Approach of the Study

truth. Yet, when Kimberly begins to apologize to Mr. Bogart, he becomes more angry because she makes grammatical mistake in her apologizing sentence. I looked at my piece of paper and then, in desperation, glanced at the white girl‟s sheet to try to see what we were supposed to do. Suddenly, the sheet of paper slid out from under my fingers. Mr. Bogart was standing next to me with my test in his hands. “No cheap pen” he said. His nose and cheeks were flushed as if he were getting a rash. “ You a hero‟‟ “I sorry, sir— ” I began. I knew he wasn‟t calling me a hero like a Superman. What had he said? Although I‟d had basic English classes in school in Hong Kong, my old teacher‟s accent did not in any way resemble what I now heard in Brooklyn. “ „ I‟mmm,‟ “ he said, pressing his lip together. “ „ I‟m sorry‟.‟‟ s “I‟m sorry,” I said. My English mistakes clearly annoyed him, although I wasn‟t sure why p. 10. Because of that missunderstanding, Mr. Bogart gives her zero grade for her assignment. It makes Kimberly becomes very sad because she has never got zero before. In Hongkong Kimberly is always number one in her class and she always gets the best score. Thus, she does not know how she will tell her mother about it. Ma was waiting for me outside. I was so happy to see her that when I took her hand, my eyes became hot. “What is it?” she said, turning my face to her. “Did other children tease you?” “No.” I wiped my cheecks with the back of my hand. “it‟s nothing.” Ma looked at me intently. “Did some child hit you?” “No, Ma,” I said. I didn‟t want to worry her when there was so little she could do. “Everything is different here, that‟s all.” p. 10- 11 Kimberly is confused whether she should tell her mother about her problems at school or not. She experiences the second type of intrapersonal conflicts purposed by Worchel and Cooper 1979 which is avoidance-avoidance. Avoidance-avoidance occurs when a person has to face the situation in which she he has to make a decision between two unpleasant purposes. In this case, Kimberly encounters two unpleasant circumstamces. The first circumstance is if she tells her mother about her grade, her mother will be sad and disappointed. Kimberly really does not want to make her mother sad and disappointed because Kimberly is the only hope for her mother after her father‟s death. The second circumstance is if she does not tell her mother she does wrong because she lies to her mother and one lie can lead to another lie.

2. Moving into the New Apartment or Staying in the Old Apartment

The second intrapersonal conflict is about the conflict experienced by Kimberly in deciding whether she will move into the new apartment or stay in her old apartment. Kimberly and her mother live in a small and cold apartment chosen by Aunt Paula. One day their neighbor says to them that the building in the block and accross the street will be broken down by the goverment. Kimberly feels very shocked after she heard about that. She begins to ask why Aunt Paula does not tell them about the goverment‟s plan and she also becomes confused whether she will move into another apartment or stay there. As soon as Kimberly and her mother arrive in America they stay with Kimberly aunt. Her name is Paula. Aunt Paula is the older sister of Kimberly‟s mother. Aunt Paula is the one who brings them to America. She also looks for Kimberly‟s first school and apartment. However, one day Mr. Al, Kimberly‟s neighbor, tells Kimberly and her mother that all the buildings on the block and accross the street will be broken down because the goverment will build the huge compicks . It means that their apartment will also be broken down.