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the concept of the id and the superego, but he has a different way in seeing the ego. Here are the concept of the id, the ego, and the superego from Erikson’s theory:
1. The Id
According to Freud, the id is derived from the unconsciousness of the human mind; it does not have contact with reality. The Id is famously known as the
pleasure principle since its function is to satisfy human desire and pleasure. In addition, people are never aware of what the id wants or what the id says Jess
Freist, 2008: 27. In this case, Erikson accepts Freud’s concept of the id. 2.
The Ego The ego’s concept of Erikson is different from Freud’s. Erikson puts the ego of
human being as the most important thing that plays roles in all stages of psychosocial development. Erikson emphasizes that psychoanalysis today is
implementing the study of the ego, a concept denoting mans capacity to unify his experience and his action in an adaptive manner Erikson, 1950: 13.
Human’s ego is the inner factor that constitutes to the manner and then forms the later personality of the individual. Erikson mentions that the ego is endowed
with some qualities, which emerge from critical periods of development. The qualities are such as trust and hope, autonomy and will, industry and
competence, identity and role confusion, intimacy and love, generativity and care, integrity and wisdom Erikson 1950: 221. Different from Freud, Erikson
believes that the ego is influenced by historical and social factors. However, Erikson still has the same opinion with Freud about the function of the ego; it
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balances the id and the superego and keeps it tuned to the reality. It is like what he reveals in his book,
Between the id and the super-ego, then, the ego dwells. Consistently balancing and warding off the extreme ways of the other two, the ego
keeps tuned to the reality of the historical day, testing perceptions, selecting memories, governing action, and otherwise integrating the
individuals capacities of orientation and planning. Erikson, 1963: 175
Erikson says that besides balancing the id and the superego, the ego plays the most important role in human mind. The ego take a biggest part of human mind
in governing almost all of the main concepts of human actions in life, such as: making perception, selecting memories, integrating individuals’ ability of
orientation and planning. 3.
The Superego The superego represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality and is
guided by the moralistic and idealistic principles as opposed to the pleasure principle of the id and the realistic principle of the ego Freist, 2008: 30.
From the description above, it can be seen that the human ego is the most important element in shaping human personality development. Therefore, Erikson’s
theory focuses on the development of human’s ego, which grows stronger through the lifespan and form the identity of an individual. In addition, Erikson proposes eight
stages of psychosocial that individuals must pass in order gain what kind of identity they will gain.
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1. The Stages of Psychosocial Development
In describing human personality development, psychosocial development is the most important element. Erikson believes that individuals should pass eight stages of
psychosocial development in order to gain their personality and a sense of identity. a.
Trust vs. Mistrust Trust vs. Mistrust is the very first stage of psychosocial development that occurs
in infants, which is derived from the experiences in the first year of life Erikson, 1980: 57. This first stage is the time for a person to interact with others and the most
significant relation to interact with the caregiver or the mother of the individual. In addition, it is the first time for the infants to begin to trust others around them and
achieve social interaction. The infants learn basic trust when they realize that their
mother will feed them, and they give permits or respond to their mother comfortably without any anxiety. It is the first time when the infants achieve social interaction.
Shortly, when the infants feel that they are cared by their mother or their family consistently, they have some reasons to trust and they have learned basic trust. Then,
they will feel secure in their environment and it will lead them to have a widening interaction.
