend time together. As the time goes by he changes his
B. Review of Related Theories
There are some theories that are used to analyze in Matthew Quick’s The Silver Linings Playbook.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Character is a person presented in literary works with so many different
personality and background. In literary works, character is very important, it can help the readers to understand the story.
“Characters are the person presented on a dramatic or narrative, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in the dialogue and the action” (Abrams, 1981: 20).
Miligan states that the major characters are those who appear more often in the
story than the other characters, while secondary characters are those who appear less often in the story (1983: 195). “Not all characters play an important role. At least one
character appears to be the center of the story”(Miligan, 1983: 155).
The quotations above show that there are so many characters in literary works such as play or novel with different interesting personality but there is always one
character which is very important to be the center of the literary works.
M. J. Murphy (1972:161-173) suggests nine techniques to make the character understandable and come alive they areas follow:
First is personal description. Personal description means that the author tries to describe the character through his physical appearances. The author can describe a
person’s appearance and clothes and such as his-skin color, his hair or his face.
Second is character as seen by another. In this way, the author tries to describe the character through the eyes and opinions of the others. Their comments and opinions
about the characters can help the readers to understand the character.
Third is speech. The author can give the reader insight into the character of one of the person in the book through what the character says. Whenever a person is
speaking, he is giving the readers to come to clue to his character.
Fourth is past life. The author can give the readers a clue that has helped to shape
a person’s character by learning about a person’s past life. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through the conversation or
Fifth is conversation of others. In the way, the writer gives the readers clues to a person’s character through conversation and things they say about him.
Sixth is reaction. The readers will know a person’s character by seeing how he reacts to various situation or events.
Seventh is direct comment. It used by the author to describe or give comments
directly on a person’s character.
Eighth is thought. The author gives the readers direct knowledge of what person
is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in the real life. He can tell the reader what different people are thinking. In the novel, we accept this. The reader then is in privileged position; he has as it were, a secret listening device
plugged in the most thoughts of a person in a novel.
The last is mannerism. The author may describe a person’s mannerism or habits that may also tell the reader something about his character.
2. Theory of Conflict
The goal of this study is the conflict faced by Pat Solitano as the main character
and how he faces his conflict through the help of the minor character, Tiffany Maxwell. Therefore, theory of conflicts is necessary for analyzing the main
has a different way of thinking that can leads a conflicts. Conflict also happens in human’s mind, it is called dilemma. Conflict also happens when an agreement is
broken and one side does not have rights to do what is stated in the agreement.
Holman and Harmon state that conflict is the struggle that grows out of the interplay of the two opposing forces in the plot (1986: 107).
Holman and Harmon (1986) state that conflicts will happen in different situations and conditions such as:
a. A struggle against nature, the character’s struggle when they deal with the natural forces such as hurricane, flood, storm, earthquake, tornado, landslide and another disasters that are caused by nature.
b. A struggle against another person, it presents the character’s struggle when they deal with another character.
c. A struggle against society, the character’s struggle when they deal with a society’s value systems.
d. A struggle against fate of destiny, the character’s struggle when they deal with
their creator, God. It shows that the character try to change their own destiny.
C. Theoretical Framework
The story in a novel will be more interesting with characters that appear in the
story. Both major character and minor character have their own portion to make the story interesting and understandable. For the author the process to create a character is called characterization. The character in a novel especially the major character
undergoes characters development that is affected by the minor character.
The theory from Miligan (1983) is used to define the major character and minor
character. Murphy’s (1972) theory about character is also used because his theory is easy to understand, so that theory about character can be understood effectively. Theory from Stanton (1965) divides two kinds of conflicts there are internal conflict
and external conflict, it help the researcher to define what kind of conflict that Pat Solitano faced in his life. Murphy (1972) defines nine points about characterization,
so that the researcher can understand Pat’s and Tiffany’s characteristics from personal description, characters as seen by another, speech, past life, conversations of others, reactions, direct comments, thoughts, and mannerisms. By using Murphy’s theory the
16
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
To support the study, the writer uses a modern novel entitled The Silver Linings Playbook written by Matthew Quick. It was first published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux but the writer uses the new published by Picador on 2012. The Silver Linings consists of 289 pages that are divided into 42 chapters. It is set in Collingswood, New Jersey and the setting of time is in the present time.
Matthew Quick is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Silver Linings Playbook, which was made into a major film in 2012, starred by Bradley Cooper as Patrick Solitano Jr and Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany Maxwell. This film is directed by David O. Russell and became the nomination of Big Five Oscars. Matthew Quick’s work has been translated into thirty languages and has received Hemingway Award Honorable Mention.
will lead him to his ex-wife, Nikki. Pat thinks that his goal of life is to end a part time with Nikki but the truth is they have already divorced and they would never get back together.
His best friend Ronnie asked Pat to come to his house to dinner. He meets Ronnie’s sister-in-law, Tiffany Maxwell, a widower who has recently lost her job because some issues. Pat sees an opportunity to communicate with Nikki through Tiffany because Veronica, Ronnie’s wife and Nikki are regularly hang out together. Tiffany offers to deliver a letter to Nikki for return Pat should be her partner in upcoming dance competition. Pat agrees and they become more closer each other during the practice. Pat creates a new theory about life. It is called silver linings. It means everyone deserves a perfect life without any conflict and always lead to happy ending. This theory is based on Pat desire.
B. Approach of the Study
Silver Linings from a bipolar disorder point of view. The process of New Criticism analysis begins with studying the characters and deciding which character that has strong influence towards the major character.
Selden, Widdowson and Brooker state that new criticism is a method which does not talk about context – historical, biographical, intellectual and so on in analyzing literary work. However, new criticism only focuses on analyzing the “text in itself”, with its language and organization. New Criticism does not reach text’s meaning, but the way the text ‘speaks itself’ (2005: 19).
C. Method of the Study
There were some steps that were done in this research. First of all, the writer read the novel entitled The Silver Linings Playbook carefully so that the writer could comprehend the story until the content was well-understood. After reading the novel, the writer found an interesting thing in the main character, Pat Solitano, Jr. and decided to analyze his character for the study.
found how Tiffany’s character influences Pat’s character in facing his conflict. The data of the problem can be found in the text of the novel by examining the relationships of the minor character and their influences towards Pat Solitano.
Third the writer chose the approach. The approach used in this thesis is New Criticism. The fourth step was searching textual data from the novel. As data collecting from the novel itself had been finished the writer gathered data from related study, many sources in library and internet. After that the writer focused on the main character in the story, Pat Solitano and the minor character Tiffany Maxwell.
20
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter is to answer problems formulated in the previous chapter. It is concerned with the discussion on the influence of Tiffany’s character on Pat Solitano in facing his conflicts. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part presents the analysis of the characteristics of Pat Solitano and Tiffany Maxwell. In this part the writer used theory of characterization by M. J. Murphy where the characters in the novel can be analyzed through personal description, as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reaction, thought, direct comment, thought and mannerism. After knowing the description of Pat’s and Tiffany’s characteristics and the way she responds to Pat’s conflicts the writer analyzes the second part that presents the conflict which is really effected into Pat’s life. The third part presents the analysis of the characteristics of the minor character, Tiffany Maxwell that influences Pat Solitano in facing his conflict.
A. The Characterization of Major Characters, Pat Solitano and Minor
Characters, Tiffany Maxwell
1. Pat Solitano
In this part, the writer would like to analyze the characteristics of the major character based on Abram’s theory.
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by reader as being endowed with moral, dispostional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say – the dialogue – and by what they do – the action (1981: 23).
his ex-wife back. The researcher concluded that Pat is a stubborn person from the way of his speech, thought, and his mannerism.
a. Stubborn
After spending a year in Baltimore Mental Hospital, Pat still thinks about his ex-wife. He still cannot accept that Nikki left him, and they have divorced. So he keeps thinking that it is just a part time and he should be a better person to make Nikki love him again. Pat is so obsessed with Nikki like they used to be because he does not remember the day when he goes back home from work and catches Nikki is having sex in the shower with the history teacher. He did not remember because the drugs that he consumes when he was in Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital. He feels that nobody knows what he wants.
“I don’t want to stay in the bad place, where no one believes in silver linings or love or happy endings, and where everyone tells me Nikki will not like my new body, nor will she even want to see me when apart time is over” (Quick, 2012: 4). From Pat’s statement, it can be seen that Pat is a stubborn person. His doctor tries to help Pat to realize that he’s no longer married. The doctors in Baltimore Mental Illness gives him advice to move on and forget the past but Pat refuses it.
