JOSEPHINE ALIBRANDI’S MATURITY
AS THE RESULT OF CONFLICTS
IN MELINA MARCHETTA’S
LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
MARCELLA DWINDA DANTI HUTAMI Student Number : 084214074
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
JOSEPHINE ALIBRANDI’S MATURITY
AS THE RESULT OF CONFLICTS
IN MELINA MARCHETTA’S
LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARCELLA DWINDA DANTI HUTAMI
Student Number : 084214074
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
vi
Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry.
― Jack Kerouac
To Father and Mother
for giving me the opportunity of an education
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am indebted to many different people for making the time working on this
thesis a meaningful experience. I would like to express my deep appreciation and
gratitude to the following people for encouraging me complete this thesis because it
would not have been possible without their supports and contributions in their different
ways.
I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani,
S.S., M.Hum., who abundantly offers assistance, valuable support and guidance
especially in reading the drafts. I also thank my co-advisor, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd.,
M.Hum., for reading my undergraduate thesis and giving me suggestions in order to
make it better. Immense gratitude is also due to all the lecturers of English Letters
Faculty for enriching my knowledge during the years of my study.
Furthermore, it is a privilege to meet and work with many great people who
become friends over the last several years. All of you have been invaluable
encouragement during all these years. Infinite gratitude goes to my family for the
perpetual supports, endless encouragement, and enduring love throughout everything.
Last but not the least, the omnipresent Creator, the omniscient Guardian and the Fallen
Light, to whom I owe my very existence, strength and exquisite vision.
viii
5. The Relation of Literature and Psychology ... 20
C. Theoretical Framework ... 21
A. The Description of Josephine Alibrandi ... 27
B. The Conflicts Leading Josephine Alibrandi to Maturity ... 41
C. The Result of Conflicts toward Josephine’s Maturity ... 47
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION... 61
ix
ABSTRACT
MARCELLA DWINDA. Josephine Alibrandi’s Maturity as the Result of Conflicts in Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi. Yogyakarta: Department of Letters, Faculty of English Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.
Looking for Alibrandi is the debut novel of Melina Marchetta and one of her best selling novels. This study is concerned about the maturity reached by Josephine Alibrandi, a seventeen-year-old girl of Italian descent but lives and grows up in Australia. The novel tells about the life of Josephine that is full of conflicts. Josephine changes because of the conflicts and finally develops different attitude of seeing things in her life. It shows that she is able to reach maturity.
There are three problems presented in this thesis. The first is to explain the description of Josephine. The second is to explain the conflicts experienced by Josephine that lead her to maturity. The third is to explain that Josephine’s maturity results from the conflicts. In order to complete the study, the thesis writer conducts library research. Since the study focuses on maturity gained by Josephine as the result of conflicts, psychological approach is applied in the analysis.
x
ABSTRAK
MARCELLA DWINDA. Josephine Alibrandi’s Maturity as the Result of Conflicts in Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi.Yogyakarta : Fakultas Sastra, Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.
Looking for Alibrandiadalah debut novel dari Melina Marchetta dan salah satu dari novel-novel terlarisnya. Studi ini fokus pada kedewasaan yang diraih Josephine Alibrandi, seorang gadis berumur tujuh belas tahun yang berasal dari keturunan Italia tetapi tingal dan besar di Australia. Novel ini menceritakan kehidupan Josephine yang sarat akan konflik. Josephine berubah dikarenakan konflik -konflik tersebut dan akhirnya mempunyai sikap yang berbeda dalam memandang hal -hal yang terjadi di dalam hidupnya. Ini menunjukkan bahwa Josephine telah mampu untuk mencapai kedewasaan.
Terdapat tiga masalah yang dikemukakan dalam studi ini. Yang pertama adalah untuk menjelaskan deskripsi tentang Josephine. Yang kedua untuk menjelaskan tentang konflik-konflik yang dialami Josephine dan yang mengarahkannya untuk mencapai kedewasaan. Yang ketiga adalah untuk menjelaskan bahwa kedewasaan Josephine adalah hasil dari konflik-konflik yang dialaminya. Dalam rangka melengkapi studi ini, penulis menggunakan studi pustaka. Karena studi ini berfokus pada kedewasaan yang dicapai Josephine sebagai hasil dari konflik-konflik, pendekatan psikologi diapplikasikan dalam studi ini.
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
As we know, changes are common thing that happen in human beings. They undergo changes that are imposed upon them or that developed during their upbringings and experiences in life. Furthermore, there are two different types of changes in human being according to Danuta Bukatko in Child and Adolescent Development: A Chronological Approach, which are “physical and psychological
changes in a lifetime” (2008: 3). In the journey, people go through a series of developmental stages that are essential to all aspects of their personhood including physical and psychological changes. Therefore, it is important that every individual must pass through several stages on their life to become adults.
The changes in human beings happen in various stages of growth where they learn certain things. The stages are infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, late childhood, and adolescence stage. The latter is the right stage next to the adult stage, which means it is the last step before being an adult. Thus, it makes adolescence stage becomes a significant period of an individual’s life. Bukatko also states the significance of adolescence stage, which is “according to many popular accounts, adolescence is a unique phase in emotional development” (2008: 531).
childhood to adulthood” (1981: 92). The age limits of adolescence stage is not clearly stated but commonly it extends from age 12 to the late teens. One of the important tasks for adolescent is to reach maturity as it is stated by Justin Pikunas’ Human Development, An Emergent Science.
Adolescent maturation is a highly personal task, and the adolescent must deal with himself or herself to find a place in peer and and later adult society and to achieve a self-gratifying identity (1976: 189).
Thus, it can be argued that studying the topic of this study, which is a development of a character, is important because the inner thoughts and inner feelings of the character that later change and finally lead to a better way can be seen clearly. M.H Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms states that the characters are “the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work who have moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities, which are expressed in the dialogue and the action” (1981: 23). It means that a character is a reflection of human act in the real life that shows his or her knowledge, moral, opinion and others. Meanwhile, in real life, they are hard to be seen or perhaps they are only can be guessed through behaviors. Therefore, the readers are able to observe and analyze human nature with all its complexities through literary works. Laurence Perrine also states in Literature, Structure, Sound and Sensethat literature “enables us to know people, to understand them, and to learn compassion from them” (1983: 66). It can be said that the readers are also able to know and understand human being in real life better and learn from it. Justin Pikunas adds his idea about the importance of literature in capturing all of the exciting events in life that psychology barely touches on.
