The significance of living in the mental asylum toward Veronika`s self-realization as seen in paulo Coelho`s Veronika Decides to Die - USD Repository
THE SIG TOWA P E F GNIFICA ARD VER PAULO C Present to ENGLISH DEPARTM FACULTY ANCE OF RONIKA’ COELHO'
NIKA DE
A SARJAN ted as Parti o Obtain th in Engli
IN
ents
5 UDY PROG
kha
Requireme n Degree ion
2 E MENTA ATION A ECIDES T HESIS
ATION STU E AND AR AINING AN A UNIVER ARTA
a Maharddik : 051214035
ment of the R Pendidikan age Educat
G IN THE REALIZA
GE EDUCA LANGUAGE CHERS TRA A DHARMA YOGYAKA
2012
By ung Christa ent Number:
VERON NA PENDID ial Fulfillm he Sarjana P ish Langua
LANGUAG MENT OF L Y OF TEAC SANATA Y F LIVING ’S SELF-R 'S
Leo Ag Stude
GRAM ATION ATION LUM
RTS EDUCA ND EDUCA SITY AL ASYL AS SEEN
THE SIG TOWA P E F GNIFICA ARD VER PAULO C Present to ENGLISH DEPARTM FACULTY ANCE OF RONIKA’ COELHO'
NIKA DE
A SARJAN ted as Parti o Obtain th in Engli
IN
ents
5 UDY PROG
kha
Requireme n Degree ion
2 E MENTA ATION A ECIDES T HESIS
ATION STU E AND AR AINING AN A UNIVER ARTA
a Maharddik : 051214035
ment of the R Pendidikan age Educat
G IN THE REALIZA
GE EDUCA LANGUAGE CHERS TRA A DHARMA YOGYAKA
2012
By ung Christa ent Number:
VERON NA PENDID ial Fulfillm he Sarjana P ish Langua
F LIVING ’S SELF-R 'S
i
LANGUAG MENT OF L Y OF TEAC SANATA Y
Leo Ag Stude
GRAM ATION ATION LUM
RTS EDUCA ND EDUCA SITY AL ASYL AS SEEN
ABSTRACT
Maharddikha, Leo Agung Christa. 2012. The Significance of Living in The Mental
Asylum toward Veronika’s Self-Realization As Seen in Paulo Coelho’s Veronica
. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program,
Decides to Die
Department of Language and Art Education, Faculty of Teachers Trainee and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study analyzed a novel written by Paulo Coelho entitled Veronika . The novel is worth analyzing since it tells about human being’s
Decides to Die
journey to reveal the truth within him/herself. It is a journey that changes a desire to die into a desire to live. Furthermore, the novel shows that human being is created to help each other in a society.
The objective of this study is to analyze how Veronika achieves self- realization by living in the mental asylum. There are three problems discussed in this study. The first is the description of Veronika. The second is the depiction of the mental asylum where Veronika lives, including the patients. The third is the significance of the mental asylum toward Veronika’s self-realization.
Since this study discusses Veronika’s personality growth to find the desire in life, the psychological approach is applied in this study. Theories of character and characterization are used to reveal each character’s characteristics. Theory of psychosynthesis is applied to discuss the third problem.
Based on the analysis, Veronika is described as an idealistic, mature, sluggish, introvert, insecure, pretty, and attractive woman. Due to desperation, Veronika commits a suicide attempt. By the current law in Slovenia, Veronika is sent to live within a mental asylum. Veronika realizes that the patients are not entirely insane. Both the sane and insane patients gain freedom to express themselves within the mental asylum. Although being filled with fear at first, Veronika chooses to free herself. With the help of a piano and the assistance of her insane friends, Veronika is able to achieve self-realization.
The implication of this study to education covers three points. The first point is related to Veronika’s environment change that supports her in achieving self-realization. Teachers are suggested to maintain a dynamic class environment. The second point is related to the freedom within the mental asylum. As the teacher is guiding the students, the students are free to express their thoughts and feelings. The third point is related to Veronika’s cooperation with the other character. A cooperative learning like small group discussion is suggested to improve the students’ motivation.
