Psychological study toward decision of five Lisbon`s daughter to commit suicide In Jeffrey Eugenides` The Virgin Suicides.

ABSTRACT

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO (2015). Psychological Study

toward Decision of Five Lisbon’s Daughters to Commit Suicide in Jeffrey

Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Leters, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis discusses Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel entitled The Virgin Suicides

through the perspective of psychoanalysis. In the story the five Lisbon’s daughters has unstable emotion because of overprotective treatment. To observe about emotion and mind, psychoanalysis is the best approach to this study.

There are two problems that have been formulated. They are: 1) what kind of person Lisbon’s daughter and their parents are in this novel. 2) How the psychological condition of five Lisbon’s daughters drives them to their decision in committing suicide. The explanation of these two problems is the main purpose of this thesis.

This research can be categorized as a library research. Therefore, the data for this thesis are collected from many sources and information. The main source is the novel The Virgin Suicides itself. It becomes the primary data because it is the object of this thesis. The secondary data are taken from some books and also website that contains things related to Jeffrey Eugenides and his works. Some theories are also added to complete this thesis

This thesis concludes that overprotective parents weaken their mental growth. Five Lisbon’s daughters cannot handle the conflict in their id. Their self -defense mechanism is also failed. Disability to handle conflict, feeling of loss caused by Cecilia’s death and overprotective treatment drive them into condition which Freud calls as mourning and melancholia. Morning and melancholia cause depression and depression is the cause why five Lisbon’s daughters finally commit suicide.

ABSTRAK

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO (2015). Psychological Study

toward Decision of Five Lisbon’s Daughters to Commit Suicide in Jeffrey

Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Tesis ini membahas sebuah novel karya Jeffrey Eugenides berjudul The Virgin Suicides melalui sudut pandang psikologi. Diceritakan bahwa kelima anak Lisbon memiliki sebuah emosi yang tidak stabil yang disebabkan sifat overprotektif orang tua mereka. Untuk meneliti tentang emosi dan pikiran, psikoanalisis merupakan pendekatan yang paling baik untuk penelitian ini.

Ada dua formulasi pertanyaan yang telah dibuat. Pertanyaan itu adalah: 1). Bagaimana karakter kelima putri Lisbon dan kedua orang tua mereka; dan 2). Bagaimana kondisi psikologis kelima anak Lisbon hingga akhirnya mereka memutuskan untuk bunuh diri. Penjelasan dari dua formulasi pertanyaan tersebut merupakan tujuan utama dari tesis ini.

Penelitian ini dapat dikategorikan sebagai penelitian pustaka. Karena itu, data-data untuk tesis ini dikumpulan dari banyak sumber dan keterangan. Sumber data utama adalah novel The Virgin Suicides. Novel tersebut menjadi data utama karena novel tersebut merupakan tujuan dari tesis ini. Data pendukung tesis ini diambil dari beberapa buku dan situs yang berisi keterangan tentang Jeffrey Eugenides dan karya-karyanya. Beberapa teori juga ditambahkan untuk melengkapi tesis ini.

Tesis ini menyimpulkan bahwa sifat overprotektif orang tua mereka menhambat pertumbuhan mental. Kelima anak Lisbon tidak bisa mengatasi konflik di id mereka ditambah dengan mekanisme pertahanan diri yang gagal, kematian Cecilia, dan perlauan overprotektif. Hal itu menimbulkan apa yang Freud sebut ratapan dan rasa kehilangan. Ratapan dan kehilangan akan menyebabkan depresi dand depresi inilah yang akhirnya menyebabkan kelima Anak Lisbon memutuskan bunuh diri.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY TOWARD DECISION OF FIVE

LISBON’

S DAUGHTERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN JEFFREY

EUGENIDES’

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By:

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO

Student Number:114214062

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

ii

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY TOWARD DECISION OF FIVE

LISBON’S DAUGHTERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN JEF

FREY

EUGENIDES’

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By:

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO

Student Number:114214062

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2015

iii

A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY TOWARD DECISION OF FIVE

LISBON’S DAUGHTERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN JEF

FREY

EUGENIDES’

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

By

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO

Student Number: 114214062

Approved by

Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A., Ph. D. August 5, 2015 Advisor

Dr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum. August 5, 2015 Co- Advisor

iv

A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY TOWARD DECISION OF FIVE

LISBON’S DAUGHTERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN JE

FFREY

EUGENIDES’

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

By

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO

Student Number: 114214062

Defended before the Board of Examiners

On August 31, 2015

And Declared Acceptable

BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Name Signature

Chairperson : Dr. F. X. Siswadi, M. A.

Secretary : Dra. A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.

Member 1 : Dra. A.B. Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D.

Member 2 : Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A., Ph. D.

Member 3 : Dr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum.

Yogyakarta, August 31, 2015 Faculty of Letters Sanata Dharma University

v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma

Nama :Antonius Rudhika Wisnu Dewanto Nomor Mahasiswa :114214062

Demia pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul

PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY TOWARD DECISION OF FIVE

LISBON’S DAUGHTERS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN JEF

FREY

EUGENIDES’

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

Beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain. Mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempubikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya

Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Pada tanggal 15 Agustus 2015

Yang menyatakan,

vi

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been

previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,

to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material

previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the

text of the undergraduate thesis.

Yogyakarta, August 31, 2015

vii

“If you’

re born poor, it

is not your mistake.

But if you die poor, it is

your mistakes

”

viii

This thesis is dedicated for

My Beloved Parent, My Sister, My

Lovely Girlfriend, My grandma, and My

ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, thanks to Lord Jesus Christ for His blessings upon me and His

evergreen love to whatever I am. He gives me everything so that I can finish my

thesis. I know that without God, I can do nothing. I praise Him in every breath I

take.

Thanks to Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A., Ph. D. as my thesis advisor and Dr.

Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S.S., M.Hum. as my thesis co-advisor for their endless

patience while guiding me from the beginning until I completed my thesis. Their

support always makes me want to do the best for my thesis.

Big thanks to my beloved Dad and Mom, Agustinus Supriyono and

Theresia Kitri Suwantini. You are the greatest parents for me and I’m so proud for having you in my life. Everytime I need you, you are already there. To my dearest

sister, Monica Damayanti, thank you for being a very wonderful sister. I love you

all. Special thanks to my girl, Chindy Christine. You are apple in my eyes and

always brighten my day. You brighten my day and my heart. You always support

me to finish this thesis as soon as possible and I know, without your motivation I

cannot finish this thesis. I do love you. To my friends, Wiliam, Teles, and Driya,

thanks for the crazy things that we have done in the boarding house.

Last but not least, thank to everybody who also plays an important part in

my life that I could not mention here one by one. I could not make this happen

without you.

x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITTLE PAGE ……… ii

APPROVAL PAGE ……… iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ……….. iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH.. v

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ……….. vi

MOTTO PAGE ……… vii

DEDICATION PAGE ……… viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………... ix

TABLE OF CONTENT ………. x

ABSTRACT ………... xi

ABSTRAK ………... xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……….. 1

A. Background of the Study ………... 1

B. Problem Formulation ……….…… 3

C. Objectives of the Study ………. 3

D. Definition of Terms ……….….. 4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE……….. 5

A. Review of Related Studies ……… 5

B. Review of Related Theories ……….. 8

C. Theoretical Framework ………. 16

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……….. 18

A. Object of the Study ………... 18

B. Approach of the Study ……….. 19

C. Method of the Study ……….. 20

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ………... 21

A. The characteristics of Lisbon’s daughters and their parents…………... 21

B. Psychological condition which drives five Lisbon’s daughters to commit suicide ………... 34

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION……….. 46

BIBLIOGRAPHY ………... 49

APPENDICES ………. 51

Appendix 1:Summary of Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Virgin Suicides ……….. 51

xi

ABSTRACT

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO (2015). Psychological Study toward Decision of Five Lisbon’s Daughters to Commit Suicide in Jeffrey

Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,

Faculty of Leters, Sanata Dharma University.

