25
focus on the main major characters namely, Lydia, Christopher, and Natalie in order to find the influence of divorce on them.
Different from Henkle, Forster 46-51 divides character into flat and round character. Flat character is the easiest character to recognize because the
characteristics do not change from the beginning until the end of the story. Therefore, flat character is easily to be forgotten by the reader. Lydia, Christopher,
and Natalie are round characters. Round character is difficult to recognize since they have unsteady characteristics. How ever, round character leave deepest
impression on the readers. Rohrberger and Woods Jr. 20-21 says that we can recognize the
characters’ characteristics through personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment,
thoughts, and mannerism. By applying some of them, the main characters’ characteristics can be revealed.
1. The Characteristics of Lydia
Lydia’s characteristics can be explored by using Rohrberger’s and Woods Jr.’s theory of character and characterization.
a. Independent As the eldest child in the family she is forced to be an independent child.
In her young age 13 she must suffer from family separation and she must take care of her brother, her little sister and herself. Her parents’ divorce changes Lydia
to be an independent child. It can be seen trough her speech. “I told her I was not going to live my life between the two of you any
more, thinking about her rights and yours. I told her I thought I had rights
26
of my own, and from now on you two had better start thinking of mine.” p. 188
The speech above appears when Lydia cannot stand anymore hearing her parents fight about their rights in taking care of the children. She loves both of her parents
and she does not want to make one of them feel disappointed. So the fact above can describe one of Lydia’s characteristics, that is independent.
b. Responsible Since the divorce, Lydia’s parents do not live together anymore. Daniel
lives in the apartment while Miranda and the children live in their former house. Miranda is facing a new problem after the divorce. She is worried about the
children. She is afraid if she cannot take care of the children while she is working. Thus, Miranda gives the responsibility to Lydia for taking care of Christopher and
Natalie while she is working. It is clearly described from the way Lydia protects her little sister, Natalie.
“I mean,” said Lydia, “that we are only here on Tuesday for tea and every other weekend. It isn’t much. So it would be quite nice if Natty didn’t have
to spend it listening to unpleasant remarks” p. 5
Lydia feels that it must be hard for Natalie to listen unpleasant remarks from their
father. Sometimes Lydia scolds her father to stop being silly and makes Natalie cry p.10.
On one occasion she helps Christopher when their father feels disappointed and angry about his wife’s decision in looking for a housekeeper.
He expects that he can stay with his father while their mother is working. “But you did want to come?” he pressed his son. Christopher shook himself irritability,
and turned to Lydia for help. She answered for him. p. 34. Through
27
Christopher’s reaction it can describe Lydia’s characteristics. The quotation above shows one of Lydia’s characteristics, that is responsible. It can be seen
from the way she protects Christopher and Natalie. c. Spontaneous
Another Lydia’s characteristic is spontaneous. If her father starts to say an unpleasant remark about her mother she will spontaneously interrupt her father.
Every time there is something that she does not like she will react spontaneously. It happens when her mother picks the children up very early so that the children
only have a little time with their father. It makes Daniel angry and he starts to say an unpleasant remark on her mother. Lydia snapped: “It isn’t very easy for her,
you know, being a single parent” p. 9. Lydia suddenly snaps her father’s statement. She cannot accept it, because she knows that her mother also has
difficulties in managing her time to take the children to Daniel’s apartment and pick them up.
Another occasion is when Daniel expresses his disagreement on his wife’s decision and Natalie almost cries. He feels that it is unfair for him having a short
time with his children. “Oh, do stop being so silly” Lydia scolded her father impatiently. “You’re almost making Natty cry. You tell us off for it, and then you
do exactly the same” p. 10. Seeing her sister cry, Lydia scolds impatiently his father in order to stop him for being silly. So, both quotations show one of Lydia’s
characteristics, that is spontaneous. d. Brave
28
She is also brave. She is brave enough to criticize her father’s silly behavior
and sometimes she uses rude words to remind her father. The quotation below is
taken when her father expresses his hatred on his wife’s decision. “I could murder her. Truly I could Sometimes I think I could cheerfully
slit her throat” “No Daddy No” Natalie was off her chair in a moment. Tears scorching
her cheeks, she hurled herself across the room, and beat fiercely with her fists.
Lydia was shocked. “Dad Really For God’s sake” p.12
Surprising to see her father’s behavior Lydia bravely shouts to her father to stop it. Lydia tries to protect her sister for being afraid and it happens many times. In the
quotation below Lydia does the same thing. She bravely warns her father. “Oh, do stop being so silly” Lydia scolded her father impatiently. “You’re
almost making Natty cry. You tell us off for it, and then you do exactly the same.” p. 10
She is also brave enough to utter her feeling. When she feels tired of her parents’
fighting she can directly say or express her anger in front of her parents. It happens when her mother knows that their father disguises as Mrs. Doubtfire.
They start to fight in front of their children. Miranda is very angry. She cannot accept the way Daniel comes into her house. She feels humiliated by her ex
husband. Lydia rose. Her rage lent her an ashen, fierce dignity that neither parent
had seen before. “I hate you both,” she informed them in an unsteady voice, and, turning,
she walked into her bedroom and shut the door. p. 176
29
This condition is not easy for Lydia. To have divorced parents in her life is hard. It is hard as she must take care of her brother and sister. Another evidence to show
Lydia’s bravery towards her parents is when she tells her father that she yells to her mother. This is the first time for her to shout in front of her mother and she
regrets it. “Yelled. I yelled that … ” She hesitated. Her voice was shaking at
the memory. “I yelled at her that, if she didn’t let me go today, she would
regret it” p.188
From the quotations above it can be seen that one of Lydia’s characteristic is brave.
2. The Characteristics of Christopher
