Revealing the self actualization of Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of Eat, Pray, Love.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses Eat, Pray, Love, a literary work written by an
American novelist, Elizabeth Gilbert. This novel tells about Elizabeth Gilbert’s
spiritual journey to three countries, Italy, India and Indonesia to actualize herself.
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love. There are two
problems to be answered in this study (1) “how is Elizabeth, the main character of
the novel, portrayed?” and (2) “how is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in
Eat, Pray, Love?”
The primary data of this study is the novel itself. The secondary data are
taken from related books, encyclopaedia, dictionary, and the Internet. This study
uses theories such as the theories of character and characterization, while the
approach is the psychological approach.
There are two things that can be concluded after analysing the novel. First,
Elizabeth is portrayed as career oriented, outgoing, kind, humorous, worried,
talkative, and open-minded. Second, Elizabeth actualizes herself by becoming a
person she potentially should be. Her self-actualization can be seen from the
characteristics of self-actualized person that she has met. She is able accept
herself, other people and nature as the way it is. She is spontaneous and creative.
She expresses her emotions and thought unpretentiously. She sees her job not
merely as a means to earn money for her living but she can see her job as a means
to develop herself especially her talent. She has a quality of detachment and
independence. She constantly shows her appreciation to her experiences with
freshness and pleasure. She has a kind empathy toward other people even
strangers. She has deeper and close relationship with people around her and her
love, Felipe. She is a democratic person. She can differentiate between what is
good and bad. She has a great sense of humour. However, she resists herself from
the enculturation.
The novel can be used as the material to teach Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) class in English Department Study Program of Sanata
Dharma University.
Keywords: self-actualization
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012.. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
Studi ini membahas novel Eat, Pray, Love, sebuah karya sastra seorang
novelis Amerika, Elizabeth Gilbert. Novel ini menceritakan tentang suatu perjalan
spiritual Elizabeth Gilbert ke tiga negara yaitu Italia, India and Indonesia untuk
mengaktualisasikan dirinya.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menemukan suatu aktualisasi diri seperti
yang terlihat pada Elizabeth Gilbert, tokoh utama dalam novel Eat, Pray, Love.
Ada dua masalah yang akan dijawab dalam studi ini (1) “bagaimana Elizabeth,
diri Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?” dan (2) “bagaimana selfaktualisasi Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?”
Sumber utama dari studi ini adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber tambahan
diambil dari buku-buku yang berkaitan, ensiklopedia, kamus, dan Internet. Studi
ini menggunakan beberapa teori karakter dan pengkarakterisasian, sedangkan
pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Ada dua hal yang dapat disimpulkan setelah menganalisis novel. Pertama,
Elizabeth digambarkan sebagai orang yang berorentasikan pada pekerjaan, suka
bergaul, baik hati, humoris, khawatiran, suka bicara, dan terbuka. Kedua,
Elizabeth telah mengaktualisasikan dirinya dengan menjadi seseorang sesuai
dengan potensinya. Aktualisasinya dapat dilihat dari karakteristik seorang yang
telah mengaktualisasikan diri yang ada pada dirinya. Dia bisa menerima dirinya
sendiri, orang lain dan alam sesuai dengan keadaannya. Dia adalah orang yang
spontan dan kreatif. Dia mengungkapkan perasaan dan pikirannya tanpa menutupnutupinya. Dia melihat pekerjaannya tidak hanya sebatas alat untuk mendapatkan
uang akan tetapi dia dapat melihat pekerjaannya sebagia alat untuk
mengembangkan diri khususnya bakatnya. Dia memiliki kedekatan yang
berkualitas dan mandiri. Dia secara kosntan menunjukkan apresiasinya pada
pengalaman-pengalamannya dengan kesegaran dan kesenangan. Dia memiliki
empati pada orang lain meskipun mereka adalah orang asing. Dia memiliki
hubungan yang mendalam dan dekat. Dia seorang yang demokratis. Dia mampu
membedakan antara mana yang baik dan yang buruk. Dia memiliki tingkat humor
yang tinggi. Namun, dia melindungi dirinya dari enkulturalisasi.
Novel ini bisa digunakan sebagai materi mengajar Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) Class di Program Studi Bahasa Inggris di Universitas
Sanata Dharma.
Kata kunci: self-actualization
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain SarjanaPendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Student Number: 081214107
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain SarjanaPendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Student Number: 081214107
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work
or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, November 14, 2012
The Writer
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
NIM : 081214107
iv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 081214107
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah sya yan berjudul:
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
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
mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis
tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya
selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 14 November 2012
Yang menyatakan
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses Eat, Pray, Love, a literary work written by an
American novelist, Elizabeth Gilbert. This novel tells about Elizabeth Gilbert’s
spiritual journey to three countries, Italy, India and Indonesia to actualize herself.
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love. There are two
problems to be answered in this study (1) “how is Elizabeth, the main character of
the novel, portrayed?” and (2) “how is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in
Eat, Pray, Love?”
The primary data of this study is the novel itself. The secondary data are
taken from related books, encyclopaedia, dictionary, and the Internet. This study
uses theories such as the theories of character and characterization, while the
approach is the psychological approach.
There are two things that can be concluded after analysing the novel. First,
Elizabeth is portrayed as career oriented, outgoing, kind, humorous, worried,
talkative, and open-minded. Second, Elizabeth actualizes herself by becoming a
person she potentially should be. Her self-actualization can be seen from the
characteristics of self-actualized person that she has met. She is able accept
herself, other people and nature as the way it is. She is spontaneous and creative.
She expresses her emotions and thought unpretentiously. She sees her job not
merely as a means to earn money for her living but she can see her job as a means
to develop herself especially her talent. She has a quality of detachment and
independence. She constantly shows her appreciation to her experiences with
freshness and pleasure. She has a kind empathy toward other people even
strangers. She has deeper and close relationship with people around her and her
love, Felipe. She is a democratic person. She can differentiate between what is
good and bad. She has a great sense of humour. However, she resists herself from
the enculturation.
The novel can be used as the material to teach Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) class in English Department Study Program of Sanata
Dharma University.
Keywords: self-actualization
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012.. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
Studi ini membahas novel Eat, Pray, Love, sebuah karya sastra seorang
novelis Amerika, Elizabeth Gilbert. Novel ini menceritakan tentang suatu perjalan
spiritual Elizabeth Gilbert ke tiga negara yaitu Italia, India and Indonesia untuk
mengaktualisasikan dirinya.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menemukan suatu aktualisasi diri seperti
yang terlihat pada Elizabeth Gilbert, tokoh utama dalam novel Eat, Pray, Love.
Ada dua masalah yang akan dijawab dalam studi ini (1) “bagaimana Elizabeth,
diri Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?” dan (2) “bagaimana selfaktualisasi Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?”
Sumber utama dari studi ini adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber tambahan
diambil dari buku-buku yang berkaitan, ensiklopedia, kamus, dan Internet. Studi
ini menggunakan beberapa teori karakter dan pengkarakterisasian, sedangkan
pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Ada dua hal yang dapat disimpulkan setelah menganalisis novel. Pertama,
Elizabeth digambarkan sebagai orang yang berorentasikan pada pekerjaan, suka
bergaul, baik hati, humoris, khawatiran, suka bicara, dan terbuka. Kedua,
Elizabeth telah mengaktualisasikan dirinya dengan menjadi seseorang sesuai
dengan potensinya. Aktualisasinya dapat dilihat dari karakteristik seorang yang
telah mengaktualisasikan diri yang ada pada dirinya. Dia bisa menerima dirinya
sendiri, orang lain dan alam sesuai dengan keadaannya. Dia adalah orang yang
spontan dan kreatif. Dia mengungkapkan perasaan dan pikirannya tanpa menutupnutupinya. Dia melihat pekerjaannya tidak hanya sebatas alat untuk mendapatkan
uang akan tetapi dia dapat melihat pekerjaannya sebagia alat untuk
mengembangkan diri khususnya bakatnya. Dia memiliki kedekatan yang
berkualitas dan mandiri. Dia secara kosntan menunjukkan apresiasinya pada
pengalaman-pengalamannya dengan kesegaran dan kesenangan. Dia memiliki
empati pada orang lain meskipun mereka adalah orang asing. Dia memiliki
hubungan yang mendalam dan dekat. Dia seorang yang demokratis. Dia mampu
membedakan antara mana yang baik dan yang buruk. Dia memiliki tingkat humor
yang tinggi. Namun, dia melindungi dirinya dari enkulturalisasi.
Novel ini bisa digunakan sebagai materi mengajar Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) Class di Program Studi Bahasa Inggris di Universitas
Sanata Dharma.
