Loner The Characteristics of Luke

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6. Patient

Furthermore, Luke is found to be a patient person. His patience here is shown through his ability to control emotion and calm down his mind. Like yours is ‘B’ for bastard, thought Luke angrily, but he kept the retort to himself. He fixed his gaze on Stringer’s face…Luke wanted to get up and leave. He wanted to spring from the chair, rush from the room, down the corridor, out through the playground into the street. But he stayed where he was 14-15. Not only in terms of self-control has Luke depicted his patience, but also time. It is revealed as he is still patiently waiting and hoping for his dad begins to talk to him 90. Luke’s longing for the coming of night train till dawn either gives such a clue that he is patient. Trains were always late, even a night train might be late. It could come at ten past two, he told himself, or even two twenty. He wasn’t giving up on it just yet 167. As seen from Luke’s reaction and thought above, it can be inferred that he is a patient person both in terms of time and self-control.

7. Thoughtful

In addition to be patient, Luke always makes such deep consideration before doing something. Lots of thoughts and questions come arise to his mind, which sometimes bring him to doubts in making decision towards something. Thoughts swam round in his head, slowly at first, then faster and faster, like a merry-go-round, a whirligig whose furious spinning hid the world from sight. Was Stringer serious about expelling him? If they did chuck him out, would he still be able to do his exams? Go to the school counselor or get chucked out for sure? 36-37. 53 Luke’s being considerate once appears when he wants to ask Caro’s opinion about what he should do related to the letter of expulsion. He feels in doubt whether to ring her up or directly go to her house, considering that it has been too late at night. He jumped up from the bed. He’d ask her now. He couldn’t ring because it was too late, past one o’clock already, but he could go over to her house. Caro would probably still be up, she often worked till after one; he’d go round to her window and if the light was out, well, he’d just have to come back home again 121. From the analysis above, Luke seems to be such a thoughtful person. He always makes deep consideration before going to a decision. This characteristic is depicted through the character’s manner and reaction.

8. Complicated

Apart from the characteristics pointed out above, Luke occasionally reveals such unusual personality which seems difficult for others to understand. His way of acting and thinking looks somewhat distinctive and unordinary, which frequently raise lots of queries and assumptions towards those who have not really known him. For Caro, Luke is unpredictable 73. Although she has known him quite for a long time, still it seems hard for her to guess what is in his mind. Luke’s always being in trouble brings her to think, wondering if there might be something wrong in him. 54 Caro never talked about Luke. He was so – complicated, so hard to explain, and Caro knew somehow that if she even started explaining, what she said would bring a stern look into Liz’s eyes, a reproving edge to her voice 22. Luke is such a mysterious person. His unpredictable thought and manners seem to keep lots of secrets hideously, like a psycho who densely keeps his murdering plan. Unfortunately, the boy’s complicated personality precisely takes him to further matter, which in some respects builds many problems. Luke’s mum does not even seem to recognize him due to it. She saw his small white face again, turned up to her, white and pinched with the terrible secret he’d been carrying round inside him 162. By paying attention to other characters’ perception above, thus, it can be stated that Luke has such complicated characteristic. It is deeply clarified through the way people see him as being unpredictable and mysterious as well.

B. The Influence of Social Pressures among Adolescents towards Luke’s Psychological Life

According to Festinger, Schacter and Back, much of the pressure to conformity comes from the smaller groups within a society to which individuals belong 4. Being considered as the important aspects of adolescents’ social ecology, family, peers and school are thus being the three main sources of social pressure commonly occur during adolescence period Kimmel 228.