It is suggested for future researcher to conduct an analysis of parents’ treatments to their child’s personality growth. It is also possible to conduct an analysis on the effect of Veronika’s personality growth on the other characters. Keyword: mental asylum, psychosynthesis, self-realization vi
ABSTRAK
Maharddikha, Leo Agung Christa. 2012. The Significance of Living in The Mental
Asylum toward Veronika’s Self-Realization As Seen in Paulo Coelho’s Veronica
. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Bahasa dan
Decides to Die Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan IlmuPendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini menganalisa novel oleh Paulo Coelho berjudul Veronika Decides . Novel ini layak dianalisa karena menceritakan tentang perjalanan manusia
to Die
untuk mengungkapkan kebenaran dalam dirinya sendiri. Novel ini menceritakan suatu perjalanan hidup yang mengubah keinginan untuk mati menjadi hasrat untuk hidup. Selain itu, novel ini menunjukkan bahwa manusia diciptakan untuk saling membantu dalam masyarakat.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa bagaimana Veronika mencapai realisasi diri dengan hidup di rumah sakit jiwa. Ada tiga masalah yang dibahas dalam penelitian ini. Yang pertama adalah deskripsi tentang Veronika. Yang kedua adalah penggambaran rumah sakit jiwa di mana Veronika tinggal, termasuk para pasien. Yang ketiga adalah hubungan antara rumah sakit jiwa dengan realisasi diri Veronika.
Dikarenakan penelitian ini membahas perkembangan kepribadian Veronika untuk menemukan hasrat dalam hidup, penulis menerapkan pendekatan psikologis. Teori karakter dan karakterisasi digunakan untuk mengungkapkan kepribadian masing-masing karakter. Teori psikosintesis diterapkan untuk membahas masalah ketiga.
Berdasarkan analisa, Veronika adalah wanita yang idealis, dewasa, lesu, introvert, kurang percaya diri, cantik, dan menarik. Veronika mencoba bunuh diri karena mengalami depresi. Berhubungan dengan hukum yang berjalan di Slovenia, Veronika harus tinggal dalam rumah sakit jiwa. Veronika sadar bahwa tidak semua pasien gila. Para pasien, baik yang waras ataupun yang gila, bebas mengekspresikan diri dalam rumah sakit jiwa. Meskipun awalnya diliputi rasa takut, Veronika memilih untuk membebaskan dirinya sendiri. Dengan bantuan sebuah piano dan teman-teman gilanya, Veronika mampu mencapai realisasi diri.
Implikasi dari penelitian ini untuk pendidikan mencakup tiga hal. Poin pertama terkait dengan perubahan lingkungan Veronika yang mendukung dirinya dalam mencapai realisasi diri. Guru disarankan untuk mengelola lingkungan kelas yang dinamis. Poin kedua berhubungan dengan kebebasan di dalam rumah sakit jiwa. Guru selain membimbing siswa juga memberikan kebebasan dalam mengungkapkan pikiran dan perasaan mereka. Poin ketiga terkait dengan kerjasama Veronika dengan karakter lainnya. Pembelajaran kooperatif seperti diskusi dalam kelompok kecil dianjurkan untuk meningkatkan motivasi siswa.
Peneliti yang akan datang disarankan untuk melakukan analisa pada perlakuan orang tua terhadap pertumbuhan kepribadian anak mereka. Analisa pada pengaruh perkembangan kepribadian Veronika kepada karakter lain juga dapat dilakukan.
Kata kunci: mental asylum, psychosynthesis, self-realization vii
-Vincent Valentine (Final Fantasy 7)-
This thesis is dedicated to:
- My Precious Family-
viii
"I've built a wall Not to Block anyone out but to See who Loves me
enough to climb over it."
J esus
C hrist and
M other
M ary
My Partner, Melania Shary Sacitta M yself, Leo Agung Christa Maharddikha
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I submit my deepest praise to God Almighty for all the guidance, patience, and blessing given to my life. I praise Mother Mary for Her existence that strengthens my faith in finishing this thesis. My greatest gratitude is dedicated to my beloved parents, Suprihartanta F.P. and Agatha Damai C., for the never ending love, trust, prayer, and care. I also thank my siblings, Pasifikus Christa Wijaya and Klaudia Christa Wardani, for giving me great support and brotherhood.
