VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
DAISY RIZQI PUTRI
Student Number: 034214027
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
DAISY RIZQI PUTRI
Student Number: 034214027
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA 2008
My beloved parents
My brothers and sister
My beloved husband and daughter
PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN KARYA TULIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya menyatakan bahwa Skripsi dengan judul: The Contribution of the Main Character’s Environments and Experiences in Finding the Meaning of Life in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die yang dimajukan untuk diuji pada tanggal 29 Agustus 2008 adalah hasil
karya saya.
Dengan ini saya menyatakan dengan sesungguhnya bahwa dalam skripsi ini tidak terdapat keseluruhan atau sebagian tulisan orang lain yang saya ambil dengan cara menyalin, atau meniru dalam bentuk rangkaian kalimat atau simbol yang menunjukkan gagasan atau pendapat atau pemikiran dari penulis lain yang saya aku seolah-olah sebagai tulisan saya sendiri dan atau tidak terdapat bagian atau keseluruhan tulisan yang saya salin, tiru atau yang saya ambil dari tulisan orang lain tanpa memberikan pengakuan pada penulis aslinya.
Apabila saya melakukan hal tersebut di atas, baik sengaja maupun tidak, dengan ini saya menyatakan menarik skripsi yang saya ajukan sebagai hasil tulisan saya sendiri ini. Bila kemudian terbukti bahwa saya ternyata melakukan tindakan menyalin atau meniru tulisan orang lain seolah-olah hasil pemikiran saya sendiri, berarti gelar dan ijasah yang telah diberikan oleh universitas batal saya terima.
Yogyakarta, 31 Agustus 2008 Yang membuat pernyataan,
(Daisy Rizqi Putri)
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Daisy Rizqi Putri
Nomor Mahasiswa : 034214027
Demi kepentingan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya berjudul The Contribution of the Main Character’s Environments and Experiences in Finding the Meaning of Life in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die 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 royalty kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada Tanggal: 31 Agustus 2008
Yang menyatakan
(Daisy Rizqi Putri)
strength, and blessings given to me. I thank Allah SWT for having strengthened
my faith in finishing this thesis. My greatest gratitude is dedicated to my beloved
parents, Tri Yenni Suryaningsih and M. Syahrizal Nurhimawan, for the never
ending love, understandings, and supports. Without them, I will not be what I am
now. I also thank my brothers and sister, Yuslim, Anieph, Satya, Bintang, and
Aflah for giving me so much help, supports, and a great brotherhood. I Love You
All.
My chief debt goes to Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini, M.A. as my advisor
who has willingly spent her precious time and patience for correcting my thesis
and for giving suggestions to make this thesis qualified. I would like to dedicate
my gratitude to my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for giving me
his/her time to read, correct, and give suggestions to make this thesis better.
My special thanks go to Mama Naim, Papa Imam, Pak Suryono, Omic,
Dinda, and the big family of Kauman who have given me much love,
understandings, and supports. I am also thankful to the big family of
Suryowijayan-Mbah As, Bude, Pakde, mbak Cik, si Om, Gendut, Nafis, Nadif,
Nadia, and the little Farrel for giving me so much attention. I also thank Dara for
helping me searching and finding some data in finishing this thesis and for
encouraging me.
for such a great and beautiful friendship. I thank you for supporting me and being
at my side in my worst times. I also thank my “brothers and sisters”, Bang Vian,
Mba Ata, Mba Rakhma, Om Ans, Pipin and Si Ndutz Thria for giving me the
beautiful and unforgettable friendship.
Last but not least, I would like to devote my gratitude to my beloved
husband, Ommand A. Cakrawijaya for completing the missing piece in my heart.
I thank him for his love, understandings, and supports. I thank him for such a
great life we have gone through together. I also thank his heart for having returned
mine. I also thank my little angel, Aurelia Syifaanala Adnin whose smile can
strengthen me in my each day. You are my sunshine...I Love You both.
Daisy Rizqi Putri
TITLE PAGE ...i
A. Background of the Study ...1
B. Problem Formulation ...4
C. Objectives of the Study ...4
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ...6
A. Review of Related Studies ...6
B. Review of Related Theories ...8
1. Theory of Character ...8
2. Theory of Personality ...11
3. Theory of Hierarchy of Needs ...17
4. Theory of Mental Illness ...22
5. Theory of the Meaning of Life ...24
C. Theoretical Framework ...26
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...28
A. Object of the Study ...28
B. Approach of the Study...30
C. Method of the Study...30
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS...34
A. The Personality of the Main Character ...34
B. The Depiction of the Main Character’s Environments and Experiences ...42
2. The Depiction of the Main Character’s Experiences ...49
a. Suicide ...50
b. Fear of Death ...51
c. Insanity ...54
C. The Contribution of the Main Character’s Environments and Experiences in Finding the Meaning of Life ...61
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...74
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...78
Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,
Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
Veronika Decides to Die tells about the finding of the meaning of life.
Veronika is a Slovenian woman that seems to have a perfect life. Instead of feeling satisfied, she finds this life meaningless. She decides to commit suicide that finally ends in failure. It brings her to stay in an asylum, Villette. Her new environment leads her to experience new things. Surprisingly, at the end, the world of insanity enables her to find what the meaning of her life exactly is.
The personality of the main character, Veronika, is the first point discussed in this study. The second point is the depiction of the main character’s important environments and experiences that have affected her personality determination. The last point is the revelation of the contribution of the main character’s environments and experiences in finding the meaning of life.
Since this study discusses about the main character’s personality growth and her finding of the meaning of life in order to create a healthy individual, the psychological approach is considered as the suitable one to be applied in this study. The method used in this study is library research.
Veronika is represented as a pretty and attractive woman who has a perfect life. However, she is also an introvert and passive person. It makes her feel afraid to take risks. Furthermore, she is obedient as what her parents had taught her during her life. She is used to follow and obey the rules given. Whenever she breaks the rules, she will be covered with guilt. Having observed her personality, it is found that Veronika has been trying to be an ideal person who always obeys rules and fulfils others’ expectations. She pretends to be another person and lives under the shadow of falseness. This falseness becomes the major reason that causes her basic needs to be dissatisfied. As it is stated by Maslow, the basic needs consists of the physiological needs, the safety needs, the love and belongingness needs, the self-esteem needs, and the self-actualization needs. Maslow emphasizes that the unfulfilled needs results in an ill personality that makes an individual views this life negatively. Hence, it is understood why finally Veronika decides to commit suicide even though her effort ends in failure that brings her to stay in Villette. Unpredictably, the asylum and the insanity lead her to experience new things that support her growing personality. It encourages her to be brave in determining her behaviour and actions without being bound to the rules and others’ expectations to fulfil her own dreams and needs. Having finally fulfilled her basic needs, Veronika’s personality turns to the healthier personality that enables her to view this life positively. She is able to enjoy small things that lead her to find her meaning of life that is to encourage her lover, Eduard, to live his former dreams to be an artist.
Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,
Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
Veronika Decides to Die merupakan sebuah novel tentang penemuan
makna hidup. Veronika adalah seorang wanita Slovenia yang memiliki sebuah kehidupan yang sempurna. Akan tetapi, ia tidak merasa puas dan bahkan menganggap hidup ini tidak berarti. Oleh karenanya, ia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri. Tetapi, usaha bunuh diri itu gagal. Hal ini menyebabkan dirinya harus tinggal di sebuah rumah sakit jiwa, Villette. Lingkungan baru ini memperkenalkan hal-hal baru pada Veronika. Bahkan pada akhirnya, ketidakwarasanlah yang membuatnya menemukan makna kehidupan sesungguhnya.
Kepribadian tokoh utama, Veronika, merupakan topik pertama yang dibahas dalam studi ini. Topik kedua adalah pengungkapan akan lingkungan dan pengalaman-pengalaman Veronika yang berperan besar dalam membentuk kepribadiannya. Topik ketiga adalah pengungkapan akan kontribusi yang diberikan oleh lingkungan, pengalaman, dan perkembangan kepribadian Veronika dalam penemuan makna hidup.
Dikarenakan studi ini membahas tentang perkembangan kepribadian tokoh utama dan penemuan makna hidup untuk membentuk individu yang sehat, pendekatan yang paling tepat adalah pendekatan psikologis. Metode yang digunakan adalah studi pustaka meliputi pengumpulan data dan teori-teori untuk mendukung studi ini.
Veronika digambarkan sebagai seorang wanita cantik yang tertutup dan pasif. Hal ini membuat Veronika merasa takut untuk mengambil resiko. Terlebih lagi, ia sangat mematuhi peraturan yang ada seperti yang telah ditanamkan oleh orang tuanya. Ia akan merasa bersalah jika melanggar peraturan tersebut. Veronika selalu berusaha menjadi individu yang ideal yang mematuhi serta memenuhi keinginan-keinginan orang lain. Ia harus berpura-pura menjadi orang lain dan hidup di bawah bayang-bayang kepalsuan. Kepalsuan inilah yang menjadi penyebab utama kebutuhan-kebutuhan dasarnya tidak terpenuhi. Sebagaimana dijelaskan oleh Maslow, kebutuhan dasar terdiri dari kebutuhan fisiologis, rasa aman, rasa cinta dan memiliki, penghargaan diri, dan aktualisasi diri. Maslow menekankan bahwa tidak terpenuhinya kebutuhan-kebutuhan ini akan menghasilkan kepribadian yang tidak sehat sehingga tidak dapat menyikapi hidup secara positif. Setelah Veronika tinggal di Villette, dunia ketidakwarasan ternyata dapat memperkenalkan hal-hal baru yang mendukung perkembangan pribadinya. Hal ini memberanikan dirinya untuk memutuskan sikap sendiri tanpa terikat oleh peraturan dan keinginan orang lain sehingga impian dan kebutuhannya dapat terpenuhi. Dengan demikian, kepribadian Veronika menjadi lebih sehat. Ia dapat menikmati hal-hal kecil dalam hidup dan dapat menemukan arti hidupnya yaitu untuk bertemu dan mendukung Eduard menggapai kembali impiannya yang telah terkubur yaitu menjadi seorang seniman.
A. Background of the Study
Literary works always brings their own effects to the readers. Each reader
might have his/ her own pleasure in it. It depends on how the reader observes the
work, their knowledge, experiences, education, concerns and interests. It is
possible a point considered interesting for a reader might be boring and flat for
other readers.
Literary works often give values for the readers as they can be considered as
human reflection. An author often makes his/ her works as the expression of
reality that happens in his/ her life and environment. As it is stated in Wellek and
Warren’s Theory of Literature, literature is considered as the representation of
life. Literary works are often utilized by the author as a medium to share certain
thoughts and ideas of life (1956: 94). Literary works are not only used as the
author’s expression but also, sometimes, a criticism of the reality. Through
literary works, the readers are taken to see the reality in the real world further and
deeper than in daily lives. Therefore, it is possible that the literary works are able
to open the readers’ knowledge about life wider. Literary works even help the
readers to understand life and all inside better to create a healthy and happy
individual.
One of literary works written by a Brazilian writer, Paulo Coelho, entitled
Veronika Decides to Die is one of the examples that literary works are the
reflections of the real world. In this novel, the readers can find the other parts of
life that they never meet or even imagine before, the world of insanity. Through
this novel, the readers may learn about the life of the insane people. It will be
surprising when the readers find the fact that actually not all of the inhabitants of
the asylum are really insane. There are some healthy people who choose to stay in
the asylum than to stay in the society to seek someyhing they cannot find in the
society, freedom.
This novel tells about the life of a twenty four years old Slovenian woman
named Veronika. She is described as a young charming woman that seems to have
a happy and perfect life. She has loving parents, friends, boyfriend, and a job.
However, in one day, she decides to end her own life, to commit suicide. She
takes an overdose of sleeping pills. She chooses this way to suicide because she
does not want to make her parents and people who love her become more
suffered, sad, and shocked if they find her with her shattered body as it is caused
by other extreme ways such as shooting herself or jumping from a high building.
Not as what she had expected before, the pills do not cause her to die. She
wakes up in a room of the most famous and feared asylum in Ljubljana, Vilette.
Here, she finds that she only has few days left before she dies because of a heart
damage resulted by the pills overdose.
Surprisingly, Veronika finds a lot of values and understanding of life that
she can not find outside the asylum. She meets a lot of people in Vilette who teach
her some understandings both directly or indirectly. She is taught of what the
Veronika is able to be herself. She is allowed and freed to act in the way she is.
She feels some emotions that she never feels before such as fear, hatred, and even
true love. Finally, she can realize what make her former life is so boring and
worthless that encourages her to commit suicide. Veronika finally finds the
meaning of her life. Therefore, this realization encourages Veronika to live longer
as she is able to appreciate how precious each moment in her life is.