Various literary works have developed various issues in adolescent’s maturity and novel is one of them. Novel is one of the forms of prose fiction, which is interesting to be discussed because it has much pleasure to be relished. It is stated in Mark Van Doren and Arno Jewett in Insights into Literature that “for among those pages, as among the pages of other great novels, readers have discovered an enjoyment different from that which any other literary form can yield” (1965: 588).
One of the novelists who interests the thesis writer to explore the work about adolescent’s life is Melina Marchetta, who is one of Australia's most celebrated authors of young adult fiction (www.puffin.com.au). The Young Adult Service Division of the American Library Association defines the age range of an adolescent or young adult as ages 10-19 whereas the definition of young adult literature is literature written for and marketed to young adults (www.public.iastate.edu). For instance, her first young adult novel Looking for Alibrandiwhich was first published in 1992 swept many literary awards for young adult fiction in 1993 including the winner of the CBC Book of the Year. Looking for Alibrandi, the much-loved Australian classic, is her first acclaimed novel that affirms her name as one of the best young adult authors (www.puffin.com.au).
one of the best Australian novels written in the 1990s, therefore it can be argued that Looking for Alibrandi reflects a culturally sanctioned ideology of Australian adolescent” (http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au). It means that Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi successfully reflects the life of Australian adolescent that is full of important issues in adolescent’s life such as maturity, identity, family and society. Besides Heather Voskuyl, Lesley Speed also states the significance of Melina Marchetta’sLooking for Alibrandiin revealing Italia-Australian female identity in her article "No matter how far you run": Looking for Alibrandi and coming of age in Italo-Australian cinema and girlhood.
The film and novel ofLooking for Alibrandimark a public coming-of-age for Italo-Australian female identity. Marchetta's novel is part of the literary tradition of the coming-of-age story, which typically centers on a young person whose acquisition of experience entails a loss that facilitates her acquisition of a new maturity… Josie's narration in the novel and film ofLooking for Alibrandiserves to assert her identity on multiple levels. It makes public the thoughts and emotions of Josie Alibrandi as a woman, as an Italo-Australian and as an Australian born to an unwed mother: identities that in earlier decades were likely to be kept private (http://www.latrobe.edu.au).
B. Problem Formulation
There are three problems presented in this thesis. The problems are stated below:
1. How is Josephine described in the novel?
2. What are the conflicts experienced by Josephine?
3. How does Josephine’s maturity result from the conflicts?
C. Objectives of the Study
In this study, the main character’s maturity as the result of conflicts is analyzed. The first purpose of this study is to find out the context and the characteristics of the main character throughout the novel in order to get better understanding of the character. The second is the writer wants to find out what conflicts leading her to maturity. The last aim is to find out how Josephine’s maturity results from the conflicts.
D. Definition of Terms
mature ways under various circumstances and finally accept wholeheartedly his or her own life as it is. A person can achieve maturity through the adolescent experiences that make them learns from the experiences.
8
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Looking for Alibrandi written by Melina Marchetta has become a great novel to be read and an interesting literary work to be analyzed. Due to the reason, there are
some studies that had been conducted before by other researchers. To find out
whether this thesis is original or not, it is important to map out the studies on Melina
Marchetta’sLooking for Alibrandithat had been previously done.
The first thesis on Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi is The Self Between Two Worlds: Cultural Authenticity in Melina Marchetta‘s Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca conducted by Vasiliki Tassiopoulos. His thesis examines cultural authenticity because it has close relationship with the lives of the
teen protagonists who become the main characters in the two young adult novels that
both novels were written by Melina Marchetta (https://circle.ubc.ca/). The writer uses
theories in cultural studies to analyze the cultural authenticity. He also uses a
Greek-Canadian point of view in examining the novels and then connected it to the lives of
the characters since the writer also has grown up living between two cultures with an
integrated understanding and appreciation of both Greek and Canadian cultures as
well as in the lives of the characters.
This thesis is different from Tassiopoulos’s thesis since this thesis examines
Alibrandi. Due to the reason, psychological point of view is used for examining the topic. This thesis focuses on the development of the main character examined from
psychological approach meanwhile Tassiopoulos’s thesis focuses on the reader’s
response based on the characters’ experiences. Tassiopoulos’s thesis is listed here
because Tassiopoulos used a novel that also becomes the object of the study of this
thesis, which is Melinna Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi. In other words, this thesis tends to discover a new topic on Melina Marchetta’sLooking for Alibrandi.
The next paper comes from a journal article conducted by Rita Wilson who is
an Associate Professor of Languages Cultures and Linguistics in Monash University.
Her journal article, titled Excuse me is our heritage showing? Representations of diasporic experiences across the generation, examines the writers of Italian descent who made the narration of diasporic experiences. Furthermore, Wilson analyzes the
ways in which relationships between ‘home’ and ‘destination’ cultures are negotiated
across the generations (http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au).
Wilson uses the narrations of three women writers, Rosa Cappiello, Anna
Maria Dell’oso and Melina Marchetta, and then analyzed them to show how
negotiating the tensions between nostalgia for the past and the needs of the present
transforms and translates notions of ‘home’ for writers who are living ‘in between’
cultures. Wilson chose the texts that revealed distinctive strategy of representation in
which spatiality functions as a symbolic conduit between the plotting of identity
The other paper is written by Lana Zannettino entitled From “Looking for Alibrandi” To “Does My Head Look Big In This?” The Role of Australian Teenage Novels In Reconceptualising Racialised gendered Identities. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of three Australian teenage novels – Melina Marchetta’s
Looking for Alibrandi (1992), Randa Abdel-Fattah’s Does my Head Look Big in This? (2005), and Morris Gleitzman’s ‘Girl Underground’ (2004). Drawing from feminist post-structural and postcolonial theories, the paper examines how each
author has constructed the racialised-gendered identities of their female protagonists,
including the ways in which they struggle to develop an identity in-between minority
and dominant cultures. Zannettino also considers how each author inter-weaves race,
gender and class to produce subjects that are positioned differently across minority
and dominant cultures (http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au).
This thesis is different from Wilson’s and Zannettino’s paper since this thesis
examines the life of the main character in Melina Marchetta’sLooking for Alibrandi. Meanwhile, the other two papers focus on the Melina Marchetta’s life.
B. Review of Related Theories
It is necessary to include all related theories which are very useful to be used
for answering the problems formulated. Because the topic examined in this thesis
focuses on the main character, therefore theories on character, characterization and
conflict are very useful to be included in order to get better understanding of the
characteristics of Josephine Alibrandi into becomes a mature person who is
influenced by conflict. Furthermore, theories on maturity are needed to analyze the
main character’s decisions and actions of facing and solving the conflicts that lead her
to become a mature person.
1. Theories of Character
Edward Morgan Forster inAspects of the Novelproposes two famous types of characters that are commonly presented in literary works which are round character
and flat character (1954: 103). Round character is usually the major character in the
work and this character undergoes some changes in his or her actions, thoughts and
feelings because of his or her experiences. On the other hands, flat character often
becomes the minor character, although not all minor characters are flat. According to
Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs in Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, “round characters can be considered dynamic since they undergo changes and flat characters can be considered static since they do not change or grow” (1987:
145). Hugh Holman and William Harmon in A Handbook to Literaturealso add brief descriptions about static and dynamic character. Static character is a character who
does not undergo any kind of changes, in his or her appearance, attitudes, behaviors,
disposition, or the way he or she thinks from the beginning of the story until the end.
Different from the static character, a dynamic character is a character who can
undergo changes in appearance, attitudes, behaviors, disposition, or the way he or she
2. Theories of Characterization
According to Holman and Harmon, characterization is “the creation of images
of imaginary persons so that they exist for the readers as lifelike” (1986: 81). In other
words, characterization is the creation of imaginative character in the fiction. The
thesis writer believes that it is important to know about the methods in doing
characterization in order to enhance the understanding of character. InUnderstanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students, M.J Murphy states that characterization is how an author conveys to the reader what sort of people they are, how an author makes the reader get to know and
understand them. According to Murphy, there are nine methods in doing
characterization which are personal description, character as seen by another, speech,
past life, conversation by another characters, reactions, direct comment, thought, and
mannerisms (1972: 162-173). The writer will use some of those methods to observe
the characteristic of the main character which are the personal description, character
seen by another, speech, conversation of other characters, reactions toward various
events or situations, and thoughts.
a. Personal description
The author describes a person by giving details of appearance. The author can
tell the readers the details of the color of the skin and of the hair, the shape, or the
clothes used, which may keep the readers to visualize the person and to know
b. Character as seen by another
Using this way means that the author may describe a person by using another
person’s eyes and opinion. What people in the story think about certain character can
be significant to the reader’s understanding from which the readers can set a reflected
image on the character.
c. Speech
The author can give the readers an insight into a person’s character through
what the person says. Whenever a person speaks in a conversation, or it gives an
opinion, he gives a clue that the reader may know how his character is.
d. Past life
It suggests that the author may picture a person’s past life permitting the
readers to obtain a clue to events that have helped to shape his character. This can be
done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his or
her conversation or through the medium of another person.
e. Conversation of other characters
The author uses this way to give a description of a person through the
conversation of other people and things they say about him. People do talk about
other people and the things they say often served as a clue to the character of the
person that is spoken about.
f. Reaction
To describe a person, the author can show how the person reacts to various
g. Direct comment
It means that the author can explicitly give direct description or comment on a
person’s character.
h. Thoughts
The author can describe a person’s character by giving the readers knowledge
of what the person is thinking.
i. Mannerism
It suggests that the author can convey something about a person by describing
his mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies.
3. Theories of Conflict
Dean G. Pruitt and Jeffrey Z. Rubin inSocial Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate and Settlementdefine conflict “as a sharp disagreement or opposition, as of interests, ideas and includes the perceived divergence of interest, or a belief that the parties
current aspirations cannot be achieved simultaneously” (1986: 4). According to Roy
J. Lewicki, Bruce Barry and David M. Saunders in Essentials of Negotiation, there are several different types of conflict, including interpersonal and intrapersonal
conflicts (2006: 17).
a. Interpersonal conflict
Wayne Weiten, Dana Dunn and Elizabeth Hammer describe the important
the 21st Century. Interpersonal conflict exists when people have different views, goals, and perspectives.
People do not have to be enemies to be in conflict and being in conflict does not make people enemies. Interpersonal conflicts exist whenever two or more people disagree. Interpersonal conflict is present anytime people have disparate views, opposing perspectives, incompatible goals and a desire to try to address and resolve their differences (2011: 262).
They also state the possibility to get valuable results through interpersonal conflict. It
means that when someone accepts the conflict and manages the conflict with openly
and constructively, the conflict may bring some positive outcomes and one of them is
lead to new perception and understanding.
When dealt with openly and constructively, interpersonal conflict may lead to a variety of valuable outcomes such as may bring problems out into the open where they can be solved, put an end to chronic sources of discontent in relationship and lead to new insights through the airing (2011: 263).
b. Intrapersonal conflict
Weiten, Dunn and Hammer state that it “occurs when two or more
incompatible motivations or behavioral impulses compete for expression”. This
conflict can develop out of someone’s thoughts, ideas, emotions, values and
predispositions (2011: 76).
4. Theories of Maturity
Justin Pikunas in Human Development, An Emergent Science states that “a mature person is one who has acquired a personal identity and has made progress in
295). It means that maturity is the ability to respond in mature ways under various
circumstances and finally accept wholeheartedly his or her own life as it is. A person
can achieve maturity through the adolescent experiences that make them learns from
the experiences. Furthermore, Pikunas indicates the idea of maturity in the stage
adolescent.
Adolescent is a time for further inquiry, and questions such as “Who am I?” “What do I want to be?” and “What is the real purpose of my life?” frequently emerge in the mind of the person moving toward adult maturity. Adolescent maturation is a highly personal task, and the adolescent must deal with himself or herself to find a place in peer and and later adult society and to achieve a self-gratifying identity (1976 : 189).
