with Danny. He considers that the best way for Sybil to have relationship is with the man who is from the same religion. This arouses the conflict between them. The
conflict here is caused by her consideration that her father already does the incompatible attitude that is by marrying Hattie, who has a different religion. Hattie
is a Methodist. And since Danny is Methodist, he is warned by Willard not to have relationship with Sybil. Sybil feels that her father is hypocrite Schreiber 146-149.
What Willard has done to separate Sybil and Danny makes Sybil sad. This situation makes Sybil dissociate into Vicky. The existence of Vicky is Sybil’s way in facing
the conflict. From the explanation above, it seems that there is no other way, except just
following what her father wants. It means that Sybil also chooses accommodation to solve the conflict. She accommodates what he wants to separate her from Danny
Martin. But, this accommodation brings her a deep pain, which she cannot hold on subsequently. Thus, she dissociates into Vicky. For years, she keeps the pain inside.
No body ever knows it. Finally, she can not bring that emotional burden. She escapes from the fact by dissociating herself.
c. The Conflict between Sybil and Parents’ Hypocrisy
This conflict is shown when Sybil’s parents have sexual intercourse in the same room where Sybil sleeps. That intercourse in psychoanalytic term is called
primal scene, which means a child‘s auditory and visual perception of the parents’ sexual intercourse. The scene is called primal because it is first in time in the sense
that it is the child’s first encounter with adult sexuality. And it is as a foundation PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
toward children in building their future feeling, attitudes, and behaviour. For some children this primal scene happen accidental, inadvertent and it will have no
significant psychological damage if the family at home think that the intercourse is something private, but not forbidden Schreiber 173.
In Sybil’s case, it is no accidental glimpse. For nine years, she has to see her parents doing sexual intercourse as a daily activity. The parents’ activity is also
incompatible with the rules in the house “where a kiss, touch and address each other are not allowed, either by any endearment, affectionate attitude or perfunctory.
Moreover, sex is regarded as wicked attitude in the Dorsett’s house” Schreiber 174. However, her parents do the incompatible activities, and it is considered as
hypocrisy. It automatically raises a conflict. Sybil thinks that her parents do the wrong activity. She wants to stop it, but she does not know how to do it.
To deal with this conflict, she applies two ways. Firstly is accommodation. She surrenders on ones own needs, applying Sybil’s parents’ needs and wishes.
Secondly, it also can be solved in avoidance. In this method, people usually avoid or postpone conflict by ignoring it, changing the subject, etc. Sybil, for almost nine
years pretends that there is nothing happening in the nights where she sleeps. But, her splitting personalities react differently.
Peggy Lou was wakeful, uneasy, but she did not try to cover her eyes or to keep from listening….enraged by the feeling of exclusion endangered by the
whispering, Peggy Lou was also made furious by rusting of the sheets. Every time she heard that rustling she wanted to stop it. Schreiber 175
Sybil as Peggy Lou becomes angry of her parents’ activity. She feels disturbed by the whispering sound produces by the sexual activities. Peggy Lou
thinks that they may talk about her. Therefore, each time when her parents do the intercourse, she always tries to disrupt by making some noises. Peggy is applying the
avoidance, it means she wants to stop it, but she does not know what to do, except makes some noises. So, she just ignores it. Vicky has certain reaction toward that
primal scene. What Vicky’s done is completely different from Sybil. Vicky just looks at the shadow of that activity, but she is too scared to stop it. Vicky just looks
at her father’s penis and watches the activity. In the beginning Vicky thinks that her father is going to kill her mother, but instead of dying, her mother rolls over with
Willard. Vicky thinks that that it certainly is not up her to save her mother Schreiber 175. She applies accommodation to solve her conflict. She accommodates what she
wants with what her parents’ wants. When Sybil dissociates into Marcia, she fears for her mother’s safety because she thinks that Willard will kill her mother
Schreiber 176. When Mary appears, she hates that thing to be done in front of Sybil. She thinks that it is such a private activity Schreiber 176. When Vanessa
controls Sybil’s body in that primal scene, she questions about the inconsistence of their behaviour. On the day they behave as if they are good people who always obey
all the rules. But, the reality is that the hypocrisy exists Schreiber 176. The most courageous rebellion against the primal scenes is done by Ruthie, who is still a baby;
she bravely climbs to her parents’ bed and lies between them Schreiber 176-177 According to Thomas and Kilman in wikipedia’s article, mostly Sybil’s
splitting personalities applying accommodation and avoidance in solving the conflict. They prefer to follow what their parents’ wants or to ignore it. Whereas, Ruthie
prefers competition to solve the conflict, she emphasizes her viewpoint as the possible solution, by climbs to her parents’ bed and lies between them.
2. Sybil’s Intrapersonal Conflicts
