THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING IN PERFECTION ON ONE’S ACHIEVEMENT AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTER
OF JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL IN BACH’S JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Yosafat Diaswikarta Student Number: 041214064
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING IN PERFECTION ON ONE’S ACHIEVEMENT AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTER
OF JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL IN BACH’S JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
A Thesis
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Yosafat Diaswikarta Student Number: 041214064
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
2008
A Thesis On
THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING IN PERFECTION ON ONE’S ACHIEVEMENT AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTER
OF JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL IN BACH’S JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
By
Yosafat Diaswikarta Student Number: 041214064
Approved by:
A Thesis On
THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING IN PERFECTION ON ONE’S ACHIEVEMENT AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTER
OF JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL IN BACH’S JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
By
Yosafat Diaswikarta Student Number: 041214064
Defended before the Board of Examiners on 22 August 2008
and Declared Acceptable
Board of Examiners
Chairperson : A. Hardi Prasetyo, S.Pd., M.A. ______________ Secretary : Made Frida Yulia, S.Pd., M.Pd. ______________ Member : Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum. ______________ Member : Dr. A. Herujiyanto, M.A. ______________ Member : Drs. Y.B. Gunawan, M.A. ______________
Yogyakarta, 22 August 2008
Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Sanata Dharma University
Dean,
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that the thesis, which I wrote, does not contain the works or parts of the works of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the bibliography, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, 5 August 2008 The Writer
A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eaglet
hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken.
He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet into the air. Years passed and the eagle grew very old.
One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in
graceful majesty among the powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.
The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth we're chickens." So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.
(Anthony de Mello)
This thesis is dedicated to:
My savior Jesus Christ and Mother Mary
My beloved family and Father Kieser
and those who enlighten and give meaning in my life.
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma : Nama : Yosafat Diaswikarta
Nomor Mahasiswa : 041214064
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :THE INFLUENCE OF LEARNING IN PERFECTION ON ONE’S ACHIEVEMENT AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTER OF JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL IN BACH’S JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
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 dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal : 4 September 2008-09-04
Yang menyatakan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ andMother Marywho always give me love, spirit, strength and blessing so that I can finish my thesis. I really thank Him for always being able to listen, help, and give me strength and patience in completing my thesis.
Secondly, I would like to express my deepest and greatest gratitude to my sponsor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., for her patience and time in reading and correcting this thesis. I really thank her for the support, advice and guidance in helping me finish this thesis.
Thirdly, I would like to thank my beloved parents who always give me guidance and love during my life. I also really thank myFather KieserandMrs. Sumini who have given me a lot of financial and spiritual supports especially Father Kieserfor always reminding me to finish my thesis as soon as possible.
Fourth, my special gratitude also goes to all the lecturers and staff teaching of the English Language Education Study Program for their guidance during my study. I also thank all the staff members of the library of Sanata Dharma University and Ignatius College library for their best services.
Fifth, with lots of love, I would like to express my special gratitude to my lovely friends of two thousand and four academic year at PBI, Harris, Jony, Poly, Weadha, Anas, Sinta, Hana, Flora, Dede, Mayora, Berta, Danti, Festi, Retha, and Marcel for the cheerful moments of friendship during my study in Sanata Dharma.
Next, my sincere gratitude goes to all my friends in PAPERMOON PUPPET THEATRE, Kak RiaandIwanfor the wonderful puppet performance projects and sharing of life and for encouraging and motivating me to work harder and solve my problems. My gratitude also goes toKriwul for his inspiration and support.
Finally, my special thanks go to all my friends, whose names cannot be mentioned one by one, for the cheerful, funny, crazy, and beautiful moments we have shared together. May God bless all of them.
Yosafat Diaswikarta
TABLE ON CONTENTS 1.1 Background of Study ... 1
1.2 Problem Formulation ... 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study ... 3
1.4 Benefits of the Study... 3
1.5 Definition of Terms... 4
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 2.1 Review of Related Theories ... 6
2.1.1 Theory of Critical Approaches... 6
2.1.1.1 Theory of Psychological Approach... 7
2.1.1.2 Theory of Moral Philosophical Approach ... 8
2.1.2 Theory of Learning ... 9
2.1.3 Theory of Perfection ... 10
2.1.3.1 Superiority of Mind ... 11
2.1.3.2 Supremacy of Will and Free Will ... 11
2.1.3.3 Man and Creator: His Perfection ... 13
2.1.3.4 Man and Men: His Perfecting ... 14
2.1.4 Theory of Need for Achievement ... 16
2.2 Theoretical Framework ... 18
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Subject of the Study ... 19
3.2 Approach of the Study ... 20
3.3 Method of the Study... 21
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS 4.1 Perfection as Reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull... 22
4.1.1 Perfection within Self... 22
4.1.1.1 Perfection and Rationality... 24
4.1.1.2 Perfection and Free Will ... 25
4.1.2 Perfection within Self and the Other... 27
4.1.3 Perfection within Self and Others ... 28
4.2 The Influences of Learning in Perfection on One’s Achievement as Reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull ... 30
4.2.1 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievements on Earth... 31
4.2.1.1 Jonathan’s Courage to Never Give Up ... 32
4.2.1.2 Jonathan’s Strong Spirit ... 33
4.2.1.3 Jonathan’s Innovative Ability ... 36
4.2.2 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievement in Heaven ... 39
4.2.3 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievement as an Instructor on Earth ... 43
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 5.1 Conclusions ... 47
5.2 Suggestions ... 49
5.2.1 Suggestions for the Future Researchers ... 50
5.2.2 Suggestions for Teaching Implementation ... 50
BIBLIOGRAPHY... 53
APPENDICES... 56
Appendix 1 Lesson Plan for Teaching Paragraph Writing... 57
Appendix 2 Syllabus of Paragraph Writing... 60
Appendix 3 Teaching Material... 62
Appendix 4 Summary of Jonathan Livingston Seagull... 68
Appendix 5 Biography of Richard Bach... 71
ABSTRACT
Diaswikarta, Yosafat. (2008). The Influence of Learning in Perfection on One’s Achievement as reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull in Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis discusses Richard Bach’s Novelette entitled Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The novelette tells a story about Jonathan’s life who wants to perfect himself in flying. Jonathan’s achievement of being perfect in flying is developed by his learning in perfection.
