The psychological effect of ageing on valerie in happy birthday novel by danielle Steel : (a study of psychoanalysis)

DECLARATION OF OWNERSHIP

  I hereby certify that this skripsi entitled “The Psychological Effect of The Main Character in Happy Birthday Novel by Danielle Steel” is honestly my own work. I am fully aware that I have quoted some statements and ideas from various sources, and they are properly acknowledged in the text.

  Bandung, 20 July 2012 Reisa Yunita Caroline

  

APPROVAL

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON VALERIE

  

IN HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOVEL BY DANIELLE STEEL

(A Study of Psychoanalysis)

SKRIPSI

REISA YUNITA CAROLINE

NIM. 63707808

  Bandung, 28 July 2013 Approved as a Skripsi by:

  Advisor I Tatan Tawami, S.S., M.Hum

  NIP. 4127.20.03.011 Advisor II

  Nenden Rikma Dewi, S.S Acknowledged by:

  Dean of Faculty of Letters Head of English Department

  CURRICULUM VITAE A. Personal Identity a.

  Name : Reisa Yunita Caroline b.

  Place and Date of Birth : Bandung, June 16

  th

  1989 c. Home Address

  : Jendral Sudirman street, no. 1 C Cimahi, West Java.

  d.

  Phone : 082118011145 e.

  Sex : Female f.

  Citizenship : Indonesia g.

  Hobby ` : watching movie and reading B.

   Formal Education No Year Institution

  1. 1995-2001 SDN Sudirman II Cimahi 2. 2001-2004 SMPN 8 Cimahi 3. 2004-2007 SMKN 3 Cimahi 4. 2009-2013 UNIKOM

C. Informal Education No Year Name of Education Certification

  Copywriting as a Creative Thinking

  1. 2009 Certified

  Seminar and Workshop

Copywriting and Consumer

  2. 2010 Certified

  Behavior Seminar Translating & Interpreting

  3. 2010 Certified

  Workshop Seminar Feminist, Feminine and

  4. 2011 Certified

  Text Seminar and Workshop Semiotic :

  5. 2011 Certified

  Literature Media

  6. 2011 Certified

  Seminar “Kreatif Menulis, Rejeki Tak Akan Habis”

  Copywriting Linguistics on Media

  7. 2011 Certified

  Seminar and Workshop Public Speaking Seminar

  8. 2011 Certified

  “Building Confidence in Delivering Public Speech” Design Bussines Day Seminar and

  9. 2012 Certified

  Workshop Building The Translation Skill and

  10 2013 Certified

  Confidence Seminar and Workshop

  11 2013

  

Extra Large Workshop

  Certified D.

   Experiences 1.

  2007: Sales Promotion Girl Event at Fren mobile-8 2. 2008: Sales Promotion Girl Event at Astro TV 3. 2008: Photographer at three colours photo studio 4. 2009: Shopkeeper at PeterSaysDenim store

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  First of all, the writer would like to thank the Almighty God for His blessing so that the writer could accomplish this skripsi. This skripsi would like to present about the psychological effect of ageing on the main character in Happy Birthday novel.

  At first, the writer finds a difficulty in choosing the theory which is suitable to the topic. The writer also has few problems in expressing and describing the analysis of data. However, all the difficulties are solved by the help from some people and the writer’s efforts also. In this special occasion, the writer would like to express her deepest gratitude and appreciation for the following people:

  1. Dean of Faculty of Letters of UNIKOM, Prof. Dr. H. Moh. Tadjuddin, MA.

  2. Head of English Department, Dr. Juanda.

  3. My Advisor, Tatan Tawami S.S, M.Hum and Nenden Rikma S.S.

  Thank you for the knowledge, supports, words, and suggestions.

  4. All the lecturers and staff in English Department.

  5. My beloved parents for the support, love, and everything.

  6. All my friends for sharing everything.

  Bandung, August 2013

  APPENDICES

  NO

VALERIE IN PERSONAL LIFE PAGE 1.