Basic mistrust is when the infants do not have confidence on the care or treatment that they receive from their caregiver, mother, or family members. The
consequence of it lies in their wider interaction, in which the infants feel insecurities, anxiety, and fear to interact. However, the infants must develop both trust and
mistrust in order to balance the healthy outcome of the personality. According to Jess
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Freist 2008: 258, too much trust makes them gullible and vulnerable to the unpredictable world, whereas too little trust leads to frustration, anger, hostility,
cynicism, or depression. b.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt This stage is the time when individuals begin to be more independent and explore
their abilities in handling their own problems. In addition, the individuals begin to discover their skills and make their own choices. According to Erikson 1968: 70,
this stage becomes the time when individuals get ready to stand on his feet more firmly and describe their world as “I” and “You”, “me” and “mine”. It is also the time
when they have ability to make decision about what they want to do and what they are supposed to do. The parents should support them to handle their problems, but
still need to control their children in order to avoid failures, and then the individual will succeed in adopting their autonomy. The self-confidence is one of the outcomes
of the positive disposition of this stage. On the other hand, if the parents do not allow their children to explore their skill and encourage them with the environment that
they just begin, this makes them depend on others too much. As the consequence, they will suffer from shame and doubt and lack of self-esteem.
c. Initiative vs. Guilt
This stage occurs in the age of pre-school, when the individuals begin to explore more experience and build relationship with their school friends. Erikson 1968: 78
says that in this stage, individuals begin to learn to move around more freely, improve their sense of language where they can asks about many things, and expand their
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imagination. The individuals begin to require a sense of curiosity about many things existing around them. During this stage, individual begin to plan activities and initiate
activities with others. If given this opportunity, individuals develop a sense of initiative, and feel secure in their ability to lead others and make decisions.
If parents do not support their children’s curiosity or treat their question as if it is such a nuisance or embarrassment, it will lead the individual to feel guilty. Too much
guilt in individuals will be the hindrance for them to cope with the society. In
addition, their ability to initiate is disturbed by the feeling of guilt. However, some of guilt is necessary for the individuals in order to be self-controlled in doing their
activities in this period. There must be a balanced outcome between initiative and guilt in order to lead them achieves the sense of purpose.
d. Industry vs. Inferiority
Industry is the period for individual to develop their competence and skills. Erikson 1968: 87 describes the stage as a sort of the entrance of life. The child
wants to be shown how to get busy with something and to be busy with others. The individuals begin to go to school and have interaction with their teachers. Successful
resolution of crisis at this stage is depending from the result at earlier stages. Therefore, teachers have an important role in guiding the individual to find their skills
and abilities in certain competence. Individuals who achieve initiative will feel industrious and confidence in every step they will take for their future. On the other
hand, if individuals are not encouraged the initiative, they will always feel under the
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inferiority and even doubt their own skills and abilities. It happens because they have low self-esteem, which is reached in the previous stage when they feel guilty.
e. Identity vs. Identity confusion
Adolescence is the primary period when individuals transform from childhood to adulthood. The teen years are indeed a time of identity crisis, or in Erikson’s terms is
a turning point of increased vulnerability and heightened potential Erikson, 1968: 96. Therefore, it is the time for the young-adult to gain their identity, finding out
who they really like to be. With the advent of puberty, adolescents look for new roles to help them discover their sexual, ideological, and occupational identities Jess
Freist, 2008: 263. At this stage, adolescents will expand their social interaction in a larger society or environment. Most of adolescents want to be recognized in the
society where they belong to. Therefore, if they feel that they have been recognized by their society like what they have to be, it can indicate that they have been
successful in gaining self-identity. On the contrary, if they fail to recognize their own identity, it could lead them to have identity role confusion. This ‘dystonic’ element
usually can be seen if the adolescents do not know what they want to be when they grow up.
f. Intimacy vs. Isolation
Adulthood is the last phase after childhood and adolescence phases. The conflicts for individuals in this stage grow more complicated.
In addition, this stage is the time when individuals begin to build an intimate relationship, such as a relationship with
the opposite sex or marriage. Individuals also begin to work for their specified career,
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and they should have certain purpose for their future life. It is the time for them to build a family from their marriage couple. Nonetheless, it happens only after a
reasonable sense of identity has been established that real intimacy with the other sex is possible Erikson, 1963: 101. If individuals succeed in passing this stage of
intimacy, they will have a healthy and comfortable relationship. Meanwhile, individuals will feel loneliness, isolation, and depression when they cannot complete
the stage of intimacy. g.