There are two problems formula ted in this thesis. The first is what perfection is as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The second is how learning in perfection affects one’s achievement as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
The data gathering method applied in this study was library research. The writer used two approaches in this study. The first was moral-philosophical approach to understand the moral issue of perfection and the second was psychological approach to understand some principles of modern psychology revealed in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. The writer used two kinds of sources in this study. The novelette Jonathan Livingston Seagull was the primary source and the secondary sources were obtained from other books. They are theory of learning, theory of perfection and theory of need for achievement.
The findings of the first analysis show that perfection becomes Jonathan’s higher purpose for life that is to be free, to be a creature of excellence and intelligence and skill. Moreover, Jonathan’s perfection meets its full completeness and actualization by practicing love to help others see the goodness in each other.
In the second analysis, the writer finds that Jonathan’s learning in perfection makes him have strong spirit, innovative ability, courage to never give up, high desire to know and understand, and love to help others. Jonathan’s strong spirit pushes him to work harder and to strive to do anything to achieve his goal to fly at high speed as quickly as possible. His innovative ability empowers him to find out different ways to solve the obstacles and achieve how to fly at high speed and under control. The courage to never give up strengthens his motivation to face and overcome obstacles and failures to achieve his goal in flying longer in the air with less effort. Jonathan’s high desire to know and understand helps him know and understand who he really is, what and how he should achieve a perfect speed. Jonathan’s love to help others helps and gives feedbacks to Jonathan as well as his students in the process of achieving what they want.
Finally, the writer gives some suggestions of possible future researches in the novelette Jonathan Livingston Seagull to the future researchers. The writer also suggests teachers to use the novelette Jonathan Livingston Seagull in teaching paragraph writing with the topic: writing narrative paragraphs.
ABSTRAK
Diaswikarta, Yosafat. (2008). The Influence of Learning in Perfection on One’s Achievement as reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull in Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Yogyakarta: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas sebuah novelette karya Richard Bach berjudul Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Novelette ini menceritakan kehidupan Jonathan yang ingin menyempurnakan dirinya dalam terbang. Pencapaian Jonathan untuk menjadi sempurna dalam terbang dipengaruhi oleh pembelajaranya dalam kesempurnaan.
Ada dua rumusan permasalahan dalam skripsi ini yaitu apa itu kesempurnaan direfleksikan dalam karakter Jonathan, dan bagaimana belajar kesempurnaan mempengaruhi pencapaian seseorang direfleksikan dalam karakter Jonathan.
Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah studi pustaka. Penulis menggunakan dua pendekatan dalam studi ini yaitu pendekatan filsafat moral untuk mengerti nilai-nilai moral dari kesempurnaan, dan pendekatan psikologi untuk mengerti beberapa prinsip psikologi yang diungkapkan dalam karakter Jonathan. Penulis menggunakan dua sumber dalam studi ini. Novelette Jonathan Livingston Seagull adalah sumber utama dan sumber kedua didapatkan dari buku-buku lain yaitu teori pembelajaran, teori kesempurnaan dan teori kebutuhan akan pencapaian.
Hasil analisa pertama menunjukkan kesempurnaan menjadi tujuan hidup yang lebih tinggi dari Jonathan yaitu menjadi bebas, menjadi makhluk yang unggul, cerdas, dan trampil. Selain itu, kesempurnaanya Jonathan menemui aktualisasi dan kelengkapan yang penuh dengan mempraktekkan cinta untuk menolong orang lain untuk melihat kebaikan satu sama lain.
Hasil analisa kedua menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran dalam kesempurnaan membuat Jonathan mempunyai semangat kuat, kemampuan inovasi, keberanian untuk tidak menyerah, hasrat untuk tahu dan mengerti, dan cinta untuk menolong orang lain. Semangat kuat mendorongnya bekerja lebih keras dan berjuang melakukan apapun untuk mencapai terbang pada kecepatan tinggi. Kemampuan inovasi membuatnya mampu mencari cara yang berbeda dalam mengatasi hambatan dan mencapai terbang pada kecepatan tinggi dan terkendali. Keberanian untuk tidak menyerah memotivasinya untuk menghadapi dan mengatasi hambatan dan kegagalan untuk mencapai terbang lebih lama di udara dengan sedikit usaha. Hasrat untuk tahu dan mengerti membuatnya tahu siapa dia sebenarnya dan apa dan bagaiman dia harus mencapai kecepatan sempurna. Cinta menolong orang lain membantu dan memberikan umpan balik kepada Jonathan dan muridnya dalam mencapai apa yang mereka inginkan.
Akhinya, penulis memberikan beberapa saran untuk penelitian yang akan datang. Penulis juga memberikan saran-saran mengenai penerapan novelette ini dalam pengajaran Bahasa Inggris dalam mata kuliah paragraph writing dengan topik menulisnarrative paragraphs.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of six parts. They are the background of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of the terms. The background of the study tells about why I chose literature, and the novelette as my topic of study. The problem formulation is in the next part presenting two problems followed by objectives of the study. Benefits of the study show the uses of this study for the students and readers. The last part is definition of terms that presents some specific terms needed to be clarified.
1.1 Background of the Study
Everyone who lives in this world wants to be happy and to reach what he or she wants. In other words people have an intense need to achieve their goal of life. According to David C. McClelland with his achievement motivation theory states that achievement motivated people seek achievement, attainment of realistic but challenging goals, and advancement in the job. There is a strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress, and a need for a sense of accomplishment (248). Therefore, in this globalization era today where people are competing each other to reach their goals, achievement motivation is one of the keys for people in achieving their goal successfully or not successfully.
Nowadays, with the globalization era and the condition of Indonesia that is in the crisis, people have to work much harder in order to achieve their goal of
life. Of course all people want to achieve their goal of life successfully but this is not an easy process since people will find obstacles or even may fail to reach what they want. This reality of life is very interesting for the writer to reveal what and how aspects of life affect one’s achievement. Therefore, the writer chooses this study on literature because through literature people can learn and see a reflection of values of a society. According to Wellek and Warren’s Theory of Literature (36), literature is a source of knowledge that is very important for everyone who wants to enrich his comprehension of the world and its society. As one of literary works, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a fable that contains many aspects of human behavior as reflected in its characters of seagulls community are interesting to be analyzed. Jonathan’s passion to achieve what he wants in learning more about flying is a metaphor for human’s struggle in achieving his or her goal of life.
1.2 Problem Formulation
Based on the novelette and the background, the writer formulated these problems as follows:
1. What is perfection as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull?
2. How does learning in perfection affect one’s achievement as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to answer the two problems above:
1. To find out what perfection is as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
2. To find out how learning in perfection affects one’s achievement as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
1.4 Benefits of the Study
successful achievement as reflected in Jonathan’s successful achievement of being perfect in flying.
For the students, this study hopefully contributes in encouraging them to take literature as a medium that can give pleasure and especially give understanding of values of life supporting their achievements. Furthermore, students can apply and practice the concept of learning in perfection in achieving their goal of life besides the opportunity to practice the skill to understand a literary work.
1.5 Definition of Terms
It is important to know the terms of learning, perfection, learning in perfection and need for achievement in this study because they are significant. They are:
1. According to Hergenhahn’s definition: “Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavioral potentiality that occurs as a result of experience or practice” (2). In this study, the term of learning is used to analyze and describe the process of Jonathan’s learning in achieving his being able to be perfect in flying.
3. Based on the definitions of learning and perfection above, so learning in perfection means a relatively permanent change in behavioral potentiality that occurs as a result of experience or practice of completeness and actualization of human person who finds in existence. In this study, this term of learning in perfection is used to analyze how learning in perfection influences Jonathan’s achievement of being perfect in flying.
CHAPTER 2
THEORETICAL REVIEW
This chapter covers two main parts. The first part is review of related theories that only contains the reviews of the most relevant theories for answering the problems stated in chapter 1 of this thesis. The second part is theoretical framework that explains the contribution of the theories and reviews in solving the problems of this study.
2.1 Review of Related Theories 2.1.1 Theory of Critical Approach
Critical approach is literary criticism that attempts to describe, study, analyze, justify, interpret, and evaluate a work of art. In other words, it attempts to formulate aesthetic and methodological principles on which the critic can evaluate a text. When analyzing a text, literary critics ask basic questions concerning the philosophical, psychological, functional, and descriptive nature of the text itself. Literary critics involve themselves in either theoretical or practical criticism. Theoretical criticism formulates the theories, principles, and tenets of the nature and value of art. Practical criticism applies the theories and tenets of theoretical criticism to a particular work. Using the theories and principles of theoretical criticism, the practical critic defines the standards of taste and explains, evaluates, or justifies a particular piece of literature (Bressler 4-5). In this study, the writer
uses two critical approaches. They are psychological and moral-philosophical approaches.
2.1.1.1 Theory of Psychological Approach
Psychological approach involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. Most frequently, psychological critics apply Freudian psychology to works. Freud’s exploration of the unconscious area of the human mind led him to the conclusion that it was this area that was the wellspring of man’s rich imagination, his capacity for creation, and the complexity of his thought and behavior, and that the contents of this region of the mind found expression in symbolic words, thoughts, and actions (Rohrberger and Woods 13-14).
Freud divides the psyche into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the irrational, instinctual, unknown, and unconscious part of the psyche. The id wishes only to fulfill the urges of the pleasure principle. The id operates on impulse, wanting immediate satisfaction for all its instinctual desires (Bressler 150).
The third part of the psyche, the superego, acts as an internal censor, causing us to make moral judgments in light of social pressures. In contrast to the id, the superego operates according to the morality principle and serves primarily to protect society and us from the id. Representing all of society’s moral restrictions, the superego serves as a filtering agent, suppressing the desires and instincts forbidden by society and thrusting them back into the unconscious (Bressler 151).
2.1.1.2 Theory of Moral Philosophical Approach
Many people, including some philosophers, when they read one of the great novels often have the feeling that it has something of ‘philosophical’ importance to communicate. It is not that, generally speaking, novels tell us how to live, how society should be organized or what is right or wrong, though a few purport to; but that they in some way deepen, broaden or challenge our sense of the ethical and its place in our lives. Therefore, there would be a close relationship between such works of literature and philosophical enquiry (Horton 70).
In addition, one should not understate the extent to which there has been some mutual influence between literature and philosophy. Just as some novelists have employed philosophical ideas in their novels, so some philosophers have used novels for philosophical purposes, including the use of fictional forms to express their philosophy (Horton 72).
Moreover, according to Martha Nussbaum in Bressler’s book, literary form is not separable from philosophical content, but is, itself, a part of content— an integral part, then, of the search for and the statement of truth (Horton 73).
2.1.2 Theory of Learning
those responses that lead to reinforcement will be learned. Therefore, learning is a relatively permanent change in behavioral potentiality that occurs as a result of experience or practice (Hergenhahn 2).
2.1.3 Theory of Perfection
The most valuable item in the universe is man. He alone is the image of his Creator. Man alone has divinity for his destiny (Cronan 3). Moreover, the ideas of man as self positively are built from our bodily continuity, from our experience of sequential thinking, from our acceptance of responsibility for our decisions and actions, and from the consistency with which those we love and all those we relate to treat to us (O’Connell 94). Cronan said that man is a human being who is attracted to perfection to make the goodness of anything (21). In the Thomistic system, perfection is the actual existent, and is in fact its term of measurement: something is perfect just as far as it actually is (Cronan 23-24). Therefore, human perfection is the completeness and actualization of human person who finds in existence.
2.1.3.1 Superiority of Mind
Reason is the key to man. All the superiorities observable in the human person are traceable to the possession of that one root power which is his specific difference: rationality. By this he surpasses the rest of creation not only in his specific power, but because through it he elevates those lower powers which he has in common with lower creatures, complete the universe, and perfects himself (Cronan 57).
Man’s unique superiority to other creatures is seen in his intellectual operation with regard to other existents. He can follow the universal dynamic order consciously, and further it by rational foresight, in himself, and through others, and thus not only possess a superior nature, but perfect his inferiors by the operation of his own natural superiority which sublimates them in a higher mode (Cronan 61-62).
2.1.3.2 Supremacy of Will and Free Will
It is his rationality that gives man superiority of choice and dominance over himself, over his actions, and over the goods he may make use of, and it is in the operation of this free activity that man not only is constituted in a greater operative perfection, but achieves his own further perfecting, his further actuality; and then also, with the retroaction of values, he himself gains even greater perfection because the perfective use of his powers has perfected the universe more, by his free creation of further actualities in it. He is the master of the means of perfection themselves, a position of likeness to the omnipotent and free Creator’s governance of Himself and all else (Cronan 71).