Reading this novel thoroughly, the writer is interested in the main
character’s search of the meaning of life since meaning of life is very crucial for
human to survive in this world. The writer is also challenged to understand further
about how the world of the insane is, how the insane pass their life, and how they
think and feel in their days.
Besides the novel discusses much about insanity and the psychological
condition of human, it also takes the setting of place in an asylum with all its
situations and circumstances. Therefore, the branch of study that is closely related
to this novel is Psychology. Psychology is an academic field that studies both
human and non-human’s mind, brain, and behaviour. It also focuses in studying
human activities along with the individuals’ daily lives, mental illnesses, and its
treatments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/psychologicalapproach/).
This is the main reason why the writer chooses a psychological study to be
applied in the research in order to find out the meaning of the main character’s life
as one of the main problems that must be answered.
In Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge, Psychology is defined as the
animal act because of certain reasons, how they grow and change, how they are
different one another, and in what situations they feel disturbed. Psychology is
closely related to human’s emotion, motivation, and personality. Besides, it also
focuses on human activities including the problems of life and the treatment of
mental illnesses (1993: 265).
B. Problem Formulation
The followings are three questions that will be analyzed in the study on
Paulo Coelho’sVeronika Decides to Die. They are:
1. How is the personality of the main character presented in the novel?
2. How are the main character’s environments and experiences depicted in the
novel?
3. How do the main character’s environments and experiences contribute the
finding of the meaning of life?
C. Objectivesof the Study
Characterization will give some contribution in revealing the reasons why
the characters in the novel act and behave to figure out their intentions. Since
characterization is an important element found inside a literary works, it is
necessary to know the representation of the main character’s personality.
Therefore, the first objective of the study is to identify the characterization of the
The second objective of the study is to reveal the environments in where the
main character belongs and her experiences in each environment. These two
elements are important since they have great effects in personality determination.
Having revealed these two elements, the last objective can be gained.
The third objective is to reveal the contribution of environments and
experiences in finding the meaning of life that has become the main topic
discussed in the novel. Therefore, the writer applies psychological approach as the
branch of study that learn about human include their psychological disorders
A. Review of Related Studies
Veronika Decides to Die is a work of a Brazilian writer named Paulo
Coelho. Coelho himself has given some comments on this novel. He states that
this novel is about how life is worth living.
Veronika Decides to Die - but then realises how very precious life is. Although she's a young girl with everything to live for, Veronika is not happy and feels that the only remedy for her malaise is suicide. But she survives and wakes up in the local lunatic asylum, only to be told that her heart is damaged and she has just days to live. More like a fable than a story, the main theme ofVeronika Decides to Dieis that life is worth living
(www.google.com).
Through this novel, Coelho wants to share that everyone needs to find what
the meaning of his life is in order to make him happy and healthy in life so that
his life becomes valuable. This need will be the same for each human whatever
his appearance, social status, race, and so on. From the story, he wants to show
how the processes and what factors supporting in finding the meaning of life.
Coelho makes the readers realize that life always changes. It depends on how we
decide to pass it. It is that life is monotonous and worthless because we make it
that way.
Anik Kuswandari in her thesis entitled Moral Lessons as Reflected in Veronika’s Character Development in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die
asserts that Veronika’s new environment supports her to find the meaning of life.
In her new environment that is Villette enables her to find new kinds of people
and new experiences she has never found before (2005: 29).
Kuswandari emphasizes that the new people as a part of the environment
have introduced her to some new things such as craziness, purity, and freedom. It
makes Veronika turn her personality and her way of viewing this life. At the end,
this change leads her to the finding of the meaning of life (2005: 35-37).
Considering Coelho’s intentions and comments, as the writer of Veronika Decides to Die, and the study of Anik Kuswandari, this thesis will attempt to
analyze on how the meaning of life is crucial to pursue. Furthermore, this thesis
will present the meaning of life as a need that must be fulfilled by each individual
in order to create a healthy and happy individual. It includes on what factors
influence this finding, what the consequences and results when this finding is
fulfilled or not fulfilled.
The fulfilment of the meaning of life will be differently achieved by
different individuals since they have different and varied personality. It is caused
by the fact that personality will lead an individual to certain ways of thinking,
attitudes, and actions.
The main factors influence the finding of the meaning of life that are
mainly focussed in this thesis are the experiences and environment. These factors
are chosen since they are considered to have great significances and roles in
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theory of Character
M.J. Murphy in his book, Understanding Unseens, states that every author
will try to make the characters in his work become alive and understandable for
the readers in order to support them in understanding the story of the work. The
ways to understand a character in a literary work is similar to the ways to
understand people used in our every day life. We can learn some information
about a person through his/her appearances, gestures, and speech. We can also
learn about a person’s character through other people’s opinions. Through other
people, we can gain some knowledge about the person’s past life. The events had
happened in a person’s past life is considered important in determining his
attitudes, actions, behaviours, and personality in the future time. The longer we
are acquainted with the person, the more we understand him (1972: 161).
There are nine ways done by an author to describe the characters in his
work as it is stated by Murphy inUnderstanding Unseens.
a. Personal description
The first way to describe a character is by giving direct description about
the character’s appearance and clothes in the work. It is possible to be done by the
author since the author is considered of having the “eye of God” that enables him
b. Character as seen by another
The second way to describe a character is by using other people’s views and
opinions. Through this way, the readers are able to grasp a character’s personality,
appearance, and interests.
c. Speech
Some information and clues about a character can also be revealed through
the character’s speech. The readers will be able to conclude what personality
someone possesses through the way he speaks, his diction, his intonation, and
comments.
d. Past life
Another way to describe a character is by giving some information about his
past life. His past life will more or less affect how he behaves and does some
actions in his present life. Further, his past life can affect or even change his
personality. The author may give this information directly by giving comments,
by using the character’s thoughts, by using the character’s speech in
conversations, or by using other people’s point of view and comments.
e. Conversations of Others
The author can also give descriptions of a character’s personality through
the conversations of others. When people talk about certain person, there will be
f. Reactions
The author can also give descriptions of a character’s personality by letting
the readers know how the character reacts and response various situations and
events.
g. Direct Comment
The author is also able to describe a character directly by giving his own
comments and descriptions.
h. Thoughts
Considering that an author has the “eye of God”, he is able to know of what
a character is thinking about. The readers, then, have a privileged position as they
are able to listen to the inmost thoughts of the character in a work.
i. Mannerism
The last way used is through a character’s mannerism. Through a
character’s mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies, the author can give the readers
some clues about the character’s personality.
