functions. They are gossip functioning as information, entertainment, friendship and influence. In this part, the writer of this research analyzes the gossips based
on the gossipee‘s and the gossiper‘s point of view through the classification that has mentioned before in a psychological perspective.
1. Gossips among Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, and Mrs. Archibald
The first gossips emerging early in the story are about Mr. Waldorf‘s
changing and Cyrus Rose‘s ugliness. Mrs. Waldorf, who was depressed because of her infamous divorce, eventually procures her confidence since she met Cyrus
Rose. The changing of her appearances contributes a topic for her friends to talk about. The fact that Mrs. Waldorf changes a lot grabs her friends‘ eagerness to
have a gossip. The gossips are spread out among Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, and Mrs. Archibald:
―She does look thinner,‖ Blair heard Mrs. Bass whisper to Mrs. Coates. ―But I‘ll bet she‘s had a chin tuck.‖
―I bet you‘re right. She‘s grown her hair out—that‘s the tell-tale sign. It hides the scars,‖ Mrs. Coates whispered back. p. 11,
The content of the gossips among them are not destructive for the
gossipee, Mrs. Waldorf. It is a common thing for someone to discuss about other who changes a lot. They try to speculate what Mrs. Waldorf has done to change
herself through gossip. Instead of denigrating the one that being talked about Stewart, 2004: 37, for Spacks, they merely do that for avoidance and
competition, as many gossipers do in a cocktail party gossip 1985: 6. Measuring who is up and who is down to reveal complacencies is the goal. Mrs. Waldorf
who was widely known to be depressed has recovered though her physical changing. Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, and Mrs. Archibald do not show any intention
to dest roy Mrs. Waldorf‘s reputation. They talk each other as everyone will have
in a party to start a conversation among friends to compete who gets better who does not.
The second gossip is about Cyrus Rose‘s ugliness. The following gossips among Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, and Mrs. Archibald are not the continuity of the
previous one. This time, they gossip about Eleanor Waldorf‘s new boyfriend, Cyrus Rose. The same as the previous one, this gossip is not destructive for the
gossipee, Cyrus Rose. Both contents do not show any falsehood about the gossipees. This is an avoidance and competition gossip. Since the party is
intentionally held by Waldorf to introduce Rose, it is psychologically acceptable to talk about the upcoming guest. Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, and Mrs. Archibald
gossip each other about the ugliness of Mrs. Waldorf‘s new boyfriend. ―I smell Old Spice,‖ Mrs. Coates whispered to Mrs. Archibald. ―Do you
think he‘s actually wearing Old Spice?‖ That would be the male equivalent of wearing Impulse body spray, which
everyone knows is the female equivalent of nasty.
―I‘m not sure,‖ Mrs. Archibald whispered back. ―But I think he might be.‖ She snatched a cod-and-
caper spring roll off Esther‘s platter, popped it into her mouth, and chewed it vigorously, refusing to say anything more.
She couldn‘t bear for Eleanor Waldorf to overhear them. Gossip and idle chat were amusing, but not at the expense of an old friend‘s feelings. p.
12,
Based on Foster‘s classification 2004: 85, this gossip is more suitable to function as friendship
if it is looked from the gossipers‘ point of view. Mrs. Bass, Mrs. Coates, Mrs. Archibald, and Mrs. Waldorf are friends. Psychologically, as
friends, the three of them do not have intention to harm Mrs. Waldorf; on the contrary, this gossip brings them together through the sharing norms, establishing
boundaries to distinguish insiders from outsiders. Cyrus Rose, a new comer, can