From the above quotation it can be seen that the most important task for adolescence
is to reach maturity. According to R. Guys Lefrancois in Psychological and Human Learning, reaching maturity is “related to development which includes growth and learning as a relatively permanent change in the behavior of individual resulting from
experiences” (1982: 107). Experiences that occur in adolescence stage can be in the
form of conflict since “adolescence stage tends to produce a period of conflicts”
(Atkinson and Hilgard, 1981: 93). Sometimes they need to encounter conflict which
later lead them to reach maturity as it is stated by William A. Donohue in Managing Interpersonal Conflict that “for most people, conflicts pose very grave threats and few of us want conflict or view it as an opportunity for growth” (1992: 19). Pikunas
also adds that “the adolescent task of forming his identity within the family
means that conflicts usually occur in adolescence stage and they may give
contribution for adolescent to help reach maturity.
There are several criteria of maturity which are described by Pikunas. They
are differential responsiveness, interdependence, participative activity, in the term of
application of knowledge and experience, communication of experience, sensitivity
to the needs of others, ability of dealing constructively with frustration, willingness to
assume adult responsibilities and perceive a moral character (1976: 300-304).
a. Differential Responsiveness
Pikunas states that intellectual development and, in particular, various
avenues of learning enable the child and the adolescent to expand and improve his or
her understanding of the many realities of life, their dimensions, and their
relationships. Moreover, accumulation of a variety of experience and knowledge
represents a capital gain for feelings of adequacy and self-reliance. Maturity of
response in various situations depends on previous experience and the range of one’s
information pertaining to each situation.
b. Interdependence
Pikunas states that in approaching maturity, the adolescent must break away
from dependence on the peer group in particular and “peer culture” in general in
order to integrate himself into adult society and culture as a self-reliant individual. It
means that in this case, the main point is not becoming a fully independent individual
c. Participative Activity
According to Pikunas, a mature adult is able to act on his or her initiative, set
goals, and involve the whole person in activities. Self-knowledge, active engagement
of abilities, and experimentation with one’s potential can help the person to mold
himself or herself to an appropriate model.
d. Application of Knowledge and Experience
Application of knowledge and experience are done through constant
self-examination and self-evaluate which are necessary to improve discrimination in terms
of what is worth knowing and how to apply knowledge. Mature person treats his or
her previous experiences and knowledge as sources of learning therefore he or she
will use his or her self-examination and self-evaluate to gain his or her appropriate
decision in life.
e. Communication of Experience
Pikunas describes that the ability to relate experiences satisfactorily,
especially significant experiences can enhance personal adequacy and adjustment. It
means that mature person is able to communicate his or her experiences and needs
with others.
f. Sensitivity to the Needs of Others
According to Pikunas, a mature person attains a level of control that permits
g. Dealing Constructively with Frustration
One of the major signs of maturity is the increasing ability to delay the
gratification of psychological needs and to control or tolerate considerable amounts of
disappointment, deprivation, anxiety, and frustration in general. As the adolescent
becomes better able to cope with and solve his or her conflicts, he or she advances
toward the attainment of maturity. From his or her past frustration, a mature person
should be able to examine and draw positive lessons for future activities. He or she
learns ways to express his or her drives and emotions without hurting others or
himself.
In dealing constructively with frustration or other emotional experiences,
Bukatko in Child and Adolescent: A Chronological Approach adds that a mature person is a person who has developed emotional self-efficacy.
For many children , the various facets of emotional development culminate in a more mature state of emotional self-efficacy, the ability to accept and feel in control of one’s emotion. Well-adjusted individuals are able to handle challenging emotional encounters with an appropriate emotional tone. They accept their emotional experiences, both good and bad, and feel they are able to manage them. Emotional challenges are met with a sense of wanting to move forward in a positive way (2008: 532).
It means a mature person knows how to act properly in certain circumstances by
successfully managing the good and bad emotional experiences so that he or she can
be a better person. He or she is also able to perform more proper emotional tone.
h. Willingness to Assume Adult Responsibilities
The author points out that a young adult needs to develop his or her abilities
and obligations. Frequently willingness to assume responsibilities involves sacrifice
and courage on the part of the young person. He or she must learn to overcome fear
of failure, disregard moods and feelings of disgust or apathy, and ignore cutting
comments from his or her peers when his or her responsibilities must be solved in a
rational manner.
i. Perceive moral character
The author states that when a number of ethical and moral principles are
assimilated and start acting as effective behavior organizers, people begin to show
character, which is one of the ultimate indicators of advanced maturation and of adult
personality. The morally mature person guides himself in terms of assimilated moral
standards and goals. For instance, a mature person uses self-control by replacing an
unacceptable thought or desire with a more acceptable one.
5. The Relation of Literature and Psychology
In a journal New Literary History, Marie-Louise von Franz states about the relation between psychology and literature in her article Analytical Psychology and Literary Criticism. She states that “it is inevitable that psychology should deal with literature, since both spring from the same womb: the human psyche”
(http://www.jstor.org). From Franz’s statement, it can be said that analyzing literature
can be done through psychological theory, since literature and psychology come from
applying psychological theory which are the author, the characters and the readers
(2011 : 22).
C. Theoretical Framework
The aim of this part is to answer the problems which are presented in the
problem formulation. The writer applies some theories and approach in this study.
Theories on character and characterization are used in the analysis of this study to
explain how the character is developed throughout the story. Theories on character
and characterization are applied in the analysis of this study in helping the thesis
writer attains better understanding of Josephine Alibrandi’s characteristics. Theories
on conflict is applied in this study to understand more about the conflicts experienced
by Josephine. Theories on maturity are applied in this study for revealing Josephine’s
22
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study is a novel titledLooking for Alibrandiwhich is written by Melina Marchetta, a well-known Australian author who is best known as an author of young adult literature. Most of her books are centered in the life of a young adult such as Saving Francesca, On the Jellicoe Road, Finnikin of the Rock, The Piper’s SonandLooking For Alibrandi. The latter is a novel that launched her writing career in Australia and internationally. As a whole, the novel, which was first published in 1992 by Orchard Books, consists of 261 pages and 32 chapters. Some other editions have been published years later after the first edition and the edition that is used in the study is the one which was published in 2006 by Alfred A. Knopf in New York.
Since its release, Looking for Alibrandi had sold more than half a million copies worldwide and had been published in 14 countries. It is also one of Melina Marchetta’s works that achieved many critical acclaimed and won literary award for young adult fiction which won Book of The Year Award (Older Readers) from Children's Book Council of Australia in 1993 (www.puffin.com.au). Looking for Alibrandiis a great success therefore a film was made in 2000 based on the novel and Melina Marchetta wrote the screenplay for the film. Marchetta also received several awards from this film which won Best Screenplay-Adapted from Film Critics Circle of Australia in 2000, won Script Writing Award from New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards in 2000 and won Best Adapted Screenplay from Australian Film Institute Award in 2000 (www.puffin.com.au).
