The meanings of the decision to commit suicide as seen in Veronika, the main character of Paulo Coelho`s Veronika Decides to Die - USD Repository

  

THE MEANINGS OF THE DECISION TO COMMIT SUICIDE AS

SEEN IN VERONIKA, THE MAIN CHARACTER OF PAULO

COELHO’S VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE

  

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

  

By

Marianus Sadeg Jelau

Student Number: 071214123

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

  

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

2012

  This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to My beloved father, Yohanes The Late mother, Paula My dearest brothers and sister: Yanuarius, Yeremias, Ignasius, Oktaviano, and Veronika.

  

ABSTRACT

  Jelau, Marianus Sadeg. 2012. The Meanings of the Decision to Commit Suicide as

Seen in Veronika, the Main Character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die.

Yogyakarta: English Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.

  This study discusses Veronika Decides to Die, a literary work written by a Brazilian novelist, Paulo Coelho. Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die tells about the life of the main character, Veronika, who decides to commit suicide by swallowing the sleeping pills. The objective of this study is to see the meaning of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide. There are two problems to be answered in this study (1) “How is Veronika, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides

  

to Die is described in the novel?” and (2) “What are the meanings of Veronika’s

  decision to commit suicide?” This study applies library research method. The primary data of this study is the novel of Paulo Coelho, entitled Veronika Decides to Die. The secondary data are gained from various books and the Internet sources which are closely related to this study. The theories used in this study are the theory of character, methods of characterization, the theory of psychoanalytical psychology, and the theory of motivation. The approach that is used in this study is psychological approach.

  There are two findings after analyzing the novel. The first is about Veronika’s characteristics. Veronika is a woman of twenty-four-year old who is beautiful, pretty, and attractive. Veronika is also described as a sympathetic, an organized and a curious woman who has critical and logical thought. Furthermore, Veronika is described as a person who lacks of belongingness and love needs, self-esteem and self-actualization needs. The second is about the meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide. The literal meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide are that she is afraid of her future life; she is powerless in facing life, and she is afraid of her fate. The true meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide are that Veronika cannot control the id and Veronika lacks of belongingness and love needs, self-esteem-needs, and self-actualization needs.

  Finally, future researchers are suggested to explore more about the factors that influence Veronika’s decision to commit suicide as seen in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika

  

Decides to Die. Moreover, the writer suggests the English lecturers to use Paulo

  Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die as material to teach Prose II in English Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. Key words: true meaning, literal meaning, suicide, and characteristics.

  

ABSTRAK

  Jelau, Marianus Sadeg. 2012. The Meanings of the Decision to Commit Suicide as

Seen in Veronika, the Main Character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die.

Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Penelitian ini membahas novel Veronika Decides to Die, sebuah karya sastra yang ditulis oleh seorang novelis Brazil, Paulo Coelho. Novel Paulo Coelho

  

Veronika Decides to Die menceritakan tentang kehidupan dari tokoh utama,

  Veronika, yang memutuskan untuk bunuh diri dengan menelan obat tidur. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk melihat makna dari keputusan Veronika untuk bunuh diri. Terdapat dua rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini yang akan dijawab (1) “Bagaimana Veronika, tokoh utama dari novel Paulo Coelho Veronika Decides to Die dideskripsikan dalam novel ini?” dan (2) Apa makna dari keputusan Veronika untuk mati?”

  Penelitian ini menerapkan metode studi pustaka. Data utama dari penelitian ini adalah novel Paulo Coelho yang berjudul Veronika Decides to Die. Data tambahan diperoleh dari berbagai buku dan sumber-sumber internet yang berkaitan erat dengan penelitian ini. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori-teori seperti teori karakter, metode karakterisasi, teori psikoanalisis psikologi, dan teori motivasi. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan psikologis.