Generativity vs. Stagnation During the middle adulthood, there are many wishes that should be accomplished
in individuals’ life. Careers, relationships, and families are being the concerns in this life stage. However, the most important goal for adulthood in this stage is to establish
the next generation. According to Erikson 1980: 103, the pervasive development underlying this wish is generativity. When adults fail to accomplish the wishes, they
will feel unproductive or stagnant. h.
Integrity vs. Despair Adults will achieve integrity when they see that their wishes in life are
accomplished. In addition, a successful and a productive life also support them to reach integrity. On the other hand, when they feel unproductive in their life and feel
guilty in the past, and think that they cannot accomplish their wishes, it will lead them to despair or become desperate to face the life. Erikson 1980: 104 suggests
that despair expresses the feeling that the time is short, too short for the attempt to start another life and to try out alternate roads to integrity.
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Figure 1. Erikson Psychosocial Crisis Theory of Human Development based on Chapman 2006: par.13
Chart Psychosocial Stages
Life Stage and Relationships
Basic Strength
1 Trust vs. Mistrust
Infant 0-2 year Mother
Hope and Drive 2
Autonomy vs. Shame Doubt
Toddler 2-3 years Parents
Willpower and Self-Control
3 Initiative vs. Guilt
Preschool 3-5 years Family
Purpose and Direction 4
Industry vs. Inferiority
Schoolchild 5-12 years School, teachers,
neighbourhood Competence and Method
5 Identity vs. Role
Confusion Adolescent 12-19 years
peers, groups Fidelity and Devotion
6 Intimacy vs.
Isolation Young Adult early 20’s
Lovers, friends, work connection
Love and Affiliation 7
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Mid-Adult 20’s-50’s children, community
Care and Production
8 Integrity vs. Despair
Late Adult after 50’s society, world, life
Wisdom and Renunciation
2. Identity Crisis in Adolescence: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
Each psychosocial crisis has a significant role in the growth of human personality. However, from his description of all crises in each stage of human
development, the one that becomes the most crucial period is the Identity vs. Identity Confusion, which happens on adolescence. Adolescence is the time of individuals to
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grow up and develop to be young people followed by psychological development that begins to create their social roles. Erikson 1980: 94 emphasized that this period is
the time when the childhood ends and the youth begins. This time, adolescents must establish a good relationship to the world and share their skills of communicating to
the society. The achievement of adolescents in earlier stage will highly contribute for them in handling the crisis in this period. The result whether individuals’ personality
grows healthy or not depends on how they handle each crisis of psychosocial development. Individuals who cannot handle the crisis in this period will fail to
achieve the sense of identity. Consequently, those adolescents will be doubted in making decisions in their life because they do not have self-confidence.
Individuals should make a balanced outcome in each crisis in order to get the proper development of their personality. If they can manage it well during the crisis,
they will accomplish the ego strength or a sense of identity. On the other hand, if the individuals cannot handle a problem in a certain stage, it will lead them to the failure
at the end of the stage. The failure in one stage will create more complicated problems in later stage, which makes the individuals face more complex identity
crisis. Therefore, the final result of individual’s in handing the problem in the childhood will determine the quality of identity crises in the adolescence stage.
Identity formation is the time when individuals have passed the identification phase in their childhood and begin to explore more experiences as adolescents. It is
the beginning of individuals to identify themselves according to the society where they belong to. In this period, individuals will be recognized by the society as the way
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they are or the way they have to become Erikson 1968: 159. Based on Erikson’s description of identity formation, it can be said that social recognition is influential
for individual in order to gain the sense of identity. Individuals identify themselves based on the society’s judgments about how they should be acted on their ways.