Allers suggest that the primal and double driving powers in humans are the will to power and the will to community. The goal of the first is self-preservation and complete realization of self and the goal of the latter is to further realization of self in others, called love. In addition, Allers insists that there is always present a consideration of value that “every being tends toward the good” (Aristotelian and Thomistic axiom). It is because the drive potentials operate, and seek their completion in acts which will perfect personality and extend personal dignity (Cronan 13).
movement we call “life,” which, when completed in the realization of those perfectible energies, is “perfected” (Cronan 16).
2.1.3.3 Man and Creator: His Perfection
Man is not God, only his faint and imperfect image. It is not that man is a perfected and completed image, but is created “into the image,” that is, in some image, and with perfectible powers to improve that image. And yet however perfected he becomes man is always a very imperfect and incomplete image of the original, since it is the infinite God he is the image of (Cronan 97).
The image of God in man’s personal nature is a natural aptitude to know and love God, with consequent operative capacities to do this, including a rational recognition of the created functional aim of these abilities. The image grows in further and further immanent acts of intellect and will by which self-perfection remains most human, and yet in that same human imitation, becomes most divine when the object of those acts which perfect himself is identical with the object of divine intelligence and will, God Himself (Cronan 112). Therefore, man with his rationality surpasses other creatures and makes him the natural image of the Creator’s nature. Because of that man alone is an image because of his intelligence alone, the image of God exists in his spiritual and rational principle, not in his body (Cronan 92-95).
divine perfection in creation, one can “trace back” the power and causality of God. From an image, one can see reflected what kind of person He is, and if a creature so images, he can do so only in the degree he shares that nature in his own manner and proportion. Therefore the quality of the image will indicate the “quantity” of that creature’s share in the original perfection and be a true measure of his value or dignity, which is existential perfection (Cronan 32).
In conclusion, we do not acquire love of God: it is in us, His participating images, and we perfect ourselves as we develop it in awareness, as we educate ourselves to it. So there is something common between him and God, some connaturality by which he naturally knows and loves Him who completely transcends man, because He is also immanent in him (Cronan 111).
2.1.3.4 Man and Men: His Perfecting
It has been seen that, by nature, man imitates God in his tendency and power to communicate the goodness of his being and to create under God, new being. Because of this, the moving energy of his communicative will demands a society through which he can communicate his own goodness to other persons in imitation of his Creator, and to fulfill the demands of his own inherent goodness which is essentially distributive; and secondly, the dynamic potentials within the individual person for free development need society because his will needs the social group for the materials of goodness he can choose and upon which he can then freely operate in achieving further goodness himself by incorporating them or their effects into himself. This reciprocal movement of will in the group is something without which the individual cannot achieve perfection his due human dignity. It is part of a personal nature to have an inner ontological urge to communicate the goodness of knowledge and of love. Only society can provide him with the conditions of existence and development he needs to satisfy this driving energy to communicate perfection, the stuff of his decisions, his choices, his desires, his love (Cronan 139).
surrounding instrumental milieu for the realization of each individual’s perfectible potentials (Cronan 129).
2.1.4 Theory of Need for Achievement
People always have their goals of life and they do everything to achieve them. The question is why they do everything to reach their dreams or their goals of life. In other words, what motive that supports one’s achievement. According to McClelland achievement is a more generic term that can be applied to achieving the goals for any motive (249). McClelland defines motive of achievement as “performing in terms standard of excellent or, simply, as desire to be successful” (99). In addition, according to Murray need for achievement is a desire or tendency to overcome obstacles, to exercise power, to strive to do something difficult as well and as quickly as possible (Beck 317).
According to Raynor most performances in life are perceived as part of some overall framework and as steps on the way to a goal. He said that Individuals high need for achievement ought to work harder at a task that they perceived as important for future success than at a task of lesser importance (McClelland 500-501).
In addition, Atkinson achievement motivation model explains that success in an immediate step is necessary to earn the opportunity to move on the next step (McClelland 501). It is called contingent paths. In accordance to that, Raynor explains that if on such paths the probability of success declines from step to step, subjects high in need for achievement work much harder than those low in need for achievement. Since subjects high in need for achievement believe their success is due to ability, they will continue to work harder even as the task gets more and more difficult. Therefore, the importance of the goal, like the contingent path variable, interacts with the achievement motive to influence what the subjects do (McClelland 503).
2.2 Theoretical Framework
The theory of moral-philosophical approach is used as a tool to describe and analyze perfection as the content of Jonathan’s learning process to reach his achievement of being perfect in flying. To get a deep understanding, the writer uses theory of perfection to analyze Jonathan’s ambition to be perfect in flying. Therefore, this theory is used to help to figure out what kind of Jonathan’s perfection is in the novelette.
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
This chapter covers three main parts. The first part is the subject of the study. The second part is the approach of the study. Then the third part is the method of the study. The subject of the study describes the description of the work analyzed and what the work is generally about. The second part reveals the approach used in analyzing the subject of this study. In the last part, the way taken in analyzing the subject of this study is described.
3.1 Subject of the Study
The subject of this study is Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a fable in novelette, written by Richard Bach with photographs by Russell Munson. First published in 1970 by Avon Books and it became a favorite on American university campuses. By the end of 1972, over a million copies were in print and the book reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list where it remained for 38 weeks. Moreover, in 1973 Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull inspired the production of a motion picture of the same title (wikipedia).
Jonathan Livingston Seagull tells the readers about a seagull learning about perfection in order to be able to be perfect in flying as his achievement of life. The novelette begins with his passion for flight that makes him banished to a solitary life on the far cliffs; he is excluded from his flock. Here, the readers can see his change as he learns to solve his fear and doubt; to learn to rely on himself.
Then, Jonathan is met by two seagulls who take him to a higher place where he meets other seagulls who love to fly. Here, the readers can see his learning process in achieving his being able to be perfect in flying with the help of his highly experienced teacher, Chiang. Jonathan’s learning process in perfection to achieve his being able to be perfect in flying becomes the interesting thing to know how learning in perfection influence one’s achievement.
3.2 Approach of the Study
The approaches used in analyzing this study were psychological approach and moral-philosophical approach. According to Lewis Leary’s A Study and Research Guide, a psychological approach is an approach that applies principles of modern psychology to characters or situations within a literary work or to the person who wrote that work (57). The focus of this study is on some principles of modern psychology to character within a literary work. Therefore, I used psychological approach to examine the Jonathan character that showed some principles of modern psychology that is learning process and need for achievement.
perfection as the content of Jonathan’s learning process influencing his achieving in being able to be perfect in flying.