Kata kunci: self-actualization
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Don't be a leaf if you can be the tree,
don't be a raindrop if you can be the sea
`Cause a leaf may fall but the tree remains
It may never rain at all but the sea remains
Better to be the tree and the sea, see?
Simply put, be all that you can be.
(Peanuts Wisdom)
I dedicate this thesis to:
My beloved and wonderful Dad and Sisters
viii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the first place, I praise my Lord Jesus Christ, for His blessing, guidance,
and miracles given to me during the completion of this thesis. Those are the signs
of His helpful presence in my life.
I send my gratitude to my advisor, Drs. Ant. Herujiyanto, M.A., Ph. D for
his advice, help, support and patient during the completion of my thesis. I
appreciate every encouragement that he gave to me, for the time and the
discussion.
I would like to thank all PBI lecturers. I thank them for their help in
improving my English skill and my aspects of life. Moreover, I also send thanks
to MbakTari and Mbak Danik for their administration help.
I can hardly find the right words to thank my family for their kindness,
love and care. I am thankful to my dad, Agustinus Martowiharjo, for his
hardworking that always inspires me to do so. I wish to thank my late mom for
her invisible companion in the late night working of this thesis. To my sisters,
Mbak Mur and Mbak Wan, I thank them for their understanding and support that
strengthen me during my bad times. My deepest gratitude goes to Mbak Wan for
her sacrifice and hardworking that brought me to this luxurious experience to
study. I also thank my beloved cousins, Sri, Tolet, Mbak Ma and Theo for their
jokes and supports.
I thank my best friends Vinsen, Agatha, Paul, Hani, Era, Rini, Pincuk,
Endot, MbakDayu and Yulib. They deserve my sincere thanks for their
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
encouragement and their motivating words that have been given to me. To my
classmates, Mas Yok, Grace, Seto, Leo, Ajeng, Heni, Jenny, Sherly, Nita, Siska,
Riska, Ika, Lia, Widy, Riska, Angel, Angga, Ayu, Boni, Beni, Adam, I thank them
for the incredible memories. I thank Minerva English Course, Fafa as the big boss,
Teah as the tidiest treasurer, Bundo as the humorous secretary and Bayu as the
artisan, for the great adventure of conducting English course.
I thank my working partners in USD Library, Tina, Mia, Inneke, Agatha,
Nobit, Tatik, Dika, Sari, Maria, Mylda, Modes and Rudy for the joy during our
works. I also thank all of the librarians of USD Library especially for their warm
acceptance. Then, I am thankful to my SCI’s friends, Mbak Ulfa, MbakWening,
Mbak Rini, Mbak Imut, and Mas Heri for their advice in my teaching there. I also
thank Cana Community for giving place to serve God.
Finally, my appreciation goes to all people who have not been mentioned
above but have supported me. May God always be with them.
Agatha Tri Agung Budi L.
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ...............................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES ...................................................................................
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .............................................
iv
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ...............................................
v
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................
vi
ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................
vii
DEDICATION PAGE .................................................................................
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........................................................................
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................
xi
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study ...................................................
1
B. Research Objective ...........................................................
4
C. Problem Formulation ............ ............................................
4
D. Research Benefits .............................................................
5
E. Definition of Terms ..........................................................
5
1. Character ......................................................................
5
2. Characterization ............................................................
6
3. Self-actualization ...........................................................
6
4. Japa Mala ......................................................................
6
5. Yoga .............................................................................
6
xi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6. Meditation ....................................................................
7
CHAPTER II. THEORY OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Theories ...............................................
8
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ......................
8
a. Theory of Character ..................................................
8
b. Theory of Characterization .......................................
9
2. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory ...........
11
a. Definition of Self-actualization .................................
13
b. Characteristics of Self-actualizing Person .................
13
1) Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature .............
14
2) Spontaneity ......................................................
15
3) Problem Centering ............................................
15
4) Detachment ......................................................
15
5) Autonomy: Independence of Culture and
Environment .....................................................
15
6) Continued Freshness of Appreciation ................
16
7) The Peak Experiences .......................................
16
8) Social Interest ..................................................
16
9) Interpersonal Relations .....................................
16
10) Democratic Character Structure ........................
17
11) Discrimination between Means and Ends .........
17
12) Sense of Philosophical Humour ........................
17
xii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13) Creativeness .....................................................
17
14) Resistance to Enculturation ...............................
17
B. Theoretical Framework .....................................................
18
C. Context of The Novel .......................................................
19
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study ...........................................................
21
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................
23
C. Method of the Study .........................................................
24
CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS
A. Elizabeth’s Characteristics .................................................
26
1. Career Oriented ...........................................................
26
2. Outgoing .......................................................................
29
3. Kind .............................................................................
33
4. Humorous .....................................................................
34
5. Worried ........................................................................
37
6. Talkative .......................................................................
38
7. Open-minded ................................................................
39
B. Elizabeth as Self-actualized Person ...................................
40
1. Elizabeth Needs Fulfilment Development as Seen from
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ......................................
40
a. Physiological Needs ..............................................
41
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
b. Safety Needs .........................................................
42
c. Belonging and Love Needs ...................................
43
d. Esteem Needs ........................................................
45
2. Elizabeth as a Self-actualizing Person as Seen from
Maslow’s Characteristics of a Self-actualizing Person ......
48
a. Her Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature ...........
48
b. Her Spontaneity and Creativeness .........................
50
c. Problem Centring ..................................................
54
d. Detachment ...........................................................
55
e. Autonomy .............................................................
57
f. Continued Freshness of Appreciation ....................
59
g. The Peak Experience .............................................
61
h. Social Interest .......................................................
63
i. Interpersonal Relations ..........................................
64
j. Democratic Character Structure ............................
65
k. Discrimination between Good and Bad .................
67
l. Sense of Philosophical Humour .............................
67
m. Resistance to Enculturation ...................................
69
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions ......................................................................
71
B. Suggestions ......................................................................
73
1. Suggestion for the Future Researcher ............................
74
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2. Suggestion for English Teaching ...................................
74
3. The Implementation of Teaching Cross Cultural
Understanding ..................................................................
75
REFERENCES .............................................................................................
77
APPENDICES .............................................................................................
78
APPENDIX 1: Biography of the Author ................................
79
APPENDIX 2: Summary of the Novel ..................................
81
APPENDIX 3: Syllabus Cross Cultural Understanding .........
83
APPENDIX 4: Lesson Plan ...................................................
85
xv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter is divided into five parts. They are Background of the Study,
Objective of the Study, Problems Formulation, Benefits of the Study and
Definition of Term.
The first part is background of the study which presents the description of
the topic and also the reason why this topic is chosen. The second is the objective
of the study that describes the aim of conducting the research. The third is the
problem formulation that deals with two research problems that will be analyzed
and discussed in this study. The next part is the benefits of the study which
identify the benefits for the readers in general, the benefit for the researcher and
the benefit for the future researcher. The last part is about the definition of terms
used in this study and their explanation used to avoid the readers’
misunderstanding toward the certain terms.
A. Background of the Study
Novel is one of literature works. A novel presents one’s thought, one’s
feeling, and one’s view of life. These elements will be put into an imagination
world imitating the real life from one’s experiences or the author’s experiences to
their writing. The author offers a certain way of looking at life and a certain view
of experience that the readers have not seen before. Thus, people will turn to a
novel to escape when they feel life is heavy and crass (Henkle, 1997, p. 3). They
1
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
2
look for pleasure or new paradigm to see and to reflect how their life goes. They
will relate the paradigm that the characters have to their own paradigm.
Reading a novel is not only giving pleasure and new paradigm to see how
life goes but also giving psychological understanding of human being that can be
obtained through exploring the characters of the novel. The author of the novel
develops characters that psychologically reflect real human characters. The real
aspects of the characters can be seen from their personalities development, their
feeling, their relationships to the others, their desires, their motivation and their
self-actualization.
By considering the facts mentioned above the writer chooses the general
topic of the study and a novel as the subject of the study. She is interested in the
Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel which is entitled Eat, Pray, Love. The story in this novel
is really close to human being. In real life, people will get out from their
circumstances that seem restricting their potential to actualize themselves. They
will actualize who they potentially will become instead of following the culture
from their society to become who they are.
People have different ways in dealing with their problem. Some people
may need to get out from their place to get any self-recovering. Elizabeth’s
journey has portrayed her way in facing her life crass with their ways. Here,
Elizabeth chooses to travel while doing her work to make writing about her travel.
Moreover, the way Elizabeth telling the stories has successfully created hilarious
story that can invite the readers’ emotions and minds. It eases the readers to
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
imagine the character and relate how the character acted in dealing with her
problem and her dream in life.