This thesis discusses Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel entitled The Virgin Suicides

through the perspective of psychoanalysis. In the story the five Lisbon’s daughters has unstable emotion because of overprotective treatment. To observe about emotion and mind, psychoanalysis is the best approach to this study.

There are two problems that have been formulated. They are: 1) what kind

of person Lisbon’s daughter and their parents are in this novel. 2) How the

psychological condition of five Lisbon’s daughters drives them to their decision in

committing suicide. The explanation of these two problems is the main purpose of this thesis.

This research can be categorized as a library research. Therefore, the data for this thesis are collected from many sources and information. The main source is the novel The Virgin Suicides itself. It becomes the primary data because it is the object of this thesis. The secondary data are taken from some books and also website that contains things related to Jeffrey Eugenides and his works. Some theories are also added to complete this thesis

This thesis concludes that overprotective parents weaken their mental

growth. Five Lisbon’s daughters cannot handle the conflict in their id. Their self -defense mechanism is also failed. Disability to handle conflict, feeling of loss

caused by Cecilia’s death and overprotective treatment drive them into condition which Freud calls as mourning and melancholia. Morning and melancholia cause depression and depression is the cause why five Lisbon’s daughters finally commit suicide.

xii

ABSTRAK

ANTONIUS RUDHIKA WISNU DEWANTO (2015). Psychological Study toward Decision of Five Lisbon’s Daughters to Commit Suicide in Jeffrey

Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas

Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Tesis ini membahas sebuah novel karya Jeffrey Eugenides berjudul The Virgin Suicides melalui sudut pandang psikologi. Diceritakan bahwa kelima anak Lisbon memiliki sebuah emosi yang tidak stabil yang disebabkan sifat overprotektif orang tua mereka. Untuk meneliti tentang emosi dan pikiran, psikoanalisis merupakan pendekatan yang paling baik untuk penelitian ini.

Ada dua formulasi pertanyaan yang telah dibuat. Pertanyaan itu adalah: 1). Bagaimana karakter kelima putri Lisbon dan kedua orang tua mereka; dan 2). Bagaimana kondisi psikologis kelima anak Lisbon hingga akhirnya mereka memutuskan untuk bunuh diri. Penjelasan dari dua formulasi pertanyaan tersebut merupakan tujuan utama dari tesis ini.

Penelitian ini dapat dikategorikan sebagai penelitian pustaka. Karena itu, data-data untuk tesis ini dikumpulan dari banyak sumber dan keterangan. Sumber data utama adalah novel The Virgin Suicides. Novel tersebut menjadi data utama karena novel tersebut merupakan tujuan dari tesis ini. Data pendukung tesis ini diambil dari beberapa buku dan situs yang berisi keterangan tentang Jeffrey Eugenides dan karya-karyanya. Beberapa teori juga ditambahkan untuk melengkapi tesis ini.

Tesis ini menyimpulkan bahwa sifat overprotektif orang tua mereka menhambat pertumbuhan mental. Kelima anak Lisbon tidak bisa mengatasi konflik di id mereka ditambah dengan mekanisme pertahanan diri yang gagal, kematian Cecilia, dan perlauan overprotektif. Hal itu menimbulkan apa yang Freud sebut ratapan dan rasa kehilangan. Ratapan dan kehilangan akan menyebabkan depresi dand depresi inilah yang akhirnya menyebabkan kelima Anak Lisbon memutuskan bunuh diri.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Literary work is a representation of the daily social life. In An Introduction to

the Study of Literature by Hudson, he says that literature is a vital record of what

men seeing and experiencing in life (Hudson, 1958: 10). It can be seen through

the intrinsic and extrinsic element through the story. Place, time, and situation of

the literary works are taken from the real condition, for example when there is a

civil war in America, there are some works of literature which based on the

situation, such as Red Badge of Courage (1895), Across Five Aprils (1964), and

The Crisis (1901).

As one of the literary works, novel is the media to deliver information through

its intrinsic element and extrinsic element. According to Rene Wellek and Austin

in Theory of Literature, they say that literature is a vital record of what men see

and experience in life such as about problems, human situation, and relationship

(Wellek and Austin, 1956: 94). Novel as one of literary works also reveals those

problems which make us have an imagination and also give us information. For

example, when reading American civil war novel, the reader will know what

happened during American civil war, the cause and the impact of American civil

war. Rene Wellek adds that literature has a function that is function for education.

Function for education means that literary work’s goal is not about giving the

reader pleasure but also giving the reader information and moral values.

Based on Rene Wellek’s perception about the function of literary work, this thesis wants to get the information by revealing the problems. The novel that is

analyzed in this thesis is The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides that was

written in 1993. Five caged daughters with unstable emotion in this story attract

this thesis to analyze what actually happened to them. Jeffrey Eugenides also

wants to picture the psychological element by showing the dreadful psychological

effect of overprotective treatment that exists in early of 20th _{century that is commit}

suicide.

Committing suicide is the issue that is very popular in 20th century. This

thesis refers to Hudson statement about literature as a vital record (Hudson, 1958:

10). Every literary work is based on reality. Jeffrey Eugenides gets the inspiration

from what happened in early of 20th _{century where there are so many}

overprotective parents. There is a forum in drrobynsilverman.com that discusses

about overprotective cases in America. Most of them experience it in 1960-1980s.

Ronald. C. Kessler also made a research and found that in early 20th century the

number of people who commit suicide is high. He found that the number of

people who commit suicide is 2,8% - 3,3% from the population. Kasschau

develops the research about suicide and finds that the cause of committing suicide

is not only depression.

Not all people who commit suicide are depressed, and not all depressed people attempt suicide. But many depressive do think about suicide, and some of them translate these thought into action (Kasschau, 1995: 376)

The facts about the situation where there are so many overprotective treatments, in

not the only one factor why person decides to commit suicide, bring this thesis in

one purpose that is to reveal the mystery why five Lisbon’s daughters finally

commit suicide. This thesis has an indication that overprotective treatment

influenced the mental condition that drives five Lisbon’s daughters to the terrible decision but there are still some possibilities that have to be explored. That is why

this thesis wants to explore the Lisbon’s daughters’ characteristics and also about their psychological condition.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background of the study above, this study will be based on these

following questions.

1. What are the characteristics of Lisbon’s daughters and their parents in the story The Virgin Suicides?

2. How does the psychological condition of five Lisbon’s daughters drive them to their decision in committing suicide?

C. Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this study is to answer the formulated problem in the previous

part. There are two objectives of this study. First, this thesis finds out the

characteristics of the Lisbon’s daughters and their parents. Second, by analyzing

the psychological condition of five Lisbon’s daughters, this thesis finds out what

D. Definition of terms

To give more understanding about this thesis, some important terms need to

be understood in the analysis.

1. Suicide means the act of intentionally destroying oneself or a violent

self-inflicted destructive action resulting death (Smith 1983: 129). The purpose

for individual who does suicide is to escape from life when they feel that

“Life is meaningless”.

2. Psychological means something related to the mind, and the way in which

it works or mental action (Fisher, 1996: 80). Further, the analysis about

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

Some criticisms about this novel help the writer in understanding this novel.

The writer life style influenced The Virgin Suicides’ style writing and content. As what is stated by Jay Mcinerney in his review about The Virgin Suicide.

From the review that has been done by Lisa A. Kirby, Ph. D, the assistant

professor of English at North Carolina Wesleyan College, she states that the five

teenage Lisbon sisters are the objects of desire and interest of the neighborhood

boys (Kirby, 1994:3). Lewis Mumford in the Social Critics also states that the

main cause of the Lisbon’s to commit suicide is external factor. In his review, he states that the family is also a subject of all manner of gossip as the neighbors

speculate who is to blame and what will happen. Among the neighbors, there is an

illusion of concern and sympathy for the Lisbon family; however, there is a

darker, more voyeuristic element at works as well (Lewis, 1993: 1). Based on

Kirby’s and Lewis’s statement about the cause why Lisbon’s daughters commit

suicide, Kirby and Lewis say that the cause why Lisbon’s daughters commit suicide is merely just because of friends, neighbor, and gossip. This thesis tries to

reveal that the factor is not only gossip, friends, and neighbor but the factor also

comes from their mother, Mrs. Lisbon, who never lets them out to have an

interaction to the outside world.

Kakutani in her review states that there is a traumatic effect that causes

Lisbon’s daughters to commit suicide. Kakutani says that the cause is Lisbon’s daughters are feeling haunted by their’s sister death. (Kakutani, 199:54). This thesis thinks that what Kakutani says is true but what makes them commit suicide

is not only because of feeling scared, but there are also other factors. There is also

a research that is done by Adam Green entitled The Virgin Suicides Critical

Analysis. Adam Green states that the cause of the Lisbon’s daughters to commit suicide is because of supernatural factor. He states in his analysis that a suicide is

an extraordinary event. When someone takes their own life, especially in a

tight-knit community, the support for that person’s family from the community takes

almost a supernatural form, as people with differences, and sometimes even feuds,

who would never band together under normal circumstances, band together in

support. The weakness of Adam’s research, Adam still cannot answer some question. Such as “Why?”, “Why would someone feel the need to take their own

life?” “Why were their demons great enough to overpower all of the great

opportunities they would have had in life?” This thesis also thinks that Adam only focuses in the spiritual side. This thesis thinks that supernatural side is

something that is so extensive; it is why, this thesis wants to observe the basic

cause of the decision to commit suicide which is more realistic.

This thesis also points out two reviews that observe character’s decision to commit suicide. Nunung Marganingsih’s research entitled “The Contribution of

Conflict toward Eustacia’s Decision to Commit Suicide in Thomas Hardy’s The

contribution of the inner conflict and external conflict with other character in the

novel (Marganingsih: 1999: 52). In the novel, Eustacia is an all of person who

does not have parents and many friends. She is also an ambitious, arrogant, and

unfaithful woman. These characteristics influenced her how to face the problem

and lead her to the conflict. Because of the conflict that she has and cannot be

handled, she is depressed and drives her to commit suicide. In the novel The

Virgin Suicides, this thesis does not focus on the conflict that the characters

experience, but this thesis focuses in psychological aspect. The position of conflict

is the trigger, not as the main focus.

The other research by Lewi Yudianto entitled Willy Loman’s Decision To Commit Suicide in Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman, he states there that Willy Longman feels that he cannot be a good husband and father for his children

(Yudianto: 1998: 48). It becomes a big problem and burdens him and affects his

behavior and attitude in his daily life. He acts many stupid things and be a

temperament father. Because of his felling of failure with it all he commits suicide

in the end of the story. In her research also, Yudianto states that depression is the

main cause of person to commit suicide because of self-destructive behavior,

emotional, physical disturbance and withdrawal from socialization. This thesis

thinks that the difference between Yudianto’s theory and this thesis’ research is in the cause of depression.

B. Review of Related Theories

This part consists of the theories which are applied in this thesis. They are

theory of character and characterization, theory of psychoanalysis, the personality

disorder type, and theory of suicide.

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

The presence of characters in a literary work is very important. The author

writes his/her novel based on real life. It means that he/she has to describe all

of the characters of his/her novel as realistic as possible. The creation of

imaginary persons so that the reader can feel that they exist as lifelike is

called as characterization (Holman and Harmon, 1986: 81).

According to Baldick, character is a person in a narrative or dramatic work. It

is different from characterization. Characterization is the way in which a

character is presented. Therefore, a character is the result, while

characterization is the process (1991: 81). Baldick also defines that there are

three methods of characterization in fiction. The first method is the explicit

presentation. In this method, the author tells the readers about the character

through direct exposition or analysis, which informs how the character is. The

second method is the presentation of the character in action. In this

representation, the author only uses a little or no explicit comment, so that the

readers are able to conclude the attribute of the actor form action. The last

method is the representation within a character without any comments on the

will come to a clear understanding of the attribute of the character clearly

through the impact of actions and emotions on the character’s inner self

(Baldick, 1991: 81)

2. Psychoanalysis Theory

Psychoanalysis theory by Sigmund Freud has deep exploration in the

unconscious world. Freud believes that human are motivated by things that

they never realize. According to Freud, mental life divided into two that are

unconscious and conscious. Freud still divides unconscious into two which

are, unconscious and preconscious. Freud also states that the location of the

mental life is just a hypothesis and unreal. (Freud, 1933:28)

a. Unconscious. The unconscious becomes a place for all the encouragement,

insistence, and instincts that we do not realize but apparently encouraging

words, feelings, and actions. Although we are aware of our behavior, but we

sometimes do not realize how mental processes occurred. Freud believes in

the existence of the unconscious is only indirectly proven. For him, the

unconscious is an explanation of the meaning behind dreams, said error, and

various kinds of forget, which is known as repression (Feist, 2009: 27). Freud

mentions that part of the unconscious comes from experience ancestors

passed down from generation to generation. Freud sees this as a last resort,

that is, when all explanations built on personal experience felt inadequate,

Freud turned to the inherited experience collectively. Freud used the concept

of phylogenetic relic in explaining some important concepts such as the

b. Preconscious. The contents of the unconscious comes from two sources, the

first is the conscious perception (Feist, 2009: 28). Consciously perceived

people in a short time will soon enter into the subconscious while the focus of

attention turned to other thoughts and that is why person who is out of mind

will not feel anxious. The second source of subliminal images is unconscious.

Freud believes that the mind can slip from strict censorship and into the

subconscious in the form of hidden. We are not aware of the picture, and

makes us more anxious (Feist, 2009: 29)

c. Conscious. Consciousness does not play a role in the theory of

psychoanalysis. Defined as element of mental that every moment is exists in

consciousness. This is the only level that can direct mental life we achieve.

The door to realize the nature of perceptual consciousness, which is open to

the outside world and act as a liaison with our perception of external stimuli

(Freud, 1933:29).

Freud's structural model is divided into three parts and the division of the

mind into three parts like this area not meant to replace the topographic capital

(Id, ego, and superego), but this search explains the mental picture based on

function and purpose. Three areas according to Freud are id that means the

core of personality is entirely unconscious area and it has no contact with the

real world, but always seek to defuse tension by way of satisfying the basic

desires because the only function is to obtain satisfaction id so we refer to it as

the pleasure principle. Ego is the only region that is thought to have contact

replace the pleasure principle belongs to id, it also has the executive role of

personality (Freud, 1993: 30). In Freudian psychology, the superego

represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality and is controlled by the

principles of moralistic and different idealistic with the pleasure principle and

it is different from the ego, superego is in one important respect, it does not

have contact with the outside world so that the demands of the superego

would not be a realistic perfection (Freud, 1993: 31). According to Freud,

there is some encouragement that can be classified into two categories, namely

sex and aggression that comes from the id and the ego under control. Freud

gives the term libido to sex, while for aggression, Freud does not give a name.

Each impulse has insistence (Impetus), source, destination, and objects that

comes from the body under stress and stimulation, aim to obtain satisfaction,

and encouragement objects are objects that are used to obtain the goal (Freud,

1957). Freud also mentions there are some self-defense mechanism but this

thesis only focuses on displacement that is the way person transference what

he or she wants to other object, projection that is when a person has an anxiety

about something will happen in the future, repression that is the act of

controlling strong emotion so that it cannot be expressed, and screen memory

that is the way person has a control to segregate which is the memory that can

be remembered or have to be forgotten. Freud also mentions about the

development that starts from childhood. There are seven periods of

i. Infantile

Infantile stage becomes the most critical stage in the developmental period

because at this stage the baby has experienced sexual life and pre-genital

sexual development.

ii. Oral Stage (Birth to 18 months). During the oral stage, the child focuses

on oral pleasures (sucking). Too much or too little gratification can result

in an Oral Fixation or Oral Personality which is evidenced by a

preoccupation with oral activities. This type of personality may have a

stronger tendency to smoke, drink alcohol, overeat, or bite his or her nails.

Personality wise, these individuals may become overly dependent upon

others, gullible, and perpetual followers. On the other hand, they may also

fight these urges and develop pessimism and aggression toward others.

iii.

