37
3. Calm
The presence of Elliot Hoover in Templeton’s family makes Janice feel uncomfortable. She always thinks that Hoover does not have good purposes for
her daughter, Ivy. In Janice’s mind, the man will kidnap her daughter and destroy her perfect family. Hence, Janice is always careful on her daughter’s life and
protects her daughter strictly. Until one day, when Janice is playing a scrabble with her daughter, Hoover contacts Templeton’s home. Hoover does not say
anything on the telephone, but for Janice, the call is a kind of terror. Although Janice starts to panic at that time, she tries to control herself in order to make her
daughter not to feel panic. Janice picked up the phone on the fourth ring.
“Hello?” she said. There was no answer.
“Hello?” she said again, in a softer tone, feeling a prickle of apprehension. Janice was about to hang up when the voice finally came.
Male. Quiet. Hesitant. “Is she all right?” it said.
She stood there, eyes shut, steeling herself against the wave of utter panic about to overwhelm her. It was the man. She knew it was he. It could be no
one else. He had found their unlisted number. Somehow. She felt trembling. Control Control She must not let Ivy see her like this
A small, static smile affixed to her face, Janice gracefully squatted down to resume the game. 27
Janice’s reaction to control herself is clearly seen when she talks to herself that
she has to control herself not to worry in front of her daughter.
4. Rational
Hoover’s existence is a big problem for Janice and her family. Janice considers that Hoover having a certain purpose to destroy her family. She thinks that
Hoover is lonesome after he has lost his wife and his daughter, Audrey Rose, in a PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
38 burning car. According to Janice, Hoover’s claim is an effort to take Ivy over
from Bill and Janice. Therefore, Janice does not want it will be happened. “All right”, she said quietly. “I do not believe in reincarnation. I believe that
Elliot Hoover is a dedicated, persuasive man with a single purpose in his life. For some reason, he wants our child. With all his sweet, poetic, religious talk,
he’s got a fire burning inside him that won’t let him quit till he gets what he wants.” She heard her voice quiver and felt fears sting at her eyes. “So you’d
better stop him….before he destroys us all…” 99
Moreover, Janice has a problem in her life. She has to believe in what she
cannot believe. When Elliot Hoover asks her about her belief, she says that she does not believe in religion and faith. She says that she is a rational woman who
always believes in science, and so is her husband. Her rational thinking can be
found in her conversation with Elliot Hoover below:
“You may think that, Mr. Hoover, but we do not. We believe in our doctor, have confidence in her training and experience, and trust her completely.”
“Furthermore”, Janice continued, “We believe in medical science, not in superstition.” And then Hoover said, “Do you have a religion, Mrs.
Templeton?” “No, I don’t believe in religion.” “Were you always an atheist?” “Yes, always.” “And I really appreciate if you’d stop sending me your
religious books, your flowers, your sayings, or anything else regarding your beliefs, as I have absolutely no interest in the subject.” 104
Janice has a reason why she answers like that. She does not believe in any faith and religion because of her past traumatic experience. Janice Gilbert Templeton
was born in a religious Catholic family. However, she stops believing, leaves the church, and leaves all rituals of the somber faith before high school, because she
is always frightened by the nun’s talk of death and resurrection. Janice thinks that her church, St. Andrews, look likes walking into Dracula’s castle 105. Janice
goes to mass each Sunday to please her parents, as a matter of rote. The Latin words and rites have been reduced to a meaningless jumble by then 106. Janice
meets her husband, Bill, and they marry. Bill also does not have a religion and always thinks rationally. It makes Janice think in a rational way too.
39
5. Never-Give-Up Woman
Kategori