BLATTY’S THE EXORCIST
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NILA SUKMANING RAHAYU
Student Number: 054214113
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
THE CONTRIBUTION OF PARTICULAR
CHARACTERISTICS AND CHILDHOOD MEMORY
TOWARD THE CREATION OF SELF- HATRED AS
SEEN THROUGH DAMIEN KARRAS IN WILLIAM P.
BLATTY’S THE EXORCIST
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NILA SUKMANING RAHAYU
Student Number: 054214113
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
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to live is harder.
v
,, A Dedication
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for the unlimited blessings, companion, and guidance He has given me. My
deepest gratitude also goes to Mother Mary for her love and prayers for me.
I would like to express my gratitude to Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M.A.
who has given me the time, advice, suggestions, assistance, and criticisms during
the completion of my thesis. I would like to express sincere thank to Ni Luh Putu
Rosiandani, S.S., M.Hum. for the advice, corrections, and suggestions. I
appreciate the time they have spent to make my thesis as perfect as possible.
I would like also to express my gratitude to all of the lecturers of English
Letters Department for their guidance in all these years of my study and all the
staffs of Sanata Dharma library for all the help.
My deepest thank goes to my mother, the most wonderful “wonder
woman” I have ever known, for her love, prayers, and support. She will always be
my reason to make her smile.
My sincere thanks also goes to my family, especially Pak Sutrisno, Mami
Cayank, Bu Endank, Papie Robert, mbak Nike, mas Ibenk, and mbak Ayu, for
their love, kindness, and support.
I would like to thank my very best friend, Gerda Cay Cay, for her
supports, for each time we have spent together, and for the wonderful friendship.
For me, friends are shoulders. They mean everything to me so that I’d like
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Paramusiwi and Septi Rihartiningsih. I thank them for the laughs and cries we
share together.
For Laskar Kost Pelangi: Weni, Tita, Ningsih, Riyuth, Popon, and Dora, I
thank them for the supports. Remember how each morning we get starving and
buy meal at “Bu Galak”. I miss that moment anyway.
Many thanks also to Sigit Budi Sulistyo for always being there when the
time is right.
I also thank to people of Wisma Bahasa, for the cheerfulness they all
bring.
My special thanks go to Aditya “Bumz Bumz”, my sweet strawberry
shortcake, for the compassion, advice, and supports.
Overall, I will not be able to make it through without them.
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a. Definitions of Characterization ………. 8
b. Methods of Characterization ………. 9
3. Theory of Dreams ……… 10
4. Theory of Fears ……… 11
5. Theory of Grief ……… 13
6. Theory of Guilt ……… 15
7. Theory of Frustration and its Development ……… 16
C. Theoretical Framework ………. 17
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ……… 19
A. Object of the Study ……….. 19
B. Approach of the Study ………. 20
C. Method of the Study ………. 21
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ……… 24
A. The characteristics of Damien Karras as seen in William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist ……… 24
B. The Description of Damien Karras’ childhood memory………. 36
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ABSTRACT
Rahayu, Nila Sukmaning. 2009. The Contribution of Particular Characteristics and Childhood Memory toward the Creation of Self- Hatred as Seen through Damien Karras in William P. Blatty’s The Exorcist. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
Every human being grown up could not be separated from their childhood. Childhood experiences surely give an important contribution in the process of maturity. In this stage, human may store painful memories or even the beautiful ones. Working under consciousness, particular characteristics and childhood memories can create new characteristics within one’s life.
The study aims to answer three questions. They are figuring out the characteristics of Damien Karras as seen in The Exorcist, a novel by William Peter Blatty, viewing the description of his childhood memory, and revealing thoroughly the contribution of his characteristics and childhood memory in creating the feeling of self hatred as a new characteristic appeared.
Library research was taken in conducting the study. Some important sources were collected. The primary source is a novel titled The Exorcist written by William Peter Blatty, the second are books contained of the theories needed and also internet sources for better understanding. In analyzing the study, psychological approach was used to relate the literature and psychology.
It was described that Damien Karras was a middle aged priest and also psychiatrist. He was a well educated person, defensive, trustworthy, sentimental, warm, and thoughtful. He would be feeling inferior and guilty when his desire was unfulfilled. He grieved so easily. Something interesting about this priest was he had a crisis of faith.
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Damien Karras in William P. Blatty’s The Exorcist. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Tiap manusia berkembang tak dapat dipisahkan dari masa kecil. Pengalaman masa kecil sungguh memberikan peranan dalam proses pendewasaan. Dalam tahap ini, manusia mampu menyimpan pengalaman yang menyakitkan dan indah sekalipun. Dengan bekerja di bawah alam sadar, beberapa karakteristik tertentu dan pengalaman masa kecil dapat mencipta sebuah karakteristik baru dalam kehidupan manusia.
Studi ini bertujuan menjawab tiga pertanyaan, yaitu: mencari karakteristik tokoh Damien Karras, seperti terlihat dalam novel The Exorcist karya William Peter Blatty, melihat bagaimana masa kecilnya digambarkan, dan mengungkap secara keseluruhan peranan karakteristik dan masa kecil tersebut dalam munculnya rasa benci pada diri sendiri sebagai karakteristik baru.
Beberapa sumber penting hasil dari penelitian pustaka dikumpulkan. Sumber utama berupa novel itu sendiri, sumber kedua berupa buku-buku kumpulan teori terkait dan sumber internet guna pemahaman yang lebih baik. Pendekatan psikologi digunakan untuk menghubungkan sastra dan psikologi.
Damien Karras adalah seorang pastur separuh baya sekaligus psikiater. berpendidikan tinggi, defensif, dapat dipercaya, hangat, baik hati namun agak sentimen. Ia mudah merasa minder dan bersalah saat keinginannya tak terwujud. Ia pun mudah berduka. Suatu hal menarik terjadi dalam dirinya yaitu adanya krisis keyakinan akan Tuhan.
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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the study
Novel is one of literary genre which is interesting for most people to read.
Through reading a novel, people enjoy the world created by the author’s
imagination. A novel might deliver a critic because unintentionally when people
read a novel at the same time it sharpens their awareness. Moreover novel is not
merely functioned as entertainment but also as an object that can be observed and
analyzed.
In his or her novel, an author may share feelings, ideas, and emotions. Van
de Laar and Schoonderwoerd in An Approach to English Literature state that a
novel is a work of art in so far as it introduces one into a living world: in some
respects resembling the world one lives in (1963:163). Therefore there is a world
inside created by the author in his or her form of writing as the result of the
portrayal of real world or reality. Specifically, a novel can portray human life
experiences and one of those experiences is childhood memory.
