26 is significant because this could help to understand deeply every character since
the main topic of this study relates with both of them. Their qualities influence their relationship and the way Benetto expresses his lost love.
1. The Description of Charles Benetto
To find o ut Charles Benetto’s characteristics, some of Murphy’s
characterizations are employed. As a round character, some of his qualities change due to an encounter with his mother, especially his bad characters. In the novel,
Charles Benetto is described as:
a. Indifferent
Charles Benetto is considered as indifferent or uncaring especially to his own mother. He never really cares his mother’s feeling. At a family dinner,
Charley, as he is called, says that his mother’s cooking is bad just because his father does not like his mother’s cooking. Charley’s mother has tried ten different
ways to make the cooking good and it is still not right for the father Albom 54. Charley always wants to be at his father side, no matter it is right or wrong.
When Charley and Roberta, Charley’s sister, walk home, their mother suddenly appears with her car. That afternoon, Charley realizes that there is
something wrong with his mother. Below the eye lids looks black and she keeps clearing her throat. She is not wearing her nursing whites. When Charley looks at
her, she looks lost. She wants to buy ice cream for them but Charley refuses it by making an excuse that he cannot skip his baseball practice. He does not
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
27 understand her mother’s willingness to be around her kids in her bad time. He gets
out of the car and leaves his mother and sister Albom 83. He is angry to find that his mother is the only divorced woman around and
he is uncomfortable with her womanly figure. He wants his mother to do like other mothers, wearing housedresses, making scrapbooks and baking brownies.
He does not appreciate what has his mother done for her that she has to work in a beauty parlor thus she has to dress right as a beautician. He never looks for how
much his mother works hard for him by ignoring her. He gets embarrassed by his mother. He pushes his mother away Albom 89. By considering his speech when
he is commenting about his mother’s cook, his comment on his mother’s job and her way of dressing and his manner of rejection at the time his mother needs her
children to be around, Charley is considered as indifferent. His uncaring of his mother’s situation is showed clearly. His quality as an indifferent child changes
into a caring one after he meets his mother. He listens to every story told by his mother Albom 70-73. This situation never happens before. When he wants to
give up facing his troubles of life, his mother tells him not to give up Albom 187. He does what his mother tells him to do.
b. Cowardly