In brief, this novel is about the author’s experiences in travelling to Italy,
India and Indonesia. She is in her depression of unhappy marriage. She decides to
get divorced with her husband. While she is busy in dealing with her divorce
petition, she turns to an actor whose name David. However, their relationship
does not last for long time. Then, they finally break up. After her husband finally
agrees to part and to sign the petition, she has a trip to Italy, India and Indonesia.
She tries to heal herself from a severe emotional and spiritual crisis through her
one year journey. Like what is written by the author in the sub title of this novel
”one woman search for everything”, Elizabeth’s journey is not just a common
journey like what people do in their holiday but she develops herself and
actualizes herself during her trip. She looks for pleasure through her days
travelling and eating in Italy. Then, she learns to be focus through Yoga and tries
to be calmer while she is in Ashram in India. She learns various kinds of Yoga.
She tries to forgive herself and accepts what is taken away. After arriving in Bali,
she feels more relief. She meets a Balinese healer named Ketut Liyer who has
read his palm-hands on her first visiting in Bali. She practices two kinds of
meditations, Yogic meditation and meditation like what the Ketut Liyer teaches to
her. Later, she can accept love again. She meets a Brazilian man who becomes her
love.
This study is meant to find how Elizabeth actualizes herself during her
journey. In analysing Elizabeth self-actualization, it is necessary to find out the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
characteristics of her. The researcher chooses library study that focuses on the
primary source as the novel and the secondary sources to theories needed on the
research. This thesis uses the psychological approach to analyze the topic of the
study that is Elizabeth’s self-actualization as seen in her work Eat, Pray, Love.
This study uses some supporting theories like theory of character and
characterization, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory and characteristic
of self-actualizing people. The explanation of each theory is presented in the
chapter two.
B. Research Objective
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love.
C. Problem Formulation
In view of the objectives of the study, the writer focuses in the two
problems formulations. They are formulated as follows:
1. How is Elizabeth, the main character of the novel, portrayed?
2. How is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in Eat, Pray Love?
D. Research Benefits
By studying this novel the researcher can understand better about this
novel and understand herself. She uses psychological approach to analyse the
characteristics of the main character, Elizabeth and her presentation of her
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
actualization characteristics during her trip. This research also broadens her
knowledge about literary and psychology, especially about characterization, the
hierarchy of needs and self-actualizing people. For the readers of this thesis, they
may obtain some knowledge on how they are characterized from fulfilling their
needs and how to actualize themselves. This research is expected to give reference
and comparison for the next researchers. The designed materials will give
reference for English teachers who interested in the topic given.
E. Definition of Terms
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding, the researcher clarified the
specific terms used in the study.
1. Character
In Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995), character is
stated in some definitions. First, it is defined as a descriptive analysis of a human
virtue. The second one, character refers to one personality that is presented in
fiction or drama. The third definition of character is an individual of drama or
play. This study focuses on the second term.
2. Characterization
From A Handbook of Literary Terms characterization defines as the
technique of portraying character in a work. Henkle (1977: 86) states that through
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6
characterization the authors can communicate the characters’ human qualities and
lead the readers to understand the human theme portrayed in the work.
3. Self-actualization
Maslow states that “self-actualization is the realization of all one’s
potential, and a desire to become creative in the full sense of the word” (Feist and
Feist, 2009). In Hjelle and Ziegler’s book (1976), Maslow defines selfactualization as “the desire to become everything that one is capable of becoming
“(p. 373). It is the highest level of human needs. In this research, self-actualization
refers to optimize one’s potential, skill and creativity to become one desire to be.
4. Japa Mala
In Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, japa mala is defined as a set of
prayer beads popular in India and Tibet. It is commonly made from 108 beads. It
is used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra
or names of a particular divinity, a practice known in Sanskrit as japa.
5. Yoga
According to Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, “yoga is Hindu
discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual
insight and tranquillity that is achieved through the three paths of actions,
knowledge and devotion”. In modern era, it is defined as ‘powerful tools for
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
7
cultivating one’s human potential’ and ultimately aimed at achieving ‘selfrealisation.’ It is seen as a way of life rather than religious presupposition.
6. Meditation
Based on Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, meditation is a private
religious devotion or mental exercise, in which techniques of concentration and
contemplation are used to reach spiritual awareness.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
THEORY OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with the theories that are used to analyze the topic of
this study. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part consists of
Theory of Character and Characterization, Hierarchy of Needs Theory and The
Characteristics of Self-actualizing Person. The second part is Theoretical
Framework. The third part is Context of the Novel.
A. Review of Related Theories
1.
Theory of character and characterization
a. Theory of Character
Character is an individual presented in a dramatic or narrative work as
stated in A Glossary of Literature Terms, 9th Edition. Referring to this book,
character also defined as a type of person who is sketched in a prose. In Merriam
Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995), character is stated in some
definitions. First, it is defined as a descriptive analysis of a human virtue. The
second one, character refers to one personality that is presented in fiction or
drama. The third definition of character is an individual of drama or play. Stanton
(1965) proposes character as the individuals who appear in the story.
Characters are persons who do a story. The creations of characters make
the readers understand and experience what the author wants to convey through
their works since character is the representation of the human being. According to
8
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
Arnold and Bennet as cited in A Handbook of Literary Terms, “the foundation of
good fiction is character-creation and nothing else”. The events of a story would
flow naturally from the characters involved.
b. Theory of Characterization
From A Handbook of Literary Terms characterization defines as a
technique of portraying character in a work. Henkle (1977, p. 86) states that
through characterization the authors can communicate the characters’ human
qualities and lead the readers to understand the human theme portrayed in the
work.
Arp and Johnson (2009, p. 62) propose two kinds of characters
presentations. They are direct presentation and indirect presentation. In direct
presentation, the authors come right out telling the readers about a character, what
the character are like directly or from other characters. While in indirect
presentation, the author only shows how the character is like. The reader needs to
figure out the character by analyzing what the character does, what the character
says or from other character who describes her or his.
Murphy (1972, p. 161) suggests nine ways to understand a character. First,
we can get some description of one’s character from the personal descriptions that
are given by an author. The author may describe one’s appearances and the
clothes. The appearances deal with what we can see such as the build, the face, the
eyes, the skin colour, the hair, the hands, the scar, how the character dresses, and
the style of her or his clothes. The author does not only describe one’s character
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10
through our sight only but also from the sense of smelling, sense of hearing and
the sense of touching. The character may be presented by his smell, his odour, his
touch and his sound too.
The second is from the character as seen by another. “Instead of
describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and
opinions of another (Murphy, p. 162)”. However, what another sees and what
another thinks will not always true since his or her sight and his or her opinion
influences by his or her emotions. It can be affected from certain conflict that they
have such as their religious, their political background and their customs. It is
important to consider these things in inferring one’s character from the eyes and
opinions of another.
The third is from the speech. People communicate each other with speech.
The author presents the character of one’s person through what he or she says and
how he or she speaks. The character is giving the clue in every dialogue or
conversation he or she involved. It can be dialogue with him or with another.
From what one character says, we can infer the character’s education and sociocultural background. Moreover, we can also find what the character is thinking
and what the character likes or dislikes. We can see her or his emotion from the
tone that he or she used.
The fourth is from past life. The character past life will give clues to
events that have shaped one’s character. This is revealed from the direct comment
by the author or one’s character thought through the conversation or through the
medium of another.
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The fifth is from the conversation of others. The author will give clues to a
one’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say
about one’s character. When people think about other, they often give clues about
one’s character that they are talking about.
The sixth is from the reaction. The author can also give us a clue to one’s
character through how he or she reacts to various situations and events. The
readers can reveal one’s character from how he or she reacts when they are
frustrated and stressed. Therefore, through this reaction the readers can understand
the mental and the moral qualities of the character.
The seventh is from direct comment. The author can describe or comment
on one’s character directly. The readers easily understand what kind of person in
the novel through the direct comment.
The eighth is from thought. The author gives the readers direct knowledge
of what one character is thinking about. In real life we cannot do this. We do not
know what people are thinking about. However, in a novel we are like listening to
what the character thought.
The ninth is from mannerism. The author describes one’s mannerism,
habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about one’s character
(p. 173). The reader will infer one’s character from how he or she behaves.
2. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
People have many needs to be fulfilled. Maslow argues that in completing
our needs they will make priority on their needs (Huffman et al, 2000). He
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12
proposes that human desires are arranged in a hierarchy of priority. He explains
that stronger needs must be satisfied before an individual can move on to the
higher needs. He develops a five-level hierarchy of needs. It covers physiological
needs at the bottom, then safety needs, followed by belongingness and love needs,
the next level is esteem needs, and self-actualization needs or the needs for
personal fulfilment at the top.
Physiological needs are the most basic human needs for physical
survival. For example, they are need for food, need for drink, need for
oxygen, and need for sleep. These physiological needs are directly concerned
with biological maintenance of the organism.
After the physiological needs have been satisfied, then individuals will
concern with the higher level of needs. They are safety needs such as physically
security, dependency, protection and freedom from threatening forces like war,
terrorism and illness.
The third hierarchical level is the belongingness and love needs like the
need to belong to a family or a neighbourhood. These needs arise when the
physiological needs and safety needs have been fulfilled. In fulfilling these needs
sometimes an individual will include sex and human contact. These needs involve
hunger for relationships with other. The love needs do not equal to sexual needs
(Petri, 1981, p. 303).
The following needs are the self-esteem needs. These include self-respect,
confidence, competence, and the knowledge that others hold them in high esteem
(Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 283). Maslow divides these needs into two. First, it is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13
called reputation. It is the perception of the prestige, recognition, or fame a person
has achieved in the eyes of others. The second is self-esteem from individual’s
own feelings of worth and confidence. It is based on the real competence.
Since this thesis deals with self-actualization, the highest stage on the
needs-hierarchy, the detailed description will be presented as follow:
a. Definition of Self-actualization
Self-actualization is the final level of the hierarchy of needs. These needs
will be satisfied after the four former needs have been fulfilled. When an
individual have met their lower needs, they will pursue the higher level of needs.
The desire to fulfil these needs is different from the previous levels of needs. An
individual will be motivated by being needs or B-motivations. These B-motives
are values such as truth, honesty, beauty, and goodness. The self-actualization
needs include self-fulfilment, the realization of one’s potential and desire to
become creative. In other words, self-actualized individual are no longer
motivated by deficiencies instead motivated to grow and become all he or she is
capable of becoming (Petri, 1981, p. 305). These needs will motivate individual to
expand their ability, talent, capacity and potentiality.
b. Characteristics of Self-actualizing People
Maslow believes that all human have the potential for self- actualization
(Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 291). People will reach this level in case they have
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14
satisfied the four former needs regularly. Maslow identifies some characteristics
of self-actualizing people. They are as followed below:
1) Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature
Self-actualizing people can accept themselves, others and nature as the
way they are. Self-actualizing people are not worried and complaining about their
weaknesses and their imperfections. He or she accept their nature as it is.
Self-actualizer does regret with their negative characteristics that can be
improve such as laziness, loss of temper, thoughtlessness, and jealousy.
Understanding how these weaknesses can be their obstacle for their development,
they will try to improve themselves to be better person. Their failure will not
make themselves give up but they can learn how to get over from their failure and
not to fail on the same problem again.
2) Spontaneity
Self-actualizing people tends to be spontaneous in both their thoughts and
actions. He or she expresses their emotions and thought in openly and directly.
Self-actualizer is highly ethical person. He or she is behaving accordingly to their
own ways rather than society usually does. It makes self-actualizing people is
seen by their society as unconventional people.
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15
3) Problem Centring
Self-actualizing people gives their attention to the problems outside
themselves. This characteristic expands his or her purpose of living. Selfactualizer gives concerns on their work. He or she sees his or her job not merely
as a means to earn money for living but he or she can see job as a means to
develop especially his or her talent on it.
4) Detachment
Feist and Feist (2009, p. 292) state that self-actualizing people has a
quality of detachment that allows them to be alone without being lonely. He or
she does not depend on other in order to get their satisfaction. He or she remains
relax and comfort whether alone or with other.
Self-actualizers behaviours are strongly self-directed and self-centred by
means they are not bothered by what others expected from them. They tend to
focus on their own interpretation of their situations.
5) Autonomy: Independence of Culture and Environment
Self-actualizing people is independent. Self-actualizers are able to use
their potentialities for growth and development without depending on the physical
and social environment. Therefore, they have a high degree of self-direction and
free will. They are responsible for their destiny in life.
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16
6) Continued Freshness of Appreciation
Self-actualizers show their appreciation to their experiences with newness,
and pleasure although those just their casual routines that they have done
repeatedly. They are always grateful for what they have and what they experience.
As cited by Feist and Feist (2009), Maslow stated that “self-actualizing people
have the wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively,
the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder, and even ectasy” (p. 293).
7) The Peak Experiences
This term refers to moments of intense excitement and high tension as well
as those of relaxation, peacefulness and blissfulness. They feel both more humble
and more powerful at the same time.
8) Social Interest
Self-actualizing people possess high social interest. He or she has a kind of
caring attitude toward other people even strangers. Maslow states self-actualizer
has genuine interest in helping others even though they are strangers as well as
friends (Feist and Feist, 2006, p. 292).
9) Interpersonal Relations
Self-actualizing people forms quite deep and intense personal relationship.
He or she is more inclined to associate closely with others of similar character,
talent and capacity.
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17
10) Democratic Character Structure
Self-actualizers basically respect all persons. They are willing to learn
from anybody who is able to teach them. They treat all human being equally.
11) Discrimination between Means and Ends
Self-actualizers have the ability to differentiate between ends and means
for achieving their ends. They enjoy the means which are the processes of
pursuing their goals. Furthermore, they show less confusion, inconsistency, and
conflict than common people usually do about what is right, or good or bad.
12) Sense of Philosophical Humour
Self-actualizers have friendly sense of humour. They do joke
spontaneously. Their joke always has something to convey. Thus, it is provoking
other to smile rather than to burst into laughter.
13) Creativeness
Creativeness here defines as the way people perceive and react to their
life. This creativity appears in their daily life as an expression of their personality
which is perceptive and spontaneous.
14) Resistance to Enculturation
This characteristic is described as having sense of detachment from the
surrounding to transcend a particular way. It does not mean that self-actualizing
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18
people are antisocial. However, when a specific issue arouse they will look for
social change to resist society’s attempts to enculturate them based on their
standard without against the customs.
B. Theoretical Framework
In order to answer the problem formulations, the researcher uses some
theories. The theories that have been written in the previous part are used to
support the researcher’s answers to those problem formulations.
The first question is "How is the major character, Elizabeth, portrayed in
that novel?” The Theory of Character and Characterization will be used to reveal
Elizabeth’s characterization. This theory will guide the researcher in the process
of analysing the main character through many aspects based on those theories.
This research takes seven ways of nine ways of characterization. They are from
the personal descriptions that are given by the author, from the character as seen
by another, from the speech, from the past life, from the reaction, from the
thought and from the mannerism.
After answering the first question, the researcher will explore the second
question. The second question is “How is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed
in the novel?” The Abram Maslow’s Human Needs Theory and Theory of SelfActualization are needed to answer this second question. The human needs theory
will be used in examining how Elizabeth fulfils her needs before finally she
comes to the final stage of her needs which is self-actualization needs. After the
researcher found Elizabeth’s fulfilment of her needs, then the researcher will
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19
examine how Elizabeth actualizes herself by analyzing her characteristics using
Maslow’s self-actualizing person’s characteristics.
C. Context of the Novel
Elizabeth is 34 years. The novel of Eat, Pray, Love takes place in some
countries. First, the story begins with flash back story between Elizabeth and her
ex-spouse and David, her boy friend after moving out of her house, in New York
in 2001 until 2003. When everyone in New York takes the attention on the
September Ninth Tragedy, she is in the process of her divorce and in the middle of
her intern problem with David, her new boy friend.
From her short relation with David, she is introduced to an Indian Guru
then she practiced her meditation for the first time. She directly interested with it.
It is in line with the massive development of yoga in the USA. From Wikipidea
meditation and yoga was vastly practiced by Westerners from 2001. The
popularity of yoga in the USA has been on the constant rise. There are about four
million individuals who practice some form of yoga. In the West, the term "yoga"
is today typically associated with hatha yoga and its assanas (postures) or as a
form of exercise.
ABSTRACT
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses Eat, Pray, Love, a literary work written by an
American novelist, Elizabeth Gilbert. This novel tells about Elizabeth Gilbert’s
spiritual journey to three countries, Italy, India and Indonesia to actualize herself.
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love. There are two
problems to be answered in this study (1) “how is Elizabeth, the main character of
the novel, portrayed?” and (2) “how is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in
Eat, Pray, Love?”
The primary data of this study is the novel itself. The secondary data are
taken from related books, encyclopaedia, dictionary, and the Internet. This study
uses theories such as the theories of character and characterization, while the
approach is the psychological approach.