Since novels talk about human beings and their life experiences, they
involve psychological aspect. It can be found through the behavior performed by
the characters in the novels. The author’s insight into human nature is the reason
of the involvement of the psychological aspects in the behavior of the characters
close to the characteristics of certain kinds of individuals that act in certain
circumstances.
In The Exorcist, there are many characters. As quoted from Los Angeles
Magazine that:
“Populated with unforgettable characters, a book that overflows with intelligence and insight…you will read it, if you’re wise; with every light on in your brain…The Exorcist is a book that, among our living authors, I would have guessed only Graham Greene, or possibly Brian Moore, capable of writing.”
-Los Angeles Magazine
Moreover, Abrams talks about characters in his A Glossary of Literary
Terms 4th Edition that:
Characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say- the dialogue- and what they do- the action. (1941:20)
As Abrams said that characters are persons, at the same time, they also have
psychological aspects just like real human beings. In The Exorcist, it is described
that the main character named Damien Karras has bitter childhood memories that
finally becomes one important element in creating the feeling of self hatred within
him. Based on the theory of Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams as cited from
Bressler in Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice that when
the unconscious itself is filled with repressed sexual desires, anger, rage, and guilt
and those elements cannot be suppressed anymore they will reveal themselves
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of self hatred might also be produced by the contribution of past life experience
and one of them is childhood memory.
In this novel the characteristics and the psychology of Damien Karras
become a very interesting topic to be analyzed. This character has a feeling of
hatred toward him or in other terms it is called self-hatred. It comes up as a new
characteristics brought by some particular former characteristics and childhood
memories that share some similarities. It is all stored within his mind. To lead into
the deeper analysis on the past life and how it finally creates the feeling of self
hatred within the character, no doubt, the study of characteristics is needed first.
Nevertheless, the study of past life experience takes a big part because it gives
important contribution toward the creation of self hatred.
B. Problem Formulation
Here are three problems that will be discussed in this paper:
1. How is Damien Karras characterized as seen in The Exorcist?
2. How is Damien Karras’ childhood memory described?
3. What is the contribution of characteristics and childhood memory in creating
C. Objectives of the study
Plainly speaking, the objectives of the study are firstly to find out the
characteristics of Damien Karras, secondly to see how his childhood memory is
described, and the last is to reveal thoroughly the contribution of the
characteristics and childhood memory of the character in creating the feeling of
self hatred within this character as seen in the novel titled The Exorcist.
D. Definition of terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpretation, it is better to
know several terms used in this discussion.
1. Self Hatred
According to Phil Nuernberger in his The Quest for Personal Power in
Life Positive as cited from
www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/phobia/mind-miseries.asp accessed on November 1, 2008 self-hatred is a habit of the mind, a
way of looking at life and at oneself that leads only to further mistakes, poor
performance, and unhappiness.
2. Character
In A Glosssary of Literary Terms, Abrams defined “character as the person
presented in a dramatic or narrative work, which are interpreted by the readers as
being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
This part presents the studies done by other researchers on the same topic
and the same work with this paper. This paper is going to discuss about the
characteristics of Damien Karras, the character in the novel entitled The Exorcist,
his childhood experiences, and its contribution in creating self hatred. Therefore,
it is important to see other works so that it can be compared to one another.
Referring to the same topic that is analyzing the character, Hana Surya
Dewi, in her dissertation entitled A Feminist Study of the Major Character in
Margareth Landon’s : “Anna and the King of Siam” : Anna’s protest against
gender injustices in patriarchal society, related the characteristics of a particular
character with the social issues raised. She revealed that the issues inside the
major character could affect the character’s personality (2005:4). Whereas this
paper studies on how the characteristics of a certain character can be built by the
emotional responses within the character toward certain events. This paper talks
more on the psychology of the character rather than the character’s social life.
Another study, Daniel Jolley wrote in www.customer review.com/The
Exorcist.htm that he was interested in Damien Karras than other characters in that
novel.
philosophical, sentimental character who serves as the main liaison between the reader and the events of the novel. What we see through Father Karras' eyes is a complex, troubling vision of life and death, a conduit of our own philosophical and religious struggles. (Taken from Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA), 2008, in www.customer review.com/The Exorcist.htm)
On that article, Daniel Jolley stated that Damien Karras has crisis of faith and also
guilt haunted by the death of his mother but this paper analyzes further and tries to
find more characteristics on this character.
While Ika in her dissertation entitled A Study of the Influence of Taylor
McAden’s Guilty Feeling Upon His Relation with Others As Seen in Nicholas
Sparks’ The Rescue talks about character and the feeling of guilt that makes the
character suffered (2005:3), this paper discusses about characteristics of the
character and childhood memory taking control over the creation of new
characteristics within the character. Ika also states that the main character
discussed in her dissertation is having guilty feeling because of the death of
someone he loves (2005:2).
Hence the topic is almost the same, but the works used are different.
Although, in analyzing the feeling of self hatred, Ika’s thesis and this paper might
use the same theory about guilt, this paper only discusses guilty feeling as a part
of the elements affecting the state of consciousness. Moreover, this paper is made
to develop other studies. Thus, this paper is certainly different because it focuses
on how the feeling of self hatred is formed inside one’s personality caused by the
7
fragile characteristics together with the childhood memories have a big
contribution in shaping a new characteristic.
B. Review of Related Theories
This part presents the theories of character, characterization, and some
theories of psychology such as psychoanalytic theory of dream, theory of fear,
theory of grief, theory of guilt, and the theory of frustration.
Because this study analyzes a certain character in particular novel and self
hatred revealed in his characteristics, it is important to understand those theories.
1. Character
The first problem formulation deals with the main character, therefore it is
needed to know what defines a character since characters are vital in the novel.
Through the characters the readers can experience the world created by the author
and live in its story and every story essentially displays actions. To describe
actions in a story, of course, people who do those actions are needed. In a story,
they are called characters. It is through the knowledge of fictional characters
readers can understand their actions and vice versa like what Stanton has said in
An Introduction to Fiction (1965: 17).
Further, Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms defines characters as
“persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work who possess moral and
dispositional qualities that are expresses in what they say-the dialogue, and what
characteristics as real human beings because they have temperaments and morals
that will become the motivation of their speeches and actions (1981:21).
