Difficulties in Socializing The Effects of the Abuses Experienced by Tess
had not done anything either. It is stated that they are always on the tenterhooks with Mother. It means that they always worried and feel the fear when they meet
mother. From this description it could be concluded that because of the fear being punished and abused by mother, she becomes inferior.
I could only nod, and handed him the shopping list. He piled up the tea, the sugar and all the other stuff on the counter and I put it into my
bag. „That‟ll be six and eight, please.‟
And out came the empty purse. I was so upset that the tears came naturally.
There was a real break in my voice when I wailed, „I‟ve lost my money I‟m gonna get into trouble‟
Sure enough, the grocer tut-
tutted, and said, „Never you mind, dear, just be more careful next time.‟
Still blubbing, I left the shop feeling like a criminal. Stevens, 2008: 43
The third quotation that proves Tess becomes inferior could be seen above. It is stated that Tess fulfills her mother‟s order by lying to the grocer that she loses
her money. After that, the grocer gives the shopping items to Tess for free since he pities her. Actually, Tess does not lose her money; this is just a part of
mother‟s plan to be able to steal the items from the shop. She orders Tess to steal the stuffs from the shop by ordering her to act as if she has lose her purse after she
get all of the shopping stuffs. At first, Tess refuses her mother‟s order. But, her mother psychologically abuses her by threatening her that if she does not obeys
mother; mother would be punished by God. Due to this psychological abuse, she becomes afraid if her mother will be punished, so she tries to be worthy and
fulfills mother‟s order by stealing the items in the grocer‟s.
I dreaded the thought of being sent out again to those special customers, but knew I had to do everything I could to help Mother. I
tried not to think of it, to push it to the back of my mind. That worked
during the day. I was usually busy then, what with looking after the kids, and school. Stevens, 2008: 137
The fourth quotation that proves Tess becomes inferior could be seen
above. According to the quotation, Tess is trauma if she is being sent out to the punters again. She is trauma and afraid to be sent again because she had received
sexual abuses from the punters in various forms, such as being touch in her genital areas, being exposed to male sexual organ, and being naked in front of the
punters. Although she had experienced sexual abuses several times, she still wanted to obey her mother‟s order to gain her mother‟s trust. By gaining the trust
of mother, she would not be neglected by mother in the term of love again. Previously, since she was neglected by mother by being locked in the room, she is
trauma if she receives that same treatment again. It can be concluded that Tess obeys her mother‟s order only to gain the trust of mother in order to prevent
mother from neglecting her. It is clear that Tess is inferior since she only obeys her mother because she feels that she is not meeting the standard of quality that
mother wanted.