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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
The analysis in this chapter is lead by the problem formulation in the previous chapter. There are three discussions in the analysis of this paper. First, the
conflicts of Sophia are discussed. Then, Sophia‟s anxiety toward the conflicts will
be analyzed. At the end of the analysis, the reaction of the anxiety will be revealed. To get in final analysis, relevant theories are used.
A. Sophia’s Conflicts
Conflicts are distinguished into two kinds. There are external conflicts and internal conflicts. The external conflict is influenced by the external factors such
as people and environment. While the internal conflict involves a person to struggle with her own idea.
1. External Conflict
a. Man-against-Man
A conflict can occur between a person and another person. It can appear as well between a person and group of people. It is called as a conflict of man-
against-man . Koesnosoebroto defines about a conflict of man-against-man
, “the main character may be pitted against some other person or group of persons. This
is called a conflict of man-against-man ” Koesnosoebroto, 1988:43.
The character of the novel might have conflict between her and another character. This conflict reflects the confrontation of ideas and wills between the
characters. In the whole story, Sophia has conflicts with other characters. She
faces clash of ideas and wills with them. Mostly she confronts conflicts with her mother, Mrs. Baines, and her husband, Gerald.
1 Sophia‟s Conflicts with Mrs. Baines
Sophia lives with her mother, Mrs. Baines, at the family shop in Staffordshire. She passes her life full of dispute with Mrs. Baines. This hostile
relationship is formed because of the clash between the two. Mrs. Baines‟
expectation, domination, and intervention are contrary with Sophia ‟s. Those make
the conflicts are complete between them. As a rebellion, Sophia always confronts her mother‟s intention. As a result, both Sophia and Mrs. Baines‟ interactions are
surrounded by some conflicts. Mrs. Baines‟ expectation to Sophia is in contrary with Sophia‟s will. During
the early stage as a teenager, Sophia lives her life with her family in the shop. Day by day, she and the other people in the house help to maintain the shop. Mrs.
Baines is the one who takes care of the family shop very well. Mrs. Baines has expected Sophia to manage the shop right after she graduates from school.
Unfortunately, this expectation is opposed by Sophia. She has her own plan for her life. The plan which has been decided by Sophia is to leave the shop. It is
related to her adventurous personality that explains her unwillingness to stay at home. Sophia wants to go to London to be a teacher in a big school. This decision
surely opposes Mrs. Baines‟ expectation to have her daughters to help managing
the family shop. „That must be considered. As Constance is to learn the millinery, I‟ve been
thinking that you might begin to make yourself useful in the underwear, gloves, silks, and so on. Then between you, you would one day be able to
manage quite nicely all that side of the shop, and I should be
— „
„I don‟t want to go into the shop, Mother‟ p. 38. But that the daughter of comfortable parents, surrounded by love and the
pleasure of an excellent home, should wish to teach in a school was beyond the horizons of Mrs. Baines‟s common sense p. 39.
Sophia also tries to break her mother‟s domination. She believes that she has
her own fate. But on the other hand, Mrs. Baines always control her daughters life. As in the story,
Mrs. Baines‟ domination in the house is shown clearly. She takes responsibility as a mother of two. Her domination over the children grows as
her husband gets sick. For this, Mrs. Baines replaces her position as the head of the family, since her husband can only sleep on the bed. She organizes both her
daughters and the family shop. Mrs. Baines gives direction to her daughters how to treat the customer coming by the shop. At the same time, she guides her
daughters to be obedient. She did not understand how her mother and Constance could bring
themselves to be deferential and flattering to every customer that entered. No, she did not understand it ; but her mother though a proud woman and
Constance seemed to practise such behaviour so naturally, so unquestionably, that she had never imparted to either of them her feelings ; she guessed that
she would not be comprehended. But long ago she had decided that she
would never „go into the shop‟. She knew that she would be expected to do something, and she had fixed on teaching as the one possibility p. 51.
By the time, Mrs. Baines wants to get involved with Sophia‟s life. This surely
interupts Sophia‟s need for a privacy. Mrs. Baines keeps an eye on Sophia more
and more after hearing Sophia‟s uprising toward her will. Her suspicion toward
Sophia grows much more. For the most part, Mrs. Baines cannot control her temper when Sophia does her own business. This makes Sophia really annoyed.
Sophia even lies to her mother because she does not want her to interfere her business.
„I will have an answer,‟ pursued Mrs. Baines. „What were you doing out in the town this morning?‟
„I just went out,‟ answered Sophia at length p. 57. „You are deceiving me, Sophia,‟ said Mrs. Baines, with fierce solemnity.