“And then there is my writing, which is mostly daily memoirs like this one, so that Nikki will be able to read about my life and know exactly what I’ve been up to since apart time began (My memory started to slip in the bed place because of the drugs, so I began writing down everything that happens to me, keeping track of what I will need to tell Nikki when apart time concludes, to catch her up on my life. But the doctors in the bad place confiscated everything I wrote before I came home, so I had to start over)” (Quick, 2012: 7).
Every week, Dolores, Pat’s mother takes him to see Dr. Patel, his therapist. There is a rule if Pat does not go to see Dr. Patel he has to go back to Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital to recover. Actually Pat should stay in Baltimore longer but Dolores makes a deal with the Doctors and they agree to let Pat has recovery process at home with some agreements, routine medicine consumption, and see the therapist regularly.
Pat is a hard worker, he always does business trip every week, which is a bad thing for Nikki. Nikki is so lonely and she needs someone who is always beside her. Pat understands why Nikki leaves him, he knows that he does not take care of her well. And he wants a second chance.
“But I did realize that no one really appreciate Hester for who she was until it was too late. When she needed help most, she was abandoned---and only when she offered help to others was she beloved. This sort of suggest that it is important to appreciate the good women in your life before it’s too late, which is a pretty good message to give high school kids. I wish my high school teacher had taught me that lesson, because I certainly would have treated Nikki differently when we were first married” (Quick, 2012: 58).
“The best part is the introductory essay, which states that the novel is mostly about time and how you can never but it back, which is exactly how I feel regarding my body and exercise but then again, I also feel as if I have an infinite amount of days until my inevitable reunion with Nikki”. (Quick, 2012: 9)
Pat always thinks about his ex-wife. He believes in silver linings that at the end of this part time he will be back together with Nikki. When he is in Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital no one believes his idea for getting back together with his ex-wife. Even his therapist forces him not over thinking about Nikki.
“I don’t want to stay in the bad place, where no one believes in silver linings or love or happy endings, and where everyone tells me Nikki will not like my new body, nor will she even want to see me when apart time is over” (Quick, 2012: 4) Everything he does, he does for Nikki. Even Nikki does not know it, he still believes that someday Nikki will love his new appearance, that he loses so much weight and becomes a positive person. Pat is motivated by the idea of reuniting with his ex-wife. It is just his imagination because he is too afraid to face the real life. But, at least he does positive things for his self.
“When I run, I always pretend I am running toward Nikki, and it makes me feel like I am decreasing the moment of time I have to wait until I see her again” (Quick, 2012: 20).
b. Motivated
Although Pat is a bipolar, he keeps thinking positively especially to be a good man than before just to make Nikki love him again. Pat is motivated by the idea of reuniting with his wife. Pat has his own perception about life. He sees that his life is like a movie and the creator is God. Now he thinks that apart time with Nikki is just one of his life’s event. Life is like a series of movies.
“I know it’s almost time for the happy ending, when Nikki will come back, because I have improved myself so very much through physical fitness and medication and therapy”. (Quick, 2012: 16).
“I am practicing being kind rather than right, so Nikki will be able to love me again when apart time is over”. (Quick, 2012: 79).
Every session of therapy, Pat likes to share his feelings about Nikki rather than talking about Kenny G’s song which makes him feel angry, sad and out of control at the same time. Every time Dr. Patel asks him about Nikki, he is so happy and very enthusiastic. He tells everything about Nikki very detail and it makes him feel so alive.
“Nikki? She’s great, I say, and then smile, feeling the warmth that fills my chest whenever I say her name, whenever I see her face in my mind. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. I love her more than life itself. And I just can’t wait until apart time is over”. (Quick, 2012: 14).
c. Unstable
enthusiastic and high-spirited but when their mood changes into bad mood they can be so depressed, pessimist, despondent, and even they hate their self. Bipolar disorder is a condition which a person has periods of depression and periods of being extremely happy or being cross or irritable. Pat suffers bipolar disorder so he spends a year in Baltimore Mental Illness hospital. Every time Pat starts to be out of control he always remembers Nikki that she does not like a temperament person.
Sometimes at night Pat feels sweating, and through the darkness, suddenly he hears the sexy synthesizer chords. He closes his eyes, hums a single note, and silently counts to ten. He tries to realize that it is just hallucination because he remember dr. Patel said about the new medication. He sees Kenny G and Kenny winks at him. He starts to scream like crazy and keeps saying--“Stop playing that song! Just stop! Please!” (Quick, 2012: 35).