Furthermore, Baldick in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literature interprets
characters as “the personage in a dramatic or narrative work” (1991:33).
2. Characterization
a. Definitions of Characterization
Characters are important in a literary work. It is also known that an author
might take part in his or her story by hiding in one of his characters. In order to
be real-like characters, the author should make the characters as realistic as
possible. Therefore, an author makes the characters appear alive and real. The
creation of the imaginary person presented to the readers as lifelike is called
characterization as explained by Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to
Literature (1986:81). Furthermore, Beaty and Hunter in New Worlds of Literature
state that particular characteristics of a person suggest that a person is distinctive.
An individual portrayed in literature is often referred to as character. The way in
which the author describes him and the process of defining is usually called
characterization (1989: 231).
In addition, Rohrberger and Woods Jr. in Reading and Writing about
Literature state that “character must be credible; that is, reader must accept them
as believable people”. Hence, the reader can imagine the character not only
through physical appearances but also through their behaviors and thoughts. Thus,
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b. Methods of Characterization
There are several ways in building a character. Three ways are presented
here. First, the famous one namely Abrams states two ways in characterization.
They are showing and telling. Showing is also sometimes called as a dramatic
method. It means that the author describes the character by highlighting what the
character says, and does in the novel. Therefore, readers have to infer the
character by themselves. In telling method, the author himself intervenes in order
to describe and evaluate the motivations and dispositional qualities of the
characters (1981: 21).
Rohrberger and Woods Jr. point out that characterization can be done by
direct means and dramatic means. Direct means is done when the author describes
the character’s physical appearance, intellectual and moral attributes, or the
degree of the character’s sensitivity and dramatic means is done when the author
places the character in situations to show how the character behaves or speaks
(1972: 29).
On the other hand, an expert named M.J. Murphy gives detail explanation
on how characters are described by an author. In his book Understanding Unseen,
he mentions nine ways of how the author reveals the character’s personalities and
traits to the readers (1972: 161-173. However, to answer the problem
i. Personal Description
The author explains directly to the readers the physical appearance of the
characters.
ii. Character as Seen by Another
The author mentions his or her characters through the eyes of other characters in
the story so that the readers can catch a reflected image of them through the other
characters’ eyes.
iii. Reactions
The author mentions indirectly a character’s personality by letting the readers
know how the character reacts to various events or situations.
iv. Thoughts
The author gives the readers direct knowledge of what a character is thinking
about. So that they can get knowledge of the personality of the character when
they read the description of what he or she is thinking about.
v. Mannerisms
The author describes a character’s mannerisms, habits, or idiosyncrasies which
may tell the readers something about the character.
3. Theory of Dreams
“Dreams are mental products that can be understood and interpreted” is
stated by Atkinsons in Introduction to Psychology. It is based on one of Freud’s
theories that present his concern toward dream. Freud said that dream is a
11
needs that one finds it is repressed from consciousness. However, sometimes the
“dream work”, as Freud called it fails, and anxiety wakens the dreamer
(1981:173).
To discuss further about the psychology of the character, Freud’s theory of
dream is used. According to Freud in Bressler’s Literary Criticism: An
Introduction to Theory and Practice, a child stores all the memories in his/her life
even the painful one. Such a repressed sexual desire, anger, rage, and guilt are all
suppressed in his/her unconsciousness. All those wishes affect the conscious state
in the form of inferiority feelings, guilt, irrational thoughts, and nightmares and
when such wishes are too hard to be handled by the conscious psyche it may
produces feelings of self hatred (1998:153). Moreover, in The Unconscious,
Easthope states that according to Freud the interpretation of dreams is the royal
road to understanding the unconscious (1999:9).
In addition, dream can be used to understand the unconscious. Dream
helps to reveal elements such as repressed sexual desires, anger, rage, and guilt
within one’s unconsciousness because dream reflects to one’s life. Furthermore,
when those elements cannot be suppressed anymore they will reveal themselves
through a form that is called self-hatred.
4. Theory of Fears
Human beings produce several emotional responses when they react in a
particular traumatic event. One of them is called fear. Edward H. Robinson ed in
as an affective (feeling), cognitive (thinking), motoric (behaving) and
physiological (bodily changing) response to a perceived threat. For example, it is
a response to a specific object or concept, such as snake or being left alone
(2004:21). Whereas Robinson, Robinson, and Whetsell’s in Journal of
Humanistic Education and Developmentwrite there are fifteen sources of fear in
children, they are: change of school, failure at school, being alone, family strife,
punishment, death, darkness, homework, strangers, monsters, ghosts, loss, not
being accepted, nuclear war, and thieves (1988: 84-95).
Fear is normal in children, especially for their growth and development
process and can be an important tool for self-preservation. For example, when
faced with a frightening object, such as oncoming truck, a child produce fear
response such as distress, recognition of real danger, increased heart rate and
adrenaline, and fleeing (2004:21). In addition, fear in human itself is an emotional
response to a particular traumatic event. Other responses include sadness, feelings
of guilt, anger, fear, grief, and depression (2004:138).
According to Jeffrey Gray in The Psychology of Fear and Stress, the
symptoms of fear can be seen from facial expression, but sometimes, facial
gestures are not enough to trace them. Such primitive activities can be used to
interpret fear are drawing back the lips for biting, withdrawal of the lips from the
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5. Theory of Grief
An expert named Hurlock in Child Growth and Development states that
grief is the result of losing somebody we love. It causes a physical trauma
sometimes. It is often called as sorrow or sadness. Grief is the most unpleasant
emotion regardless of its intensity and the age when it occurs (1972:202). Hurlock
also explains the effects of grief on personal and social adjustment as follows:
a. Grief may lead to feelings as martyrdom if the child interprets his loss as a
punishment.
b. The grief-stricken child may become resentful if he feels his parents or others
could have prevented the loss.
c. Grief may lead to feeling of guilt if the child believes that he/ she could have
prevented the lost him/herself.
d. The grief-stricken child may withdraw and become self-bound, thus eliminating
opportunities for socialization.
e. Grief may encourage the child to escape from reality by daydreaming or by
contemplating suicide.
f. Grief will militate against achievement if the child is too preoccupied with his
loss to concentrate on what he is doing.
g. Grief may be intensified by anxiety, with all its damaging effects.
Similar with what Hurlock has said about grief, Diane E. Papalia ed state
that grief is the emotional response experienced in the early phase of losing
someone to whom a person feels close (2004: 690). Wortman and Silver also find
distress. Second, the mourner does not experience intense distress immediately or
later. Third, the mourner remains distressed for a long time (2004: 691).
Moreover, Kubler-Ross explains there are three processes of grief work
although grieving does not necessarily follow its straight line. The first are shock
and disbelief. They follow a death. The survivors often feel lost and confused
afterwards. They get overwhelming feelings of sadness and frequent crying. It
lasts several weeks, especially after a sudden or unexpected death. The second
process is the preoccupation with the memory of the dead person. It may last six
month or longer. The survivor tries to come to terms with the death but cannot yet
accept it. For instance, a widow may be seized by a feeling that her husband is
still present. The last process involved is resolution. It is when the survivors renew
interest in everyday activities. Memories of the dead person bring fond feeling
mingled with sadness, rather than sharp pain and longing (2004: 690).
In addition, Pat McHenry Sullivan and Gina Kemp wrote in their article
entitled Grieving the Loss of a Pet that the loss of a pet also can be very painful.
The loss of a beloved pet can trigger overwhelming feelings of grief and sadness.
They also wrote that physically the survivors might have trouble sleeping, lose
weight, feel tired all the time or have difficulties in focusing (2008,
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6. Theory of Guilt
According to Jenkins in Feelings and Emotions: Guilt Feelings-Their
Function and Dysfunction, guilty feeling may be described as a painful emotion,
such as a sense of unworthiness. Someone may feel guilty because there is an over
wide discrepancy between one’s own conduct and the moral or ethical standards
one has set for oneself (1950: 353). However, guilt feelings are personal since
they result from a self-judgment by internalized standard.
The feeling of guilt, which may damage one self’s concept, is frequent to
live up to one’s standard. It can make the person lose his confidence in his ability
to achieve what he wants to do though it is only himself who knows his failure.
Therefore, human beings need to find the way to release themselves from guilty
feelings that they develop. When a sense of guilt develops in a child, moral
sanctions evoke from within. A child may begin to have a sense of guilt before the
age five or six years old. He can be frightened when he is caught in the wrong act.
The feeling in older children of guilt might make him feel ashamed when caught
in the act, which they know is wrong. It makes them ashamed and they become
more realistic about the standards that they say for their behavior (Hurlock,
1972:197).
People try to relieve their guilty feeling by becoming more tolerant toward
their standard. For example, when an individual decides not to cheat when
tempted to do so, he usually becomes more rigid in his attitude that cheating is
tolerant toward cheating. He uses this method unconsciously to reduce his guilty
feeling, as stated by Hurlock (1972:197).
Hence, feeling of guilt can be used as a motivator to change. Jenkins
believes that we can use guilty feeling and the discomfort it brings as a barometer
of the need to change things in our life and it may help us to get rid of guilt. In
other words, feeling guilty about what we have done often leads us to do better so
this is the reason why people who were once in guilt might want to change their
life and are tempted to avoid the same mistake they had done (1950: 353).
7. Theory of Frustration and its Development
Frustration occurs when progress toward a desired goal is blocked or
delayed. A wide range of obstacles, both external and internal, can interfere with
an individual’s efforts to reach a goal, as Atkinsons and Hilgard said (1981: 421).
According to them, there are two barriers to goal satisfaction. They are physical
environment and one’s own limitations. For instances, noise prevents our
concentration and physical handicaps, and other specific abilities can prevent an
individual from achieving a desired goal. If an individual sets goals beyond his or
her ability, frustration is apt to result.
The feeling of frustration can be found in people who cannot reach their
purpose or goal. People with desire blocked have tendency to be caught in this
feeling. Frustration can lead someone into depression as stated by Joanna Saisan
ed. in Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help that
17
frustration (2008,
www.helpguide.org/mental/phobia_symptoms_types_treatment.htm).
Depression may also arise from early childhood trauma since emotional
trauma has a strong effect on the psyche.
Depression Signs & Symptoms
Further Explanation
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing to do to improve the situation. Loss of interest in dailly
activities
No interest in or ability to enjoy former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex.
Appetite or weight changes
Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
Sleep changes Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Either feeling “keyed up” and restlessorsluggish and physically slowed down.
Loss of energy Feeling fatigued and physically drained. Even small tasks are exhausting or take longer.
Self-loathing Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harsh criticism of perceived faults and mistakes.
Concentration problems Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
The table is taken from the same site. It shows the depression signs and
symptoms though they might be varied to several people.
C. Theoretical Framework
Firstly, theory of character by Abrams and theory of characterization by
Holman and Harmon, Beaty and Hunter, and Rohrberger and Woods Jr. are used
to describe the meaning of characterization. To know how the author characterizes
Abrams’, Rohrberger and Woods Jr.’s, and M.J. Murphy’s. Those theories are
used to answer the first question in the problem formulation.
The next theories are the theories of fear by Edward H. Robinson ed,
Robinsons, Whetsell, and Jeffrey Gray, and other theories, psychoanalytic theory
of dream by Freud, Bressler, Easthope, Atkinsons, and Hilgard. They are needed
to answer the second problem formulation.
While the theories of grief by Hurlock, Diane E. Papalia ed, Wortman,
Silver, Kubler Ross, and Pat McHenry Sullivan ed and theory of guilt by Jenkins
and Hurlock will be used to answer the third problem formulation. To complete
them all, the theories of frustration by Atkinsons, Hilgard, and Joanna Saisan ed
19
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The work under the study here is a novel titled The Exorcist. This novel is
written by William Peter Blatty and published by Bantam Books Inc in the United
States in 1971. The novel has more than one edition; however Bantam edition is
chosen to become the object or data of this study. Though many people know the
story of the novel from the movie which is also inspired by the same novel, but
still, the novel interests many people to read it. As what these opinions say:
“A fantastic and deeply religious novel that will touch the reader to his very soul as it touches on things in this world that cannot be explained away rationally.”
-Abilene (Texas) Reporter-News
“The Exorcist is a tremendous novel…It is fast, powerful and completely gripping, a hypnotic combination of morality tale and supernatural detective story. The Exorcist becomes more than merely an accomplished horror story. The battle between the priest and the demon…makes powerful, compulsive reading. The priest is not particularly saintly priest. His struggle is partly himself. He wonders whether he still believes in God. But God or not, he swiftly comes to believe in the Devil. He is here, in this icy little room in a house in Washington, D.C…Despite its dredging of the depths (Blatty’s) book is deeply religious without being pi- or po- faced, a parable for our times.
