A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
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A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
Approved by
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
Advisor
August 11, 2014
Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.
Co-Advisor
August 11, 2014
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
Defended before the Board of Examiners
on August 29, 2014
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name
Signature
Chairperson
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
____________
Secretary
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D
____________
Member 1
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D
____________
Member 2
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
____________
Member 3
: Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.
____________
Yogyakarta, August 29, 2014
Faculty of Letters
Sanata Dharma University
Dean
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text of the undergraduate thesis.
Yogyakarta, August 11, 2014
Cynthia Laurensia
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama
Nomor Mahasiswa
: Cynthia Laurensia
: 104214012
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya
maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 11 Agustus 2014
Yang menyatakan,
Cynthia Laurensia
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There are only two ways to live your life. One is as
though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle
-Albert Einstein-
We often borrow from our tomorrows to pay our debts to
our yesterdays
-Kahlil Gibran-
It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is
supposed to be
-Mitch Albom-
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For
The Mighty God
&
My Family
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Most of all, I praise God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother
for the life, blessings, and miracles that are given to me. I thank for the great
understanding and guidance whenever I lost my way. I would also like to thank
my big family—Mam, Pap, Ko Albert, Ci Irin, Epin, Epon, and all my relatives—
for their support both financially and emotionally throughout my study.
I cannot but express my deepest gratitude to Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A., my
thesis advisor, for his time, patience, motivation, and knowledge during the thesis
preparation. Also, I wish to sincerely thank my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan
Wijanarka, M.Hum., for his criticism and willingness to correct my thesis. To my
academic advisors, Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S and Anna Fitriati, S.Pd.,
M.Hum., as well as all the lecturers and staff, who helped and taught me during
my study in Sanata Dharma University. I am greatly indebted to Miss Arina, who
gave me the opportunity to develop myself by being her assistant and tutor.
My sincere thanks also go to all the staff in WR III, for offering me the
Konkuk Summer Program 2012 and letting me experience new knowledge and
different environment. To my Konkuk fellows, I am thankful for the great time we
spent together in both Korea and Indonesia.
Finally, but not least, I am tempted to individually thank all my beloved
friends in Sanata Dharma University—KKN 14, Sexeh Gela, Class A 2010—for
the wonderful memories throughout the four years. Those are the best moments in
my life.
Cynthia Laurensia.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .........................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...................................................................
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ...............................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI .........................................
MOTTO PAGE .................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE ......................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................
ABSTRAK ..........................................................................................
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .....................................................
A. Background of the Study ..................................................
B. Problem Formulation .........................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .....................................................
D. Definition of Terms ...........................................................
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CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................
A. Review of Related Studies ................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ..............................................
C. Theoretical Framework ......................................................
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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................
A. Object of the Study ...........................................................
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................
C. Method of the Study .........................................................
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS .............................................................
A. The Characterization of Sarah Lemon ..............................
1. Inadequate ...................................................................
2. Inferior ........................................................................
3. Pathetic .......................................................................
B. The Reflection of Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept .............
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .......................................................
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................
APPENDIX ........................................................................................
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ABSTRACT
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an
Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
This study discusses the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an adolescent in
one of Mitch Albom’s novels entitled The Time Keeper. There are three main
characters that can be found in the novel. However, this study focuses only on one
of the main characters. The novel tells about a teenage girl named Sarah Lemon
who is kind of an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome
and popular boy named Ethan takes an interest in her or so she thinks. When he
breaks her heart, she is devastated that she decides to commit suicide.
There are two problems formulated in this study. The first is about the
characteristics of Sarah Lemon and the second is about the reflection of Sarah
Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent through her characteristics.
This study uses library research as the method of the study. It is because
the data needed in conducting this study is taken from printed sources. The critical
approach that is used is Psychological Approach since the focus of this study is on
the self-concept in which it is a part of the study on personality.
The result of the analysis is divided into two parts, according to the
problems formulated. In the novel, there are some characteristics of Sarah Lemon
which are prominent—inadequate, inferior, and pathetic. Having unattractive
physical characteristics and being one of the brightest students in her school,
Sarah Lemon is considered as inadequate to socialize with her peers. This causes
her to become inferior in her school. Because she is socially ostracized, Sarah
Lemon has never experienced a feeling to be accepted. She turns to be a pathetic
girl when she meets a handsome and popular boy named Ethan at a homeless
shelter. He is the one who wants to talk to her and be her only friend. However, it
turns out that he is just playing on her. Through the characteristics of Sarah
Lemon above, the reflection of her self-concept as an adolescent is presented. It
appears that her qualities as being inadequate, inferior, and pathetic, classify her
self-concept into the social self-concept. As an adolescent, Sarah Lemon relies on
her peers in attaining her self-evaluation. She considers their opinion as the one
that she should believe. Because she is constantly told as being inadequate—too
fat, too smart, and too weird—to be a part of the social group, she gradually thinks
of herself in the same way. In the novel, Sarah Lemon suffers from discrimination
that is done by the peers in her school. Being treated as an outcast, she obtains her
self-concept as an inferior girl. Furthermore, it appears that Sarah Lemon is
viewed as a pathetic girl when she chases after a handsome and popular boy like
Ethan. Once again, she attains her self-concept as a pathetic girl by taking the
opinion of the peers in her school.
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ABSTRAK
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an
Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
Studi ini membahas konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja
dalam salah satu novel Mitch Albom yang berjudul The Time Keeper. Ada tiga
karakter utama yang dapat ditemukan dalam novel tersebut. Namun, studi ini
fokus hanya pada salah satunya. Novel tersebut berkisah tentang seorang gadis
remaja bernama Sarah Lemon yang merupakan gadis terbuang karena ia dianggap
terlalu gemuk dan terlalu pintar. Seorang pemuda tampan dan populer bernama
Ethan tertarik padanya atau begitulah yang ia pikirkan. Ketika Ethan melukai
hatinya, ia begitu hancur sehingga ia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri.
Ada dua masalah yang dirumuskan dalam studi ini. Pertama adalah
gambaran mengenai karakteristik Sarah Lemon dan kedua adalah refleksi dari
konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja melalui karakteristiknya.
Studi ini menggunakan studi kepustakaan sebagai metode penelitian
karena data yang diperlukan diambil dari sumber tercetak. Pendekatan yang
digunakan adalah pendekatan Psikologis karena studi ini berfokus pada konsep
diri yang merupakan bagian dari studi kepribadian.
Hasil analisis dibagi menjadi dua, sesuai dengan perumusan masalah.
Dalam novel, ada beberapa karakteristik Sarah Lemon yang menonjol—tidak
memadai, inferior, dan menyedihkan. Karena memiliki fisik yang tidak menarik
sekaligus menjadi salah satu siswa terbaik di sekolahnya, Sarah Lemon dianggap
tidak memadai untuk bersosialisasi dengan rekan-rekannya. Hal ini menyebabkan
dia menjadi inferior di sekolahnya. Karena ia dikucilkan secara sosial, Sarah
Lemon belum pernah merasa diterima oleh orang-orang sekitarnya. Ia menjadi
gadis yang menyedihkan ketika ia bertemu seorang pemuda tampan dan populer
bernama Ethan di sebuah tempat penampungan tunawisma. Ethan adalah satusatunya orang yang ingin berbicara dengannya dan menjadi temannya. Namun,
Ethan ternyata hanya mempermainkan dirinya. Melalui karakteristik-karakteristik
Sarah Lemon tersebut, refleksi dari konsep dirinya sebagai seorang remaja
diperlihatkan. Kualitas dirinya yang tidak memadai, inferior, dan menyedihkan,
mengklasifikasikan konsep dirinya ke dalam konsep diri sosial. Sebagai seorang
remaja, Sarah Lemon bergantung pada rekan-rekannya dalam mencapai evaluasi
dirinya. Ia menganggap pendapat mereka sebagai satu-satunya yang harus ia
percaya. Karena mereka terus-menerus mengatakan dirinya tidak memadai—
terlalu gemuk, terlalu pintar, dan terlalu aneh—untuk menjadi bagian dari mereka,
ia secara bertahap melihat dirinya dengan cara yang sama. Dalam novel, Sarah
Lemon didiskriminasi oleh rekan-rekan di sekolahnya. Diperlakukan sebagai
orang buangan, ia memperoleh konsep dirinya sebagai seorang gadis inferior. Di
samping itu, Sarah Lemon dipandang sebagai gadis yang menyedihkan ketika ia
mengejar seorang pemuda tampan dan populer seperti Ethan. Sekali lagi, ia
mencapai konsep dirinya sebagai seorang gadis yang menyedihkan dengan
mengambil pendapat dari rekan-rekan di sekolahnya.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Human beings, just like other creatures, constantly grow throughout
their lives. However, the growth process of human beings is different from the
other creatures. When a human grows, he undergoes both physical and
psychological changes. This is different from the growth process of the other
creatures, such as animals, which includes only physical changes. This is
definitely one of the traits that makes human beings ‘special’ compared to the
other creatures.