  Ada dua temuan setelah menganalisis novel ini. Pertama tentang karakteristik Veronika. Veronika adalah wanita muda berusia 24 tahun yang cantik, ayu, dan menarik. Veronika juga digambarkan sebagai orang yang simpatik, teratur, dan selalu ingin tahu yang berpikiran kritis dan logis. Selanjutnya, Veronika digambarkan sebagai orang yang kekurangan kebutuhan akan rasa cinta dan rasa memiliki , harga diri dan aktualisasi diri. Kedua tentang makna dari keputusan Veronika untuk bunuh

  

diri. Makna harafiah dari keputusan Veronika untuk bunuh diri adalah bahwa dia

takut akan kehidupan masa depannya, dia tak berdaya dalam menghadapi kehidupan,

dan dia takut akan kematiannya. Makna sebenarnya dari keputusan Veronika untuk

bunuh diri adalah bahwa Veronika tidak bisa mengendalikan id dan Veronika

kekurangan kebutuhan akan rasa cinta dan rasa memiliki, kebutuhan akan harga diri,

dan kebutuhan akan aktualisasi diri.

  Akhirnya, para peneliti berikut disarankan untuk mengeksplorasi lebih lanjut

tentang factor-faktor yang mempengaruhi keputusan Veronika untuk bunuh diri

seperti yang terlihat pada novel Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Dicides to Die. Selain itu,

penulis menyarankan kepada para dosen Bahasa Inggris untuk menggunakan novel

Paulo Coelho Veronika Decides to Die sebagai bahan untuk mengajar Prosa II di

Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sanata Dharma.

  Kata kunci: makna sebenarnya, makna harafiah, bunuh diri, dan karakteristik.

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Writing this thesis is a series of hard-work that is both energy and time consuming. What it would be without the blessing from the Lord Jesus Christ.

  Therefore, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to the Almighty God, Lord Jesus Christ, for His wonderful love and guidance so that I could finish this thesis.

  I would like to express my gratitude for my lovely parents, my father Yohanes Jelau and the late mother Paula Di for their love and everything they have given. I also thank my brothers Yani, Yeri, Ighy, Viano, my sisters Veronika, Margaretha, Wati, and my lovely nephews Vicko, All and Paula for their love that motivate me to live.

  My deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Drs. Antonius Herujiyanto, M.A. for giving valuable corrections and advice on my thesis. I thank him for his patience and understanding. I also would like to thank all lecturers of English Education Study Program for teaching me for about four years. They all have inspired me to be all that I can be.

  I would like to give my deepest thank to Ka’e Frengky for his help in grammar correction and all my best friends Lala, Seto, Rara, Asep, Popon, Asti, Tommy, Wendy for being my best friend and give me spirit to study in PBI. I also give my respect to all my best friends Zeppot, Kele, Engkos, Denos, Tedong, Lia, Ejun, Asri for love, support and all the great things we have done together. Moreover, I would like to thank Bu Dhani and Bu Tari for helping me during my study in PBI.

  A special thank goes to Margaretha Rosita K. for his great love, patience, and attention. She is my place to share joys and sorrows. I would like to say thank you for accompanying me doing my thesis and helping me to solve my problems.

  Last but not least, I would like to give my respect for those whom I cannot mention individually, but surely this thesis could not be done without their support and help. May God always bless us.

  The Writer .

  MARIANUS SADEG JELAU

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITILE PAGE ....................................................................................................i

  APPROVAL PAGE ...........................................................................................ii

PAGE OF DEDICATION ................................................................................

iv

  STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ................................................. v

  PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI .............................................vi

  ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................vii

  ABSTRAK .......................................................................................................viii

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................ix

  TABLE OF CONTENT ..................................................................................... x

  CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study ....................................................................... 1 B. Objectives of the Study.......................................................................... 6 C. Problem Formulation............................................................................. 6 D. Definition of Terms ............................................................................... 7 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Theories................................................................... 9

