The self-actualization of Morrie Schwartz as revealed in Mitch Albom`s tuesday with Morrie - USD Repository
THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF MORRIE SCHWARTZ AS REVEALED IN MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
YUNI RIYANTI
Student Number: 034214118
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF MORRIE SCHWARTZ AS REVEALED IN MITCH ALBOM’S TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters
By
YUNI RIYANTI
Student Number: 034214118
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
BELIEVE IN EVERYONE BUT DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL INSIDE THEM
FOR
MY BELOVED PARENTS
AND MY UNPREDICTABLE OWN SELF
BE STRONG SO NOTHING CAN DISTURB
MY PEACE OF MIND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to express my gratitude to God who gives me this wonderful chance. Everything is possible because of Thee. I would like to thank my Advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini, M.A. for her guidance, advice, and detailed correctness. Thank you for being so patient and understanding during this time. I would also thank the lecturers who have taught me so much knowledge during my study, especially to my academic advisors, E. Arti Wulandari, S.S.,
M.A. and Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum. Also thank you to secretary and
library staffs who have provided me with information that I required all this time.Then, thank you for my boyfriend, Aditya Kusuma, who becomes a part of my life and giving me more colorful life. I am grateful for your love, support, help, and kindness. My appreciation is for my family: my mother, my father,
and my sister, who have surrounded me with affection. Thank you to my friends
in English Letters generally, in class D specifically, especially to Afrilla Nita
Sary and Dewi Kurniawati; you are my friends that I can count on. Thank you
for my friends in my boarding house who also help and support me during my thesis writing, especially to Nina Setyorini who always cheers me up and makes me laugh. You are my funniest friend I have ever had.
“Human beings without well behavior will not be able to recover chaos” Yuni Riyanti.
TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE ……………………………………………………............. i APPROVAL PAGE …………………………………………………....... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE …..…………………………………………....... iii
MOTTO PAGE…………………………………………………………... iv
DEDICATION PAGE …………………………………………………… vACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………........................ vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................... vii
ABSTRACT ……………………………………........................................ viii
ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………..... ix
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………… 1
A. Background of the Study …………………………………….. 1 B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………… 4 C. Objectives of the Study ………………………………………. 4 D. Definition of Terms ………………………………………….. 5CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW …………………………... 7
A. Review of Related Studies …………………………………… 7 B. Review of Related Theories ………………………………….. 121. Theory on Character and Characterization ......................... 12
2. Theory on relation between Psychology and Literature ..... 14
3. Theory on Self-Actualization ............................................. 15
C. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………… 21
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY …………………………………... 22
A. Object of the Study …………………………………………... 22 B. Approach of the Study ……………………………………….. 24 C. Method of the Study …………………………………………. 24CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ……………………………………………. 27
A. The Characteristics of Morrie Schwartz ……………………... 27 B. The Revelation of Morrie Schwartz’s Self-Actualization …… 40CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ………………………………………... 57
BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………………. 61
ABSTRACT
YUNI RIYANTI. The Self-Actualization of Morrie Schwartz as Revealed in
Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.Tuesdays with Morrie tells about Morrie Schwartz who has different
characteristics from common people. One of many things which makes him different is he does not think about earthly things anymore. He can receive everything which is predestined by God and see them positively. He understands what is more important in this life; one of them is helping other people with all of his heart and soul. He shares his experience in facing his life to other people in order to give them an understanding about the way to live in this world so that they will not feel hopeless. His way in giving his experience above can show that he indirectly actualizes himself. It happens when he shares his experience
The writer’s objectives in doing this study are: (1) to find the characteristics of Morrie Schwartz which are related with self-actualizing person and can lead him to be self-actualizing person; (2) to reveal the self-actualization of Morrie Schwartz through his characteristics which have similarities with the characteristics of self-actualizing person.
The writer does library research by using the novel as the primary source. The writer applies psychological approach. Maslow’s theory of self-actualization is used by the writer to explain the self-actualization of Morrie Schwartz and theories on character and characterization to show Morrie Schwartz’s characteristics.