There are two things that can be concluded after analysing the novel. First,
Elizabeth is portrayed as career oriented, outgoing, kind, humorous, worried,
talkative, and open-minded. Second, Elizabeth actualizes herself by becoming a
person she potentially should be. Her self-actualization can be seen from the
characteristics of self-actualized person that she has met. She is able accept
herself, other people and nature as the way it is. She is spontaneous and creative.
She expresses her emotions and thought unpretentiously. She sees her job not
merely as a means to earn money for her living but she can see her job as a means
to develop herself especially her talent. She has a quality of detachment and
independence. She constantly shows her appreciation to her experiences with
freshness and pleasure. She has a kind empathy toward other people even
strangers. She has deeper and close relationship with people around her and her
love, Felipe. She is a democratic person. She can differentiate between what is
good and bad. She has a great sense of humour. However, she resists herself from
the enculturation.
The novel can be used as the material to teach Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) class in English Department Study Program of Sanata
Dharma University.
Keywords: self-actualization
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRAK
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012.. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
Studi ini membahas novel Eat, Pray, Love, sebuah karya sastra seorang
novelis Amerika, Elizabeth Gilbert. Novel ini menceritakan tentang suatu perjalan
spiritual Elizabeth Gilbert ke tiga negara yaitu Italia, India and Indonesia untuk
mengaktualisasikan dirinya.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menemukan suatu aktualisasi diri seperti
yang terlihat pada Elizabeth Gilbert, tokoh utama dalam novel Eat, Pray, Love.
Ada dua masalah yang akan dijawab dalam studi ini (1) “bagaimana Elizabeth,
diri Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?” dan (2) “bagaimana selfaktualisasi Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?”
Sumber utama dari studi ini adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber tambahan
diambil dari buku-buku yang berkaitan, ensiklopedia, kamus, dan Internet. Studi
ini menggunakan beberapa teori karakter dan pengkarakterisasian, sedangkan
pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Ada dua hal yang dapat disimpulkan setelah menganalisis novel. Pertama,
Elizabeth digambarkan sebagai orang yang berorentasikan pada pekerjaan, suka
bergaul, baik hati, humoris, khawatiran, suka bicara, dan terbuka. Kedua,
Elizabeth telah mengaktualisasikan dirinya dengan menjadi seseorang sesuai
dengan potensinya. Aktualisasinya dapat dilihat dari karakteristik seorang yang
telah mengaktualisasikan diri yang ada pada dirinya. Dia bisa menerima dirinya
sendiri, orang lain dan alam sesuai dengan keadaannya. Dia adalah orang yang
spontan dan kreatif. Dia mengungkapkan perasaan dan pikirannya tanpa menutupnutupinya. Dia melihat pekerjaannya tidak hanya sebatas alat untuk mendapatkan
uang akan tetapi dia dapat melihat pekerjaannya sebagia alat untuk
mengembangkan diri khususnya bakatnya. Dia memiliki kedekatan yang
berkualitas dan mandiri. Dia secara kosntan menunjukkan apresiasinya pada
pengalaman-pengalamannya dengan kesegaran dan kesenangan. Dia memiliki
empati pada orang lain meskipun mereka adalah orang asing. Dia memiliki
hubungan yang mendalam dan dekat. Dia seorang yang demokratis. Dia mampu
membedakan antara mana yang baik dan yang buruk. Dia memiliki tingkat humor
yang tinggi. Namun, dia melindungi dirinya dari enkulturalisasi.
Novel ini bisa digunakan sebagai materi mengajar Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) Class di Program Studi Bahasa Inggris di Universitas
Sanata Dharma.
Kata kunci: self-actualization
vii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain SarjanaPendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Student Number: 081214107
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain SarjanaPendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Student Number: 081214107
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2012
i
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work
or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the
references, as a scientific paper should.
Yogyakarta, November 14, 2012
The Writer
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
NIM : 081214107
iv
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama
: Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
Nomor Mahasiswa
: 081214107
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah sya yan berjudul:
REVEALING THE SELF-ACTUALIZATION OF ELIZABETH GILBERT,
THE MAIN CHARACTER OF EAT, PRAY, LOVE
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
mempublikasikannya di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis
tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalty kepada saya
selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal: 14 November 2012
Yang menyatakan
Agatha Tri Agung Budi Lestari
v
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
ABSTRACT
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses Eat, Pray, Love, a literary work written by an
American novelist, Elizabeth Gilbert. This novel tells about Elizabeth Gilbert’s
spiritual journey to three countries, Italy, India and Indonesia to actualize herself.
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love. There are two
problems to be answered in this study (1) “how is Elizabeth, the main character of
the novel, portrayed?” and (2) “how is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in
Eat, Pray, Love?”
The primary data of this study is the novel itself. The secondary data are
taken from related books, encyclopaedia, dictionary, and the Internet. This study
uses theories such as the theories of character and characterization, while the
approach is the psychological approach.
There are two things that can be concluded after analysing the novel. First,
Elizabeth is portrayed as career oriented, outgoing, kind, humorous, worried,
talkative, and open-minded. Second, Elizabeth actualizes herself by becoming a
person she potentially should be. Her self-actualization can be seen from the
characteristics of self-actualized person that she has met. She is able accept
herself, other people and nature as the way it is. She is spontaneous and creative.
She expresses her emotions and thought unpretentiously. She sees her job not
merely as a means to earn money for her living but she can see her job as a means
to develop herself especially her talent. She has a quality of detachment and
independence. She constantly shows her appreciation to her experiences with
freshness and pleasure. She has a kind empathy toward other people even
strangers. She has deeper and close relationship with people around her and her
love, Felipe. She is a democratic person. She can differentiate between what is
good and bad. She has a great sense of humour. However, she resists herself from
the enculturation.
The novel can be used as the material to teach Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) class in English Department Study Program of Sanata
Dharma University.
Keywords: self-actualization
vi
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ABSTRAK
Lestari, Agatha Tri Agung Budi. 2012.. Revealing the Self-actualization of
Elizabeth Gilbert, the Main Character of Eat, Pray, Love. Yogyakarta: English
Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty
of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
Studi ini membahas novel Eat, Pray, Love, sebuah karya sastra seorang
novelis Amerika, Elizabeth Gilbert. Novel ini menceritakan tentang suatu perjalan
spiritual Elizabeth Gilbert ke tiga negara yaitu Italia, India and Indonesia untuk
mengaktualisasikan dirinya.
Tujuan dari studi ini adalah untuk menemukan suatu aktualisasi diri seperti
yang terlihat pada Elizabeth Gilbert, tokoh utama dalam novel Eat, Pray, Love.
Ada dua masalah yang akan dijawab dalam studi ini (1) “bagaimana Elizabeth,
diri Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?” dan (2) “bagaimana selfaktualisasi Elizabeth diungkapkan dalam Eat, Pray, Love?”
Sumber utama dari studi ini adalah novel itu sendiri. Sumber tambahan
diambil dari buku-buku yang berkaitan, ensiklopedia, kamus, dan Internet. Studi
ini menggunakan beberapa teori karakter dan pengkarakterisasian, sedangkan
pendekatan yang digunakan adalah pendekatan psikologi.
Ada dua hal yang dapat disimpulkan setelah menganalisis novel. Pertama,
Elizabeth digambarkan sebagai orang yang berorentasikan pada pekerjaan, suka
bergaul, baik hati, humoris, khawatiran, suka bicara, dan terbuka. Kedua,
Elizabeth telah mengaktualisasikan dirinya dengan menjadi seseorang sesuai
dengan potensinya. Aktualisasinya dapat dilihat dari karakteristik seorang yang
telah mengaktualisasikan diri yang ada pada dirinya. Dia bisa menerima dirinya
sendiri, orang lain dan alam sesuai dengan keadaannya. Dia adalah orang yang
spontan dan kreatif. Dia mengungkapkan perasaan dan pikirannya tanpa menutupnutupinya. Dia melihat pekerjaannya tidak hanya sebatas alat untuk mendapatkan
uang akan tetapi dia dapat melihat pekerjaannya sebagia alat untuk
mengembangkan diri khususnya bakatnya. Dia memiliki kedekatan yang
berkualitas dan mandiri. Dia secara kosntan menunjukkan apresiasinya pada
pengalaman-pengalamannya dengan kesegaran dan kesenangan. Dia memiliki
empati pada orang lain meskipun mereka adalah orang asing. Dia memiliki
hubungan yang mendalam dan dekat. Dia seorang yang demokratis. Dia mampu
membedakan antara mana yang baik dan yang buruk. Dia memiliki tingkat humor
yang tinggi. Namun, dia melindungi dirinya dari enkulturalisasi.
