Well-educated Characterisation of Suwen
31 her life whereas she successfully gets and feels it from her stepfather. After that
incident, Suwen hates her stepfather very much and she does not love him anymore. It is shown by her action in avoiding talking with her stepfather.
He grabbed her breasts, squeesing them as he tried to plant his foul kisses on her lips. She scratched his face like a wild cat, and pushed him onto the
bed. Then she ran into the bathroom and locked the door, her heart pounding with pain. She had tried to scream but no sound came out of her
throat. It had been strangled by fear. He was bestial A beast The air was full of his immoral snorts and hisses. She shoved a clenched fist into her
mouth and bit hard. She would not cry. She refused to cry. p. 16
By using Freud’s theories of defense mechanisms, the researcher found that
Suwen’s bad experience makes her avoid talking about men and sex to others deeper. The reason is that she tries to repress and eliminate her bad experience in
her mind by avoiding those topics. In the novel, she often gives a short comment when Nica talks about sex with her. Sex becomes a taboo thing to be discusses
with others, sex was perceived as a threat and the road to damnation p. 76. Sex becomes a word which brings her to the bad experience so that she avoids talking
about this topic. “You’re acting silly, avoiding Mark like this,” Nica was saying. “You do
like him. But you don’t want to admit it. Not even to yourself. D’youwant to remain virgin forever or what?”
“Oh, Nica Must you always bring things down to that level?” “What level? You talk as if sex is real-down. We all have feelings and
urges. Nothing to be ashamed of” Silence. p. 255
Not only avoiding talking about sex and men, but Suwen also avoids
talking about her family. She never talks about her family to others because she has a bad experience in the past. She feels afraid that she will recall the past
32 incident when she talks about her family to others. Furthermore, Suwen calls her
stepfather “that man” because of what her stepfather has done towards her. Such things, however, Suwen would never reveal. She was not in the habit
of talking to others about her family or lack of it. One could put it down to natural reticence. But, perhaps, it was more than that. The incident with
her mother’s husband, “that man” as she referred to him inside her head, had clung to her like a body odour which would not go away. p. 104
Suwen’s bad experience also influences her to avoid interacting with men. In other words, she protects herself from her bad experience by avoiding the
physical interaction or sexual activity with any men and not making any special relationship with them. In addition, she rejects some chances and situations which
will make her to have a physical interaction with men. By using the theories of defense mechanisms, the researcher found that Suwen rejects to be kissed by
Mark because she denies this situation which will make her recall her bad experience.
Very gently, he turned her to face him snd took her into his arms, kissing her hair, then her shoulders. His mouth sought hers as their fingers laced
and interwined like the flaments of aerial roots from the banyan tree. “No, Mark,” she broke away from him. “I’m...I’m sorry.” She turned and started
to walk down the slope. He followed. In silence. p. 191 In order to protect herself from pain and bad experience, Suwen also
chooses to remain unmarried. In other words, she chooses to be an unmarried woman rather than she should give up her virginity to men. She decides to keep
her virginity because she does not want to recall the incident which will bring her to pain and suffering.
33