As the result of this study, the characteristics of Morrie Schwartz are open- minded, helpful, strong, attentive, compassionate, patient, and wise. His characteristics lead him to be a self-actualizing person. As a self-actualizing person, he has democratic character structure, a concern in social interest, can focus on other people’s problems, accepts oneself, and experiences peak experience. The relation between his characteristics and a self-actualizing person is shown in next explanation. He is open-minded which means he has democratic character structure. This person never distinguishes race, religion, social class, and level of education. He has concern in social interest and desire to help other people. As an attentive person, he can focus on other people’s problems. Patience which is kept in his own self makes him become a person who has capability to accept oneself in whatever condition. Then, he experiences peak experience and decides to be peace with death. There is no need to be afraid of death since he also has experienced a mystical experience which shows his life in the future clearly.
ABSTRAK
YUNI RIYANTI. The Self-Actualization of Morrie Schwartz as Revealed in
Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris,
Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2007.Tuesdays with Morrie menceritakan tentang Morrie Schwartz yang
memiliki karakteristik berbeda dari orang pada umumnya. Salah satu hal yang membuatnya berbeda adalah ia tidak memikirkan tentang hal duniawi lagi. Ia dapat menerima segala hal yang ditakdirkan oleh Tuhan dan melihatnya secara positif. Ia memahami hal yang lebih penting dalam hidup ini; salah satunya adalah membantu orang lain dengan ikhlas. Ia berbagi pengalamannya dalam menghadapi hidup kepada orang lain dengan tujuan memberikan mereka pemahaman tentang cara untuk hidup di dunia ini sehingga mereka tidak merasa putus asa. Cara ia dalam memberikan pengalamannya di atas, dapat menunjukkan bahwa ia mengaktualisasikan dirinya secara tidak langsung. Hal itu terjadi ketika ia berbagi pengalamannya.
Tujuan penulis dalam studi ini adalah: (1) untuk menemukan karakteristik Morrie Schwartz yang berkaitan dengan orang yang telah mencapai aktualisasi diri dan yang dapat membimbingnya menjadi orang yang telah mencapai aktualisasi diri; (2) untuk mengungkapakan aktualisasi diri Morrie Schwartz melalui karakteristiknya yang memiliki persamaan dengan karakteristik orang yang telah mencapai aktualisasi diri.
Penulis melakukan studi pustaka dengan menggunakan novel tersebut sebagai sumber utama. Penulis menerapkan pendekatan psikologi. Teori Aktualisasi Diri Maslow digunakan penulis untuk menjelaskan aktualisasi diri Morrie Schwartz, serta beberapa Teori Karakter untuk menunjukkan karakteristik Morrie Schwartz.
Hasil dari studi ini menunjukkan karakteristik Morrie Schwartz, yaitu berpikiran terbuka, suka menolong, tegar, perhatian, merasakan iba, sabar, dan bijaksana. Karakteristik tersebut mebimbingnya menjadi orang yang mencapai aktualisasi diri. Ia memiliki struktur karakter yang demokratis, peduli pada kepentingan social, fokus pada masalah orang lain, menerima dirinya sendiri, dan mengalami pengalaman puncak. Hubungan antara karakteristik Morrie Schwartz dengan orang yang mencapai aktualisasi diri dijelaskan sebagai berikut. Ia berpikiran terbuka berarti ia memiliki struktur karakter yang demokratis. Ia tidak pernah membedakan ras, agama, kelas sosial, dan tingkat pendidikan. Ia peduli pada kepentingan sosial dan ingin membantu orang lain. Sebagai orang yang perhatian, ia dapat fokus pada masalah orang lain. Kesabaran yang dijaga dalam dirinya menjadikannya orang yang dapat menerima dirinya sendiri dalam kondisi apapun. Kemudian, ia mengalami pengalaman puncak dan memutuskan untuk berdamai dengan kematian. Tidak ada yang perlu ditakuti tentang kematian karena
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Human beings sometimes have a difficult time understanding the
significance of life. They may mistakenly think that life is only for searching money and career. During the life time, more people work hard for money and career; less people realize the significance of the life itself. Human beings do not live forever. They will die someday and it cannot be predicted. Therefore, the significance of life has to be understood. The significance of life here is human beings should reach their own goal in life. The goal in life here is not always related with oneself, but with other people. For example, the goal is for focusing on other people’s problems and solving those problems with all our heart and soul. However, that kind of thing is difficult to find in human beings’ life.