As the critical period of human development, adolescence is the time for
individuals to explore more about the value of life in order to gain their identity. In this period, adolescents begin to ask “who they are” and “what they want to be in the
future”. The process of exploring a sense of identity in this stage is called psychosocial moratorium. Erikson 1968: 156 mentions that psychosocial
moratorium is the time when individuals have experimentation to find out the way they can fit in the society and being recognized as a part of them. However, there are
some problems that possibly occur during the psychosocial moratorium. Individuals will achieve healthy personality if only they can overcome the problems in
psychosocial moratorium; the problems are identity diffusion, identity foreclosure and negative identity.
a. Identity Diffusion
Identity diffusion is the inability of individuals in figuring out a sense of identity. They never be sure to act or react as what they want to, also they might overthinking
on what they should take an action in certain occasion. According to Erikson 1968: 171, identity diffusion is usually accompanied by an acute upset in the sense of
workmanship, an inability to concentrate on required tasks or in a self-destructive preoccupation with some one-sided activities, and an excessive awareness as well as
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an abhorrence of competitiveness. In addition, adolescents who are suffering from identity diffusion usually have a difficulty in making decisions in their life. Those
disruptions will make them feel difficult in forming relationship and having emotional disorder.
b. Identity Foreclosure
Identity foreclosure is when individuals define the values of their life too early without experiencing more about many other choices or opinions. It can be influenced
by the circumstances and the beliefs of their parents. According to Tung and Sandhu 2005: 88,
“boys who prematurely commit themselves to life goals according to their parents’s expectation or according to the choices of other authority figures
without realization of their true selves or without going through a decision- making process are more vulnerable to lesser psychological health.”
It means that individuals will define themselves based on how the majority
commonly judge on how they should to be in such society. The majority itself can refer to people around individuals whom have a big influence to the individuals in
making decision, such friends, family members, and teachers. In fact, parent become the ones who have authority and the most influential factor in leading their children to
define themselves. For example, individuals will be forced by their parents to be what their parents want. Parents have their own opinion about how their children are
supposed to be, and their children must follow them although they do not want to do so. They have no choice to act what they want to be, and they are sabotaged by the
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circumstances. As the consequence, they will live with their self-image under the pressure.
c. Negative identity
According to Erikson 1980: 139, “negative identity is the loss of a sense of identity which often is expressed in a scornful and snobbish hostility toward the roles
offered as proper and desirable by one’s family or immediate community”. Negative identity is formed by the individual as an effort to be recognized by the society, but
they express it in the wrong way. Adolescents who form negative identity usually act as the opposite of what their society demand them to do. This can be called as denial
action because an individual prefer to be a person who is not commonly acceptable in the society roles. For example, a boy who has ever been raped by other boys will
choose to be a homosexual as the form of negative identity in order to release their pain in the past.
C. Background of the Novel
1. The Author
Stephen Chbosky is an American novelist who is best known as the author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which was first published in 1999. He also becomes the
screenwriter and the director of a film with the same title in 2006. It is his first book that he delivers to teenagers, especially American teenagers. The book is popular
among teenagers and awarded as the best-selling book. Since his first book is successful in the market, he then releases two next books entitled Rent and Jericho.
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The story in his first book really depicts the life of adolescents that contains many conflicts usually occurring to most of teenagers. Consequently, it becomes a
controversy since the book describes about sexuality and drug use as experienced by adolescents. However, the book still can grab an attention from many people who
love the story and the positive messages of the book. Chbosky’s inspiration in writing the book is from his own life experiences. There
are some parts in the story that is inspired from Chbosky’s life in his adolescence. Many characters in the novel represent the people he has ever met in his life. For
example, the character of Charlie’s English teacher, named Bill, represents Chbosky’s mentor who has big deal in his life. Besides, the story of the novel takes place in
Pittsburg, where Stephen Chbosky is growing up there too. However, Chbosky’s in Beisch 2015: par. 4 admits that,
“in terms of it relating to my adolescence, I’ve always said that the book is very personal to me, but it isn’t necessarily autobiographical – not in the literal sense
of the word anyway. I do relate to Charlie. But my life in high school was in many ways different.