These are the ways stated by Murphy on how an author usually describes
the characters in his work. An author does not describe a character by using a
single way mentioned above. On the contrary, he will mix them in order to reveal
characters and personalities piece by piece so that the readers will tend to think of
the characters in the work as real people.
As it is stated by William Kenney in his book,How to Analyze Fiction, that
Therefore, an author tends to describe a character in his work piece by piece
as it is done by people in the real life. Also, the characters described are usually
not much different with those in real life. It is done to avoid the readers difficult
to understand the characters since they do not familiar with people who do not
exist in real life. Moreover, they have no experience with this kind of people.
2. Theory of Personality
Personality has many meanings. This word is derived from the Latin word
Persona. In Hjelle and Ziegler’s Personality Theories, it is stated that the word
was originally denoted the masks worn by the theatrical players in ancient Greek
dramas. The term came to encompass the actor’s role (1981: 6).
George Kelly who introduces the cognitive theory of personality regards
personality as the unique way an individual possesses to make sense out of life
experiences. It is believed as personal construct which means an individual has
his own category of thought in interpreting and construing some aspects of reality
in terms of similarities and contrasts. As it is stated by Kelly in A Cognitive Theory of Personality,
Man looks at his world through transparent patterns or templets which he creates and then attempts to fit over the realities of which the world is composed. The fit is not always very good. Yet without such patterns the world appears to be such an undifferentiated homogeneity that man is unable to make any sense out of it (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981:327).
In other words, each individual has his own constructs of some aspects in
the real world in understanding and construing some events in reality. Further, an
experience. It then enables him to place a structure and meaning of the events
they have experienced.
Gordon W. Allport’s in Hjelle and Ziegler’s Personality Theories defines
personality as what an individual really is, an internal “something” that guides
and determines all human activity.
Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic, behaviour, and thoughts (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 284).
Since Allport defines personality as “dynamic organization”, it can be said that
personality does change. He asserts in his theories that a person is not a static
entity.
The term “Psychophysical systems” is used because Allport wants to show
that in describing and studying personality, both “body” and “mind” must be
considered (Hjelle and Ziegler: 1981:284).
As it has been mentioned above, Allport states that one’s personality is
dynamic which means that it can change, grow, and or develop. There are so
many aspects considered of having roles in determining personality.
One of the aspects is environment. Huber in his article Environmental Psychology defines environment as a physical surrounding where an individual
stays. Environment is said as an element that determines human behaviour.
Behaviour covers human’s covert and overt acts, thoughts, and emotions (1994:
494).
InA Need Theory of Personality, Henry Murray assumes that to understand
between persons and their environment. It implies an understanding that to
determine an individual’s personality, one’s must recognize in what environment
the individual belongs to.
Thus, persons cannot be properly understood apart from their surroundings-constitutional and environmental forces combine to produce behaviour (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 172).
Further, Murray formulates four determinants that have important
significance in personality formation.
a. Constitutional determinants
The first determinant stated by Murray is constitutional determinant is an
individual’s total physical condition, such as sex, age, body type, etc.
The person’s total physical make up at any given time is what Murray means by constitutional determinants of personality. Included in this category would be such factors as the individual’s age, sex, body type, skin pigmentation, physical strength, disabilities, and conformity of physique to the culturally fashionable type. But these constitutional forces do not act in a vacuum. Rather, in Murray’s system, they are differentially important according to the person’s environment (1981: 168).
In short, one must consider an individual’s physical condition placed in a
social context to identify his personality. Since, according to Murray, an
individual’s physical condition will have great significance only when it is placed
along with social context.
Murray also provides an illustration to understand this determinant more
fully. He illustrates a male who is thin, fragile, and physically weak. When these
physical factors are placed in a social context, for example, in sport, this male will
never successfully play football develop any aspects of personality and satisfy his
While constitutional factors are part of personality determination, then, their precise effects upon the person are a function of their constant interactions with the environment (1981: 168).
It can also be said that environment has a significant role that can not be
sided in determining one’s personality. Watson and Tharp in Self-directed Behaviour: Self-Modification for Personal Adjustment emphasizes that
environment has great effect in determining behaviour. It is stated that the
changes of the situation direct an individual to change his behaviour. As an
example, an individual will behave differently when he is in the classroom from
his behaving in a formal dinner.
Because behaviour is a function of the environment, changes in your physical surroundings or in your social circumstances or in the behaviour of others will produce changes in your behaviour. Of course, this is not a simple one-way relationship. Our behaviour can affect our environment as well as be affected by it. The changes that result in the environment in turn affect our later behaviour (1934: 10).
The environment in where an individual belongs and experiences things has
created an effect. Environment evokes an individual to behave according to the
situation occurs. An individual then has learned behaviours and has been
introduced to the new ones whenever the situation changes. It directs the
individual to adjust specific situations. It means that the individual must notice the
changes and be able to determine the modification of behaviour should be taken
to control the situation (1934: 11).
b. Group memberships determinants
The social groups such as familial, ethnic, religious, racial, political,
great significances in constructing his personality. Group membership is said
taking roles in formatting personality primarily since each group possess its own
particular social environment and value systems.
Scott McNall in The Sociological Experience affirms that family is a first
place in where an individual is introduced to rules, norms, and value systems.
Family functions to teach an individual to understand that rules are made to be
obeyed and there will be sanctions if these rules are ignored (1969: 166-167).
Hence, as it is stated by Murray, certain needs will be both develop
differently and expressed differently according to these two factors, the social
environment and the value system. Simply, it can be concluded that two different
individuals who belong to different groups will behave and act differently one
another.
c. Role determinants
Even though Murray views that role determinant of personality is the
subclass of group membership determinants, Murray treats it separately from
group membership determinants since it is so potent in differentiating individuals
within a group.
An individual’s roles in society will more or less determine his personality
since certain roles will result in different directions of personality development.
As Murray illustrates, the female sex roles in society will lead her to be inferior to
d. Situational determinants
Situational determinant is constructed of the day-to-day experiences of the
individual. It includes both things that have been experienced a thousand times
and those that only have been experienced only once since they will result in
different effects to different person in a certain group. Situational determinant is
also said as a category of factors shaping personality such as brief interpersonal
contacts, family constellations, friendships with particular individuals, and
divorced parents. As Murray assumes in his theory that,
These types of determinants, unique to one’s life situation, may play an extremely important part in helping shape the kind of person one will become (1981: 170).