  1. Theory of Character .................................................................... 10

  2. Method of Characterization......................................................... 10

  3. Theory of Psychoanalitical Psychology....................................... 13

  4. Theory of Motivation.................................................................. 16

  B. Theoritical Framework ........................................................................ 22

  C. Context of the Novel ........................................................................... 23

  CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study.............................................................................. 25 B. Approach of the Study......................................................................... 26 C. Method of the Study ............................................................................ 28

  CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS A. Characteristics of Veronika, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die ...................................................................... 29 B. The meaning of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide ...................... 40

  1. The litteral meaning of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide ... 41

  2. The true meaning of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide ...... 47

  CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS A. Conclusions............................................................................................ 62 B. Suggestions ............................................................................................ 67

  1. Suggestion for Further Researchers............................................. 67

  2. Suggestion for English Teachers ................................................. 68

  3. The Implementation of Teaching Prose II ................................... 69 BIBLIOGRAPHY

  ............................................................................................ 71

  

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: The summary of Veronika Decides to Die.................................. 74

APPENDIX 2: Auto Biography of Paulo Coelho ............................................... 76

APPENDIX 3: Syllabus of Prose II.................................................................... 83

APPENDIX 4: Lesson Plan................................................................................ 85

APPENDIX 5: Material ..................................................................................... 88

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the introduction of this study; this chapter consists of

  four sections. The first section is the background of study, which presents the reason of choosing this topic. The second section is the problem formulation, which presents the problems of this study in the form of two research questions. The third section is the objectives of the study that contains the purpose of writing this thesis. The fourth part is the definition of terms, which provides the explanation of the terms used in this study.

1.1 Background of the Study

  Literary works always bring their own effects to the readers which depend on how the readers interpret the work. The readers’ knowledge, experiences, education, concerns and interests affect the way in interpreting a literary work. It is possible that one similar literature is considered either good or bad based on the readers’ point of view.

  According to Hudson (1958), literature conveys idea, truth, and even factual event. Literature is considered as a reflection of reality. It is a vital record of what people have seen, what they experienced of it, what they have thought and felt about those aspects of life itself which have the most immediate and enduring interest for all of us as the readers (para.10). Since literature is considered as a vital record of what people have seen, experienced, thought and felt about reality or the truth of life, people can investigate the truth of life behind the text and the aim of it.

  Literature is also a product of society. It is developed along with the development of the society in which it is produced. Wellek and Warren (1962) support that “literature is an expression of society and is determined by or dependent on its social setting, social change and development” (p. 96).

  In making a good story, the society becomes an important background. The society gives an important effect to the composition. As Langland (1984) in Society

  

and the Novel says that “the condition in the real world can be applied in the pattern

  of art” (p.5). It means that the real condition or the society can be a good basis for the writer to form a good literary work.

  The real condition in our life can become an inspiration for the author to produce a literary work. In the novel the author also uses the real condition as his or her inspiration in producing a literary art. Hutchin (1986) in The New Encyclopedia

  

Britannica said that “novel is a literary work. It is a genre of fiction, fiction may be

  define as the art craft of contriving, through the written words, representations of human life that instruct or divert or both” (p. 276).

  Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die is one of the examples of literary works which was written based on the reflections of the experience of the author’s life. In this novel, the author provides the readers a story of life of the main character that influences the main character’s paradigm of life. Through this novel, the readers may learn about how to view life and face all the challenges and problems in life.

  Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die is chose to analyze because it is an interesting and very motivating novel. The story of this novel told about a young woman of age 24 who could not explore her talents and potentialities. This situation influenced her paradigm of life and led her to committed suicide. The story had delivered a great message to the readers including the writer of this study to explore all the talents and potentialities we have. The story of this novel motivates the writer to explore all the talents and potentialities to reach a better life. This novel entitled Veronika Decides to Die which is written based on the personal experience of the author’s life also inspires the writer to struggle in running the life and always view life positively. Another reason of choosing Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die as the novel to be analyzed is to see the meaning of one’s decision to commit suicide through the main character of Paulo Coelho’s

  Veronika Decides to Die.

