Method of the Study

24 always begins with the heading INT interior or EXT exterior to indicate whether the scene happens in indoor or outdoor and the explanation about the time, at night or at noon, to show when the scene happens. However there are directions for the actor or actress’ gestures to clarify the message to the audiences. The dialogue between Karen and Nora above happens at night in Karen’s bedroom, where bedroom is a usual place for mother and daughter’s bonding time. The dialogue shows how Karen actually tries to make a good bond with Nora by brushing her mother’s hair and she is surprised when her mother is asking about her work because it is unusual for her. However, she happily tells her mother everything and she even tells about the new guy at her work whom she just meets. Unfortunately, her mother gives cold response and she feels disappointed but she hides it. Karen becomes unable to express her feelings to her mother, thus, she is unable to tell her mother that she is actually missing her daughter because her mother will not give any response every time she tries to start a conversation about her baby and she wants to be an obedient daughter. Like what happens in the kitchen when they have breakfast together. INT. KITCHEN – MORNING Karen is eating breakfast across from Nora. They eat in silence. Then: KAREN. Her birthday is coming up. She’ll be thirty-seven. Nora says nothing. Garcia, 2009: 2 25 This is an awkward situation between them when they are sitting together and eating breakfast, Kare n tries to bring up about her daughter’s birthday and tells Nora that her daughter will be thirty-seven but Nora responses nothing. Based on the scenes above, the researcher makes an assumption that as a daughter, Karen is having difficulties to make a good bond with her mother. However, she is still trying quite hard to show her mother that she wants to be a good daughter for her mother even though she is unhappy because she is unable to be herself and has to hide everything inside. b. Karen as a woman As a woman who lives with unhappy past and bitter relationship with her mother, Karen becomes difficult, grumpy, and unfriendly. Karen keeps everything at bay to everyone. She makes distance to everyone who tries to be nice to her. There is Paco, the new guy she talks about with her mother, who always tries to be nice to her but she always gives him difficult times every time Paco shows her his care and kindness. PACO. I didn’t mean to stare. Paco. He offers his hand and then they shake. PACO CONT’D. Karen, right? Karen says nothing. PACO CONT’D. Clara told me your name. KAREN. Clara. What else did she say about me? PACO. Nothing else. KAREN. She always has time on her hands to be talking to someone. That’s why her work stinks. Garcia, 2009: 11 26 Karen coldly responds Paco’s friendly introduction. She even says to him negative comments about her co-worker who told Paco her name. INT. THERAPIST’S COMMON AREA – DAY Karen comes in and walks toward her locker. She stops suddenly: there is a small plastic bag hanging from the locker handle. Karen stands very still, waiting for a woman co-worker to leave the area. She takes the bag and looks inside it. There are a few, large, ripe tomatoes inside. INT. THERAPY POOL – CONTINUOUS Karen rushes in carrying the bag, looks around but doesn’t find what she’s looking for. She rushes out again. EXT. PARKING LOT – CONTINUOUS Karen can see Paco walking toward his car. She moves quickly and catches up with him. PACO. Hey. KAREN. about the bag is this your? PACO. Tomatoes – they’re from my garden. KAREN. I can tell they’re freaking tomatoes. Why the hell are they hanging on my locker? Paco. I thought you might like them. KAREN. What made you think that, you jerk? Paco says nothing. KAREN CONT’D. I don’t appreciate walking into place of work finding this bag for everyone to see – like I’m your god-damn girlfriend, Karen shoves the bag in his stomach. KAREN CONT’D. You’re an idiot. Garcia, 2009: 41-42 The scenes above continuously depict how Karen is being unnecessarily furious about the tomatoes. There are explanations indicating that the scenes are continuous, Karen looks for Paco from inside the building to the parking lot where she finally finds Paco. Similar to a play script, a screenplay also has directions to show the gestures of the actors or the actresses which are written in italic letters to suggest, to indicate the gestures, activities that are explicitly experienced by the actors.