Thanks for all the love given to me.
My utmost debt goes to my advisor and sponsor, Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y., M.Hum., who has spent his precious time and patience to guide me finish this thesis. I also thank him for his smile and kindness in enduring my dullness.
Without his guidance and support, I will not be able to finish this thesis. I would love to give my gratitude to all English Education Study Program lecturers and staff, who have provided me valuable lessons, support, and great experiences in Sanata Dharma University.
I am thankful for my beloved friends, especially Lukas Arya Reza A.W., Bekti, Taufik, Thomas, Bondan, Deni, Sedik, Pramu, Momon, Mita, Nova, Rulla, Jojo, and all English Education Study Program students of 2005 for the unimaginable experience we have spent together. I am also thankful for my friends whose name can not be mentioned here one by one. Thanks for all the laughter and tears that make my life meaningful. ix
My final gratitude goes to my power, my passion, and my love, Sariani Putranti also known as Melania Shary Sacitta. Thanks for your existence in my life, your cards, love, patience, understanding, loyalty, and assistance. Fate may not allow me to touch you any longer, but fate is not a reason to stop feeling you.
Leo Agung Christa Maharddikha
x
xi
4 1.4. Benefits of the Study ....................................................
9 2.2.2. Psychosynthesis .........................................................
8 2.2.1. Character and Characterization .................................
7 2.2. Review of Related Theories .........................................
7 2.1. Review of Related Studies ...........................................
5 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .......................
5 1.5. Definition of Terms ......................................................
4 1.3. Objectives of the Study .................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 1.2. Problem Formulation ...................................................
1 1.1. Background of the Study ..............................................
........................................................................................................ vii DEDICATION PAGE ..................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................ xi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................
ABSTRAK
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................... vi
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ............................ .................... v
Page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................. i APPROVAL PAGES ...................................................................................... ii STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ............................................... iv
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2.2.2.1. The Psychosynthesis Model of a Person ................
12 2.2.2.2. Middle Unconscious ..............................................
13 2.2.2.3. Subpersonalities .....................................................
13 2.2.2.4. Primal Wounding ...................................................
14 2.2.2.5. Lower and Higher Unconscious .............................
14 2.2.2.6. The Stages of Psychosynthesis ...............................
15 2.3. Historical Background .................................................
18 2.3.1. Mental Asylum ..........................................................
18 2.3.2. Mental Health in Slovenia .........................................
18 2.3.3. Newborn Country ......................................................
19 2.3.4. Restriction to Freedom in Slovenia ...........................
20 2.3. Theoretical Framework ................................................
21 ............................................................
22 CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY 3.1. Object of Study .............................................................
22 3.2. Approach of the Study ..................................................
24 3.3. Method of the Study .....................................................
24 ........................................................................
27 CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS 4.1. The Description of Veronika .......................................
27
4.1.1. Before Living in the Mental Asylum ……………… 28
4.1.1.1. Idealistic ……………….………………………… 28
4.1.1.2. Sluggish ................................................................. 29 xii
xiii 4.1.1.3. Introvert .................................................................
38 4.2.2.3. The Description of Nasrudin .................................
V. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS .................................................................
47 CHAPTER
46 4.3.4. The Response to Self .................................................
45 4.3.3. The Contact with Self ................................................
42 4.3.2. The Emergence of “I” ................................................
40 4.3.1. The Exploration of the Personality ............................
39 4.3. Veronika’s Self-Realization in the Mental Asylum ......
39 4.2.2.5. The Description of Eduard ....................................
38 4.2.2.4. The Description of Mari ........................................
37 4.2.2.2. The Description of Zedka ......................................
30 4.1.1.4. Insecure .................................................................
37 4.2.2.1. The Description of Dr. Igor ...................................
35 4.2.2. The Description of the Inhabitants ............................
35 4.2.1. The Description of the Mental Asylum ....................
4.2. The Description of the Mental Asylum and the Inhabitants .............................................................
33
32 4.1.2.2. Brave ......................................................................
32 4.1.2.1. Mature ....................................................................
4.1.1.5. Pretty and Attractive .............................................. 31 4.1.2. After Living in the Mental Asylum …………..… ....
31
49
5.1. Conclusions ..................................................................
49 5.2. Implications ..................................................................
51 5.3. Suggestions ..................................................................
52 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................
53 ...............................................................................................
55 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Cover of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to ..................................................................
56 Die Appendix 2 Summary of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die ..................................................................
57 Appendix 3 The Author’s Biography .....................................
58 xiv
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter consists of five parts. The first part is background of the
study, which talks about the reasons of conducting this study. The second part is problem formulation, which presents three questions to be discussed in the following chapters. The third part is objectives of the study, which explain the goals of the study. The fourth part describes benefits of the study, which concern the benefits and importance of this study. Finally, the fifth part is definition of terms, which provides the definition of some important terms that are used in this study.
1.1. Background of the Study
Each person is having their own life. It is normal to undergo depression as a person gets older and experiences unpredictable things in this world. However, depression is risky when it has become a mental disorder. That person is considered crazy by the society.
Matsumoto (2009) explains the state of depression from the psychological point of view that depression is a mental condition of a person that is noticed from the occurrence of negative mood, low energy, loss of interest in usual activities, pessimism, unrealistically negative thoughts about self and the future, and social withdrawal. Depression that happens for a long periods and thus affects daily functioning is considered as depressive disorders (p. 156).
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Depression has various effects as stated previously by Matsumoto. In some cases, depression may lead someone to death. This can be seen from media such as television, radio, and newspaper. Jeff Z. Klein (www.nytimes.com, 2011) describes the death of Rick Rypien in New York Times. Rick Rypien was having depression for more than a decade. Although he was considered the best player in the National Hockey League, the depression made him took two leaves of absence from the Vancouver Canucks before he decided to commit suicide. Nichols (in.reuters.com, 2011) reports the death of Bernard Madoff and his wife. Bernard Madoff and his wife were enjoying luxurious life before Madoff’s $65 billion Ponzi scheme was exposed. Because Madoff and his wife were confused and depressed, they took pills as a suicide attempt on Christmas Eve 2008. Such acts would stimulate common comments that question the sanity of the doers.
Depression can also be portrayed in literary works since literature also concerns with life experience. Perrine (1969) states that literature exists to communicate others’ experiences which provide not only a story, but also an opportunity to use imagination to live more fully, more deeply, more richly, and with greater awareness (p.4). Through literature works the reader can participate in the experience told.
Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die portrays the effect of depression to someone’s life. Since the novel takes place in the mental asylum, where many madmen live, the reader can see various effect of depression. Paulo Coelho’s is inspired by the author’s experience in time of
Veronika Decides to Die depression and in the mental asylum.
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The story begins with an act of suicide by the main character, Veronika. Veronika is a young and charming woman who lives within perfection. However, Veronika survives the suicide. Thus Veronika is sent to live for a week in a mental asylum. In the mental asylum, Veronika’s personality is growing. She becomes a better person with a better perspective about life and other people.
The story of Veronika has triggered the researcher’s curiosity. Veronika’s consciousness decides to end her life, but the real reason lies beneath the sea of unconsciousness. Veronika Decides to Die is analyzed from the psychosynthesis point of view because the novel holds deeper psychological aspect of a person.
More questions arise around the mental asylum. The researcher is eager to know the reason of Veronika’s mental growth within the mental asylum. Such close relationships only appear within the asylum. Before the suicide attempt, Veronika decides to isolate herself from any close relationship. It is described in the novel that after she is bound with the asylum, Veronika experiences some communications with some of the patients. Later on, the social relationship makes Veronika becomes more open. She is able to be herself among those who perceive her as an insane young woman.