  Furthermore, the writer provides the summary of Coelho’s Veronika Decides

  

to Die. The summary is provided to help the readers of this study understand the story

  of the novel. The writer believes that if the readers of this study understand the story of the novel, they can also understand the analyses of the novel which is written in

  chapter 4 of this study. Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die talked about the life of a young Slovenian

  1997. Veronika was the main character of Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. However, there were some other characters such as Veronika, Zedka, Mari, Eduard, and Dr. Igor.

  Paulo Coelho described Veronika as a 24-year-old woman who worked as a librarian in Ljubljana, Slovenia, one of the republics created by the dissolution of

  Yugoslavia

  . The author described Veronika as the main character who decided to commit suicide by swallowing four packs of sleeping pills. There were two reasons lay behind Veronika’s decision to die. First, she thought that her life was monotones. The second reason was she felt powerless to fight against the wrong things that happen in her society.

  Furthermore, Paulo Coelho described Veronika as young and attractive woman who had a perfect life because she had a loving family, friends, boyfriends, and a job in a library. However, Veronika had never felt a true love. Actually, Veronika’s parents loved her very much, but in the other side, that love had limited her to actualize her dream to be a pianist. Veronika’ parents did not want Veronika to be a pianist. Her parents asked her to study law and forget her dream to be a pianist. For the sake of her parents’ dream, Veronika had to sacrifice her dream to be a pianist. As the consequence, Veronika could not actualize herself because she did not want to hurt her parents.

  Veronika lived her life as her parents’ expectation. This situation influenced Veronika’s way of thinking about life. She viewed life in a different perspective from others. Veronika felt that life was meaningless. Veronika’s negative perspective about life led her to a decision to commit suicide.

  On the morning of 11 November 1997, Veronika committed suicide by swallowing four packs of sleeping pills, but her suicide attempt was failed.

  Veronika’s failure in committing suicide led her to an asylum called Villete. In Villete, Veronika’s new environment, Dr. Igor told her that she only had few days to live because her heart had been damaged due to the overdose of sleeping pills.

  Veronika started to feel afraid of her future life after knowing that she was still alive. Veronika was also afraid of her fate after knowing that she only had few days to live. Then, she started to think about another way to end her life. Veronika asked Zedka to give her some more sleeping pills. However, Zedka could not give her those pills.

  Since she could not get some more sleeping pills, Veronika decided to live her life as other lunatics in Villete. In Villete, she did everything she had never done before such as playing a piano at night. In Villete, Veronika lived her life in a different way from her previous life. Veronika built relations with the patients in Villete such as, Zedka, Mari, and Eduard and experienced a new life.

  During the time of waiting for her death, Veronika tried to express herself and explored all her talents and potentialities. She played a piano at night. Veronika also experienced some feelings such as love, hatred, and courage. Veronika fell in love with Eduard, a schizophrenic man. She experienced a new life which was totally actualize herself without pretending to be someone else just to fulfill her mother dreams and avoid from others’ judgments.

  The writer would like to explore through the content of the story to find out Veronika’s characteristics and the meaning of her decision to commit suicide. In this study the writer will use some theories to support the analysis. Theories that will be used in this study are theory of character, method of characterization, theory of motivation, and theory of psychoanalytical psychology. Psychological approach is applied to see the deeper meaning of the novel.

  1.2 Objectives of the study

  The objective of this study is to see the meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide as seen in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. To find out the meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide, the writer will focus on analyzing the characteristics and the psychology of Veronika, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die. The meanings of Veronika’s decision will be revealed in chapter IV of this study.

  1.3 Problem formulation

  There are two problem formulations of this study as the main points that will be analyzed in chapter IV. These two problem formulations are correlated; the first problem formulation is linked to the second problem formulation. The meaning of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide can be revealed after knowing Veronika’s characteristics. The problems of this study can be formulated as follows: 1) How is Veronika, the main character of Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to

  Die, described in the novel?

