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ABSTRACT

Taju, Maria Stephani (2012). The Motivation behind Child Abuses in

Brisco’s Ugly. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program,

Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis studies child abuses theme from Constance Briscoe’s Ugly.

This theme can be relevant to some recurring cases that happen in real life and therefore is expected to reflect and explain the reasons behind this very act. The writer opts to have the kinds of abuses and motivations of the perpetrators of child abuse as the central attention and intends to reveal what can possibly generate their abusive actions toward Clare, the main character in Briscoe’s Ugly.

The problems formulated in this thesis are (1) how Carmen, Eastman and Georgie are described in Briscoe’s Ugly, (2) what kinds of abuses Carmen, Eastman and Georgie have done to Clare and (3) what motivates Carmen, Eastman and Georgie to abuse Clare.

This study applied psychological approach to solve all three problems formulated. The first was solved by the theory of character and characterization in order to reveal Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s characters in the novel. Meanwhile, the second was solved by the theory of child abuse in which it provides the types of abusive action performed by Carmen, Eastman and Georgie. The last problem was solved by the theory of motivation that, when discussed with the first and second questions, uncover Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s motivations in performing the abuses.

The result of the study on Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s characters yields findings that (1) Carmen’s characters are beautiful and stylish, bad-tempered and cruel, unfair, stingy and greedy, and self-centered; (2) Eastman’s characters are fatuous, cruel, stingy, and improper; (3) Georgie’s characters are funny, easy-going, and improper. Those characters are revealed through Murphy’s nine ways of characterization. The second findings explain in detail kinds of abuses performed by Carmen, Eastman and Georgie toward Clare by means of child abuse theory. There are four kinds of abuses performed by the perpetrators, namely physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. The third findings, to answer the third problem, discuss what motivates the perpetrator to act out those abuses. The discussion on the third findings applies the theory of motivation, which divides motivation into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The first and the second findings are taken into account to answer the third problem since the intrinsic motivation is closely related to personal behavior and character.

The first suggestion derived from this study is an offer to study Clare’s relationship with her other siblings, or the influence of Miss K’s appearance in Clare’s life development, or the grammatical mistake patterns in Eastman’s direct speech. The second suggestion is an offer of teaching material for Basic Reading II developed from Briscoe’s Ugly’ excerpts.

ABSTRAK

Taju, Maria Stephani (2012). The Motivation behind Child Abuses in

Brisco’s Ugly. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan

Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma. 

Skripsi ini mempelajari tema pelecehan terhadap anak yang diangkat dari novel Ugly karya Constance Briscoe. Tema ini dapat ditemukan dalam kasus yang sering terjadi di kehidupan nyata sehingga diharapkan dapat menjadi cerminan dan menjelaskan alasan dibalik kasus-kasus pelecehan anak. Penulis memilih jenis-jenis pelecehan terhadap anak dan motivasi para pelakunya sebagai pusat pembahasan dalam studi ini, dengan tujuan untuk mengungkapkan hal-hal yang memunculkan tindakan pelecehan terhadap Clare, karakter utama dalam novel Ugly karangan Briscoe.

Rumusan permasalahan dalam skripsi ini adalah (1) bagaimana Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie dideskripsikan dalam novel Ugly karya Briscoe, (2) jenis pelecehan apa saja yang dilakukan Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie terhadap Clare dan (3) apa yang memotivasi Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie untuk melecehkan Clare.

Studi ini mengaplikasikan pendekatan psikologis untuk menjawab ketiga permasalahan yang dirumuskan diatas. Permasalahan pertama dipecahkan dengan teori karakter dan penokohan yang bertujuan untuk menyingkap karakter Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie. Sementara itu, permasalahan kedua dijawab dengan menggunakan teori pelecehan terhadap anak, yang mengupas jenis-jenis pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie. Permasalahan terakhir dipecahkan dengan teori motivasi yang ketika dibahas bersama dengan permasalahan pertama dan kedua dapat mengungkapkan motivasi Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie untuk melakukan pelecehan.

Studi tentang karakter Carmen, Eastman and Georgie menghasilkan temuan-temuan sebagai berikut (1) karakter Carmen adalah cantik dan modis, pemarah dan kejam, tidak adil, pelit dan rakus, dan egois; (2) karakter Eastman adalah bodoh, kejam, pelit, dan tidak sopan; (3) karakter Georgie adalah lucu, ringan tangan, dan tidak sopan. Karakter-karakter tersebut dapat disingkap melalui sembilan cara penokohan yang dirumuskan oleh Murphy. Temuan kedua merinci jenis-jenis pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie terhadap Clare dengan menggunakan teori pelecehan terhadap anak. Ada empat macam pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh para pelaku, yaitu pelecehan fisik, pelecehan psikologis, pelecehan sexual dan pengabaian. Temuan ketiga, untuk menjawab permasalahan ketiga, membahas hal yang memotivasi pelaku untuk melakukan pelecehan. Pembahasan tentang temuan ketiga mengaplikasi teori motivasi, yang membagi motivasi menjadi motivasi intrinsic dan motivasi

extrinsic. Temuan-temuan pertama dan kedua juga dibahas untuk menjawab

Saran pertama yang dapat dikembangkan dari studi ini adalah tawaran untuk meneliti tentang hubungan Clare dengan saudara-saudaranya, atau pengaruh kemunculan Miss K dalam perkembangan hidup Clare, atau pola kesalahan tata bahasa dalam kalimat langsung yang diucapkan Eastman. Saran kedua adalah materi yang ditawarkan untuk mengajar Basic Reading II yang dikembangkan dari penggalan cerita dalam novel Ugly.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My highest praise and deepest gratitude go to the Almighty God, Jesus

Christ who shows me His miracle over miracle along my life. I am really

thankful for the life He has granted me and for every event that shapes me throughout my life. I also thank Him for my splendid family and friends that He sends me as the best gifts in my days. It is His love that nurtures me to this step when I have chance to finish my undergraduate thesis.

I would like to express the big thank you to my beloved parents, Stefanus

Hendri Taju and Caroline Justine for their unconditional and endless love,

prayer and support, both emotionally and financially in my 23 years of life on earth and up to my future. I thank them for their patience in nurturing me, for their trust in me that I may grow as I am now and for the lessons of life that they implant in me. I owe them so much that I could never have enough to return.

I would like to thank my lovely sisters and brother, Monica Sonia Taju,

Fransisca Sherly Taju and Marcelo Fernando Taju for their company and love

throughout my life, and for the unforgetable memories we create together day by day that crave smile in my heart. Thank you for reminding, supporting and motivating me in finishing my thesis.

My gratitute goes to my major sponsor V. Triprihatmini, S.Pd., M.Hum., M.A. for her guidance, useful feedbacks and sincere smile that has helped and motivated me during the completion of this thesis. My sincere gratitude also goes to all PBI lecturers and staffs, who have devoted their work, knowledge, lessons

and experiences during my study in Sanata Dharma University. They open my gate to the next step of my life. I am so grateful to meet them in my life.

I would like to express my appreciation to all PBI students of the

academic year 2005 for the good time we spent together, especially for Andre,

Ruma, Molen, Panda, Verdi, Bocong, Indro, Mayang, Vita, Bubu, Ari, Antris

& Mui. I also express my gratitude to the Spring members: Nancy, Frida, Dian,

Lia, Nita, Andre, Ezra, Fandi, Thomas, Yason & Koko for their sincere

friendship. I would also grant my special thanks to Yason, who has kindly proofread my thesis, Nancy and Marlin for becoming my besties and for Andre, Ruma & Fandi for always reminding me to finish my thesis.

My gratitude also goes to my colleagues in Primagama English for their cooperation and care for me. I thank them for giving me a break from my work to finish my thesis and motivating me while I feel so desperate during its process. I also thanks my SWA 3d friends, Tanti, Hana, kak Oni, Mb Bekti, Redi, Reta,

Nanda, Ida, Menjenk, and Indri (kos Beo) for sharing me part in their days.

