Method of the Study

Being2known2as2a2shopaholic,2Rebecca2usually2wants2to2buy2something2that2 she2 thinks2 as2 a2 good2 thing2 with2 good2 quality.2 The2 brand2 becomes2 the2 most2 important2consideration2for2Rebecca2to2decide2whether2the2things2that2she2wants2to2 buy2is2worth2or2not.2She2will2not2take2any2further2consideration2if2she2thinks2that2 the2brand2that2is2in2sale2is2worth2buying.2 In2the2window2of2Denny2and2George2is2a2discreet2sign.2Its2dark2green2with2 ice2cream2lettering,2and2it2says:2SALE.2I2stare2at2it,2and2my2skin’s2all2prickly.2 I2can’t2be2true.2Denny2and2George2can’t2be2having2a2sale.2They2never2have2a2 sale.2Their2scarves2and2pashminas2are2so2coveted,2they2could2probably2sell2 them2 at2 twice2 the2 price.2 Everyone2 I2 know2 in2 the2 entire2 world2 aspires2 to2 owning2a2Deny2and2George2scarf2Kinsella,22005:27.2 2 At2that2moment,2Rebecca2will2go2to2the2press2conference2in2Financial Times.2 On2her2way2to2go2to2the2conference,2she2looks2at2the2Denny2and2George’s2window.2 Rebecca2 feels2 that2 she2 wants2 to2 buy2 the2 scarves2 and2 the2 pashmina2 that2 are2 displayed2as2a2sale2in2the2window.2As2a2shopaholic,2she2needs2to2buy2the2thing2that2 she2wants2in2order2to2release2her2desire.2Rebecca2will2insist2on2any2consideration2 that2will2make2the2thing2become2important2to2buy.2By2seeing2at2her2reaction,2the2 writer2 can2 conclude2 that2 it2 can2 be2 one2 of2 the2 characteristics2 of2 Rebecca’s2 shopaholic.2 Rebecca2lives2in2the2flat2with2her2friend2named2Suze.2Also,2Suze2really2 loves2fashion.2Hearing2the2ring2of2cashier2machine,2hearing2some2words2from2the2 shopkeeper2 about2 her2 appearance,2 and2 holding2 some2 paper2 bags2 from2 branded2 shops2always2makes2her2feel2better.2Having2friend2who2also2loves2to2shop2makes2 Rebecca2 feel2 happy.2 She2 will2 buy2 everything2 that2 she2 wants2 without2 any2 consideration.2 If2 there2 is2 any2 consideration,2 she2 will2 ask2 Suze.2 The2 characterization2of2character2can2also2be2seen2in2the2way2the2character2talks2and2 acts.2 I2count2out2the2money2in2tens2and2twenties2and2wait,2almost2shivering2as2the2 ducks2behind2the2counter2and2produces2the2green2box.2She2slides2it2into2a2 thick2glossy2bag2with2dark2 green2 cord2handless2and2hands2it2to2me,2and2 I2 almost2want2to2cry2out2loud,2the2moment2is2so2wonderful2Kinsella,22005:2 17.2 2 Rebecca2always2takes2a2pleasure2of2it.2The2happiness2is2in2her2eyes2when2she2 can2buy2something2that2she2wants.2At2the2moment2she2is2interested2in2something,2 she2will2buy2that2thing.2 The2characteristic2as2a2shopaholic2is2also2shown2in2this2 part2that2can2be2found2by2character2as2seen2by2another.2 “Oh2 God,2 there’s2 something2 wrong,2 isn’t2 there?”2 wails2 Suze.2 I2 knew2 it.2 Maybe2you’re2really2ill.”2She2hurries2into2the2room2and2reaches2for2my2head.2 “Have2you2got2temperature?2Does2anything2hurt?”2 “Have2you2had2a2bump2on2the2head?”2she2wiggles2her2hand2in2front2of2my2 face.2“How2many2fingers?”2Kinsella,22005:2223.2 2 2 Being2a2shopaholic,2Rebecca2never2ignores2any2invitation2to2do2shopping.2 She2really2loves2shopping.2When2Suze2asks2her2to2do2shopping,2usually2Rebecca2 will2say2yes.2However,2in2this2situation,2Rebecca2refuses2that2invitation.2It2make2 Suze2thinks2that2there2is2something2wrong2with2her.2It2is2because2in2Suze’s2point2 of2view,2as2another2character2in2the2novel,2Rebecca2is2seen2as2a2shopaholic.2Thus,2 it2is2really2weird2when2Rebecca2does2not2want2to2do2shopping.2 2 2

2. Self-Justification

Rebecca2always2justifies2herself2when2she2wants2to2buy2something.2Self-talk2 will2happen2when2she2tries2to2take2consideration2whether2something2is2necessary2 to2buy2or2not.2Some2words2that2help2her2to2feel2better2to2buy2will2come2into2her2 mind.2 This2 situation2 makes2 herself2 become2 someone2 who2 does2 shopping2 just2 because2of2her2desire,2not2the2necessity.22 Christmas2 shopping2 I2 can2 do2 all2 my2 Christmas2 shopping2 here2 I2 know2 March2is2bit2early,2but2why2not2to2be2organized?2And2then2when2Christmas2 arrives2 I2 won’t2 have2 to2 go2 near2 the2 horrible2 Christmas2 crowds.2 I2 can’t2 believe2 I2 haven’t2 thought2 of2 doing2 this2 before.2 And2 it’s2 not2 breaking2 the2 rules2 because2 I’d2 have2 to2 by2 Christmas2 present2 sometime, wouldn’t2 I?2 Kinsella,22005:268.2 2 2 Looking2at2her2speech,2the2characteristic2of2self-justification2can2be2seen2in2 the2quotation.22The2situation2when2Rebecca2wants2to2buy2something2unnecessary2 happens2in2self-talk.2It2happens2when2she2wants2to2buy2the2Christmas2present2in2 March.2 Normally,2 the2 reason2 to2 buy2 Christmas2 present2 in2 March2 to2 avoid2 the2 crowd2is2too2much.22 2 The2financial2problem2is2not2the2thing2that2is2accepted2as2her2fault.2She2will2 blame2another2thing2 as2the2cause2of2her2 fault.2Rebecca2 always2thinks2that2there2 will2be2a2certain2reason2behind2something2that2happens.2Everything2that2is2done2by2 her,2becomes2the2thing2which2must2happen2naturally.2 Frugality.2Simplicity.2There2are2my2new2watchwords.2A2new,2uncluttered,2 Zen-like2life,2in2which2I2spending2nothing.2Spend2nothing.2I2mean,2when2you2 think2about2it,2how2much2money2do2we2all2waste2every2day?2No2wonder2I’m2 in2 a2 little2 bit2 of2 debt.2 And2 really,2 it’s2 not2 my2 fault.2 I’ve2 merely2 been2 succumbing2to2the2western2drag2of2materialism—which2you2have2strength2to2 have2strength2of2elephants2to2resist.2At2least2that’s2what2it2says2in2my2new2 book2Kinsella,22005:241.2 2 Blaming2as2the2impact2of2western-materialism,2Rebecca2thinks2that2she2needs2 the2strength2of2elephant2to2resist.2Actually,2what2the2writer2gets2is2the2Rebecca’s2 justification2in2order2to2make2herself2feel2better2with2her2problems.2Looking2at2the2 reaction,2Rebecca’s2reaction2to2her2problem2shows2that2she2cannot2manage2herself2 to2face2her2problem.22