  2) What are the meanings of Veronika’s decision to commit suicide?

1.4 Definition of terms

  The following part is the meaning of certain words used in the study. There are two terms to be explained in this part, they are suicide and true meaning. The purpose of defining these two terms is to avoid misunderstanding in perceiving some important terms in this research.

1.4.1 Suicide

  The meaning of suicide in this study refers to the definition of suicide in ADAM’s Illustrated Health Encyclopedia which was adapted from adam.about.com.

  In ADAM’s Illustrated Health Encyclopedia, suicide is the act of deliberately taking one's own life. Suicidal behavior is any deliberate action with potentially life- threatening consequences, such as taking a drug overdose or deliberately crashing a car. Suicidal behaviors almost always occur in people with depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and alcohol dependence. People who attempt suicide are often trying to get away from a life situation that seems impossible to deal with.

  Many who make a suicide attempt are seeking relief from: bad thoughts or feelings, feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others, feeling like a victim, and feelings of rejection, loss, or loneliness.

1.4.2 True Meaning

  The true meaning here is the extrinsic aspects of the literary works. The definition of meaning in this study refers the definition of meaning explained by Audi. According to Audi (1999),

  “Meaning is the conventional, common, or standard sense of an expression, or of a non-linguistic signal or symbol. Literal meaning is the non-figurative. Synonymy is the sameness of literal meaning. In another sense, meaning is what a person intends to communicate by a particular utterance. Meaning means the extrinsic aspects in the literary works. It is not the literal meaning. It is has two aspect, literal meaning or surface meaning and non6 literal meaning or deeper meaning” (p. 545).

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW In this chapter, the writer will explore some theoretical reviews in order to

  support the analysis. This chapter is divided into three sections. The first section provides a review on related theories. This section comprises the important concepts of characters and methods of characterization, theory of psychoanalytical psychology and theory of motivation. These theories are used to help the writer in answering the problems in Coelho’s novel towards the reason of Veronoka as the main character who commits suicide. The second section is dealing with theoretical framework. In this section the writer states the theories that are used to analyze Coelho’s Veronika

  

Decides to Die. In this part, the theories and reviews will be synthesized to make

  them operationally applicable to the problems. The third section deals with context of the novel. The historical approach when the novel was written by Paulo Coelho.

2.1 Review of Related Theories

  In this part the writer will provide some theories related to the topic of this study. They are theories of character, methods of characterization, theories of psychoanalytical psychology and the theory of motivation. Those theories will be used to answer the problem formulations formulated in the previous chapter.

  2.1.1 Theory of Character Character is one of the most important elements in the literary works.

  According to Stanton (1965), “character is a person who does the action in a story” (p.17). Furthermore, Abrams (1981) explains that a character is “an individual who exists in a dramatic or narrative work and he/she has moral dispositional qualities that can be seen from his/her dialogue and action; dialogue and action have important roles in understanding the characters” (p. 20).

  Milligan (1983, p. 155) states that there are two kinds of character in the fictional story: major character and minor character. A major character is the most important character in a literary work. He/she plays a very important role because everything he/she does becomes the content of the story. A major character becomes the centre of the story because he endures problems, conflict, happiness, sorrow, etc. from his/her actions; through which the readers know the author’s message of the story. The minor characters are characters that play less important role than major character does. Their appearance supports the main character to develop the story so that they appear only in a certain setting. They do not endure the problem of the story.

  2.1.2 Methods of Characterization Characterization is the way the author characterize the characters.

  Characterization plays an important role in building the idea of a story. Rohrberger and Woods Jr. (1971, p. 20) in Reading and Writing about Novel define characterization as the process by which an author creates character, it is the device that he/she makes the readers to believe a character in the particular type of person he/she is. An author does this way to make a stereotype of someone existing in a real world situation comes real during the reading.

  According to Murphy (1972, p. 161 -173), there are nine methods in which the readers can understand the character. The first method is related to personal description. Personal description related to the description about what the characters are like. It tells the readers the details of the characters’ appearance such as the face, skin complexion, eyes, hair, and the clothing.

  The second method is about how a character is seen by the other characters. Instead of describing the character directly, the author can describe a character through the eyes and opinions of other characters in the story. Through this way the readers are able to grasp a character’s personality and appearance which can also determine a character’s characteristics.

  The third method is related to speech. Some information and clues about a character can also be revealed through the character’s speech. The readers will be able to grasp the characteristics of a character through the way he/she speaks.

  The fourth method is linked to the past life. Another way to describe a character is by giving some information about a character’s past life. A character’s past life will affect how she/he behaves in her/his present life. Moreover, a character’s past life giving comments, using the character’s thoughts and speech in conversations, or by using other characters’ point of view and comments.

  The fifth method is about the conversation of other characters. The characteristics of a character can be revealed through a conversation of other characters. The author can give the readers some clues about the characteristics of a character in the story through the conversation of other characters.

  The sixth method is related to the reaction. The author can also give descriptions of a character’s personality by letting the readers know how the character reacts to various situations and events. Therefore, through his/her reaction, the readers can understand the mental and moral qualities of a character in the story.

  The seventh method is linked to the direct comment of the author. The author can describe or comment on a character in the story directly. In this way, the readers will understand easily the characteristics of a character in the story.

  The eighth method is related to the thoughts. The author can give the readers direct knowledge of what a character in the story is thinking about. By knowing what in the character’s mind, the readers will know his/her characteristic.

  The last method is about mannerism. The author can describe a character’s mannerisms, habits, or idiosyncrasies. It can tell the readers some clues about the characteristics of a character in the story.

2.1.3 Theory of Psychoanalytical Psychology

  Hurlock (1974), in Personality Development, states that the individual aspect of human life concerns with the physical changes and individual’s personality development. Individual’s personality development is usually influenced by two factors, which are individual’s early experience within his family and the important events that happened outside the home or the social aspect (para.19-20). In 2000, Huffman, M. Vernoy and J. Vernoy define “personality as an individual’s unique and relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions that defines you as a person: how you are different from other people” (p. 464).

  Moreover, Worchel and Shebilske (1989) in their book Psychology;

  Principles and applications explain:

  Personality as the unique set of behaviours (including thoughts and emotions) and enduring qualities that influence the way a person adjusts to his or her environment. Personality is seen as influencing, guiding, and motivating behaviour.” Personality is what someone really is toward his or her own life want to be. Personality is what makes people unique and causes them to act or see situations different from anyone else (p. 461). Furthermore, Worchel and Shebilske (1989) describe Sigmund Freud’

  Psychoanalytic theory; the structure of personality: Freud believes that the individual’s personality is the scene of a never-ending battle: On one hand there are primitive and unacceptable drives striving for expression, while on the other hand there are forces trying to deny or disguise these impulses. Freud not only viewed the personality as a battlefield, but he also identified the participants in this battle: the id, the ego, and the superego (p. 471).

  Sigmund Freud defines these three elements of personality. The first element of personality is known as the id. The second element is known as the ego and for the third element is called the superego. These three elements of personality are working together to create complex human behaviors.

2.1.3.1 The Id

  Id operates at the unconscious level of our personality. Each of us has a savage quality at the root of our personality. According to Freud, people are born with two instinctual drives that serve as the basic motivation for all behavior. One called eros and another one is called thanatos.

  Eros is the drive for survival. Included in this drive are the needs to eat and

  drink, to be warm, and above all to engage in sexual activity. The energy force that propels the person to satisfy these drives is called libido.