Anal Stage (18 months to three years). The child’s focus of pleasure in this stage is on eliminating and retaining feces. Through society’s pressure, mainly via parents, the child has to learn to control anal stimulation. In

terms of personality, after effects of an anal fixation during this stage can

result in an obsession with cleanliness, perfection, and control (anal

retentive). On the opposite end of the spectrum, they may become messy

and disorganized (anal expulsive).

iv. Phallic Stage (ages three to six). The pleasure zone switches to the

genitals. Freud believed that during this stage, boys develop unconscious

sexual desires for their mother. Because of this, he becomes rivals with his

time, boys also develop a fear that their father will punish them for these

feelings, such as by castrating them. This group of feelings is known as

Oedipus complex (after the Greek Mythology figure that accidentally

killed his father and married his mother). According to Freud, out of fear

of castration and due to the strong competition of his father, boys

eventually decide to identify with him rather than fight him. By identifying

his father, the boy develops masculine characteristics and identifies

himself as a male, and represses his sexual feelings toward his mother. A

fixation at this stage could result in sexual deviancies (both overindulging

and avoidance) and weak or confused sexual identity according to

psychoanalysts.

v. Latency Stage (age six to puberty). It is during this stage that sexual urges

remain repressed and children interact and play mostly with same sex

peers.

vi. Genital Stage (puberty on). The final stage of psychosexual development

begins at the start of puberty when sexual urges are once again awakened.

In the previous stages, adolescents direct their sexual urges onto opposite

sex peers with the primary focus of pleasure is the genitals.

vii. Maturity. In this period, a person reaches physical maturity. Although

Freud never enhances the concept of psychological maturity, we can

describe the mature individual psychoanalysis as individuals who have a

3. Theory of mental disorder

Davison in Abnormal Psychology says that over-controlled will impede

children’s mental development (Davison, 1986: 372). As the result, children will find many problems usually extending throughout their lives or called as

specific development disorders (Davison, 1986: 372). Gary Chapman in

Psychology and the principles, substance related disorder, it is a problem

caused by dependence on alcohol and tobacco. Second, mood disorder, it is a

problem associated with sever disturbance of mood such as depression,

mania, or alternation episodes of both. Third, somatoform disorder, it is a

kind of problem, which related to unusual preoccupation with physical health

or from physical health or form of physical symptom with no physical cause.

Fourth, dissociative disorder, it is a kind of disorder in which the normal

integration of consciousness, memory or identity, is suddenly and temporarily

altered such as amnesia, dissociative identity disorders. Fifth, sleeping

disorder, this is a serious disturbance of sleeping such as insomnia,

hypersomnia. Sixth, eating disorder and nearly similar with sleeping disorder.

IT is a serious problem related to food such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia

nervosa. Seventh, personality disorder, it is kind of problem related with

lifelong behavior patterns such as self-centeredness, over dependency, and

4. Theory of Suicide

Suicide means the act of intentionally destroying oneself or a violent

self-inflicted destructive action resulting death (Smith 1983: 129). In the

modern observation that is done by Baumiester, he says that suicide is the

result or effort by individuals to escape from the fault (Baron 1995: 558).

According to Freud, suicide is a form of built up aggression or tension

that causes inward animosity or in the other word; it represents a psychological conflict, which cannot be worked out due to the great force of melancholy and depression (Freud, 1927: 21).

Wilson states that most people commit suicide because they see it as

the only solution to an unbearable situation; they experience intense

psychological pain that completely frustrated in their attempts to meet their

psychological needs, and have fallen into a state of hopelessness form which

they see no other means of escape (Wilson, 1996: 206).

James C. Coleman, Professor of University of California at Los

Angles in Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life states that there are four

causes of suicide and Coleman calls it as stress factors in suicide. Stress

factors in suicide according to Colman are interpersonal crises which mean

interpersonal conflict and disruption that often found within the marital

conflict, separation, divorce or the loss of love through death may result in

severe stress and suicidal behavior, failure and self-devaluation, inner

conflict, and lose the meaning and hope. The second stress factor according to

Colman is failure and self-devaluation which means the feeling of having

accomplishment. Then the fourth stress factor is inner conflict. It happened

when a person situated on a debate with his own mind and usually a person

feels anxious and confused, struggle with the meaning of life and death, and

decides that he should not continue the struggle any longer and the last stress

factor is loss of meaning and hope which means when a person has no desire

to live (Coleman, 1976: 607-608).

Davidson and Neale, in Abnormal Psychology mention that there are

numerous motivations for suicide. Davidson and Neale state that those

motivations are desire or need to escape from stress, deformity, and pain or

emotional vacuum (Davidson and Neale, 1996: 251). In Abnormal

Psychology also states that death is not the only purposes of suicide and the

common purposes of suicide are to seek solution and a cry for help (Davidson

and Neale, 1996: 252).

C. Theoretical Framework

Theories of character and characterization are taken to explore what kind of

person Lisbon’s daughters and their parents. Lisbon’s daughters’ behavior in the beginning of the play and also in the end of the play before committing suicide is

a good reason why some theories of character are important in this thesis. Theory

of psychoanalysis is applied to know the psychology condition of the Lisbon’s daughters after experiencing many things in their life. The theory of

psychoanalysis is also used to know the change of attitude and way of thinking.

strange action such as breaking the rule which appear in the story. Theory of

mental disorder is also used to analyze what type of mental disorder which makes

Lisbon’s daughters decide to commit suicide. In the end of the analysis, the theory of suicide is applied to find out what actually the cause of the virgin to commit

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of The Study

The literary work that the writer analyzed in this study is a novel entitled The

Virgin Suicide that is written by Jeffrey Eugenides. The Virgin Suicides is the first

novel of Jeffrey Eugenides and published in 1993.

The Virgin Suicides tells about Lisbon’s family, a middle class in Detroit that has five daughters that are, Cecilia (Thirteen), Lux (Fourteen), Bonnie (Fifteen),

Mary (Sixteen), and Therese (Seventeen). These five daughters undergo an

overprotective treatment by their parents. They are not allowed to hang out and

they are “caged” inside the house. Commotion happened when Cecilia tries to commit suicide by slitting her wrist but that act is failed because, soon, Mrs.

Lisbon finds Cecilia and call the paramedic. After that incident, Mr. and Mrs.

Lisbon are given suggestion from doctor who is nursed Cecelia. He recommends

them to let their daughters have interaction with male and environment. Mr. and

Mrs. Lisbon then invited boys to have dinner together. Cecilia in that dinner does

not speak to the boy and she secludes from the other. During the dinner Cecilia

cannot enjoy the dinner and she asks Mrs. Lisbon to go to the bedroom. Actually

she does not go to bed room, but she jumps from the second floor and she is gone.

The reason why Cecilia commits suicide is unknown. The story is continued with

the various problems in life after Cecilia die. Lux falls in love with Trip Fountain

and Trip asks Mr. Lisbon to let them to join Homecoming party. Mr. Lisbon tries

to entice his wife and then he agrees to let them out but all of her daughters has to

go together and she and Mr. Lisbon have to go to the party Also. In the D-day, the

girl is picked up at their house by car and they go together. In the party Bonnie

have a first kiss with Joe. Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon go home early. At 9.30 PM they do

not go home because still waiting for Lux. Mrs. Lisbon asks them to be at home at

10 PM. They are waiting until 9.55 PM but Lux never comes. Finally they go

home without lux. When Lux comes home, they all are punished. They are not

allowed go to outside of the home. Finally they all commit suicide. The cause of

the suicides is still in mystery. The story is tragic because five young women end

their life, whereas they still have so many dreams.

B. Approach of the Study

The approach that is applied in this study is psychoanalytic approach.

According to Rohrberger and Woods’ Reading and Writing about Literature, psychoanalytic approach is approach that is used to explain human motivation,

personality, and behavior pattern written in literary object (1971: 2).

