This close relationship happens when Philip is a child and lives in his hometown, Falmouth. When he enters the adulthood period, his father dies. Then,
Philip goes to London to study and work.
B. The influence of the Relationship between Philip and His father on Philip Dill’s life.
The relationship between Philip and his f ather really influences Philip‟s life.
The influences are on Philip‟s desire of find for a figure of a father, on Philip‟s attitudes and on Philip‟s sexual life.
1. On Philip’s Desire for a Figure of a Father
In his adulthood period, Philip must live without his father because his father dies. The close relationship between Philip and his father puts Philip into a
strong feeling of deep affection for his father. Having a difficult way to release his strong feeling to his father, Philip always hopes to be with his father again as they
used to live in the past Courage 77. For Philip, the memory of his father is a memory which leaves a strong
feeling of love behind. When he mentions of his father, it evidently rouses a profound nostalgia Courage126. The
figure of Philip‟s father who is very strongly embedded in Philip‟s heart is an effect of a comfortable feeling from his fathers love and
presence as the dominant partner in his life. This comfortable feeling leads Philip to store all memories of his fath
er in most of his feelings. Philip‟s strong feeling makes
him miss his father so much, especially when he recalls their togetherness in his childhood.
Sandford and Lough state that the children, who are often dominated by the parents, will idolize and love the parent who dominates. A child who is familiar with
the parent‟s guidance and becomes someone wanted by the parent will experience “Identity Foreclosed‟ Sandford and Lough 188-189. Identity Foreclosed is the
situation in which the children seem to know what they want but in fact it is what others want them to want Sandford and Lough 35. This is the reason why Philip
enjoys his togetherness with his father and likes reading literature books as his father does. Philip never complains even if his father has dominated his life.
Philip is very happy to involve in his father‟s domination because the domination is packaged with the nice attitude by his father. Philip likes everything
that his father wants him to. It shows that Philip assumes his father as the best figure or the hero in his life and relies on his father‟s strength. As a result, it closes Philip‟s
chance to develop his creativity and initiative. It is supported by Sandford and Lough, who states that if a child sees his
father continually a s a hero, he will rely on his father‟s strength. This behavior makes
him not be motivated to develop his own strength. He then projects the hero‟s image which he has seen in his father and begins to incorporate it into his own personality.
The consequence of this decision is the son always remembers his father and tries to be like him Sanford and Lough 188-189.
Furthermore, the death of his father causes more complicated problems on Philip‟s life. The loss of his father makes Philip hurtful. He suffers from a loss of a
person who always guides him. Philip continuously develops as a person who cannot afford to stand on his own strength and maintains to see his father as the best figure in
his life. Therefore, he is not ready to handle himself. Philip is not ready yet to live in his own way as an adult because he always relies on his father strength when he is a
child. He never experiences to be a mature one. Thus, when his father dies, he still needs someone who can understand, guide, and teach him to overcome the problem in
his life, someone likes his father. Then, he begins to look for someone who can help him deal with such problems.
That is why Philip is very happy when he meets with Bruce Quantock, a man who manages to make Philip feel comfortable. P
hilip‟s desire for a figure of a father is fulfilled.
In the midst of Philip‟s turmoil in overcoming his feelings about his father, Bruce can make him at ease. Philip feels very comfortable with Bruce
Courage 76. Finally, they begin to establish a serious relationship. Philip likes Bruce so much because Bruce is able to give what he has been longing for.
Sandford and Lough say that to be his own man, a son must be separated from his father‟s reliance so he can develop his own strength. His father must guide
his son to do that. Because when the father has been physically absent or emotionally unavailable, he may choose a man who has a similar psychological type like his
father. He will look for another mentor with whom he feels a natural report. Sandford and Lough 190.
Philip is very satisfied because he has already found a figure of a father whom he feels easy. According to Philip‟s perception, Bruce is the appropriate figure whom
he can share everything he feels and wants. Bruce also can be a figure whom he can rely on. Bruce can fulfill his desire for a figure of a father.
2. On Philips Attitudes
