Being Sensitive Sister Regina’s Personality .1

Sister Regina’s feeling is very sensitive. She is very sad when she looks at her two students who have been left by their mother forever. This time, she cannot hide her tears. Meanwhile, those two little children still do not understand what is happening. The death of Krystyna affects more than what Sister Regina thinks. She takes that matter too deep into her heart. She cannot understand why God takes Krystyna from her family. However, Sister Regina tries not to think about it since she knows that she is not allowed to question about God’s will. Sister Regina’s emotion is flared up. She cannot imagine what will happen to her two students. They are too young to accept all of this mess. Again, Sister Regina’s heart is covered by sorrow when the children come to her and one of them says that her mother died innocently. “My mommy died, that’s why we have to go home.” Anne nudged her and whispered, “Come on, Lucy, let’s go.” Sister Regina thought surely her heart would explode into a hundred shards at the words of this child who still did not understand the import of today’s tragedy. p. 30 The accident happened to Krystyna leaves a dark shadow in Sister Regina’s mind. It really makes her stressful. Her feeling is very sensitive that she cannot accept a situation like this wisely. This disturbance also influences her activity at school. From her manner, we can know about Sister Regina’s feeling that is not usual Murphy, 1972: 173. It had been a terribly distressing morning for Sister Regina. When she’d tried opening the school day with a prayer, her voice had broken and she’d had to press her folded fingertips against her lips and begin again. p. 86 Just like other human being, Sister Regina can not only feel the emotion of sadness, but also the emotion of anger. Her sensitivity can break her feeling when there is something quite disturbing her. In Sister Regina’s community, there is a Chapter of Faults where all nuns express their sorrow to Mother Superior during a week. Here, Sister Regina shows her feelings including her anger. It can be seen through her conversation with Mother Superior during the Chapter of Faults. According to Murphy 1972: 167, the conversation of other people and the things they say about can give us clues to a person’s character. “Reverend Mother,” she murmured, “In the days since Krystyna Olсzak died I have repeatedly questioned God’s wisdom in taking her. My sorrow over her death and the plight of her children has at times taken the form of anger, and sometimes that anger has been directed at members of this community. p. 120 Sister Regina lives together with the other nuns in the community. Every nun has different characters that sometimes make Sister Regina feels inconvenient. One of the nuns Sister Regina dislikes is Sister Mary Charles. In Sister Regina’s opinion, Sister Mary Charles is too cruel to her students. Although Sister Regina is not comfortable with Sister Mary Charles’ habit, she keeps her anger in her heart. Then, when she comes to the Confession, she tells her feeling to Father Kuzdek. From Father Kuzdek’s opinion, we can see that Sister Regina is too sensitive in facing a problem. Here, according to Murphy’s theory 1972: 162, a character can be described through the eyes and opinion of another. “I’ve begun finding faults with so much about my life within the religious community ─the personal ways of all the sisters, their aggravating habits, and the fact that we are allowed so little freedom. Then there’s Sister Agnes admonishing me not to get too wrapped up in the lives of the children I teach, and this makes me angry, yet I’m not allowed to discuss it with PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI anybody. Holy rule says my anger is a sin. More and more lately I’ve begun to question Holy Rule and our Constitution, how they repress everything natural, how they keep us in line. The very idea makes me angry sometimes.” “Anger is human. How we manifest it dictates whether it’s a sin or not. Perhaps, you’re being too hard on yourself.” p. 145 From all above, everything happened around Sister Regina, especially unusual condition, may influence her feeling. Her feeling is very soft so that it can be broken easily because of something contradicted with her heart.

4.1.7 Introverted

Sister Regina is an introverted person. Pearson states that the introvert likes the world within 1992: 35. She likes a quiet place that is far from distraction, especially if she needs to calm herself. When she prays she wants to focus on God. She will go to a quiet place, and even she prays at church, she will choose a seat separated from other people if it is possible. It can be seen from the author’s direct comment on Sister Regina’s personality. Murphy 1972: 170 states that the author may describe or comment on a person’s character directly. Just like today, Sister Regina goes to her room after hearing the death of Krystyna. Eddie might have thought all the nuns went to the convent after the school buses left, but Sister Regina did not. She returned to her room and remained alone, listening to the soft weeping in the hall, the voices fading away, and his footsteps leaving the building. p. 35 In this novel, from all of the nuns in the community, Sister Regina has a favorite nun, Sister Dora. According to Murphy 1972: 172, the author may give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. Related to that theory, the readers know about Sister Regina’s real feeling towards Sister Dora from Sister Regina’s thought. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI Sister Dora, who taught first and second grades, the most animated and happy of them all. She was the perfect choice for introducing children to their first year of school, for she respected them and was a gifted teacher. Although Holy Rule forbade special friendship within a community, Sister Dora was Sister Regina’s favorite. p. 41 In contrast with Sister Dora who is attractive, Sister Regina is calm and quiet. However, Sister Dora’s personality grasps Sister Regina’s interest and their friendship becomes enrichment for both of them. Pearson 1992: 35 says that an introverted person usually develops his or her relationships slowly. It also happens to Sister Regina. She cannot feel close to all nuns in the community. But, when she finds Sister Dora can prove to be a true friend, Sister Regina is open up to her. Sister Regina enjoys her friendship with Sister Dora. They often share their experience whether it is a sad or happy story. Just like now, Sister Regina is having a problem about her feeling towards her favorite students. She does not understand why God takes their beloved mother so early. Since she is an introvert, she cannot tell her problem to other person just like that, even the person is her best friend. Instead, she tries to find the right time to share. Finally, after Krystyna’s funeral, Sister Regina has a chance to share her feeling to Sister Dora. The way Sister Regina asks to Sister Dora in the conversation reveals her trust to Sister Dora Murphy, 1972: 167. She finally asked Sister Dora, “Does Krystyna’s death affect you more deeply than others have, Sister?” “I think it does, yes.” Sister Regina sighed and looked at the clear blue sky. “I’ve been struggling to understand the way of all this.” p. 65 It can be seen that Sister Regina and Sister Dora are close friends. However, when she faces a big thing, she does not think that it is good to tell Sister Dora. Instead, she feels that it is best to go to the Confession. She admits everything to PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI