B. Theoretical Framework
There are some theories applied in order to answer the problem formulated in this study. In this part, I would like to explain which theories used and how they
are applied in the analysis. The main aim of this study is to find out the meanings of love to Kate for
Sara. However, analyzing the main and minor characters and analyzing the relationship between Sara and her children are necessary as means to look into the
deep meaning of Sara’s love to her dying daughter. To find out the main major and minor secondary characters, I use the theory of character proposed by
Abram and Henkle. The two proponents have same idea of the character types. As their theories are correlated, those are useful to analyze the character.
In analyzing the relationship between Sara and her children, it is better to know whether Sara is a masochistic or a narcissistic mother. Since the types of
motherliness have influences on a mother – children relationship, I use theory of motherhood proposed by Helena Deutsch. To analyze the relationship between
Sara and her children, I also use some theories from Noller and Fitzpatrick, Gouran, and Mark. I include Gouran’s Mastering Communication because
relationship is closed to the interaction within the family. Thus, it facilitates to describe their relationship. Mark’s Mother Daughter Relationship – Reaping Its
Positive Benefits is used to find out the types of Sara and her daughters’ relationship.
Meanwhile, in order to analyze the conflict between them, I employ the
theories of conflict in relationship from Noller and Fitzpatrick. Since this study includes the cause and model resolution of the conflict, I apply Blake and
Mouton’s conflict resolutions as quoted by Noller and Fitzpatrick. The theories proposed by Baron and Byrne, and Helena Deutsch also help me to dig out the
causes of the conflict in Sara and her children relationship. Finally, I employ some theories of love to analyze the meanings of Sara’s
love to Kate. These theories are proposed by Fromm, Pieper, Warga and Rob. Fromm’s theory helps me to dig out Sara’s motherly love that makes her doing
everything to save Kate’s life without expecting anything in return. Meanwhile, theories proposed by Warga and by Rob are used to show that Sara’s love is also
considered as agape that reveals God’s love. I also apply Davieslove’s Time: The Best Expression of Love from Davieslove to analyze how Sara proves her love and
focuses her attention on Kate.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three parts. The first part is object of the study. It describes the novel, My Sister’s Keeper, as the focus of the study. The second part
is approach of the study. It explains the approach applied in this study. The third part discusses the method of the study which tells the steps in doing this study.
A. Object of the Study
The object of this study is My Sister’s Keeper, a novel by Jodi Picoult, an American writer. She has written sixteen novels dealing with family tragedy and
the tangle of relationships. My Sister’s Keeper is her eleventh novel. The political and scientific discussions over cloning and DNA became the inspiration for My
Sister’s Keeper. The setting of time portrays the time when stem cell research and designer babies were the current issues in the medical and political community in
United States. This novel was published twice, firstly in 2004 by Atria Books. Secondly, it was published in 2005 by Washington Square Press. This study uses
the first novel published by Atria Books. My Sister’s Keeper contains 500 pages and was awarded as “The New York Times” best seller. In each chapter, the
characters narrate and share their own story. There is only Kate who narrates one chapter in the epilogue.
My Sister’s Keeper is a family tragedy novel which tells about love within the Fitzgerald family. There is a mother who becomes the strongest character
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