  Thanatos, is a destructive drive. The aim is to destroy others, but there is also

  a self-destructive aspect to it. In fact, Freud took the grim position that “the aim of all life is death.” This self-destructive impulse is seen not only in suicide, but also in the harmful excesses in which so many people engage, such as drinking alcohol, smoking, and overacting. It is the unconscious desire for self-destruction. The id, like savage, wants to satisfy these primitive drives in the most direct and immediate way. It is not concerned with logic, reality, or manners. It functions on pleasure principle, which dictates the immediate satisfaction of drives.

  2.1.3.2 The Ego

  The ego is a person’s view of physical and social reality. It tries to satisfy the id impulses by taking into account the possibilities of reward and punishment that exist in a situation. In other words, it works on the reality principle. Although each of us may have the primitive desires, it is clear that we could not function long in our social world if we give free expression to the savage within ourselves. For example, suppose you are very thirsty and see a nice cold beer in a restaurant. Your Id impulses would tell you to grab the beer and drink it. The Ego, however, would calculate the possible result of this action; the worst thing may happen. Thus, the Ego would direct you to order and pay for your own beer.

  2.1.3.3 The Superego

  We can view the Id as operating on the signal “I want it now.” The Ego answers this demand by saying “Let’s be realistic and get it in a way that won’t cause trouble.” These two forces, however, must also controlled by the Superego, which says, ‘Think. Is it right to want it?” The Superego represents our conscience. It includes the moral values of right and wrong that are largely instilled in us by our parents. The Superego makes us feel guilty when we have done the wrong thing. As you might imagine, people who are dominated by the Superego will be very uptight and self-conscience; they must constantly ask themselves, “Is it right to feel or act this way?” It is also the superego that motivates us to better ourselves and to live up There are two parts of the superego. The first part is called the ego ideal. The ego ideal includes the rules and standards for good behaviors. These behaviors include those, which are approved of by parental and other authority figures. Obeying these rules leads to feelings of pride, value and accomplishment. The second part is called the conscience. The conscience includes information about things that are viewed as bad by parents and society. These behaviors are often forbidden and lead to bad consequences, punishments or feelings of guilt and remorse.

2.1.4 Theory of Motivation

  The basis of Maslow's motivation theory is that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower factors need to be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied. In psychology, there are many theories of needs that are introduced. Each theory has its own consideration and understanding. The theory of needs applied in this thesis is The Hierarchy of Needs by Abraham Harold Maslow.

  Different from Freud’s psychoanalytic theory that emphasizes unconscious and irrational forces as the controlling factors in behaviors, the theory introduced by Maslow is called as humanistic psychology. As the other psychologists, Maslow believes that human beings are free to make their own choices. According to Hjelle and Ziegler, (1981), human are considered as the conscious agents. It means that they are free in deciding, choosing, and doing their actions (para.365). Therefore, each human being is said to have certain motives in doing some actions in order to fulfill their needs.

  Frank. G. Goble (1971), in his book entitled The Third Force, the Psychology

  

of Abraham Maslow, confirms Maslow’s theory that persons, whose basic needs are

  fulfilled, will have a healthier, happier, and more effective life. On the contrary, those whose basic needs are not completely fulfilled show some psychological disorder symptoms (para.89).

  Furthermore, Hjelle and Ziegler (1981) describe that Maslow believes that human beings are born with some innate needs. These needs are arranged in the order of their potency in a hierarchy of needs. The needs are: (1) Basic physiological needs, (2) Safety needs, (3) Belongingness and Love needs, (4) Self-esteem needs, and (5) self-actualization needs or the needs of personal fulfillment. The lower the need is, the stronger it is. The higher the need is, the weaker it is (369).

  The first four layers in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are called as Deficiency Needs or D-Needs. Meanwhile the top is called as Growth Need, Being Values, or B- Needs. Figure 2.1 below is the picture of Maslow’s pyramid of the hierarchy of needs.