  18 “People wanted to live the way she told them to, women wanted to look the way she did, and young girls wanted a wedding just the way Valerie would have done it, or as she instructed them to do on her show and her books. Valerie Wyatt was a household name. She was a beautiful woman, had a fabulous career, and lived a golden life. The only thing missing in her life was a man, and she hadn’t been involved with anyone in three years. The thought of that depressed her that morning too. (HB: 13)”

  2.

  20 “No matter how good she looked, the age on her driver’s license was what it was, and who would want a woman of sixty? Even men in their eighties wanted girls in their twenties now. With this birthday, Valerie felt she had become obsolete. It wasn’t a pleasant thought, and she wasn’t happy today.

  … And the only thing keeping her from a major panic attack was that at least no one knew her right age. But she was depresses anyway.” (HB: 14) 3.

  21 “She had had her eyes done for the first time when she turned forty and then again fifteen years later. The results had been on a terrific vacation. She had had the surgery done in L.A. during a summer hiatus. She had also had her neck done when she was fifty, giving her a smooth, youthful neckline with no sag anywhere, and her plastic surgeon agreed that she didn’t need a full-face lift. She had great bones, good skin, and the eye and neck work had given her the effect she wanted. Botox shots four times a year added to her youthful looks.” (HB: 12)

  4.

  23 “She had divorced for twenty-three years, and had devoted more time and energy to her career than romance. But she missed being involved with someone, and was disappointed that no one had turned up in years. She was beginning to think that no one ever would again. Maybe she was too old. She certainly felt it now.” (HB: 19)

  5.

  24 “So what, if it makes us look good? I don’t usually advertise that, but shit, we both make a living on screen, and with high definition video now, you need all the help you can get.” (HB: 222)

  6.

  21 “She looked in the mirror intently as she prepared to leave he r apartment that morning. She didn’t have to be in the studio until noon for taping, and she had two appointments before that. She was only thing keeping her from major panic attack was that at least no one knew her right age. But she was depressed anyway.” (HB: 14)

  NO

VALERIE IN SOCIAL LIFE PAGE 1.

  26 “Pat was always startled that there was no man in his ex- wife’s life. She was such a beautiful woman, but her career had been her first priority for so long that he thought she had given up a lot for success and fame. At sixty, she was alone.” (HB: 88) 2.

  27 “My, my, my, I never would have believed it, and I’ll bet you won’t either. She looks terrific for her age! Guess who’s turning sixty today? Valerie Wyatt! Now that is a surprise! Good work, Valerie, you don’t look a day over forty- five.” (HB: 15)

  3.

  27 “It was humiliating words, she fumed to herself. Was nothing private anymore? Not when you were a famous as Valerie Wyatt and had your own TV show, and had for years. She wanted to cry as she sat in the backseat would be on, how many TV shows, what newspaper it would be in, or celebrity roundsup announcing whose birthday it was and how old they were. Why didn’t they just sky-write it over New York?” (HB: 16) 4.

  29 I know. I figured you’d be upset. I’m sorry, Mom. It doesn’t matter. No one would believe it. You hardly look older than I do.’ ‘Thank you for saying that,’ Valerie said ruefully, ‘but now everyone knows the truth.’ ‘You can say they made a mistake.’ April tried to console her, but she was too shaken up herself to be very reassuring. ‘I can’t believe I’m sixty,’ Valerie said, as April smiled at her. (HB: 54-55

  5.

  29 “He had heard how old she was on the news, so he knew she was older, but she didn’t look it. He thought she looked great, and not nearly her age, and old enough to have a daughter as grownup April. Even after the events of the day before, and very little makeup on, he thought Valerie looked terrific.” (HB: 166)

  

REFERENCE

  Cramer, P. (1998). Coping and defense mechanisms: What's the difference? Journal of Personality, 66, 919-946 Freud, Sigmund.

  ”New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis and Other Works”, Vol. XXII (1932-36) of the Standard Edition of the Complete

  Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, trans. James Strachey (London: Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, 1964), no. 33. Gerke

  , Jeff. “Plot versus Character: A Balanced Approach To writing Great Fiction” 2010, published by Writer’s Digest Book, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio. First edition.

   r

  1994): 99. McLeod, S. A. (2009). Defense Mechanisms - Simply Psychology. Retrieved from

  <http://www.simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html> McLeod, S. A. (2007). Psychoanalysis - Simply Psychology. Retrieved from

  

  Minderop, Albertine (2005). Metode Karakterisasi Telaah Fiksi; edisi: 1. Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia. Freedom or docility at work - is there a choice?”.

  ): 201-213. inter 2001): 77. Westen, Drew (1990). Psychoanalytic Approaches to Personality.

  Handbook of Personality. Chapter 2.

  

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

  Ageing is a biological process that comes naturally to every human. It appears when someone grows old and there is a physical change that can be seen clearly such as wrinkles on face or neck. Therefore, there are some of us who can accept the ageing and some not. The reason why some people cannot accept ageing is that they realize that ageing may limit their activities, such in particular careers. People who cannot accept the ageing tend to do everything in order to avoid the ageing and they never know where it leads.

  For example, someone who works in entertainment field or as a public figure tends to take ageing as an important problem since everything they do will get many people’s opinions or judgments from public. Therefore, they want to look perfect in front of public. Many people or public may have a high expectation to the public figure, so they think that they have to be more concerned about their appearance in order to have a good looking.

  There are some reason why some people do not like being old, this is not only because of the physical changes which give the limitation to their body but also the needs to satisfy their life. In this case, we can see the public figure’s life; they must always be concerned about their appearance since their job requires not only their life. At the same time, ageing becomes something that they should avoid and this action is a shape of the self-defense because they try to defense from the reality, the ageing itself. In this term, there are many kinds of self-defense and sometimes people unconsciously use one of them when they have such problem.

  In relation to that, the writer found the illustration of the above mentioned case in the ‘Happy Birthday’ novel, represented by the main character, Valerie. It is told she has everything; career, money, and beauty. Her life seems perfect until her birthday, she realizes that she is sixty years old and this fact disturbs her so much. She does not like the fact that now she is in sixty and should go through the process of ageing. On her top of career, she cannot let her age limits her work so she tries to avoid the ageing by doing a surgery and Botox. As a generally acknowledged procedure, doing surgery is not as simple as it seems; it needs a great courage and costs. In short, this effort can be said as one form of self- defense.

  In line with that, as a public figure, money is not the matter but the courage is. She cannot do the surgery if she does not have whether a great support or pressure from friends or family. In this case, Valerie has a lot of friends and families who always support and be there for her. In the other hand, they become a problem too for Valerie. The perspectives of her friends or families about her age become another problem for Valerie.

  Since the effect of ageing that she gets is a depression, she covers it with her appearance; she keeps her beauty by doing surgery. The surgery is not the end of analyze about the ageing from the main character’s experience. The writer focuses on the psychological effect of ageing on the main character in this novel because it is interesting to find out the effect of ageing which has an influence to someone’s mental such as a depression. Additionally, it is more interesting to know the impact of the depression itself to the main character in this novel. Thus, this skripsi is entitled “The Psychological Effect of Ageing on Valerie in Happy

  Birthday novel by Danielle Steel ”.

  1.2. Research Question 1.

  What psychological effect of ageing showed by Valerie in this novel? 2. What is the impact of psychological effect resulted from Valerie’s defense to ageing in this novel?

  1.3 Objectives 1.

  To describe the psychological effect of ageing showed by Valerie.

2. To discuss the impact of psychological effects resulted from Valerie defense to ageing.

1.4 Significant to Knowledge

  The writer hopes that this research gives a new knowledge to the reader

about the definition of ageing, explanation about the process of ageing and the

effect of ageing on physically and mentally. The writer also expects this research

  

on the psychoanalysis especially in mechanisms of defenses theory. They can

focus on one kind of defense to analyze the data.

  It is also expected to give more knowledge about someone’s personality.

The writer wants to show that when someone tries to avoid something beyond

human’s control then there will be effects on his mental. Meanwhile, it is also

expected to enrich the writer’s knowledge about herself who will through the

process of ageing which is shown in the main character of the novel.

1.5 The Framework Theory

  In this research, the writer analyzes the ‘Happy Birthday’ novel from

Danielle Steel by using The Mechanism Defense theory by Anna Freud (1966).