3.3 Method of the Study
This study was a library method with Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a novelette written by Richard Bach as the primary source. In addition, the secondary sources were taken from several books, such as Motivation Theories and Principles, Psychology of Learning, and Dignity of Human Person. I took several steps in order to answer the two problems formulated in chapter 1. The first step was that I read the primary source that is the novelette Jonathan Livingston Seagull to get a better understanding of the story. This step helped me find out interesting topic to be revealed in this study. I decided to choose the influence of learning in perfection on one’s achievement as the topic of this study. From this topic I formulated two problems to be discussed further.
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer discusses the answers to the problem formulation. This chapter is divided into two main parts. In the first part, the writer analyzes and describes what perfection is as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull. In the second part, the writer analyzes the influences of learning in perfection on one’s achievement as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
4.1 Perfection as Reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull According to Cronan, the most valuable item in the universe is man. He alone is the image of his Creator (3). Man is born and lives as self and with others. Therefore, the analysis of what perfection revealed in the novelette through the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull is mainly focused on three sections. They are perfection within self and others and with the Other.
4.1.1 Perfection within Self
According to James O’Connell, the ideas of the self positively are built from our bodily continuity, from our experience of sequential thinking, from our acceptance of responsibility for our decisions and actions, and from the consistency with which those we love and all those we relate to treat to us (94). It shows that actually there are three main things related to the self. They are the one
that is related to the body, the second one is related to mind and free will and the other one is related to others or the external world.
In this analysis and discussion, the writer does not include the body into account in analyzing what perfection is since it is not the body which gives the power to perfect oneself. Jonathan says, “Your whole body, from wingtip to wingtip is nothing more than your thought itself, in a form you can see. Break the chains of your thought, and you break the chains of your body” (Bach 76-77).
self in these aspects as reflected in the character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull is the main point in these specific sections.
4.1.1.1 Perfection and Rationality
Jonathan Livingston Seagull loves to fly and he is eager to achieve to be perfect in flying whereas the other seagulls do not bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight—how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight (Bach 14). The question is why Jonathan wants to perfect himself in flying.
One day in the morning, his parents ask him, ”Why, Jon, why? Why is it so hard to be like the rest of the flock, Jon? Why can’t you leave low flying to the pelicans, the albatross? Why don’t you eat? Jon, you’re bone and feathers?” and then Jonathan answers, “I don’t mind being bone and feathers, Mum. I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can’t, that’s all. I just want to know” (Bach 14).
From that conversation, it shows that Jonathan has a reason why he wants to perfect himself in flying that is because he wants to know what he can and cannot do in the air. It denotes me that in perfection there is a reason as a manifestation of mind rationality that motivates someone to perfect himself.
reason becomes the key in perfection. Jonathan’s reason of wanting to know of what he can and he cannot do in the air becomes the realistic standard of perfection. There is a process of learning to know and accept of what man can and cannot do. Thus, perfection works in the frame of rationality.
When Jonathan finally achieves a perfect speed in flying, Chiang who is the eldest teacher says, “It always works, when you know what you’re doing” (Bach 59-60). It shows that knowing what we are doing is connected with the awareness of our mind works in controlling ourselves. Therefore, in perfection there is also awareness of doing something. It is also supported by Cronan’s theory that states that man with his rationality is given the power to think critically in its intellectual operation to follow the universal dynamic order consciously, and further it by rational foresight, in himself, and through others (62). Therefore, rationality in human’s mind empowers man to see what he can and cannot do consciously and perfect himself.
4.1.1.2 Perfection and Free Will
Jonathan Livingston Seagull’s passion to perfect himself in flying makes him banished to a solitary life on the far cliffs. He is excluded from his flock because he has violated the dignity and tradition of the Gull Family.
To be centred for shame meant that he would be cast out of gull society, banished to a solitary life on the Far Cliffs.
and then, Jonathan speaks back to the Council Flock. It can be seen as follows: “Irresponsibility? My brothers!” he cried. ”Who is more responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purpose for life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now we have a reason to live – to learn, to discover, to be free! Give me one chance, let me show you what I’ve found…” (Bach 35).
What I want to show here is that in perfection there is freedom to do will. Jonathan knows what it is that attracts him that is to learn to perfect himself in flying, to discover, to be free. He is attracted to unlimited goodness of being perfect in flying since according to him it gives him a higher purpose for life that is to be free, to be a creature of excellence and intelligence and skill.
How much more there is now to living! Instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly! (Bach 27). It shows that Jonathan can find himself as a creature of excellence and intelligence and skill because he has tried to dig out his potential in flying. He is attracted to learn to perfect his ability in flying because he is attracted in the unlimited goodness of being perfect in flying: excellence, intelligence and skill. Because of that he can know of what he can and cannot do in the air. This happens because he has courage to decide to perfect himself. It shows that perfection works in the frame of power of choice to act or not. In other words, he is aware of his freedom to do his will; he is master of himself.
4.1.2 Perfection within Self and the Other
One day when Jonathan becomes an instructor and has six students who are curious and very eager to learn about the new idea of flight for reaching the high performance of flying that is to be perfect in flying, he says that there is a reason behind the matter of being perfect in flying.
“Each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull, an unlimited idea of freedom,” Jonathan would say in the evenings on the beach, “and precision flying is a step toward expressing our real nature. Everything that limits us we have to put aside” (Bach 76).
Each of us is in truth an idea of the Great Gull. It indicates that each of them actually has something that is related to their Great Gull, to their God. According to Cronan, man is the image of God. What does it mean? In what proportion man is God-like since human being and the other creatures are imperfect. Only God is the only perfect.
Therefore man is imperfect but man can perfect himself since he is the image of God. The image of God means that there is nature of God living in man’s value. Since the image cannot be the real so man is always a very imperfect but with His nature living in man’s value, man can improve and perfect himself in its proportion and capacity as like. The question is what makes man is God-like or in what proportion man is the image of God.
the more we perfect ourselves by improving and searching the unlimited goodness, the more we participate in His perfection.
We do not acquire love of God: it is in us, His participating images, and we perfect ourselves as we develop it in awareness, as we educate ourselves to it. So there is something common between him and God, some connaturality by which he naturally knows and loves Him who completely transcends man, because He is also immanent in him (Cronan 111).