Chbosky’s expression above tells that the character of Charlie is very personal to
him, but it does not need to be categorized as an autobiographical novel since he has many ways different of life with Charlie. The character of Charlie is the
representation of Chbosky’s hope about a character that should exist in the real life. Chbosky tries to focus on how people should struggle on their passion. In addition,
Chbosky intention in creating the story is to make the reader feel like it is a reflection of their own life, not the author’s life.
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2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie is a person who is in his transition from childhood to adolescence. He is a fifteen year-old-boy, and just begins to be a senior high school student. This is a story
of what it is like to grow up in high school. Charlie always writes letters to someone who he never knows. The letters are singular and unique, since it covers everyday life
of Charlie, his activities, his feelings, and his world. He observes everything around him and notes it in his letter. Charlie is a calm boy who feels nervous every time he
meets new people in his life. Even, he only has one best friend named Michael, who commits suicide. Several weeks after his best friend’s death, he meets new friends
named Sam and Patrick. Charlie’s relationship with his new friends begins to change his whole world. It is the time for Charlie to explore the life in his transition period as
a way to identify who he really is. Charlie lives in a family, which has a little interaction one to another. He does
not have a serious conflict with his family actually; he just does not have a good communication with them. Charlie really loves his aunt, named Helen, the one who
always makes him comfortable to share with. However, she has died after she bought him a birthday gift when actually Charlie was still in his childhood. After that, he is
really upset and feels guilty of his aunt’s death. He becomes taciturn and introverted that makes his friends call him as a wallflower. During his adolescence period, with
his new friends, he sees the wild world of American teenagers. He begins to know drug use, alcohol, smoking, sex, even homosexual.
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Charlie finds many conflicts during his new world; it is the conflict in his mind actually. He has an unstable emotion; he has no confidence to build a relationship,
and he is introverted. His best friends try to change Charlie to live his life. Actually, Charlie has tried his best to follow his friends, but deep inside his mind, he has
pressures that make him difficult to be like other common teenagers. He struggles to overwhelm his anxiety and fear in which no one knows what the real problem on him
is. At the end chapter of the novel, it is revealed that Charlie has ever been sexually assaulted by his beloved aunt. This fact is the reason that influences his personality to
grow unhealthy because of the feeling of fear and anxiety after the abuse. Finally, Charlie is hospitalized for two months and treated by his psychiatrist. He
then stops writing letters to anonymous. His family has known his problem, and helps Charlie to overcome his trauma. He feels excited to go to sophomore year high school
without any worry. He also realizes that it will be too busy for him to write letters, because he prefers to participate than just observe.
D. Previous Research Findings
There are two records of literary researches that focus on psychosocial analysis, socio emotional development and adolescence identity at study program of English
Language and Literature in Yogyakarta State University. The first thesis is entitled The Psychological Effect of World War II on Ira Hayes John Bradley’s Character
in James Bradley’s Flags of Our Fathers by Eka Setiawati 2011. The thesis focus on describing the psychological matter experienced by the main character after the
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world war and how the character deal with the traumatic experience related to Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. The results of the research show that
there is two psychosocial crises suffered by the main characters according to Erikson’s psychosocial development; those are Intimacy vs. Isolation and
Generativity vs. Stagnation. The second is entitled Identity Crisis of The Second Generation of Asian-Indian
Americans as Reflected in Lahiri’s The Namesake by Anestia Fiddin 2013. This research focuses on identifying the identity crisis that experienced by the main
character in the novel and the impact of the crisis toward the character’s personality development related to Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. The result of the
research is that there are three problems occurring on the main character in the novel, those are identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, and negative identity. As the
consequences, there are three malignancies that happen on the character as the impact of the identity crisis in adulthood stage; those are intimacy crisis, identity confusion,
and distantion. The theory of the previous research finding is the same as the theory used in this
research that Erikson’s psychosocial development focuses on socio emotional development. Conversely, this investigates The Perks of Being A Wallflower by
Stephen Chbosky. This research aimed to identify the failure in the process of psychosocial development and the impact of the failure on the main character
personality in the novel as the effects of traumatic experiences using Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. Psychosocial development is applied in the