The story of Veronika is inspiring because it brings out a common problem in life, depression. Furthermore, the author uses mental asylum to maintain the story. Veronika becomes herself not only because of the staffs within mental asylum, but also of the insane inhabitants. The normal Veronika is forced to live among insane people, a hideous condition of no escape. However, she decides to face her surroundings. She makes a choice to live although it means
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that she has to live as an insane woman. She overcomes her fear little by little. Veronika’s life teaches us to let go of our past and face our present life. Besides,
Veronika Decides to Die gives us an example of how weak a person can be in
solitude. That is why I chose Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die.1.2. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study, the researcher formulates these three questions:
1.2.1. How is Veronika described in Veronika Decides to Die?
1.2.2. How are the characteristics of the mental asylum depicted in Veronika
Decides to Die ?
1.2.3. How does the mental asylum affect Veronika in the process of self- realization?
1.3. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are to answer the three questions stated in Problem Formulation. There are three objectives of the study. The first is to find out the characteristics Veronika are described in the novel. Afterward, this research will identify the characteristics of the mental asylum depicted in the novel. Finally, this research will try to reveal the significance of the environment, especially the mental asylum, toward Veronika’s self-realization.
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1.4. Benefits of the Study
This study would give some benefits to the reader, English teachers, the students of English Language Education, of English Letter, of Psychology Study Program, and the other researchers. The readers of this research will find out the story of Veronika who accidentally and unwillingly lives in a mental asylum but then find a great enlightenment for her life. In addition, this study gives information about the life of those who live inside of a mental asylum.
The students of English Education Study Program and English Letters will find this study capable of giving them better understanding of the novel from the psychological point of view, especially through psychosynthesis. Psychosynthesis is rarely used. Thus, the research will give them more understanding of psychosynthesis. Furthermore, this research will provide more information about
Veronika Decides to Die for other researchers. It is hoped that this study could
encourage more people to be interested in reading literary works.1.5. Definition of Terms
1.5.1 Character Abrams (1981) explains that character is a person in dramatic or narrative work who is endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say in a dialogue and what they do throughout the story. Character is usually witty, sketch in prose of a distinctive person (p. 20). Furthermore, Abrams (1999) explains two kinds of character. They are flat character who does not
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undergo changes and round character who is described as a portrayal of a real life and undergoes changes (p. 33).
1.5.2 Mental Asylum Based on APA Dictionary of Psychology (2006), asylum is a refugee for criminals and insane people. The term mental asylum was changed to mental institution
th
in the 19 century because mental asylum emphasizes more on refugee than treatment (p. 79). Furthermore, APA Dictionary of Psychology (2006), states that mental institution is a treatment-oriented facility where people who have mental disorders are provided with care and therapy by psychologists, psychiatrists, and auxiliary staff (p. 568).
1.5.3 Self-Realization Firman and Gila (2002) state that Self-realization is “the ongoing dynamic relationship between “I” and self throughout all life experiences” (p. 191). It means that a person willingly accepts his/her unconscious part which holds the true potential. A person undergoes Self-realization as he/she acquire new experience in life whether the new experience is joyful or painful.
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter is divided into four sections. The first section provides a review
on related studies, in which some studies by other researchers on Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die are mentioned. The second section contains a review on related theories, in which fundamental concepts on character and characterization and psychosynthesis are explained briefly. The third section explains the historical background of Slovenia, including the mental asylum in
th
the 20 century. The last section of this chapter provides the theoretical framework, in which the previously mentioned concepts and theories are described as contributing to the analysis of the novel.
2.1. Review of Related Studies
There are some researchers on Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die by undergraduate students of Sanata Dharma University which are important to consider. First is Theofilus (2007), a student of English Letters who uses the formalistic approach to analyze Veronika’s character development in relation to the minor characters. Theofilus explains the role of each minor character to Veronika’s growth inside the mental asylum. In conclusion, Veronika begins to appreciate life more than before and is able to be herself.
Second is Putri (2008), a student of English Letters who emphasizes on Veronica’s meaning of life. Putri applies the psychological approach. In her study,
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Putri explains the roles of Veronika’s environment inside and outside of the mental asylum to help Veronika in finding a meaning of her life. Finally, Veronika is able to enjoy small things that lead her to find the meaning of life and love.
Third research was conducted by Yulianingsih (2006), a student of English Letters who uses psychological approach to analyze Veronika’s process of individuation. In analyzing the process, Yulianingsih correlates the theory of conformity and suicide. In the conclusion, Yulianingsih states that Veronika is able to fulfill her inner needs and able to listens to her heart.
Many researchers have conducted on Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to
Die . There are psychological aspects which deals with the factors of Veronika’s
unpredictable decisions as told in the novel. In this study, the writer uses the theory of psychosynthesis. Through psychosynthesis, an analysis on the deeper aspect of Veronika’s self-realization is established. Thus psychosynthesis is preferred to analyze the novel.
2.2. Review of Related Theories Some theories are needed to answer the questions in problem formulation.
They are the theory of character and characterization and theory of psychosynthesis. Later on, the theories are integrated to find the appropriate answer the problems stated in the previous chapter.
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2.2.1. Character and Characterization
Abrams (1999) explains two kinds of character. A person in a story who has some specific personality or rather special quality and does not undergo personality changes is considered as a flat character. Flat character usually appears as a hero and usually can easily be described in one word. On the other hand, round character is a person described not only as an example of some vice or virtue or type, but also more individualized being that undergoes changes.
Round character usually appears in a story that portrays the real life or that tells the experience of the author. Thus, a round character is as difficult to describe as a real person in a real life (p. 33).
According to Murphy (1972), the personality of a person can be drawn from the outer appearance and the manner. One’s past life also determine the personality of a person. However, understanding the characters and personalities of a person in a literary work require more attempts. More attempts are required due to readers’ inability to see the characters in a novel directly. There are nine ways to understand the personalities of a person in a literary work (pp. 161-173), the explanation are as follows:
2.2.1.1. Personal Description The author can directly describe not only a person’s appearance and clothing, but also the personality. He can describe clearly how the characters looks like and tell the reader the details of the character’s appearance such as the face, skin, eyes, and clothing. The reader can also acquire a person’s behavior and manner.
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2.2.1.2. Characters as seen by others The author describes particular character from other characters’ point of view and opinion. The author helps the reader to understand the character by revealing other character’s opinion about the character as a reflected image in how the character is perceived.
2.2.1.3. Speech The author can give the readers an insight into the character of one of the persons in the literary work through what that person says. Whenever the person speaks, whenever he puts forward the opinion, he is giving the readers some clues to his characters.
2.2.1.4. Past Life The author shows a person’s character by revealing the person’s past life. It can be done by direct comment from the author, through the person’s conversation, and through the medium of the other person.
2.2.1.5. Conversation of others The author can also give the readers clues about a person’s character through the conversation, either by other people or by the things, they say about him.
2.2.1.6. Reactions The author gives the clues by letting the readers know how the characters in the story react to various situations. Using this kind of characterization, the readers may expect to find the quality of the characters in dealing with those various situations.
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2.2.1.7. Direct comment Usually the author gives his comment and description explicitly towards his characters in the story. There is no medium that the author used to characterize a character. Thus, the reader can easily understand the personality of a character from the author’s direct comments in a novel.
2.2.1.8. Thoughts The author may give the readers direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about. Here, the author can tell the readers what different people are thinking.
2.2.1.9. Mannerism The author can describe a person’s mannerism or habits both positive and negative one, which may also tell the readers something about his character.
2.2.2. Psychosynthesis
Roberto Assagioli, an Italian psychiatrist, is known as the father of psychosynthesis. Assagioli first studied psychoanalysis from Sigmun Freud. In 1965, Assagioli proposed a model of a person that is different from Freud’s and C.G. Jung’s. Assagioli names the model Psychosynthesis. The important difference is that Assagioli emphasize that soul or spiritual aspect is a reality within self. Meanwhile, Jung believed that spiritual aspect was subjective. Assagioli’s theory was rejected by many psychiatrists. However, 40 years after he proposed the theory, psychosynthesis becomes inspiration to many psychiatrists.