“It is a stunning achievement.”
-The Sunday Express (London)
According to Wikipedia http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Exorcist.htm
accessed on January 31 2008, the novel was made into a successful Academy
novel is unique because the author wrote it from his friend’s real experience into
his own version, as also quoted from Wikipedia that:
The Exorcist is a horror novel written by William Peter Blatty. It is based on a 1949 exorcism Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University, a Jesuit and Catholic school. The exorcism was partially performed in both Cottage City, Maryland [1] and Bel-Nor, Missouri. [2] Several area newspapers reported on a speech a priest gave to an amateur parapsychology society, in which he claimed to have exorcised a demon from a thirteen-year-old boy named Robbie, and that the ordeal lasted a little more than six weeks, ending on April 19, 1949.
This novel simply talks about a priest named Damien Karras. He had guilt
over the death of his beloved mother. Every single bitter moment in Damien’s life
gave certain wound to him for he thought that God never answered his prayer
whenever he had difficult times. Started from this, he doubted his faith toward
God until he met Regan MacNeil, an eleven years old daughter of Chris MacNeil,
a famous actress in Washington D.C at that time.
Damien never knew that his meeting with this child would change his
characteristics after all. Regan MacNeil was sick but after several medical
treatments were taken, the child was assumed to be possessed by devil and
Damien Karras finally saved her by giving his own life after his faith of God was
attempted by the Demon.
B. Approach of the Study
There are many approaches that can be applied to literary works. All of
their purposes are the same. Each of them tries to give better understanding
21
approaches. This is an approach where theories of psychology are applied to
analyze literary works. As quoted from Guerin’s A Handbook of Critical
Approaches to Literature that yet, for all the difficulties involved in its proper
application to interpretive analysis, the psychological can be fascinating and
rewarding. (1999:125)
Besides it is clear that an author creates characters in his or her novel as
human like so that their characteristics and psychology which is related to the
character or personal development can be analyzed or in other word observable. In
this case, knowledge of psychology plays its role. As stated by Martin in his
Doing Psychology Experiments that for an understanding of human behavior,
psychologists attempt to establish relationships between circumstances and
behaviors (1996:2-3).
Moreover Hjelle and Ziegler state in Personality Theories that this
approach emphasized the analysis of conscious processes into their fundamental
elements, together with the discovery of the laws that govern connections among
these elements (1981:29). Hence, the approach used in analyzing the work is
psychological approach because this work discusses about character,
characteristics, and the feeling of self hatred that is finally revealed which requires
knowledge of psychology.
C. Method of the Study
There are three procedures taken in analyzing the work of the study. First,
research. Most of the works are written texts such as the novel being analyzed,
and the theories which are taken from books, articles, and internet sources.
Second, the primary source is a novel titled The Exorcist written by William Peter
Blatty.
Then some important sources used in this study are theory of character by
Abrams, theory of characterization by Holman and Harmon, Beaty and Hunter,
and Rohrberger and Woods Jr., and the theories on method of characterization by
Abrams, Rohrberger and Woods Jr., and M.J. Murphy.
Others are theories of psychology such as psychoanalytic theory of dream
by Freud, Bressler, Easthope, Atkinsons, and Hilgard. Next are theory of fear by
Robinsons, Whetsell, and Jeffrey Gray, theory of grief by Hurlock, Diane E.
Papalia ed, Wortman, Silver, Kubler Ross, and Pat McHenry Sullivan ed., theory
of guilt by Jenkins and Hurlock, and the last is the theory of frustration by
Atkinsons, Hilgard, and Joanna Saisan ed.
The last procedure is the steps done in analyzing the work of the study.
First of all, the character which was going to be analyzed was chosen by using the
theory of character by Abrams. After the character was picked up, the next step
was finding out the characteristics of the character by using the theory of
characterization by Holman and Harmon, Beaty and Hunter, and Rohrberger and
Woods Jr., and the theories on method of characterization by Abrams, Rohrberger
and Woods Jr., and M.J. Murphy. In the method of characterization by M.J.
23
another, reactions, thoughts, and mannerism became the focus in analyzing the
character.
The next step taken in conducting the study was applying the theory of
fear by Robinsons, Whetsell, and Jeffrey Gray to describe how Damien viewed
his childhood by figuring out the emotional response to certain traumatic event on
character’s past life. This theory would show how children experienced fear and
its symptoms.
While psychoanalytic theory of dream by Freud, Bressler, Easthope,
Atkinsons, and Hilgard would explain what is behind the dream once the character
had and how he feels afterwards. Moreover it revealed Damien’s past life through
his dream by figuring out the repressed desire that the character had and how he
stored his memories in his unconscious mind. On the other hand, the theory of
grief by Hurlock, Diane E. Papalia ed, Wortman, Silver, Kubler Ross, and Pat
McHenry Sullivan ed. and theory of guilt by Jenkins and Hurlock were very
needed to analyze Damien’s feelings toward the death of his mother. Theory of
grief tried to find out what made someone grief and how the processes occurred.
While the theory of guilt explained more on how it could be occurred to one’s
feeling. Those theories are the stepping stones to analyze deeper what the
characters feels actually toward his past experiences.
Last was the theory of frustration by Atkinsons, Hilgard, and Joanna
Saisan ed. to analyze the effect of what the character had felt one step further.
This theory worked by listing the symptoms of depression which did come up
24
A. The characterization of Damien Karras as seen in William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist.
Damien Karras is one of the characters in this novel. His characteristics are
going to be analyzed in this study. He has interesting life experiences to be
discussed than do other characters in the story. The performances of Damien
Karras in solving every problem in his life show the complexity of his
characteristics later on.
Characters must be real like. As stated by Holman and Harmon in A
Handbook to Literature, an author should make his character appears alive and
real. That is why the author puts some of human’s characteristics into him
(1986:81).
Thus, these are the characteristics found in the character of Damien Karras
as described by the author:
1. Good appearance
Regarding to the method of characterization by Rohrberger and Woods Jr.,
the author creates Damien Karras in two ways. They are direct and dramatic
means (1972:29). In direct means, Blatty described Damien Karras’s physical
appearance through other characters’ eyes. It was stated that he looked like
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handsome face although he was already in his middle age. That meant Damien
Karras had a good appearance. The author also wrote that Damien Karras loved to
exercise that his muscles were well shaped and strong. He always went jogging
for several laps in Georgetown campus’ yard every morning before starting his
daily activities (p.176).
