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proved in this novel that the girls are not strong enough to face the reality of having a divorcing parent.
Lydia rose. Her rage lent her an ashen, fierce dignity that neither parent had seen before.
“I hate you both,” she informed them in an unsteady voice, and, turning, she walked into her bedroom and shut the door. p. 176
The quotations above prove that Lydia is very tired to see and hear her parents’ fights. The sadness and anger cannot be held any more until those feelings
explode by themselves. So because of the divorce, from a silent girl, Lydia becomes a
spontaneous girl, from dependent becomes independent as she must take care of her sister and
brother, and from a courteous child she becomes a brave child.
2. The Influence of the Divorce on Christopher’s Behaviors
Christopher is a twelve-year-old boy. He has a different way in accepting and facing his parents’ divorce. It is mentioned above that older children are able
to understand the reasons behind their parents’ divorce better. They recognize that strong differences of opinion, incompatible personalities, and lack of caring for
one another are responsible of what happens. The divorce itself brings behavior changing in Christopher. He becomes a
sensitive boy. He often cries facing his father and his mother fighting on their rights.
A glistening tear tracked slowly down Christopher’s cheek, and dropped on the newspaper coupon, flooding and blurring the telephone number.
Christopher rarely cried, and this was the second time within hours that Daniel had seen tears on his son’s face. p.49
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The above quotation explains that Christopher rarely cries. It means that Christopher becomes sensitive since his parents’ divorce. On another occasion,
Christopher feels angry on his parents’ fight. Christopher rose, too.
“So do I,” he told them. He was in tears. “You are disgusting and ugly, both of you” p. 176
The other behavior changing of Christopher is that he becomes a rebellious
child. He often argues on her mother’s decisions. He feels that his mother is trying to put him away from his father. His mother often picks him up early from his
father’s apartment and does not let him stay in his father apartment. “Mother” His voice was petulant. “Why did we have to be picked up so early today? p. 51
Thus, it can be seen that divorce also influences on older children since they already understand their reasons behind their parents’ divorce.
Another factor that can differentiate the influence of divorce on children is their sex. According to Berk 619-621, boys experience more serious adjustment
difficulties. Thus, Christopher is facing difficulties in his self confidence. He becomes a dependent boy. He cannot be as brave as his sister. Whenever he tries
to argue on his parents’ opinion he asks her sister’s help to support and strengthen his opinion. “You didn’t.” Christopher was surly. “You tried to keep him right out,
as usual.” He turned to his sister for support. “Didn’t she Lydia?” p.70 Christopher is loosing his self confidence. It is also difficult for Christopher to
adjust his self in his family condition. These clearly show that divorce causes a variety of changes on children. Christopher becomes a sensitive boy. He is not
strong enough to accept his parents’ divorce. He becomes a dependent boy. He
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looses his self-confidence and he also becomes a rebellious child who looses a figure of a father.
3. The Influence of the Divorce on Natalie’s Behaviors
