Becky admits to actually knowing very little about personal finance as she is thousands of pounds in debt as is evidenced by a run through of her Visa
card bill. She becomes deeper in debt by uncontrollably spending on designer homeware, clothes and beauty products. Even as she is thousands of pounds in
debt, Becky still receives letters offering her credit and department store cards. She often rationalises her overspending, for instance by referring to items as an
investment or necessary. Unfortunately for Becky, she considers things such as birthday presents for her friends as necessary.
With people having to cut back, Becky decides to throw a surprise party for Luke to cheer everyone up. She control her hobby, eventhough it’s too
difficult for her to do it.
3.2 The surprise party for Luke
When Becky along with her husband Luke Brandon, they wants to buy a home of their own, so that they do not have to live with Beckys parents anymore.
They also face the problem of their young daughter, Minnie. She has already been banned from four different Christmas grottos because of her naughty behaviour.
Minnies inability to behave properly gives Luke doubts about having a second child. He tells Becky that they are already having trouble controlling Minnie and
is unable to even contemplate having another child. The deal on house 4 has fallen through, when suddenly there’s a huge nationwide financial crisis.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
“Either the vendor didn’t really want to sell house 3, or they suddenly demanded loads more money house 1, or the house
didn’t actually belong to them but to their uncle in Spain and it was all a scam house 4, or it burned down house 2. I’d
started to think we were jinxed, and then Luke said maybe we should wait till the Arcodas business was over.” Mini
Shopaholic
, p.23 With people having to cut back, Becky decides to throw a surprise party
for Luke to cheer everyone up. But when costs start to spiral out of control, she must decide whether to accept help from an unexpected source—and therefore run
the risk of hurting the person she loves. Becky is also trying to plan a surprise birthday party for Luke, without spending any money.
In addition to the difficulties of raising Minnie. She doesnt want to tell him because hes dealing with both Minnies misbehavior and the fact that
Brandon Communications reputation was ruined by Iain Walker, the CEO of the Arcodas Group. In spite of the photos as evidence to prove Arcades wrongdoing,
Luke refuses Beckys request to take them to court and have them sued for Poaching a Clients reputation. In her efforts to keep it a secret from him, Becky
encounters several obstacles. At first, her family and friends doubt her ability to keep such a colossal secret. Becky also faces the financial problem of throwing a
grand party and must deal with Elinor, Lukes biological mother. Elinor wants to get to know her granddaughter, Minnie, but Becky refuses to let her be a part of
her life. She has banned Elinor for the way she has treated Luke, his stepmother, Annabel and especially her. She keeps the encounters with her a secret from her
family and friends as she and Luke dont get along with her. Becky expressly
Universitas Sumatera Utara
misses Annabel whom was more of a real mother to Luke than Elinor, and thus she liked her more.
When Becky is about to give up on the party, Elinor steps in saying she will give her son Luke an unconditional gift, the kind his real mother would
have made. Becky is stunned by her offer but accepts the financial offer, so that Luke will have his surprise party after all. Elinor reconciles with her and tells her
that she knows why Minnies been behaving badly. She was spoiled by her parents too much and she could do with a strict regime of discipline. Becky asks Luke to
reconsider about having a second child and he does. Finally she can be realized party for Luke with helping Elinor, her family, and her friends.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
4. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION
