Mabel’s Indifference Influences on Mabel’s Behavior
her brothers say and suggest to her. Mabel becomes an indifferent girl. It is shown by the author through her action towards others. Sometimes, Mabel shows no
emotion to others, even to her brothers. She very rarely communicates with them, even to answer their questions. She serves them but she never talks to them.
Mabel’s carelessness to her brothers can be shown when her brothers suggest her to live with her sister, but Mabel does not perceive what her brothers say, even to
answer their questions. It is shown below: “You’ll go and stop with Lucy for a bit, shan’t you?” he asked. The girl
does not answer. “I don’t see what else you can do”, persisted Fred Henry.
“Go as a skivvy’, Joe interpolated laconically. The girl did not move a muscle. p.468
Mabel’s carelessness towards her brothers is a way to adjust herself from the sadness caused by the fact that her parents passed away and her sister has
married. The change in her behavior shows egocentric and negativism as adjustment mechanisms, in which she never listens to her brothers’ suggestion and
defends her perception. As what Carroll defines that the individual who is egocentric dwells on himself and interprets every situation from a personal angle
and Carroll also defines that a negativistic person is one who strongly resists suggestion from others 226.
She is never interested with anything her brothers have done. She does not care about them. Everything that her brothers say or suggest to her is useless,
because she does not want listen to her brothers’ opinion. Mabel does not take any notice of him. They have talked at her and round her for so many years, that she
hardly hears them at all p.468.
Mabel’s indifference is not only happened with her brothers, but also with Dr. Jack Fergusson, her doctor whom she loves. It is seen, when they meet for the
first time. Mabel serves him as a guest without communication between them. She just does what her brothers have instructed to her.
At this point Mabel rose from the table, and they all seemed to become aware of her existence. She began putting the dishes together. The young
doctor looked at her, but did not address her. He had not greeted her. She went out of the room with the tray, her face impassive and unchanged.
p.469
Her sight to Jack Fergusson also shows her indifference. Her eyes do not look friendly, cool, and no desire. Her attitude makes others become not comfort in
communicating with her. In her first meeting with Jack Fergusson, Mabel looks at him with her steady, dangerous eyes, which always makes him uncomfortable,
unsettling his superficial ease p.470. Mabel’s behavior above makes people around her feel not comfort to be closed with her.