Sophie and Natasha’s Feelings

76 It is described that the settings used in the novel are London and other small cities around England in the modern era where a person will be more respected if he or she is included in upper – middle social class. So those who are popular because of rich and get a great job will live wealthily and have higher lifestyle since living in London costs much money. And it is common for having drinks or hanging out after work with friends in a restaurant or café and even in a pub. It is described from the quotations as follow: Finding somewhere that was actually in Greater London and cost less then a hundred pounds a week was a bit like looking for a morris-dancing Greenlander. Places that fell into the category tended to be accompanied by ominous warnings like ‘Christians preferred’ or ‘Strict vegans only’. 194- 195 “Well, we did have four glasses of champagne,” Sophie reasoned. “And” – she leaned over to see the evidence – “you had two lagers before I got here. And this is London.” …. Sounded OK to her, after all it was practically impossible to dine out in London without spending at least thirty pounds a head. 225 Unlike Natasha who is used to getting along with many famous and important people in her work, Sophie is used to hanging out with her friends who are only her partners in her office. She rarely gets along with people from the upper class such as from the governance or well known university who are Olly’s friends. And being a friend of them makes Sophie feel proud of herself. Sophie realized she was having a really nice time. Alice and Sean weren’t the kind of people she’d normally hang out with: both way too square with all their talk about choir practice and book groups, but they were very nice and they obviously adored Olly. Maybe if Sophie had gone to university she could have had a gang of friends like this, she thought wistfully. 279 Different from Eastern culture in which women seldom and shouldn’t smoke, 77 in Western culture women get the same right to smoke as men have. It can be seen in the novel that Sophie is described as a smoking woman. Another example is having a baby without getting married is common for people who live in London. The society in Western culture does not take a deep problem in it and even in abortion. It is proved by what Sophie says to Natasha in the quotation below: “Would you really have an abortion just to keep him happy? Why can’t you keep the baby? We’re living in London in the twenty-first century. It’d work out fine.” 343 From have been quoted above, it can be analyzed that environment, including the society, can influence one’s self-identity. In the novel, it implicitly tells that Sophie and Natasha always try to adapt themselves in order that they can live within the society. Both of them follow the upper – middle life style class such as wearing well- known designed dress, hanging out after work, having drinks with friends, and going to famous restaurant and pub.

b. Sophie and Natasha’s Family and Friends’ Roles

According to Freud in his psychoanalytic theory and according to some scientists who formulate psychodynamic theories, it is said that parenting, family, and friendship may bring effects toward one’s superego Mischel, 1976: 32. It has been admitted that parents and family may give effect on one’s personality. The relationship within family also may give influences toward one’s self-identity and personality. For example what a person’s sibling treats or says to him or her can affect his or her view of self. 78 “who do I look like?” Natasha had made the mistake of asking once, over dinner, when she was about thirteen. …. “you’re a jolie laide,” Lesley had said. …. “What does jolie laide mean?” Sophie asked. “It means pretty-ugly,” Lesley said smugly. “Which you’d know if you were any good at French.” 9 Psychologically parents can bring their characters or their view of life down to their children. What parents have done will have effects towards their children since parents usually take control almost in one’s life time during one’s developmental stage as said by Freud Mischel, 1976: 41. It can be seen from the quotations below from what experienced by Sophie. Sophie couldn’t believe it. Her mum had uprooted her from Newcastle and more or less insisted she embrace her new family. And she had done just that only to be instructed, at her mother’s next whim, to forget all about them. 4 “Oh no, darling. But that’s the mistake I made with Jimmy. Love simply isn’t enough. What one needs in life is a provider. Someone to rely on.” She nudged Sophie. …. “You have to start thinking long-term, darling. Strategically. Believe me, it’s the only way.” Rita held out a manicured hand and stopped a waiter. 247 Natasha gets her lack of confidence because she thinks that her parents especially her mother whom she loves much does not show much interest on her career. On the contrary, Rita, Sophie’s mother, apparently showed her proud of Natasha’s career. How come Rita was so interested in her career and Mum didn’t give a toss about anything except her bringing home a nice barrister? …. Other parents got divorced and other mothers were desperate housewives, but Natasha’s parents still snuggled up to each other in front of the telly and her mum was gloriously fulfilled baking cakes, polishing floors and sitting on Women’s Institute committees and hated the fact her younger daughter was missing out on such happiness. 47