How Blatty described the physical appearance of Damien Karras could
also be seen through the eyes of another character named Kinderman. One day,
the detective visited the campus to meet Damien Karras. He wanted to ask about
some possible causes of homicide in related with Black Mass. Kinderman was
sure that Damien Karras was the expert on it because he worked as a psychiatrist.
Before the further conversation was started, Kinderman tried to have a small talk
with the priest. He commented on his unusual appearance in his not young
anymore age. For example, he illustrated a scar near Damien’s eye. He said that
the scar looked the same with Marlon Brando’s. He had the same scar when acting
in one of his movies. From the eyes of another character, Kinderman, when he
met Damien Karras for the first time, the impression he got was that Damien
Karras was just really a boxer look like (p.177).
2. Well educated
Blatty wrote how Damien Karras was controlled by his power of reason. It
pointed out that he was a portrait of a person with good education. In this case, the
author used direct means to show the character’s intellectual attributes. Whereas
conversation with Chris MacNeil described how Damien Karras reacted when
asked about exorcism. It could be seen when another character named Chris
MacNeil asked for his opinion toward devil possession. But he was convinced that
he no longer believed in such thing. That was why he did not answer the question
seriously at first. He mocked people with old belief toward exorcism that they
should go back to the sixteenth century. He said that exorcism did not happen
anymore. He would rather believe in mental illness to name the illness that Chris
MacNeil’s daughter had (p.236).
Damien Karras’ reactions were showing what kind of person he was.
Everything in his mind was organized based on ratio. It could be seen when a
detective named Kinderman asked him about Black Mass, Damien Karras
answered in a very reasonable way rather than just accepted it as superstitious. He
argued that anyone doing Black Mass or Satanism attitudes were very disturbed
human beings (p.186).
After all, Damien Karras tried to answer the question about devil
possession but he did it in different way. He just explained it scientifically. All of
his answers were based on his logical thinking. Moreover, since he had learnt a lot
about mental illness, he also used several psychological terms. Never did in his
explanation, he not mention such terms. In the conversation with Kinderman, it
seemed that he was getting usual with them. He explained that a psychiatrist saw
the phenomenon of devil possession as a compulsive behavior produced by guilt
27
Through the eyes of other characters, Chris MacNeil and Kinderman,
Damien Karras was a person with good knowledge on psychology. He would
prefer believe and accept the fact that the sickness was caused of compulsive
behavior instead of demon’s performances.
To emphasize that Damien Karras was a well educated person, the author
gave his personal description. In the beginning, it was written that Damien Karras
attended a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. He was going to
deliver a paper entitled “Psychological Aspects of Spiritual Development” (p.53).
Damien Karras worked as a psychiatrist after being a counselor several days
before. He was just relieved of his duties as a counselor and assigned to
Georgetown University as a lecturer in psychiatry. It was the first characteristic
the readers would get by reading the novel.
The word “Father” was used over and over again by the author in front of
the name Karras. It particularly showed the reader that Damien Karras was a
priest (p.108). It was common to call a priest by a term “Father”. The author
himself gave the personal description toward his character and used direct means
to show that Damien Karras was both a priest and a psychiatrist.
3. Middle age
Another personal description given and the direct means used by the
author was that he wrote how old Damien Karras was exactly in the novel. He was
4. Defensive
Damien Karras was a character that always made his head full of
something reasonable and logic. For him, everything must be on reasons. He
would like to deny any statement that was not based on logical thinking. It showed
that he was a defensive guy.
In his first meeting with Chris MacNeil, he denied her wish to perform an
exorcism in her house. Chris MacNeil was crying and begging on him because she
believed that her daughter was possessed while Damien Karras was still on his
argument. For him, it seemed unreal. They were live in a big town, across the
river, and the traffic. He also did not believe that the woman crying in front of him
was Chris MacNeil, a movie star. Then, he asked her to forget about exorcism
(p.237).
Chris MacNeil did not give up. She kept convincing him. She already got
his sympathy but what she needed was the priest’s will to perform exorcism for
her daughter. She said that her daughter’s head turned around but the priest
defended her explanation. He tried to calm her by saying that she had hit her head
pretty hard against the wall by the time she saw her daughter. Damien Karras
wanted her to believe that it did not mean a thing because she was in shock. Chris
MacNeil was really upset to the priest afterwards (p.304).
Even another character named Kinderman, a detective, called Damien
Karras with the name “Father Defensive” after he failed in convincing Damien
29
said that from the pathology point of view those people were very disturbed
human beings and needed to be hospitalized (p.186).
It was difficult to other characters forcing Damien Karras to simply
believe that the cause of the sickness was devil possession. It was because he
always used his logical thinking about human psyche to explain the illness in his
own way. It was strengthened by the debate between Chris MacNeil and Damien
Karras in concluding what made Regan could act in a strange way (p.251-253).
Damien Karras never wanted to accept the analysis if it was based on
superstitious. He always tried to look at the other sides. He used theories rather
than paranormal belief besides many competent observers such as doctors and
psychiatrists had reported the same phenomenon as mental illness (p.266-267).
Hence, the author used dramatic means because he described the behavior
of Damien Karras when he dealt with superstitious things. Moreover, it was
strengthened by the eyes of other characters in the story that Damien Karras was a
defensive person.
5. Doubtful over his own faith
Moreover the author also gave a brief description about the doubtfulness
experienced by his character at that time. Damien Karras had doubted the
existence of God. He had a crisis of faith. He could not concentrate when he was
praying. The thought of his mother made him difficult to believe that God still
to his prayers though he did not sure if He was really there. Moreover, he was not
certain that God had answered his prayers (p.378).
His crisis of faith also could be seen on page 272. It was described that
Damien Karras held a Mass every morning before leaving his room. When he
lifted the Host in consecration, he felt it trembled in his fingers. His mind kept
him thinking the Host was only bread but he still continued the Mass by
swallowing the bread. He kept convinced him self that the Host was Christ’s
body. Hence, it was found in his mind a kind of inner conflict concerning his
faith. Thus, from what he was thinking about when praying shown the reader that
he had a crisis of faith.
6. Trustworthy
When Damien Karras and a detective named Kinderman, another character
in the novel, was in further conversation, Kinderman saw him as a person who
was trustworthy so that he was sure to tell him about a homicide that was just
happened. He felt free when he talked to him and he also made sure that Damien
Karras would like to keep it between them. Kinderman tried to emphasize about
what they were going to talk about and he wanted the priest to keep that as simple
as a matter of confession (p. 179) .