B. Approach of the Study
Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature offer five types of critical approach that can be used to examine the literary works. They are formalist, biographical, socio cultural historical, mythopoeia, and psychological approach (1971: 13). The approach which is used in this study is the psychological approach, an approach to literature that involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent pattern, and which refers to a different body of knowledge, that is psychology. It involves various theories of psychology to explain the personality of the character in the story and that each character’s behavior could be referred to the psychology of human being. This approach is applied when the attention is focused on psychological interpretation for enhancing the understanding and appreciation of literature.
C. Method of the Study
In analyzing Melina Marchetta’s Looking for Alibrandi, the writer conducted library research. It involves identifying and locating sources that provide information or personal/expert opinion on a research question. The primary data that was used in this study is Melina Marchetta’sLooking for Alibrandi. The secondary data that were used in this study were the references, the theories and other important information from books, articles and online sources that related to this study.
27 CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This part contains the analysis on the process of Josephine Alibrandi in
gaining maturity. This analysis is divided into three parts of discussion based on the
questions presented in the problem formulation. The first discussion is the analysis on
Josephine Alibrandi. The writer tries to examine the description of Josephine
Alibrandi. The second discussion is the analysis on the conflicts that lead Josephine
Alibrandi in becoming a mature person. The third discussion is the analysis on how
those conflicts lead Josephine into her maturity.
A. The Description of Josephine Alibrandi
The writer needs to examine the description of Josephine Alibrandi before
analyzing her maturity. The theories of character and characterization are used to find
out the description of Josephine Alibrandi. To define whether Josephine Alibrandi
can be considered as round or flat character and as dynamic or static character, the
theories of character presented by Forster, Roberts and Holman are used.
Forster inAspects of the Novelproposes two famous types of characters which
are round character and flat character (1954: 103). Referring to Forster’s theory, the
character of Josephine Alibrandi belongs to round character since she undergoes
some changes throughout the story in the novel. Meanwhile, based on Roberts’ and
she undergoes changes in the way she thinks from the beginning of the story until the
end.
According to Murphy, a character can be understood from nine methods
which are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, conversation of
other characters, past life, reactions toward various events or situations, direct
comment, thoughts and mannerism (1972: 162-173). Some of those methods are used
to observe the description of the main character which are the personal description,
character seen by another, speech, conversation of other characters, reactions toward
various events or situations, and thoughts.
In the novel, Josephine Alibrandi is clearly described by the author as a
seventeen-year-old girl of Italian descent who lives and grows up in Glebe, a suburb
outside the city center of Sydney, Australia. The first description of Josephine
Alibrandi as the main character in the novel is as a person who believes that her life is
full of problems. It can be seen from Josephine’s thought.
Personally, I feel that the HSC is the least of my problems. Believe me, I could write a book about problems (2006: 6).
The first problem that she complains about is HSC (the High School
Certificate) which is recognized qualification for students who successfully complete
senior high school level studies. Since Josephine is in the final year of high school at
St. Martha’s, she must pass HSC in order to secure her future as she plans to study
For the last five years we have been geared for this year. The year of HSC, where one’s whole future can skyrocket or go down the toilet, or so they tell us (2006: 6).
Unfortunately, HSC is not the only problem that Josephine complains.
Josephine thinks that she has many problems than her other friends and one of them
is John Barton whom she believes does not have anything to worry about since John
comes from wealthy family whom are of Anglo Saxons Australian. Moreover, John’s
family is a well-known family in Australia since they are involved in politics.
Josephine and John have close relationship since early years of high school as they
are used to see each other through debating events. Since their early meeting,
Josephine has a huge admiration toward John and it can be seen from Josephine’s
thought.
Have I ever told you about John “love of my life” Barton? School captain of St.Anthony’s. Son of a Member of Parliament. Greatest debater who ever lived. Good-looking. Popular (2006: 49).
At the beginning, it is apparent that Josephine is attracted to John Barton but
then Josephine meets Jacob Coote. As Jacob Coote comes into Josephine’s life,
Josephine’s feeling towards John alters. When Josephine and Jacob first meet, she
does not like him but then they start to like each other. Jacob Coote is a school
captain of Cook High, a public school in the city area. Jacob is a boy with a working
class background that is much the same with Josephine’s background. Jacob also
states it to Josephine and it can be seen from the following quotation.
Different from Jacob, Josephine attends St. Martha’s, a wealthy catholic
school in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Her academic scholarship ensures her place at the
school as she is not as well off as the wealthy Anglo-Saxon students who dominantly
attend the school. She dislikes her condition of being stuck at a school dominated by
rich people whom most of them are Anglo-Saxon Australians and it can be seen
through her own thought.
So not being able to go out a lot is one of my many problems. My biggest, though, is being stuck at a school dominated by rich people. Rich parents, rich grandparents. Mostly Anglo-Saxon Australians, who I can’t see having a problem in the world (2006: 7).
Anglo-Saxons Australian is a term that refers to the majority of Australians who are
of from English, Welsh or Irish descent, meanwhile Josephine is of Italian descent
therefore she does not belong to the Anglo-Saxons Australians. Josephine believes
that she is stuck at school because the dominant students who attend the school are
nothing in common with her. Josephine is of Italian descent whereas they are of
Anglo-Saxons Australians. Josephine comes from middle class family whereas they
are upper class family. Josephine’s belief that people who have wealth and social
status will never have a problem in their life also can be seen from the above
quotation of Josephine’s thought.
Josephine also believes that “they think they’re superior to us” (2006: 218).
According to Josephine, those Anglo-Saxons Australians feel superior to her and to
her friends since Josephine and her friends do not come from the Anglo-Saxons
accepted because of her social background. She also adds the things that make
someone accepted at her school are wealth and social status instead of brain. It
implies that how smart you are does not really matter, but it is your family’s assets
instead. It can be seen from the following quotation of Josephine’s thought.
We grew up in the midst of the snobs of St.Martha’s and discovered that somehow brains didn’t count that much. Money, prestige, and what your father did for living counted. If your hair wasn’t a bob or if your mother didn’t drive a Volvo, you were a nobody (2006: 24).