Last but not least, my deepest love and gratitude goes to Candra Cahya

Putra, the beautiful curse in my life, who has patiently and faithfully become my

partner in ups and downs. I thank him for his gift of love and care in my life every day and for being there when I needed the most. I also thank him for granting his holidays to accompany me in finishing my thesis.

There are many people whom I cannot mention one by one here, but I am surely indebted to them, lots of thanks, may God bless them all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS ... . v

PAGE OF DEDICATION ... vi

ABSTRACT ... vii

ABSTRAK ... . viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ... x

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study ... 1

B. Problems Formulation ... 6

C. Objectives of the Study ... 6

D. Benefits of the Study ... 6

E. Definition of Terms ... 8

1. Motivation ... 8

2. Child Abuse ... 8

3. Perpetrator ... 9

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies ... 10

B. Review of Related Theories ... 11

1. Critical Approach ... 12

2. Character and Characterization ... 14

a. Character ... 14

1) Definition of Character ... 14

2) Types of Character ... 15

b. Characterization ... 16

3. Child Abuse ... 19

a. Definition of Child Abuse ... 19

b. Kinds of Abuses ... 19

1) Physical Abuse ... 20

2) Psychological Abuse ... 20

3) Sexual Abuse ... 22

4) Neglect ... 23

4. Motivation ... 23

C. Theoretical Framework ... 27

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study ... 30

C. Method of the Study ... 32

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS A. The Figure of Carmen, Eastman and Georgie in Briscoe’s Ugly ... 35

1. Carmen ... 35

a. Beautiful and Stylish ... 36

b. Bad-Tempered and Cruel ... 37

c. Unfair ... 40

d. Stingy and Greedy ... 43

e. Self-centered ... 48

2. Eastman ... 49

a. Fatuous ... 50

b. Cruel ... 51

c. Stingy ... 52

d. Improper ... 53

3. Georgie ... 54

a. Funny ... 55

b. Easy Going ... 55

c. Improper ... 56

B. Kinds of Abuses Performed by Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie toward Clare in Briscoe’s Ugly ... 57

1. Physical Abuse ... 58

3. Sexual Abuse ... 67

4. Neglect ... 69

C. Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie’s Motivations to Perform Abusive Behavior toward Clare ... 71

1. Carmen’s Motivation to Abuse Clare ... 72

a. Extrinsic Motivation or Social Motives ... 72

1) To Teach and Punish Clare ... 73

2) To Express Anger and Dislike ... 75

3) To Show Her Power in the House ... 77

b. Instrinsic Motivation or Primary Motives ... 80

2. Eastman’s Motivation to Abuse Clare ... 81

a. Extrinsic Motivation or Social Motives ... 81

1) To Get Carmen’s Attention ... 81

2) To Express Hate and Anger ... 83

b. Instrinsic Motivation or Primary Motives ... 83

3. Georgie’s Motivation to Abuse Clare ... 85

b. Instrinsic Motivation or Primary Motives ... 85

1) To Have Fun ... 86

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions... ... 88

B. Implications... ... 91

REFERENCES...94

APPENDICES

Appendix A: The Summary ofBriscoe’s Ugly ... 99 Appendix B: Biography of Constance Briscoe ... 102 Appendix C: Lesson Plan ... 104 Appendix D: The Implementation of the Excerpts

ofBriscoe’s Ugly in Teaching Basic Reading II ... 106

 

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 provides orientation to the selected topic of this study, the motivations behind child abuses in Ugly. This chapter comprises of background of the study, problem formulation, objectives of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The background of the study provides a general background regarding the topic and the basic reasoning behind the writing of this thesis. The problem formulation states the main problems of this study. The objectives of the study aim to answer the questions stated in Problem Formulation. The section ‘benefits of the study’ explains the advantages and importance of this study. Finally, the Definition of Terms provides explanation about some of the important terms used in the study.

A. Background of the Study

Doubtless, most parents want a happy childhood and a bright future for their children. A happy childhood, especially, is the most important time in the life of a person to learn and to experience happiness. It is a moment in life that can never be repeated, as one grows older and not younger. In fact, most people remember their childhood as the best time of their life. They often say how they wish time could go back so they could be carefree children again, living without any burden. They would not have to think about how to earn a living, how to survive and how to face the possibility of a harsh future.

 

This is indeed true for most people because as children, their parents would tackle all life challenges for them, including all their needs and problems. Whenever they, as children, want something, a toy, for example, they could just ask their parents to buy it for them. If their parents refused, they would only need to cry and sulk a little bit, and then, voila! There comes the toy. Truly, having doting parents is a great blessing for any child.

Yet, not everyone is this lucky, and not all children have doting parents. In fact, there are also those who are suffering from parental torture and abuse on a daily basis. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration on Children Youth & Families (1959-2012) conducted research on child abuse, resulting in the shocking statistics: In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations (http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/define.cfm). In the same report, it is also mentioned that a report of child abuse is in fact made every 10 seconds. For many of the children in the report, not even their basic needs are fulfilled by their parents, they will never be able to ask for anything they like. If they dared to ask, they would probably just get a beating or scolding.

Many things can cause these parental abuses. It can be because of poor family economy, the lack in education on the parents’ side, the emotional stresses the parents are in, or due to a cruel cultural trait inherited from their own parents, et cetera.

These abuses can also take place in several environments on a daily basis: at home, at school or other social settings. At, it could happen whenever abusive

 

parents feel disturbed or annoyed by their own child, or when they were not satisfied by the achievements of their children or when they feel depressed by the burden they have as parents. One common example of child abuse in a family setting is beating done by parents whenever their children are naughty or annoying. It could happen when children want something that their parents cannot/willnot fulfill, for whatever reasons (sometimes for good reasons), and these children keep on pestering, the children could sometimes be beaten as a result.

At a school setting, the abuse is generally done by teachers. From my experiences of being student, some teachers believe that threatening their students is a good way to gain respect and to get their students to focus. It is true that it sometimes works, but on a long-term basis, it could only bring harm to the child’s later life. In some schools, certain abusive techniques are considered normal teaching methods. In these schools, teachers who are emotional could very easily lose patience and freely abuse their students. For example, in one junior high school in Indonesia, their strict rules come with physical punishment. Teachers there are charged to keep the rules and give punishments. Whenever they find the students breaking rules, they will be the police to execute physical punishments. The children would usually obey the rules out of fear of the physical punishment because if they are careless, they will receive abuse nicknamed “physical punishment”.

Why people abuse children and what motivated them are the questions that keep repeating themselves in my head. Sometimes the motive for physical abuse

 

is good, just like the example of the abusive punishments given out in the school setting described above. Teachers perform abusive punishments because they want students to be disciplined. In the family setting, parents beat their children in order to teach them not to be naughty. It is interesting how people could abuse their children for good reasons and how they will then be considered as bad and abusive by the children who receive the abuse. Since the motivation in this sort of case is positive, the writer considered it as being a positive-motivated abuse. On the other hand, there are also abuses driven by negative motivations, for example, for perverted sexual reasons. This negative kind of abuse is often highly egocentric on the parents’ side. The abuses done on negative motivations could be done as an emotional expression to hurt someone or to take advantages from them.

Thus, the writer would like to analyze the motivations behind abuses in

Ugly in order that it would enrich the writer’s knowledge regarding both positive-motivated and negative-positive-motivated abuses and to further understand the paradigm of people performing abuses.

The existence of positive and negative motivations in abuses is one of the writer’s reasons to study Ugly, a novel based on a true story about someone with a childhood full of abuse. Through this novel, the writer hopes to gain real insight into people’s different perceptions of life, particularly regarding abuse, and also the ups and downs in life. Novel is a kind of literary works that also plays a big role in expressing real life experiences by means of writing. Laar and Schoonderwoerd (1969) say, “A novel is a work of art in so far as it introduces us

 

into a living word; in some respects resembling in the world we live in, but with an individuality of its own” (p.163).