Novel ini bisa digunakan sebagai materi mengajar Cross Cultural
Understanding (CCU) Class di Program Studi Bahasa Inggris di Universitas
Sanata Dharma.
Kata kunci: self-actualization
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Don't be a leaf if you can be the tree,
don't be a raindrop if you can be the sea
`Cause a leaf may fall but the tree remains
It may never rain at all but the sea remains
Better to be the tree and the sea, see?
Simply put, be all that you can be.
(Peanuts Wisdom)
I dedicate this thesis to:
My beloved and wonderful Dad and Sisters
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the first place, I praise my Lord Jesus Christ, for His blessing, guidance,
and miracles given to me during the completion of this thesis. Those are the signs
of His helpful presence in my life.
I send my gratitude to my advisor, Drs. Ant. Herujiyanto, M.A., Ph. D for
his advice, help, support and patient during the completion of my thesis. I
appreciate every encouragement that he gave to me, for the time and the
discussion.
I would like to thank all PBI lecturers. I thank them for their help in
improving my English skill and my aspects of life. Moreover, I also send thanks
to MbakTari and Mbak Danik for their administration help.
I can hardly find the right words to thank my family for their kindness,
love and care. I am thankful to my dad, Agustinus Martowiharjo, for his
hardworking that always inspires me to do so. I wish to thank my late mom for
her invisible companion in the late night working of this thesis. To my sisters,
Mbak Mur and Mbak Wan, I thank them for their understanding and support that
strengthen me during my bad times. My deepest gratitude goes to Mbak Wan for
her sacrifice and hardworking that brought me to this luxurious experience to
study. I also thank my beloved cousins, Sri, Tolet, Mbak Ma and Theo for their
jokes and supports.
I thank my best friends Vinsen, Agatha, Paul, Hani, Era, Rini, Pincuk,
Endot, MbakDayu and Yulib. They deserve my sincere thanks for their
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
encouragement and their motivating words that have been given to me. To my
classmates, Mas Yok, Grace, Seto, Leo, Ajeng, Heni, Jenny, Sherly, Nita, Siska,
Riska, Ika, Lia, Widy, Riska, Angel, Angga, Ayu, Boni, Beni, Adam, I thank them
for the incredible memories. I thank Minerva English Course, Fafa as the big boss,
Teah as the tidiest treasurer, Bundo as the humorous secretary and Bayu as the
artisan, for the great adventure of conducting English course.
I thank my working partners in USD Library, Tina, Mia, Inneke, Agatha,
Nobit, Tatik, Dika, Sari, Maria, Mylda, Modes and Rudy for the joy during our
works. I also thank all of the librarians of USD Library especially for their warm
acceptance. Then, I am thankful to my SCI’s friends, Mbak Ulfa, MbakWening,
Mbak Rini, Mbak Imut, and Mas Heri for their advice in my teaching there. I also
thank Cana Community for giving place to serve God.
Finally, my appreciation goes to all people who have not been mentioned
above but have supported me. May God always be with them.
Agatha Tri Agung Budi L.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TITLE PAGE ...............................................................................................
i
APPROVAL PAGES ...................................................................................
ii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .............................................
iv
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ...............................................
v
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................
vi
ABSTRAK ....................................................................................................
vii
DEDICATION PAGE .................................................................................
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........................................................................
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................
xi
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study ...................................................
1
B. Research Objective ...........................................................
4
C. Problem Formulation ............ ............................................
4
D. Research Benefits .............................................................
5
E. Definition of Terms ..........................................................
5
1. Character ......................................................................
5
2. Characterization ............................................................
6
3. Self-actualization ...........................................................
6
4. Japa Mala ......................................................................
6
5. Yoga .............................................................................
6
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6. Meditation ....................................................................
7
CHAPTER II. THEORY OF RELATED LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Theories ...............................................
8
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ......................
8
a. Theory of Character ..................................................
8
b. Theory of Characterization .......................................
9
2. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory ...........
11
a. Definition of Self-actualization .................................
13
b. Characteristics of Self-actualizing Person .................
13
1) Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature .............
14
2) Spontaneity ......................................................
15
3) Problem Centering ............................................
15
4) Detachment ......................................................
15
5) Autonomy: Independence of Culture and
Environment .....................................................
15
6) Continued Freshness of Appreciation ................
16
7) The Peak Experiences .......................................
16
8) Social Interest ..................................................
16
9) Interpersonal Relations .....................................
16
10) Democratic Character Structure ........................
17
11) Discrimination between Means and Ends .........
17
12) Sense of Philosophical Humour ........................
17
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13) Creativeness .....................................................
17
14) Resistance to Enculturation ...............................
17
B. Theoretical Framework .....................................................
18
C. Context of The Novel .......................................................
19
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study ...........................................................
21
B. Approach of the Study ......................................................
23
C. Method of the Study .........................................................
24
CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS
A. Elizabeth’s Characteristics .................................................
26
1. Career Oriented ...........................................................
26
2. Outgoing .......................................................................
29
3. Kind .............................................................................
33
4. Humorous .....................................................................
34
5. Worried ........................................................................
37
6. Talkative .......................................................................
38
7. Open-minded ................................................................
39
B. Elizabeth as Self-actualized Person ...................................
40
1. Elizabeth Needs Fulfilment Development as Seen from
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs ......................................
40
a. Physiological Needs ..............................................
41
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b. Safety Needs .........................................................
42
c. Belonging and Love Needs ...................................
43
d. Esteem Needs ........................................................
45
2. Elizabeth as a Self-actualizing Person as Seen from
Maslow’s Characteristics of a Self-actualizing Person ......
48
a. Her Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature ...........
48
b. Her Spontaneity and Creativeness .........................
50
c. Problem Centring ..................................................
54
d. Detachment ...........................................................
55
e. Autonomy .............................................................
57
f. Continued Freshness of Appreciation ....................
59
g. The Peak Experience .............................................
61
h. Social Interest .......................................................
63
i. Interpersonal Relations ..........................................
64
j. Democratic Character Structure ............................
65
k. Discrimination between Good and Bad .................
67
l. Sense of Philosophical Humour .............................
67
m. Resistance to Enculturation ...................................
69
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
A. Conclusions ......................................................................
71
B. Suggestions ......................................................................
73
1. Suggestion for the Future Researcher ............................
74
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2. Suggestion for English Teaching ...................................
74
3. The Implementation of Teaching Cross Cultural
Understanding ..................................................................
75
REFERENCES .............................................................................................
77
APPENDICES .............................................................................................
78
APPENDIX 1: Biography of the Author ................................
79
APPENDIX 2: Summary of the Novel ..................................
81
APPENDIX 3: Syllabus Cross Cultural Understanding .........
83
APPENDIX 4: Lesson Plan ...................................................
85
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter is divided into five parts. They are Background of the Study,
Objective of the Study, Problems Formulation, Benefits of the Study and
Definition of Term.
The first part is background of the study which presents the description of
the topic and also the reason why this topic is chosen. The second is the objective
of the study that describes the aim of conducting the research. The third is the
problem formulation that deals with two research problems that will be analyzed
and discussed in this study. The next part is the benefits of the study which
identify the benefits for the readers in general, the benefit for the researcher and
the benefit for the future researcher. The last part is about the definition of terms
used in this study and their explanation used to avoid the readers’
misunderstanding toward the certain terms.
A. Background of the Study
Novel is one of literature works. A novel presents one’s thought, one’s
feeling, and one’s view of life. These elements will be put into an imagination
world imitating the real life from one’s experiences or the author’s experiences to
their writing. The author offers a certain way of looking at life and a certain view
of experience that the readers have not seen before. Thus, people will turn to a
novel to escape when they feel life is heavy and crass (Henkle, 1997, p. 3). They
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2
look for pleasure or new paradigm to see and to reflect how their life goes. They
will relate the paradigm that the characters have to their own paradigm.
Reading a novel is not only giving pleasure and new paradigm to see how
life goes but also giving psychological understanding of human being that can be
obtained through exploring the characters of the novel. The author of the novel
develops characters that psychologically reflect real human characters. The real
aspects of the characters can be seen from their personalities development, their
feeling, their relationships to the others, their desires, their motivation and their
self-actualization.
By considering the facts mentioned above the writer chooses the general
topic of the study and a novel as the subject of the study. She is interested in the
Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel which is entitled Eat, Pray, Love. The story in this novel
is really close to human being. In real life, people will get out from their
circumstances that seem restricting their potential to actualize themselves. They
will actualize who they potentially will become instead of following the culture
from their society to become who they are.
