Geoff’s Influence on Ed’s Self-Concept of Sex

47 his boss, Cathy, who is beautiful and has kissable lips. He thinks to have a date with Cathy and end it by having sex. On one occasion, Geoff teaches Ed the Ten Worlds. He teaches that someone can live in the ten different worlds in every time. The Ten Worlds are the world of Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Heaven, Humanity, Learning, Realisation, Boddhisattva, and Buddhahood. Hell is the world of suffering, Hunger is the world where someone is driven by his desires but never satisfied, Animality is the world where someone is dominated by his animal instincts for food, sleep, sex, survival. Anger is the world where someone is not losing his temper as always thinking that he is the best or always right, and trying to prove it by putting other people down or judging them. He feels that he is always in competition with other people, or he is always getting into rows and arguments. Heaven is the world where someone feels peace and quiet the whole time. Humanity or Tranquility is the world where someone is being calm, decent, and reasonable. Learning is the world where someone learns from other people. Realization or Absorption is the world where someone learns from his experience and observation. Boddhisatva is the world where someone cares for others. The last world, Buddhahood, is the world where someone has wisdom, courage, compassion and implements Buddhism in his acts. Someone can live in a different world. It depends on the life situation he is in. Those Ten Worlds can be applied in all things. One of Ed’s friends, Liz, has applied them to money and Ed tries to apply them to sex after he meets his ex girlfriend, Angie. 48 After breaking up with Angie, Ed still loves her and hopes that someday they can be together again. He always thinks about her but Geoff does not agree with him. He tells Ed not to make Angie as the focus of his life and slowly, Ed can forget her. On the other hand, Angie also still loves Ed and wants to get back to Ed. She phones Ed to arrange a meeting and Ed agrees with that. When Ed comes to meet Angie, she is drunk. Ed takes her to her apartment. In Angie’s apartment, she asks Ed to make love to her but Ed cannot make it. Angie is so angry and disappointed that finally she falls asleep. Ed leaves her alone in her apartment. On the way to his home, he thinks about it. … But I’d always thought that sex was sex; almost an automatic thing, at least for men. Clearly not, though. But why? As I pondered, trudging through the halogen-lit streets of north-east London, it occurred to me that perhaps you could apply the Ten Worlds to sex, in the same way that Liz had applied them to money. I had time on my hands, so I decided to give it a go. 238 At first, Ed thinks that sex is human nature that happens automatically when a man and a woman are interested in each other. For him, sex does not mean much. He can have sex with anybody and soon forget it. After his meeting with Angie he realizes that sex is not as simple as that, sex can mean everything. On the way to home, Ed is thinking how to apply the Ten Worlds into sex. In Hell World, sex can be suffering; it is when someone is forced to have sex. In Hunger, someone is never satisfied with sex. He wants to have it again and again so that it is possible for him to become a sex maniac. In Animality, someone is having sex to satisfy himself without thinking of his partner satisfaction. In Anger, it does not mean that he is in a high temper. It relates with human’s ego or prestige. He 49 makes love with someone who is popular, or sexy, or beautiful to raise his prestige so that he will be proud of himself. In Humanity or Tranquility, he considers sex as a biological thing that every one has. He is having sex to fulfill his biological needs and he is able to control his desire of having sex because he is not too bothered with sex. In Heaven or Rapturous, sex is done by a couple who love each other very much and it is done in a romantic way. Someone is in Learning World when he is learning sex through many sources such as books, or videos and when he tries to make research on sex, he is in the world of Realization. In the Boddhisatva World, or the world of caring for others, Ed assumes that someone can help other people in solving their sexuality problems, or he does it to make his couple happy. However, though Ed can apply the nine worlds into sex, he still cannot figure out how to apply the tenth world, Buddhahood, into sex because he does not learn Buddhism deeply 238-239. Personality changes can be classified into three major categories as stated by Hurlock. They are better versus worse, quantitative versus qualitative, and slowly versus rapidly 120. Thus, Ed’s personality development is better, quantitative, and slowly. Ed’s personality developments are categorized as a better change because Geoff’s influence makes his personality better. He is wiser than he is before. He is able to change his outlook of his life to be more optimistic, has more courage, and takes the wisdom from his conscience. Ed’s change is also categorized as a quantitative change because his personality changes in the degree 50 of intensity. However, Ed’s changes are slow because the process of his personality development needs some time. 51

CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The last chapter of this study consists of two parts. They are conclusions and suggestions. The conclusions summarize the characterizations of Ed and Geoff and the influence of Geoff on Ed’s personality development analyzed in the previous chapter. The second part presents the suggestions for future researchers, especially those who conduct a study on Edward Canfor-Dumas’ literary works and for the teaching learning activities.

A. Conclusions

In this part, the writer presents three points as conclusions. They are the characterizations of Ed and Geoff and the influence of Geoff on Ed’s personality development.

1. The Characterization of Ed

First, Ed is described as a handsome man. He is in his early thirties, but he is still handsome. This characterization is seen through Ed’s personal description and character as seen by others. Second, Ed is described as a rude person. He swears at Martin when Martin blames him and he also dismisses Geoff from the hospital when Geoff is eager to help him. This characterization is seen through his mannerism and thought. Third, through Ed’s speech and thought, Dumas describes him as an atheistic person. Ed does not believe in any religion because he thinks that there is nothing good about religion. Fourth, Ed is described as a 52 pessimistic person. He believes that he cannot change his life for the better and he cannot make his dream to become a bestselling author come true. It can be inferred from his thought and speech. The last, Ed is also described as a self- absorbed person because he only concerns with his life and the things that affect him. This characterization is seen through his thought and mannerism.

2. The Characterization of Geoff

In analyzing Geoff’s characterization, the writer finds eight traits. First, Geoff is a Buddhist and an ordinary person, but he is a little bit alcoholic. This characterization is stated through character as seen by others. Second, Geoff is described as a helpful person because he does not mind helping other people. This characterization is seen through his reaction, character as seen by others and mannerism. Third, Geoff is a contented person. Even though he is working as a window-cleaner, which is not a prestigious job, but he is very satisfied with his life. This characterization is seen through his speech and characters as seen by others. Fourth, Geoff is also a wise person. He always gives Ed some advice to solve his problems. Even though Geoff is satisfied with his job as a window- cleaner, but he does not tell Ed about his job because he does not know Ed’s reaction toward his job, whether Ed accepts him as a window-cleaner or not. This characterization is seen through his speech. Fifth, he is also described as an attentive person. He gives attention to Ed by listening to his complaints without interrupting him. This characterization is seen through character as seen by others. Sixth, Geoff is a straightforward and talkative person. He likes to ask Ed’s problem straightforwardly and he also likes talking especially about Buddhism.