„Where have you been this afternoon?‟ Sophia‟s foot was restless on the carpet behind the table.
„I haven‟t been anywhere,‟ she murmured glumly p. 124. Mrs. Baines even sends Sophia to accompany Aunt Harriet. Sophia
reluctantly accept the decision. Actually, she does not want to go to her aunt‟s town. She hates the town. Under those circumstances, Sophia runs off, leaving her
family behind. „Where‟s Sophia?‟ demanded Mrs Baines.
„You don‟t mean to say she‟s not come, sister?‟ Mrs Maddack sank down on the sofa.
„Serious it is‟ murmured Mrs Baines. „What
— „
„Sophia‟s run off. That‟s the plain English of it‟ said Mrs Baines with frigid calm p. 137.
2 Sophia‟s Conflicts with Gerald Scales
Sophia knows Gerald as a traveller coming by the shop frequently. Sophia and other people in the shop adore Gerald for his charm. Sophia is the one who
gets closer with him. Both of them are attracted to each other because of their charisma and charm. At that time, Sophia is nineteen while Gerald is thirty. She is
attracted to Gerald that she even thinks Gerald is the man of people. Sophia takes her chance to get to know Gerald further. They even write letter to each other.
Moreover, Sophia sneaks out to meet Gerald secretly. From time to time, they are in love.
Right after Sophia successfully runs off from Aunt Harriet‟s resident, she makes her way to London. Then, she meets Gerald who promises to marry her
soon. Unfortunately, Gerald disappoints her. The clash of expectation occurs between both of them. He states that he cannot marry her at that short time. It is
because he has business to be done in Paris. For this reason, Gerald insists Sophia to move out to France with him. Sophia who expects him to marry her soon is
really disappointed. Sophia is not sure to go. Seeing this, Gerald gives in and marries her. After
that, Gerald takes Sophia to Paris. There, some conflicts appear between the two. Sophia and Gerald face different point of view toward money and trust.
In Paris, Gerald and Sophia‟s confronted habit is described. Gerald brings
Sophia to luxurious places. There, he spends much money. He wastes money for the costumes, hotels, and supper. Whereas, Sophia does not like the idea of
spending much money. She hardly accepts that Gerald would buy such a frigthened price for a costume. Sophia who worries about the money, is disturbed
by this spending. With extraordinary rapidity she had formed a habit of preaching moderation
to Gerald. She hated to „see money thrown away‟, and her notion of the boundary line between throwing money away and judiciously spending it was
still the notion of the Square p. 303.
Gerald and Sophia has conflict toward the trust between them. Sophia is always curious about Gerald‟s spending. But conversely, Gerald is being inclosed
with Sophia about his spending. For the whole time, Sophia always believes what Gerald says but in Paris everything has changed. At the supper, Gerald is very
excited to talk about the trending news with people. It is an execution day that the news is talking about. He even prepares to go seeing the execution in Auxerre
with his close friend, Chirac. For a visit at Auxerre, Gerald spends hundreds
francs. Gerald and Sophia stays at the hotel near by the execution spot. But the bad thing is Gerald lies to Sophia. Gerald does not want her to know about his
spending. On the other side, Sophia rea lly worries about Gerald‟s spending that
she wants to know. „She wants sixty francs,‟ Chirac said, and in answer to Sophia‟s startled
question, he explained that Gerald had agreed to pay a hundred francs for the room, which was the landlady‟s own
— fifty francs in advance and the fifty
after the execution. The other ten was for the dinner ... Sophia made no remark as to Gerald‟s lie to her p. 336.
Four years later, Sophia is at her age of twenty-four. The marriage between the two is bad enough to meet the final ruin. Gerald keeps living with the high-end
lifestyle. At last, there is a day when Gerald does not have any five francs in his pocket. At this point, Gerald has an idea to call for help. This idea is to contact
Sophia‟s mother. However, Sophia disagree with his idea. Gerald insists Sophia to ask for a help to her family. But, Sophia persists to not cry for help to her family.
Besides, she does not believe what Gerald has told her that he runs out of money. Sophia‟s response makes Gerald overwhelmed. At this instant, the two has a fight
over the crisis. Then, all of sudden, Gerald leaves Sophia alone and never come back.
„I‟m quite without money,‟ he went on. „And I‟m sure your people will be glad to lend us a bit till I get some. Especially as it‟s a question of you
starving as well as me. If I had enough to pay your fares to Bursley I‟d pack you off. But I haven‟t.‟
She could only hear his exasperating voice. The end of the bed was between her eyes and his.