People have different ways in dealing with their problem. Some people
may need to get out from their place to get any self-recovering. Elizabeth’s
journey has portrayed her way in facing her life crass with their ways. Here,
Elizabeth chooses to travel while doing her work to make writing about her travel.
Moreover, the way Elizabeth telling the stories has successfully created hilarious
story that can invite the readers’ emotions and minds. It eases the readers to
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
3
imagine the character and relate how the character acted in dealing with her
problem and her dream in life.
In brief, this novel is about the author’s experiences in travelling to Italy,
India and Indonesia. She is in her depression of unhappy marriage. She decides to
get divorced with her husband. While she is busy in dealing with her divorce
petition, she turns to an actor whose name David. However, their relationship
does not last for long time. Then, they finally break up. After her husband finally
agrees to part and to sign the petition, she has a trip to Italy, India and Indonesia.
She tries to heal herself from a severe emotional and spiritual crisis through her
one year journey. Like what is written by the author in the sub title of this novel
”one woman search for everything”, Elizabeth’s journey is not just a common
journey like what people do in their holiday but she develops herself and
actualizes herself during her trip. She looks for pleasure through her days
travelling and eating in Italy. Then, she learns to be focus through Yoga and tries
to be calmer while she is in Ashram in India. She learns various kinds of Yoga.
She tries to forgive herself and accepts what is taken away. After arriving in Bali,
she feels more relief. She meets a Balinese healer named Ketut Liyer who has
read his palm-hands on her first visiting in Bali. She practices two kinds of
meditations, Yogic meditation and meditation like what the Ketut Liyer teaches to
her. Later, she can accept love again. She meets a Brazilian man who becomes her
love.
This study is meant to find how Elizabeth actualizes herself during her
journey. In analysing Elizabeth self-actualization, it is necessary to find out the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
4
characteristics of her. The researcher chooses library study that focuses on the
primary source as the novel and the secondary sources to theories needed on the
research. This thesis uses the psychological approach to analyze the topic of the
study that is Elizabeth’s self-actualization as seen in her work Eat, Pray, Love.
This study uses some supporting theories like theory of character and
characterization, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory and characteristic
of self-actualizing people. The explanation of each theory is presented in the
chapter two.
B. Research Objective
The objective of the study is to see one’s self-actualization as seen in
Elizabeth Gilbert, the main character of her novel Eat, Pray, Love.
C. Problem Formulation
In view of the objectives of the study, the writer focuses in the two
problems formulations. They are formulated as follows:
1. How is Elizabeth, the main character of the novel, portrayed?
2. How is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed in Eat, Pray Love?
D. Research Benefits
By studying this novel the researcher can understand better about this
novel and understand herself. She uses psychological approach to analyse the
characteristics of the main character, Elizabeth and her presentation of her
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
5
actualization characteristics during her trip. This research also broadens her
knowledge about literary and psychology, especially about characterization, the
hierarchy of needs and self-actualizing people. For the readers of this thesis, they
may obtain some knowledge on how they are characterized from fulfilling their
needs and how to actualize themselves. This research is expected to give reference
and comparison for the next researchers. The designed materials will give
reference for English teachers who interested in the topic given.
E. Definition of Terms
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding, the researcher clarified the
specific terms used in the study.
1. Character
In Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995), character is
stated in some definitions. First, it is defined as a descriptive analysis of a human
virtue. The second one, character refers to one personality that is presented in
fiction or drama. The third definition of character is an individual of drama or
play. This study focuses on the second term.
2. Characterization
From A Handbook of Literary Terms characterization defines as the
technique of portraying character in a work. Henkle (1977: 86) states that through
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
6
characterization the authors can communicate the characters’ human qualities and
lead the readers to understand the human theme portrayed in the work.
3. Self-actualization
Maslow states that “self-actualization is the realization of all one’s
potential, and a desire to become creative in the full sense of the word” (Feist and
Feist, 2009). In Hjelle and Ziegler’s book (1976), Maslow defines selfactualization as “the desire to become everything that one is capable of becoming
“(p. 373). It is the highest level of human needs. In this research, self-actualization
refers to optimize one’s potential, skill and creativity to become one desire to be.
4. Japa Mala
In Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, japa mala is defined as a set of
prayer beads popular in India and Tibet. It is commonly made from 108 beads. It
is used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra
or names of a particular divinity, a practice known in Sanskrit as japa.
5. Yoga
According to Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, “yoga is Hindu
discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual
insight and tranquillity that is achieved through the three paths of actions,
knowledge and devotion”. In modern era, it is defined as ‘powerful tools for
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
7
cultivating one’s human potential’ and ultimately aimed at achieving ‘selfrealisation.’ It is seen as a way of life rather than religious presupposition.
6. Meditation
Based on Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, meditation is a private
religious devotion or mental exercise, in which techniques of concentration and
contemplation are used to reach spiritual awareness.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
THEORY OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with the theories that are used to analyze the topic of
this study. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part consists of
Theory of Character and Characterization, Hierarchy of Needs Theory and The
Characteristics of Self-actualizing Person. The second part is Theoretical
Framework. The third part is Context of the Novel.
A. Review of Related Theories
1.
Theory of character and characterization
a. Theory of Character
Character is an individual presented in a dramatic or narrative work as
stated in A Glossary of Literature Terms, 9th Edition. Referring to this book,
character also defined as a type of person who is sketched in a prose. In Merriam
Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature (1995), character is stated in some
definitions. First, it is defined as a descriptive analysis of a human virtue. The
second one, character refers to one personality that is presented in fiction or
drama. The third definition of character is an individual of drama or play. Stanton
(1965) proposes character as the individuals who appear in the story.
Characters are persons who do a story. The creations of characters make
the readers understand and experience what the author wants to convey through
their works since character is the representation of the human being. According to
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PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
9
Arnold and Bennet as cited in A Handbook of Literary Terms, “the foundation of
good fiction is character-creation and nothing else”. The events of a story would
flow naturally from the characters involved.
b. Theory of Characterization
From A Handbook of Literary Terms characterization defines as a
technique of portraying character in a work. Henkle (1977, p. 86) states that
through characterization the authors can communicate the characters’ human
qualities and lead the readers to understand the human theme portrayed in the
work.
Arp and Johnson (2009, p. 62) propose two kinds of characters
presentations. They are direct presentation and indirect presentation. In direct
presentation, the authors come right out telling the readers about a character, what
the character are like directly or from other characters. While in indirect
presentation, the author only shows how the character is like. The reader needs to
figure out the character by analyzing what the character does, what the character
says or from other character who describes her or his.
Murphy (1972, p. 161) suggests nine ways to understand a character. First,
we can get some description of one’s character from the personal descriptions that
are given by an author. The author may describe one’s appearances and the
clothes. The appearances deal with what we can see such as the build, the face, the
eyes, the skin colour, the hair, the hands, the scar, how the character dresses, and
the style of her or his clothes. The author does not only describe one’s character
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
10
through our sight only but also from the sense of smelling, sense of hearing and
the sense of touching. The character may be presented by his smell, his odour, his
touch and his sound too.
The second is from the character as seen by another. “Instead of
describing a character directly the author can describe him through the eyes and
opinions of another (Murphy, p. 162)”. However, what another sees and what
another thinks will not always true since his or her sight and his or her opinion
influences by his or her emotions. It can be affected from certain conflict that they
have such as their religious, their political background and their customs. It is
important to consider these things in inferring one’s character from the eyes and
opinions of another.
The third is from the speech. People communicate each other with speech.
The author presents the character of one’s person through what he or she says and
how he or she speaks. The character is giving the clue in every dialogue or
conversation he or she involved. It can be dialogue with him or with another.
From what one character says, we can infer the character’s education and sociocultural background. Moreover, we can also find what the character is thinking
and what the character likes or dislikes. We can see her or his emotion from the
tone that he or she used.
The fourth is from past life. The character past life will give clues to
events that have shaped one’s character. This is revealed from the direct comment
by the author or one’s character thought through the conversation or through the
medium of another.
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11
The fifth is from the conversation of others. The author will give clues to a
one’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say
about one’s character. When people think about other, they often give clues about
one’s character that they are talking about.
The sixth is from the reaction. The author can also give us a clue to one’s
character through how he or she reacts to various situations and events. The
readers can reveal one’s character from how he or she reacts when they are
frustrated and stressed. Therefore, through this reaction the readers can understand
the mental and the moral qualities of the character.
The seventh is from direct comment. The author can describe or comment
on one’s character directly. The readers easily understand what kind of person in
the novel through the direct comment.
The eighth is from thought. The author gives the readers direct knowledge
of what one character is thinking about. In real life we cannot do this. We do not
know what people are thinking about. However, in a novel we are like listening to
what the character thought.
