explanation. She rarely talks to her parents and never has any discussion with them. Therefore, Maria always tries to find out everything by herself. Until one
day, in her nineteen, she decides to work in a draper’s shop. She realizes that she has to earn a lot of money to support her family living. Maria tries to make use of
her boss because she knows that her boss is interested in her beauty. Maria learns through her mother that her beauty can attract men. She uses her beauty to get an
increase of her salary. She even gets some additional money to work overtime. She knew how attractive she was, and although she rarely listened to her
mother, there was one thing her mother said that she never forgot: “Beauty, my dear, doesn’t last.” With this in mind, she continued to keep
her boss at arm’s length, though without putting him off completely, and this brought her a considerable increase in salary she didn’t know how
long she would be able to string him along with the mere hope of one day getting her into bed, but at least she was earning good money meanwhile.
He also paid her overtime for working late her boss liked having her around, perhaps worried that if she went out at night, she might find the
great love of her life Coelho 17-18.
As Maria’s mother is a typical seamstress who always considers that money is the most important thing in life, she does not want her daughter to suffer
because of money. Therefore, she asks Maria to get married with a rich man to keep her and her family up. According to Maslow qtd. In Schultz 63, self esteem
is one of the important needs to be achieved. Maria’s mother thinks if Maria marries a rich man then she is able to fulfill her family’s basic needs. Moreover,
the neighborhood will respect her family since it will increase her family’s dignity.
Therefore, it is clear that social condition becomes one of the main reasons why Maria wants to struggle for a better life. She wants to improve her family’s
financial condition. Moreover, it can be seen that being rich is one of the best 38
things in her neighborhood. Therefore, she wants to increase the dignity of her family also.
b. Traveling Desire
Young Maria experiences “love” when she is eleven years old. However, she has to deal with her broken heart because of her stupidity action for not
responding to the boy and being so passive Coelho 2-3. After some time, Maria comes to the conclusion that men cause only pain, frustration, suffering and a
sense of time dragging Coelho 13. After that she forgets everything about love and decides to travel.
Maria realizes that there is a good place far away. She knows that she has to leave the city because she thinks that the most interesting people always leave.
“Nevertheless, looking at the dusty streets of the town where she lives, she decides that one day she will follow in the boy’s footsteps” Coelho 5. She
begins to think about her life, her family and her desire to have a better life. She considers leaving her town for bigger cities to experience new things in life.
Then, the idea of traveling emerges in her mind. According to Smith 282 motivation is categorized as an internal process that influences the direction,
persistence and vigor of goal directed behavior. Her dream to see Rio de Janeiro, the capital of Brazil motivates her to earn a lot of money and go traveling. It
concerns with self-actualization. Maslow says that this need is the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one capable of
becoming qtd in Schultz 64. To realize her idea, Maria works in a draper’s shop 39
to earn money. After working for two years, she saves enough money and then travels to Rio de Janeiro.
She worked two years solidly, paid money each month to her parents for her keep, and, at last, she did it She saved up enough money to go and
spend a week’s holiday in the city of her dreams, the place where film and TV starts live, the picture postcard image of her country: Rio de Janeiro
Coelho 18
During her vacation, she meets a Swiss man, Roger, who offers her to become an artist abroad. Realizing that she will not get the second chance, she
decides to accept the job. Moreover, she wants to travel and experiences something new. She believes that this is a good way to realize her dream. She tries
to convince her parents that the job is something she needs to have a better life. Then, with the blessing of her parents she goes to Swiss with Roger.
2. Maria’s Struggle for a Better Life
Maria has to struggle for the things she wants. She realizes that she is only a poor girl from the backland of Brazil. Therefore, she tries to struggle for a better
life. In this part, the theories of motivation, struggle for life and human needs are applied. According to Maslow qtd in Schultz 62-64, there are five basic needs.
They are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, self- esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.
In her journey of life, Maria has to struggle to achieve her better life. She has to deal with life problems. According to Bernard 64 individuals also may
consciously and rationally implement strategies that enable them to cope with stresses and problems in life. Furthermore, she also needs adjustment to overcome
40 PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