Josephine Alibrandi lives with her mother, Christina Alibrandi. Her mother
disgraced the family by getting pregnant to the boy next door, Michael Andretti, out
of wedlock. Christina and Michael are also not married since then. Josephine knows
little about the identity of her father because Michael had left Christina even before
she gave birth to their daughter, Josephine. Her mother also very rarely talks about
Michael in front of Josephine.
We do know that he’s alive and is a barrister in Adelaide, but that’s about it (2006: 9).
My mother had told me about him once and once only. I’d never heard his name mentioned since. Just “your father” or “he” (2006: 18).
Josephine dislikes the way people talk about her status as an illegitimate child
(since she was born out of wedlock and her parents are not married since then).
Josephine is tired of facing the way Italian mothers react to her mother who has a
child out of the wedlock and stills unmarried and it can be seen from her thought.
We were both huddled behind the laundry door when my grandmother’s cousin and her daughter walked into the room. They spat out my mother’s name in disgust repeatedly and all I remember hearing was “They don’t even know who he is” in Italian, over and over again (2006: 41).
Besides, the students at Josephine’s school also mention the status of Josephine as
illegitimate child.
I used to hear my illegitimacy mentioned during the first years at St. Martha, but nobody has spoken about it for ages (2006: 9).
Even though the girls at St.Martha don’t mention it, I bet you they’re talking about me behind my back. I can feel it in my bones. It makes me feel I will never be part of their society (2006: 9).
From the above quotation, it can be seen that she feels annoyed by the Italians and the
other students at her school who keep talking about her status. Furthermore, it leads
her to a conclusion that she will never be accepted in the society. Josephine’s attitude
toward her status as illegitimate child also can be seen through her reaction toward
Carly, one of her classmates, who implicitly insults Josephine as illegitimate child.
From the following quotation, it can be seen that Josephine is angry toward Carly’s
implicit insult about her illegitimacy.
“And you’re more than a wog, if you know what I mean,” Carly said.
I had a very strong feeling that she meant my illegitimacy. God knows what possessed me, but having that science book in my hand propelled me to immediate action. So I hit her with it (2006: 99).
But how could I tell these people that I’d hit someone in the nose because she’d called me a wog and made a slur about my illegitimacy? (2006: 100).
Besides living with her mother, Josephine also has a grandmother, Katia
Alibrandi. At the beginning of the year, Josephine does not have a good relationship
way Katia badly treats Christina since Christina disgraced the family by falling
pregnant out of wedlock. Christina had been out casted from the family and
Christina’s father, Francesco Alibrandi, who is said to be a dangerous man due to his
temper, kicked Christina out of the house because of her pregnancy. It can be seen
from Josephine’s description.
My mother had been estranged from her family for years after my birth. It was only after my grandfather died that we were welcomed back into the fold (2006: 41).
Josephine hates Katia because Katia has appeared to reject Christina for having
Josephine illegitimately. Moreover, Katia just keeps bringing Christina’s mistake of
having a baby out of the wedlock and she seems not wanting to accept the truth. This
is the reason why Josephine dislikes her grandmother so much.
Illegitimacy isn’t a big deal anymore. But it was back then and I remember the lies my grandmother would tell me. That I did have a father who had died. My mother would never lied to me that way. Maybe that’s why I dislike about Nonna. That she couldn’t accept things the way they were (2006: 42).
Josephine believes that it becomes the reason why Katia might hate Josephine and
Christina and it can be seen from Josephine’s thought.
Sometimes I feel sorry for her. I think that my birth must have cut her like a knife and I feel as if she’s never forgiven Mama (2006: 42).
I hated her because she never had anything nice to say about Mama. I hated her because she she’d never let my mother forget the past. I hated her because she tried to act like my mother (2006: 47).
Katia also blames Christina for Josephine’s bad attitude that shows no respect toward
Katia. It can be seen from the conversation between Josephine and Katia on the
“No manners, Jozzie,” I heard her say. “That is Christina’s fault because if she was a good mother, you would be a good daughter and respect me. But there is no respect left wit the youth of today.”
“It’s not the youth of today, Nonna,” I said angrily. “It’s you and people like you. Always worrying about what other people think. Always talking about other people. Well, we get spoken about as well, Nonna” (2006 : 44).
From the conversation and through Josephine’s speech, it can be seen that Josephine
sees Katia as someone who always worries about other people’s opinion. This
condition bothers Josephine so much because it makes Katia do not able to accept
Christina and Josephine as they are.
Then as the year goes on, Josephine learns of Katia's secret. She finds out that
her mother's biological father is not Francesco Alibrandi, Katia’s husband. In fact, it
is Marcus Sandford, an Australian man that Katia was friend with during her early
arrival in Australia. After Josephine reveals her family secret, she shows uncertainty
and frustration in not being Italian and not being Australian. On page 252, Josephine
expresses her desire to be either one or the other nationality. She admits, "Now all I
want to be is an insignificant Italian in a normal Italian family.”
Josephine Alibrandi is also described as a person who is still confused about
her identity. It can be seen through Murphy’s characterization method which is
character as seen by another. From the speech of Jacob Coote, Josephine’s boyfriend,
it can be seen that Josephine is still confused over her identity .
You’re just so confused about who you are that you feel that everyone is labeling you (2006: 300).
From the above quotation, it can be seen that Jacob considers Josephine as a person
offended easily especially when someone talks about her ethnicity. The other event
that considers Josephine easily feels offended when someone talks about her ethnicity
can be seen from her reaction toward her encounter with Ivy Lyold, the school
captain of St. Martha’s who is an Anglo-Saxons Australian and who belongs to the
wealthy upper class. The encounter between them starts when both of them are
reading the same paper about the funeral of an Italian businessman who was
murdered then Ivy calls Josephine as a new Australian in the conversation.
“You new Australians wear black a lot, don’t you?” she asked, looking at the picture.
“New Australian?” I ask incredulously. “Me? A new Australian?” “Yes.”
“How dare you call me a new Australian.” “You’re Italian, aren’t you?”
“I’m of Italian descent, thank you,” I snapped. “And I’m also two months older than you, if my records are right, so if anyone is a new Australian, you are, because you’re two months newer than me.”
“You know what I mean. You’re an ethnic.”