  

The mechanism defenses appear when id, ego, and superego are not in balance. It

is when id or superego demands too much and the ego cannot handle it. The

mechanism defenses are used to protect someone from feeling anxiety or guilty.

  Based on Anna Freud’s theory, there are ten mechanisms of defenses such

as repression, denial, regression, projection, reaction formulation, sublimation,

displacement, rationalization. Therefore, the writer uses the mechanism defense

theory to analyze the personality of the main character, Valerie in facing the

ageing.

  In this case, the writer analyzes the problem by classifying the data into

two categories. The first category is about Valerie in her personal life, then about

Valerie in her social life. The writer believes that the conflict occurs not only from

  

the inside but from the outside also. So the writer analyzes the data based on

Valerie in personal and social life.

  According to the mechanisms of defenses theory, Valerie does the defense

to reduce the anxiety. In the other hand, it leads Valerie into another problem.

  Valerie ’s action is considered as the action of someone who gets into a narcissism syndrome.

  Novel Narcissus Psychoanalysis Syndrome

  Valerie Ageing Personal Life Social Life Depression

   Figure 1. The Framework of Theory

CHAPTER II THEORITICAL REVIEW In this chapter, the writer explains about the theory applied to analyze the

  data. In analyzing the data, psychoanalysis approach is used. According to McLeod, Freud is a founder of psychoanalysis; he uses this theory to analyze what is in his patient’s mind that is repressed to the unconscious level then is shown through the patient’s behavior. According to Barry:

  

Psychoanalysis itself is a form of therapy which aims to cure

mental disorder „by investigating the interaction of conscious and

unconscious elements in the mind‟. The classic method of doing

this is to get the patient talk freely, in such a way that the

repressed fears and conflicts which are causing the problems are

brought into the conscious mind and openly faced, rather than

„buried‟ in the unconsciousness.(2002: 98)

  As stated above, Freud uses psychoanalysis in order to cure his patient’s mental disorder. He believes that someone who gets mental disorder must be repressing their conflict. When the conflict is successfully repressed, it goes to their unconscious mind. The writer sees that the more someone hides his true feeling, the more he may get the mental disorder.

2.1 Defense of Mechanisms Theory

  The writer uses psychoanalysis approach in analyzing the data and focuses with Anna Freud’s mechanism of defenses theory. Sigmund Freud (1894, 1896) discovers the mechanism of defense theory. Based on Freud there are five kinds of more defenses. The method is called the mechanism of defense. As stated in Sandoff and Widell:

  

The term "defense mechanisms" is used as somewhat equivalent to

cognitive coping strategies. Anna Freud describes nine such:

repression, regression, reaction-formation, isolation, undoing,

projection, introjection, turning against the self, reversal and

finally a tenth one, "which is more included in the studies of

neuroses, namely sublimating or transference of the drive goal"

([10] Freud, 1980, p. 46). Freud means that "defence" is the oldest

example on dynamics in psychoanalytic theory. In this

interpretation, defence activities are presumed as more important

to focus than joy seeking. (2001: 4)

  The mechanism of defenses is used to reduce the anxiety. When someone deals with conflict and problem in their life, they tend to get anxious. In order to reduce the anxiety, they unconsciously do the self- defense. As in Anna Freud’s mechanism of defense theory which said about kinds of defenses that usually people do when they get threatened, scared, or uncomfortable with some situation.

  Based on Anna Freud ’s mechanism of defenses theory, there are ten defenses such repression, regression, reaction-formation, isolation, undoing, and projection, introjection, turning against the self, reversal and sublimation (Sandoff & Widell: 2009). In this research, the writer only focuses on two defenses such as repression and denial because only two defenses which the main character in the Happy Birthday novel uses in facing the problem.

  McLeod (2009) states that, repression is an unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious. Also, the other defense is denial. Denial involves blocking external just refuses to experience it. For example, the smoker who knows that smoking is bad for their health but they keep doing it. Since it is too hard to stop it, they deny that smoking is bad for their health.