Besides, the author himself gave his description toward Damien Karras.
He wrote that the priest was also trying to be a good listener everybody could
31
Another character named Chris MacNeil, the mother of the sick daughter,
viewed Damien Karras as a trustworthy person probably because simply he was a
priest. But whatever it was, Chris MacNeil believed Damien Karras would be the
right person to share with. She was sure to ask for a help from him to cure he
daughter. Although she was not certain, she believed that priests could keep a
secret (p.235).
Through the eyes of other characters, such as Kinderman and Chris
MacNeil, and the direct personal description by the author, it was then reflected
that Damien Karras was trustworthy.
7. Sentimental
Sometimes for unknown reasons, Damien Karras could not hide a feeling
of sentimental toward them when he met new people. This conversation below
figured how he behaved when a person was unexpected by him came to his room.
The priest felt discomfort when suddenly there was another youngish priest came
to his room. He had just awakened by a nightmare and he found another priest
came to him to talk about how he was feeling so alone. Damien Karras’ thought
figured out that he hated the present of the priest in his room for a moment
(p.103).
This sentimental feeling was also seen from the eyes of another character
named Kinderman, the detective, when he shared his problem about his aunt. He
just stated that her aunt was really weird. She had a habit that every time she was
about Damien Karras’ opinion but his answer and reaction were unfriendly.
Damien Karras said directly to the detective whether he treated him as a closet.
The detective was quite upset and he convinced the priest that he needed him to
give solution to his poor aunt since he considered that her attitude was abnormal
(p.382).
From the direct means, it was known that the author tried to describe the
degree of the character’s sensitivity. The author made this character nearly
sensitive. While through Damien Karras’ thoughts and reaction, it was revealed
that he was sometimes sentimental toward particular people he just met.
8. Warm
Other characters knew him as a priest. Although he was a little bit
sentimental, he was still a nice person to share with. It was experienced by a
character named Chris MacNeil. She had a serious problem regarding to her sick
daughter but from the first sight she met Damien Karras, something inside him
made her relief. She felt comfort to talk about her problem and ask for solutions
afterwards (p.232).
She loved how the priest greeted her. He had a warm greeting. It was also
seen when he met his patient named Regan MacNeil, the possessed child. He
spoke to her in a warm and friendly tone (p.241).
Through personal description by the author and character seen from
another character’s eyes, the readers could see that Damien Karras was a nice
33
9. Thoughtful
Damien Karras was such a nice person. He was kind. He knew what other
character need. It could be seen when he gave some affections to them, such as
asking them to get some sleep when he knew they were tired, and being their good
listener to share with. Those simple attentions made him a thoughtful guy (p.250).
Damien Karras knew that what happened to Regan had made her mother,
Chris MacNeil, hurts. Although he could not explain to her about the causes,
whether it was a demon or mental disorder, he never stopped to calm her (p.258).
Through the dramatic means, how Damien spoke to other characters in the
story, and the description by the author, it was revealed that he was a thoughtful
person.
10. Feeling inferior
Damien Karras felt inferior in his job that he wanted to quit. He thought
that he could not continue because he could not help others anymore. He gave up
on how he should deal with the psychiatry everyday. Moreover, it was also related
with the faith of his patients. He excused he had a problem of his own that it
would be better for him to quit (p.55). He was retired from his job afterwards.
In the meantime, he considered his faith was no greater than others and he
felt weak. That was why he refused the order to be an exorcist since he knew it
Karras thought that he was nothing than the exorcist. It was seen when he
compared his faith to Father Lankester Merrin’s, the exorcist. But what made him
despair most was when he found out that the priest was death because of the
exorcism. He was really shocked. He could not believe that people surround him
die but he could do nothing to help them (p.388).
From the author’s personal description, it was found that Damien Karras
felt he was unworthy, and bad in protecting something and someone he loved.
Moreover, his thoughts figured out how he felt toward his lack of faith and his
failure in protecting and helping people surround him. The direct description by
the author, the character’s thoughts of his own capabilities, and the dramatic
means proved that Damien Karras’ way in taking decision in his life was greatly
influenced by his inferiority feelings.
11. Easy to grieve and feel guilt
When Damien Karras felt that he had failed to make other people feeling
better, he would like to remember his sad childhood. This feeling came up after he
talked to Chris MacNeil. He thought perhaps her daughter was no longer could be
saved. She was close to death just like the story of other possessed people he had
ever heard. He thought about that over and over again and his memory of
childhood often shimmered up sadly. The memory was about his dog, Ginger. His
dog was sick but it did not lessen his care and attention to it. He made a doghouse
from a box and placed it in his apartment. Until one day his neighbor came and
35
disturbed him. Little Damien Karras refused it. He decided to take care of the dog
by himself. The next day he found the dog died. He was so sad yet he felt he had
failed to protect the dog and kept it alive (p.343).
The grieving of losing a pet made him suffered until he grown up. This
suffering feeling was named guilty. It could be drawn from the dialogues that little
Damien Karras felt some kind of failure in taking care of the dog. Yet he had felt
somewhat feeling of grief over the death of his dog, the feeling of losing
something he really loved. It could probably happen that he stored this guilt over
the years. As the result of experiencing failure in reaching his purposes, the guilt
never stopped haunting him. He became so fragile.
The dramatic means, the character’s thoughts, and the direct personal
description by the author strengthened the idea that Damien Karras was a person
that was easily trapped in the feeling of guilt and grief if he failed in making other
characters feeling comfort.
Overall, Damien Karras was a middle aged priest. He was both a
psychiatrist and a lecturer in psychiatry. It proved that he was well educated. He
had a good appearance. It was revealed that he was defensive, trustworthy,
sentimental, warm, and thoughtful. He would be growing impatient and frustrated
when his desire was unfulfilled. Something interesting about him was that he had
a crisis of faith. He also smoked a lot. Furthermore, he had a feeling of inferior.
He also could feel guilt and grieve easily when he thought he was no success in
B. The Description of Damien Karras’ childhood memory.
Childhood is one moment people had when they grow up. It certainly
happens in the past. Thus, to reveal one’s childhood memories, it is important to
trace back his past life. According to Freud, a child stores all the memories in his
life even the painful one. Such a repressed sexual desire, anger, rage, and guilt are
all suppressed in his unconsciousness (1998:153). In other words, the study of
unconsciousness is needed. Hence, dream becomes the focus to analyze childhood
experiences as the human being unconsciously stores it in their mind, as stated by
Easthope in that according to Freud the interpretation of dreams is the royal road
to understanding the unconscious (1999:9).
