53 This characterization is seen through character as seen by others and speech. Next,
Geoff is described as an encouraging person. He always encourages Ed to get a new job every time Ed loses his job and he also encourages Ed to give his best in
doing his job. This characterization is stated through his speech. The last, Geoff is also described as a caring person. As Ed’s best friend, Geoff always cares about
him and makes sure that Ed is fine. It is seen through his mannerism and character as seen by others.
3. The Influence of Geoff on Ed’s Personality Development
Geoff influences Ed through his interaction with Ed, his advices and the lesson of the Buddha’s teaching. Geoff’s characteristics have an important role in
Ed’s personality development. Ed’s personality develops for the better. At first, Ed is an atheistic person. He does not believe in any religion because in his
opinion, religion separates people and it can destroy the world’s peace. Through his interaction with Geoff and looking at his life, which is so tranquil, Ed becomes
interested in religion. He wants to be like Geoff so that he starts practicing Buddhism. From that moment on, he changes his life state and he becomes more
optimistic in facing his life. With his new spirit, he is able to finish his writing. His wisdom and courage are also developed. He gets wiser and braver than before.
He can control his ambition to become a famous writer, work in Hollywood and have a glamourous life. Later, he can accept his life situation. He can live simply
by working as a freelance script-reader. He can also control his mood. He is able to change his bad mood into a good mood. He also realizes that his conscience is
not always bad. There is a wisdom that Ed can take. Ed becomes braver than
54 before. Once he is very afraid to meet successful people and he cannot endure
what they think of him. He is too scared to challenge himself to make some changes in his life, but now he has courage to challenge himself and make some
changes in his life. Ed’s personality development is classified as a quantitative because his self-concept is replaced by the new one. In the beginning, Ed thinks
that sex is an automatic thing that happens when a man and a woman are interested in each other and it means nothing. Then, he applies the Buddha’s
teaching to sex and he finds out that sex can mean many things, depends on its background situation. He applies it to the Ten Worlds principal; Hell, Hunger,
Animality, Anger, Heaven, Humanity, Learning, Realization, Boddhisattva, and Buddhahood. He finds that in Hell, sex is suffering when people are forced to do
it. People in a Hunger World think that sex is insatiable and it is possible for them to become sex maniacs. In Animality World, sex is used to satisfy himself but not
his partner while in Anger World, sex is used to raise his prestige by making love with someone popular. In Humanity or Tranquility World, people are not bothered
with sex since it is only a biological thing. In Heaven, sex is a romantic thing that is done by a couple who love each other. In Learning World, sex can be learnt
through books or videos. In Realization World, sex is learnt through researches. In Bodhisattva World, Ed assumes that someone can help other people in solving
their sexuality problems. In Buddhahood World, Ed cannot figure out how to apply this world into sex because he does not learn Buddhism deeply. Ed’s
personality development is considered as slow because he needs time to learn a new habit that is chanting.