The novel, Ugly, is an autobiography written by Constance Briscoe, revealing her own childhood experience with child abuses. It is given the title

Ugly as a reflection of the great suffering in author’s childhood, and especially due to her mother calling her ‘ugly’, despite of having a nicer nick name ‘Clare/Clarie’. The unfairness and abuse indeed began with this epithet naming. What was her mother’s motive in calling Clare ‘ugly’, while Clare’s siblings were given better epithet? Clare’s mother seemed to really hate her and felt sorry to have ever delivered her to earth. The motives of this abuse prompted the writer to further analyze and write a thesis on the novel.

Clare – nickname of Constance Briscoe, the main character as well as the writer of the novel – experienced an extremely hard childhood. She is a victim of several types of child abuses. It is given to her not only by one person, but also by several other people who are close to her. She is abused and abandoned by her only mother, and sexually and physically abused by her stepfather and a close friend of her family – and the many kinds of abuses strangles her childhood. Among her siblings, she is the only one who experienced the abuses. The question is why is she the only child who is abused by these three people?

The perpetrators must have had certain reasons to make her their object of abuse. This question greatly disturbs the writer. Therefore, by analyzing the novel

 

Clare in her childhood. This is a very sad and harrowing novel, but it would tell the sour truth of life.

B. Problem Formulation

In order to study the novel thoroughly – and based on the preceding orientation - three problems are formulated as follows:

1. How are Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie described in Briscoe’s Ugly? 2. What kinds of abuses have Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie done to

Clare?

3. What motivates Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie to abuse Clare?

C. Objectives of the Study

The goal of this study is to understand the motivations behind child abuse in the novel Ugly. This can be done by answering the three problems formulated above. The first will describe the characters of the perpetrators. The second will uncover the kinds of abuses done by the described perpetrators. The first and second problems will lead to the answers to the third problem, the reasons behind the abusive acts done by the perpetrators.

D. Benefits of the Study

This study is done to find out the motivations behind child abuse. The study is aimed to generally benefit all readers, teachers and teacher trainees, and people who are working on child-abuse-related projects.

 

Personally, by analyzing and discussing this topic, the writer hopes to understand better the motivations of people doing abusive acts towards children. In the future, when the writer becomes a parent and a teacher, the writer can then be more careful in taking any actions towards her pupils and children, and the writer can also better reflect and evaluate her own actions as to avoid unaware and/or unintentional child abuse.

For English Education teacher trainees specifically, and all teachers generally, the writer hopes this study will help them to be more sensitive and wise to differentiate a teaching method from an abusive method. By understanding the motivations behind the abuse, a teacher could give appropriate positive help to students if any abusive actions happened to them. If possible, the teacher can act as a bridge between abusive parents and their children, as showed in this novel.

Since many child abuses take place every day, the writer do hope more people who are working on projects to help child abuse can benefit from this study. By further understanding the motivations behind an abuse, they can better understand the perpetrators and find better approaches convince perpetrators to minimize the child abuse.

The writer hopes this study can convey knowledge and information to readers, especially people who are concerned with the child abuse issues. Understanding the many kinds of abuses can also help people to analyze their own action, to evaluate themselves and their environment, and to find solutions. Understanding the motivations behind abusive acts will help people to be more vigilant in preventing and minimizing the child abuse.

 

E. Definition of Terms 1. Motivation

  According to Murray (1964), motivation is a desire (p.7). Motivation in Huffman, Vernoy and Vernoy’s Psychology in Action (1997) refers to “factors within an individual (such as needs, desires, and interests) that activate, maintain, and direct behavior toward a goal” (p.364).

In this study, the term “motivation” means reasons or causes that drive Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie to abuse Clare.

2. Child Abuse

Wilson et al (1996) mention child abuse as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and/or neglect directed against a child (p.551). The term is explained further by The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), (1959-2012), describing abuse to mean any recent acts or failures to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics).

In additional, The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, as cited from a learning specialist, C. J. Newton, in Mental Health Journal (2001), describes abuse as the physical injury or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen by a person who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances which indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened.

 

In this study the concept of child abuse is the combination of all those explanations given above. Child abuse means any abusive treatments, both physically and mentally, for whatever any reasons, done towards Clare during her childhood.

3. Perpetrator

Based on West's Encyclopedia of American Law (2008), perpetrator is a term commonly used by law enforcement officers to designate a person who actually commits a crime. So, in this study, which is focused on child abuse, the word perpetrator is used specifically to refer to a person who performs any abusive acts toward Clare as described in the novel.

4. Character

Abrams (1981) described character as an imagined person who inhabits a story and it shows a distinctive type of person (p.20). In addition, Rohberger and Woods Jr. (1971) define character as a person who involves and acts out in a story in a particular time and place (p.20 – p.21).

In this study, the term character refers to both the person in the story, and the physical characteristics and personality traits of the person in the story. Kalish (1973) explains that personality traits refer to the total individual, including (but is not limited to) needs, motives, methods of adjusting temperament qualities, self-concepts, role behaviors, attitudes, values, and abilities (p.134) When the term character is used in describing physical appearances and trait of the person in the story, it is sometimes changed into the word ‘trait’ or ‘characteristic’.

 

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The foundations for answering the research questions, amassed from books and journals, researches and theories, are reviewed in this chapter. This chapter is divided into three sections: review of related theories, review of related studies, and theoretical framework. Review of related theories consists of four parts: critical approach, character and characterization, child abuse and theory of motivation. Review of related studies describes some researchers conducted on the same topic or on the same novel. Meanwhile, the theoretical framework explains the contributions that the reviewed theories make in solving the problems of this study.

A. Review of Related Studies

In relation to child abuse in Ugly, a prior researcher, Isti’anah (2009) in her thesis entitled The Influences of Childhood Abuse on Clare’s Achievement as

The First Black Female Judge in The United Kingdom in Briscoe’s Ugly analyzes

the effects of child abuse on Clare’s future life. She discusses Clare’s personality and the influences that Clare’s childhood abuses had on her life (p.21 – p.44). It is explained there that Clare experienced certain damages in her adult life as a result of her being abused as a child, for example: the feeling of being unwanted and unhappy in general. The effects of her psychological damages have indeed shaped Clare’s future.

 

Another research on Ugly was conducted by Fibrianingsih (2010) in her thesis entitled Clare’s Struggle for a Better Life as Seen in Constance Briscoe’s Ugly. This thesis mainly discusses the struggles of the main character in her hard life. The researcher discusses Clare’s motivation more than the abuse itself. She discusses Clare’s description and her struggle for a better life (p.28 – p.71). There is a short discussion about the child abuse when she reviews ‘The Causes of Clare’s Struggle’, especially in ‘Her Family Life’ section.

Quite in opposition to the two previous studies, this study will discuss and analyze the perpetrators more. There will be greater concern on the perpetrators instead of on the victim, as it is essential to first understand the perpetrators in order to understand the abuse and the reasons behind the abuse.

B. Review of Related Theories

This section deals with theories that are suitable for analyzing the work in this study. The theories that are going to be presented in this study are: theory of critical approach, theory of character and characterization, theory of child abuse and theory of motivation. Besides reviewing the theories, the writer will also review several previous studies related to the topic and/or the novel being discussed in this study. These theories and previous studies are very useful to establish the descriptions of Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie; and the kinds of abuses they had done to Clare and their motivations behind those abuses.

 

1. Critical Approach

In analyzing a literary work, a novel for instance, we could use certain approaches as basis in understanding the literary work, and furthermore help to make the analysis clear and understandable.

Rohrberger and Woods Jr., in Reading and Writing about Literature

(1971) said that in order to understand and apprehend the aesthetic values of literary work, the critical approach should be applied (p.3). The critical approach is divided into five approaches to analyze a work of literature. Those are “formalist approach, biographical approach, sociocultural-historical approach, mythopoeic approach, psychological approach” (p.6).

The first one is the formalist approach, “this approach concerns with demonstrating the harmonious involvement of all the parts to the whole and with pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how matters of technique determine structure” (p.6). The formalist approach focuses on examining the object to the literary study itself and the beauty of art in it.

The second approach is the biographical approach, “this approach asserts the necessity for an appreciation of the ideas and personality of the author to an understanding of the literary object” (p.8). Therefore, it puts an emphasis on the author’s life and background to get a good understanding about a certain literary work because often, the literary work produced by the author is based on the author’s life experiences. The author might share his/her life experience to the reader.

 

The third one is the sociocultural-historical approach, “it investigates the social milieu in which a work was created and which it necessarily reflects” (p.9). It emphasizes the use of historical and socio-cultural knowledge in examining literary works. It insists that the only way to understand a work is to refer to the civilization in which the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people is the subject matter. Literary works can therefore be a portrait of events at a certain moment in time.

The fourth one is the mythopoeic approach, “it seeks to discover certain universally recurrent pattern of human thought, which they believe find expression in significant works of art” (p.11). The universally recurrent patterns are those that found first expression in ancient myths and folk rites. Those are very basic to human thought that they have meaning to all men. They are often related to death and rebirth, guilt and sacrifices, primitive rites, and theological aspect of Christian doctrine, which are found in the ancient myth and folk rites. Through this approach, the mystical relationship in a story can be explained.

The last one is psychological approach. It involves the effort to locate and to demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. It draws on a different body of knowledge, “one of the most powerful of the conflicts arising from the interplay of parts of the personality occurs early in childhood” (p.13). This approach uses psychological theories to explain human motivation, personality, and behavior patterns written in literary objects.

In this study, the psychological approach is employed to analyze the novel, since the analysis is mainly on the characters, the abuse, and the motivations

 

underlying the characters’ action. Those three elements are subordinate to the psychology field.

2. Character and Characterization

a. Character

1) Definition of Character

Character is the most important part of a story, besides its plot and setting. Without character, there will be no story because stories are made to tell a tale of the character. Character is a reflection of a human individual in real life. In some novels which are autobiographies, the characters in the story actually exist in real life because the story is based on an actual person’s past experience.

Abrams in his book entitled A Glossary of Literary Term (1993) clarifies that characters are the people in a dramatic or narrative work, interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say and by what they do (p.20). By reading the descriptions, reader will be able to imagine and interpret the character(s) written by the author.

In addition, Rohberger and Woods Jr. (1971) define character as a person who involves and acts out in a story in a particular time and place (p.20 – p.21). It restricts the values of a character by means of certain time and place.

In this study, characters are the people taking roles in the story. Those characters are alive in the real world of the author of the novel.

 

2) Types of Character

There are several theories that can be taken into consideration to understand types of characters. Henkle (1977) mentions that according to the role the characters serve in the story, they could be divided into major and minor or secondary character (p.87 – p.89). Major characters play most of the role in the story. They absorb the fullest attention due to the dramatizations of the human issues within the story that are laid on them. Meanwhile, the minor or secondary characters have limited function in the story. They only appear to populate the story world to make it more real.

Abrams (1993) shares the same idea with Henkle, stating that the major or main characters become the focus of the events from the beginning to the ending parts. While secondary or minor characters appear in a certain setting and become the background for the major characters. Their roles in a story are just to support the development of the main character (p.50 – p.56).

Besides major and minor characters, characters can also be categorized as “protagonist” and “antagonist”. According to Altenbernd and Lewis (1966) in A

Handbook of the Study of Fiction, the “protagonist character” is the ideal

manifestation of norms and values that the readers admire. While, the “antagonist character” is defined as character that creates or causes conflict. In some stories, the antagonist is opposed to the protagonist directly or indirectly, mentally or physically (p.59).

Based on the characteristics, Perrine, in his book Literature: Structure,

 

development, characters in a story are relatively flat or round (p.69). This idea is supported by Foster (1974) adding that flat character is also called static character and round character is also called dynamic character (p.53 – p.54). He explains the difference between those two based on whether or not those characters are being developed in the story.

A flat or static character is the same sort of person at the end of the story as him or she is at the beginning. This type of character tends to stay the same throughout the story because only some traits of character are exaggerated. The other aspects or traits are barely paid attention to. It represents a simpler character and hardly ever has the element of surprise.

Using round or dynamic characters is perfect for the authors to present a character in its wholeness and in its different aspects. This kind of character often changes because it tends to react differently towards different situations and/or people encountered.

In this study, character and its type: major or minor character, protagonist or antagonist character, flat or round character, are employed to analyze how Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie serves as characters in Brisco’s Ugly.

b. Characterization

Characterization is important in studying characters. It analyses the character in depth to the extent necessary to justify the individual’s role and existence in the story. To study the characters of Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie in this study, there are several ways need to be conducted.

 

M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseens (1972) describes nine ways to reveal the characterization of the characters which was made in attempts to be understandable and alive for the reader (p.161 – p.173). Those nine ways are as follows:

1) Personal Description

The author can describe the character from his appearance and clothes (p.161). The easiest way to judge a person is through his/her appearance. The way they look can tell a lot about their identity. For example: when the author says that the character wears a uniform and brings a backpack, we can easily conclude that the character is a student.

2) Characters as Seen by Another Character

The author can describe a character by using the other characters’ opinion. Instead of describing a character directly, the author can describe him through the eyes and opinions of another (p.162). The encounters between one character and other characters will open a chance for the other character to explain and judge the characteristics of a character.

3) Speech

The way someone speaks up his/her opinion or has conversation with others is one point that could give clues about his/her character. The author can give readers an insight into the character of the person in the book through what the person says (p.164).

 

4) Past life

The author can give the readers clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character by telling something from the person’s past life. This can be done by direct comment by the author through the person’s thought in his conversation or through the medium of another person (p.166).

5) Conversation of Other Characters

People talk about other people and the things they say often give readers clue to the character of the person talked about (p.167). Conversation of other characters usually takes place in a condition when the character discussed is unaware of the conversation. In this condition, the conversation of others can be a trustworthy source of information regarding the personality of the character.

6) Reaction

The way a person responds to something helps the reader to see his/her real character. The author gives clues by letting the readers know how the character in the story reacts to various situations and events.

7) Direct Comment

It is possible for the author to describe or comment on a person’s character in the story directly (p.170). From this comment or description, the readers can understand the character better.

8) Thoughts

The author can give us direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. In this respect, he is able to do what we cannot do in the real life. He can read through many characters’ mind and see what they are thinking. The reader is in a

 

privileged position; he has, as it were, a secret listening device plugged into the inmost thoughts of a person in a novel (p.171).

9) Mannerism

The author can describe a person’s manners or habits to tell the reader something about his/her character (p.173). In this case, the author can reveal the both positive and negative habits of a character. This is to describe the character’s customs and his/her social behavior.

3. Child Abuse

a. Definition of Child Abuse

As had been mentioned in the definition of terms, abuse means any recent acts or failures to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm (http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics). In cases of child abuse, three main factors are taken into account: the kinds of abuse, the perpetrators, and the perpetrators’ motives. Theory of abuse is needed to describe the kinds of abuses, the perpetrators and the possible motives of abuse. In this study, this theory is needed to identify and categorize the kinds of abuse which happened to Clare.

b. Kinds of Abuses

According to Pritchard Colin (2004), there are three kinds of abuses. Those are “physical, emotional or psychological, and sexual abuse” (p.11).

 

Wilson, Terence, Nathan, O’Leary, and Clark (1996) add ‘neglect’ as one type of child abuse (p.551). The following are explanations of each kind of abuse.

1) Physical Abuse

Wolfe states that physical abuse refers to non-accidental injuries that result from the violent behavior of caretakers, which 60% of them are women (as cited in Wilson et al, 1996, p.551). Physical abuses often leave scars. Therefore it is the most obvious abuse, which can be detected and observed. According to Pritchard Colin (2004) there are many forms of physical abuse, such as “frequent or severe hitting, slapping, beating, shaking, punching, kicking” (p.12).

In some cases of abuse, discipline is often used as the reason to give punishment. The punishment which are physical in nature or which limits the space for one to move or develop one’s body can be categorized as physical abuse. Abusive punishments can be categorized as physical abuse because they are not aimed at disciplining children, but more to creating trauma. The traumatic experience the victim experiences will leave an indelible memory. Therefore, physical abuse is usually closely related to psychological abuse.

2) Psychological Abuse

Wilson et al (1996) defines psychological or emotional abuse as a term that generally refers to “being harsh, critical and overly demanding of the child” (p.552). O’Hagan defines Psychological abuse as the sustained, repetitive, inappropriate behavior which damages, or substantially reduces, the creative and developmental potential of crucially important mental faculties and mental

 

process of a child; these include intelligence, memory, recognition, perception, attention and moral development (as cited in Pritchard, 2004, p.15).

Psychological abuse is difficult to observe because it is related to the emotions inside. It cannot be seen physically, but sometimes it is closely related to physical abuse, especially when the physical abuse creates a lasting trauma on the victim. Since one’s emotion is very personal, the effect of emotional abuse is hard to detect. It can, however, be detected if the victim shares or demonstrates behavioral problems such as anger, depression or maladjustment.

Crosson & Tower (2008) mention some treatments which can be categorized as psychological abuse: “Threats to injure or kill; constant sneering/sarcasm or belittling; throwing away or destroying toys; forbidden to speak or play; scapegoating; favoritism to siblings; locked in room or confined space” (p.12).

Garbarino states that today, psychological abuse is not an inaccessible event, but rather observable from a pattern of physically destructive behavior that may include rejecting, isolating, terrorizing, ignoring, and corrupting (as cited in Cynthia Crosson and Tower, 2008, p.216). Rejecting is when the adult refuses to acknowledge the child’s worth or the legitimacy of the child’s need. Isolating is one type of physical abuse which can cause psychological abuse. It happens when the adult isolates the child from normal social experiences, prevents the child from forming friendships and makes the child believes that he or she is alone in the world. Terrorizing happens when the adult verbally assaults the child, creates a climate of fear, bullies and frightens the child. It makes the child believe that the

 

world is hostile and unsafe. It can make the children afraid and even traumatize them. Ignoring is a physical behavior which can make the child feel desperate because of parents’ lack of love. It can happen when the adult blocks the child from having prompt, stifling emotional growth and intellectual development. Corrupting is when the adult encourages the child to connect in destructive and antisocial behavior, reinforces defiance and makes the child insusceptible for normal social experience.

Psychologically, this abuse implies rejection or in some manners impedes the development of a child’s positive self-concept. There are some factors which can be the roots of psychological maltreatment. Psychological abuse is difficult to prove or document and thus may go unnoticed because there are many factors, which can influence this abuse.

3) Sexual Abuse

Wolfe defines sexual abuse as sexual activity imposed or forced on a child, and in some cases, also involves emotional abuse (as cited in Wilson et al, 1996, p.554). Crosson and Tower (2008) state “sexual abuse refers to the use of a child for the sexual gratification of an adult” (p.124).

Sexual abuse is one abuse which often happens to children. According to Pritchard Colin (2004) there are some actions which are considered sexual abuses. Those are “interference with and needless touching of child’s genitalia, forcing child to view or touch or sexually manipulate adult, penetration attempted or achieved of genital or anal area, showing or making pornography” (p.124).

 

Furthermore, Pritchard Colin (2004) explains that there are two types of sexual abuse. They are familial abuse and extra-familial abuse. First is intra-familial abuse, “it is sexual abuse by a blood relative” (p.124). Here, the perpetrators are part of the child’s nuclear family. It may also encompass members of a child’s extended family such as uncles, aunts, grandfathers, and cousins. The second type is extra-familial abuse. Extra-familial abuse is done by someone outside the child’s family.

4) Neglect

Wilson et al (1996) say that neglect is an inadequate supervision and lack of attention to the physical and emotional needs of the child (p.556). In other words, it is a failure of the caregiver or the parents to provide minimal care and support for the child. Unfortunately, neglect is the most frequent form of child abuse in most child abuse cases.

4. Motivation

Motivation comes from Latin word, “moveo”. Psychologists have created many terms and definitions regarding motivation. Motivation in Huffman, Vernoy and Vernoy’s Psychology in Action (1997) refers to “factors within an individual (such as needs, desires, and interests) that activate, maintain, and direct behavior toward a goal” (p.364). This statement is in accordance with Beck (1978), who says, “Motivation is broadly concerned with the contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of goal-directed behavior” (p.24). Vernoy and Beck both share the idea that motivation is a factor that causes a

 

person to do something to achieve a certain goal. It is seen as an internal factor that “moves” human beings and animals toward the goal to be achieved. Motivation makes a human being behave in a specific behavior, drives them to maintain their efforts and prevents them from losing their way in the process of achieving their goal.

According to Worchel and Shebilske (1989), “Psychologists have used the term motive to describe the condition that energizes and directs the behavior of organism” (p.373). Research in motivation attemps to answer the ‘why’ and ‘what causes’ questions about human and animal behavior. According to Murray (1964), “motivation is desire” (p.7). Motivation is intrinsic in all kinds of behavior: learning, performing, perceiving, attending, remembering, forgetting, thinking, creating, and feeling. Motivation affects someone’s behavior because motivation may function as an incentive for someone to behave in a certain manner. That is why motivation always influences someone’s behavior.

Human behavior is driven by many different motives. Worchel and Shebilske (1989) place motives into two groups: first, primary motives, “which concern our biological needs, such as hunger, thirst, sexual desire, etc; these motives are usually unlearned, common to all animals, and vital for the survival of the organism or the species” (p.374). Second, social motives, “the motives that come from learning and social interaction, includes the needs for affiliation, aggression, and achievement” (p.374).

There are basically two approaches to the study of motivation, biological theories (including instinct-theory and drive-reduction theory) and psychosocial

 

theories (including incentive theory and cognitive theory). Worchel and Shebilske (1989) defined incentive as “an external stimulus that has the capacity to motivate behavior” (p.376). Incentive theory states that behaviors are not only motivated and determined by internal needs, but also external events such as reinforcement.

In relation to Worchel and Shebilske’s theory, Huffman, et al (1997) states that there are two kinds of motivation, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is “the desire to perform an act for its own sake. Motivation is derived from the satisfaction arising out the behavior itself” (p.377). Whereas extrinsic motivation is “the desire to perform an act because of external rewards or avoidance of punishment. Motivation is not inherent in the behavior itself” (p.377).

The word “behavior” is repeatedly mentioned when discussing motivations. A person’s specific behavior is a revelation of his/her motivation. This is why we need to discuss behavior when discussing motivation. Carlson (1994) states that there are eight types of behavior (p.256 – p.258). They are sleep behavior, reproductive behavior, ingestive behavior, learning behavior, verbal behavior, mental disorder behavior, emotional behavior, and aggressive behavior. In this study, we only need to discuss verbal behavior, emotional behavior and aggressive behavior.

Verbal behavior constitutes one of the most important classes of human social behavior. The basic function of verbal behavior is to communicate with others and to see the effect of the communication on them. When we are engaged in a communication to someone, we almost always expect that our speech

 

increases stimulus on him/her. Then we expect him/her to behave in a particular way and engage with the communication that we create. Verbal behaviors consist of talking, understanding speech, reading, and writing.

Emotional behavior is behavior that is caused by emotional feelings. Carlson (1994) says that emotion is related to behavior, because emotion influences someone’s behavior (p.257). The behavior that is influenced by emotion functions as a response to someone’s emotion. Most people have argued that emotion is simply another term for motivation. According to Buck, although motivation and emotion may be related, but they are not the same thing. He defines motivation as arousal or energy that directs behavior (as cited in Worchel and Shebilske, 1989, p.417).

Aggressive behavior is a behavior that is caused by a desire to do harm to others. Aggression is related to emotion. According to Spear, Penrod, and Baker (1988), “aggression is behavior that is marked by the intention of causing harm, whether physical, material, or psychological harm” (p.515). Aggression is revealed in many manners, such as hitting or frightening the victim. Spear, et al (1988) also mentions that “there are two types of aggressions that are recognized. The first one is “instrumental aggression behavior, a type of aggression that serves many purposes, for example, for self defense” (p.515). Here, the aggression is not done to cause harm for the victim. The second one is “hostile aggression behavior, causing harm or even injury to the victim” (p.515). Hostile aggression is caused by factors such as anger and pain. There are some purposes of this type of aggression, for example, to hurt a victim who has frustrated the aggressor.