It is difficult to find because most of human beings only think about their own selves. The concept of individual, egocentric, and selfish is created in their mind and soul. Human beings think that they can do everything they want to do by their own selves. That is why, human beings feel very busy and they almost never think about other human beings. If human beings are difficult to think about other human beings, it will be difficult too for human beings to think about other’s problems. It is a valuable thing if there is a person who can think and focus about other people, think and focus about other people’s problems; even can solve the problems of other people with all his or her heart and soul. That kind of person has one of self-actualization’s characteristics.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer is going to analyze the self- actualization which has been achieved by the character, Morrie Schwartz. Self- actualization is very rare to find in common people. A person who has subjective experience and how he can perceive and value what he has obtained. An individual who has achieved self-actualization tends to seek the ultimate purpose of behavior rather than the superficial or apparent purpose. Self-actualization is the peak of needs. When a person has achieved it, he will get the significance of life. This person can receive what God does and see everything positively.
The character of Morrie Schwartz in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie is a kind of person who can receive what God does. He can receive everything which he has gotten positively and he knows what his main purpose in this life is.
The character of Morrie Schwartz is chosen because he has the characteristics of self-actualizing person who can show the importance of life, but it is forgotten. It can be proven by the statements which are given by Rev. L. Annie Forester, Minister Emerita in St. John’s Unitarian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio. She says that, “A wise and loving story that teaches us those things we ought to know already, but have somehow forgotten”.
Other opinion is said by Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club. She says that: I love this book. I’ve been telling all my friends, “You have to read this.” Mitch Albom was given a wonderful gift from his teacher Morrie student a crash course on living: clear and ruthless hindsight on what matters most when your days are numbered (1997: I). The opinion shows that Morrie Schwartz as the character in the novel has many experiences in facing his life and gives it to other person through a story.
The experiences are not as ordinary experiences. As Amy Tan says, it can shine and leave us forever warmed by its afterglow.
Morrie Schwartz can be considered as a self-actualizing person because he can give other person the right chosen how to live and it only can be given by Morrie Schwartz. Even, he is called as a saint man like what is said by Jeff Daniels:
Sometimes if you take a second look around you’ll notice we are amongst angels. Only a man -no, a saint- like Morrie Schwartz could take his own impending death and teach us how to live. After reading Tuesdays with Morrie you’ll understand that class is never dismissed (1997: II).
Self-actualizing person is like Buddha that leads the follower a way to live in this world. It is also the characteristics of Morrie Schwartz that can show other people the way to live. Joanna Bull, Founder and Executive Director in Gilda’s Club, says that:
All of the saints and Buddhas have taught us that wisdom and compassion are one. Now along comes Morrie, who makes it perfectly plain. His living and dying show us the way (1997: II). The character of Morrie Schwartz who is considered as a self-actualizing person understands about what is important in this life. He does not think about the earthly matters anymore, but he gives other people understanding that founding a relation between each other with love, affection, and compassion is the things in this world. It is showed by an opinion of Dr. Jane Greer, an author of
How Could You Do This to Me? Learning to Trust After Betrayal . She comments
that: Poignant and powerfully moving, Tuesdays with Morrie captures the essence and spirit of a truly gifted teacher and his unwavering belief that the most important lesson in life is connecting to one another through compassion and love. Mitch Albom gives his cherished mentor the greatest gift of passing it on to us all (1997: II). Those comments, opinions, or statements cause the writer to become certain that the character of Morrie Schwartz in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with
Morrie has different characteristics. The writer is interested in analyzing Morrie
Schwartz’s characteristics because of those comments. Many people say that Morrie Schwartz is different from other people in facing and seeing this life.
Those are some reasons why the writer is interested with the character of Morrie Schwartz and also the characteristics of Morrie Schwartz.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems that will be discussed in this study are:
1. What are the characteristics of the main character, Morrie Schwartz, presented in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie?
2. How does the main character, Morrie Schwartz, reveal his self-actualization? C.
Objectives of the Study
The aim of this undergraduate thesis is to emphasize the study of self- what the characteristics of the main character, Morrie Schwartz, are presented in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. Secondly, how the main character, Morrie Schwartz, reveals his self-actualization.
D. Definitions of Terms
In order to avoid confusion and misunderstanding, the writer presents the key terms that are going to be used in this undergraduate thesis.
1. Self-actualization Abraham Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Models of the
Health Personality states that self-actualization can be defined as the supreme
development and the use of all our abilities, the fulfillment of all our qualities and capacities. We must become what we have the potential to become. Even though the lower-order needs are satisfied-we feel secure physically and emotionally, have a sense of belonging and love and feel ourselves to be worthy individuals-we will feel frustrated, restless, and discontent if we fail to attempt to satisfy the need for self-actualization. If that happens, we will not be at peace with ourselves and cannot be described as psychologically health (1977: 64).
2. Character Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms defines character as “a person presented in a dramatic work, who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say-
3. Characterization According to Holman and Harmon (1986: 81) in A Handbook to
Literature , characterization is the creation of revealing imaginary persons so that
they exist for the readers as life like.4. Characteristics of Character According to Allport as quoted by Larver and Scheier in Perspective on
Personality , the characteristics of a character are related with his or her behavior,
thoughts, and feelings (1996:5).CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies Tuesdays with Morrie is based on a true story from an old dying man’s
life, Morrie Schwartz, with a young man, Mitch Albom, who talks about his life as the greatest lesson. This biographical novel is not merely about a story of a dying man’s last words which are said in common way but it is deeper about a man whose spirit is endless. It is about a man who understands this life thoroughly. It is emphasized by Stephanie Bowen, a book explorer of creative world writing at UCLA and CNN’s staff, in her article entitled “Tuesdays with Morrie” in CNN on May edition, 1998. She says that:
Tuesdays with Morrie is more than just a dying man’s last words. It is an
inspirational recount of a man’s life-a man whose passion for the human spirit has continued to live long after his last breath (http://edition.cnn.com/books/review/9805/06/index.html accessed on 20 September 2006).
Bowen also comments on Morrie’s view about his experiences with death. She states:
Morrie speaks to every person because he is every person. He has led a simple yet meaningful life that inspires you to live yours to the fullest. Perhaps his story is more powerful because you’re not only taking in his wisdom, but you are experiencing his death. In his words, he is fortunate enough to know he is dying, to take stock of his life as it comes to an end. He handles this with bravery and compassion, and when the final moment comes you feel as though you’ve lost a dear friend (http://edition.cnn.com/books/review/9805/06/index.html accessed on 20 September 2006). These sentences mean that Morrie is the same as an ordinary people who also experiences death. However, the difference is in his point of view about death. For common people, death is a scary thing but for Morrie, death is a lesson on how to live. It is also a lesson to more appreciate his life. In his view, Morrie considers death as an opportunity to seek what meaningful life is and realizes that death is a part of nature so he handles it bravely, compassionately, and wisely.
Bowen also adds that Albom’s life has changed dramatically because of the discussion about life in “Tuesday’s classes” with Morrie. In a true testament, Albom tells that now he spends more time with his wife, taking more time off work, and he is investing in the relationship with people in his life that he cares about most. He faces life with less fear than before and realizes that life only comes around once. Reunion with Morrie brings him to do the best thing in life so there is no regret turning back time (http://edition.cnn.com/books/review/9805/06/index.html accessed on 20 September 2006).