  

Self-Actualization

Esteem Needs

Social Needs

Safety Needs

  

Physiological Needs

Figure 2.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

2.1.4.1 Physiological needs

  Physiological needs are the basic, lowest and the strongest one in the hierarchy of needs. The needs are biological needs that cover the needs for food, drink, oxygen, activity and sleep, sex, protection from extreme temperatures, and sensory stimulation. These needs must be fulfilled at some minimal level by each human in his life. If these needs are not satisfying yet, the person will be not motivated by other higher needs. Hjelle and Ziegler in Personality Theories explain:

  For our chronically and extremely hungry man, Utopia can be defined simply as a place where there is plenty of food. He tends to think that, if only he is guaranteed food for the rest of his life, he will be perfectly happy and will never want anything more. Life itself tends to be defined as unimportant. Freedom, love, community feeling, respect, philosophy, may all be waved aside as fripperies that are useless, since they fail to fill the stomach. Such a man may fairly be said to live by bread alone (p. 372).

  Hence, it is obvious that the physiological needs control human’s thought and behaviors to gain satisfaction of these needs. Unless these basic needs are completely fulfilled, human will not pursue other higher level needs.

2.1.4.2 Safety needs

  After the physiological needs are fulfilled, human will start to pursue another need that is Safety or Security needs. The needs consist of the needs of certainty, order, structure and predictability in one’s environment, and safety from war, crime, natural disasters, riots, and societal disorganizations.

  As it is stated by Hjelle and Ziegler (1981), Maslow believes that the safety needs are readily observed to infants and young children because of their helplessness and dependency on adults. Infants will be frightened when they are suddenly dropped or startled by loud noises and flashing lights. Since they realize that they are powerless in such situations. These dangers can be neutralized when one has experience, knowledge, and education about them. When one knows some information about certain dangers, it makes him feel that he will find some ways to handle them. As a result, he will not feel completely powerless (para.370).

  2.1.4.3 Belongingness and Love needs

  Once the safety needs are fulfilled, the next needs will emerge in human motivation. The needs are the Belongingness and Love needs. These needs are expected to be found both in one’s society and family. Different from the Freudian, Maslow asserts that the belongingness and love needs are not similar to the needs of sex. He emphasizes that mature love involves giving and receiving. It requires more emotional fulfillment than sexual fulfillment. To fulfill these needs, one will try various ways. They might join with certain groups which share them their interests, having lovers, having friends, and many others. Furthermore, Hjelle and Ziegler (1981) explain:

  Rather he contended that mature love involves a healthy, loving relationship between two people that includes mutual respect, admiration, and trust. Maslow also stressed that a person’s needs for love involve both giving and receiving love. Being loved and accepted is instrumental to healthy feelings of worth. Not being loved generates futility, emptiness, and hostility (p. 372).

  2.1.4.4 Self-esteem needs

  Hjelle and Ziegler (1981) explain that when the belongingness and love needs are fulfilled, one will pursue the next higher needs, self-esteem needs. Maslow divides these needs into two categories: self-respect and esteem from others. Self- esteem needs cover the desire for competence, confidence, personal strength, adequacy, achievement, independence, and freedom (para.372).

  Meanwhile, one needs prestige, recognition, acceptance, attention, status, fame, reputation, and appreciation from others to satisfy the self-esteem needs. Goble (1971) defines that someone whose self-esteem needs are satisfied will be more confident and productive. On the contrary, one’s lack of self-esteem needs will cause inferiority, powerlessness, despair, and even with frustration (para.76).

2.1.4.5 Self-actualization needs

  According to Hjelle and Ziegler (1981), the last and highest needs in Maslow’s pyramid of needs are the Self-actualization needs. Maslow introduces self- actualization as one’s capability to be everything he/she wants and is capable of it.

  These needs are the psychological needs which develop and exploit all of his/her capabilities, potentialities, and talents to be everything he/she wants. The development and exploitation of one’s capabilities, potentialities, and talents will enable him/her to improve him/herself thoroughly and reach a healthy mental condition. These needs include the opportunity and freedom to make one’s dreams and hopes come true (para.372).