For years, many experts have tried to classify the stages of human
growth. Ultimately, the stages of human growth have successfully been
classified into three stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Each of
these stages has its own characteristics which contribute to human personality.
Among these three stages, however, the most significant stage in human
personality is adolescence. Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1973: 2) defines the stage of
adolescence as “a period of transition when the individual changes physically
and psychologically from a child to an adult.” During the stage of adolescence,
a set of rapid physical and psychological changes occurs. In terms of physical
changes, an adolescent experiences puberty in which physical changes related
to sexual maturation are taking place: those years during which the mature
primary and secondary sexual characteristics develop (Rice, 1996: 4). For
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instance, the breasts and the hips of a teenage girl start to develop and she has
her first menstruation. In a teenage boy’s case, his Adam’s apple starts to
develop and his voice cracks. Also, puberty in boys is characterized by the
rapid increase of their heights. Furthermore, an adolescent also undergoes a
psychological transition from childhood to adulthood. He tries to seek his
identity by discovering new things and experiences. This process often causes
some issues, such as identity crisis, if the adolescent is not guided by adults.
It has been fascinating for psychologists to study about adolescent.
Many psychologists around the world have conducted researches in adolescent
in their society. There are some similarities in the study on adolescent around
the world. One of them is that the characteristics of adolescent seem to remain
the same for the past years. In America, for instance, the study on how
adolescents view and react to their problems has been an interesting subject for
American psychologists. Preceding psychologists have concluded that
American adolescents tend to have some problems in which they want people
to like them better and want to feel important to society (Powell, 1963: 3). This
characteristic of American adolescents, in fact, can contribute to the forming of
their personalities.
Over the last few decades, many psychologists have proposed theories
on adolescent’s personality. These theories are important in order to understand
adolescent’s attitudes and behaviors, along with the reasons of the emergence
of those attitudes and behaviors. Hurlock, in her discussion about adolescent’s
personality, states that the core of the personality is the concept the individual
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has of himself as a person. It is a composite of the thoughts and feelings which
constitute a person’s awareness of his individual existence, his conception of
who and what he is (1973: 324). The study on adolescent’s self-concept has
received more attention over the years since it is directly related to adolescent’s
personality.
Literature, on the other hand, cannot be separated from human life
experience, considering that literature represents almost everything that
humans face in the real world. John Reichert (1977: x) notes that the forms of
literature are the forms of life. People make sense of a character, a dialogue, a
plot, as they make sense of each other and of their lives, and the shapes of their
experience take provide the shapes of literature and give them their only value.
There are many aspects of human life experience which can be taken as
an interesting theme of a literary work. The representation of human life, for
instance, can be found in an American novel entitled The Time Keeper which is
written by Mitch Albom. Albom has been interested in writing a novel about
time, about how human beings spend their time and how they are obsessed
with time. According to him, the idea of writing the novel has been with him
throughout most of the books that he has written; like going back with
Tuesdays with Morrie, getting another day back in For One More Day, and
how people spend their time on Earth in Five People You Meet in Heaven
(mitchalbom.com, 2012).
There are three main characters in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper.
One of the characters is basically Albom’s first teenage character. It is the first
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time he ever writes about a teenager, especially a teenage girl, since he has
always written about an old man. In writing the novel, he is inspired by his
nieces; he had been attentively observing the way they talk, the way they text,
and what is important to them. He also discovers that what happens to the
character of Sarah Lemon is something that happens way more often than
American people like to think of their country. Based on this, the
representation of human growth in adolescence stage can be seen through the
character of Sarah Lemon. Sarah Lemon, a seventeen-year-old girl, is kind of
an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome and popular
boy named Ethan, takes an interest in her or so she thinks. She is devastated
when he breaks her heart by rejecting her gift and confession. Then, she sends
him a message on Facebook to clear things up. When pulling up his page, she
finds out that Ethan is just playing on her. She is hurt by the fact that Ethan
does not love her back that she wants to kill herself.
Based on the explanation above, this study focuses on the character of
Sarah Lemon. The background of this study is influenced by a comment of a
staff reporter of Neon Tommy: Annenberg Digital News, Laura Santana. In her
review of the novel, she argues that:
She (Sarah Lemon) is an outcast because she is a science whiz.
Everyone at school is mean to Sarah because her eyes are ‘too far
apart,’ her wavy hair is ‘dry,’ and her ‘flesh’ is ‘doughy.’ Sarah’s father
does not speak to her and her mother does not have a clue how to talk to
her. Sarah is an ugly loner who nobody likes (neontommy.com, October
8, 2012).
From the comment above, a picture of how the society treats Sarah
Lemon is presented. By this, the writer is challenged to analyze how the
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society, particularly the peers in her school, influence Sarah Lemon’s selfconcept as an adolescent by examining her characteristics.
B. Problem Formulation
In conducting this study, some questions are needed to raise in order to
prevent the discussion from losing its direction. Considering the background of
the study which has been pointed out, there are two questions that can be
formulated in the following numbers.
1. What are the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in
Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper?
2. How do the characteristics of Sarah Lemon reflect her selfconcept as an adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study aims to examine the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an
adolescent through her characteristics. There are two objectives that are
expected to be attained by conducting this study. The first objective is to find
out the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in the novel. This is
important in order to get a clear description about the character of Sarah
Lemon. The second objective is to identify how the characteristics reflect Sarah
Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent.
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D. Definition of Terms
Certain terms are often used in conducting a study. The terms
sometimes appear to be unfamiliar and therefore, can cause misunderstanding.
This study also uses some terms which may be unfamiliar for the readers.
Therefore, the writer provides some explanation to avoid misunderstanding in
certain terms used in this study. The explanation of the terms used can be
described as follows.
Adolescence
The word ‘adolescence’ comes from the Latin verb adolescere, which
means ‘to grow’ or ‘to grow to maturity.’ It is defined as a period of growth
between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is generally considered an
intermediate stage between childhood and adulthood (Rice, 1996: 3).
Self-Concept
Dov Peretz Elkins concludes Carl R. Rogers’ definition of self-concept
as the organization of the perceptions of the self. It is the self-concept which is
of significance in personality and behavior (1979: 17).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
In conducting a study, it is needed to consider some studies that have
previously been done by other researchers as the supporting materials. This
study also uses some other studies to enhance its discussion. There are three
studies reviewed in this study. All the studies reviewed belong to the students
of English Letters at Sanata Dharma University.
An undergraduate thesis that was done by Nani Arifianti (2009: xii)
entitling “A Study of Frankie’s Identity Formation in Her Adolescence as seen
in McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding,” discusses about the identity
formation of the character of Frankie in her adolescence. The reason of
choosing the topic is because the writer, Arifianti, agrees to most experts’
notion in which they argue that adolescence is the most important stage in
one’s life. In her study, Arifianti formulates three problems to be answered.
The first problem is the changes that are undergone by the character of Frankie
due to her adolescence. The second problem is how the character of Frankie
changes herself into F. Jasmine and what characteristics are different between
the two. The third problem is how the character of Frankie finally achieves her
self-identity. Based on her analysis, Arifianti draws a conclusion that the
character of Frankie undergoes some changes in physical growth, low selfesteem, desperation for sense of belonging, and questioning self-identity in her
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adolescence. Arifianti also concludes that the character of Frankie creates an
ideal-self to suit her new situation. Frankie finally achieves her self-identity
after experiencing some catharsis moments in her life.