“I’m not an ethnic,” I spat out furiously. “I’m an Australian and my grandparents were Italian. They’re called Europeans, not ethnics. ‘Ethnic’ is a word that you people use to put us all in a category (2006: 199).
From the above conversation, it can be seen that Josephine feels offended by how Ivy
calls her ‘new Australian’ and ‘an ethnic’. Ivy said so since Josephine comes from
Italian ancestry. Away back, many Mediterranean or Southern Europe immigrants
arrived in Australia following World War II. Due to the reason, Ivy believes that all
of the Mediterranean immigrants who arrived in Australia after a hundred years of the
arrival of English descent in Australia are considered as ‘new Australian’ and it
includes Josephine who is of Italian descent. Meanwhile, Josephine thinks she is an
Josephine thinks Ivy is labeling her as Ivy tries to pick out racial differences between
them. Furthermore, Josephine’s frustration toward how people perceive her identity
can be seen through her thought.
I think if it comes down to the bottom line, no matter how smart I am or how much I achieve, I am always going to be a little ethnic from Glebes as far as these people are concerned. Do you know how frustrating it is? Why can’t these people understand that this is my country as well? (2006: 199).
From the above quotation, it can be seen that how frustrating it is for Josephine
wanting to be accepted in the society. Josephine believes her appearance and ethnic
background is the determining factor in her social acceptance.
Her confusion can also be seen when kids in the primary school used to ask
her what her nationality was. If she said she was an Italian, they would tell her she
was an Australian because of where she was born and if she said she was an
Australian they would tell her she was a wog because of what she looked like. Her
school friends who are of Anglo-Saxon Australians are also used to call her ‘wog’
and Josephine considers it as an insult. The following quotation is a conversation
between Josephine and her father, Michael Andretti. From Josephine’s speech, it can
be seen the way Josephine views the use of the word ‘wog’ after Carly, one of her
classmates who is an Australian calls her ‘wog’.
“She called me a wog, among other things,” I said, finally. “I haven’t been called one for so long. It offended me. It made me feel pathetic.”
“You are a wog, Josie. Does it offend you to be one?”
remember that I live in a small-minded world and that makes me furious” (2006: 106).
Wog is a slang word, sometimes considered derogatory and in some instances
offensive when it is used in relation to ethnicity. In Australia, the term is a pejorative
for migrants from the Mediterranean or Southern Europe such as Greek, Southern
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian and Macedonian. It is fine
for a wog to use wog as a term of friendship towards other wogs but when used as an
insult from a person whom is not deemed a 'wog', it can cause an issue
(http://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au).
Josephine lives in Australia, but is of Italian ancestry. For seventeen years of
her life, Josephine Alibrandi has been caught in the middle of two societies.
“I felt disadvantaged from the beginning…caught up in the middle of two societies” (2006 : 8).
She is confused whether she belongs to the Australian or Italian and her confusion
becomes greater because she thinks she does not even belong to one of the societies.
I think I had it worst. My mother was born here, so as far as the Italians were concerned, we weren’t completely one of them. Yet because my grandparents were born in Italy we weren’t completely Australian (2006 : 8).
She stands between these two cultures, neither really accepted by the Italians nor by
the Australians. The Italians reproach her of being an illegitimate child. The
Australians call her a ‘new Australian’, an ‘ethnic’ or a “wog”. Therefore, she feels
that she does not belong to either of them. She has always been trapped between two
problem when she reaches high school. From the beginning, it is evident that
Josephine wants to fit in at her school and struggles to be part of the world that John
Barton and Ivy Lloyd represent: wealth, prestige and social acceptance. It can be seen
from Josephine’s thought.
No matter how much I hate Poison Ivy, I want to belong to her world. The world of sleek haircuts and upper-class privileges (2006 : 38).
Besides, Josephine’s hope to be accepted in the elite community also can be seen
through the method of character as seen by another which is from Jacob’s speech.
“I think that you like being with people like him so if they accept you, you can be one of the beautiful people. The elite of the community. Why can’t you be just you?”
“I am me. But I’m human. I can be influenced by different things. Is that a crime?... Be thankful that you’ve found your place, but be patient with me for still looking for mine.” (2006: 230)
However, Josephine feels she will not ever belong to Ivy and John’s world because
she comes from Italian decent. Josephine resents the fact that she is Italian and feels
that her culture is her one drawback, restraining her from social acceptance and
approval.
Based on the above descriptions, it can be seen that Josephine dislikes the
things that seem not work properly as she wants them to be. She feels that her life is
full of problems since she comes from Italian descent and belongs to middle class
family. It starts to change when she learns of John’s depression about his life whereas
is rich, wealthy and comes from Anglo-Saxon descent. At first, she is attracted to
John but as she meets Jacob and along with John’s ongoing complaints about life,
“This life is shit”(2006 : 159), “I hate this shit life” (2006 : 160), Josephine becomes
less attracted to John by stating “I don’t know if it was Jacob, but I wasn’t attracted to
him as I used to be”. Apparently, John is very depressed until he decides to take his
own life. John’s suicide affects Josephine emotionally. At the beginning, Josephine
thinks that his complaint about his life was just a phase in his life until John takes his
own life. At first, Josephine blames herself for John’s death, “I should have realized,”
but after many tears and reassurance from Michael and Christina, Josephine discovers
that it was his decision to take his own life. Josephine knows that her problems are
not that worst and not that big, and by realizing it, she takes a more positive attitude
to live her life.
“I remembered when we spoke about our emancipation. The horror is that he had to die to achieve this. The beauty is that I’m living to achieve mine” (2006 : 288).
Josephine is also described as a mischievous girl. It can be observed through
her manner and conversation of other characters. She is described as being intended
to cause trouble on people around her including the school teacher, Sister Gregory,
and the principal of the school, Sister Louise. It can be seen from the description
when Josephine reads magazine in the middle of the class and Sister Gregory knows
given by Sister Gregory but unfortunately, Sister Gregory realizes Josephine’s
intention. It can be seen from Sister Gregory’s speech toward Josephine.
I personally think that you don’t know what we’ve been talking about, Josephine. I think you’re trying to fool me (2006: 3)
Josephine’s mischief makes people considered her as a troublemaker. The
other trouble that she commits is when she escapes from St Martha’s annual
walkathon with her friends. Actually, at first, she does not want to leave the
walkathon but all of her friends seduce and insist her to leave the walkathon.