 

Berkowitz (1995) says that “aggressive behavior usually has some purposes that want to be obtained. The purpose is useful for the present and the future situation for the aggressor” (p.412).

Abusive behaviors can be considered as aggressive behavior in that they are similar aim to cause harm to the victim. Crosson and Tower (2008) states, “the cause of physical abuse can be categorized in three. They are the psychodynamic or character-trait models, the interactional models, and the environmental/ sociological/ culturally based models” (p.97). The first is the psychodynamic or character-trait models; this model of abuse attributes the abuse to characteristics of the abusive parents. The second is the interactional models. It considers how the interactions between the victim and the perpetrator or the dynamics within the family may give rise to an abusive situation. The third is the environmental/ sociological/ culturally based models, which focuses on the part that the milieu, and stressors within the milieu, plays in the abuse.

Theory of motivation is needed in this study to analyze the reasons why Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie Porgie perform the abusive acts toward Clare.

C. Theoretical Framework

All the theories reviewed above have been deemed as important to assist the writer to account for the analysis and thus all those theories will be taken into consideration. This study on the novel Ugly will mainly employ a psychological approach as part of the critical approach to answer the problems formulated in

 

preceding chapter. Due to the complexity and breadth of the psychological approach, it may overlap other fields of study.

The theory of character and characterization are aimed to help the writer to assess the characters in the novel in accordance to the way we analyze the people in our real life. This will assist the writer to dig deeper into the analysis of each character based on every theory reviewed, and not simply only from shallow stereotyping. One thing to bear in mind is that because every character, as it is with every individual in real life, is a complex entity, the theories could not guarantee a perfect analysis on each character. Nevertheless, these theories present the most reliable way to create the closest analysis on each character, thus enabling the writer to answer the first problem.

The main topics of this study – abuse and its underlying motivations – will be analyzed as a compound. Starting from the abuse, which is divided into physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, and then on to the study of motivations which has a deeper relationship with kinds of behaviors, including aggressive behavior, which is closely related to abuse. The abuse is studied from its motivation point of view and vice versa. Hence, theories from Crosson and Tower, Wilson, and Colin that explain the definition and kinds of abuse will be taken into consideration in answering the second problem.

Then, to answer the third problem, the theory of motivation is employed. The various definitions of motivation by the theorists Worchel and Shebilske, Murray, Huffman, Vernoy and Vernoy, and Beck have a similar point, which is expected to ease the writer in studying abusive motivations in the novel. Carlson’s

 

theory of behavior as part of motivation will compose the rationale of the motivation of the abusive behavior. In addition to that, Spear et al’s theory of aggressive behavior as part of motivation and Crosson and Tower’s theory of physical abuse causes will clearly develop the analysis of the novel.

Review on other related studies on the novel will be used if it is needed to confirm from psychological literature on the points of abuse and motivation.

 

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter serves as the basis for the protocol taken by the writer in conducting her study, which can be divided into three parts. The first part is object of the study. It describes the novel Ugly and provides the synopsis of the novel in correlation with the focus of the study. The second part is the approach of the study. It describes the approach that is used to address the study. The third part is the method of the study. It explains the steps used in conducting an analysis on the novel.

A. Object of the Study

Ugly, a novel written by Constance Briscoe, is the object of this thesis.

Written as the autobiography of Briscoe’s early life, Briscoe dedicated the novel to her childhood teacher, Miss K. This novel consists of 433 pages, which is divided into 25 chapters. It was first published in Great Britain in 2006 by Hodder and Stoughton.

Clare, Briscoe’s nick name, is the third child in her big family. She has 10 siblings, which also includes one adopted sister and four half siblings. Her mother, Carmen, is a black Jamaican. His first husband, George – Clare’s father – has a great fight with her and leaves her, and then she has a new husband, without marriage, Eastman – Clare’s stepfather. Clare and her siblings stay with Carmen and Eastman. George only visits them sometimes.

 

Clare’s family is quite rich because George wins the pools and invests the money into rented houses. Carmen and the children moves from house to house. Some of the houses are really nice, with three stories and a large garden. After the separation of Carmen and George, George allows Carmen to collect rent money from some of the houses. This money is supposed to be enough to fulfill the daily needs of Carmen’s family.

Although living in that sort of proper life, the family itself is not fine at all. Carmen treats Clare badly, unlike the way she treated Clare’s siblings, especially after George left the family. Clare never gets any new things; everything she received is handed-downs from her sisters. Her mother often treats her as a housemaid. She is always beaten and scolded. Clare receives both emotional and physical abuse from Carmen. Things go worse for Clare after Eastman moves into their house. Clare would then be abused not only by her mother, but also by Eastman. In her narration, Briscoe tells of her gloomy childhood and reveals the maltreatment she gets from her mother and stepfather.

She is also sexually abused by a close relative, a man who rents a floor in her house. This man, named Georgie, is married to Rose and stayed there as husband and wife with her. He often helps Carmen to handle the rented houses, so he is considered trustworthy. When Carmen went out for her part time job, he is in charge of watching the children. Clare is close with him and she enjoys his jokes. Clare does not realize that she is abused when it happened, because she is still too young and Georgie is very cunning in approaching Clare. In short, Clare is abused by three people in her childhood, they are Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie.

 

B. Approach of the Study

The purpose of the study is to find out the motivations behind the child abuse by Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie towards Clare. To achieve this purpose, some approaches to child abuse and its motivation are provided. Since this study deals with literary work, critical approach is required. Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. (1971) propose five kinds of critical approach; they are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the socio cultural–historical approach, the mythopeic approach, and the psychological approach (p.6 – p.15). In this study, Psychological approach is chosen to answer the problems, because it focuses on personal matter, personal reasons and motivations.

Furthermore, this psychological approach would dig out Carmen’s, Eastman’s, and Georgie’s personalities by means of looking into their thoughts, actions and behaviors. The answer to the first research question would help in answering the second and the third research questions. Psychology is expected to uncover the hidden motives of the abusive acts performed by a one of the three perpetrators.

C. Method of the Study

A literature study is a qualitative research conducted by applying library study. Since this study was a literature study, it was done using references from various sources on the field of Psychology. There were primary and secondary sources in this study. The primary source was the Brisco’s novel, Ugly. The

 

secondary sources were any related reading materials which were used to analyze the novel.

The initial procedure was done by a careful reading of the novel, surfing through information and taking important notes which can be used as reliable references to analyze the novel. Because the topic of the study is the motives of child abuse, the writer searched for sources which are related to child abuse and motivation to help the writer get a better understanding of the topic and the novel.

The writer worked step by step in finishing the thesis. The steps were as follows. First, the writer read summaries of several novels before deciding which novel to analyze. The writer then read the selected novel several times to gain better and deeper understanding of the novel. After that, the writer decided on a suitable research topic, which was inspired from her main points of interest in the novel. Having decided the topic, the writer consulted with the thesis supervisor in order to discuss the validity of the topic. Once it was approved, the writer started working on the first chapter to formulate the problem formulations. These problem formulations would guide the analysis of the novel.

Then, the writer reviewed the books, theories, and researches that are related to the topic, in order to gather references to help her to answer the problem formulations. The writer visited the university library, searched the internet, and discussed with students of the faculty of psychology to widen her knowledge of the theories gathered. On top of that, the writer also studied the biography of Constance Briscoe, the author of Ugly, and read up on the news surrounding the report that Briscoe made regarding her mother’s legal lawsuit against her due to

 

her exposing her experiences being abused as a child on Mail Online and Times

Online.

After gaining more understanding regarding the topic and the novel, the writer then applied the reviewed literature and discussed the novel using the formulated problems.

 

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

This fourth chapter presents the analysis that is necessary to answer the problem formulations mentioned in the first chapter. This chapter will elaborate on the descriptions of Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie in Ugly novel. This chapter will also review the kinds of abusive acts that were performed by Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie as written in the novel. The elaboration on both the perpetrators and the abuse will be the basis for further analysis on the motivations behind the abuse done by those three characters toward Clare.