After his death in 1974, Assagioli’s manuscripts are studied and developed. Some of the latest books that explain psychosynthesis are produced based on the
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manuscripts. They are The Primal Wound (1997) and Psychosynthesis (2002) both by John Firman and Ann Gila.
Roberto Assagioli states that psychosynthesis is constructive. Psychosynthesis discusses not only basic internal aspects, but also all aspects of human being. The theory of Psychosynthesis by Roberto Assagioli contains the theory of personality and needs that are affected by human’s relationship with the environment. Furthermore, Assagioli provides the basic of psychosynthesis theory. The first is the psychosynthesis model of a person and the second is the stages of psychosynthesis (as cited in Firman and Gila, 2002, pp. 19-65).
2.2.2.1. The Psychosynthesis Model of a Person
Figure 1
“I Higher Unconscious
Field of Consciousness Middle Unconscious and Will
Lower Unconscious Assagioli provides his psychosynthesis model of the person as seen in figure
1. Since this model is established to develop a better understanding of a human being, this model consists of the “I”, the higher unconsciousness, the middle unconsciousness, and the lower unconsciousness.
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Assagioli presumes that self shall not be placed inside of the diagram. Self exists in all of the areas of the diagram and beyond. Thus, the diagram uses dotted lines to symbolize self’s possibility to acquire new experience that will affect a person. The dotted lines inside of the diagram symbolize the fact that the entire unconscious is affecting each other, including the “I”. The interaction of the elements on the diagram is explained as follows.
2.2.2.2. Middle Unconscious The middle unconsciousness provides a space to integrate human being’s experiences, learning, gifts, and skills. This area is directly connected to the consciousness. Therefore, middle unconsciousness is having a close relationship to one person’s particular environment. The middle unconsciousness contains profundity, depth, and creativity which have an important role in human development. The development can be seen on how a human learns to walk and talk, learns and masters a new language, and develops social roles. Furthermore, the central of middle unconsciousness is subpersonalities.
2.2.2.3. Subpersonalities Subpersonality is the synthesized experience that then creates a unique expression and behavior. For example, a person who has the love of music, the technical skill to play a piano, the natural ability, and the joy of performance expresses him/herself as a pianist, a pianist subpersonality. However, a person’s experience expands as he/she lives. Thus, this pianist subpersonality is only one of wide variety of subpersonalities. Other subpersonalities may occur as a person expresses other aspects within him/herself.
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2.2.2.4. Primal Wounding Not all of the subpersonalities can be accepted by the environment. When a person naturally expresses him/herself but then experiences a terrible feedback from the environment, that person will undergo primal wounding. The wounding occurs when a person is not accepted as who that person truly is. Primal wounding causes repression of the unaccepted subpersonality. For example in the case of pianist, the pianist will repress the love of music, the technical skill to play a piano, the natural ability, and the joy of performance. The pianist reppresses the subpersonality so that the pianist could reenter the environment. The repressed terrible experience is forgotten by the consciousness and kept safe in the lower unconsciousness. However, the love of music, the technical skill to play a piano, the natural ability, and the joy of performance are also repressed. They are forgotten and held in the higher unconsciousness.
2.2.2.5. Lower and Higher Consciousness The lower unconsciousness and the higher unconsciousness take care of the repressed expressions and experience. The repressed expressions and experience is called the repressed materials. Nevertheless, the repressed materials could resurface to the consciousness. The only factor that could bring the repressed materials to the consciousness is feeling. A person may feel a familiar pain as that which triggers primal wounding although that person could not remember how and when he/she experienced the pain. That person acknowledges the pain similar to the pain inside of the lower consciousness. This is called surprised by pain. As the familiar pain continues, that person becomes aware of the horrible past life that affects his/her feeling. However, healing the lower unconscious is not only
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healing the past, but also the present life. The pain within the lower unconscious is related to the experience in the higher unconscious. By healing the pain in the lower unconscious, the experience in the higher unconscious is sent to the “I”. A person may need to adapt the experience from the past to his/her present life and situation.