Jonathan’s learning in perfection in flying shows that he is aware of His participating images in his rationality and free will that give him freedom to be what he wants: to learn to perfect himself in flying. Therefore, like what Jonathan says that precision flying is a step toward expressing our real nature: an idea of the Great Gull (Bach 76).
4.1.3 Perfection within Self and Others
In the novelette, after Jonathan achieves some level in flying, Chiang who is the eldest teacher says that the most powerful and the most fun of all in perfection is to know the meaning of kindness and of love.
“I don’t understand how you manage to love a mob of birds that has just tried to kill you.”
“Oh, Fletch, you don’t love that! You don’t love hatred and evil, of course. You have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it in themselves. That’s what I mean by love. It’s fun, when you get the knack of it” (Bach 91).
Therefore, perfection meets its full completeness and actualization in loving others to help them see their real goodness as the image of God and by this sharing of perfection within self and others in reciprocal will complete and perfect oneself. This is also stated by Cronan that human person’s power-values are actualized only in the person-milieu in which he acts, the stimulant environment which is labeled “society.” In reciprocal actions, a human person “accumulates” perfections through others, and communicates to them the sharing in his own, or the stimulus to develop their own (125).
4.2 The Influences of Learning in Perfection on One’s Achievement as Reflected in the Character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull
At the previous part, the writer has analyzed what perfection is as the content of Jonathan’s learning process to reach his achievement of being perfect in flying. Cronan states that man is attracted to perfection to make the goodness of anything (21). On the other hand, the motive of achievement is performing in terms standard of excellent (McClelland 99). Making the goodness of anything means that there is a motive to perform or to do something excellent. It shows that there is a correlation between perfection and achievement. Therefore, in this part, through the main character of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the writer analyzes how and what the effects of learning in perfection influence one’s achievement.
4.2.1 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievements on Earth
This part is the beginning of the story where the author explains why Jonathan wants to learn and practice about flying. More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loves to fly. The reason is because he wants to know what he can and cannot do in the air (Bach 14). This kind of thinking motivates him to learn more about flying. It shows that his learning in perfection to know what he can and cannot do in the air makes him have higher achievements to know and learn more than the simplest flight.
Most gulls don’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight— how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly (Bach 14).
It shows that perfection that is to make the goodness of anything motivates Jonathan to improve his ability in flying. To make the goodness of anything in Jonathan’s case is to make an excellence in flying; to improve and make his ability in flying performed well. Because of that he loves to fly. He wants to learn more about flying. He has a higher goal in flying: to learn more about flying. He learns about flying at low speed, flying at high speed and other findings in flying. His reason to know what he can and cannot do in the air becomes his motivation to perfect himself in flying. As Cronan states that reason becomes the key to man and it is the result of human’s rationality. By this, man perfects himself (57).
in flying as his successful higher achievements on earth. Those influences are explained below.
4.2.1.1 Jonathan’s Courage to Never Give Up
Jonathan’s passion to perfect himself in flying becomes his goal of life. The reason why he wants to perfect himself in flying is because he wants to know what he can and cannot do in the air. This kind of thinking motivates him to learn more about flying. He begins with his curiosity about slow and low flying above the water.
He lowered his webbed feet, lifted his beak, and strained to hold a painful hard twisting curve through his wings. The curve meant that he would fly slowly, and now he slowed until the wind was a whisper in his face, until the ocean stood still beneath him. He narrowed his eyes in fierce concentration, held his breath, forced one single more inch of curve. Then his feathers ruffled, he stalled and fell (Bach 13).
Although he stalls and falls, but he does not give up to learn about slow and low flying. He still tries to make hundreds of low-level glides, experimenting (Bach 14). Moreover, seagulls never falter, never stall. To stall in the air is for them disgrace and it is dishonour. Nevertheless, Jonathan is unashamed and stretches his wings again in that trembling hard curve—slowing, slowing and stalling once more (Bach 13). Finally he can stay in the air longer, with less effort by flying at altitudes less than half his wingspan above the water.
It shows that his reason to know what he can and cannot do in low flying motivates him to keep learning, experimenting and doing hundreds of low-level glides until finally he can know how to stay in the air longer with less effort. Therefore, his learning in perfection to know what he can and cannot do in the air makes him have great courage to never give up in learning about low flying. His courage to never give up has helped and given him a great contribution in his achievement of knowing how to stay in the air longer with less effort.
Thereby, the courage to never give up is important in achievement because it can support and strengthen one’s motivation to face and to overcome difficult obstacles and or failures like what Jonathan has showed. Although he stalls and falls at the first learning, but he still tries hundreds of low-level glides until he finally can know how to fly longer in the air with less effort.
This is supported by Murray’s theory in Beck’s book that states that need for achievement is a desire or tendency to overcome obstacles, to exercise power, to strive to do something difficult as well and as quickly as possible (317). Therefore, Jonathan’s courage to never give up has given a significant contribution and a good effect in the need for achievement since it strengthens one’s motivation to overcome obstacles like what Jonathan has showed.
4.2.1.2 Jonathan’s Strong Spirit
next few days Jonathan tries to behave like the other gulls, but then, he realizes that it is all so pointless. He thinks that deliberately dropping a hard-won anchovy to a hungry old gull chasing him, he can be spending all this time learning to fly.
Jonathan nodded obediently. For the next few days he tried to behave like the other gulls; he really tried, screeching and fighting with the flock around the piers and fishing boats, diving on scraps of fish and bread. But he couldn’t make it work.
It’s all so pointless, he thought, deliberately dropping a hard-won anchovy to a hungry old gull chasing him. I could be spending all this time learning to fly. There’s so much to learn!
It wasn’t long before Jonathan Gull was off by himself again, far out sea, hungry, happy, learning (Bach 15).
It shows that Jonathan’s learning in perfection makes Jonathan have strong spirit. Jonathan had tried to behave like the other gulls but he found that it was all so pointless and he decided to spend his time to learn to fly instead. It shows that Jonathan is aware of what it is that attracts him and his decision to choose his choice to learn in flying instead of screeching and fighting with the flock to find and eat scraps of fish is a proof that his free will to perfect himself in learning more about flying makes him have strong spirit to achieve it.
Jonathan is attracted to learn more in flying because he wants to know what he can and cannot do in the air. He uses his rationality to see what he can and cannot do in the air and perfect himself. His rationality has given him an awareness to know what it is that attracts him and by this he has been given the power to follow his will as his choice of means. It is supported by Cronan’s theory. It can be seen as follows:
constituted in a greater operative perfection, but achieves his own further perfecting, his further actuality (71).