Analyzing character of Lisbon’s daughters who commit suicide, the writer uses psychological approach through the interpretation of their behavior, attitude,

thought, and feeling. This approach is appropriate because in analyzing this topic,

C. Method of the Study

In order to reach the objective of the study, the study used library research to

collect the needed theories. The primary data was Jeffrey Eugenides’s novel entitled The Virgin Suicides. The theories were taken from the other source, which

were closely related to the study, such as internet and other books; The books that

the writer used in this study were: Beginning Theory: An Introduction To Literary

And Cultural Theory by Peter Barry, An approach to English Literature by E.Van

De Laar and N. Schoonderwoerd, Abnormal Psychology by Davison and Neale,

Psychology By Robert A. Baron, Social Psychology: Understanding Human

Interaction by Robert A. Baron and Donn Byrne and Theory of Personality by

Feist.

In analyzing this novel, there were four steps that were applied. The first step

was reading several times and making notes of points, quotation, and also

summary of the story, which were used to find the important element of the story.

The second step was referring to some references that are related to the studies

and some theorist, that were, theory of characterization, theory of psychoanalysis,

theory of mental disorder, and theory of suicide. The references supported the

study in gathering more data to link all of the findings. The third step was

applying the theories such as theory of character and characterization, theory of

psychoanalysis, theory of mental disorder, and theory of suicide in order to

answer the problem formulation and the fourth step was making conclusion based

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part analyzes the Lisbon’s

daughter and their parents’ characteristics because this thesis believes that Mr.

Lisbon and Mrs. Lisbon have an impact related to their daughters’ decision

committing suicide. Then, the second part analyzes the cause why Lisbon’s daughters commit suicide by analyzing their psychological condition.

A. The characteristics of Lisbon’s daughters and their parents

To answer the problem formulation in this part, this thesis applies

Baldick’s theory of characterization to explore the five Lisbon’s daughters and their parents’ characterization. The five Lisbon’s daughters in this story are Cecilia, Lux, Mary, Bonnie and Therese. Cecilia is the youngest. He is 13

years old, Lux (14), Bonnie (15), Marry (16), and Therese (17).

Baldick says that there are three ways to characterized characterization in a

fiction. They are the explicit presentation, in which the author tells the readers

about the character through direct exposition or analysis, which informs how

the character is; the presentation of the character in action, in which the

author only uses a little comment, so that the readers are able to conclude the

attribute of the actor from action; and the representation from within a

character without comments on the character by the author, in which the

author suggests that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the

attribute of the character clearly through the impact of actions and emotions

on the character’s inner self.

1. Cecilia

By applied Baldick’s first method to characterize by conclude from the character in action (1991: 81), Cecilia is described as a simple person. It can

be seen in the way she dresses. She never changes the way she dresses. She

always wears the antique wedding dress. It is an explicit presentation because

when Cecilia’s dressing style is simple; the simplicity itself is the

representation of her personality. Baldick’s second method by looking from

the character in action is applied when Cecilia is founded in the bathroom

after trying to suicide, Cecilia holds the laminated Virgin Mary against her

budding chest (Eugenides, 1993: 2). It shows that Cecilia is a religious

person because Virgin Mary is the symbol of religiousness. In some

conversations and expressions, Cecilia shows her religious side. One of the

conversations is done between her and Mrs. Scheer. It happened the day

before Cecilia commits suicide when she looks at fishflies. This part shows

how religious she is and how she cares about little things around her or it is

called as sympathy. It can be see through this quotation.

You better get a broom, honey, Mrs. Scheer advised. But Cecilia

fixed her with her spiritualist’s gaze. They’re dead, she said. They

only live twenty-four hours. They hatch, they reproduce, and they

croac. They don’t even get to eat (Eugenides, 1993: 2).

The presentation character in action to conclude Cecilia’s characteristic is

also applied when looking at Cecilia as a person who lives in the “cage”. The

outside world, so she feels inferior with the other people especially with

males. Cecilia is a person who does not have enough interaction with males

and people in her age. It can be seen through the direct exposition of the other

character. It is stated by Dr. Hornicker who thinks that Cecilia will have some

benefits by having a social outlet, outside the codification of school, where

she can interact with males in her age. He also advises that at thirteen, Cecilia

should be allowed to wear sort of makeup popular among girls in her age, in

order to bond with them (Eugenides, 1993: 13). According to Dr. Hornicker’s statement, it also can be described that Cecilia is a person who never

undergoes what she should experience at thirteen such as make up and has

interaction with the males. Dr. Hornicker also states that the overprotective

treatment makes Cecilia cannot enjoy the outside world. It causes Cecilia

transform into an individualist person. This thesis agrees with Dr. Hornicker’s

statement that Cecilia has an individualist personality. In this story, there is

no any proves, neither action nor conversation, which describes Cecilia as a

person who has many friends. Although Cecilia has no any interaction with

the males, she has an experience when she falls in love. Cecilia falls in love in

one week with Dominic Palazzolo. Her feeling toward Dominic Palazzolo is

very deep, but unfortunately, Dominic does not like her. Then, she feels

broken-hearted and frustrated. In the next day, she is found dying by slitting

her wrists.

The presentation character of the character in action to characterize

During her recovery, Cecilia tells that becoming a thirteen years old girl is

difficult. Asked by Dr. Armonson about the reason why she commits suicide,

Cecilia answers that Dr. Armonson has never experienced what she has. From

this statement, this thesis concludes that Cecilia looks her own life at thirteen

years old as something which is difficult and she thinks that other people

cannot feel what she experiences.

After her first attempt to commit suicide, Cecilia’s personality begins to change. It can be seen through the action of the character. Cecilia becomes a

person who does not talk too much and this condition makes her sisters and

parents never have any conversations with her. This condition makes Cecilia

become a reclusive person. This characteristic is also shown in the night,

when the family holds a party and invites the boys. Cecilia sits on a barstool,

staring into her punch glass and she does not talk to anyone. Her attitude gets

weirder when she colors her lips with a red crayon (Eugenides, 1993: 24).

Cecilia is a person who has an emotional instability. It can be seen in

Cecilia’s diary that is found in the bathroom in the night after she commits

suicide. Tim Winner, a doctor in the story who observes the diary concludes

that Cecilia has an emotional instability because he analyzes her handwriting

(Eugenides, 1993: 38). Tim Winner also says that Cecilia is a dreamer who

never knows about what reality is. Tim Winner also uses an analogy: When

Cecilia jumped, she probably thinks she will fly. It means that Cecilia never

2. Lux

By using Baldick’s method through explicit presentation of the character, Lux is described as the most attractive woman among her siblings. It is also seen

in the way the writer describes Lux. The writer always shows the body

description or the body movement by metaphor.

It was only then that Lux knocked on the door, asking if he had died in there, and he sprang to open it. Her hair, held up by a barrete at dinner, fell over her shoulders now (Eugenides, 1993: 8).

In the most explicit description, Lux is the woman as the symbol of perfection

and the adoration of each boy. Looking at Lux makes boys want to date with

her because she is so sexy. It is why the writer describes Lux as a girl who is

radiated with health and mischief. It means that she is a girl who is influenced

by her friends and makes her become a naughty girl.

Lux Lisbon was the only one who accorded with our image of the Lisbon girls. She radiated health and mischief. Her dress fit tightly, and when she came forward to shake our hands, she secretly moved one finger to tickle our palms, giving off at the same time a strange gruff laugh (Eugenides, 1993: 8).

When seeing the character’s presentation in action, Lux is a girl who needs privacy in her life. Lux does not like anyone who tries to reveal her secret. If

Lux finds that kind of person, Lux will be get mad. It happens when Peter

Sissen unintentionally enters her bedroom and Lux discovers him.

You done hogging the bathroom? I need something. She walked to the cupboard, then stopped and folded her hands behind her. It is private (Eugenides, 1993: 8).

Beside her characteristic which is short-tempered, she is a naughty girl. It can

be seen through her action. She becomes a smoker from the age of twelve.

From the age of twelve, Lux spent hours in the John smoking cigarettes, exhaling either out the window or into a wet towel she then hung outside (Eugenides, 1993: 48).

Because of her attractiveness, Lux is always desired by the other boys.

Lux does not limit herself for being close to any boys. Anyone can hang out

with her. Paul Willlard, Paul Wanamaker, Kurt Siles, Peter McGuire, Tom

Sellers, and Jim Czeslawski are the boys who did go with Lux (Eugenides,

1993: 64).