Drs. Irwanto in Psikologi Umum states that physical appearance and
experiences influence personality determination. There are two kinds of
experiences. The first is common experience. This kind of experience is the
experience that most people also have experienced the same thing. As an
example, the value system and norms that oblige children to respect their parents.
Each individual will be taught to respect his parents and older people. It becomes
a part of his personality and is the same with most of the people in society.
The second kind is the unique experience. Different from the common
experience, the unique experience has been only experienced by an individual.
Since an individual has his own characters and tendencies, the responses he
makes when facing certain situations are different with others. It directs him to
experience things. These experiences form a part of his personality that is unique
From the different theories above, it can be concluded that environment and
experience are two factors which can not be separated from an individual’s
personality formation and development. Both factors have great significances in
personality since they may lead an individual to certain directions of personality
development that finally result a unique individual. Since an individual has his
own environment and experiences, there will never be two persons who are
exactly alike in this world (1981, 168-170).
3. Theory of Hierarchy of Needs
In psychology, there are many theories of needs that are introduced. Each
theory has its own consideration and understanding. The theory of needs applied
in this thesis is The Hierarchy of Needs by Abraham Harold Maslow.
Different with Freud’s psychoanalytic theory that emphasizes unconscious
and irrational forces as the controlling factors in behaviours, the theory introduced
by Maslow is called as humanistic psychology. As the other psychologists,
Maslow believes that human beings are free to make their own choices.
Human are considered as the conscious agents. It means that they are free in
deciding, choosing, and doing their actions. As Sartre often express it: “I am my
choices” (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 365). Therefore, each human being is said to
have certain motives in doing some actions in order to fulfil their needs.
Frank. G. Goble, in his book entitled The Third Force, the Psychology of Abraham Maslow, confirms Maslow’s theory that persons, whose basic needs are
those whose basic needs are not completely fulfilled, show some psychological
disorder symptoms (1971: 89).
Maslow believes that human beings are born with some innate needs. These
needs are arranged in the order of their potency in a hierarchy of needs. The needs
are: (1) Basic physiological needs, (2) Safety needs, (3) Belongingness and Love
needs, (4) Self-esteem needs, and (5) self-actualization needs or the needs of
personal fulfilment. The lower the need is, the stronger it is. The higher the need
is, the weaker it is (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 369).
The first four layers in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are called as
Deficiency Needs or D-Needs. Meanwhile the top is called as Growth Need,
Being Values, or B-Needs.
The picture below is the picture of Maslow’s pyramid of the hierarchy of
needs.
Each layer has its own explanation. It is further explicated as follow:
a. Physiological needs
Physiological needs are the basic, lowest and the strongest one in the
hierarchy of needs. The needs are biological needs that cover the needs for food,
drink, oxygen, activity and sleep, sex, protection from extreme temperatures, and
sensory stimulation. These needs must be fulfilled at some minimal level by each
human in his life. If these needs are not satisfying yet, the person will be not
motivated by other higher needs. Maslow adds in Hjelle and Ziegler’sPersonality Theories(1981: 369),
For our chronically and extremely hungry man, Utopia can be defined simply as a place where there is plenty of food. He tends to think that, if only he is guaranteed food for the rest of his life, he will be perfectly happy and will never want anything more. Life itself tends to be defined as unimportant. Freedom, love, community feeling, respect, philosophy, may all be waved aside as fripperies that are useless, since they fail to fill the stomach. Such a man may fairly be said to live by bread alone (Maslow, 1970: 37).
Hence, it is obvious that the physiological needs control human’s thought
and behaviours to gain satisfaction of these needs. Unless these basic needs are
completely fulfilled, human will not pursue other higher level needs.
b. Safety needs
After the physiological needs are fulfilled, human will start to pursue
another need that is Safety or Security needs. The needs consist of the needs of
certainty, order, structure and predictability in one’s environment, and safety from
war, crime, natural disasters, riots, and societal disorganizations.
As it is stated by Hjelle and Ziegler that Maslow believes that the safety
helplessness and dependency on adults. Infants will be frightened when they are
suddenly dropped or startled by loud noises and flashing lights. Since they realize
that they are powerless in such situations. These dangers can be neutralized when
one has experience, knowledge, and education about them. When one knows
some information about certain dangers, it makes him feel that he will find some
ways to handle them. As a result, he will not feel completely powerless (Hjelle
and Ziegler, 1981: 370).
c. Belongingness and Love needs
Once the safety needs are fulfilled, the next needs will emerge in human
motivation. The needs are the Belongingness and Love needs. These needs are
expected to be found both in one’s society and family. Different from the
Freudian, Maslow asserts that the belongingness and love needs are not similar
with the needs of sex. He emphasizes that mature love involves giving and
receiving. It requires more emotional fulfilment than sexual fulfilment.
Rather he contended that mature love involves a healthy, loving relationship between two people that includes mutual respect, admiration, and trust. Maslow also stressed that a person’s needs for love involve both giving and receiving love. Being loved and accepted is instrumental to healthy feelings of worth. Not being loved generates futility, emptiness, and hostility (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 372).
To fulfil these needs, one will try various ways. They might join with
certain groups which share them their interests, having lovers, having friends, and
many others.
d. Self-esteem needs
When the belongingness and love needs are fulfilled, one will pursue the
categories: self-respect and esteem from others. Self-esteem needs cover the
desire for competence, confidence, personal strength, adequacy, achievement,
independence, and freedom (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981: 372). Meanwhile, one
needs prestige, recognition, acceptance, attention, status, fame, reputation, and
appreciation from others to satisfy the self-esteem needs.
Someone whose self-esteem needs are satisfied will be more confident and
productive. On the contrary, one’s lack of self-esteem needs will result with
inferiority, powerlessness, despair, and even with frustration (Goble, 1971: 76).
e. Self-actualization needs
The last and highest needs in Maslow’s pyramid of needs are the
Self-actualization needs. Maslow introduces self-Self-actualization as one’s capability to be
everything he wants and is capable of it. These needs are the psychological needs
to develop and exploit all of his capabilities, potentialities, and talents to be
everything he wants. The development and exploitation of one’s capabilities,
potentialities, and talents will enable him to improve himself thoroughly and
reach a healthy mental condition. These needs include the opportunity and
freedom to make one’s dreams and hopes come true (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981:
372).