„Liar‟ she said, with uncompromising distinctness p. 350. „You understand,‟ he said menacingly : „I‟m off.‟
She looked up at the foul ceiling.
„Hm‟ he sniffed, bringing his reserves of pride to combat the persistent silence that wa damaging his dignity. And he went off, sticking his head
forward like a pugilist p. 352.
b. Man-against-Environment
A person can have conflict with her surroundings. The conflict is presented as opposing ideas which are against the fate, nature, and society‟s custom, law, and
ideology. Koesnosoebroto explains: He may also be confronted against some external forces
— physical nature, society, or „fate.‟ This is called a conflict of man-against-environment 1988:
43.
In The Old Wives’ Tale, the main character faces clash with the custom,
places, society, and surroundings. Sophia is accustomed to live in England. When she encounters new environment in Paris, she is really shocked to see the different
places and society. Important to realize, Sophia‟s standard of life contrasts with
the lifestyle in Paris. Therefore, th e society‟s behaviors in Paris always oppose her
custom. 1
Sophia‟s Opposing Ideas toward Society Sophia moves out to Paris to follow Gerald. At the first time, she does not
want to go. But Gerald forces Sophia to move out by marrying her. Sophia then, follows Gerald to Paris. In there, she encounters clash of customs. She faces many
things that are contrary with her own customs. The high price for a living, classy costumes, unfamiliar foods, and luxurious places that are too much for Sophia. In
addition, she also stays at a horrible place that harms her standard of living. The high price for a living in Paris contrasts with Sophia‟s standard of life.
She visits clothes store in Paris with Gerald. She finds it hard to believe that the
simplest thing costs sixteen pounds. It is in contrary with her standard for a living in Bursley. She follows Gerald as the price keeps sailing in her mind.
The simplest trifle here cost sixteen pounds ; and her mother‟s historic „silk‟, whose elaborateness had cost twelve pounds, was supposed to have
approached the inexpressible Gerald said that she was not to think about prices. She was, however, forced by some instinct to think about prices
— she
who at home had scorned the narrowness of life in the Square 303. When Sophia comes to a restaurant called Sylvain, she saw many glittering
costumes worn by the people. The costumes also matches with the makeup that covers people there. Sophia does not understand the purpose of the competition
between those costumes. The restaurant itself conveys a high quality of place. It is famous and expensive. Sophia even cannot recognize the food in the restaurant.
These phenomenas opposes Sophia‟s custom since she is not a French woman.
After the supper, Gerald and Sophia go to see an execution in an old town. They go there by a train. Everyone can feel that the train is hot, noisy, and dusty.
When they arrive at the old town, Gerald rents a room in a hotel near by the square which will be used as the spot of the execution. The hotel is called as Hotel
de Vezelay. It is dark and dreadful. The hotel is surrounded by sounds of the square which are loud and clear. Sophia hates these conditions because the nice
place for her should be calm and good. Sophia also has conflict toward the society in France. The conflict is based on
the lifestyle that she does not want to follow, but Gerald insists her to follow the lifestyle in France. She does not want to dress like the French people because of
its high price. However, she is already at the clothes store with Gerald, and Gerald insists her to buy some. Sophia keeps thinking not to wear the high-end clothes. It
is hard for her to throw money, but Gerald insists her to wear what the people wear. Sophia resists both society at the Restaurant Sylvain and Hotel de Vezelay
in Paris. She just uses to interact with the society in Bursley, England. At Sylvain, she sees all of the women covers with thick powder, cold eyes and violent red
lips. While the people in Hotel de Vezelay are so crowded and brutal. But Gerald keeps following that society. Sophia thinks that that society only wastes the
money for their lifestyle. They frigthened her: they appeared to her so corrupt and so proud in their
corruption. She had already seen a dozen women in various situations of conspicuousness apply powder to their complexions with no more ado than if
they had been giving a pat to their hair. She could not understand such boldness p. 306.
2 Language in Society
The french language that is used by the society opposes her custom to use english language. She is required to be able to speak French, but on the other
hand, she cannot understand French at all. The language becomes a disadvantage for Sophia since she cannot speak France. Sophia is an English woman. She never
speaks French before. So, she cannot understand French language. As the result, she cannot understand what people say. When a group of people speak, she cannot
understand it. Therefore, while she lives at France, she counts on Gerald. „What do you suppose those people are talking about?‟ he said with a jerk of
the head towards a chattering group of three gorgeous lorettes and two middle-aged men at the next table but one.
„What are they talking about?‟ p. 308.
2. Internal Conflict
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