Baldick’s second method to characterize character by looking at the

character’s presentation in action is applied to observe Lux’ easy to be affected

by fellowship. Lux has a friend named father Moody, and Lux learns how to

smoke from father Moody (Eugenides, 1993:48). Having special relationship

with Trip Fountain, Lux is affected by Trip Fountain behavior which is

smoking marijuana (Eugenides, 1993: 71).

Lux is a girl with high sexual desire. High sexual desire that Lux has is

shown when having special relationship with Trip Fountain. Lux often makes

love with him although her parents forbid her to have special relationship with

any boys (Eugenides, 1993: 82). This thesis believes that the sexual desire that

Lux has is the tendency of adolescents to seek love.

In this story, Lux is also described as the girl who has a psychological

Miss Lynn Kilsem, a psychiatrist. The purpose of the counseling is to

encourage her (Eugenides, 1993: 103).

Baldick’s method by looking at the representation of the character from within concludes that Lux wants freedom. It can be seen from her reaction after

her parents give chance for her to hang out with boys.

When Mr. Lisbon gave them permission, Lux ran and hugged him, kissing him with the unself-conscious affection of little girl (Eugenides, 1993: 111)

Lux’s reaction describes that she is glad with the permission. She has wanted

her parents to let them out and enjoy the outside world from very long time and

in this moment, she feels relief that finally her parents grant it.

Euphoria, feeling free and pleased makes Lux lost control. It is shown

when she is in the party and forgets the rule to go home at ten o’clock. She

makes love with Trip Fountain and oversleeps until the next morning

(Eugenides, 1993:130). Lux feels depressed after the incident when she goes

home late and her parents never let her out (Eugenides, 1993: 47).

Lux is a girl who cannot control her sexual needs. When her parents

never let her out, Lux invites boys to her house to make love with her. She

always makes love with different boys; sometimes she makes love with a dark

body boy, boy with fast food restaurant uniform, and with boy who wears an

assortment of gold chains (Eugenides 1993: 140). In the end of the story, Lux

shows her love to Cecilia by protecting elm tree in her house. Lux believes that

statement is strengthened by Mrs. Scheer’. She says that Mary, Lux, Bonnie,

and Therese remember Cecilia when they look at the elm tree (Eugenides,

1993: 176).

3. Bonnie

This story does not tell much about Bonnie. By using Baldick’s method by

character’s presentation in action, Bonnie is a girl who is not interested in boy. It is shown when Peter Sissen comes to her house.

Bonnie was the only one who didn’t give Peter Sissen a secret look

or kick. She only said grace and ate her food silently, lost in the piety of a fifteen-years-old (Eugenides, 1993: 7).

From the clothes style, Bonnie is a simple person. She does not like wearing

varied clothes. Bonnie had picked a simple bouquet of late-season dandelions

from the school green (Eugenides, 1993: 61).

Character’s presentation in action is also shown that Bonnie is also a girl who never gives up. She always tries to learn something although she knows

that thing is difficult to be learned. She tries to learn piano but because her

hands were too small, she tries to learn the other instruments, such as violin,

guitar, and flute (Eugenides, 1993: 4).

In school life, Bonnie does not have many friends because she is a quiet

person. When discussing the book Portrait of a Lady, Bonnie does not say

much, and even leaves the class (Eugenides, 1993: 99). Bonnie who is pasif

and not talk too much can also be seen when she and her sisters protect the

but she prefers to show the act by protecting the elm tree (Eugenides, 1993:

176)

Bonnie is the one of the Lisbon daughters who is called by Miss Lynn

Kilsem to have counseling. By looking at this action, it means that Bonnie’s mentality is also unstable after Cecilia’s dead. Bonnie also loves her sister so much. In the party, she shows it. When the others are ready to go home, she

realizes that Lux is not with them. Then, she runs back into the gymnasium to

check, but she cannot find her (Eugenides, 1993: 128) Bonnie is a religious

girl. She always brings the rosary. She usually fingers the rosary deep in the

pocket of her corduroy skirt (Eugenides, 1993: 63). The religious Bonnie is

also shown when she asks to Joe hill about the God existence (Eugenides,

1993: 128).

4. Mary

After applying Baldick’s the representation from within a character, it shows

that Mary is a girl who does not have feeling of confidence and she using

make up to make her-self beautiful. She is the only one daughter who knows

about cosmetics. She has so many cosmetics in her bedroom. Peter Sissen is

the boy who finds it.

Peter Sissen found Mary Lisbon’s secret cache of cosmetics tied up in a sock kunder the sink: tubes of red lipstick and the second skin of blush and base, and the depilatory wax that informed us she had a mustache we had never seen (Eugenides, 1993: 7)

The representation of character in action shows that Mary is a calm person is

to keep her behavior. It can be seen when Mary try to not wrinkle her dress by

not make many movements.

After portrait was taken, the girls waited for the boys in individual ways. Bonnie and Therese sat down to play a game of cards, while Mary stood very still in the middle of the living room, trying to not wrinkle her dress. (Eugenides , 1993: 114)

Mary is a girl who is afraid of her mother. When Parkie Denton asks to

walk her to the door, she does not want because if her mother knows, her

mother will get mad (Eugenides, 1993: 129).

Mary in this story is described as the attractive girl although as not

attractive as Lux. It is seen in the way she uses make up.

She swallowed a chunk. Her high forehead glowed in the light from

the street and her cupid’s lips were redder, smaller and more shapely that he remembered, especially in contrast to their cheeks and chin, which had gained weight (Eugenides, 1993: 56).

Cecilia’s death also influences Mary’s mentality condition. It is shown in the

Mary’s friendship with Julie Freeman. Julie Freeman has been Mary Lisbon’s best friend, but after Cecilia’s death, they stop talking. It means that there is

something that is not normal with Mary. There is a change in Mary’s attitudes which make Freeman as her best friend worry about her (Eugenides, 1993:

62). The silent Mary also has to do counseling like her siblings. Every Friday,

Mary has to see Mrs. Lynn Kilsem, a psychiatrist (Eugenides, 1993: 103).

The explicit information in this story shows that Mary is also portrayed as

a girl who does not care with special relationship with boys. Boys in her

school try to talk to her, but she often ignores them. It happened when Mike

Mike Orriyo was firs. His locker was next to Mary’s, and one day

he peeked over its rim and said, “How’s it going?”, her head was

bent for ward, throwing her hair over her face, and he wasn’t sure she’d heard him until she mumbled, “Not bad” (Eugenides,

1993:63)

Overprotective which is applied by her parents make Mary become an

obedient girl. She is afraid to try something if it is not from her parent or she

feels that it will make her parents angry. She does not have a braveness to try

what other people ask to her. It can be seen in how Mary refuses Parkie

Denton’s offer to walk her to the door.

We’ll walk you to the door, Parkie Denton said No, don’t, said Mary

Why not?

Just don’t. She got out without so much as a hand-shake (Eugenides, 1993: 129).

As an adult girl, Mary has a side of rebellion. She has a braveness to rebel

the other opinion or action. He has braveness to oppose, no matter who the

person is. This attitude is shown when Mary opposes people from the Park

Department that wants to cut down the elm tree (Eugenides, 1993: 175). Mary

is the first person who says “Don’t”.

5. Therese

In this story, there is not much description about Therese. Therese, in the

beginning of the story, is mentioned that she is still in the Science convention

when Cecilia is found dying in the bathroom (Eugeniedes, 1993: 4). By

looking from the author’s explicit presentation, Therese is actually a well-educated person. She knows about science and joins the convention. When

will spread to the other trees, Therese answers that there is no scientific

evidence that removes limits infestation (Eugenides, 1993: 176)

Therese’s mentality is also influenced by the Cecilia’s dead. The other explicit information shows that every Friday, she has to see Dr. Kilsem as the

psychologist to encourage her (Eugenides, 1993: 103). Therese has less

enthusiasm when talking about boy and dating. It is shown when Mrs. Lisbon

gives permission to them to go to the party with the boys. Therese does not

express happiness. She prefers to play Chinese checkers (Eugenides 1993:

111).