2.1.1 Mechanism of defenses in personal life

  Every person has their own problem and the difference is the way they handle it. There is always a consequence in every decision because it depends on how they treat the problem. The decision influenced by the defense mechanism indicates that the main character in this novel, Valerie is depressed. In Journal of Personality (2007:75) states:

  There is evidence that individuals who are depressed (particularly women) view events as more stressful. Also, depressed people may actually generate negative life events through their behavior (Hammen, 1991, 1992; Pianta & Egeland, 1994; Simons, Angell, Monroe & Thase, 1993) thus perpetuating their depression.

  The statement above shows that if someone treats the problem with the negative thinking, the problem will seem to be more stressful. In a personal life, someone’s behavior is influenced by the way of their thinking about something. When someone faces the problem, the way they treat the problem also influences the defense they used.

  Cramer states that Both in research and in theory, the use of defense

  

mechanisms is currently seen as an aspect of normal psychological functioning, similar theory with Anna Freud which says that defense mechanism is used to reduce anxiety.

2.1.2 Mechanism of defenses in social life

  In handling the problem, everyone has their own way to solve it. The problem does not always come from the inside; sometimes it occurs from other people. As in Sprock and Yoder (1997) journal states:

  „Having supportive social networks can protect individuals from depression (Belle, 1982; Pearlin & Johnson, 1977; Sherbourne et al., 1995) but social networks can also exacerbate distress (Kessler &McLeod, 1984; Turner, 1994).

  ‟

  The statement shows that having a lot of friends or being active in social life could give two impacts, whether it helps you or make your problem worst. As in the data, the writer sees that main character’s social life tend to give the main character problem which is unconsciously make the main character depressed. The main character, Valerie gets the problem since she wants to cover up her age. The ageing becomes the problem because Valerie as a public figure tries to fulfill people’s demands and expectations such as always having a good appearance.

  When Valerie gets used to maintain her physical appearance, unconsciously it becomes a habit to her.

  

Lowe and Schellenberg (2001) propose a model in which the

individual characteristics of workers and their job position and

environment affect the nature of employment relationships, that is,

social capital, which in turn is linked with the quality of life at

work and levels of personal satisfaction that a job provides.

  When someone does their job well, it is not only because of their responsibility but they want to get some reward such a satisfaction and good responses from others. However if someone cannot fulfill their desire, they tend to repress it in order to avoid the anxiety. Repressing the desire is one of defense mechanisms which appear in the main character

  ’s life. In addition, there are a few definitions of defense mechanisms which relate to the social life, such as:

  Ihilevich and Gleser found that defense mechanisms were associated with adaptive processes in work, school, family, and marriage as well as with maladaptive thought processes. Even social attitudes, political ideology, and religious beliefs may be affected by unconscious defense mechanisms. (Juni & Grimm: 1994)

  The statement above shows that the defense mechanisms always have a

  part in someone’s life. In this case, social life has the influence of the defense mechanism which will appear. Even though the defense mechanisms appear unconsciously but it can be seen perhaps from the background of education, work or social status.

  The defense mechanisms unconsciously can change someone’s behavior. It is not only the behavior but even social attitudes, political ideology, and religious beliefs also can be affected by the defense mechanisms.

2.2 Character and Characterization Method In literature, there are two elements such as intrinsic and extrinsic.

  Intrinsic elements are the elements which build in the literary work such as plot, character, theme, and setting. Extrinsic elements are the elements which come or culture. In this research, the writer analyzes the data by using the intrinsic element only such as character. As stated by Hornby in Minderop (2005):

  

Karakter (character) bisa berarti orang, masyarakat, ras, sikap

mental dan moral, kualitas nalar, orang terkenal, tokoh dalam

karya sastra, reputasi, dan tanda atau huruf (1973:156).

  Character is the basic element in literature and the participant in the story. The story cannot be built if there is no character inside it. In writing the story, the author has two characterization method such as showing and telling method. The method helps the author in telling the story the reader; therefore the writer uses showing and telling method in analyzing the data.

  According to Minderop (2005: 2)

  „Metode karakterisasi dalam telaah

karya sastra adalah metode melukiskan watak para tokoh yang terdapat dalam

suatu karya fiksi ‟. The writer uses the characterization method in order to observe

  the personality of the character in the novel. Based on Minderop, there are two methods such as telling and showing method.