A bus came toward us and before I knew what was happening, four of us jumped on it (2006: 212)
Due to the reason, it can be said that she does not think of her attitude twice. She just
acts spontaneously and does not consider the consequences. It can be seen from Sister
Louise’s speech.
I know what came over you. You decided to become a sheep for the day, Josephine. You weren’t a leader. You were a follower. You’ll never amount to anything if you can be so easily influenced (2006: 216).
Josephine is also described as being selfish and it can be seen through
Murphy’s method which is character as seen by another. Christina Alibrandi,
Josephine’s mother, gives the direct description toward Josephine. It can be seen
through Christina’s speech.
“You’re such a selfish, unreasonable child, Josephine. One day you’ll understand.”
B. Conflicts Leading Josephine Alibrandi to Maturity
This part of analysis examines the conflicts experienced by Josephine
Alibrandi that lead her to maturity. Weiten, Dunn and Hammer in Psychology
Applied to Modern Life : Adjustment in the 21st Century state that interpersonal
conflicts exist whenever two or more people disagree (2011: 262). Meanwhile,
intrapersonal conflict occurs when two or more incompatible motivations or
behavioral impulses compete for expression (2011: 263). The following discussion is
focused on Josephine Alibrandi’s interpersonal conflicts. Her interpersonal conflicts
occur between Josephine and her grandmother, between Josephine and her teacher,
and between Josephine and John Barton.
1. Josephine’s Conflict with Katia Alibrandi
The relationship between Josephine and Katia Alibrandi, her grandmother, is
full of ripples since they have various different views but then her relationship with
her grandmother become worse after Josephine reveals her grandmother’s secret.
Josephine finds out that the relationship that Katia had with Marcus Sandford, an
Australian man that Katia was friends with, went further than Josephine had been
told. She later finds out that Marcus Sandford was an Australian policeman who
helped Katia during the war. Although Josephine is suspicious and asks Katia
whether she was in love in with him, Katia does not acknowledge it.
However, as time passed, Josephine finds out her grandmother's secret that Katia had
an affair with Marcus Sanford while Katia were married to Francesco Alibrandi.
Josephine realizes that the father of Christina is Marcus Sanford, not Francesco
Alibrandi. Josephine’s finding about Katia’s past affair reflects a conflict. According
to Josephine, what Katia did is actually a lot of worse than Christina did because
Katia committed the affair while she was a married woman. Meanwhile, after all this
time Katia has appeared like she has done nothing wrong. It can be seen from
Josephine’s speech toward Katia.
“You’re a liar,” I whispered hoarsely. “All our lives you’ve told us what to do, when to do it. You trained us to be respectful so people would think we were perfect and nobody would comment about what Mama did. You let your husband kick my mother out of the house when she was seventeen years old and pregnant. You’ve made her feel inferior all her life…” (2006: 259).
The above quotation shows Josephine’s disbelief toward her grandmother’s past
affair since her grandmother is really strict with these things and since her
grandmother acts like she is a saint.
“Oh God, Nonna, don’t be even more of a hypocrite” (2006: 259).
“No. You slept with him. You had the nerve the seventeen years ago to treat Mama the way you did when all the time you had done worse. You were married. You slept with Marcus Sandford while you were a married woman…” (2006: 260).
After finding such a shocking truth, Josephine is unquestionably furious at
Katia. Josephine considers Katia’s act of cheating from Francesco is a lot of worse
than Christina’s act of having a baby out of the wedlock. Josephine declares Katia’s
though Katia did a lot of worse in the past than Christina because at least Christina
was still an unmarried woman when she had encountered with Michael meanwhile
Katia was a married woman when she cheated with Marcus Sandford. Josephine’s
hatred toward Katia can be seen from her speech.
“I hate you,” I shouted. “Not because of my life. But because of my mother’s. I’m never going to come and visit you again unless Mama is here. If you complain to her and she forces me to come here, I’ll tell her everything” (2006: 260).
She dominated our lives hypocritically and made herself look the victim, when in actual fact Mama who was the victim (2006: 263).
From the above description, it can be seen that Josephine’s conflict with her
grandmother is considered as interpersonal conflict since they have opposing
perspectives. Josephine sees that Katia has appeared hypocritically meanwhile Katia
sees herself as a victim.
2. Josephine’s Conflict with Sister Louise
The conflict that Josephine encounters with Sister Louise, one of her school
teachers, occurs when she breaks her duty in walkathon and acts irresponsibly.
Josephine is put in charge of keeping an eye on the little students at St Martha's on
the annual walkathon that they have every year to celebrate St Martha's day. While
Josephine is supposed to be looking after the students, she instead goes with her
friends to see Trey Hancock, a lead singer of a band called The Hypnotists, at the
Louise is very angry toward them, especially towards Josephine whom takes
responsible to guide little students in walkathon.
“Those students trusted you. I trusted you. We promise your parents that we’ll look after you and they trust us” (2006: 215).
After that, Sister Louise dismisses them but tells Josephine to stay. Sister Louise tells
Josephine to act responsibly in every single day and uses Ivy Lyold, the school
captain of St. Martha’s, as an example of a person who always acts responsibly.
“Do you know what responsibility is, Josephine? If you don’t, try following Ivy Lyold around one day. That is responsibility.”
“I’m just responsible as Ivy, Sister. Yesterday was a one-off.”
“Ivy doesn’t have ‘one-offs.’ She’s responsible from the moment she walks into this school till the moment she walks out.” (2006: 217)
Josephine and Sister Louise encounter interpersonal conflicts since they both disagree
in viewing Josephine’s irresponsibility by leaving walkathon. Sister Louise argues
that Josephine knows nothing about responsibility, not like Ivy Lyold, whereas
Josephine argues that what happened yesterday is only a one-off, which she means it
is done only once. In this point, Josephine keeps defending herself. Josephine does
not want to admit that actually after all this time she knows little about responsibility.
Then Sister Louise tells Josephine that actually she was voted as school captain by
her school mates but Sister Louise gave the job to Ivy because Sister has predicted
that at certain time Josephine cannot act properly as school captain and what
happened in walkathon proves that Sister Louise has taken the right decision.
Furthermore, Sister Louise also tells Josephine how she and her friends are in fact
