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and failing the HSC, has built such negative assumptions towards his teacher and parents that he has never made any effort 17, 64.
It was at St Crispin’s that the thing had started happening, and it had begun with Math. He must have missed something, Luke thought now,
some small, essential step along the way, without which nothing could make sense. He might have missed it because he hadn’t been paying
attention, like they’d said in his report. Dad had been furious when he’d seen the word ‘inattentive’ 57-58.
However, Luke still keeps trying to work on his Writing Folder, though in fact the padlock feeling hinders him to at last make it finished 119.
According to Hufman, Verney and Vernoy, there must be any motive underlies one’s behavior, which is called motivation. Referring to the kinds of motivation,
Luke seems to be extrinsically motivated as what he does in such case is not for his own sake; yet merely he tries to please his parents and get back their love, care
and attention 377.
5. Psychological Disturbance
The deep pressures Luke experiences from the people living around him truly put such considerable effects on his psychological life as well. As
Parsons obviously explained, in the case of adolescent development, social pressure is one chronic problem to confront, particularly in the face of family and
peers. These pressures, furthermore, can lead to such unavoidable stress and depression 15.
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The mental depression seems to have much affected Luke’s thinking process, which mostly causes distraction towards his frame of mind.
Luke chewed at the end of his pen. The problem was how whenever he turned to any kind of schoolwork, he couldn’t seem to think. His brain
seized up, it seemed to shut, click Like a great stupid padlock snapping into a place. And you couldn’t explain a thing like that to
anyone; it would just sound like an excuse, something he’d made up. 60
According to Parsons, the sense of loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness which accompany depression often blocks the adolescents’ ability to define and
resolve the real problems facing them 131. Disruptive mind, as what is seen in Luke, frequently brings someone
up to a condition in which he seems to be unaware of what he is doing or talking about. It happens as Luke went to The Hamiltons’ house and tried to forcefully
enter. He did not even know why he came there since he merely sensed his feet had just started walking of their own accord 9. Then, Luke seems to lost his
consciousness when he sat on the swinging for so long, trying to get an idea to write poems. He didn’t notice it was getting dark until he heard a dog barking
119. The same thing occurs two times while Luke was ringing Caro. At
first, he did not realize the time that it had been so late to make a phone call 91. And at the second time, he ridiculously forgot the reason why he rang her in the
middle of the night 123. Luke’s lost of consciousness also appears due to his anxiety about the letter of expulsion Stringer might send.
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Luke raised a hand to his forehead and the hand came away all wet; the sweat was pouring from his skin. And – God, he was walking, he’d
actually been walking round and round his room and he hadn’t even noticed he was doing it. He sat down on his bed and then jumped
straight up again; he couldn’t seem to keep still 120-121.
The lost of consciousness happens in Luke is likely influenced by his subconscious mind. It much affects the thinking process as it distracts his focus
on something, getting his mind wander everywhere. He hadn’t even made a start on it, not any start that you could see,
even though he’d spent whole nights in his room clenched up to the desk, struggling to think of something. The Writing Folder was due in
next Monday, less than four days away if you didn’t count the weekend 10.
Conger furthermore pointed out that the depressed adolescents may reveal their feelings through bodily complaints, such as waking up tired and
fatigued, difficulties in concentration and failing school performance 605. While Luke was talking to Mrs. Lewis, the thought of Naomi spontaneously came to his
mind, diverting his focus from Mrs. Lewis 66. It similarly occurs as Luke was having a serious conversation with Caro. He looked as if he was listening to her
for the sound of night train he might hear all at once, breaking the silence 124. Being caused by the chronic depression stuck to him mentally, Luke
possesses such serious problem in sleeping as well. Unlike common people, he has distinctive pattern of sleep; he always feels sleepy in the evenings, whereas at
night he begins to wide wake 12. Having such sleeping disorder, Luke is likely to suffer from insomnia, which sometimes put his half-conscious mind into an
abstract hallucination of people faces 128.