2.2.1 Telling Method

  Telling method is a method that the author describes and explains directly about the main character. As Pickering and Hoeper in Minderop (2005) states:

  

One method is telling, which relies on exposition and direct

commentary by the author. In telling- a method preferred and

practice by many older fiction writers- the guiding hand of authors

is very much evidence. We learn and look only at what the author

calls to our attention (1981:27).

  In telling method, the reader knows the whole story based on the author’s description. The author who works as a narrator should describe the story well, so that the reader understand and enjoy the story.

2.2.2 Showing Method

  Showing method is the method that the author describes and explains about the character in the story from the dialog, conversation, or behavior.

  Pickering and Hoeper in Minderop (2005) states:

  

The other method is the indirect, the dramatic method of showing,

which involves the author‟s stepping aside, as it were, to allow the

characters to reveal themselves directly through and their actions.

With showing, much of the burden of character analysis is shifted

to the reader, who is required to infer character on the basis of the

evidence provided in the narrative (1981:27-28).

  In the showing method, the reader could understand the story and know the character from the conversation or dialog. The dialog describes the action of the character. In this method, the author cannot appear as a narrator like in the telling method.

CHAPTER III RESEARCH OBJECT AND METHOD In this chapter, the writer describes and explains about the research object, research method, data collection and also about how the writer analyzes the data.

  3.1 Research Object

  The object of this research is about the effect of ageing that happens to the main character, Valerie in ‘Happy Birthday’ novel. The writer describes about the ageing and the effect of it. The writer also describes the factors that make Valerie wants to avoid the ageing. In order to analyze the data, the writer uses the Anna Freud’s mechanism of defenses theory and the intrinsic element as a supporting theory.

  3.2 Research Method

  This research uses descriptive method in analyzing the data. Ariola (2006: 47) states that

  “the purpose of the descriptive method is to describe “what is”. It

deals with the prevailing condition of objects, people, and events”. In this

  research, the writer describes and explains about the psychology effect of ageing from the data by using Anna Freud’s the mechanism of defenses. The writer describes the event that happens toward Valerie which relates with the ageing and its effect whether on her physical or mental.

3.2.1 Data Collection

  In collecting the data, several steps are taken: 1. Reading the novel

  The writer read Happy Birthday novel from Danielle Steel. The writer read it deeply to understand the flow of the story and to capture the general problems or concepts from the characters particularly the main character. It is also meant as the first process of screening the data.

  2. Choosing the data From the first process of data screening, the writer chooses the data which relates to the topic under the study such as the conflict between the main character and the other characters particularly about the ageing.

  3. Classifying the data From the general group of the data showing the conflict between the main character and the other characters, the writer classifies the data into two categories, personal and social life of Valerie. The data showing personal conflict serves for describing Valerie’s personal life and the data in Valerie’s social life describes the conflict between Valerie with her friends or family.

3.2.2 Data Analysis

  In order to analyze the data, the writer uses the characterization method such as showing and telling method. This writer uses this method to know the the narration in the novel. The data which have been collected are classified into two categories such as Valerie in personal life and Valerie in social life. Both categories are analyzed by using psychoanalysis theories. The first category contains about the conflict between Valerie and herself. As an illustration, the data showing about Valerie who denies her actual age, represses her desire, and even wants to change her physical appearance by doing surgery are the data that describe psychology problems, the depression. In the second category, the data is about the conflict which occurs from people around Valerie such as friends and family. The data showing about Valerie who gets scared if people know her age because it may hold back her desire in having a new relationship in her age. So the conflict between Valerie and her social life give a great influence to her, this kind of conflict can be regarded as a form of external pressure leading her to be a narcissism syndrome.

3.3 Synopsis

  Happy Birthday novel is written by Danielle Steel. This novel has three main characters, they are Valerie, April, and Jack Adams. The main characters in this novel have a similar problem but the way they face the problem is different. In this research, the writer only focuses on Valerie instead April or Jack because the way Valerie faces the problem is quite interesting.

  Valerie is sixty years old woman who works in entertainment field. Valerie is a famous presenter on her own TV show and a writer for decorating because Valerie always put her career at the top of everything including her family. Since her divorce, she works tirelessly and this is what makes her live alone and lonely in her sixty.

  Valerie as a public figure has to keep her appearance and looks perfect in front of camera. In order to keep her appearance she does the surgery, botox shot, and hires a personal trainer. Actually, all her efforts in keeping her appearance are an act of avoiding the ageing. The ageing is become the main problem for Valerie, she thinks that ageing will limit her career and her love life. In her sixty, Valerie realizes that she is lonely and she needs someone new to share.

  Perhaps Valerie almost has everything but the only thing missing in her life is a man. In order to get a new relationship, Valerie covers up her right age from public. She afraid that no one would like a woman in sixty and it really depressed her.

  One day on Valerie’s birthday, the announcer of the radio announces her age and it makes her very upset. All her efforts in covering her right age are useless, now everyone know that she is sixty years old woman. This is why she always hates her birthday because it keeps reminding her about the reality of her age.

CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION In this chapter, the writer finds that the main character has the problem

  with her age and wants to avoid it. The writer uses the mechanism of defenses theory to analyze the main character’s problem. Before analyzing the problem that happens to the main character, the writer defines about the character first to see the main character’s background. In this case, the problem is ageing. It occurs from the conflict between the main character and her or the main character and others.

4.1 Valerie in Personal

  Happy Birthday is a novel about the main character, Valerie who is a famous and successful public figure; she is a presenter in her own TV show and a writer for a decorating magazine. Many people are inspired by her; she has a great influence to them. It shows that she success in doing her job.

  “People wanted to live the way she told them to, women wanted to look the way she did, and young girls wanted a wedding just the way Valerie would have done it, or as she instructed them to do on her show and her books. Valerie Wyatt was a household name. She was a beautiful woman, had a fabulous career, and lived a golden life. The only thing missing in her life was a man, and she hadn‟t been involved with anyone in three years. The thought of that depressed her that morning too. (HB : 13)” show and a writer for decorating magazine. Valerie is a beautiful woman who has a good taste in everything, so it makes Valerie’s writing in the decorating magazine and her passion in fashion influences many people. She writes about how to make a perfect beautiful wedding party, by preparing the wedding dress until the decoration. Valerie knows it so well because she knows every woman has a dream for the wedding

  . From Valerie’s writing, it seems like her life is so perfect and many people agree with that statement.

  Valerie has a great career, she is beautiful, has a healthy life and lives the way she preached in her writing so that many people adore her and they want to live as well to look the way she does. It shows that Valerie becomes a role model for many people especially woman. Therefore, Valerie always wants to shows that she always in the good condition. She wants people to see her fantastic her life but not her problems such as ageing which makes her anxious. In order to reduce the anxiety, Valerie does the mechanism of defense. She denies the reality that she gets the effect of ageing by doing surgery and botox shot. Despite all the efforts she made, she gives up many things such as time, money and even her family.

  Valerie puts her career in the first place and her family in the second place. It is the reason she gets divorced. After the divorce, Valerie still spends lots of her time for her career only. Until her sixty birthdays, she realizes that she is not young anymore. Valerie has to pay more attention on her physical changes such as a wrinkle on her face or the changes of her body shape. Valerie is too busy with her career and she even does not have a time for her own life as a woman. and lonely. The only thing she desires and does many efforts is to have a relationship with a man for the second time to complete her life as a woman.

  However every time Valerie remember her age, it depressed her. She becomes anxious and unconsciously she does the mechanism of defense which called repression. She represses her desire in order to reduce the anxiety.

  It is ironic because when everybody wants to be like her, in the other hand she depresses with the thought of her desire in having a relationship with a man.

  The more she gets old, the more she gets scared because there may be no guys who like a woman in sixty. This is the reason why she gets depressed. For Valerie, everything she has is nothing if she is not young anymore.