Pat has traumatic experience to Kenny G’s song, every time he gets confused or fights with someone he starts to remember the day he catches Nikki cheated on him. The song is played in the house when he goes upstairs and catches his wife is in the shower with the history teacher. He can be suddenly out of control.
At first Pat is like a normal person. He is waiting for the appointment to see his therapist, Dr. Patel. But everything has changed when he heard Kenny G’s song, he does not know why he is so angry with ‘Songbird’. He cannot control his self. He has “mood swings” that is really extreme. He can be like a normal person but when his mind is disturbed by something, it makes him frustrated he can be so angry like crazy.
“Turn of the music! I yell, “Shut it off! Right now!” The tiny man is Dr. Patel, I realize, because he tells his secretary to turn off the music, and when she obeys, Kenny G is out of my head and I stop yelling. I cover my face with my hands so no one will see me crying, and after a minute or so, my mother begins rubbing my back”. (Quick, 2012: 12).
The song starts to play in his head like hallucination, but by the time Pat can handle his mind to avoid the song. By the time Pat tries find a way to control his self, he realized that he cannot be afraid of that song forever. Now he can be calm down himself. He avoids the song from his mind by thinking about something else, which is a positive thinking for a unstable person that he can recover.
“Cliff tries to get me to talk about Kenny G, but I only close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten every time he says Mr. G’s name” (Quick, 2012: 42).
Dr Patel says, “So that’s why you hum every time someone brings up Kenny--“I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind” (Quick, 2012: 126).
“I can understand Nikki’s divorcing me because I was a bad husband, especially because, well, I was a bad husband. But I have a hard time believing I actually committed a crime that could result in such drastic legal measures. And yet brother, Jake. He runs away, weaves through the crowds of people, crosses the street, goes around cars. He runs again as fast as he can, goes down the street away from the stadiums. He regrets, he should not have hit that Giant fan, he keeps pray to God, “Dear God, please don’t send me back to the bad place.Please!” (Quick, 2012: 107).
“I cry. I feel awful. I realize that I have once again failed to be kind; that I lost control in a big way; that I seriously injured another person, and therefore I’m never going to get Nikki back now. Apart time is going to last forever because my wife is a pacifist who would never want me to hit anyone under any circumstance, and both God and Jesus were obviously rooting for me to turn the other cheek, so I know I shouldn’t hit that Giants fan” (Quick, 2012: 107).
2. Tiffany Maxwell
In this part, the writer would like to analyze the characteristics of the minor character that has strong influence toward the main character in facing his conflict and reaching the goal of life.
because of her attitude. After her husband pass away, she makes a distance with her parents, and sister. She wants to be alone and she does not like when everybody feels pity about her condition. She routinely sees the therapist to recover her mental illness. As time goes by, she can control herself not seeing any guys for a long time for a good reason. Tiffany’s is invited to dinner at Veronica and Ronnie house. Veronica is Tiffany’s sister while Ronnie is Pat’s best friend. Tiffany and Pat met first in Ronnie’s house on a dinner party. They have same illness but the illness has got different types. They talk about pills that they consume during the recovery. Tiffany’s character is quite strong as seen on her appearance, her thought and the way she speaks which are described in the novel.
a. Strong
“Tiffany’s wearing a black evening dress, heels, and a diamond necklace, and her makeup and her hair look too perfect to me—as if she is trying too hard to look attractive, like old ladies sometimes do” (Quick, 2012: 47).
b. Stubborn
Since the dinner party, Tiffany wants to know more about Pat based on Pat’s thought. She always follows Pat all over the town. She starts to attract Pat by following him on jogging track even Tiffany does not say anything to Pat.
“So I tell Cliff that since the dinner party, whenever I put on a trash bag and leave my house for a run, Tiffany is always waiting outside in her little running outfit and pink headband, I told her to leave me alone, but she ignored my request and simply jogged five feet behind me for my entire run. The next day she did the same thing, and she keeps on doing it. Somehow she’s figured out my schedule, and she’s always there when I leave my house an hour before sunset---ready to shadow me” (Quick, 2012: 64).
