25
1. Kind
Jamal is a kind person. The writer finds out that being kind is one of Jamal Malik’s characteristics through his reaction to someone around him. He thinks
about the others even when his brother does not want him to think about other people.
It happens when a group of people attacks Jamal’s village as an anti- Muslim attack. Because of the riot, Jamal’s mother asks him and Salim, his
brother, to run away to avoid the riot. After they go out from the village, they stand on a hill overlooking the city while black smoke is blowing from the village.
Jamal starts to ask Salim to go from there. JAMAL
We should go back. Silence
JAMAL See if Ama-
Salim shakes his head fiercely, silencing Jamal for a moment. But only a moment.
JAMAL What about Jeevan Chacha?
Salim shakes his head. JAMAL
Maybe he- Salim shakes his head again.
SALIM -I saw him. He was with them
JAMAL But he wouldn’t hurt-
SALIM -he was with them
JAMAL But-
SALIM -
shut up, Jamal, can’t you? Just shut up I, XXXIII, 22. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
26 The conversation above shows that Jamal is a kind person. He really thinks about
the others since he always asks Salim about what happens to Jeevan Chacha, even though Salim does not want to think about it.
Another evidence that Jamal is a kind person is when he offers his kindness to Latika, the girl he meets when his village is attacked by the rioters. It
can be seen through the director’s notes and Jamal’s questions to Latika below. Jamal climbs out of the pipe. Looks at Salim for permission or refusal, but
he just continues to stare. So, Jamal walks across to her. She looks up, wary.
JAMAL Where’s your mother?
Silence JAMAL CONT’D
Father? The girl shakes her head slightly. Jamal takes the plastic sheet from around
his shoulders. Gives it to her. I, XXXVI, 24
In the middle of raining, Jamal sees Latika playing mud alone with her finger. Her body is all wet. Jamal sees Latika for the first time while running away from the
riot and then she shows up again in the middle of the rain. At first, Jamal just looks at her but then he comes to her and ask her about her family. Without long
talking, Jamal gives his plastic sheet to Latika to cover up her body. From the two conversations above, those can be assumed that Jamal is a kind person since he
really cares about the others even to someone who has not been known by him yet.
In conclusion, according to Murphy’s theory, Jamal’s kindness
characteristics are shown through the speech and the direct comment that can be seen from the director’s note.
27 Jamal’s kindness characteristic is also seen by another character. Jamal
always cares about Latika. He puts his struggle to find her wherever she is. One day, when Jamal and Salim find Latika for the first time after they get separated,
he really serves her well. It happens when they are staying in a hotel room. His kindness can be seen in the situation below.
Latika is cearly in the shower. Jamal wanders in carrying an old pair of lunghi. Shouts through the door.
JAMAL Found some lunghi
LATIKA Stay there. Look away.
The shower stops. JAMAL
Atcha, atcha. LATIKA
I’ll know if you’re looking…. JAMAL
I’m not With a towel around her, Latika comes to the doorway where Jamal is
holding out the lunghi with his eyes tight shut. JAMAL
Where’s Salim? LATIKA
Dunno. She watches this innocent a second with true fondness.
LATIKA You’re a sweet boy, Jamal. I, CIII, 69
The situation above shows the readers that Jamal is really a kind person. He even gives Latika a lunghi, which is known as cloth, when she is taking a bath. The two
of them are really enjoying the time being together in the hotel room. According to
Murphy 1972, Jamal’s kindness can be seen through the description from another character. For everything he does for her in the hotel, his kindness is
clearly shown when Latika says that he is a sweet boy. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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