Bintang Berlianti (2007: viii) in her undergraduate thesis entitling
“Edna Pontellier’s Self-Actualization in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: A
Psychological Study,” examines the self-actualization through the behavior of a
character named Edna. Berlianti is interested in choosing the topic because of
the vivid description of a woman’s feelings and intuition which is reflected
through the character of Edna. In her study, there are three problems
formulated. The first problem is the description of Edna Pontellier’s
characterization. The second problem is how the society where Edna lives is
described. The third problem is how the people in the society influence the
development of Edna’s effort toward self-actualization. In the end of her study,
Berlianti concludes that Edna has transformed from an ordinary housewife to
an Artist. The character of Edna deals with a process of actualizing her
potentialities, characteristics, and capabilities. Berlianti also adds that the
society plays some significant role in the process of Edna’s self-actualization
by awakening her desires for music, sexual satisfaction, art, and freedom.
Related to the second study, an undergraduate thesis that was done by
Imelda D. Isem (2006: ix) entitling “A Psychological Study of Maya’s Search
for Self-Identity in Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” also
describes a study of self, particularly self-identity, of both the character and the
author, Maya Angelou. The interesting development of the main character of
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the novel is the reason why the writer, Isem, chooses the novel as her object of
the study. She is also challenged to examine the novel as an autobiographical
fiction rather than just a pure autobiography by focusing on the main character
that is in the process of forming her identity. In her study, Isem formulates two
problems to be answered. The first problem is how Maya’s self-concept when
she is a teenager is different from her self-concept in her childhood. The
second problem is how Maya finally forms her identity as a Black woman in
the end of the story. Based on her analysis, Isem draws a conclusion that
Maya’s self-concept when she is a teenager is the development of her selfconcept in her childhood. She also adds that Maya finally decides to grow up
as a Black woman who has power, dignity, and pride in herself after gaining
some self-images and experiencing some significant events in her life. In the
end of her study, Isem concludes that Maya’s self-concept is always
developing and that she does not stop forming her identity.
Considering the three studies that have been reviewed, this study
discovers something new, that is about an adolescent’s self-concept. However,
having connected to the studies above, this study also discusses about the self.
Therefore, those studies can be used as references in conducting this study.
B. Review of Related Theories
Using some theories in conducting a study is a must, considering that a
study is a theoretical research. Therefore, the writer uses three theories to help
in answering the problems of the study. The first theory is theory on
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characterization which includes several ways to describe characters in literary
works. The second theory is theory on adolescence which includes the
description of adolescence stage, as well as the changes that occur in an
adolescent. The third theory is theory on self-concept which includes the
description of how the self-concept of an adolescent comes into being. The
following part is the elaboration of each theory.
1. Theory on Characterization
Character is one of the most important elements in literary works.
Character, along with other elements such as plot, setting, and theme,
contribute to build a story. M. H. Abrams (1993: 23) defines a character as the
person who is presented in a dramatic or narrative work. He is interpreted by
the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities
that are expressed in what he says—the dialogue—and what he does—the
action. An author often uses human traits in creating a character. As explained
by Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter (1989: 231), a character is the individual
which is portrayed in literature. It is the particular traits or characteristics of a
person that suggest his character—what makes him distinctive.
There are two classifications of character in a literary work; major and
minor characters. A major character usually takes part both directly and
indirectly in almost the entire story since the story itself focuses on him. In
contrast, a minor character is the other character who supports not only the
major character but also the story to make it complete. Based on this, a minor
character is also known as the supporting character (Abrams, 1993: 23).
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According to Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971: 20), the process
in creating a character is called characterization. M.J. Murphy (1972: 161-173)
provides several ways to describe a character in a literary work. This study,
however, applies only some of the ways stated below. This is because the
author of the novel The Time Keeper, Mitch Albom, uses only some of the
ways in describing his characters. The following part is the elaboration of each
way.
a. Personal description: The author builds the character by describing his or
her appearance and clothes.
b. Character as seen by another: The author describes the character through
another character’s eyes and opinions.
c. Speech: The author describes the character through what he or she says.
d. Past life: The author gives a clue about the character through his or her past
life.
e. Conversation of others: The author describes the character through the
conversations of other people and what they say about the character.
f. Reactions: The author gives the readers a clue about the character from his
or her reaction towards some situations and events that he or she faces.
g. Direct comment: The author describes or comments on a person’s
character directly.
h. Thoughts: The author gives the readers a direct knowledge of what the
character is thinking about.
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i. Mannerisms: The author describes the character through his or her
mannerisms and habits.
2. Theory on Adolescence
According to F. Philip Rice (1996: 3), adolescence is “a period of
growth between childhood and adulthood.” There are two periods of adolescent
development; early adolescence and middle or late adolescence. Early
adolescence is usually considered to be 11 to 14 years of age, and middle or
late adolescence is delineated as 15 to 19 years (1996: 5). In the discussion of
adolescence stage, Rice suggests that an adolescent undergoes some changes
which are classified into three parts: physical, psychological, and social
changes (1996: v).
Some physical changes which take place during the stage of
adolescence are marked by sexual maturation and physical growth. Sexual
maturation involves the maturation and functions of the male and female
organs, the development of secondary sexual characteristics. The physical
growth is one of the earliest and most obvious physical changes since it begins
in early adolescence. This growth is accompanied by an increase in height,
weight and changes in body proportion (Rice, 1996: 5). Regarding all the
physical changes, Rice suggests that an adolescent usually becomes more
concerned about his body image: physical attractiveness, body type, body
weight, and timing of his own development in relation to norms. In this sense,
body image has an important relationship to the adolescent’s positive self-
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evaluation, popularity, and peer acceptance (1996: 119). Furthermore, he also
adds that adolescents are affected profoundly by the images of ideal body
builds taught by their culture. Western culture, for example, overemphasizes
the slim, chic, well-proportioned feminine figure. If a girl does not have a slim
figure, she is likely to be ignored by boys and less likely to have dates (1996:
121).
Considering the occurence of psychological changes in an adolescent,
adolescence is often considered as the most difficult stage in one’s life. This is
because one’s personality is formed in his adolescence. Thus, some issues on
the adolescent’s personality may happen if he is not guided by the adults. Rice
quotes G. Stanley Hall’s notion in which he describes adolescence as “the
period corresponding to the time when the human race was in a turbulent,
transitional stage, a time of great ‘storm and stress.’” (1996: 29) Elizabeth B.
Hurlock (1974: 20-21) states that the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called the ‘concept of self,’ and an integrated system of
learned responses, called ‘traits.’ These are interrelated, with the core
influencing the traits, which are the individual’s characteristic methods of
adjustment to life situations. Practically speaking, the importance of the selfconcept stems from its influence over the quality of one’s behavior and his
methods of adjustment to life situations.
One also experiences some social changes in his adolescence. In this
sense, sexual maturation brings new feelings, the need for emotional
fulfillments and for emotional independence and emancipation from parents.
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Adolescents now turn to their peers to find the support formerly provided by
their families. Also, they are oriented toward their peers and rely on them for a
sense of self-worth. This is different from children who look to their parents for
fulfillment of their emotional needs and seek their praise, love, and tenderness
(Rice, 1996: 270-271).
3. Theory on Self-Concept
F. Philip Rice (1996: 182) defines the self-concept as the “conscious,
cognitive perception and evaluation by individuals of themselves; it is their
thoughts and opinions about themselves.” He also adds that self-concept
implies a developing awareness of who and what one is. It describes what
individuals see when they look at themselves, in terms of their self-perceived
physical characteristics, personality skills, traits, roles, and social statuses. It
might be described as the system of attitudes they have about themselves
(1996: 183). Richard G. Warga states that the self-concept develops through
experiences with other people, primarily through interpersonal relationships.
As a person develops, he has a strong need for warmth, for being accepted and
liked. If he get these indications, he begins to fill a secondary need, that of
positive self-regard. Bad social experiences, however, may lead to a negative
self-concept (1983: 23).
Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1974: 22-23) classifies four major categories
which relate to the physical as well as the psychological self-concepts. The
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four categories of self-concept are the basic, the transitory, the social, and the
ideal. Each of them is explained further in the following part.
a. The Basic Self-Concept
The basic self-concept is the person’s concept of what he really is. It
includes his perception of his appearance, his recognition of his abilities and
disabilities and of his role and status in life, and his values, beliefs, and
aspirations. The basic self-concept tends to be realistic. The person sees
himself as he really is, not as he would like to be. Sometimes the basic selfconcept is to the person’s liking. More often, it is not. The person finds flaws in
himself which he would like to change. Even when the treatment he receives
from others would seem to encourage greater self-acceptance, a person may
cling to his basic self-concept.
b. The Transitory Self-Concept
In addition to a basic self-concept, a person has a transitory selfconcept. This means that a person has a self-concept which he holds for a time
and then reliquishes. Transitory self-concepts may be favorable or unfavorable,
depending largely on the situation in which the person finds himself
momentarily. They are generally influenced by some passing mood or
emotional state or by a recent experience. They are transitory and unstable
because they lack the perspective found in the basic self-concept. People differ
in the frequency with which their behavior is quided and influenced by
transitory self-concepts. Some experience frequent and intense fluctuations
while others experience only slight and occasional shifts.