After that experience, Pat goes to see Dr. Patel and tells him everything about Tiffany and Pat says, “Sure, she’s hot,” “But I’m married” (Quick, 2012: 64). Pat just feels annoyed because every time he jogs, Tiffany always follows him and when Pat asks her why she keeps following him she says that it is her jogging route too. At the end of therapy section, Dr. Patel gives advice to Pat.
“I don’t know. But maybe if you take an interest in Tiffany, ask her to run with you and maybe to go out to dinner a few times—maybe after a few weeks, she will grow tired of the chase and leave you alone. Let her get what she wants, and maybe she will not want it anymore. Understand?” (Quick, 2012: 65).
c. Honest
Tiffany tries to help Pat by sending him a letter about the truth, about everything that happens to Pat. Since Tiffany starts caring about Pat, she does not want Pat keeps thinking about Nikki and his silver linings that is impossible to happen. She should not tell the truth to Pat for his health but Tiffany thinks that it will help Pat to realize the fact and face the reality like she does. Tiffany tries to make Pat realizes that he lives in reality not in a dream or in the movie. Tiffany wants Pat to stop talking about silver linings and his desire to get back together with his wife.
“Read this letter start to finish! Do not make any decision until you have read the entire letter! Do not read this letter unless you are alone! Do not show this letter to anyone! When you have finished reading this letter, burn it----immediately!” “Please, just listen to me. I know this is a shock. But you need to face reality, Pat. You’ve been lying to yourself for years! I needed to do something drastic to help you. But I never thought—“ (Quick, 2012: 246).
For his health, Pat’s family does not allow Pat to know the truth about what happens between him and Nikki, but Tiffany has her own idea to recover Pat because she has already known Pat’s personality. They spend time together, being partner in dance competition and jog every day.
After Tiffany tells everything, she offers herself as a liaison between Pat and Nikki. Pat only makes contact through Tiffany and she guarantees there will be no trouble. If Pat writes a letter to Nikki one every two weeks, she will read the letters to Nikki by phone. She will be able to dictate her response to her, again over the phone, after that Tiffany will type up on her laptop, print out, and present to Pat. But she will not be the liaison for free, she want to win this year’s Dance Away Depression Competition and she needs a strong man to do it. Dance Away Depression Competition is an annual competition organized by the Philadelphia Psychiatric Association that allows women diagnosed with clinical depression to transform their despair into movement (Quick, 2012: 183). Tiffany is a good dancer she wins two years in a row dancing solo championship. Tiffany thinks that Pat is the strongest man she has ever met in her entire life that God sent to her.
“The competition will be held at the Plaza Hotel in center city, on a Saturday night---November 11th. Which give us just under a month to practice. I know the routine already, but you’ll be starting from scratch, and we both will have to practice the lifts. This will take a lot of time” (Quick, 2012: 184).
B. The Analysis of Pat Solitano’s Conflict
a. A struggle fate of Destiny
When he was in Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital he kept thinking about Nikki. He likes reading a book especially on Nikki’s syllabus, he has plan to get back together with Nikki. He believes in silver linings, that at the end of his recovery, he will be back together with Nikki. That is why he wants to be a better person for Nikki and be a good husband for her.
“Here’s another surprise: I’m going to read all the novels on her American literature class syllabus, just to make her proud, to let her know that I am really interested in what she loves and I am making a real effort to salvage our marriage, that’s part of my plan, anyway” (Quick, 2012: 10).
“One with a love story if possible, because I really need to study love---so I can be a better husband when Nikki comes back” (Quick, 2012: 21).
Pat forces his self to read a lot of book just to make Nikki happy, even Nikki does not know it. He reads A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, which is one of Nikki syllabus. He reads all the chapters and he mad at Hemingway because the ending is not what he wants to. It was the silver lining these people deserved after struggling to survive the gloomy war. He cries so hard because he cannot imagine if that tragedy happens between he and Nikki. He makes a promise to himself that when the apart time ends, he wants to have a baby with Nikki because Nikki wants a baby but Pat is too busy with his work, so that Nikki will love him again.
“I like throwing the football with Jake and Scott because it makes me feel like a boy, and when I was a boy I was the person Nikki fell in love with” (Quick, 2012: 103).
