Bill Macneil’s caring attitude is shown to his lover, Helma Graff. He does not want Helma feels hot during the summer. In Japan, especially in Tokyo the
sun in summer season can be as hot as hell. Bill nodded. “And if a Miss Helma Graf comes looking for me, ask her to
wait in my cabin, will you? And turn the fans on in there, please.” The captain saluted. “I’ll tell the steward to place a block of ice in front of
one of the fans, sir.” Seward, 2000: 16.
Based on the quotation above, it can be seen that Bill cares about Helma. He
wants Helma feels comfortable during her visit in his cabin since the weather in summer seems not too friendly for every one in Japan at that time.
Another Bill’s caring attitude is shown towards others although he does not know who they are. When Bill realizes that there is a woman who needs his
help, he feels glad to help her. The problem, Bill Macneil quickly realized, was that her audience did not
comprehend what she was trying to get across to them. Helma had the vocabulary, but her grammatical structures were shaky and her
pronunciation execrable. Seward, 2000: 20.
The quotation shows that Bill helps a woman who is having difficulties in
communicating with the Japanese. Bill helps that woman by translating her English into good Japanese. Later on, Bill knows her name is Helma Graf and she
will be his lover. Helma has Swiss citizenship and she is on a missionary act in Japan.
Bill Macneil can be described as a stubborn person. He insists to join the army although he has a bad ankle injury when Bill is practicing parachuting.
Helma’s expression sobered, alarm in her eyes. ‘If the wars starts,” Bill went on, “it’s certain I’ll join the army.”
“But they won’t take thee with that bad ankle,” she protested. “I won’t tell them.”
“No, no Thee must not go to war Oh, no.” Seward, 2000: 27. From the conversation between Bill Macneil and his lover Helma Graff above, it
shows that Bill is a stubborn person. Bill insists to join the army although he has a bad ankle. When Helma begs him to cancel his plan to join the army, but Bill
insists on joining the army as soon as the war starts. In general, Bill Macneil’s characteristics before he experienced World
War II can be described as a smart person, has a good sense of humor and caring towards other. Bill is also described as a stubborn person.
2. Characterization of Bill Macneil During and After He Experienced World War II.
Bill Macneil’s characteristics during and after he experienced World War II is quite different with his characteristic before the World War II. Bill Macneil’s
characteristics during and after he experienced World War II can be seen as below. Bill is described as a high tempered man. He can easily lose his temper
without any hesitation. It can be seen from his conversation with Captain David Spencer.
He said, “Have you read your mail yet? The letters are from your father and Helma Graf.”
“What the devil Did you read my mail? You have no Damned right to” Bill was furious. Seward, 2000: 43
The quotation above explains that Bill easily loses his temper towards David; he
just burst out his words without gives David a chance for further explanation. He thinks that David does not have the right to read others mail. Later on David
explains that at the war time like this that kind of action is excusable, to censoring mails from abroad. David also says that he does not read any of that mail.
Another conversation which leads into Bill’s anger is when he is asked a simple question by Major Hutton, a psychologist, during Bill’s psychological test
before he enters the army. “You were born in a foreign country-which whom we are now at war. We
have to be careful in deciding where to use you in our war effort.” Major Hutton said.
“Why?” “I’ll ask the questions, Macneil, You just sit there and answer them.”
“Screw that”
“Pardon my language, Major, but fuck that. If I have questions to ask, I’ll damned well ask them.” Seward, 2000: 71.
Based on quotation above, it can be clearly seen that Bill has a problem dealing
with his temper. He often uses dirty words to show his emotions. The Major is just curious about Bill’s position, whether Bill will choose America or Japan.
When the Major tries to ask it, suddenly Bill loses his temper. Another quotation that shows Bill can easily lose his temper can be seen in
his conversation between him and an infantry captain. “Hey, Macneil, I hear you got a little Nip girlfriend on Radio Tokyo.”
Stung, Macneil turned on the infantry captain. “Listen, you son of a bitch. The woman you’re talking about is a Caucasian. She’s a Swiss neutral.
And she’s not my girlfriend. I had a couple dates with her in the summer of 1941, that’s all. And I’m not even sure this so-called Little Orphan
Annie is the same person.” Seward, 2000: 128.
From the quotation above, it is clearly seen that Bill loses his temper when his
friend making fun of him. His friend is just asking about the rumor about the relationship between Bill and the announcer on Radio Tokyo, Little Orphan Annie.
Bill actually knows that Little Orphan Annie is Helma Graf, his lover, but he PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
pretends not to know her. He feels uncertain about his relationship with Helma and he does not want anyone know about it. The only way to hide it is by denying
the rumor and he always loses his temper when anyone talks about it. Bill Macneil is also described as a person with full of hatred and
vengeance. It can be seen through the conversation between him and Captain David Spencer.
“You’ll lead a team of translators and interpreters in the Pacific.” Macneil brided. “Why go to paratroop school to sit at a desk and translate
documents? That’s not how I want to fight the goddamned Japanese.” Seward, 2000: 48.
Macneil was silent for a moment. I hate them all right-for something that they did in Nanking-“ Seward, 2000: 49.
The quotation above shows that Bill has a certain amount of dislike towards the
Japanese. He decides to join the army in order to kill as many Japanese as he could. Bill starts to hate the Japanese after the Nanking tragedy. Bill has a
Christmas vacation with Mark Wood’s sister named Ellen Wood. At that time the Chinese are having a war against Japanese and the Chinese are in the losing side.
Chinese soldiers who surrender are being massacred. The Chinese are being lined up by the Japanese on the Yangtze River which is located near the Woods’ house
and then the Japanese machine guns open up against the Chinese soldiers. The other Japanese soldiers search for women and rape them. Ellen feels terrified and
she thinks that she must get out of Nanking. Ellen leaves the Woods’ house and a few days later she is found bruised and nearly naked. She never speaks again and
she has to live in mental institution in New Hampshire Seward, 2000: 74-75. Bill Macneil’s hatred towards the Japanese can be seen from Helma’s
point of view. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Another cause of concern about Ship was that he was becoming more outspoken in his support of the United States in the present conflict. He
held an American passport and his brother Bill was extremely anti- Japanese, so that was expected, but after all, they were living in Japan, and
Ship-unlike his brother Bill-was half-Japanese. Seward, 2000: 62
From Helma’s point of view, it is clearly seen that Bill is extremely anti-Japanese.
At first, Helma does not know the reason between Bill’s hatred towards the Japanese, but after she finds out about the Nanking tragedy, she finally
understands the reason why Bill hates the Japanese so much. Helma can not justify that reason, because according to her, every human should love each other
and there is not such a thing named hatred. Another example that shows Bill Macneil’s hatred towards Japanese can
be seen from David Spencer’s conversation. “Honda looks like a good man, Bill,” Spencer told him later.
“He’s tough and he has a good grip of the language and he hates the Japanese as much as you do. I’m going to try to get him appointed to your
team. Seward, 2000: 77.
The quotation illustrates how Bill Macneil hates the Japanese and he is not alone.
There is a Japanese American named Slats Honda who hates the Japanese as much as Bill does.
Four months is combat had only increased Macneil’s dislike of the Japanese. Slats Honda seemed to hold even more hatred for the gooks, as
he called them, than his superior. They had both witnessed many Japanese atrocities. Seward, 2000: 113.
From quotation above shows that Bill’s hatred towards the Japanese is increasing
after four months in the war. During his several months in war, Bill hears the news that Sarah becomes the protégée of a high rank Japanese officer. Bill also
sees his fellow compatriot is hung in a tree and the body has been used for PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