The ninth is from mannerism. The author describes one’s mannerism,
habits or idiosyncrasies which may also tell us something about one’s character
(p. 173). The reader will infer one’s character from how he or she behaves.
2. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
People have many needs to be fulfilled. Maslow argues that in completing
our needs they will make priority on their needs (Huffman et al, 2000). He
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12
proposes that human desires are arranged in a hierarchy of priority. He explains
that stronger needs must be satisfied before an individual can move on to the
higher needs. He develops a five-level hierarchy of needs. It covers physiological
needs at the bottom, then safety needs, followed by belongingness and love needs,
the next level is esteem needs, and self-actualization needs or the needs for
personal fulfilment at the top.
Physiological needs are the most basic human needs for physical
survival. For example, they are need for food, need for drink, need for
oxygen, and need for sleep. These physiological needs are directly concerned
with biological maintenance of the organism.
After the physiological needs have been satisfied, then individuals will
concern with the higher level of needs. They are safety needs such as physically
security, dependency, protection and freedom from threatening forces like war,
terrorism and illness.
The third hierarchical level is the belongingness and love needs like the
need to belong to a family or a neighbourhood. These needs arise when the
physiological needs and safety needs have been fulfilled. In fulfilling these needs
sometimes an individual will include sex and human contact. These needs involve
hunger for relationships with other. The love needs do not equal to sexual needs
(Petri, 1981, p. 303).
The following needs are the self-esteem needs. These include self-respect,
confidence, competence, and the knowledge that others hold them in high esteem
(Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 283). Maslow divides these needs into two. First, it is
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
13
called reputation. It is the perception of the prestige, recognition, or fame a person
has achieved in the eyes of others. The second is self-esteem from individual’s
own feelings of worth and confidence. It is based on the real competence.
Since this thesis deals with self-actualization, the highest stage on the
needs-hierarchy, the detailed description will be presented as follow:
a. Definition of Self-actualization
Self-actualization is the final level of the hierarchy of needs. These needs
will be satisfied after the four former needs have been fulfilled. When an
individual have met their lower needs, they will pursue the higher level of needs.
The desire to fulfil these needs is different from the previous levels of needs. An
individual will be motivated by being needs or B-motivations. These B-motives
are values such as truth, honesty, beauty, and goodness. The self-actualization
needs include self-fulfilment, the realization of one’s potential and desire to
become creative. In other words, self-actualized individual are no longer
motivated by deficiencies instead motivated to grow and become all he or she is
capable of becoming (Petri, 1981, p. 305). These needs will motivate individual to
expand their ability, talent, capacity and potentiality.
b. Characteristics of Self-actualizing People
Maslow believes that all human have the potential for self- actualization
(Feist and Feist, 2009, p. 291). People will reach this level in case they have
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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satisfied the four former needs regularly. Maslow identifies some characteristics
of self-actualizing people. They are as followed below:
1) Acceptance of Self, Others and Nature
Self-actualizing people can accept themselves, others and nature as the
way they are. Self-actualizing people are not worried and complaining about their
weaknesses and their imperfections. He or she accept their nature as it is.
Self-actualizer does regret with their negative characteristics that can be
improve such as laziness, loss of temper, thoughtlessness, and jealousy.
Understanding how these weaknesses can be their obstacle for their development,
they will try to improve themselves to be better person. Their failure will not
make themselves give up but they can learn how to get over from their failure and
not to fail on the same problem again.
2) Spontaneity
Self-actualizing people tends to be spontaneous in both their thoughts and
actions. He or she expresses their emotions and thought in openly and directly.
Self-actualizer is highly ethical person. He or she is behaving accordingly to their
own ways rather than society usually does. It makes self-actualizing people is
seen by their society as unconventional people.
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3) Problem Centring
Self-actualizing people gives their attention to the problems outside
themselves. This characteristic expands his or her purpose of living. Selfactualizer gives concerns on their work. He or she sees his or her job not merely
as a means to earn money for living but he or she can see job as a means to
develop especially his or her talent on it.
4) Detachment
Feist and Feist (2009, p. 292) state that self-actualizing people has a
quality of detachment that allows them to be alone without being lonely. He or
she does not depend on other in order to get their satisfaction. He or she remains
relax and comfort whether alone or with other.
Self-actualizers behaviours are strongly self-directed and self-centred by
means they are not bothered by what others expected from them. They tend to
focus on their own interpretation of their situations.
5) Autonomy: Independence of Culture and Environment
Self-actualizing people is independent. Self-actualizers are able to use
their potentialities for growth and development without depending on the physical
and social environment. Therefore, they have a high degree of self-direction and
free will. They are responsible for their destiny in life.
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6) Continued Freshness of Appreciation
Self-actualizers show their appreciation to their experiences with newness,
and pleasure although those just their casual routines that they have done
repeatedly. They are always grateful for what they have and what they experience.
As cited by Feist and Feist (2009), Maslow stated that “self-actualizing people
have the wonderful capacity to appreciate again and again, freshly and naively,
the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder, and even ectasy” (p. 293).
7) The Peak Experiences
This term refers to moments of intense excitement and high tension as well
as those of relaxation, peacefulness and blissfulness. They feel both more humble
and more powerful at the same time.
8) Social Interest
Self-actualizing people possess high social interest. He or she has a kind of
caring attitude toward other people even strangers. Maslow states self-actualizer
has genuine interest in helping others even though they are strangers as well as
friends (Feist and Feist, 2006, p. 292).
9) Interpersonal Relations
Self-actualizing people forms quite deep and intense personal relationship.
He or she is more inclined to associate closely with others of similar character,
talent and capacity.
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10) Democratic Character Structure
Self-actualizers basically respect all persons. They are willing to learn
from anybody who is able to teach them. They treat all human being equally.
11) Discrimination between Means and Ends
Self-actualizers have the ability to differentiate between ends and means
for achieving their ends. They enjoy the means which are the processes of
pursuing their goals. Furthermore, they show less confusion, inconsistency, and
conflict than common people usually do about what is right, or good or bad.
12) Sense of Philosophical Humour
Self-actualizers have friendly sense of humour. They do joke
spontaneously. Their joke always has something to convey. Thus, it is provoking
other to smile rather than to burst into laughter.
13) Creativeness
Creativeness here defines as the way people perceive and react to their
life. This creativity appears in their daily life as an expression of their personality
which is perceptive and spontaneous.
14) Resistance to Enculturation
This characteristic is described as having sense of detachment from the
surrounding to transcend a particular way. It does not mean that self-actualizing
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people are antisocial. However, when a specific issue arouse they will look for
social change to resist society’s attempts to enculturate them based on their
standard without against the customs.
B. Theoretical Framework
In order to answer the problem formulations, the researcher uses some
theories. The theories that have been written in the previous part are used to
support the researcher’s answers to those problem formulations.
The first question is "How is the major character, Elizabeth, portrayed in
that novel?” The Theory of Character and Characterization will be used to reveal
Elizabeth’s characterization. This theory will guide the researcher in the process
of analysing the main character through many aspects based on those theories.
This research takes seven ways of nine ways of characterization. They are from
the personal descriptions that are given by the author, from the character as seen
by another, from the speech, from the past life, from the reaction, from the
thought and from the mannerism.
After answering the first question, the researcher will explore the second
question. The second question is “How is Elizabeth’s self-actualization revealed
in the novel?” The Abram Maslow’s Human Needs Theory and Theory of SelfActualization are needed to answer this second question. The human needs theory
will be used in examining how Elizabeth fulfils her needs before finally she
comes to the final stage of her needs which is self-actualization needs. After the
researcher found Elizabeth’s fulfilment of her needs, then the researcher will
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examine how Elizabeth actualizes herself by analyzing her characteristics using
Maslow’s self-actualizing person’s characteristics.
C. Context of the Novel
Elizabeth is 34 years. The novel of Eat, Pray, Love takes place in some
countries. First, the story begins with flash back story between Elizabeth and her
ex-spouse and David, her boy friend after moving out of her house, in New York
in 2001 until 2003. When everyone in New York takes the attention on the
September Ninth Tragedy, she is in the process of her divorce and in the middle of
her intern problem with David, her new boy friend.
From her short relation with David, she is introduced to an Indian Guru
then she practiced her meditation for the first time. She directly interested with it.
It is in line with the massive development of yoga in the USA. From Wikipidea
meditation and yoga was vastly practiced by Westerners from 2001. The
popularity of yoga in the USA has been on the constant rise. There are about four
million individuals who practice some form of yoga. In the West, the term "yoga"
is today typically associated with hatha yoga and its assanas (postures) or as a
form of exercise.