Pat believes that if he can be a better person, losing his weight, being kind, Nikki will love him again like they used to be. From the text above, Pat experiences a conflict. He does not see the reality that Nikki already has new family. The conflict that is faced by Pat is a struggle against fate of destiny based on Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to Literature. It is considered as conflict because Pat has to make decision whether he believes in his silver linings or his therapist. Pat’s interest only happens in Pat’s mind and it does not happen between Pat and Nikki in reality.
b. A struggle against another person
Tiffany is the only woman that is really close with Pat because they become a dance partner on Dance Away Depression Competition. Pat never thinks to find another woman to replace Nikki. But, when he met Tiffany at Ronnie’s house on dinner party, everything has changed. He admits that Tiffany is beautiful, with seductive appearance. But once again Pat still thinks about Nikki. Pat is afraid if he keeps thinking of Tiffany, the apart time will never be done and Pat will never back together with Nikki.
“A wave lifts me up, and when I come down over the other side, I am surprised that our faces are very close. For a second Tiffany reminds me so much of Nikki, I worry we might accidentally kiss, but Tiffany swims a few feet away from me before this happens, and I am thankful” (Quick, 2012: 93).
when Veronica slipped and mentioned Tiffany’s therapist in front of me” (Quick, 2012: 116).
Tiffany’s character makes Pat adore her, even Pat is still thinking about Nikki but Tiffany’s presence gives impact for Pat’s healing. After knowing Tiffany’s character, Pat does not think to reunite with Nikki, anymore. From the statement above about for me, which makes me trust her somehow” (Quick, 2012: 116).
Pat starts to see Tiffany as a different person. He looks at her appearance, adores her. He thinks that Tiffany is the only person that he could tell her everything. Tiffany always says what in her mind, and she will say whatever she want to say. That makes Pat feel comfortable with her because he feel that everybody around him tries not to make Pat angry or sad about any idea. Pat needs someone that being honest, who does no pretend anything.
“I keep wishing Tiffany was running with me so I might talk to her and tell her how I feel, which is a strange desire since she usually never says much in response, and the last time I tried to talk to her about my problems, she started cursing very loudly in a public place and said some really awful things about Nikki. Still, I am starting to feel as though Tiffany is my best friend, which is sort of strange and scary” (Quick, 2012: 143).
two alternatives whether he keeps thinking that his silver linings is reunite with his ex-wife or move one and find another and face the reality that he never ever getting back together with Nikki. Also the conflict can be define as struggle against fate or destiny, because he tries to make his own future without thinking about reality. The basic problem is because he cannot accept the reality that makes his life different from his dream and imagination.
C. The Influence of Tiffany’s Character
There is a resolution from every conflict that Pat Solitano experiences in the story involves the minor character, Tiffany Maxwell. The way Pat Solitano finds a resolution for his conflict is different because he finally can find a resolution through Tiffany’s character that makes him realize about life. Also, his personalities have their contribution for him on how he deals with his mind and on how he resolves his conflicts.
strong character that very influence Pat in facing his reality. After knowing Tiffany, Pat has different opinion about silver linings. Pat falls in love with her.
“And her dancing is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I could winning is really important, and Tiffany says that crowd reaction can sway the judges (p. 199). Tiffany tell to Pat that there is no winners in Dance Away Depresion.
“Finally Tiffany faces me and says, “You were perfect!” She smiles and looks down at her feet.
“What?” I say.
“Pat, I need to tell you something,” “What?”
“There is no gold trophy.” “What?”
“There are no winners at Dance Away Depression. It just an exhibition. I made up the part about the wreath just to motivate you.” (Quick, 2012: 209).
Pat is a little bit mad because Tiffany lies to him but he can accept that because it’s for good reason.
“I would never have taken the time to improve my character if I did not get sent to the bad place, nor would I have met Cliff, or even Tiffany for that matter, and I know this journey has been for a reason” (Quick, 2012: 234).
letters from Nikki is Tiffany. Tiffany did this because she loves Pat and she would do anything to heal Pat. Pat deserves to be happy.
“I’m fucking sorry, okay?” she says, but it’s not Nikki. “I never thought it would lead to this. So I’m just going to be honest now. My therapist thought you were stuck in a constant state of denial because you were never afforded closure, and I thought I might afford you closure by pretending to be Nikki. So, I made up this whole liaison thing in an effort to provide you closure, hoping you would snap out of your funk and would be able to move on with your life once you understood that being reunited with your ex-wife was an impossibility. I wrote all the letters my-self.Okay?” (Quick, 2012: 245).
