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When she came to the new school for the first time, Sheila gave first bad impression. She began to terrorize the class because she felt uncomfortable with
the situation of the classroom. Sheila plucked the eyes out of all the goldfish with a pencil. The other students were shocked. They cried and screamed seeing Sheila
hurt the students’ pets. Sheila stood defiantly on the chair by the aquarium. She had apparently
caught the goldfish one by one and poked their eyes out with a pencil. Seven or eight of the fist lay flopping desperately on the floor around the
chair, their eyes destroyed. Sheila clutched one tightly in her right fist and stood poised threateningly with the pencil in the other p. 39.
Sheila’s characteristics can be classified into an aggressive behavior. She was able to injure people and animal, and also broke objects without fear and
hesitation. Sheila showed those behaviors with no doubt or fear. According to Bandura 1973, p. 2 aggressive behavior is behavior to dominate by hurting
others or destroying objects. According to Murphy 1972, pp. 161-173, Sheila’s character can be
observed through her past life and reactions. Sheila’s past life was known by Torey who read the article on a newspaper about the incident with the three-years-
old boy. Torey also read Sheila’s file when she came to the school on the first day. Meanwhile, the incident of plucking the eyes of the goldfish was the reaction of
sadistic.
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b. Anti-social
The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines antisocial as a behavior that “often avoiding spending time with other people”. Sheila was a new
student in Torey’s classroom. On the first day, she refused to speak. She did not want to talk anything to anybody. When Torey greeted her friendly, Sheila just
kept in silent. “Hi, my name’s Torey,” I said in my friendliest teacher’s voice while
reaching for her hand. But she did not respond p. 18.
The class was started with a “topic” discussion. Usually the topic explored feelings, situations, and problem solving. The discussion time was held to make
sure that everyone had a chance to participate. Sheila did not want to join the discussion. She did not take a role. Her friend was curious if she was mute.
“How’s this make you feel?” I asked her at last. There was a long silence, pregnant with our waiting. The other children became impatient. “Don’t
she talk?” Guillermo asked p. 22.
Besides her silence, she also refused to do any assignment that given by Torey in the class. She just sat and looked to the wall and did not move.
Our morning routine went as usual. Sheila participated in nothing. Once ensconced upon that small wooden chair, she would not move, but instead
drew in upon herself, folding knees up under her chin and wrapping her arms around them. She got off the chair one time to use the bathroom but
returned to her seat to resume her contorted position. Even during recess she sat, only this time on the freezing cement. I had never seen such a
motionless child p. 26.
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According to Murphy 1972, Sheila’s characters description above was seen through her reactions, Torey’s personal descriptions, and Guillermo’s
comment on Sheila’s behavior.
c. Uncontrolled
Berkorwitz 1995, p. 15 says that the aggressors will do the aggressive behavior when they feel unpleasant in a certain situation. The aggression is
considered as an anger feeling because of something. When Sheila’s father was asked to answer a questionnaire about her, he said that Sheila was an
uncontrollable. Sheila spoke erratically at home when she got angry. She had attended three schools in her short education history, not including
the one she was in now. All the moves had resulted from her uncontrollable behavior ... She spoke erratically at home, usually only
when she was angry p. 34.
Mr. Collins, the headmaster of the school stated that Sheila was uncontrollable.
In no uncertain terms Mr. Collins wanted Sheila out of the school. The child was violent, uncontrolled, dangerous and destructive p. 129.
Torey as Sheila’s teacher also described her as an uncontrolled child. Sheila became mad when Torey did not attend the class for two days. Sheila
expressed her anger by disrupting the class with her behavior. She was clearly out of control. Flinging herself on the floor she banged her
head violently on the ground. Anton made a flying leap toward her to intercept the self-destruction p. 177.