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c. The Social Self-Concept
The social self-concept is based on the way the individual believes
others perceive him, depending on their speech and actions. It is usually
referred to as a ‘mirror image.’ Social self-concepts may in time develop into
basic self-concepts if the person believes that he is as others see him. Since
social self-concepts derive from social interactions, whether the concepts will
be favorable or not depends on how the social group treats the individual.
People build up different social self-concepts, depending on the kinds of social
groups—home, peer, or community—with which they are most often
associated. The effect of the social self-concept on the behavior of the
individual will depend largely on how important the opinions of others are to
him at that time and on what person or persons are most influential in his life at
that time. In the stage of adolescence, the social self-concept is derived from
the opinions of the peer group as a whole—the ‘generalized others.’
d. The Ideal Self-Concept
The ideal self-concept is made up of perceptions of what a person
aspires to be and what he believes he ought to be. It may be related to the
physical self-image, the pyschological self-image, or both. It may be realistic in
the sense that it is within the reach of the person, or it may be so unrealistic that
it can never be achieved in real life. Almost everyone has an ideal self-concept
in addition to his basic and transitory self-concepts. Whether the ideal selfconcept is realistic or unrealistic is determined chiefly by whether the basic or
transitory self-concept dominates. A highly unrealistic ideal self-concept, for
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example, will increase a person’s dissatisfaction with his mirror images and
basic self-concept so much that he will become self-rejectant. This will have an
adverse effect on his behavior and on his personal and social adjustments.
Based on the elaboration of the theories above, the writer focuses on the
third classification of self-concept, that is the social self-concept, since the
focus of this study is to examine how the peers influence the character of Sarah
Lemon in obtaining her self-concept as an adolescent.
4. The Relation between Psychology and Literature
David Daiches (1981: 338) concludes that the function of literature is to
provide ‘a just and lively image of human nature.’ He also adds that the end of
literature is some kind of illumination of the human situation.
To get a better understanding about a literary work, one sometimes
needs to use other related disciplines. There are many related disciplines that
can be used in a literary work. One of the related disciplines that is often used
is psychology. As stated by Daiches (1981: 329) that “in explaining the nature
of a work of literary art, the critic is often led into psychology, into a
discussion of the state of mind out of which literary creation arises.” In relation
to the use of psychology in literary works, Rene Wellek and Austin Warren
classifies the psychology of literature into four parts.
By ‘psychology of literature’, we may mean the psychological study of
the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of the creative
process, or the study of the psychological types and laws present within
works of literature, or, finally, the effects of literature upon its readers
(audience psychology) (1977: 81).
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Concerning on the object of this study, the psychology of literature that
is used is the third type: the psychological aspects in the literary works. Wellek
and Warren describe this type.
There remains the question of ‘psychology’ in the works themselves.
Characters in plays and novels are judged by us to be ‘psychologically’
true. Situations are praised and plots accepted because of this same
quality. Sometimes, a psychological theory, held either consciously or
dimly by an author, seems to fit a figure or a situation (1977: 91).
Based on the quotation, it appears that psychology can be applied in
literary works. The characters in literary works which are the manifestations of
human in real life, have characteristics and traits that can be examined by using
theories of psychology.
C. Theoretical Review
Both the review of related studies and theories that have been explained
above contribute to solve the problems of the study. The review of related
studies functions as the comparison as well as the encouragement to develop
the study. Furthermore, the review of related theories is useful to solve the
problems of the study that are related to the study of Sarah Lemon’s
characteristics, as well as the reflection of Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an
adolescent through her characteristics. First, the theory on characterization is
used to identify the character of Sarah Lemon and how the characteristics
reflect her self-concept. Second, the theory on adolescence gives the notions
about the nature of an adolescent. Third, the theory on self-concept gives a
description about how one’s self-concept comes into being.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into three parts; the object of the study, the
approach of the study, and the method of the study. The object of the study
includes the description of the object used in this study which is the literary
work itself. The approach of the study includes the approach that is used in
analyzing the literary work and the reason why the approach is used. The
method of the study includes the procedure that is taken in analyzing the
literary work.
A. Object of the Study
This study is conducted by choosing a novel which is written by Mitch
Albom as the object of the study. The novel which is entitled The Time Keeper,
is published in 2012 by HarperCollins. This first-edition novel consists of 224
pages which is divided into 12 chapters.
Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper is a novel which tells about a fable of
the first person on Earth to ever begin to count time. The person, named Dor,
becomes so infatuated with counting time that he forgets to live his life.
Ultimately, he is punished for trying to count time. His punishment is that he
has to live in a cave for eternity and listen to all the voices of all the people
who come after complaining about time, the thing that he invented. He is there
until he seems to learn his lesson about what the true meaning of time is and is
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given the opportunity to return to Earth with an hourglass. His job is to find a
girl and an old man and to teach them what they do not understand about time.
If he can succeed then he is free from the purgatory. The old man named Victor
Delamonte, is one of the richest men in the world. He suffers from a disease
which gives him only a little time left before he dies. Considering himself as an
important person, he cannot imagine the world without him in it. Therefore, he
decides to freeze himself cryonically and comeback in a couple hundred years
to live all life all over again. The girl named Sarah Lemon, is a teenage girl
who is alienated by the society because of her physical characteristics. Her
parents divorced when she was twelve years old. Since then, she lives with her
mother and grows up without her father’s love. Sarah Lemon wants to stop the
time by committing suicide after she finds out that the boy she loves does not
love her back.
B. Approach of the Study
In order to get a good understanding about the study on literary works,
critical approaches are needed. Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971:
3) state that “a critical approach to literature necessitates an understanding of
its nature, function, and positive values. One must know what literature is, how
to read it, and how to judge it.”
There are some critical approaches to literature. In this study, the
critical approach that is used is Psychological Approach. David Daiches (1981:
330) says that “the use of psychology in criticism is, like the use of sociology,
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genetic: it helps us to explain how literature comes into being.” He also adds
that psychology can be used to examine the characters’ behaviours in literary
works.
We can look at the behavior of characters in a novel or a play in the
light of modern psychological knowledge and, if their behavior
confirms what we know about the subtleties of the human mind, we can
use modern theories as a means of elucidating and interpreting the work
(Daiches, 1981: 337).
In relation to the explanation above, there are many aspects of
psychology that can be applied in literary works. Among those aspects, the
study on one’s personality has received more attention over the years.
Elizabeth B. Hurlock quotes Gordon W. Allport’s definition of personality in
which he states that “personality is the dynamic organization within the
individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic
behavior and thought.” (1974: 7) In the study on personality, many experts
have argued that self-concept has an important role in shaping one’s
personality. Hurlock notes that “the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called ‘concept of self.’” (1974: 20)
C. Method of the Study
This study uses library research as the method of the study. Robert Dees
(2003: 15) states that “library research is done in order to get a good
understanding about the subject of the study and to know what other
researchers have said or written about it.”
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There are several sources used in conducting this study. The primary
source is the literary work itself, that is Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. The
secondary sources are some books, such as two books on Psychology, entitling
The Adolescent: Development, Relationships, and Culture and Personality
Development, which are written by F. Philip Rice and Elizabeth B. Hurlock.
These two books include several theories on adolescence and self-concept
which are important in aswering the problems of this study.
Several steps were taken in the analysis. The first step was reading the
literary work carefully in order to understand the story and determining the
topic of the study: a study on Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent. The
second step was
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A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
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A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2014
ii
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
Approved by
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
Advisor
August 11, 2014
Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.
Co-Advisor
August 11, 2014
iii
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A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
By
CYNTHIA LAURENSIA
Student Number: 104214012
Defended before the Board of Examiners
on August 29, 2014
and Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name
Signature
Chairperson
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
____________
Secretary
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D
____________
Member 1
: Dra. A. B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D
____________
Member 2
: Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
____________
Member 3
: Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum.
____________
Yogyakarta, August 29, 2014
Faculty of Letters
Sanata Dharma University
Dean
Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A.
iv
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text of the undergraduate thesis.