6. Mrs. Lisbon

By applying Baldick’s method through the explicit information, Mrs. Lisbon

is described as a conservative mother. She never lets her daughters go

outside, other than school or church (Eugenides, 1993: 85). It shows that Mrs.

Lisbon is an overprotective mother. She thinks girls should be inside the

house and should not interact a lot with the outside environment especially

related to special relationship between girls and boys. Her daughters for Mrs.

Lisbon have to follow her rule. Mrs. Lisbon is over dictating her daughters

from the simplest thing for example in how to dress. The other explicit

information is shown when on Sunday, before they go to church, Mrs Lisbon

always clutches her good purse and she checked each daughter for signs of

makeup before allowing her to get in the car (Eugenides, 1993: 6).

By looking at the character’s presentation in action is known that Mrs. Lisbon also forbids their children to have special relationship. When Trip

Fountaine comes to their house, she never lets Trip to be together with Lux.

Mrs. Lisbon sits between Trip and Lux, so they cannot sit side by side. She

always accompanies them, until 10 o’clock, Mrs. Lisbon asks Trip to go

home (Eugenides, 1993: 81).

Although Mrs. Lisbon gives a chance for her daughter to go outside,

Mrs. Lisbon still shows her overprotective side. She interrogates the boy to

make sure her daughter safety. It can be seen through this quotation.

Which one of you is driving? Mrs. Lisbon asked I am, Said Parkie Denton

How long have you had your license?

Two months. But I had my permit for a year before that.

We don’t usually like the girls to go out in cars. So many Accidents nowadays. It’s raining and the roads will be slick. So, I hope you’ll be very careful (Eugenides, 1993: 116). The other overprotective treatment that is applied by Mrs. Lisbon is

after the incident where her daughter comes home late. It is explicit

information that Mrs. Lisbon shuts the house in maximum security isolation

(Eugenides, 1993: 137). Since the party’s incident, Mrs. Lisbon becomes more temperamentality often snaps at her daughter (Eugenides, 1993: 138).

7. Mr. Lisbon

Mr. Lisbon actually disagrees with her wife’s strict treatment to his daughters.

Explicit information shows that Mr. Lisbon has long harbored doubts about

his wife’s strictness. For Mr. Lisbon, his daughters should be allowed to get

little freedom (Eugenides, 1993: 20). Mr. Lisbon also allows the boys to enter

his house. Peter Sissen can have dinner together with Lisbon family because

power to oppose her wife. Once, Mr. Lisbon makes a decision to divorce her

wife, but finally he cannot because it will let her daughters down (Eugenides,

1993: 20).

By looking at the presentation of action, Mr. Lisbon is a person who does

not responsive and lack of initiative. What he does is based what other people

ask him. In this story, again and again, he makes an action after the other

character ask him to do it. One example is in the case of Trip Fountain’s request to bring his daughters to the party. Then he entices her wife and aware

that his children need to have a outside interaction (Eugenides, 1993: 109).

B. Psychological condition which drives five Lisbon’s daughters to commit

suicide

The cause why Lisbon’s daughters decide to commit suicide in this story is still in mystery although there are some psychologists such as Dr.

Hornicker, Mrs. Eugene, and Dr. Judith. They deliver their statement about

the cause why the Lisbon daughters commit suicide. This thesis reveals the

cause why finally the Lisbon’s daughters decide to commit suicide by analyze

the psychological condition of five Lisbon’s daughters.

1. Cecilia

In the beginning of the story, Cecilia is narrated as a character who directly

tries to commit suicide. The first attempt of suicide failed, but the second one

is successful by jumping from the second floor.

Dr. Hornicker as the doctor who analyzes Cecilia’s mentality makes a

After talking with Cecilia, Dr. Hornicker made the diagnosis that her suicide was an act of aggression inspired by the repression of adolescent libidinal urges (Eugenides, 1993: 19).

This thesis uses Dr. Hornicker’s statement as the main clue to reveal

the cause why Cecilia commits suicide. Cecilia is thirteen years old and

according to the Freud’s theory in the childhood development, Cecilia is in the Genital Stage. Genital Stage is when the puberty is on. In this stage, the

sexual urges into the opposite sex peers are focus on the genital. Sexual urges

to other peers will produce sexual desire or called as libido. Freud believes

that everyone has a libido. The sexual desire which Cecilia has comes from

her love and the adoration to Dominic, the boy next door (Eugenides, 1993:

17).

Dominic’s refusal to Cecilia makes her feel loss. The feeling of loss automatically will cause her unconscious mind turn on turn into self-defense

mechanism. Self-defense mechanism happens when a distort reality happens

and unconscious mind tries to manipulate it. In this case, distort reality is the

moment when Cecilia hopes that she can be with Dominic, but actually she

cannot. Moreover, Dominic leaves the city and moves to Europe. It makes

Cecilia feel frustrated. This thesis concludes that the self-defense mechanism

that is done by Cecilia is called as repression.

Repression which is done by Cecilia is an attempt to eliminate her

frustration and inner conflict because of her anxiety about what happens then.

There is a fact about repression which this thesis thinks so relevant related to

the picture that can make her or him feel hurt. Repression is an act to press

the anxiety by forgetting bad memories. To do so, Cecilia with her religious

side tries to surrender to the figure she adores that is Virgin Mary. Looking at

Virgin Mary picture will make her peaceful and forget the anxiety.

Cecilia’s first attempt of suicide is unsuccessful and Cecilia still mourns her fate about the Dominic’s refusal. It is shown in the conversation between Cecilia and Dr. Hornicker. Cecilia says that Dr. Hornicker is never

become a thirteen years old girl. It means that Dr. Hornicker does not feel

what she feels now. Cecilia’s mourning is worsened by the condition where her parents and sisters do not talk to her.

This condition produces an inner conflict that is a conflict between conscious

and unconscious part of Cecilia’s mind. Cecilia begins to keep quiet and seclude one-self (Eugenides, 1993: 21). According to Freud, when conscious

and unconscious come into conflict with one another, it will produce

repression. A person has to be able to resolve these conflicts to achieve

mentality health, but on the other and, the failure to resolve these conflicts

will lead to mentality illness. Cecilia cannot resolve the conflicts in her mind,

and she suffers from mentality illness. Mentality illness that Cecilia has is

seen in her weird attitude.

Cecilia chafed knees. She sat on a barstool, staring into her punch glass, and the shapeless bag of a dress fell over her. She had colored her lips with red crayon, which gave her face a deranged harlot look, but she acted as though no one were there (Eugenides, 1993: 24).

This thesis also looks the influence of the overprotective treatment.

Davison in the book Abnormal Psychology said that overprotected children

and then Davison called it as over-controlled children will influence

development of children’s mentality or later it will lead to specific development disorder. The weak mentality which is caused by overprotective

treatment will influence the way she faces the reality, first about Dominic’s refusal and second about her sisters’ ignorance toward her. Cecilia cannot resolve the conflict that drives her to mentality illness. In Freud’ The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud,

Freud writes about Mourning and Melancholia(Freud, 1917: 243). Mourning

and mentality illness according to Freud will drive Cecilia to the condition

what he calls as melancholy, which will automatically drive to the depression.

Wilson’s theory of suicide says that the cause of committing suicide is by

psychological pains and depression (Wilson, 2013: 111). Cecilia’s

psychological pains happen because of her inability to resolve the conflicts in

her mind that drives her to mentality illness.

2. Lux

Lux is fourteen years old, and according to Freud’s theory of childhood development, she is on the genital stage. In the genital stage, a person has

sexual urges, interaction, and tendency to play the opposite sex. Lux has

sexual urges which is shown when she has so many male friends. She wants

to have a boyfriend but she has not found any. Lux also has many interactions

appearance makes her wanted by every boy in her school (Eugenides, 1993:

61).

Lux is a person who is easily influenced. Friends are the main agent

who changes Lux’s behavior and way of thinking.

From the age of twelve, Lux spent hours in the john smoking cigarettes, exhaling either out the window or into a wet towel she then hung outside (Eugenides, 1993: 48).