A.The Figure of Carmen, Eastman, and Georgie in Briscoe’s Ugly

1. Carmen

Carmen is one of the major characters in the novel. Henkle (1977) explains that a major character is the character that plays most of the role in the story (p.87). Carmen plays big role in influencing the personality development of the main character, Clare. As Clare’s mother, she has control toward Clare’s childhood. Her abusive acts make up the most important element that builds the novel, Ugly.

Carmen is an antagonist character. Altenbernd and Lewis (1966) define the antagonist character as a character that creates or causes conflict (p.59). In

Ugly, Carmen can easily be seen as the opponent of Clare, as her actions and decisions are done against Clare both mentally and physically. The reader will

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I placed both my hands on the table, palms up. She made no  attempt to pick up the bottle. 

`Now where were we?' she said. 'Oh yes.' She picked up the  knife.  'You  didn't  see  the  chicken  hair.  Well,  we'll  just  have  to  make sure that you don't miss it again.' My mother held the knife  in  her  right  hand  and  was  playing  with  it,  waving  it  around  in  small  sweeping  motions  as  she  lowered  the  blade  to  a  point  which was ' about six inches from my hands. I thought nothing of.  My mother was just being my mother. I had my eye on the  bottle and my mother's foot. Just then,  she pressed the point of  the knife into my wrist. 

`The  chicken!'  she  said.  ‘Now  do  you  think  that  you  will  forget to pull all the hairs out again?' 

`No,' I said. 

My mother pressed the knife harder into my wrist rid drew  blood. 'And why will you remember?' she said. 

`I'll remember, because I'll remember.' 

She pulled the knife across my arm. Beads of blood rose up  from the track of the knife and a straight line of flesh opened up.  Blood dripped down the side of my arm and all over the plastic  table cover.  

`Look  what  you  have  done,'  she  said  in  disgust.  'You  have  spilt your blood all over my tablecloth. You had better clean it up.  Clean it up before you touch my chicken.' 

And  with  that  she  was  gone.  The  blood  was  forming  congealed blobs between the stripes on the plastic tablecloth. My  wrist stung and every time I opened and closed my fist the blood  poured out. I got up and ran my arm under the cold tap. When  the blood mixed with the water it made a very pretty pink colour  in  the  sink,  swilling  around  with  the  hairs  pulled  from  the  chicken. I went down and got some toilet roll, wrapped it around 

my arm and went back up to the kitchen. I burned the remaining  hairs on the chicken and then pulled them out with a knife — the  knife  I  had  washed  under  a  running  tap.  Dinner  was  hairless  chicken, potatoes, carrots and peas. 

Eastman and my mother sat up at the dinner table and the  Briscoes  waited  for  them  to  finish  before  we  could  go  into  the  kitchen and have our own meal. We had to clean up after them  and  then  set  the  table  for  ourselves.  Pauline  asked  what  was  wrong with my arm and I told her, 'Nothing.' 

`Why have you got toilet paper wrapped round your arm?'  `I cut my arm.' 

`How did you do that?' 

`I don't know. It just happened.'  `How did it happen?' 

My  mother  walked  by.  'You  should  be  more  careful,'  she  said. 'You might burn yourself the next time.' 

I  wet  the  bed  that  night  and  some  of  it  soaked  into  the  carpet. Because the carpet was multi‐coloured it was not easy to  see exactly where the watermark was, but the stench was quite  strong. I got up early — it must have been about 6 a.m. — opened  the window and shook the curtain back and forth in order to get  the  smell  out  of  the  room.  I  then  put  the  wet  clothes  in  the  wardrobe, closed the door and made my bed again with a new  pile of clothes, this time just under the window. My mother, if she  came  into  the  room,  would  walk  towards  me  so  she  might  not  discover the wet carpet. The smell was the only giveaway. 

My mother came in bright and early. She never questioned  the open window. She just came up to me and, as she got pretty  close, half bent down and grabbed hold of the edge of the blanket  and pulled it. I got up and ran out of the way. The blanket trailed  along the floor as she left the room, taking it with her. 

113 

 

230. 

240. 

250. 

260. 

270. 

280. 

The next day, I was still in a lot of pain from the cut he had  given  me.  I  got  myself  ready  for  school  —  a  quick  wash,  bags  packed.  Breakfast  I  would  do  without.  That  way  I  would  avoid  my mother who was in the kitchen. My sisters and I walked to  the bus stop. We did not talk about the events of the day before.  We  never  did.  At  school  I  had  a  good  day,  sausage,  pies,  chips,  spotty dog, pink custard and orange cake. The teachers said that  I was not being stretched enough in class and I should move up a  stream. Great. 'A' stream, here I come. 

When I returned from school, I decided that I would like to  leave home, get myself a job and a room somewhere. I was sick of  the  beatings,  never  having  my  decent  clothes,  and  not  being  allowed enough food. That day, my mother and I had gone to see  in  expert  about  my  bed‐wetting.  He  said  I  was  a  nervous  child  and was there anything that made me nervous? My mother said,  'No.'  The  upshot  of  this  meeting  was  that  I  had  another  new  fancy  alarm  attached  to  my  bed.  I  knew  it  wouldn't  make  any  difference. 

The  next  day  at  school  we  had  Religious  Instruction.  Our  teacher spoke to us about God, Baby Jesus and heaven. We were  all Catholics, she told us — not just my old Catholics, but Roman  Catholics, and there was a space waiting in heaven for all of us.  All we had to do was obey the Ten  Commandments and lead a  good Catholic life. Unlike other religions, ours was the only one  that  actually  guaranteed  us  a  place  in  heaven.  If  we  were  not  quite  up  to  going  straight  there,  then  we  would  have  to  spend  time  in  the  Garden  of  Peace,  where  small‐time  sinners  waited  until  they  had  served  their  time  before  moving  on  to  heaven.  Purgatory was where you went after death to get rid of your sins  –  not  big  sins,  because  you  were  not  expected  to  do  those  anyway, but little ones which we all do. The garden had a high 

brick  wall  to  keep  out  others,  those  who  were  not  Roman  Catholic. 

We  then  moved  on  to  look  at  the  life  of  God,  and  how  He  gave up everything. He sacrificed His only Son to make this world  a better place for us. 

Thou must honour thy mother and thy father.  Thou shall not kill. 

Thou shall not take another life because you will not get to  heaven; not even the life of an ant are you entitled to take – they  have the right to life too. 

‘But,  miss,  what  if  it's  your  own  life?'  I  asked.  'You  can  do  what you want with your own life, can't you, without getting into  trouble?' 

Miss said only God could give life and only He could take it  away. It was a mortal sin to take your own life or even the life of  an ant. Think of that, an ant! How much more trouble would you  be in if you dabbled in God's business? You would never get to  heaven if you should ever interfere with God's little creatures. I  was not too happy about that lesson. If God gave life, surely He  would not mind if you gave it back to Him?  

`No,'  my  teacher  insisted,  'only  God  can  decide  what  he  wants;  you'll  never  get  to  heaven  if  you  allow  yourself  to  get  sidetracked.' 

`What, miss, if life is so bad that you want to give God His gift  back? Would He be upset? He is a kind God, miss. I know people  in  heaven,  miss  –  my  brother  Winston  is  there.  I  think  that  it  would be a better life than the one I have. If you decide that you  no  longer  want  to  be  on  earth  and  would  rather  be  in  heaven,  surely,  miss,  you  would  not  be  giving  up  your  place  in  heaven  just because you wanted to go sooner rather than later?' 

114 

 

290. 

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310. 

320. 

330. 

`Clare Briscoe, hush your mouth, may God forgive you. You  ungrateful child.' 

'But, miss, what if life on earth is not what you expect and  there is no fun in living on earth? You've said heaven is a joyous  place. I could play in the garden and wait until I got into heaven. I  could wear pretty dresses and nice new shoes and I could be so  happy in heaven, miss. I—' 

`Clare  Briscoe,  go  right  now  to  the  Headmaster.  Tell  him  I  said you have no respect for the Lord. Out – now go. 