A person can also release the repressed materials in the higher unconscious when he/she is surprised by joy. The joy may come from the act of empathic love from others. The empathic love will inspire a person’s expression that leads to a feeling of wonder. Nevertheless, when a person is surprised by joy, the correlating pain in the lower unconsciousness is also brought to the surface of consciousness. Then, the original reason of repression can be accepted and the person can heal the pain.
2.2.2.6. The Stages of Psychosynthesis The stages of psychosynthesis consist of five stages. They are stage zero
(the survival of wounding), stage one (the exploration of the personality), stage two (the emergence of “I”), stage three (the contact with self), and stage four (the response to self). Stage one and two discuss the development of “I” which is related to the functions of consciousness and will. Stage three and four discuss how a person may become aware of the deeper motivation and then find the meaning in life. Furthermore, the stages of psychosynthesis are interrelated. Thus, each person may undergo different steps in achieving self-realization. Since each person is unique, it is possible for a person to start at stage two, and then stage
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one, continues to stage three, and finally comes to stage four. Further explanations of each stage are as follows.
Stage zero or the survival of wounding is the process of repression when a person undergoes primal wounding. Primal wounding is commonly caused by the environment like family and friends. On most cases, primal wounding within a family is caused by the self-centered-love from parents to their child. The child is accepted not as who he/she truly is. The child is forced to be what the parents want. Anytime the child does not expresses him/herself as what his/her parents want, they control the child through guilt and shame. The child hides and forgets the will and the experience related to the primal wounding. Thus, the child becomes free to form a personality that evade the same wounding. With the help of the parents’ self-centered-love, the “I” is rejecting the will and experience to create a personality that his/her parents want. However, such personality is not the natural expression of self. Such personality is a mask (mostly known as persona in psychological field) that is produced to survive the primal wounding. The persona serves as barrier to sustain a safer and a more stable “I”. The process of “I” creating such personality is called defense mechanism, while the produced personality is named survival personality.
Stage one or the exploration of the personality occurs after the deconstruction of a person’s old personality. That person will then move on to a more natural expression. The deconstruction process is triggered by emphatic love. Emphatic love occurs within close relationship to other people. The closer the relationship, the wider the opportunity to naturally express him/herself. The
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natural expression aid the appearance of “I”. The persona is breached from both inside (“I”) and outside (friends) by the close relationship. “I” becomes more open to the will and experience from the past that has been repressed. “I” is beginning to accept the repressed materials. The exploration of the personality makes a person become aware of the repressed materials. A person may become aware of not only the joy and wonder, but also the pain and suffering from the past. This stage can be identified as when a person has the question “Who am I?”
Stage two or the emergence of “I” is a stage when a person controls various elements of the personality. It is the process when “I” begins guiding the elements of personality and keep directing them. The process of directing and guiding is facilitated by will. In stage one a person becomes aware and conscious of the reason in forming survival personality. In stage two, that person realizes the true desire and guides the experience from the old personality to a more natural and original expression. The emerging “I” leads a person to a more stable personality as the experience of the old personality adapts to the accepted experience and begins to exist in harmony.
Stage three or the contact with self is the struggle to hear the callings from the self. As a person becomes more aware of the true desire, that person is invited to feel and accept the repressed unconscious experiences. Thus, by letting the will of the self guides and directs a person’s life, he/she begins the process of Self- realization.
Stage four which is called the response to self is a phase when the “I” of a person respond the calling and the invitation of the self. A person is working
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truthfully with the development of spiritual quality. A person is being led to a healthier behavior with him/herself and others. In this stage, a person gives freedom to the personal will of self. Thus, that person continues opening the relationship between the “I” and the self which is called Self-realization. It means that the Self which contains the true potential of a person is fully accessible by a person (the “I”).
2.3. Historical Background
This part deals with the historical background of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika . Since this novel is set in two main environments (Slovania and
Decides to Die
the mental asylum) that affect the growth of Veronika, it is important to understand the historical background of Slovania and Villete Mental Asylum.
Some explanations covering of Slovania and the mental asylum are as follow.
2.3.1. Mental Asylum