Pat suddenly realizes from Tiffany’s confession. He realizes that for the past two months he has been completely delusional, that Nikki is never coming back and apart time is going to last forever (Quick, 2012: 245). Pat realizes that his life is not a movie. Tiffany also tells that she is falling love with Pat. It makes him thinking twice about silver linings that at the end he leads to Nikki. He starts seeing life in different ways. He realizes that he never ever gets back together with Nikki. Pat finally can accept the reality that makes his life different from his dream. He remembers everything that happened, why he is so freaking out about Kenny G song, why he is sent to Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital, what happened with his marriage, the white scar on his head, he sees his reflection like in the blank television screen.
“I remember that apart time is finally over, and while Nikki is gone for good, I still have a woman in my arms who has suffered greatly and desperately needs to believe once again that she is beautiful. (Quick, 2012: 289).
see the result. Pat see how strong Tiffany’s character, she is depressed about her husband but she willingly helps Pat to find his way.
40
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The writer concluded three parts from the analysis. First, the characteristic of Pat
Solitano as a Major Character and Tiffany Maxwell as a Minor Character. Second,
the conflict that is faced by Pat Solitano and how he solves his conflicts through the
minor character. Third, how Tiffany’s character influences Pat Solitano in facing his
conflicts.
First, based on the analysis it can be summarized that Pat Solitano is the main
character in the story because the whole story tells about his struggle and his life. By
using Murphy’s theory to characterize the character, Pat Solitano is characterized
through physical description, manners, his thought, his reactions and the way he
speeches. He is a stubborn person because he keeps thinking about silver linings, and
believes that his life is like a movie that will have happy ending by his thought,
reunite with his ex-wife. He is motivated by the idea from himself that when apart
time ended he will be back together without seeing the reality. Pat is an unstable
person, that is why he spends a year in Baltimore Mental Illness Hospital to recover.
He has mood swing that is really extreme, at one time he can be a calm person and
suddenly he can be a temperament person. Tiffany Maxwell is characterized through
the way she speech, personal description, her past life, other character thought, and by
she is totally depressed but does not take a long time because she can recover herself
by seeing the therapist routinely and she is brave enough to move on, start a new life,
face the reality, and keep practicing her dancing. She is a stubborn person because
she always follows Pat when he is jogging every day. After Pat asks her to dinner,
Tiffany never shows up but two days after that she starts to follow Pat again. Pat is
not people who can solve his conflict easily. He will need someone who he can trust
and willingness from someone to help him solve his conflict. Finally Pat finds
someone who he can trust and be comfortable with. Tiffany is a honest person by
telling the truth about Pat life event that really have big effect for his healing, because
of the influence of Tiffany’s character, Pat can see the reality, move on, regret for all
the years he is in delusional and finally he finds his silver linings by starting to make
a new life by having relationship with Tiffany.
The second conclusion is the writer finds that Pat Solitano faces conflict. The
conflict that is faced by Pat Soliatno is that he cannot move on from his past. He
keeps thinking about his ex-wife, Nikki. Everything in his life he do it for her, and it
is just wasting time because they are never ever getting back together. Nikki has a
new family, two kids, and happy marriage. Therefore he can solve his conflict by the
help from the minor character, Tiffany Maxwell that makes Pat see the real life. Pat
can be out of control when he hears Kenny G, ‘Songbird’. Actually this song is the
soundtrack of his wedding day but he gets bad experience also about this song, he
partner in high school. Time by time Pat Solitano can control his self by avoiding the
song. He closes eyes, hums a single tone and, counts one to ten. After he can face the
reality and move on because of Tiffany, he is no longer afraid or out of control when
he hears Kenny G, ‘Songbird’. He starts to have a normal life.
The third conclusion is Pat Solitano finds that Tiffany’s character really affects to
his life and has big influenced toward his conflict. He sees that Tiffany’s character as
a very strong character since she always tries to be honest. Because of her, Pat can
find his true silver linings, face the real life, and reach his goal of life.
At last the conclusion is everyone cannot force everything to happen based on
their mind. We have to think about the reality. Conflicts always happen in our lives.
Sometime we need someone to help us solve the conflicts. But, it is not wrong if we
have dreams. If you can dream it then you can do it. Every conflict always brings us
to a better life even sometime it is different from our expectation. Based on this
43
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