that organizes perception, thought, and action so as to change an existing unsatisfactory condition Deutsch and Coleman,2000:297
2.2. The Definition of Internal Conflict
The internal conflict, that is the struggle within oneself; a person must make some decision, quite their temper, resist an urge. Internal
conflicts is the dilemma facing the character inside and its impact on that arouse a universal emotion in people, whether it’s inner need, desire, belief,
or turmoil. Internal conflict between good and evil, strength and weakness, love and hate, etc.
2.3. The Definition Of Outer Conflict
The outer conflict that is the struggle with a force outside oneself. An outer conflict is kind of an argument that you have with somebody. As
an addition, Kenny 1967:14 argues that there are three basic of conflicts in all plot of prose fiction. The three basic conflicts most frequently cited are:
1 The individual in conflict with another, 2 The individual in conflict
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with himself, and 3The individual in conflict with an outside force for example, society and supernatural agents
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III. ANALYSIS CONFLICT IN ERICH SEGAL’S LOVE STORY
As the introduction to the analysis of conflicts in Erich Segal’s love story, the writer of this thesis wants to reveal to readers that there are two
main scopes of the analysis, they are outer conflicts which portray the conflicts between Oliver versus his beloved person Jenny and between
Oliver and his parents, and inner conflict which describes Oliver’s hesitation in his mind what to do or not to do in his life. All these will be
analyzed in this thesis.
3.1. Outer Conflict 3.1.1. Oliver Versus Jenny
The conflict which is portrayed in this novel commonly happened in our daily life between the haves and the have not.. The main character
Oliver derives from a rich family whereas Jenny comes from a poor family, it is can be seen on their first meeting as their conversation quoted below:
You look stupid and rich,” She said, removing her glasses you’re wrong,”
I protested,” I’m actually smart and poor.” “oh, no, preppie. I’m smart and poor.”
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She was staring straight at me….okay, may be I look rich,….“ Erich Segal 1970:12
From the quotation above we can see when Oliver and Jenny meet
for the first time Oliver’s style really look like a boy from rich family meanwhile Jenny’s style is simple. At that time Oliver doesn’t like Jenny’s
style because he thinks Jenny has countrified style especially loathed that thing she carried for a hand bag.
The social status between Oliver and Jenny is very different. Oliver derives from rich family and his life is in luxury but Jenny derives from a
poor family, and she always lives in poverty. Oliver‘s father is a successful person. He can provide his family with a lot things. No wonder that Oliver
can get everything he likes or can go wherever he wants. This condition is contradictory with Jenny’s. her father is not successful as Oliver’s; that is
why he cannot provide his family with enough material needs. Jenny knows when she starts to make relationship with Oliver this
relationship will not run smoothly because they have different social status. She is completely aware that she must not expect too much from her
relationship with Oliver because sooner or later there will be some conflict
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between them. The conflict between them is portrayed in the following quotation,
“Nadia boulanger. A famous music teacher. “in Paris….” Jennifer you are going to Paris?
I’ve never seen Europe. I can hardly wait…” Ollie, don’t be stupid, she said “.
It is inevitable,” What’s inevitable?” We graduate and we go our separate ways.
You’ll go to law, ”Wait a minute- What are you talking about?” Now she looked me in the eye. And
her face was sad. “Ollie, you are preppie millionaire and I’m a social
zero” Erich Segal 1970:46 Jenny is fully conscious that she is poor. It is not possible for her to
go to Paris. Her condition is far different from Oliver’s. Oliver can go anywhere he likes. Consequently, she feels that she is not suitable to have
close relationship with Oliver because of the difference in their condition of life. That is why Jenny intends to stay away from Oliver. She is afraid their
togetherness will not last permanently because it only works out during their study. Having graduated, they will find their own way. It is natural
because Oliver derives from a rich family and is able to continue his study in the place that he wants, whereas Jenny has no much money to continue
her study. She has no financial support. This condition triggers a conflict between Jenny and Oliver for Jenny realizes that they finally will go to their
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own way. Oliver will continue to study in a law school and Jenny will back to her ordinary life and it is obviously narrated by Erick Segal as :
“ Ollie, don’t be stupid, “ She repeated. “ Harvard is like Santa’s Christmas bag.
You can stuff any crazy kind of toy into it. But when the holiday’s over, they shake you
Out…”She hesitated. “….and you gotta go back where you belong.”
“ You mean you’re going to bake cookies in Cranston, ……?
I was saying desperate things. “ Pastries “she said. “ and don’t make fun of my father.”
“then don’t leave me, jenny, please.” Erich Segal 1970:46- 47
The difference in opinion is revealed in the above quotation. Without
his consciousness, Oliver has hurt Jenny because Jenny fells that Oliver makes fun of her father’s condition of life. Erick Segal is a brilliant author
and it is proved through this novel because he is able to reveal the actual topic in our daily life into a novel. The novel is presented well through his
simple language style so that the story can touch the heart of the readers. That is why this novel is regarded as of Erick Segal’s masterpiece.
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3.1.2. Oliver Versus His Parents
A family is the nicest place if the relationship among the members of the family is harmonious. We may share our happiness and sorrow to
brothers, our sisters and even to our parents so that we may get peacefulness in our life. It is so because the relationship among the
members of the family is not bound with materialistic life but more than that this bound with emotion, affection and even blood so that if one gets
pain another will gets pain too. Talking about family, the one who loves us most is our parents. All
parents in this world want their child to get better in their life as narrated in this novel how Oliver father cares so much to Oliver:
“Come in, son…..” he said we looked at one another,…. “How have you been, son? ”he asked
“ well, sir, “I answered,” Erich Segal 1970:118 The affection of a father to his son is obviously shown through the above
dialogue between Oliver and his father. No matter what is his son and how bad his son looks like, still a love of a father will flow on it forever. This
fact belong to a father generally in this world. What a father wants to give to his son is the best thing that he could give. It is so because the
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relationship between them is found of pure affection from a deepest heart of a father who loves so much to their blood descent.
Sometimes the sons who are still young and have no white black experience in this life interpret the kindness of their parents in the wrong
way. It is because they are still immature and only follow their emotion, not their mind. It often happens that even the best thing is given to them by
their parents will be rejected if the thing is a contradictory with their wish. The difference in opinion is again clearly depicted by the writer of
the novel but the difference in opinion may trigger a conflict between Oliver and his father as seen in the following dialogue,
“We ran the usual conversational gamut, which centers around Old Stony’s favorite nontopic, my
plans. “Tell me, Oliver, have you heard from the law school?”
“Actually, father, I haven’t definitely decided on law school.” “I was merely asking if law school had definitely
decided on you,” Erich Segal 1970-29 According to the quotation above we may say that actually there is
no need to have conflict between them because his father tries to give the best school to Oliver, but the way his father tells Oliver is too authoritative.
A law school which only a few people can join it because it costs a lot of
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money so that only those who come from rich families who have much money to support financial cost might do that. There are many people who
want to join law school can not join because of lack of financial support whereas Oliver who has fully support from his father wants to reject it just
because his selfish attitude can not accept his father’s kindness. Oliver curses his father’s kindness and rejects it as quotation below describes:
“But what does he do to qualify as a sonovabitch?”… I told her how I loathed being programmed for the Barett
Tradition…… “What I hate is that he expects no less”
Just saying what I had always felt but never before spokenmade me feel uncomfortable as hell,……” Erich
Segal 1970: 37
A good thing from a father gets bad reaction from a son and it often occurs in their daily life.
3.1. 3. Jenny versus Oliver’s Parents