I  stood  outside  the  Headmaster's  room,  got  bored  after  a  while, and went to my next class. In heaven, everything is perfect  and I would never wet the bed again. I would have a nice warm  blanket. There would be no need for mummies in heaven. Most  of the children there don't have mummies, because the children  have gone on ahead. Winston didn't have his mummy. Anyway, I  knew Winston was in heaven. I could get to know him. Maybe if I  brought Dollie with me and my spinning top, Winston could play  with my spinning top and I could play with Dollie. That sounded  fair to me. But what if God was cross with me because I decided  to  go  sooner  rather  than  later?  Surely  God  is  a  kind  God?  He  would not shut the doors of heaven  just because He was upset  with me. 

Was  I  prepared  to  take  the  risk?  Yes.  I  did  not  want  to  be  here. If I went now, quickly, no one would miss me. I'd be there  before  anyone  knew  I  was  gone.  I  don't  want  to  be  here,  I  thought. I don't like my home. I don't like my mother. I don't like  my sisters or brothers and I would rather not be here. Maybe if I  prayed hard enough and went to church, God would forgive me  and let me in. I decided I had better start going to church more  often. 

Soon it was Friday again. I went to Sacred Heart Church and  sat  at  the  front.  I  wanted  God  to  recognise  me  when  I  arrived  early. Back at school after the service, my teacher said I was lazy  and not putting enough effort into my work. She had no idea how  much housework I had to do. 

That  afternoon  we  had  Religious  Instruction  again.  The  teacher took me to one side and asked whether I had something  to tell her. I said, 'No.' 

`Why would you not want God's gift of life, Clare? Give me  one good reason.' 

`Miss,' I said, 'I might not want God's gift In fact, don't want  it.' 

`Oh,' she said, 'along with you, Clare Briscoe. You're always  away with the fairies.'  

I was not  away with the fairies. I tried to explain that was  not with the fairies because I would be with the angels. Teacher  said I should have my head examined. 

   

   

If you start judging people,

you will be having no time to love them

(Mother Theresa)

vii ABSTRACT

Taju, Maria Stephani (2012). The Motivation behind Child Abuses in

Brisco’s Ugly. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program,

Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis studies child abuses theme from Constance Briscoe’s Ugly.

This theme can be relevant to some recurring cases that happen in real life and therefore is expected to reflect and explain the reasons behind this very act. The writer opts to have the kinds of abuses and motivations of the perpetrators of child abuse as the central attention and intends to reveal what can possibly generate their abusive actions toward Clare, the main character in Briscoe’s Ugly.

The problems formulated in this thesis are (1) how Carmen, Eastman and Georgie are described in Briscoe’s Ugly, (2) what kinds of abuses Carmen, Eastman and Georgie have done to Clare and (3) what motivates Carmen, Eastman and Georgie to abuse Clare.

This study applied psychological approach to solve all three problems formulated. The first was solved by the theory of character and characterization in order to reveal Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s characters in the novel. Meanwhile, the second was solved by the theory of child abuse in which it provides the types of abusive action performed by Carmen, Eastman and Georgie. The last problem was solved by the theory of motivation that, when discussed with the first and second questions, uncover Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s motivations in performing the abuses.

The result of the study on Carmen, Eastman and Georgie’s characters yields findings that (1) Carmen’s characters are beautiful and stylish, bad-tempered and cruel, unfair, stingy and greedy, and self-centered; (2) Eastman’s characters are fatuous, cruel, stingy, and improper; (3) Georgie’s characters are funny, easy-going, and improper. Those characters are revealed through Murphy’s nine ways of characterization. The second findings explain in detail kinds of abuses performed by Carmen, Eastman and Georgie toward Clare by means of child abuse theory. There are four kinds of abuses performed by the perpetrators, namely physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. The third findings, to answer the third problem, discuss what motivates the perpetrator to act out those abuses. The discussion on the third findings applies the theory of motivation, which divides motivation into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The first and the second findings are taken into account to answer the third problem since the intrinsic motivation is closely related to personal behavior and character.

The first suggestion derived from this study is an offer to study Clare’s relationship with her other siblings, or the influence of Miss K’s appearance in Clare’s life development, or the grammatical mistake patterns in Eastman’s direct speech. The second suggestion is an offer of teaching material for Basic Reading II developed from Briscoe’s Ugly’ excerpts.

Key words: child abuse, motivation, perpetrator

viii ABSTRAK

Taju, Maria Stephani (2012). The Motivation behind Child Abuses in

Brisco’s Ugly. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan

Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma. 

Skripsi ini mempelajari tema pelecehan terhadap anak yang diangkat dari novel Ugly karya Constance Briscoe. Tema ini dapat ditemukan dalam kasus yang sering terjadi di kehidupan nyata sehingga diharapkan dapat menjadi cerminan dan menjelaskan alasan dibalik kasus-kasus pelecehan anak. Penulis memilih jenis-jenis pelecehan terhadap anak dan motivasi para pelakunya sebagai pusat pembahasan dalam studi ini, dengan tujuan untuk mengungkapkan hal-hal yang memunculkan tindakan pelecehan terhadap Clare, karakter utama dalam novel Ugly karangan Briscoe.

Rumusan permasalahan dalam skripsi ini adalah (1) bagaimana Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie dideskripsikan dalam novel Ugly karya Briscoe, (2) jenis pelecehan apa saja yang dilakukan Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie terhadap Clare dan (3) apa yang memotivasi Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie untuk melecehkan Clare.

Studi ini mengaplikasikan pendekatan psikologis untuk menjawab ketiga permasalahan yang dirumuskan diatas. Permasalahan pertama dipecahkan dengan teori karakter dan penokohan yang bertujuan untuk menyingkap karakter Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie. Sementara itu, permasalahan kedua dijawab dengan menggunakan teori pelecehan terhadap anak, yang mengupas jenis-jenis pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie. Permasalahan terakhir dipecahkan dengan teori motivasi yang ketika dibahas bersama dengan permasalahan pertama dan kedua dapat mengungkapkan motivasi Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie untuk melakukan pelecehan.

Studi tentang karakter Carmen, Eastman and Georgie menghasilkan temuan-temuan sebagai berikut (1) karakter Carmen adalah cantik dan modis, pemarah dan kejam, tidak adil, pelit dan rakus, dan egois; (2) karakter Eastman adalah bodoh, kejam, pelit, dan tidak sopan; (3) karakter Georgie adalah lucu, ringan tangan, dan tidak sopan. Karakter-karakter tersebut dapat disingkap melalui sembilan cara penokohan yang dirumuskan oleh Murphy. Temuan kedua merinci jenis-jenis pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh Carmen, Eastman dan Georgie terhadap Clare dengan menggunakan teori pelecehan terhadap anak. Ada empat macam pelecehan yang dilakukan oleh para pelaku, yaitu pelecehan fisik, pelecehan psikologis, pelecehan sexual dan pengabaian. Temuan ketiga, untuk menjawab permasalahan ketiga, membahas hal yang memotivasi pelaku untuk melakukan pelecehan. Pembahasan tentang temuan ketiga mengaplikasi teori motivasi, yang membagi motivasi menjadi motivasi intrinsic dan motivasi

extrinsic. Temuan-temuan pertama dan kedua juga dibahas untuk menjawab

permasalahan ketiga karena motivasi intrinsic sangat erat kaitannya dengan prilaku dan karakter individu.

ix Saran pertama yang dapat dikembangkan dari studi ini adalah tawaran untuk meneliti tentang hubungan Clare dengan saudara-saudaranya, atau pengaruh kemunculan Miss K dalam perkembangan hidup Clare, atau pola kesalahan tata bahasa dalam kalimat langsung yang diucapkan Eastman. Saran kedua adalah materi yang ditawarkan untuk mengajar Basic Reading II yang dikembangkan dari penggalan cerita dalam novel Ugly.

Kata kunci: child abuse, motivation, perpetrator