Yogyakarta, August 11, 2014
Cynthia Laurensia
v
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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma
Nama
Nomor Mahasiswa
: Cynthia Laurensia
: 104214012
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul
A STUDY ON SARAH LEMON’S SELF-CONCEPT AS AN
ADOLESCENT IN MITCH ALBOM’S THE TIME KEEPER
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan
data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau
media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya
maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya
sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal 11 Agustus 2014
Yang menyatakan,
Cynthia Laurensia
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There are only two ways to live your life. One is as
though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle
-Albert Einstein-
We often borrow from our tomorrows to pay our debts to
our yesterdays
-Kahlil Gibran-
It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is
supposed to be
-Mitch Albom-
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For
The Mighty God
&
My Family
viii
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Most of all, I praise God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Mother
for the life, blessings, and miracles that are given to me. I thank for the great
understanding and guidance whenever I lost my way. I would also like to thank
my big family—Mam, Pap, Ko Albert, Ci Irin, Epin, Epon, and all my relatives—
for their support both financially and emotionally throughout my study.
I cannot but express my deepest gratitude to Dr. F.X. Siswadi, M.A., my
thesis advisor, for his time, patience, motivation, and knowledge during the thesis
preparation. Also, I wish to sincerely thank my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan
Wijanarka, M.Hum., for his criticism and willingness to correct my thesis. To my
academic advisors, Modesta Luluk Artika Windrasti, S.S and Anna Fitriati, S.Pd.,
M.Hum., as well as all the lecturers and staff, who helped and taught me during
my study in Sanata Dharma University. I am greatly indebted to Miss Arina, who
gave me the opportunity to develop myself by being her assistant and tutor.
My sincere thanks also go to all the staff in WR III, for offering me the
Konkuk Summer Program 2012 and letting me experience new knowledge and
different environment. To my Konkuk fellows, I am thankful for the great time we
spent together in both Korea and Indonesia.
Finally, but not least, I am tempted to individually thank all my beloved
friends in Sanata Dharma University—KKN 14, Sexeh Gela, Class A 2010—for
the wonderful memories throughout the four years. Those are the best moments in
my life.
Cynthia Laurensia.
ix
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ...................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .........................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...................................................................
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ...............................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PUBLIKASI .........................................
MOTTO PAGE .................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE ......................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................
ABSTRACT .......................................................................................
ABSTRAK ..........................................................................................
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .....................................................
A. Background of the Study ..................................................
B. Problem Formulation .........................................................
C. Objectives of the Study .....................................................
D. Definition of Terms ...........................................................
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CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................
A. Review of Related Studies ................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ..............................................
C. Theoretical Framework ......................................................
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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................
A. Object of the Study ...........................................................
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................
C. Method of the Study .........................................................
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CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS .............................................................
A. The Characterization of Sarah Lemon ..............................
1. Inadequate ...................................................................
2. Inferior ........................................................................
3. Pathetic .......................................................................
B. The Reflection of Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept .............
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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION .......................................................
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................
APPENDIX ........................................................................................
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ABSTRACT
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an
Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
This study discusses the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an adolescent in
one of Mitch Albom’s novels entitled The Time Keeper. There are three main
characters that can be found in the novel. However, this study focuses only on one
of the main characters. The novel tells about a teenage girl named Sarah Lemon
who is kind of an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome
and popular boy named Ethan takes an interest in her or so she thinks. When he
breaks her heart, she is devastated that she decides to commit suicide.
There are two problems formulated in this study. The first is about the
characteristics of Sarah Lemon and the second is about the reflection of Sarah
Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent through her characteristics.
This study uses library research as the method of the study. It is because
the data needed in conducting this study is taken from printed sources. The critical
approach that is used is Psychological Approach since the focus of this study is on
the self-concept in which it is a part of the study on personality.
The result of the analysis is divided into two parts, according to the
problems formulated. In the novel, there are some characteristics of Sarah Lemon
which are prominent—inadequate, inferior, and pathetic. Having unattractive
physical characteristics and being one of the brightest students in her school,
Sarah Lemon is considered as inadequate to socialize with her peers. This causes
her to become inferior in her school. Because she is socially ostracized, Sarah
Lemon has never experienced a feeling to be accepted. She turns to be a pathetic
girl when she meets a handsome and popular boy named Ethan at a homeless
shelter. He is the one who wants to talk to her and be her only friend. However, it
turns out that he is just playing on her. Through the characteristics of Sarah
Lemon above, the reflection of her self-concept as an adolescent is presented. It
appears that her qualities as being inadequate, inferior, and pathetic, classify her
self-concept into the social self-concept. As an adolescent, Sarah Lemon relies on
her peers in attaining her self-evaluation. She considers their opinion as the one
that she should believe. Because she is constantly told as being inadequate—too
fat, too smart, and too weird—to be a part of the social group, she gradually thinks
of herself in the same way. In the novel, Sarah Lemon suffers from discrimination
that is done by the peers in her school. Being treated as an outcast, she obtains her
self-concept as an inferior girl. Furthermore, it appears that Sarah Lemon is
viewed as a pathetic girl when she chases after a handsome and popular boy like
Ethan. Once again, she attains her self-concept as a pathetic girl by taking the
opinion of the peers in her school.
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ABSTRAK
LAURENSIA, CYNTHIA. A Study on Sarah Lemon’s Self-Concept as an
Adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. Yogyakarta: Department of
English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2014.
Studi ini membahas konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja
dalam salah satu novel Mitch Albom yang berjudul The Time Keeper. Ada tiga
karakter utama yang dapat ditemukan dalam novel tersebut. Namun, studi ini
fokus hanya pada salah satunya. Novel tersebut berkisah tentang seorang gadis
remaja bernama Sarah Lemon yang merupakan gadis terbuang karena ia dianggap
terlalu gemuk dan terlalu pintar. Seorang pemuda tampan dan populer bernama
Ethan tertarik padanya atau begitulah yang ia pikirkan. Ketika Ethan melukai
hatinya, ia begitu hancur sehingga ia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri.
Ada dua masalah yang dirumuskan dalam studi ini. Pertama adalah
gambaran mengenai karakteristik Sarah Lemon dan kedua adalah refleksi dari
konsep diri Sarah Lemon sebagai seorang remaja melalui karakteristiknya.
Studi ini menggunakan studi kepustakaan sebagai metode penelitian
karena data yang diperlukan diambil dari sumber tercetak. Pendekatan yang
digunakan adalah pendekatan Psikologis karena studi ini berfokus pada konsep
diri yang merupakan bagian dari studi kepribadian.
Hasil analisis dibagi menjadi dua, sesuai dengan perumusan masalah.
Dalam novel, ada beberapa karakteristik Sarah Lemon yang menonjol—tidak
memadai, inferior, dan menyedihkan. Karena memiliki fisik yang tidak menarik
sekaligus menjadi salah satu siswa terbaik di sekolahnya, Sarah Lemon dianggap
tidak memadai untuk bersosialisasi dengan rekan-rekannya. Hal ini menyebabkan
dia menjadi inferior di sekolahnya. Karena ia dikucilkan secara sosial, Sarah
Lemon belum pernah merasa diterima oleh orang-orang sekitarnya. Ia menjadi
gadis yang menyedihkan ketika ia bertemu seorang pemuda tampan dan populer
bernama Ethan di sebuah tempat penampungan tunawisma. Ethan adalah satusatunya orang yang ingin berbicara dengannya dan menjadi temannya. Namun,
Ethan ternyata hanya mempermainkan dirinya. Melalui karakteristik-karakteristik
Sarah Lemon tersebut, refleksi dari konsep dirinya sebagai seorang remaja
diperlihatkan. Kualitas dirinya yang tidak memadai, inferior, dan menyedihkan,
mengklasifikasikan konsep dirinya ke dalam konsep diri sosial. Sebagai seorang
remaja, Sarah Lemon bergantung pada rekan-rekannya dalam mencapai evaluasi
dirinya. Ia menganggap pendapat mereka sebagai satu-satunya yang harus ia
percaya. Karena mereka terus-menerus mengatakan dirinya tidak memadai—
terlalu gemuk, terlalu pintar, dan terlalu aneh—untuk menjadi bagian dari mereka,
ia secara bertahap melihat dirinya dengan cara yang sama. Dalam novel, Sarah
Lemon didiskriminasi oleh rekan-rekan di sekolahnya. Diperlakukan sebagai
orang buangan, ia memperoleh konsep dirinya sebagai seorang gadis inferior. Di
samping itu, Sarah Lemon dipandang sebagai gadis yang menyedihkan ketika ia
mengejar seorang pemuda tampan dan populer seperti Ethan. Sekali lagi, ia
mencapai konsep dirinya sebagai seorang gadis yang menyedihkan dengan
mengambil pendapat dari rekan-rekan di sekolahnya.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Human beings, just like other creatures, constantly grow throughout
their lives. However, the growth process of human beings is different from the
other creatures. When a human grows, he undergoes both physical and
psychological changes. This is different from the growth process of the other
creatures, such as animals, which includes only physical changes. This is
definitely one of the traits that makes human beings ‘special’ compared to the
other creatures.