Easily identifying actualization, there are some characteristics of
self-actualized people as it is stated in Frank. G. Goble’s The Third Force, the Psychology of Abraham Maslow. People whose self-actualization needs are
satisfied will do everything as best as they can. They are able to view life wisely
They are not emotional and more objective in undergoing life. These people will
not let their hopes deceive them. They will still learn from others to improve
themselves. Therefore, it causes them be more precise in making judgment on
others.
Based on Maslow’s statement in A Theory of Metamotivation: The Biological Rooting of the Value-Life, the self-actualized people are already
satisfied in their love needs. They have friends, feel loved and loveworthy. Their
self-esteem need is also fulfilled since they already respect themselves and have
status in life. They do not feel anxiety, inferiority, worthlessness, or isolation.
Moreover, they love their job and do it as best as they could since they feel that it
is right and suitable for them.
Maslow adds that the self-actualized people possess their spiritual life. It is
defining characteristics to create a full human nature. Having spiritual life means
that they have already found the reason of their existence, their meaning of life.
The meaning of life is a part of real self that reveals the identity and
full-humanness of an individual (1969: 47)
Another prominent characteristic is their thorough and complete personality
that enables them not to fight themselves so there will be less personal conflicts.
Hence, these people are able to help others in patience and are still humble
(Goble, 1971: 51-57).
4. Theory of Mental Illness
Mental illness or psychological illness is defined as an unhealthy mental
occurs since it is primarily caused by one’s inability to recognize and fulfil his
needs (Goble, 1971:123).
Based on Maslow’s research, mental illness is strongly related to the need
of safety and relationships with others that are not satisfyingly fulfilled. People
who are mentally ill are usually unable to create a good relationship. It may be
seemed as a trivial problem but actually it will cause one to some psychological
problems when it is not completely fulfilled. This condition will lead one to
deprivation. Deprivation is a threat for one’s personality. It threats all aspects of
personality such as the goal of life, the defense system, the esteem, the
self-actualization, and of course the basic needs. This deprivation is what we identify
as frustration (Goble, 1971: 123-124).
As an addition, Jeffrey Gray in The Psychology of Fear and Stress states
that a very intense disappointment happens in one’s life will cause a feeling of
frustration and create fear (1971, 141).
It is said that mental illness is a result of an individual’s failure in his
personal growth. It is connected to one’s feeling of losing the meaning of life,
doubt of one’s life goal, sadness and anger of the missing love or affection, hatred
of self, despair of future, and helplessness in finding love and happiness.
These failures will also lead an individual to anxiety, fear, and quilt. These
results are those which are considered as the main cause of mental illnesses. The
feeling of fear, as it is stated by Maslow, occurs because of one’s failure in
and deny his own needs since he is afraid of other’s judgement and rejection in
the efforts of fulfilling these needs (Goble, 1971: 126-127).
InPsychology Today: An Introduction, psychological or mental illness has a
strong significance with some undesirable life events that finally result in stress.
Based on Amiram Vinokur and Melvin L. Selzer’s researches that people who
experience undesirable stressing life events will tend to be aggressive, paranoid
thinking, depressed, and have tendency to suicide (Braun.et-al, 1975: 481-462).
5. Theory of The Meaning of Life
The question of the meaning of life is a prominent matter in existentialism.
However, it does not mean that other disciplines, such as psychology, can not
discuss and theorize the idea of the meaning of life. On the other side, psychology
theories and or other disciplines theories on the meaning of life will enrich and
widen the knowledge of it.
When discussing about the meaning of life, it means that we also discuss
about human existence. It is believed that meaning and meaninglessness influence
human’s thoughts, emotion, and action.
There are some theories about meaning of life represented. In this thesis,
there are two theories will be introduced that is Viktor Frankl’s theory and
Abraham Maslow’s theory.
The first theory is Frankl’s theory. Kastenbaum asserts that Frankl considers
the meaning of life is a process of discovery in a world that is intrinsically
only in the outside of a person. The meaning of life can be achieved by doing a
deed (attitudinal), creating a work (creative), and experience something
(experiental).
By creating something enables a person to produce, create, and achieve
some forms of work. By experiencing something covers one’s experiences on
positive events such as love and beauty. Meanwhile by doing a deed leads one to
determine which best attitude must be taken in facing some unavoidable negative
situations (Encyclopedia of Psychology, 1994: 350). Frankl’s theory postulates
that if the need on finding the meaning of life is not fulfilled, one will experience
the feeling of meaningless that will lead him to “noogenic neurosis”, a condition
typified by boredom and apathy.
In contrast to Frankl’s theory, Maslow’s theory states that it is a property
within a person. Still in the relation to human motivation, a person will not try for
searching the meaning of life until his lower needs are already satisfied. The need
of the meaning of life is meta-motive that functions to create a healthy individual.
While it is not fulfilled, it will produce some illnesses. An individual is free to
choose meanings but it will create a healthier individual when he chooses the
meanings which are able to assist them in fulfilling their inner nature. As Maslow
views it as,
The state of being without a system of values is psychopathogenic, we are learning. The human being needs a framework of values, a philosophy of life, a religion or a religion surrogate to live by and understand by, in about the same sense that he needs sunlight, calcium, or love (1968:206).
Therefore, similar with the needs of requiring enough amounts on sunlight,
and meanings to avoid him becoming ill.
(http://dissertations.ub.rug.nl/FILES/faculties/ppsw/1996/d.l.h.m.debats/c1.pdf ).
C. Theoretical Framework
As it has been mentioned above, there are five theories introduced in this
thesis. Each of theory has it own significance in answering the problems
formulated before.
The theory of character is employed to answer the first problem that
questions how the personality of the main character is represented in this novel.
By applying this theory, it can be known what kind of person the main character
in this novel is through some ways mentioned.
The theory of personality, the theory of hierarchy of needs, and the theory
of mental illness will give some help in answering the second problem. The
second problem is revealing the depiction of the main character’s environments
and experiences. By applying these theories, the writer is able to determine the
experiences that have significances in the main character’s personality
determination.
These three theories and the theory of the meaning of life will be applied in
answering the third problem that is to reveal the contribution of the environments
and experiences in finding the meaning of life. The theory of personality will
support the analysis on how the main character views her own life based on the
personality aspects she has already possessed. Also, it will help us in recognizing
personality will enable us to observe how he thinks, acts, and behaves during his
life.