Therefore, his learning in perfection makes him have strong spirit to act to do his will and achieve it. It can be seen when Jonathan says that there is so much to learn. He is very eager to learn in flying. He is happy to learn in flying. That is the proof that his will to perfect himself; to know what he can and cannot do in the air makes him have strong spirit. The question is then how this effect influences one’s achievement. It can be seen from Jonathan’s learning process of successful achievement in flying at high speed.
After learning about low flying, he wants to know what he can and cannot do in flying at high speed. He learns about speed and in a week’s practice he learns more about speed than the fastest gull alive. He learns why seagulls do not make blazing steep power-dives (Bach 15). He learns how to do that. The author describes it vividly. It can be seen when he lost control at high speed many times but he did not give up and was eager to find the way how to control it at high speed. His strong spirit pushes him to do anything to achieve how to fly at high speed. Even the goal becomes more difficult but he still strives to achieve it. His strong spirit pushes him to work harder to achieve how to fly at high speed.
Ten times he tried, and all ten times, as he passed through seventy miles per hour, he burst into a churning mass of feathers, out of control, crashing down into the water. The key, he thought at last, dripping wet, must be to hold the wings still at high speeds—to flap up to fifty and then hold the wings still (Bach 20).
the effect of having strong spirit will motivate someone to strive to do anything to achieve his goal as well and as quickly as possible like what Jonathan has showed; in a week’s practice he learns more about speed than the fastest gull alive.
4.2.1.3 Jonathan’s Innovative Ability
Jonathan’s strong spirit has pushed and motivated him to strive to find the way how to fly at high speed. Finally he finds the way to fly at high speed by flapping up to fifty and then holding the wings still. Jonathan set a world speed record for seagulls.
From two thousand feet he tried again, rolling into his dive, beak straight down, wings full out and stable from the moment he passed fifty miles per hour. It took tremendous strength, but it worked. In ten seconds he had blurred through ninety miles per hour. Jonathan had set a world speed record for seagulls! (Bach 20).
His successful achievement of knowing how to fly at high speed and of setting a world speed record is followed by another problem that is how to do a pullout at that speed in its vertical dive. In other words how to fly at high speed and to control it. When he begins his pullout by changing the angle of his wings, he snaps into the same terrible uncontrolled disaster.
The instant he began his pullout, the instant he changed the angle of his wings, he snapped into that same terrible uncontrolled disaster, and at ninety miles per hour it hit him like dynamite. Jonathan Seagull exploded in midair and smashed down into a brick-hard sea (Bach 20).
His wings were ragged bars of lead, but the weight of failure was even heavier on his back. He wished, feebly, that the weight could be just enough to drag him gently down to the bottom, and end it all.
My father was right. I must forget this foolishness. I must fly home to the Flock and be content as I am, as a poor limited seagull.
But no, he thought. I am done with the way I was, I am done with everything I learned. I am a seagull like every other seagull, and I will fly like one. So he climbed painfully to a hundred feet and flapped his wings harder, pressing for shore (Bach 21).
It is rationality which gives man intellectual operation to perfect himself (Cronan 61). Jonathan’s rationality to know what he can and cannot do empowers him to make a reflection and evaluation of what he has done. It can be seen after his failure in doing his pullout in its vertical dive.
As he sank low in the water, a strange hollow voice sounded within him. There’s no way around it. I am a seagull. I am limited by my nature. If I were meant to learn so much about flying, I’d have charts for brains. If I were meant to fly at speed, I’d have a falcon’s short wings, and live on mice instead of fish (Bach 21).
should do in order to fly at high speed that is he should have a falcon’s short wings.
There in the night, a hundred feet in the air, Jonathan Livingston Seagull—blinked. His pain, his resolutions, vanished.
Short wings. A falcon’s short wings!
That’s the answer! What a fool I’ve been! All I need is a tiny little wing, all I need is to fold most of my wings and fly on just the tips alone! Short wings! (Bach 24).
It shows that learning in perfection makes him have innovative ability to find, to seek out, and to do different ways in order to solve the obstacles and to achieve what he wants. In the oxford advanced learner’s dictionary, innovative means introducing or using new ideas, techniques, etc. Therefore, someone who has innovative ability is the one who has the ability to find out new ideas or techniques in doing things. In other words he has the ability to find different ways of doing things. Having innovative ability in achievement means he or she has the ability to find new techniques and use them in order to achieve his or her goal.
Learning in perfection to know what he can and cannot do empowers Jonathan to find a new technique how to fly at high speed that is to use short wings; to fold most of his wings and fly on just the tips alone. It is the proof that his learning in perfection makes Jonathan have innovative ability.
someone find new techniques to achieve what he or she wants like what Jonathan has showed.
The wind was a monster roar at his head. Seventy miles per hour, ninety, a hundred and twenty and faster still. The wing-strain now at a hundred and forty miles per hour wasn’t nearly as hard as it had been before at seventy, and with the faintest twist of his wingtips he eased out of the dive and shot above the waves, a grey cannonball under the moon. He closed his eyes to slits against the wind and rejoiced. A hundred forty miles per hour! And under control! (Bach 25).
Jonathan’s innovative ability helps him learn and achieve how to fly at high speed and under control. Moreover, it also helps him find other findings in flying. He discovered the loop, the slow roll, the point roll, the inverted spin, the gull bunt, the pinwheel (Bach 27).
4.2.2 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievement in Heaven
One school is finished, and the time has come for another to begin (Bach 47). Jonathan flies to heaven to learn more about perfection and achieves a perfect speed in flying.
Learning in perfection means learning to perfect himself for the sake of the unlimited goodness of anything in which human’s rationality and free will as the image of God is realized and attracted. His perfection meets its full completeness and actualization into existence through others in which he can share, learn, and communicate to find the good in every one of themselves.
and understand helps Jonathan reach a perfect speed in flying as his achievement in heaven.
When he arrives in heaven, his feathers glows brilliant white and his wings are smooth and perfect as sheets of polished silver. With his new wings, Jonathan is more eager to learn about perfect speed. He finds that why though it is much faster than his old level-flight record but it is still a limit that will take great effort to crack. In heaven, he thinks that there should be no limits (Bach 51).
When he is out with his instructor, Jonathan thinks that why there are few gulls in heaven (Bach 53). Moreover, when the gulls that are not night-flying stand together on the sand, Jonathan asks Chiang whether there is such place as heaven (Bach 55).