For years, many experts have tried to classify the stages of human
growth. Ultimately, the stages of human growth have successfully been
classified into three stages: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Each of
these stages has its own characteristics which contribute to human personality.
Among these three stages, however, the most significant stage in human
personality is adolescence. Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1973: 2) defines the stage of
adolescence as “a period of transition when the individual changes physically
and psychologically from a child to an adult.” During the stage of adolescence,
a set of rapid physical and psychological changes occurs. In terms of physical
changes, an adolescent experiences puberty in which physical changes related
to sexual maturation are taking place: those years during which the mature
primary and secondary sexual characteristics develop (Rice, 1996: 4). For
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instance, the breasts and the hips of a teenage girl start to develop and she has
her first menstruation. In a teenage boy’s case, his Adam’s apple starts to
develop and his voice cracks. Also, puberty in boys is characterized by the
rapid increase of their heights. Furthermore, an adolescent also undergoes a
psychological transition from childhood to adulthood. He tries to seek his
identity by discovering new things and experiences. This process often causes
some issues, such as identity crisis, if the adolescent is not guided by adults.
It has been fascinating for psychologists to study about adolescent.
Many psychologists around the world have conducted researches in adolescent
in their society. There are some similarities in the study on adolescent around
the world. One of them is that the characteristics of adolescent seem to remain
the same for the past years. In America, for instance, the study on how
adolescents view and react to their problems has been an interesting subject for
American psychologists. Preceding psychologists have concluded that
American adolescents tend to have some problems in which they want people
to like them better and want to feel important to society (Powell, 1963: 3). This
characteristic of American adolescents, in fact, can contribute to the forming of
their personalities.
Over the last few decades, many psychologists have proposed theories
on adolescent’s personality. These theories are important in order to understand
adolescent’s attitudes and behaviors, along with the reasons of the emergence
of those attitudes and behaviors. Hurlock, in her discussion about adolescent’s
personality, states that the core of the personality is the concept the individual
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has of himself as a person. It is a composite of the thoughts and feelings which
constitute a person’s awareness of his individual existence, his conception of
who and what he is (1973: 324). The study on adolescent’s self-concept has
received more attention over the years since it is directly related to adolescent’s
personality.
Literature, on the other hand, cannot be separated from human life
experience, considering that literature represents almost everything that
humans face in the real world. John Reichert (1977: x) notes that the forms of
literature are the forms of life. People make sense of a character, a dialogue, a
plot, as they make sense of each other and of their lives, and the shapes of their
experience take provide the shapes of literature and give them their only value.
There are many aspects of human life experience which can be taken as
an interesting theme of a literary work. The representation of human life, for
instance, can be found in an American novel entitled The Time Keeper which is
written by Mitch Albom. Albom has been interested in writing a novel about
time, about how human beings spend their time and how they are obsessed
with time. According to him, the idea of writing the novel has been with him
throughout most of the books that he has written; like going back with
Tuesdays with Morrie, getting another day back in For One More Day, and
how people spend their time on Earth in Five People You Meet in Heaven
(mitchalbom.com, 2012).
There are three main characters in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper.
One of the characters is basically Albom’s first teenage character. It is the first
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time he ever writes about a teenager, especially a teenage girl, since he has
always written about an old man. In writing the novel, he is inspired by his
nieces; he had been attentively observing the way they talk, the way they text,
and what is important to them. He also discovers that what happens to the
character of Sarah Lemon is something that happens way more often than
American people like to think of their country. Based on this, the
representation of human growth in adolescence stage can be seen through the
character of Sarah Lemon. Sarah Lemon, a seventeen-year-old girl, is kind of
an outcast. She is considered as too fat and too smart. A handsome and popular
boy named Ethan, takes an interest in her or so she thinks. She is devastated
when he breaks her heart by rejecting her gift and confession. Then, she sends
him a message on Facebook to clear things up. When pulling up his page, she
finds out that Ethan is just playing on her. She is hurt by the fact that Ethan
does not love her back that she wants to kill herself.
Based on the explanation above, this study focuses on the character of
Sarah Lemon. The background of this study is influenced by a comment of a
staff reporter of Neon Tommy: Annenberg Digital News, Laura Santana. In her
review of the novel, she argues that:
She (Sarah Lemon) is an outcast because she is a science whiz.
Everyone at school is mean to Sarah because her eyes are ‘too far
apart,’ her wavy hair is ‘dry,’ and her ‘flesh’ is ‘doughy.’ Sarah’s father
does not speak to her and her mother does not have a clue how to talk to
her. Sarah is an ugly loner who nobody likes (neontommy.com, October
8, 2012).
From the comment above, a picture of how the society treats Sarah
Lemon is presented. By this, the writer is challenged to analyze how the
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society, particularly the peers in her school, influence Sarah Lemon’s selfconcept as an adolescent by examining her characteristics.
B. Problem Formulation
In conducting this study, some questions are needed to raise in order to
prevent the discussion from losing its direction. Considering the background of
the study which has been pointed out, there are two questions that can be
formulated in the following numbers.
1. What are the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in
Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper?
2. How do the characteristics of Sarah Lemon reflect her selfconcept as an adolescent in Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper?
C. Objectives of the Study
This study aims to examine the self-concept of Sarah Lemon as an
adolescent through her characteristics. There are two objectives that are
expected to be attained by conducting this study. The first objective is to find
out the characteristics of Sarah Lemon as described in the novel. This is
important in order to get a clear description about the character of Sarah
Lemon. The second objective is to identify how the characteristics reflect Sarah
Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent.
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D. Definition of Terms
Certain terms are often used in conducting a study. The terms
sometimes appear to be unfamiliar and therefore, can cause misunderstanding.
This study also uses some terms which may be unfamiliar for the readers.
Therefore, the writer provides some explanation to avoid misunderstanding in
certain terms used in this study. The explanation of the terms used can be
described as follows.
Adolescence
The word ‘adolescence’ comes from the Latin verb adolescere, which
means ‘to grow’ or ‘to grow to maturity.’ It is defined as a period of growth
between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is generally considered an
intermediate stage between childhood and adulthood (Rice, 1996: 3).
Self-Concept
Dov Peretz Elkins concludes Carl R. Rogers’ definition of self-concept
as the organization of the perceptions of the self. It is the self-concept which is
of significance in personality and behavior (1979: 17).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
In conducting a study, it is needed to consider some studies that have
previously been done by other researchers as the supporting materials. This
study also uses some other studies to enhance its discussion. There are three
studies reviewed in this study. All the studies reviewed belong to the students
of English Letters at Sanata Dharma University.
An undergraduate thesis that was done by Nani Arifianti (2009: xii)
entitling “A Study of Frankie’s Identity Formation in Her Adolescence as seen
in McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding,” discusses about the identity
formation of the character of Frankie in her adolescence. The reason of
choosing the topic is because the writer, Arifianti, agrees to most experts’
notion in which they argue that adolescence is the most important stage in
one’s life. In her study, Arifianti formulates three problems to be answered.
The first problem is the changes that are undergone by the character of Frankie
due to her adolescence. The second problem is how the character of Frankie
changes herself into F. Jasmine and what characteristics are different between
the two. The third problem is how the character of Frankie finally achieves her
self-identity. Based on her analysis, Arifianti draws a conclusion that the
character of Frankie undergoes some changes in physical growth, low selfesteem, desperation for sense of belonging, and questioning self-identity in her
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adolescence. Arifianti also concludes that the character of Frankie creates an
ideal-self to suit her new situation. Frankie finally achieves her self-identity
after experiencing some catharsis moments in her life.