  “No matter how good she looked, the age on her driver‟s license was what it was, and who would want a woman of sixty? Even men in their eighties wanted girls in their twenties now. With this birthday, Valerie felt she had become obsolete. It wasn‟t a pleasant thought, and she wasn‟t happy today. … And the only thing keeping her from a major panic attack was that at least no one knew her right age. But she was depresses anyway.” (HB: 14)

  The data above shows that Valerie always uses the mechanism of defense in facing her problem. From the data, Valerie does the denial since cannot accept the reality of her right age which written on her driver’s license. Valerie perhaps successfully fools many people by her appearance because of the shape of her body, her good skin, and the way she dressed up. However, the age on her driver’s license will never lie and that is the truth. Thinking about it makes Valerie lose her satisfied because she still has the unfulfilled desire. Then the denial is the only way Valerie could do while she tries to fulfill her desire.

  Age is the main problem for Valerie because she thinks that her age could limit her desire in getting a relationship with a man. Thinking about the desire makes her feel anxious because the fact that she will get older each time. In order to reduce her anxiety, Valerie represses her desire and hopes that she can cover up her age from people. Though it does not solve the problem but it helps her to make her feeling better.

  

“She looked in the mirror intently as she prepared to leave her

apartment that morning. She didn‟t have to be in the studio until

noon for taping, and she had two appointments before that. She

was hoping the first one would cheer her up. And the only thing

keeping her from major panic attack was that at least no one knew

her right age. But she was depressed anyway.” (HB: 14)

  There are many ways to cover her age from others, first she never publishes her age to public and let them guess it. The second one is keep her physical appearance such as her skin and body so that people will never think that she is sixty years old. However, she realizes that every time she gets older so she needs to do something more with her appearance. It indicates that she becomes someone who only concerns about her performance and does not want to accept the reality.

  Valerie can only deny her age with her physical appearance so she decides to do the surgery on her face. She takes away wrinkle and puts good cosmetics on her face so that no one will believe her actual age. Actually the surgery is not the gets depressed. Valerie knows well that her right age is something she cannot avoid so the more she depressed the more she tries so hard to be more beautiful.

  She believes that her beauty will help her. In order to fulfill her desire, Valerie does many efforts to get that.

  “She had had her eyes done for the first time when she turned forty and then again fifteen years later. The results were excellent. She looked rested and fresh, as though she had been on a terrific vacation. She had had the surgery done in L.A. during a summer hiatus. She had also had her neck done when she was fifty, giving her a smooth, youthful neckline with no sag anywhere, and her plastic surgeon agreed that she didn‟t need a full-face lift. She had great bones, good skin, and the eye and neck work had given her the effect she wanted. Botox shots four times a year added to her youthful looks.” (HB: 12)

  The data above shows Valerie’s effort in keeping her appearance to make her looks younger. She does the surgery from her eyes to neck and Botox shots to get the perfect result. The perfect result for Valerie is a youthful looks. As a public figure, she really needs to look excellent because she works in front of camera every day. She also needs to get public’s attention as a proof that she does her job well as a presenter on her own TV show. Her appearance is one of the best from her besides her skill as a presenter.

  For every woman, appearance is an important thing. Every woman wants to look attractive and beautiful whether it is for showing to others or for her own satisfaction. In this case, Valerie as a woman wants to look beautiful not only to keep her job but also to attract man. Basically, Valerie is a beautiful woman but her age makes her scare if she is not beautiful anymore. In this case, it tends to

  In order to keep her beauty, Valerie does the surgery and botox shot. For some people, surgery or Botox is still uncommon things to do. Someone who will do the surgery needs a strong wills when make a decision to do it, since it is the decision that has an effect for a lifetime. Besides it takes lots of money, it also takes a time to see the perfect result. When someone does the surgery or Botox, it must be there are some pressures which make him or her do it. It could come from friends, families, or even himself. From the data above, it is said that Valerie gives a lot efforts to get herself look younger and beautiful and it is the shape of her defense which called denial.

  Valerie does surgery and Botox; this is not an easy decision because she must have a great reason and courage. In this case, the ageing is something that pushes her so that she can take a decision to do surgery. For Valerie, her beauty helps to fulfill her desire in being involved with a man. Valerie wants to have another relationship with a new man because she needs someone to complete her life as a woman. It is not only because she is lonely but she wants to find something that she cannot get from her earlier husband.