Another opinion comes from Charles Derber, a Boston College sociology professor. As quoted by Jim Suhr, an Associated Press writer, in his article “Sick Professor, Ex-student Talk of Life’s Lessons” in Chronicling Tuesdays with
Morrie on February, 1998; Derber says, “The fact that Mitch’s is so widely read is
testimony that he captured something valuable. Morrie would be smiling about this”(http://www.s-t.com/daily/02-98/02-15-98/e07li216.html accessed on 20 September 2006). Derber means that Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie is a successful book because it is widely read and this condition is a proof that Albom succeeds finding valuable lessons in life through Morrie.
Other positive criticism comes from Chuck Salter in Issue 30. He criticizes the character Morrie as a wisdom teacher. He states: Why the enormous interest in what retired college professor had to say? The answer is simple: Morrie offered candid, heartfelt insight into many of the philosophical question that so many of us ask ourselves (or should be asking ourselves) about life, work, community, relationships, aging, and death. And he offered all of this insight from a unique perspective…The only way to live. Take in from Morrie, a teacher to the last (1999: 198). This quotation explains the fact why Morrie, an old retired college professor, attracts many people to read his words in Tuesdays with Morrie. It is because Morrie answers honestly for those questions of life elements that nowadays, people ask and look the answers for. Morrie offers a different perspective about living happily and wisely.
Tuesdays with Morrie does not only attract its readers but also the popular
TV show in America, Oprah Winfrey. As quoted by Gloria Hillard, CNN Entertainment News Correspondent, in her article “Tuesdays with Morrie: Winfrey Produces TV Film” in CNN on February edition, 1999; Oprah Winfrey comments that Tuesdays with Morrie is a lovely book. When she loves a book, she recommends it to her audiences. She says that she loves the book because of Morrie Schwartz. He is an extraordinary man who gives her inspiration to be a stronger woman and increase her conscious to help other people (http://www.archieves.cnn.com/1999/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/02/tuesdays.morrie.html accessed on 20 September 2006)
However, positive comments are also accompanied with negative comment. The negative comment comes from Mark Krupnick, a professor of English at the University of Chicago and also an ALS sufferer, in his article “Revisiting Morrie: Were his Last Words Too Good To Be True?” in Issues on January, 2001. He says that:
…The world has seen enough rivalry among victims. It’s more to the point that professionally I’m a literary critic, and criticism is what critics do. That Morrie is himself uncritical is, in fact, part of my objection to him. Morrie urges his owns nonjudgmental stance on everybody else-especially urging dying patients to think affirmatively-but there is a limit to the usefulness of such an upbeat message. I think that people suffering from fatal disease such as ALS are better served by straight talk than by Morrie’s homilies. Personally, I can deal better with extreme experiences- what is already here and what is to come- when it is described as objectively as possible that when it is rendered with a moralistic glow (http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.01.25/books6.html accessed on 21 September 2006).
He means that Morrie’s wisdom is not all wise for ALS sufferers. For Krupnick, he think that other ALS sufferers are better to be served by a straight talk like how to come the progress of the illness or how to accept reality that it is useless to recover fully from ALS than by Morrie’s aphorism about life which is only homilies before he dies. There is a limitation in human ability to understand about morality when he or she faces death. Therefore, what is needed is only a reality that he or she must accept his or her condition and not a moralistic glow about life.
Krupnick also adds that Morrie takes advantage of the authority with which ALS endows Morrie to teach other sufferers how to comfort themselves. because it means that they deceive the reality that soon death waits them. Krupnick says, “It is hard to imagine truly traumatized persons being touched at a deep level by such counseling” (http://www.forward.com/issues/2002/02.01.25/books6.html accessed on 21 September 2006).
Krupnick has different point of view about Tuesdays with Morrie and also the lesson about life which are offered by Morrie, but everyone has his or her own opinion.
There are five comments about Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie. A positive criticism is given in four comments, but it is only a comment by Krupnick that gives a negative comment. In Regard to all the comments about Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, the writer agrees with the positive criticism that this biographical novel is valuable because it offers some different views on life matters so the readers could get the lesson in how to make life meaningfully. In spite of what Krupnick has said that this novel is only a temporary comfort, people do need a comfort to remedy and to reconsider all the things what people have missed the time to share together even people are often busy about themselves and their works. People forget what is truly important in this life.
Therefore, the writer takes on positive comments side.
After reading all comments above, the writer makes a conclusion about what many people often comment towards Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie.
They give comment that the novel is full with moral lesson. They study the novel about the novel. The different idea here is about self-actualization. The writer is going to reveal the self-actualization of the character in Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays
with Morrie .
B. Review of Related Theories
There are some theories that the writer wants to apply, such as theory on character and characterization, the relationship between literature and psychology, and theory on self-actualization. These theories will support the analysis of Tuesdays with Morrie .
1. Theory on Character and Characterization A character plays an important role in literary works. Without a character, the story will not run well. Because of its importance, therefore, there are many definitions on character. One of them, it comes from Stanton in An Introduction to
Fiction . He explains that the term “character” refers to the mixtures of interests,
desires, emotions and morel principles that form the individuals. He also adds that every story usually has a main character that is significant to all events in the story (1965:17). Then, in A Glossary of Literary Terms, Abrams defines character as “a person presented in a dramatic work, who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say- dialogue and by what they do-the action” (1981: 20).
Furthermore, according to Barnet et al in Literature for composition, he and (2) as the personality that is the mental and moral qualities of a figure (1988: 71). The writer will use the definition of character as the figure in a literary work.
From this statement, the writer understands that there is a close relation between character and characterization so the writer is going to use both theories to make this study clearer. Then, according to Beaty and Hunter in New World of
Literature , then say, “The particular traits (or characteristic) of a person suggest
that person’s character-what it makes him or her distinctive” (1989:231).Therefore, it can be said that a character needs some characteristics to form him or her and to distinctive him or her from other characters.
According to Allport as quoted by Larver and Scheier in Perspective on
Personality , the characteristics of a character are related with his or her behavior,
thoughts, and feelings (1996:5). They will influence the way of thinking, feeling, and behavior from a person. Therefore, to understand deeper about a character, it is important to know well about his or her characteristics.
Related with that, according to Murphy in Understanding Unseen, there are several ways in which an author attempts to make his characters or her characters understandable to, and come alive for his readers or her readers so the readers can know what kind of person he or she is. They are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, direct comment, thoughts, and mannerisms(1972:161-173). However, the writer only chooses six ways to understand the character of Morrie so the writer can get a clue to find the characterization of Morrie. They are: a. Character as seen by another : the author describes the character through the eyes and opinion of another b. Speech: the author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the persons in book through what the person says.
c. Past life: by letting the reader learn something about a person’s past life the author can give a clue to events that have helped to shape a person’s character.
d. Reactions: the author can give a clue to a person’s character by letting the readers know how that person reacts to various situations and events.
e. Direct comment: the author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
f. Thoughts: the author gives the readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.
2. Theory on relation between Psychology and Literature Recognizing that there is a close relation between literature and psychology, Kalish in The Psychology of Human Behaviour implies that
“literature holds the mirror up to the man.” A good writer or novelist can communicate the feeling of their characters and make them seem more life-like than the real people whose behavior the psychologist attempts to describe. The writer can use the understanding provided by the psychologist to enrich stories, and psychologist can gain in their understanding of human behavior by drawing from deep sensitivity of good author (1973: 8).
As the relationship between literature and psychology is closely established, it can be said that the analysis of literary works may reflect certain psychological factors. This undergraduate thesis explores one of psychological subjects. That is the self-actualization.
3. Theory on Self-Actualization Theory on self-actualization is related with hierarchy of needs that is stated by Abraham Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Models of the
Health Personality (Schultz, 1977: 60-63). These are the hierarchy of needs:
a. Physiological needs: these needs such as hunger, thirst, and shelter. This is the first level of the hierarchy. When these needs are met, the next need of the hierarchy emerges as a dominant force in controlling and directing behavior.
b. Safety needs: these needs can be seen in people’s preference for familiar surroundings, secure jobs, saving accounts, and insurance.
c. Love needs: these needs are the most common basis for behavioral problems in our society. These needs involve a hunger for affectionate relationships with others, a need to feel part of a group, or a feeling that one belongs.
d. Esteem needs: the need for self-esteem motivates the individual to strive for achievement, strength, confidence, independence, and freedom. The related need of esteem from others involve a desire for reputation, status, recognition, appreciation by others of one’s abilities, and a feeling of importance.
e. Self-actualization: when one has satisfied the first four levels of need, the final level, the person’s behavior is motivated by different conditions than at the lower levels.
Abraham Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Models of the
Health Personality states that
Self-actualization can be defined as the supreme development and the use of all our abilities, the fulfillment of all our qualities and capacities. We must become what we have the potential to become. Even though the lower-order needs are satisfied-we feel secure physically and emotionally, have a sense of belonging and love and feel ourselves to be worthy individuals-we will feel frustrated, restless, and discontent if we fail to attempt to satisfy the need for self-actualization. If that happens, we will not be at peace with ourselves and cannot be described as psychologically health (1977:64). Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Models of the Healthy
Personality (Schultz, 1977: 69-78) illustrates a number of specific characteristics
that describe self-actualizing persons: i. Self-actualizing persons perceive objects and persons in the world around them objectively. They have an efficient perception of reality that enables them to perceive reality as it is. ii. Self-actualizing persons acquire a general acceptance of nature, others, and oneself. It is a matter of accepting one self, their shortcoming, and their strength; without complain or worry. iii. Self-actualizing persons are those who attain spontaneity, simplicity, and naturalness in behaving. They do not have to hide their emotion but can display them honestly. iv. Self-actualizing persons have a focus on problems outsides themselves. They v. Self-actualizing persons have need for privacy and independence. They have a strong need for detachment and solitude. Their behaviors and feelings are strongly self-centered and self-directed. It means that they have the ability to make up their own minds, reach their own decisions, and exercise their own motivation and discipline. vi. Self-actualizing persons are autonomous functioning. This is a simple first step toward self-actualization. If a person is an autonomous functioning, she or he has realized that satisfaction of the growth motives comes from within. vii. Self-actualizing persons have a continued freshness of appreciation. The self- actualizing persons continually appreciate certain experiences, no matter how often they are repeated, with a fresh sense of pleasure, awe, and wonder. They take little for granted but continue to be thankful for what they possess and can experience. viii.Self-actualizing persons experience mystical, or “peak” experiences. It is when the self is transcendenced and the person is gripped by a feeling of power, confidence, and decisiveness, a profound sense that there is nothing he or she could not accomplish to become. ix. Self-actualizing persons concern in social interest. They possess strong and deep feelings of empathy and affection for all human beings, as well as a desire to help humanity. x. Self-actualizing persons acquire the interpersonal relations. They are capable of stronger relationship with others than are persons of average mental health.
They are capable of greater love, deeper friendship, and more complete identification with other individuals. xi. Self-actualizing persons have democratic character structure. There is no certain limitation on building relationship with people, such as social class, level of education, political or religious affiliation, race or colour. They hold the essence of equality that every person has the same opportunity to know others. xii. Self-actualizing persons are capable to recognize discrimination between means and ends, between good and evil. The self-actualizing persons hold that they are enjoying the process of achieving something as well as the goal they achieve. Therefore, they give consent both on the means and the ends. In additional, they have well-defined understanding on good and evil so that they cannot easily be influenced by the confusing situation that enables them to make decisions. xiii.Self-actualizing persons acquire unhostile sense of humor. This characteristic deals with the ability of persons in making fun of humanity in general, not in specific individuals. xiv. Self-actualizing persons can present his or her creativeness. This means that they are original, inventive, and innovative, although not always in terms of producing an artistic creation. It is more of an attitude, an expression of psychological health, and is concerned more with the way people perceive and react to the world than with finished products of an artistic nature. xv. Self-actualizing persons have resistance to enculturation. They are able to resist social pressures to think or act in certain ways. They maintain an inner detachment, an aloofness from their culture, guided by themselves rather than by others.