In the genital stage, libido is reemerged. Libido urges Lux so he has a

way of thinking to be attractive. She thinks that is the way to get a boyfriend.

Different to Cecilia, there is no refusal from the boy that is adored, even, Lux

can date with Trip.

Lux’s desire can be released to Trip. In this story, many times Lux kisses and makes love with Trip. This thesis thinks that Lux can reach the

pleasure principle. According to Freud’s theory, pleasure principle comes

from id, and id is maximized for only one goal, that is for searching a

pleasure. The problem is, id cannot control it. It happens to Lux when she

only follows her desire to seek pleasure. Lux cannot control it, so Lux is sank

in her euphoria. This thesis thinks that Lux is easy to be affected and when in

euphoria and little bit freedom, she forgets everything, included her parents’ rule. In this story, after Lux disobeys her parents’s rule, Lux is isolated in maximum security (Eugenides, 1993: 137). Genital stage is the stage when

libido is reemerged and sexual urges become so strong because sexual drives

do not only come from penis or vagina, but the other components such as:

APPENDICES

Appendices 1: Summary of the Jeffrey Eugenides’ s The Virgin Suicides

It is summer holiday where the school is out. The youngest Lisbon’s daughter slits her wrists while taking a bath. Cecilia’s life can be saved. Cecilia is nursed by Dr. Hornicker. Dr. Hornicker recommends that Cecilia should be given a social outlet outside of school. The recommendation is accepted by Mr. Lisbon and Mrs. Lisbon. Then, Mr. Lisbon and Mrs. Lisbon hold chaperoned party by inviting the boys. In the party, Cecilia segregates from her sisters and the guests. Cecilia asks to Mrs. Lisbon to go to the restroom but actually she ascends to her bedroom and jumps out from the windows to the fence below, instantly she dies.

Because of the tragedy, community begins to gossip about Cecilia’s death. The boys found Cecilia’s diary and read it aloud. They fantasize themselves into the Lisbon’s daughters’ life. The summer ends, and the remaining Lisbon daughter, Lux, Mary, Bonnie, and Therese, return to school. Their father, Mr. Lisbon, goes to school early to do his job. Lux the prettiest sisters has had some special relationship although her parents forbid it.

A dream boy, Trip Fountain, incidentally goes to wrong call and sees Lux. He falls in love with her. Lux also gives her smile. Lux asks Mr. Lisbon to let Trip coming to his house. Mr. Lisbon entices her wife and she agrees. In the Lisbon’s house, Mrs. Lisbon never lets Trip sits side by side with Lux. At 10 o’clock, Trip goes home. As trip sits in his car and feels that everything is failed, Lux goes after him, open the car’s door, and kiss him voraciously.

Lisbon’s daughter’s mentality is getting down. The school holds a belated day of grieving. It is the day to give an honor to Cecilia. After Cecilia death, Lisbon daughters do not feel enthusiastic to the school life. The school also hires psychiatrist to encourage Lisbon’s daughters. Trip Fontaine, via Mr. Lisbon, asks him to take Lux and her sisters go to Homecoming party. Mrs. Lisbon agrees but Lisbon’s girls have to go in a group and have to be at home by eleven o’clock.

In the homecoming party, Mary, Bonnie, and Therese feel pleased. The sisters seem enjoying the party. Lux and Trip are voted as the Homecoming King and Queen. After the dance, Bonnie, Therese, and Mary ready to go home but they realize that Lux and Trip are not with them. Bonnie, Therese, and Mary go home without Lux. Lux does not go home until well after midnight. Lux is persuaded by Trip to go to football field and they make love there. After making love, Trip abandons lux and she walk home alone.

In responding of Lux’s disobedience, Mrs. Lisbon isolated her daughters in maximum security. After several weeks, the boys begin to see Lux making love with unknown men. A week later, Lux pretends that she is sick, and then her parents take her to the hospital. Actually, Lux lies to her parents. In the hospital she secretly asks a pregnant test. The result is negative and Lux entices the doctor to tell to her parents that he can be taken home.

Several months being isolated makes Lisbon daughters are bored. Just as the boys begin to feel they have lost the girls, notes begin appearing in the boys' bicycles. The boys call the girl with the phone number that is written in the note.

In the phone, the girls ask help in midnight of June 15th. The girls want to hang out across the country.

Arriving at the girls’ house, the boys find Lux smoking alone in living room. Lux said that she is waiting her sisters to finish packing. Lux instructs that the boys wait in the living room and Lux says that she will wait in the car. The boys wait too long but no one appears. They begin to explore the room. They find Bonnie hanging herself, Therese dies by eating sleeping pills, Lux dies by asphyxiation, and Mary stuck her torso in the oven.

Appendices 2: Biography of Jefrey Eugenides.

Jeffrey Kent Eugenides was born in 1960. His father is a Greek and his mother is English and Irish ancestry. He studied at Grosse Pointe’s private University Liggett School. He took his undergraduate degree at Brown University.

Jefrey Eugenides admired John Hawkes’s work. He entered the honors program in English. He earned an M. A. in creative writing from Stanford University. Eugenides said that her writing inspiration comes from the condition in Michigan and his high school experiences.

Eugenides received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in 1986. Its award is granted for his story "Here Comes Winston, Full of the Holy Spirit." He moved to Brooklyn, New York and worked as secretary for the Academy of American Poets. He has many friends who are also writers in New York. One of his friends is Jonathan Franzen, an American novelist and essayist.

From 1999 to 2004, Eugenides lived in Berlin, Germany, where he moved after being awarded a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service to write in Berlin for a year. Eugenides has lived in Princeton, New Jersey, since the fall of 2007, when Eugenides joined the faculty of Princeton University's Program in Creative Writing.

Now, Eugenides lives with her wife and children in Princeton, New Jersey. He is a professor of Creative Writing in the Peter B. Lewis Center for the Arts. There was an interesting answer when he an interview in The Paris Review, "I tell

my students that when you write, you should pretend you're writing the best letter you ever wrote to the smartest friend you have. That way, you'll never dumb things down. You won't have to explain things that don't need explaining. You'll assume an intimacy and a natural shorthand, which is good because readers are smart and don't wish to be condescended to. I think about the reader. I care about the reader. Not “audience.” Not “readership.” Just the reader."

The first work of Eugenides was The Virgin Suicides. It has been translated into 34 languages. Sofia Coppola is interested to take the story to the film. In 1999, film The Virgin Suicides was released. The film was set in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Every act in the film was made similar to the novel.

His second is Middlesex which was released in 2002. Middlesex won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in addition to being a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the International Dublin Literary Award, and France's Prix Médicis. Middlesex is about a man named Calliope Stephanides who is an intersex person. He raised a girl, but hormonally a boy. Middlesex also broadly deals with the Greek-American immigrant experience in the United States, the rise and fall of Detroit, and explores the experience of an intersex person in the USA.

In October 2011, Eugenides released a novel entitled The Marriage Plot. The story of The Marriage Plot is about young adults enmeshed in a love triangle. The novel was a finalist of the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction in 2011; a New York Times notable book for 2011. It is also one of the top books of the year according to lists made by Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and The

Telegraph. These are the awards and honors that have been gotten by Jeffrey Eugenides.

 1986 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

 1991 Aga Khan Prize for Fiction for "The Virgin Suicides" [short story] (The Paris Review)

 1993 Whiting Writers Award

 1994 Guggenheim Fellowship

 1995 Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award (American Academy of Arts and Letters)

 2000–2001 Berlin Prize Fellow (American Academy in Berlin)

 2002 National Book Critics Circle Award finalist (for Middlesex)

 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (for Middlesex)

 2003 Welt-Literaturpreis

 2004 International Dublin Literary Award shortlist (for Middlesex)

 2011 Salon Book Award (for The Marriage Plot)

 2011 New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2011 list (for The Marriage Plot)

 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award finalist (for The Marriage Plot)

 2013 International Dublin Literary Award longlist (for The Marriage Plot)

 2013 Named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

 2014 Awarded honorary Doctorate of Letters from Brown University.

References <http://www.egs.edu/faculty/jeffrey-eugenides/biography/> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Eugenides>