According to Atkinsons, dreams are mental products that can be
understood and interpreted. Whereas Freud said that dream is a disguised attempt
at wish fulfillment. It means that dream works on wishes or needs that one finds it
is repressed from consciousness. However, sometimes the “dream work” fails, and
anxiety wakens the dreamer (1981:173).
In the novel, Damien Karras once dreamed about his mother several hours
after the burial ceremony. Theoretically speaking, a dream is the reflection of life
as resulted from unfulfilled needs or wishes. In parallel with that statement,
Damien Karras’s dream was the illustration of what he had experienced in his
childhood and lately what he felt toward her mother’s death. The death of his
beloved mother made him grieving so much and it was coming out in his dream.
37
emerging from a subway kiosk across the street. She stood at the curb with a brown paper shopping bag, searching for him. He waved. She didn’t see him. She wandered the street. Buses. Trucks. Unfriendly crowds. She was growing frightened. She returned to the subway and began to descend. Karras grew frantic, ran to the street and began to weep as he called her name; as he could not find her; as he pictured her helpless and bewildered in the maze of tunnels beneath the ground.
He waited for his sobbing to subside, and then fumbled for the Scotch. He sat on the cot and drank in darkness. Wet came the tears. They would not cease. This was like childhood, this grief. (p.100-101)
His dream illustrated about what he actually felt toward the death of his
mother. The author himself wrote in Damien Karras’ dialogue shown that his
dream represented his childhood. It followed the theory and strengthened the
analysis that Damien Karras’ nightmare was truly a reflection of his childhood
experience. It was when his life was so hard. He just lived with his mother who
worked as a beggar in central park. From his childhood’s memory it was found
out that Damien Karras once lived poor. He was always being haunted by the
struggle of his mother to earn their living.
passing by the Home Relief Station where on Saturday mornings in the dead of winter she would pick up the milk and the sacks of potatoes while he lay in his bed; the Central Park Zoo, where she left him in summer while she begged by the fountain in front of the Plaza. Passing the hotel, Karras burst into sobs, and then choked back the memories, wiped at the wetness of stinging regrets. (p.98)
The statements above described Damien Karras’ feeling when he
remembered his childhood memories. The regret he felt was a kind of feeling he
could not endure. He was really sad with what he had when he was a young child.
It was also strengthened by the anxiety he felt after he woke up. The dream
According to Robinsons and Whetsells, one of sources of fear in children
is being left alone (1988:84-95). It was certain that young Damien Karras was also
once feeling this kind of emotional response. Being left alone could be the cause
of traumatic to young children. The dialogues pointed out that when his mother
worked, she left him alone. She did not take him with her. The dialogue did not
show that Damien Karras was being accompanied by other characters in the story
so it may be concluded that he was alone at that time.
On the other hand, Jeffrey Gray said that the symptoms of fear can be seen
from facial expression and some primitive activities, such as drawing back the lips
for biting, withdrawal of the lips from the teeth, and the erection of the hair on the
back (1972: 30-31). Unfortunately, in the novel Blatty did not describe thoroughly
Damien’s facial expression or other gestures when his mother left him alone. But
still, little Damien produced emotional response when he reacted to this condition.
In this case, the fear experienced by Damien Karras was defined as an affective or
a feeling. According to Robinsons when studying sources of children’s fear, being
left alone is a specific object experienced by children (2004:21). Fear in human
itself is an emotional response to a particular traumatic event. No doubt, the fear
might cause trauma to children, and in this novel it referred to Damien Karras. It
can be said, for little Damien being left alone was his personal traumatic event.
In the story it was written that little Damien Karras had experienced a
feeling of grieve and guilt. It happened when he lost his dog named Ginger. His
dog was very sick. It grew skeletal and he put it in a box in his apartment. The dog
39
forgot to drink it warm milk. Then one day, his neighbor complained about the
dog and treated him to kill the dog. He realized that his neighbor was serious but
he definitely could not do that. He really loved Ginger. Until one day, he went
home and found her mother telling him that Ginger died. It made him so regret.
He felt that he had failed in protecting his dog (p.343).
An expert named Pat McHenry Sullivan, M.A., and Gina Kemp, M.A.
stated in an article entitled Grieving the Loss of a Pet that many American people
often grief over the death of their pet. A pet is considered as a member of their
family so that they treat it like human. In the story, it was known that little
Damien Karras once had a dog named Ginger. He treated the dog so well.
Probably, he did it because he felt alone. As written before her mother often left
him. He might need a friend and Mongrel was the only one for him. Since it was
not described that little Damien had friends to play with.
This suffering feeling was named as guilty because it could be drawn from
the dialogues that Damien Karras felt some kind of failure in taking care of the
dog. It could also probably happen that he stored this guilt feeling over the years.
The grieving of losing a pet made him suffered. It characterized him afterwards.
It was described in the story that Damien Karras’s childhood was bitter
and fearful. It was also proved that Damien had a trauma toward his past life. This
was because he often saw his mother begging while he was left alone. It could be
concluded that his unfulfilled wish or need was making his mother happy and
accompanying her in the rest of her life. Moreover, he had felt somewhat feeling
loved. In addition, the guilt haunted him. As the result of experiencing failure in
reaching his purposes, Damien Karras already got used with the feeling of the
guilt.
C. The contribution of particular characteristics and childhood memory in creating the feeling of self-hatred as seen in the character of Damien Karras.
According to Freud’s theory about dream, the feeling of self hatred could
be proved if only someone with deep emotional responses stored in his childhood
and within his characteristics could no longer endure them. It was then stated that
childhood memories keep all the memories in his/her life even the painful one.
Such a repressed sexual desire, anger, rage, and guilt are all suppressed in his
unconsciousness. All those wishes affect the conscious state in the form of
inferiority, guilt, irrational thoughts, and nightmares and when such wishes are too
hard to be handled by the conscious psyche they may produce feelings of self
hatred (1998:153).
The first form of wish was inferiority. As being analyzed before, Damien
Karras had a characteristic stating that he was inferior. Damien Karras felt inferior
in his job that he wanted to quit. He thought that he could not continue because he
could not help others anymore. He gave up on how he should deal with the
psychiatry everyday. Moreover, it was also related with the faith of his patients.
He excused he had a problem of his own that it would be better for him to quit