All of those questions show that his learning to perfect himself in flying makes him have a high desire to know and understand about anything for the sake of satisfying his learning in flying. His question of why there are few gulls in heaven helps him know who he really is and he is pretty well a one-in-a-million bird that differs him with the flock believing eating is the only matter of life. It helps him know and understand that there is more to life than eating, or fighting, or power in the flock (Bach 54).
“Where is everybody, Sullivan?” he asked silently, quite at home now with the easy telepathy that these gulls used instead of screes and gracks. “Why are’t there more of us here? Why, where I came from there were…” “…thousands and thousands of gulls. I know.” Sullivan shook his head. “The only answer I can see, Jonathan, is that you are pretty well a one-in-a-million bird. Most of us came along ever so slowly (Bach 53).
important to achieve what he wants since we choose our next world through what we learn in this perfection. Learn nothing, and the next world is the same as this one, all the same limitations and lead weights to overcome (Bach 54). It is true since someone who learns in perfection shows that he is aware of his ability in rationality and free will as the image of God that can empower him to improve and perfect himself to achieve what he or she wants.
Choosing the next world through what we learn in this perfection means that how man reaches what he or she wants is influenced by learning in using the intellectual operation of human mind: rationality as the image of God to know what it is that attracts him, to follow his free will, to respond and evaluate what he has done in order to solve obstacles and find a better ways in reaching what he or she wants. It is also supported by Gestalt theory that states that learning is a cognitive phenomenon. The learner thinks about all of the ingredients necessary to solve a problem and puts them together (cognitively) first one way and then another until the problem is solved (Hergenhahn and Olson 261). Therefore, learning in perfection that is the unlimited goodness of anything in which human’s rationality and free will as the image of God is realized and attracted will influence human’s process learning in solving obstacles and in achieving what he or she wants.
only matter of life becomes their reason to live. Rationality coupled with free will also empower the flock to choose the way they live. Because of that there are few gulls in heaven since most of the gulls on earth shut their eyes toward perfection: to make the unlimited goodness of anything. They use their wings as means to the end of finding and fighting for food (Bach 53). Because of that their life is so short and meaningless. They do not realize that they can learn, discover, and be free. They do not realize that they are creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill (Bach 27). It becomes the reason why there are few gulls in heaven and why there are thousands of gulls on earth. It is because they do not want to learn about perfection in flying. Thus, Jonathan’s high desire to know and understand makes him know of what he is learning and how it has changed him so he becomes more confident and it guides him in achieving what he wants.
His other questions of why he feels there is a limit in speed whereas in heaven he thinks that there should be no limits, of whether there is such place as heaven also help him achieve a perfect speed in flying. Chiang answers that heaven is not a place and it is not a time. Heaven is being perfect.
You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there (Bach 55).
Chiang spoke slowly and watched the younger gull ever so carefully. “To fly as fast as thought, to anywhere that is,” he said, “you must begin by knowing that you have already arrived…”
The trick, according to Chiang, was for Jonathan to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body that had a forty-two-inch wingspan and performance that could be plotted on a chart. The trick was to know that his true nature lived as perfect as unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time (Bach 58-59).
The answers of his high desire to know and understand help him know what he should do and then guide him to solve obstacles and achieve his goal. It is also supported by Maslow that states that desire to know and understand is related to the satisfaction of the basic needs. It is related to the ability to satisfy all human needs. In other words, knowing and understanding are thought to be tools used in solving problems and overcoming obstacles (Hergenhan and Olson 480). His high desire to know and understand has helped him know and understand who he really is, what and how he should achieve a perfect speed as his achievement in heaven.
Then one day Jonathan, standing on the shore, closing his eyes, concentrating, all in a flash knew what Chiang had been telling him. “Why, that’s true! I am a perfect, unlimited gull!” He felt a great shock of joy.
“Good!” said Chiang, and there was victory in his voice. Jonathan opened his eyes. He stood alone with the Elder on a totally different seashore— trees down to the water’s edge, twin yellow suns turning overhead (Bach 59).
4.2.3 Influences on Jonathan’s Achievement as an Instructor on Earth
states that there are two kinds of will. They are will to power and the will to community. The goal of the first is self-preservation and complete realization of self and the goal of the latter is to further realization of self in others, called love (13). By this will to community, people actualize and complete their perfection each other.
Therefore, Jonathan’s learning in perfection meets its full completeness and actualization by becoming a successful teacher in helping his students learn in flying to achieve what they want. It does not mean that by learning in perfection it must make someone become a teacher but at this stage the writer finds that in achieving something it needs others to help and perfect each other. It can be seen from Jonathan’s knowing and understanding about perfection in helping and guiding his students achieve what they want in flying.
Every hour Jonathan was there at the side of each of his students, demonstrating, suggesting, pressuring, guiding. He flew with them through night and cloud and storm, for the sport of it, while the Flock huddled miserably on the ground (Bach 79).
Therefore, learning in perfection makes Jonathan love others. Love in here means to help others see the goodness of anything in every one of them.
“I don’t understand how you manage to love a mob of birds that has just tried to kill you.”
“Oh, Fletch, you don’t love that! You don’t love hatred and evil, of course. You have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it in themselves. That’s what I mean by love. It’s fun, when you get the knack of it” (Bach 91).
do something difficult as well and as quickly as possible needs situations in which people have personal responsibility for the outcome and that give them feedback on how well they are doing (McClelland 595). In knowing how well they are doing it needs others to give them feedback and or comparison whether he or she is more capable of doing something. In other words, love to help each other will help and give them feedback in the process of achievement. This feedback can be in the form of anything. It can be a suggestion, a pressure, or a demonstration. Therefore, love to help others will help and guide others achieve what they want like what Jonathan has showed in loving to help his students learn in flying.
Love to help others see the goodness in every one of them has helped Kirk Maynard Gull to learn to fly. Maynard Gull cannot move his wings and asks Jonathan to help him fly. Jonathan who has learned about perfection realized that each of them has the powerful ability to perfect themselves; to make the unlimited goodness of anything. They are rationality and free will. The problem is whether they realize and want to use them or not to achieve what they want. Jonathan says to Maynard that he has the freedom to be himself, his true self, here and now.
“Maynard Gull, you have the freedom to be yourself, your true self, here and now, and nothing can stand in your way. It is the Law of the Great Gull, the Law that Is.”
“Are you saying I can fly?” “I say you are free.” (Bach 82)