The theory of hierarchy of needs will contribute to answer the third problem
by figuring out first what needs needed to be fulfilled by an individual to, at the
end, feel satisfied of life. As an addition, the theory of mental illness will
emphasize how important the fulfilment of human needs is and inform what the
consequences of the needs that are not fulfilled.
The last theory, the theory of the meaning of life, will contribute in
answering the third problem that questions the main character’s meaning of life
that is finally found. It will assist in analyzing how an individual finds his
A. Object of the Study
Veronika Decides to Die is a novel written by a Brazilian author, Paulo
Coelho. Paulo Coelho is considered as a storyteller with the power to inspire
nations and to change people’s lives. Besides Veronika Decides to Die, he also
writes other famous books such as The Alchemist, The Pilgrimage, Eleven Minutes, The Valkyries, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, the Fifth Mountain, and Warrior of the Light: A Manual. His books are sold of more than
75 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 61 languages and
published in 150 countries.
Paulo Coelho is also well-known of his numerous prestigious international
awards such as the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum, France's
Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la LÉgion d'Honneur, and Germany's Bambi
2001 Award. He was also inducted into the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 2002
(www. google.com/veronika decides to die/).
Veronika is a twenty-four years old woman who has a perfect life. She is
attractive, has a loving family, friends, boyfriends, and a job in a library.
However, she is not satisfied of life and also unhappy. She feels that life is
unworthy and meaningless. Then, on the morning of 11 November 1997, she
decided to die. She wants to kill herself by taking an overdose of sleeping pills.
She chooses this way so that she will not create a deeper sadness for her family as
if she chooses to jump from a building, shoot herself, or hang herself.
Despite of being dead, some time later, she wakes up in an asylum, Villette.
She is told of having a heart damage and only has few days to live. At first, she
tries to find some ways to die as soon as possible. However, it makes her finally
interacts with the people inside the asylum and experiences some new events. She
builds some relationships with the patients, Zedka and Mari. She, then, is able to
feel some emotions that she never allows herself to feel such as love, hatred, and
courage. She even falls in love with a schizophrenic named Eduard.
Having experienced these emotions, she becomes capable to compare her
former and new life. Therefore, it enables her to evaluate her life and realizes that
she never did something brave and mad. She always tried to be a good girl who
makes everyone happy. She pretends along her life before staying in Villette. At
the asylum, she is finally able to express herself. She acts the way she is and she
wants without considering others’ judgment and opinions.
At the end, she has achieved a new better personality that enables her to
have different way of thinking. Thus, she can regard this life as the worthy one.
She realizes that she has to act the way she is without pretending only to fulfil
others’ expectations. Then, she is able to enjoy her life and consider that every
B. Approach of the Study
Based on Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, some works of
fiction in which thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the characters become an
equal or greater interest than is the external action of the narrative are called as
psychological novels (1995: 913-914). Veronika Decides to Die is one of those
novels in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters become a
great interest discussed in this novel.
Psychological approach is an approach chosen to analyze this novel. This
novel obviously discusses and highlights the life of insane people in an asylum.
The problems introduced in this thesis also questioning human’s life and
behaviour. Considering the main problems that will be discussed in this thesis, the
psychological approach is considered as the most proper discipline since it studies
about human’s attitude and behaviour.
Psychological approach is an approach that views a work through the lens of
psychology. In Wellek and Warren’sTheory of Literature, it is stated that some of
literary works applied psychological rules and or values in the story. Some
authors often apply psychological rules and or values in the story that are
considered to be proper to explain the characters and the situations. Therefore,
psychological approach is done to find the applied psychological values and or
rules that support the critics to interpret the story clearer. Psychological aspects
are considered to have artistic values when these aspects can add the coherence
This thesis deals with the individual’s personality growth and the factors
take roles in its process. It questions about how one personality growth may
contribute in his finding of the meaning of life. Therefore, the psychological
theories such as the theories of personality, the theories of motivation and needs,
the theories of mental illnesses, and the theories of the meaning of life will be
appropriate to be applied in this thesis in answering the problems mentioned.
C. Method of the Study
The method used in this thesis is library research. It was used in collecting
the data that supported this analysis. There were many data collected to analyze
this novel. There were two categories of sources in collecting the data, primary
and secondary. The primary source of this analysis was the novel itself,Veronika Decides to Die. The secondary sources were some books and websites that have
significant in providing theories and information for the analysis. The books were
The Psychology of Fear and Stress, Psychology Today, Personality Theories: Basic Assumptions, Research, and Application, and The Third Force: The Psychology of Abraham Maslow. Those were some psychological books which
mostly provide theories and information in this analysis.
To answer the problems of the analysis, there were several steps taken. The
first step was reading the novel thoroughly and reread it. It was meant to deeply
and completely understand the novel and to get information as much as possible
from the novel. From this reading, the writer was very interested in the insane
people lives, behaviour, and thoughts. Finding that the novel introduced some new
asylum could make one becomes a better individual, the writer then formulated
three problems. The first problem questioned about how the personality of the
main character is depicted in the novel. The second problem dealt with the
depiction of the main character’s environments and experiences. The third
problem questioned the contribution given by the environments and experiences
in finding the meaning of life.
The second step taken in order to answer the problems formulated was
searching some theories on characters, personality, motivation and needs, mental
illnesses, and meaning of life. These theories were important to provide some
information supporting this analysis.
The third step was answering the problems by applying the theories
mentioned to the data and information provided in the novel. From the theories
applications, the writer would be able to find the appropriate parts of the story that
have significances in explaining Veronika’s personality, in explaining how
Veronika’s personality grew, how the events in certain environment would take
role in her personality growth, and how those aspects contribute in her finding of
the meaning of life.
The writer would analyze what personality Veronika possesses by applying
the theory of characters. Then, the writer would analyze Veronika’s environment.
By understanding her life completely, the writer would be able to find the
differences of values, rules, kinds of people, and demands in both environments.
illness, the writer would analyze the experiences that have significances in
Veronika’s personality growth. Then, assume how different environment is able to
affect one’s personality. Further, the writer would analyze some events happened
in Veronika’s life and the effects of each events to her personality.
After finding the result of the roles and effects of each environment and
each event to Veronika’s personality, the writer would be able to figure out
Veronika’s former and present personality to find the changes and growth of her
personality. To reveal the meaning of life, the writer would apply the theory of the
meaning of life. The theory of the theory of personality, hierarchy of needs,
mental illness, and the meaning of life would also help the writer to figure out the
contribution of the environments and experiences in finding the meaning of life.
