serve as a foundation for the search for an identity.
30
If the child overcomes earlier conflicts then they are prepared to search for identity. On this second part, the writer
will analyze Margaret’s identity crisis by using the three Erikson’s stages of life as following.
1. Industry vs. Inferiority: 6-11 years old
Crucial to this stage is the positive identification with those who know things and know how to do things. Children are supposedly begin to explore their identity.
They should form the early strong conviction to self. The word industry above means learning to complete something. It is a sense of accomplishment in making and
building that is supposedly overcome in this stage. Once they attained praise and satisfaction by completed the task, they will derived a self confidence.
Ideally, both at home and at school, the child learns good work and study habits what Erikson referred to as industriousness primarily as a means of
attaining praise and obtaining the satisfaction derived from the successful completion of a task. P.Schultz E. Schultz 2005: 226
The children begin school and are exposed to new social influences. They
begin to explore the neighborhood; they expand their horizons beyond their families. Children will consistently evaluate their skills and compare them to their peers. If
they view these positively then achievement will take place. However, negative views will produce feelings of inferiority if these negative feelings and self-criticism are
brought into this stage. During this time the child moves into the social context away from home and becomes part of a group to fit in with everyone else. To be included in
any specific group means peer acceptance. Margaret in her 6 years old has already committed the early failure on this stage; she feels the inferiority and the existence of
30
Sydney Apern Manning. Child and Adolescent Development. New York: McGraw-Hil, 1977. p. 29
self could be the bad idea for her. Because she is not given any credits of social response.
“… I honestly wonder if Frank’s full name is ‘For Christ Sake Frank.’ No one ever says my name. I could be invisible. I like the idea.” Hanrahan 2006: 20
From the lines above, it can be assumed that Margaret has an early failure of
this stage. She compares herself with her peer—her sibling, that no one ever thinks she exists. She does not get their attention which means rejected from the group
exquisitely. The self-criticism appears in her as she thinks invisible is the best idea. Instead of feel the sense of industriousness, she has emerged the early crisis of
identity. Once again, effects of an unfavorable resolution of earlier crises may appear.
The child may not be able to be industrious because, in Erikson words, she may “still want her mother more than she wants knowledge.”
That is, children may consider their eager productivity merely as a device to please their teacher substitute mother and not something desirable in its own
right. Children may perform in order to be “ good little helpers,” rather than really achieving the ideal accomplishment of competence or workmanship.
Dacey, cited in Wrightsman 1994: 67 For this reason, family forum is so much contributed to Margaret’s identity.
Her brother, Frank, as the very close peer, may emerged her feelings of competence and achievement to being more inferior. However, siblings can affect each other’s
identity development. Since siblings develop many dialectical tensions, such as love and hate, care and abuse, loyalty and betrayal, siblings shape each other’s perceptions,
expectations, and feelings of self-worth.
31
Classroom time for the inferior child presents many problems. For example, when called on to answer a question or write something on the blackboard at the front
31
Paige Heirrick. Turning Points of Closeness in the Sibling Relationship; A Thesis, USA: Baylor University, 2008 p. 7
of the room, this child risks dishonor, rejection or shame because she is on trial and the peers are the jury. In this case, Margaret is still working out to complete the task
in her family where peer relationship goes to her sibling. When she and Frank involve in some conversation, it goes like this.
“‘If I have to pay another bill from your harebrained shopping trips so help me God.’
‘But—’ ‘But, but, he mocks. I work all week. What do you do?’
‘—’ ‘Tell me. What do you do besides get fatter?’
I stand up and the tent starts to come down. I can’t get out. ‘Useless Frank says.’” Hanrahan 2006: 21
She feels the competence but cannot make the achievement as the optimal
result. It makes her feel a fear of embarrassment and peer disapproval follows. The attitudes and opinions of others become important. This makes Margaret lose a self-
worth. The sense of inferiority emerges slowly in Margaret, pretends better being invisible—is the strong feeling from inside herself. Being invisible or at least as a
very small thing that she could hide is still the best idea. “I think about small. So small I could hide in the cracks in sidewalks, in the
space between the bed board and the mattress. So small my ears couldn’t pick up sound.” Hanrahan 2006: 22
Something that supposedly emerges in child on this stage is the sense of being
industriousness, confidence to herself, and can give well contribute to people among her. According to Allen and Marotz 2003, children at this age are becoming more
aware of themselves as individuals. They work hard at being responsible, being good and doing it right. They should more reasonable to share and cooperate.
There is the time when Frank wants to feel special by makes a wound. Margaret helps him to make things work although she scared. But finally it just
makes her more feel the sense of inferiority, because she couldn’t complete the task.
“Frank gives up on the wound idea. For a week he looks at me with a mixture of sadness and contempt.
‘You can still be special,’ I tell him. ‘You’re smart.’ ‘That’s not the way things work,’ he tells me.” Hanrahan 2006: 78
Margaret couldn’t give well contribution even to complete her brother’s task.
She feels not being good and not doing it right that causes Frank stay out of her. This may emerge a condition of being lesser in importance or value.
Completing projects and assignments are other tasks that need to be mastered at this age. These skills have to be learned from someone who can teach the youngster,
for example, how to discipline self to sit down and focus on a homework assignment. Failure to develop these skills will give a feeling of laziness or hopelessness when the
opportunity to develop a sense of discipline to structure ones own life was never taught.
Family, in this case, is the most responsible to manage how their child grows. Unfortunately, since her dad left for a year and never comeback, mom as the one who
should be responsible for the family has turned to be bad influence for them. Therefore, Margaret was never taught how to develop a sense of industriousness but
still being lesser and rejection from the world. “I’ve discovered that I can spend hours and hours in my room. Door closed.
Reading young adult novels about teen pregnancy and lithe ballet-dancing teenagers with eating disorders and doe eyes. I can hide away for entire
weekends and no one notices at all. My room. My kingdom.” Hanrahan 2006: 77
As Erikson notes the child’s possible negative resolution of this stage, ‘the
development of an estrangement from herself and from her tasks’. That can be means home environment is not enough preparing the little Margaret for life outside its
boundaries. The mistrusting Margaret as a child will doubt the future.
Referring to the analysis above, the writer can assumed that Margaret has failed to cope in this stage. Margaret has experience a defeat and lifelong sense of
inferiority.
2. Identity vs. Role Confusion: 12-19 years old