Maslow in Petri’s Motivation: Theory and Research comes to conclusion that there are actually two types of self-actualizing people, differentiated in regard to peak experiences. Some self-actualizing persons rarely have peaks experiences, while others experience peaks so much more often. Those self-actualizing individuals that experience peaks are called trancenders or peakers, and those who do not are called nontrancenders or nonpeakers. Both peakers and nonpeakers share all of the characteristics of self-actualization with the exception of the frequency of peak experiences. Peakers think and talk in language concern with honesty, truth, beauty, perfection, and soon (1981: 310).
Self-actualizing person live in a way that they believe is best for their own growth and fulfillment regardless of what others may think. Maslow does not consider self-actualizing person as a perfect individual (Morris, 1990: 515). It tends to say that self-actualizing people is those who is capable to discover, maintain, and develop themselves.
Carl Roger raises another theory of self-actualization. He shows that self- actualization is a process of becoming oneself, of developing one’s unique psychological characteristics and potentialities. He believes that humans have an innate urge to create and that the most important creative product is one’s own pain and struggle and any accompanying urge to cease the effort to develop (Shultz, 1977: 27). S.I Hayakana also implies in his book Symbol, Status, and
Personality that a self-actualizing person never allows convention to obstruct him
or restrain him from doing anything that he assumes very important and basic (1950: 56).
According to the three theories raised by Maslow, Rogers, and Hayakana, Self-actualization is the process in which a person tries in recognizing his or her own self, developing the abilities, personal uniqueness, and actualizing his or her potentials as a human being that is capable of becoming what he or she wants to achieve. Those theories mainly emphasize that each person has their own uniqueness, abilities, talents, skills, potentials that are different one another. Self- actualization is not the final destination of a perfect personality. Maslow shows that it is one of the characteristic of a healthy personality’s person.
The self-actualization is revealed when a person has his or her own uniqueness, abilities, and potentials which are very different from other people and he or she is capable in doing or becoming something by using all his or her capabilities.
The writer applies the theory on self-actualization by Abraham Maslow to show the characteristics of the self-actualizing person as the continuation of the analysis of the characteristics of the character, Morrie Schwartz, and how Morrie Schwartz’s self-actualization can be revealed by looking at his characteristics.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this part, the writer will apply two theories, theory on character and characterization, and theory on self actualization. Then, the writer will use the relation between literature and psychology. Theory on character and characteristics will be used to describe the characteristic of Morrie Schwartz, the character that will be analyzed.
By understanding and applying the relationship between literature and psychology, the writer understands that literature has a strong relationship with psychology. Since this study is related with psychology, the writer is going to combine both literature and psychology when analyzing this study.
The main theory of this study is theory on self-actualization. The writer focused on theory of self-actualization by Abraham Maslow. Theory on self- actualization shows that self-actualization is the level that can be reached after human needs are satisfied. This theory will show how the characteristics of the main character, Morrie, reveal his self-actualization.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study In this undergraduate thesis, the novel Tuesdays with Morrie is used. It is a
biographical novel written by Mitch Albom and published in New York by Doubleday in 1997, first edition. The book is interesting because of the way in telling story. The way is showed when reading the book; there are some items that are like class matters, such as the curriculum, the syllabus, and the student. Those things make the reader feel that he or she will attend a new class and the novel is the book which will be used in the class.
In addition, Tuesdays with Morrie is also rewarded as “The New York Times” best-seller list for two years running with the five million copies in print.
It has been translated into 30 languages in 34 countries. Besides Tuesdays with
Morrie , Mitch Albom also writes Bo, Fab Five, Life Albom I-IV, and The Five
People You Meet in Heaven: Tuesday with Morrie continues with making the filmof it. As the result, Alboms get Emmy Awards in 2000 including those for “Best Actor” and “Best Supporting Actor”. Then, he makes its theatrical version, which comes closely on the heels of a successful paperback released (http://www.albom.com/index.htm accessed on 6 October 2006). Therefore, it shows that this novel has succeeded touching many people’s hearts.
This study will focus on the character of Morrie Schwartz. He is in