The last step was drawing some conclusions based on the analysis. From the
analysis, the writer would be able to conclude what the contributions have given
by the environments and experiences in finding the meaning of life finally found
The analysis will answer the problems formulated previously. There are
three problems presented in this thesis. The first problem is the characterization of
the main character in this novel, Veronika. Her characters are going to be
observed from the personal description, others’ point of view, speech, past life,
conversations of others, reactions, direct comment, thought, and mannerism. The
second problem is going to observe Veronika’s experiences in two different
environments, in the society and inside the asylum. After having revealed
Veronika’s experiences in these two different environments, the writer will
employ the answers to compare Veronika’s personality in the society and inside
the asylum to figure out the personality growth achieved. It begins the answers for
the third problem formulation that questions how these three aspects,
environment, experiences, and personality growth, contribute in finding
Veronika’s meaning of life.
A. The Personality of the Main Character
The main character in the novel is Veronika. On 11 November 1997, she
decided to commit suicide. During her life, she feels her life meaningless. She is
neither happy nor unhappy since she just passes her days without finding any
meaning from each event. She considers that she would gain nothing by
continuing her life but sufferings of feeling bored. Therefore, she decides to die.
Veronika is described as a young woman. According to M.J. Murphy, the
easiest way to find out the characteristics of a character is by having direct
description given by the author about the character. In this novel, Veronika is
directly stated as a young woman in the age of twenty four.
At twenty-four, having experienced everything she could experience-and that was no small achievement- Veronika was almost certain that everything ended with death (Coelho, 1998: 8).
When Veronika decides to commit suicide, she is in the age in which
someone is considered as a mature individual who is able to make her own
choices as it is revealed through a conversation between Dr. Igor and Veronika’s
mother when Veronika’s mother comes to see Veronika in Villette.
“…How old is she?”
“Twenty-four.”
“So she’s a mature, experienced woman who knows what she wants and is perfectly capable of making her own choices…” (Coelho, 1998: 78).
Beside being described as a twenty four years old woman, Veronika is also
described as pretty and attractive woman since she has beauty that enables her to
have some boyfriends as it is revealed by Veronika herself through her thought
after knowing that she is still alive.
Beside it is revealed through Veronika’s own thought, it is also known from the
conversation between Eduard and Mari when they are talking about her.
But this is the first time we’ve seen it happening to a young, pretty, healthy person with so much to live for (Coelho, 1998: 150).
Even though Veronika is described as a pretty and attractive woman, her
appearance is not described in details. Her physical appearance is shown through
Eduard’s thought.
The signal had finally come in the form of a young woman with green eyes, brown hair, and the startled look of someone who thinks she knows what she wants (Coelho, 1998: 148).
Veronika is also characterized as an introvert person. She never shares about
her truly life and feelings to her closest people even though she has many friends
and family who care about her so much. She prefers to keep everything for her
own.
She had managed to appear utterly independent when she was, in fact, desperately in need of company. When she entered a room everyone would turn to look at her, but she almost always ended the night alone, in the convent, watching a TV that she hadn’t even bothered to have properly tuned (Coelho, 1998: 67).
…Because they were always there even though I hid them (Coelho, 1998: 139).
On the other hand, she prefers spending the night alone to having
differences to the problems and sadness she faces. Even though, in fact, she
realizes that she definitely needs other people to be happy in life.
Because of that she had never enough energy to be herself, a person, who like everyone else in the world, needed other people in order to be happy. But other people were so difficult....
When someone more open to life appeared, they either rejected them outright or made them suffer, consigning them to being inferior, ingenuous (Coelho, 1998: 67).
This characteristic leads Veronika to act as if she does not need anyone else
in her life. She never lets herself to be close with anyone or letting anyone to be
close with her emotionally. She has been making her own border with others
during her life. At the end, it results in the feeling of loneliness.
She might have impressed a lot of people with her strength and determination, but where had it left her? In the void. Utterly alone. In Villette. In the anteroom of death (Coelho, 1998: 67).
Not only being described as an introvert person, Veronika is also described
as a fainthearted and passive woman since she always chooses the easy options of
all aspects in her life even by her time of committing suicide. It is all because she
is too afraid to take the risks.
She acts this way since she is always tied with fear of facing the consequences of
her options.
She was dead; what was the point of continuing the fears or preconceptions that had always limited her life? (Coelho, 1998: 132).
It makes her a pessimistic person who feels afraid in doing things including
in forming relationships with others since she thinks that at the end, these
relationships will end in vain. Veronika tends to view things from the negative
sides that prevent her to do things she wants.
...or not phoning a man she was in love with simply because she thought the relationship would lead nowhere (Coelho, 1998: 66).
Further, in this novel, Veronika is said of being lacking of self-esteem since
she cannot regard herself. She has no personal strength since she is not able to
face life. She prefers to stay in the same point from her life without trying to make
better and higher achievement.
This characteristic is not directly stated. The writer concludes that Veronika
possesses it from the result of having it. Lack of self esteem, as it is mentioned
before, results with inferiority, powerlessness, despair, and even with frustration.
In the novel, these results lead Veronika to commit suicide. Veronika decides to
commit suicide because of two reasons: feeling that life is an endless and
monotonous routine and feeling of powerlessness in facing the world that seems
The second reason was more philosophical: Veronika read the newspapers, watched TV, and she was aware of what was going on in the world. Everything was wrong, and she had no way of putting things right-that gave her a sense of complete powerlessness (Coelho, 1998: 7).
It is also shown in Veronika’s decision to commit suicide. When human
decides to end his life, it can be concluded that he is not satisfied of himself and
his life. It means that Veronika cannot regard and respect herself. Moreover, this
quotation also shows that Veronika is not able to face life and has already given
up to life.
“That’s why I was crying,” said Veronika, “When I took the pills, I wanted to kill someone I hated…” (Coelho, 1998: 65).
Not only disregarding and disrespecting herself, Veronika even hates herself until
she wants to kill herself.
Self-esteem is closely related with self-actualization in the hierarchy of
needs. The self-actualization needs can only be fulfilled when the self-esteem
needs has already fulfilled before. Therefore, the self-actualization needs will
automatically not be fulfilled when the self-esteem needs is not fulfilled yet.
Veronika lacks self-actualization since she does not employ all talents and
potentialities she has to be what she really wants. As an addition, based on
Maslow’s theory, the self-actualized people will be able to employ and exploit all
they possess to make their dreams and hopes come true (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1981:
