The other reaction of self-justification mostly comes up when she gets her self-talk. In her self-talk, she will push her desire to buy something. In other
words, she will think that it is better to buy something. This situation happens when she has to avoid her desire to do shopping. All of her efforts to save money
are broken when she finds a sale. I mean, I know I’m not really supposed to be spending money—but this is
complete one-off. They are coolest jeans you’ve ever seen. And 90 euro is nothing for a pair of really good jeans. If you were in Gucci, you’d be
paying at least 500 euro. Oh God, I want them. I want them Kinsella, 2005: 92.
The writer can conclude that Rebecca Bloomwood always makes her self- justification when she wants to get a thing. She tries to forget her financial
problems in debt. In order to fill her desire, she will have some imagination in her self-talk which looks like supporting her in doing something.
3. Self-Seeking
Self-seeking is a condition when a person who has a strong desire or determination to get something for his or her need. In the self-seeking, a person
will tend not to care about what happens to other people when they want to get the thing. In the novel Confession of a Shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood can be
categorized as a self-seeking. Rebecca is a person who has strong desire to get something that she wants.
Rebecca loves fashion since her childhood. She always tries to match the style of a person in a magazine. That activity is her favorite one. She usually reads
a magazine that can help her to see about the newest style in fashion.
It’s habit of mine, itemizing all clothes I’m wearing, as though for a fashion page. I’ve been doing it for years—ever since I used to read just seventeen.
Every issue, they’d stop a girl on the street, take a picture of her and list all her clothes Kinsella, 2005: 6.
Her dream to be a successful person is motivated by her love in fashion and style. By looking at her past, Rebecca can be characterized as a self-seeking
because of her effort to get what her wants in life. In the beginning of the story, it is described when she wants to buy the scarf. She gets some problems with her
money to buy the scarf. Then, she asks the shopkeeper to keep it for her until she gets her credit card.
I tear a piece of paper out of my notebook, write on it “Can you lend me twenty quid?” and pass it to Elly, who’s still surreptitiously listening to her
mobile phone. I wonder what she’s listening to. It can’t still be her horoscope, surely? She looks down, shakes her head and writes, “No can
do. Bloody machine swallowed my card Kinsella, 2005: 13. At that moment, Rebecca tries to lend some money from her friends in order
to buy the scarf. Finally, she lies to everyone that she needs the money for her aunt who is hospitalized. On her way to go back to the store, she meets a man who
is also in a hurry because his wife is in labor. Rebecca tries to forget about the fact that her business is nothing than the man’s. Looking at Rebecca’s reaction to this
situation, the writer concludes that Rebecca makes her business become the most important among all things. She also does not really care to others’ problem. She
just wants to take the scarf which is actually pointless. She also states that what she wants is also important.
As I walk along the pavement, I’m feeling a bit shamefaced. I should have got out my 120 quid and given it to that man for his baby, instead of buying
pointless scarf. I mean, when do you think about it, what’s more important? Clothes—or the miracle of new life Kinsella, 2005: 16.
Although she already thinks about the matter of her business in buying the scarf, she still sticks on her side that her business is more important than the
miracle of a new life. By seeing the reaction, Rebecca can be characterized as a self-seeking. She sticks on her plan, no matter what, in order to get what she
wants.
B. Society in the Novel
According to Klarer, setting, location and social surrounding are the important point that supports the action to take place. In this novel, Confession of
a Shopaholic, location and social surrounding where Rebecca lives have influences to Rebecca’s characteristics. The term society in the novel is usually
related to the relationship of the characters inside the story. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Langland has described society as the social surrounding in the novel in some
points, such as the relationship, background, and places. In this discussion, the writer reveals the influence of the society toward
Rebecca’s disorder. By observing the social surrounding in the novel, the society will be the main point to be discussed. Society in the novel is the aspect that
supports the story to take place. It also determines the characteristic of the character in the story. In this study, the writer focus on the society that influences
the main character’s personality. Places, human relationship, and family background are the points that support the writer on analyzing the main
character’s personality.