Bintang Berlianti (2007: viii) in her undergraduate thesis entitling
“Edna Pontellier’s Self-Actualization in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: A
Psychological Study,” examines the self-actualization through the behavior of a
character named Edna. Berlianti is interested in choosing the topic because of
the vivid description of a woman’s feelings and intuition which is reflected
through the character of Edna. In her study, there are three problems
formulated. The first problem is the description of Edna Pontellier’s
characterization. The second problem is how the society where Edna lives is
described. The third problem is how the people in the society influence the
development of Edna’s effort toward self-actualization. In the end of her study,
Berlianti concludes that Edna has transformed from an ordinary housewife to
an Artist. The character of Edna deals with a process of actualizing her
potentialities, characteristics, and capabilities. Berlianti also adds that the
society plays some significant role in the process of Edna’s self-actualization
by awakening her desires for music, sexual satisfaction, art, and freedom.
Related to the second study, an undergraduate thesis that was done by
Imelda D. Isem (2006: ix) entitling “A Psychological Study of Maya’s Search
for Self-Identity in Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” also
describes a study of self, particularly self-identity, of both the character and the
author, Maya Angelou. The interesting development of the main character of
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the novel is the reason why the writer, Isem, chooses the novel as her object of
the study. She is also challenged to examine the novel as an autobiographical
fiction rather than just a pure autobiography by focusing on the main character
that is in the process of forming her identity. In her study, Isem formulates two
problems to be answered. The first problem is how Maya’s self-concept when
she is a teenager is different from her self-concept in her childhood. The
second problem is how Maya finally forms her identity as a Black woman in
the end of the story. Based on her analysis, Isem draws a conclusion that
Maya’s self-concept when she is a teenager is the development of her selfconcept in her childhood. She also adds that Maya finally decides to grow up
as a Black woman who has power, dignity, and pride in herself after gaining
some self-images and experiencing some significant events in her life. In the
end of her study, Isem concludes that Maya’s self-concept is always
developing and that she does not stop forming her identity.
Considering the three studies that have been reviewed, this study
discovers something new, that is about an adolescent’s self-concept. However,
having connected to the studies above, this study also discusses about the self.
Therefore, those studies can be used as references in conducting this study.
B. Review of Related Theories
Using some theories in conducting a study is a must, considering that a
study is a theoretical research. Therefore, the writer uses three theories to help
in answering the problems of the study. The first theory is theory on
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characterization which includes several ways to describe characters in literary
works. The second theory is theory on adolescence which includes the
description of adolescence stage, as well as the changes that occur in an
adolescent. The third theory is theory on self-concept which includes the
description of how the self-concept of an adolescent comes into being. The
following part is the elaboration of each theory.
1. Theory on Characterization
Character is one of the most important elements in literary works.
Character, along with other elements such as plot, setting, and theme,
contribute to build a story. M. H. Abrams (1993: 23) defines a character as the
person who is presented in a dramatic or narrative work. He is interpreted by
the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities
that are expressed in what he says—the dialogue—and what he does—the
action. An author often uses human traits in creating a character. As explained
by Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter (1989: 231), a character is the individual
which is portrayed in literature. It is the particular traits or characteristics of a
person that suggest his character—what makes him distinctive.
There are two classifications of character in a literary work; major and
minor characters. A major character usually takes part both directly and
indirectly in almost the entire story since the story itself focuses on him. In
contrast, a minor character is the other character who supports not only the
major character but also the story to make it complete. Based on this, a minor
character is also known as the supporting character (Abrams, 1993: 23).
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According to Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971: 20), the process
in creating a character is called characterization. M.J. Murphy (1972: 161-173)
provides several ways to describe a character in a literary work. This study,
however, applies only some of the ways stated below. This is because the
author of the novel The Time Keeper, Mitch Albom, uses only some of the
ways in describing his characters. The following part is the elaboration of each
way.
a. Personal description: The author builds the character by describing his or
her appearance and clothes.
b. Character as seen by another: The author describes the character through
another character’s eyes and opinions.
c. Speech: The author describes the character through what he or she says.
d. Past life: The author gives a clue about the character through his or her past
life.
e. Conversation of others: The author describes the character through the
conversations of other people and what they say about the character.
f. Reactions: The author gives the readers a clue about the character from his
or her reaction towards some situations and events that he or she faces.
g. Direct comment: The author describes or comments on a person’s
character directly.
h. Thoughts: The author gives the readers a direct knowledge of what the
character is thinking about.
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i. Mannerisms: The author describes the character through his or her
mannerisms and habits.
2. Theory on Adolescence
According to F. Philip Rice (1996: 3), adolescence is “a period of
growth between childhood and adulthood.” There are two periods of adolescent
development; early adolescence and middle or late adolescence. Early
adolescence is usually considered to be 11 to 14 years of age, and middle or
late adolescence is delineated as 15 to 19 years (1996: 5). In the discussion of
adolescence stage, Rice suggests that an adolescent undergoes some changes
which are classified into three parts: physical, psychological, and social
changes (1996: v).
Some physical changes which take place during the stage of
adolescence are marked by sexual maturation and physical growth. Sexual
maturation involves the maturation and functions of the male and female
organs, the development of secondary sexual characteristics. The physical
growth is one of the earliest and most obvious physical changes since it begins
in early adolescence. This growth is accompanied by an increase in height,
weight and changes in body proportion (Rice, 1996: 5). Regarding all the
physical changes, Rice suggests that an adolescent usually becomes more
concerned about his body image: physical attractiveness, body type, body
weight, and timing of his own development in relation to norms. In this sense,
body image has an important relationship to the adolescent’s positive self-
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evaluation, popularity, and peer acceptance (1996: 119). Furthermore, he also
adds that adolescents are affected profoundly by the images of ideal body
builds taught by their culture. Western culture, for example, overemphasizes
the slim, chic, well-proportioned feminine figure. If a girl does not have a slim
figure, she is likely to be ignored by boys and less likely to have dates (1996:
121).
Considering the occurence of psychological changes in an adolescent,
adolescence is often considered as the most difficult stage in one’s life. This is
because one’s personality is formed in his adolescence. Thus, some issues on
the adolescent’s personality may happen if he is not guided by the adults. Rice
quotes G. Stanley Hall’s notion in which he describes adolescence as “the
period corresponding to the time when the human race was in a turbulent,
transitional stage, a time of great ‘storm and stress.’” (1996: 29) Elizabeth B.
Hurlock (1974: 20-21) states that the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called the ‘concept of self,’ and an integrated system of
learned responses, called ‘traits.’ These are interrelated, with the core
influencing the traits, which are the individual’s characteristic methods of
adjustment to life situations. Practically speaking, the importance of the selfconcept stems from its influence over the quality of one’s behavior and his
methods of adjustment to life situations.
One also experiences some social changes in his adolescence. In this
sense, sexual maturation brings new feelings, the need for emotional
fulfillments and for emotional independence and emancipation from parents.
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Adolescents now turn to their peers to find the support formerly provided by
their families. Also, they are oriented toward their peers and rely on them for a
sense of self-worth. This is different from children who look to their parents for
fulfillment of their emotional needs and seek their praise, love, and tenderness
(Rice, 1996: 270-271).
3. Theory on Self-Concept
F. Philip Rice (1996: 182) defines the self-concept as the “conscious,
cognitive perception and evaluation by individuals of themselves; it is their
thoughts and opinions about themselves.” He also adds that self-concept
implies a developing awareness of who and what one is. It describes what
individuals see when they look at themselves, in terms of their self-perceived
physical characteristics, personality skills, traits, roles, and social statuses. It
might be described as the system of attitudes they have about themselves
(1996: 183). Richard G. Warga states that the self-concept develops through
experiences with other people, primarily through interpersonal relationships.
As a person develops, he has a strong need for warmth, for being accepted and
liked. If he get these indications, he begins to fill a secondary need, that of
positive self-regard. Bad social experiences, however, may lead to a negative
self-concept (1983: 23).
Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1974: 22-23) classifies four major categories
which relate to the physical as well as the psychological self-concepts. The
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four categories of self-concept are the basic, the transitory, the social, and the
ideal. Each of them is explained further in the following part.
a. The Basic Self-Concept
The basic self-concept is the person’s concept of what he really is. It
includes his perception of his appearance, his recognition of his abilities and
disabilities and of his role and status in life, and his values, beliefs, and
aspirations. The basic self-concept tends to be realistic. The person sees
himself as he really is, not as he would like to be. Sometimes the basic selfconcept is to the person’s liking. More often, it is not. The person finds flaws in
himself which he would like to change. Even when the treatment he receives
from others would seem to encourage greater self-acceptance, a person may
cling to his basic self-concept.
b. The Transitory Self-Concept
In addition to a basic self-concept, a person has a transitory selfconcept. This means that a person has a self-concept which he holds for a time
and then reliquishes. Transitory self-concepts may be favorable or unfavorable,
depending largely on the situation in which the person finds himself
momentarily. They are generally influenced by some passing mood or
emotional state or by a recent experience. They are transitory and unstable
because they lack the perspective found in the basic self-concept. People differ
in the frequency with which their behavior is quided and influenced by
transitory self-concepts. Some experience frequent and intense fluctuations
while others experience only slight and occasional shifts.
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c. The Social Self-Concept
The social self-concept is based on the way the individual believes
others perceive him, depending on their speech and actions. It is usually
referred to as a ‘mirror image.’ Social self-concepts may in time develop into
basic self-concepts if the person believes that he is as others see him. Since
social self-concepts derive from social interactions, whether the concepts will
be favorable or not depends on how the social group treats the individual.
People build up different social self-concepts, depending on the kinds of social
groups—home, peer, or community—with which they are most often
associated. The effect of the social self-concept on the behavior of the
individual will depend largely on how important the opinions of others are to
him at that time and on what person or persons are most influential in his life at
that time. In the stage of adolescence, the social self-concept is derived from
the opinions of the peer group as a whole—the ‘generalized others.’
d. The Ideal Self-Concept
The ideal self-concept is made up of perceptions of what a person
aspires to be and what he believes he ought to be. It may be related to the
physical self-image, the pyschological self-image, or both. It may be realistic in
the sense that it is within the reach of the person, or it may be so unrealistic that
it can never be achieved in real life. Almost everyone has an ideal self-concept
in addition to his basic and transitory self-concepts. Whether the ideal selfconcept is realistic or unrealistic is determined chiefly by whether the basic or
transitory self-concept dominates. A highly unrealistic ideal self-concept, for
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example, will increase a person’s dissatisfaction with his mirror images and
basic self-concept so much that he will become self-rejectant. This will have an
adverse effect on his behavior and on his personal and social adjustments.
Based on the elaboration of the theories above, the writer focuses on the
third classification of self-concept, that is the social self-concept, since the
focus of this study is to examine how the peers influence the character of Sarah
Lemon in obtaining her self-concept as an adolescent.
4. The Relation between Psychology and Literature
David Daiches (1981: 338) concludes that the function of literature is to
provide ‘a just and lively image of human nature.’ He also adds that the end of
literature is some kind of illumination of the human situation.
To get a better understanding about a literary work, one sometimes
needs to use other related disciplines. There are many related disciplines that
can be used in a literary work. One of the related disciplines that is often used
is psychology. As stated by Daiches (1981: 329) that “in explaining the nature
of a work of literary art, the critic is often led into psychology, into a
discussion of the state of mind out of which literary creation arises.” In relation
to the use of psychology in literary works, Rene Wellek and Austin Warren
classifies the psychology of literature into four parts.
By ‘psychology of literature’, we may mean the psychological study of
the writer, as type and as individual, or the study of the creative
process, or the study of the psychological types and laws present within
works of literature, or, finally, the effects of literature upon its readers
(audience psychology) (1977: 81).
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Concerning on the object of this study, the psychology of literature that
is used is the third type: the psychological aspects in the literary works. Wellek
and Warren describe this type.
There remains the question of ‘psychology’ in the works themselves.
Characters in plays and novels are judged by us to be ‘psychologically’
true. Situations are praised and plots accepted because of this same
quality. Sometimes, a psychological theory, held either consciously or
dimly by an author, seems to fit a figure or a situation (1977: 91).
Based on the quotation, it appears that psychology can be applied in
literary works. The characters in literary works which are the manifestations of
human in real life, have characteristics and traits that can be examined by using
theories of psychology.
C. Theoretical Review
Both the review of related studies and theories that have been explained
above contribute to solve the problems of the study. The review of related
studies functions as the comparison as well as the encouragement to develop
the study. Furthermore, the review of related theories is useful to solve the
problems of the study that are related to the study of Sarah Lemon’s
characteristics, as well as the reflection of Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an
adolescent through her characteristics. First, the theory on characterization is
used to identify the character of Sarah Lemon and how the characteristics
reflect her self-concept. Second, the theory on adolescence gives the notions
about the nature of an adolescent. Third, the theory on self-concept gives a
description about how one’s self-concept comes into being.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter is divided into three parts; the object of the study, the
approach of the study, and the method of the study. The object of the study
includes the description of the object used in this study which is the literary
work itself. The approach of the study includes the approach that is used in
analyzing the literary work and the reason why the approach is used. The
method of the study includes the procedure that is taken in analyzing the
literary work.
A. Object of the Study
This study is conducted by choosing a novel which is written by Mitch
Albom as the object of the study. The novel which is entitled The Time Keeper,
is published in 2012 by HarperCollins. This first-edition novel consists of 224
pages which is divided into 12 chapters.
Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper is a novel which tells about a fable of
the first person on Earth to ever begin to count time. The person, named Dor,
becomes so infatuated with counting time that he forgets to live his life.
Ultimately, he is punished for trying to count time. His punishment is that he
has to live in a cave for eternity and listen to all the voices of all the people
who come after complaining about time, the thing that he invented. He is there
until he seems to learn his lesson about what the true meaning of time is and is
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given the opportunity to return to Earth with an hourglass. His job is to find a
girl and an old man and to teach them what they do not understand about time.
If he can succeed then he is free from the purgatory. The old man named Victor
Delamonte, is one of the richest men in the world. He suffers from a disease
which gives him only a little time left before he dies. Considering himself as an
important person, he cannot imagine the world without him in it. Therefore, he
decides to freeze himself cryonically and comeback in a couple hundred years
to live all life all over again. The girl named Sarah Lemon, is a teenage girl
who is alienated by the society because of her physical characteristics. Her
parents divorced when she was twelve years old. Since then, she lives with her
mother and grows up without her father’s love. Sarah Lemon wants to stop the
time by committing suicide after she finds out that the boy she loves does not
love her back.
B. Approach of the Study
In order to get a good understanding about the study on literary works,
critical approaches are needed. Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods (1971:
3) state that “a critical approach to literature necessitates an understanding of
its nature, function, and positive values. One must know what literature is, how
to read it, and how to judge it.”
There are some critical approaches to literature. In this study, the
critical approach that is used is Psychological Approach. David Daiches (1981:
330) says that “the use of psychology in criticism is, like the use of sociology,
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genetic: it helps us to explain how literature comes into being.” He also adds
that psychology can be used to examine the characters’ behaviours in literary
works.
We can look at the behavior of characters in a novel or a play in the
light of modern psychological knowledge and, if their behavior
confirms what we know about the subtleties of the human mind, we can
use modern theories as a means of elucidating and interpreting the work
(Daiches, 1981: 337).
In relation to the explanation above, there are many aspects of
psychology that can be applied in literary works. Among those aspects, the
study on one’s personality has received more attention over the years.
Elizabeth B. Hurlock quotes Gordon W. Allport’s definition of personality in
which he states that “personality is the dynamic organization within the
individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic
behavior and thought.” (1974: 7) In the study on personality, many experts
have argued that self-concept has an important role in shaping one’s
personality. Hurlock notes that “the personality pattern is composed of a core
or center of gravity, called ‘concept of self.’” (1974: 20)
C. Method of the Study
This study uses library research as the method of the study. Robert Dees
(2003: 15) states that “library research is done in order to get a good
understanding about the subject of the study and to know what other
researchers have said or written about it.”
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There are several sources used in conducting this study. The primary
source is the literary work itself, that is Mitch Albom’s The Time Keeper. The
secondary sources are some books, such as two books on Psychology, entitling
The Adolescent: Development, Relationships, and Culture and Personality
Development, which are written by F. Philip Rice and Elizabeth B. Hurlock.
These two books include several theories on adolescence and self-concept
which are important in aswering the problems of this study.
Several steps were taken in the analysis. The first step was reading the
literary work carefully in order to understand the story and determining the
topic of the study: a study on Sarah Lemon’s self-concept as an adolescent. The
second step was